Reply Against Gilbert Brown, Section 18
Maiſter Gilbert Browne.
7 Our doctrine is, that when our Prieſts (whilk are the onlie lawful Miniſters now adayes) are called to that function, receiues the impoſition of hands, with the grace of gift of the holy Ghoſt, becauſe it is the doctrine of Saint Paule in theſe words: …. Tim. 4.14Neglect not the gift or grace that is within thee whilk is giuen the by prophecie, with the impoſition of prieſt-hoode. And therefore muſte b…e a Sacrament, becauſe it hes an externall forme, whilk is the impoſition of handes, of an externall grace, whilk is the gifte giuen by the ſame. And for this cauſe (a)Inſtitut. lib 4 cap. 14. ſect. 20 item lib. 4. cap 19 ſect. 28Iohn Caluin his ſelfe admits it to bee an Sacrament: albeit in their confeſſion they call it an baſtard Sacrament of the Popes, and deteſts the ſame, although (b)In l…cis com. edit. 1543. de numer. ſacrament.Melancthon hes the contrarie.
Maiſter Iohn Welſche his Reply.
As for the 7 point of your doctrine concerning the impoſition of hands in the ordination of the lawful miniſters of the Kirk of Chriſt, becauſe it is a ceremony whilk hes the foundation of it in the worde of God, and was practiſed in the primitiue Kirk, as in the ordination of Timothie here, and others: and is profitable both to put the Paſtors in minde of his calling, that he is ſeparated of God for the diſcharge of the ſame, and alſo the people that they imbrace him as one ſent of God to them, therefore we both acknowledge it and practiſe it. But that either the gift of the holy Ghoſt is inſeparably ioyned with it, or that it is a ſacrament of the newe Teſtament properly (as you affirme) that we denie. As to the firſt, the gift of the holye Ghoſt is not inſeparablie ioyned with it, firſt, becauſe that is iniurious to the Lords free grace, whilk is not bound to any inſtrument, let be to a ceremonie. And alſo he ſpeakes againſt experience: for how many, I pray you, doe receiue impoſition of hands, who receiues not a new grace and gift of the holy Ghoſt amongſt you? Miſerable experience theſe many ages both doth teſtifie it, Ex veteri Teſta. queſt 109. inter opera Auguſtini.and alſo one hes teſtified the ſame, ſaying, our Preiſts doth lay the word of bleſſing vppon many, but in fewe followeth the effect of that bleſſing. And certainly if any gift of the holy Ghoſt is ioyned with this ceremonie, it ſhould be an abilitie to preach the word: for that is the principall part of the office of the Miniſter of the Goſpel. But how many thouſands are they among you in your Kirk wholes receiued this impoſition of hands, and yet as vnable to preach the Goſpel as Aſſes are? and laſt of all, what needed that tryall and examination, ſo ſtraightlie commanded in the Scripture, whilk ought to be had of them that are to be ordained, if the holy Ghoſt were euer inſeparablie giuen with the ceremonie. For wherefore is this triall and examination? And wherefore is Timothie ſo ſtraightlie charged to lay his hands ſuddenlie on no man, but becauſe it is onlie the holy Ghoſt who enables. The whilk alſo ſhould be well knowne vntounto his Kirk ere they preſume to teſtifie the calling of God to them. For if it were true that ye ſay that the gift of the holy Ghoſt were ioyned with the impoſition of hands inſeparablie, 1. Timoth. 5.22then the Apoſtle ſhould rather hauehave commanded Timothie to lay his hands vponupon manie in reſpect of the neede that the Kirk ſtoode in of all men, rather then to hauehave diſcharged him. And as for the place of Paule whilk ye cite here, Deſpiſe not the gift &c. This ſerues nothing for your doctrine: for if firſt the gift giuen to Timothie whilk the Apoſtles ſpeake of, was extraordinarie, and ſo ordinarilie doth not euer follow the ceremonie. 2. It is not aſcriued heere to the ceremonie of impoſition of handes, but vntounto Prophecy, whilk is giuen thee by Prophecie, wherby it was reuealed to the Kirk of the abilitie of this man. And ſo if there be anie prophecies that goes of you in your Clergie that the holie Ghoſt is giuen to you, then ye may claime vntounto the ſame: but I think ye will not ſay that ſik like prophecies goeth of you: therefore yee cannot claime to this teſtimonie. 3. 2. Tim. 1.14Timothie is exhorted to keepe that worthie thing concredited vntounto him through the holie Ghoſt. It was the holie Ghoſt therefore who was the giuer and preſeruer of it. And as for the ceremonie it was a ſigne of the preſence of gods ſpirit in them who was lawfully ordained. Now as to the ſecond that ye will hauehave it a ſacrament, becauſe it hes a externall forme, and alſo a promiſe of grace. That will not follow: for then you ſhould hauehave innumerable Sacraments: for prayer, almouſ-deeds, and the ordination of Magiſtrates, and manye other hes external formes, and hes promiſes of grace ioyned with them: and yet you will not ſay, that they are properlie Sacraments. For in all the Sacraments of the new Teſtament whilk properly are Sacraments, there muſt bee firſte not onlye an externall action but an earthlie and viſible Element, as water in Baptiſme, and breade and wyne in the Supper. And therefore, Auguſtine ſayes let the word be ioyned with the element, In Ioh. tract 90and then it is a ſacrament. Secondly, they muſt hauehave their expres warrant and inſtitution from Ieſus Chriſt in the Scripture, as baptiſme hes Math. 28. and the Lords ſupper hes Math. 26. Thirdly, they muſt not only hauehave a promiſe of grace, but a promiſe of remiſsion of ſinnes and ſanctification: for they muſt bee ſeales of that couenant whilke is common to all Chriſtians, as baptiſme and the Lords ſupper is. But this ceremonie of impoſition of hands wants all theſe three: for neither is there any earthly element, neither ſeales it vp the couenant whilk is common to al, but proper to the miniſtrie only: neither hes it the expres inſtitution of Chriſt in al the foure Euangeliſts. and whereas in the 20. of Iohn he there ordaines his Apoſtles, we read, he breathed on them, and ſaid, receiue the holy Ghoſt. but not a word that he laid his hands on them, or commanded them to vſe it to others. The whilk without all queſtion he would hauehave done, if he had ordained it to be a ſacramēt: and Petrus a Soto a Papiſt ſaies, that the making of the impoſition of hands to be a ſacrament, is a tradition. Therefore it is not a ſacrament properly of the new Teſtamēt. Secondly, if the ordination of any by impoſition of hands were a ſacrament, the ordination of a biſhop by the ſame eſpecially, ſhuld be a ſacrament: for the place whilk ye quote here is of Timothie who was a Biſhop as your Kirk affirmes. De ſacramento ordinis lib. 1. c 5.And Bellarmine ſaies, if this be not a ſacrament, then it cannot be proued by the Scripture that ordination by impoſition of hands is a ſacrament: and hee ſaies, if this be not granted they wil loſe all the teſtimonies of the ancients to proue impoſitiō of hands to be a ſacrament, for they ſpeake of the ordination of Biſhops. But the a)In 4. diſt. 24ancient Schollers and Doctors of your owne Kirk, and b)Dominicus a Soto lib. 10. de iuſtitia, & iure q i artic. 2Dominicus a Soto a learned Papiſt affirmes, that this is not a ſacrament properlie, and ſo neither the ordination of the reſt of the miniſtrie can be a ſacrament, ſeing a Biſhop is aboue the reſt in your order. Laſt of al, c)Seſ. 23. cap. 2, & 3 Bellarm. lib. 1. de ſacr. o…d. cap 9.the counſell of Trent, is not againſt it and ſundrie of the reſt of your Clergie makes all the ſeuen orders of your Kirk, as Preiſts whilk …ou diſtinguiſh in two ſorts: to wit, in Biſhops and inferior Prieſts, Deacons, ſub-deacons, Exorciſts, Lectores, dore-kepers, Bellarmine ſayes ſing…lip Ieſu t ſac…menta. ca. 9 Lib. 4 diſt. 24. cap … autemand your Acoluthytes euerie one of them by themſelues ſacraments. And your Maiſter of ſentences calles al the orders in the plurall number ſacraments. So if ye durſt let the people knowe the ſecret of this your doctrine, ye make not only ſeuen ſacraments, but fourteene in verie deede. But this were dangerous to you to ſowe abroad: for you feare it woulde caſt your doctrine in ſome ſuſpition with them, and be an occaſion to them, to examine it by the Scripture, the whilk if they would once begin to doe, ye knowe your hope were loſt. As for Caluine & Melanchton, they cal it a ſacrament taking the worde in an ample ſenſe, for theſe ceremonies that hes the foundation in the word: whilk hes a promiſe of a bleſſing ioyned with them: and not in that ſenſe that baptiſme and the Lords ſupper are called ſacraments, as Caluine in that firſt place whilk ye quote plainly acknowledges: for theſe are his wordes, Let the Chriſtian Kirk (ſayes he) be content of theſe, (meaning of baptiſme and the ſupper) and let them not admit nor acknowledge, deſire, or look for, any other third ſacrament til the end of the world. And as for impoſition of hands whilk the Kirk vſes in their ordinatiōs, he ſaies, I wil not be againſt it that it be called a ſacrament, ſo being I reckon it not among the ordinarie ſacraments. And Melanchton in that ſame place reckons vp prayer, almes, marriage, the Magiſtrat in the number of theſe vntounto the whilks he giues this name of a ſacrament, whereby he makes it plaine that he takes this worde ſacrament, amply and larglie as hes bene ſaide before, and not in that ſenſe that baptiſme and the ſupper is called ſacraments. So you play your ſelfe (Maiſter Gilbert) in the ambiguitie of this word ſacrament, and deceiues the reader with the ſame. And whereas ye call your Prieſts the only lawfull Miniſters now a dayes: I wil anſwer to this more fullie afterward, onlie this now: Firſt, ſeing the fountaine and grounde vponupon the whilk all the lawfull callinges in your Kirk depends and is deriued, as your ſelues confeſſes, is the ſupremacy of your Pope, whome I hauehave proued to be the Antichriſt in my other treatiſe, and ſeeing the office of your prieſthoode in ſacrificing the ſonne of God, as ye ſuppoſe, is moſt abhominable, idolatrous and Antichriſtian, as I hauehave proued alſo there: therefore you are not onlie not lawfull Miniſters of Chriſt, but the Miniſters of Antichriſt. And as for the ſtyle of Prieſt, I anſwered it before; it is not ſo much as once aſcriued to the Minſters of the Goſpell to ſignifye their proper calling in the whole new Teſtament.