This Separation must be performed by Church-Officers who are authorized by Christ hereunto Those that the Holy Ghost here gives this Command unto were the Prophets and Teachers of the Church at Antioch v. 1. And here I meet with Adversaries on both hands the Prelatists on the one hand and some Independents and Anabaptists on the other The former plead for and insist upon something more viz. That Ordination must be performed by Officers of a Superior Order or Degree to those in the Text The latter allow of and are content with something less 1. For the first of these It is one of the grand Controversies of our Age between the Presbyterians and Prelatists Whether this Separation or Ordination must be perform'd by Bishops or may be perform'd by Presbyters so as that it should be of no force except a Bishop have a hand in it That it should be done by Scripture-bishops i.e. Presbyters I willingly grant But the Necessity of the Concurrence of a Diocesan Bishop is that which we deny So that the great Question is this Whether it be absolutely necessary to the firm and sufficient Ordination of a Minister that it be perform'd by the Concurrence Consent Assistance and Approbation of a Diocesan Bishop or Whether Ordination perform'd by a company of Presbyters be not Valid Firm and Sufficient tho' there be no Diocesan Bishop among them Some high Church-men hold the former That the Concurrence of a Diocesan Bishop is absolutely necessary and thereby Vnchurch most of the Reformed Churches to gratifie the Church of Rome And hereupon at that notable Revolution upon the Restauration of King Charles II. our Bishops would have all those to be re-ordain'd that were ordaia'd by Presbyters during the absence of the Bishops or else not to be owned for Ministers nor capable of any Ecclesiastical Imployment or Preferment But that Ordination perform'd only by a company of Presbyters without a Diocesan Bishop is firm and sufficient I shall prove by Scripture which is the only Rule we profess to walk by and therefore sufficient for our purpose My Scripture-proof is two-fold by Example and by Argument 1 We have Scripture-Examples of Ordination perform'd by Presbyters alone viz. 1 This of my Text where you may observe both the Work that was done It was Ordination perform'd by Fasting Prayer and Imposition of hands whereby Barnabas and Saul were separated and set a-part for their Ministerial Imployment And if this be not Ordination what is Here is certainly all that is requir'd thereto if we take our measures either from Scripture or all Antiquity bating the Preparatives thereto which are not of this Consideration Tho' some make Ordination less as we shall hear anon yet none make it more Observe also the Persons that did this Work of Ordination who they were that were commanded by the Holy Ghost to ordain Barnabas and Saul why they were the Prophets and Teachers here at Antioch v. 1. i.e. Such as did not only instruct the People and expound the Scriptures but had also the Prophetick Spirit and were partakers of Revelations saith Dr. Lightfoot Harmony of the New Testament p. 93. These then tho' indued with a Spirit of Prophecy as was both usual and necessary in those times were the ordinary Pastors and Teachers of the Church as the Apostle joyns them together Eph. 4.11 which were no other than Presbyters Here then Presbyters do perform this Work of Ordination and that by the particular Direction and Command of the Holy Ghost and therefore they have power to ordain and their Ordination is Valid and Sufficient 2 Another instance is of Timothy who was ordain'd by the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4.14 Neglect not the Gift that is in thee which was given thee by Prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Not of the Office as some would shift it off for the Office has no hands and besides the Office is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of Persons in that Office What can be more express than this True Paul joyn'd with them 2 Tim. 1.6 as one of the Ordainers which he 'd never have done if they had not had Authority to do what they did 2. I prove it by this Scripture-Argument or Reason because Presbyters are Scripture-Bishops That Scripture-Bishops may ordain I think is question'd by none But Presbyters are Scripture-Bishops This is generally granted both by Pretestants and Papists except a few high Church-men of late that the words Bishop and Presbyter are used promiscuously in Scripture for the same Persons or Persons in the same Office Convenit inter omnes in Apostolorum aetate inter Episcopos Presbyteros nullum discrimen fuisse saith Cassand Consult Art 14. It is agreed among all that in the Apostles times there was no difference between Bishops and Presbyters Apud veteres iidem Episcopi Presbyteri fuerunt saith P. Lombard With the Ancients Bishops and Presbyters were the same I could add more to the same purpose But that you may not take it upon trust but may see with your own Eyes I shall make it plain to you by comparing two or three places of Scripture together Look into Acts 20.17 18. From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the Elders or Presbyters of the Church and when they were come to him he said unto them These then are the Persons to whom he speaks the Presbyters Now look into v. 28. and there he tells them That the Holy Ghost has made them Over-seers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops These Presbyters were Bishops Again Look into Tit. 1.5 I left thee in Crete to ordain Elders Presbyters in every City Then v. 7. For a Bishop must he blameless * Ex hoc loco manifestum eosdem dici suisse Episcopos qui dicebantur erant Presbyteri alias nulla foret in Textu Apostolico connectio quam tamen particula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diserte ponit Quae enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haec foret Illi constituendi sunt Fresbyteri qui sunt sine crimine quia Episcopum cujus Officium potestas Jurisdictio gradus differt a Presbyterio oportet esse sine crimine Ger. de Min. Eccles From this place it is manifest that the same Persons were both called and were Bishops who were called and were Presbyters Otherwise there would be no Connection in the Apostles Discourse which yet the causal Particle for expresly asserts For what coherence would this be They are to be made Presbyters who are blameless because a Bishop whose Office Power Jurisdiction and Degree is different from that of a Presbyter ought to be blameless whom he calls Presbyters in one place he calls Bishops in the other Once more 1 Pet. 5 1. The Elders which are among you I exhort v. 2. Feed the Flock of God taking the over-sight of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishoping it or playing the Bishops Presbyters were made Over-seers
and touch not the unclean thing But that is not of this Consideration for this Separation in the Text is something that is peculiar to Ministers and that is 1 From all Lordly Dominion 2 From all Civil Secular Imployments 1. From all Lordly Dominion and Secular Power and Authority This is expresly forbidden by Christ to his Ministers Matt. 20.25 26. The Princes of the Gentiles exercise Dominion over them but it shall not be so among you Here they are discharged from meddling with any Temporal Rule and Dominion such as they expected in Christ's Temporal Kingdom So 1 Pet. 5.3 not being Lords over God's Heritage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same word that is used by Matthew They must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishoping it over the Lord's Flock but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Lording it over God's Heritage 1 Pet. 5.2 3. It is the Observation of Beza upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my Text that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nulla fit in Apostolieis scriptis mentio cum de Ecclesiae politia disseritur imo ne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quidem ut nullus se dominum ac principem cleri sed unius Principis ac Domini ministrum esse sciat In the Writings of the Apostles there is no mention made of Rulers when the Government of the Church is spoken of no nor so much as of Lords or Masters that no one should look upon himself as a Lord or Prince of God's Heritage The Kingdom of Christ is not of this World and therefore the Officers of his Kingdom must not exercise Worldly Power As on the one hand we must not put asunder what God has joyn'd together Matt. 19.6 so neither on the other hand must we joyn together what Christ has put asunder Indeed among the Heathen both Ecclesiastical and Civil Power were united in the same Person The Emperor Augustus assum'd that Power to himself and afterwards all the Emperors took this Power upon them Even Constantine and some of his Successors continued it tho' they were Christians and hated Paganism till at last the Emperor Gratian renounc'd it And therefore the Pope who pretending to be Christ's Vicar is also a Temporal Monarch is none of Christ's Officer but the Devil's Not Christ but the Dragon gave him his Authority Rev. 13.2 But yet it doth not follow from hence That they have no Power at all The very nature of an Office includes something of Power in it What Officer has not Power and Authority to perform the Duties of his Office Be he but a Constable Overseer of the Poor Surveyor of the High-ways some Power is annex'd peculiarly to his Office So Ministers being Church-Officers must have some Office-power belonging to them which belongs not to others True They have no Civil Secular Worldly Temporal Power over Mens Bodies or Estates to punish them in their Persons or Purses to Fine Imprison or the like but they have Spiritual Power Spiritual 1 In respect of the Object the Soul and Conscience or Spirit 1 Cor. 5.5 2 In respect of the Weapons they make use of in the exercise of this Power not Carnal and therefore Spiritual and mighty thro' God 2 Cor. 10.4 3 In respect of the Ends of this Power which are Not by way of Dominion over the Peoples Faith 2 Cor. 1.24 nor for Destruction 2 Cor. 10.8 13.10 viz. of the Spirit or Soul but for the Destruction of the Flesh 1 Cor. 5.5 for the demolishing the strong-holds of Satan casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts it self against the Knowledge of God and bringing into Captivity every thought to the Obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. and on the contrary for Edification and building up in Faith and Holiness 2 Cor. 10.8 and for the Salvation of the Spirit or Soul 1 Cor. 5.5 This is all the Power that we claim And this is that which Christ has confer'd upon us and therefore cannot of right be denied unto us or taken away from us A Power of Binding and Loosing confer'd first upon Peter Matt. 16.19 yet not upon him only see Clark's Annot. there but upon the rest also c. 18.18 A Power of Remitting and Retaining Sins John 20.23 This is the Power of the Keys as Christ calls it there to Peter which are distinguish'd into the Key of Doctrine and the Key of Discipline 1. The Key of Doctrine of Binding and Loosing whereby is meant in part at least according to the ordinary use of that Phrase among the Jews as is shew'd at large in many Instances by Dr. Lightfoot in Pool's Latin Synopsis teaching what is Lawful and what Unlawful declaring what is agreeable to the Word and Will of God and what is contrary thereto This is called by Christ the Key of Knowledge Luke 11.52 i. e. The means whereby the Sense of Scripture is opened and made known to us whereby we are let into the meaning of it and see into it as into a Room when the Door is open Hereby a Minister has Power to open and apply Scripture to the Souls of People as occasion requires to apply Scripture Threatnings to the Impenitent and Gospel-Promises to Sensible Contrite Sinners This is to use this Key for Binding and Loosing according to this Sense of that Phrase 2. There 's the Key of Discipline which is 1 To Lock or Unlock to shut or open the Church-doors so as either to admit and let such into the Church as are fit for Membership and Communion This is done by Baptism whereby solemn Entrance and Admission into the Church is confer'd 1 Cor. 12.13 or To Shut and Lock the Doors against i. e. to keep out such as are unfit 2 To Retain Sins i. e. Authority to inflict Church-Censures and thereby to exclude or cast out Scandalous and Impenitent Sinners who discover themselves to be rotten Members and so such as are to be cut off or at least labouring under some such dangerous Disease as requires Sharpness 2 Cor. 13.10 and a Rod 1 Cor. 4.21 and to be purged out 1 Cor. 5.7 and put away from among them v. 13. 2 Cor. 10.6 3 To Remit Sins that is In case of Repentance to absolve from those Censures and restore to the Communion of the Church again 2 Cor. 2.7 But in case they continue Obstinate Impenitent and Incorrigible then to retain their Sins still and to deny them this Discharge and Absolution but continue them still under the Sentence Now Whether this Power may be called Jurisdiction which Grotius vehemently deems and pleads stiffly against de Imperio Sum. Potest c. 9. is not material as to the thing it self so long as the forementioned Powers are allow'd What is the first Subject of this Power Whether the whole Church as the * See Dr. Owen of the Church p. 72. Independents maintain or only its Officers as the †See Ball 's Tryal p. 234 c. Presbyterians assert
or Bishops by the Holy Ghost in the Acts Treating of the Ordination of Presbyters he lays down the Qualifications of Bishops in Titus the Elders or Presbyters are commanded to exercise the Office of a Bishop in Peter Therefore Presbyters are Scripture-Bishops and consequently may ordain or Ordination performed by them is Firm and Sufficient And here I might content my self with this Proof it being sufficient for us that we have Scripture-warrant for what we do But because Antiquity is so much insisted upon by some in this case as King Charles the First ask'd Archb. Vsher in the Isle of Wight Where he found in Antiquity That Presbyters alone ordain'd any therefore I shall not decline dealing with them at this Weapon but shall joyn Issue with them upon this Point also wherein I shall only produce the Judgment and Testimony of two famous Bishops the most Learned of this Age. The first is a Passage of the renowned Archb. Vsher as it is related by Mr. Baxter both in his Life p. 206. and in his Disput of Church-Government p. 216. The passage is this I ask'd him Archb. Vsher his Judgment about the Validity of Presbyterian Ordination which he asserted and told me That the King ask'd him at the Isle of Wight Where ever he found in Antiquity that Presbyters alone ordain'd any And that he answered I can shew your Majesty more even where Presbyters alone successively ordain'd Bishops and instanc'd in Jerom's words Epist ad Evagr. of the Presbyters of Alexandria choosing and making their own Bishops from the days of Mark till Heraclas and Dionysius The other is of Bishop Stillingfleet who proves by several Instances that Presbyters had the intrinsick power of Ordination but only that it was restrain'd by Ecclesiastical Laws and that after Episcopal Government was setled yet Ordination by Presbyters was lookt on as valid Iren. p. 379 c. and then in another place p. 273. he quotes that very passage of Jerom which A. Bish Vsher had done Nam Alexandria a Marco Evangelista usque ad Heraclam Dionysium Episcopos Presbyteri semper unum ex se electum in excelsiori gradu collocatum Episcopum nominabant quomodo si exercitus Imperatorem faciat aut Diaconi eligant de se quem industrium noverint Archidiaconum vocent Ep. 85. ad Evagr. At Alexandria from Mark the Evangelist to Heraclas and Dionysius Bishops the Presbyters having chosen one of themselves and set him in a higher station called him a Bishop as if an Army should chuse an Emperor or a Company of Deacons should chuse one of themselves whom they know to be very diligent and should call him Archdeacon Which Testimony he vindicates from several exceptions that were made against it This then may justifie our practise this day against all Gainsayers that we who are Presbyters and have no Diocesan Bishop among us yet undertake to perform this work of Ordination since as you have seen we have good ground and warrant for it both from Scripture and from Antiquity To which might be added the Consent of all Reformed Churches but that I must hasten Hence also we may see the intolerable Usurpation of those who would not allow the Ordination by Presbyters even in those times when either there were no Bishops or they durst not be known to be lawful and sufficient But do but observe the partiality of these Men They that would not allow Ordination by Presbyters in England or any other Reform'd Church to be valid yet would allow Ordination in the Church of Rome though their Bishops be so far from being the true Ministers of Christ that they are the Slaves and Limbs of Antichrist though their Ordination be attended with so many Fopperies and Superstitious Ceremonies and though the persons be never so unfit yet because one that has the Title of a Bishop has a hand in it therefore that must be valid forsooth and all others invalid and null Let a Person Ordain'd by Presbyters be never so well qualify'd never so faithful in the discharge of his Office let another Person Ordain'd by a Bishop be never so defective in qualifications let him be never so prophane in his Life yet this Man must pass for a true Minister because he has the ineffectual Blessing of a Bishop and the other a meer Usurper and all his Administrations must be null and void for want of this Ceremony Owen of Ordination p. 86. This plainly shows what Friends such are to the Reformation how highly they value the Church of Rome and what dirt they cast in the face and upon the practice of all Reform'd Churches Thus I have I hope pretty well acquitted my self from these Adversaries But there are some others though not so considerable that I must speak a word unto who instead of this Ordination by Church-Officers set up two things in its Room Gifts and a Call from the People I shall speak briefly to both 1. Gifts and Abilities are not sufficient to give a Man a Title to the Office of the Ministry 't is so in no case whatsoever There 's no instance in the World that I can think of from the King on the Throne to a petty Constable or Surveyor of the High-ways or any other thing whatsoever that hath the Nature of an Office in the Commonwealth that a bare qualification and ability for it doth inable a Man to take upon him the discharge of it Much less then should it be so in the Church where all things should be most regular and orderly 1 Cor. 14.40 and where the least miscarriage is dangerous Levit. 10.1 1 Cor. 11.30 Hence even Christ himself tho' fill'd with Wisdom when but a Child Luke 2.40 in whom were hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 yet did not thrust himself into the Office of a Priest till called as Aaron as the Apostle observes Heb. 5.5 Now Aaron had not only a particular designation and appointment by God to this Office but was actually put into it and setled in it by Moses Levit. 8. and 9. So Christ was not only call'd by an immediate voice from God the Father Matth. 3.17 but was Anointed as it were by John the Baptist in his Baptism and thereby Invested and Installed into this Office Wheupon the Apostle lays down this General Rue Heb. 5.4 No man takes viz. legally and duly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any honour or office whatsoever his parts and abilities be but he that is called of God And thus much is generally granted by all except a few self-conceited persons that think better of themselves than any body else doth and so turn Self-ordainers They can scarce be said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they have generally little or no Learning but however they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they lay hands I don't say violent hands upon themselves and so become guilty of a sort of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tho' not in the worst sense of
And likewise Whether all Ministers have originally an equal share of church-Church-Power Are weighty and noble Questions which I cannot stand to determine now 2. As the Office of a Ministry is separated from all Lordly Dominion and Secular Jurisdiction so also from all Secular Affairs and Employments c. 2. The Office of the Ministry is separate also from all Civil Secular Affairs and Employments whether by way of Office as Justices of Peace Mayors Constables or by way of Trade as Merchants Shop-keepers Grasiers c. or any other Vocation as Physicians School-masters or the like A Person that devotes himself to the Ministry must divide himself from all these as his common Imployment and particular Calling What else can be the meaning of that Injunction 1 Tim. 4.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give thy self wholly to them Reading Exhortation c. And suitable hereunto was the Practise of the Twelve Acts 6.4 We will give our selves continually to Prayer and to the Ministry of the Word And that they might not be hindred therein they appointed a fort of Persons commonly called Deacons tho' how properly I cannot tell for the Text does not call them so to perform some of that Work which they themselves performed before And the Apostle proves this Point by the case of other Callings or at least by an Example taken from Souldiers 2 Tim. 2.4 No Man that Wars intangles himself with the Affairs of this Life that he may please him who has chosen him to be a Souldier Thus also under the Law the Priests were forbidden to defile themselves for the Dead Lev. 21.1 to teach them and in them all Successive Ministers of holy things that they ought so intirely to give themselves to the Service of God that they ought to renounce all Expressions of natural Affection and all worldly Employments so far as they are Impediments to the discharge of their Holy Services Pool in loc Obj. But may some say notwithstanding this Separation in the Text Paul after this wrought with his hands in a Mechanick Trade Acts 18.3 Ans To this I have several things to reply 1. He puts this into the Catalogue of his Sufferings 1 Cor. 4.12 2. It was only in case of necessity to minister unto his Necessities Acts 20.34 3. He did not make a common Practise of it You never read he did so at any other time 4. Those that have His Gifts and extraordinary Abilities may do so too if there be occasion for it 5. It was the Custom of the Jewish Nation to set their Children to learn some Trade yea tho' they were Students as I could shew by divers passages out of the Talmud and accordingly tho' Paul's Education was ingenuous in Learning at the feet of Gamaliel yet it seems he learn'd this Mechanick Trade of Tent-making and so upon the occasion fore-mention'd makes use of it But one Swallow makes no Summer One Exception does rather establish confirm and strengthen the general Rule than weaken it This then is a general Rule that a Minister's Work is a separate Work from all worldly Affairs and Employments And therefore I cannot approve of their Practise who joyn other Imployments with the Ministry ordinarily whether it be any thing that is nearer of kin to it so has a tendency thereto as matters of Learning or more remote I can't see how they can consist together but that one must needs josle and be a hindrance to the other As no Man can serve two Masters because he will cleave to the one and despise the other so neither can any Man be of two Vocations so vastly different for doubtless he 'll neglect either the one or the other or at least not be so intirely devoted to the one as he ought to be How can a Man be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he plunges himself over head and ears in other Affairs and Businesses Whatsoever a Man does in any Imployment he should do it with all his might Eccl. 9.10 but all his might can't be laid out about two things at once so different The whole Stream can't run in two distinct Channels The Work of a Minister is compar'd to that of a Plow-man Luke 9.62 and as he that looks back is unfit for the Kingdom of God so he that looks aside or looks off is like to make but ill-favour'd Work on 't A Plow-man should not Plow with an Oxe and an Ass together Deut. 22.20 nor mingle divers sorts of Seed Lev. 19.19 This is the ordinary standing Rule What may be done in cases of Necessity when either the People fail of their Duty in affording their Minister a competent comfortable Livelihood or in Times of Persecution I say not Only this I say That Necessity should not be pretended where there 's none nor in a greater degree than is real Thus much for the first General That the Work of the Ministry is a Separate Work 20. Secondly A Call from God is not sufficient of it self to invest a Person into the Office of the Ministry but he must be solemnly set a-part by Man also Nothing can be plainer than this out of these words I have called them saith the Holy Ghost to such a work but do you separate them Whatsoever a Call from God is or wherein soever it does consist yet that is not sufficient of it self Could not the Holy Ghost here as well have separated them to and set them about their Work as call'd them to it Could not he as well have said to Barnabas and Saul Go about such a Work and that in the same way as he said to these Prophets and Teachers Separate me Barnabas and Saul Yes certainly he could But he 'll honour his own Institutions and maintain the Credit and Authority of his Officers for which reason he sends Cornelius to Peter to be instructed by him Acts 10.5 and he sends Ananias to Saul to tell him what he should do Acts 9.11 O how Happy would it be for the Church if all that take upon them this Work of the Ministry could but shew a good Call from God tho' they had no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no Separation or Ordination by Man But instead of this some alledge their Gifts and Abilities others make use of the Election or Call of the People for their Warrant but neither of these have any Foundation in Scripture as the next Head will evince But this Head relates only to the Negative part That a Call from God alone is not sufficient to make a Man a compleat Minister It was not so then much less is it so now when immediate Revelations and Inspirations are ceased and therefore none that I know of now-a days do pretend to an immediate Call This is the Second 30. Thirdly Officers in the Church have Authority from Christ to set a-part others You see by what steps I proceed 1 Ministers must be set apart 2 A Call from God is not sufficient without a Separation by Man 3