The Loyal Baptist, Part 2 · Section 5
SECT. V. Of the Baptized Believers Call to Chriſtianity, and to the Work of the Miniſtry.
WHen our Saviour commanded his Apoſtles to teach all Nations, and to preach the Goſpel to every Creature, We do not doubt but their performance of this his gracious Will, may truly be ſaid to be the calling of the Gentiles, or Nations: And that Men enjoy a great Mercy (for which they ought to be very thankful) to be born in a Nation to whom the Goſpel has been preached, and received by their Progenitors: And that it is alſo a great Bleſſing to be born under the Government of Chriſtian Princes; and we believe we ought to love and honour our Nation, and the Rulers of it, upon this very account (as well as for the Obligation of Nature and Laws) viz. becauſe they aſſert the Intereſt of Chriſt Jeſus in general as well as we.
Nor is it our Buſineſs to deſtroy the State of Chriſtianity received in any Nation; nor at all to deſpiſe the Miniſtry that conſcientiouſly upholds it (but only to labour that Chriſtianity may be delivered from the Errors that have encumbred it, by reaſon of the change of Governments and Intereſts, or Corruptions of the Ages paſt.) And in this Conſideration, as we look upon our Nation to be a Chriſtian Nation; ſo we count our ſelves much more happy in being Members of a Nation that owns the true God, Chriſt Jeſus to be the Saviour of the World, the Scriptures to be holy and true, and that Faith and Holineſs is the way to true Bleſſedneſs, than to have been of any other Nation whatſoever.
But yet for all this there is a great Truth in the Words of Tertullian, i. e. We are not born, but made Chriſtians. And therefore, we do not think that our meer Birth of Chriſtian Parents does qualify us, or give us an actual Right to Chriſt's Ordinances; but to this end we believe, and know, that every Perſon ought to have the Goſpel preached, or ſome way made known to them, and that a work of real Grace (or the new Birth) at leaſt by a ſolemn Profeſſion, muſt precede our Baptiſmal Covenant; to this the Scriptures give full conſent, John 1. 12, 13. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Eph. 2. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 23. And thus we, and ours (ſo many of them as the Lord our God does call by the preaching of the Goſpel) are actually incorporate with the Church of Chriſt Militant, and engaged thenceforth in the high and holy Calling, and actual Profeſſion of the Chriſtian Religion.
2. But now, Whether we have any lawful Call to the work of the Miniſtry, is the buſineſs to be a little conſidered, partly, for that ſome of our late Perſecutors were pleaſed to ſuggeſt the contrary; and partly to put our ſelves upon the ſtricteſt Trial, even in this caſe where we are ſuppoſed to be the moſt deficient.
The Queſtions in this caſe to be reſolved, are,
1. Whether a ſucceſſion of Ordination from Man to Man, down from ſome of the Apoſtles, be abſolutely neceſſary to a due Call to the Miniſtry? or,
2. Whether the ſame Means that is of Authority ſufficient to make Men Chriſtians, be not alſo ſufficient to make Miniſters?
In anſwer to theſe Queſtions, we ſhall do little more than offer what we have formerly written upon this Subject. And tho the Papiſts are the Men who ſtand moſt ſtifly for Succeſſion, as neceſſary, yet of late we find our Friends of the Church of England looking that way, as if they would juſtify their Ordination in a ſucceſſive Line from Man to Man, through the Papacy: which thing is diſclaimed by Dr. Luther, with the greateſt vehemency, in theſe words. Whoſo loveth Chriſt, ought to endure any thing, rather than to be ordained by the Papiſts; becauſe in their Ordinations all things are carried with ſuch wicked prepoſterouſneſs, that if they were not mad, and blind, they would perceive how they mock God to his Face;—being ſtricken with an univerſal blindneſs, they do not ſo much as know the Word of God, ſpecially the Biſhops who ordain.—Let me be counted a Fool, a Knave, a Lyer, if there be any one of them, ordain'd by them, who dare ſay, that at ſuch time as he received Orders, he was commanded to diſpenſe the Myſteries of Chriſt, or to teach the Goſpel, —but they ordain Sacrificers of the unbloody Sacrifice of the Maſs, and to hear Confeſſions, &c. Thus far Luther. And the Oath which they take at their Ordination (as ſet down by Mr. Bullinger) is very un-goſpel-like, the ſum of it is in theſe Words, That the Prieſt will be a true Subject to the Pope, obey the Decrees of the Fathers, and of the Church (i. e. the Roman Church) and that he will perſecute Hereticks.
Beza cenſures all Ordination taken from the Papiſts. Let us hear him ſpeak. What ordinary Vocation is that which you ſay the firſt Reformers had, excepting ſome few of them, is it not the Pall? Shall we think then, that the Popiſh Orders are valid, in which there is not any preceding enquiry into manners? No ſuch Enquiry or Procedure, as is inviolably to be made, or obſerved, by Divine Right in Elections, and Ordinations,—Shall we think ſo highly of their Ordinations, that as often as any falſe Biſhops are converted to true Chriſtianity, immediately all the Filth, Uncleanneſs, and Impurity, collated, is waſhed away? Nay, but with what Face or Conſcience will he be able to forſake Popery, and not abjure his irregular Ordination? or if he do abjure it, how can he by virtue thereof claim Authority to teach?
Thus theſe two Pillars of the Proteſtant Reformation, are ſo far from deriving their Call to the Miniſtry, through the Papacy (as ſome late Proteſtants pretend to do) that they do utterly reject any Ordination which comes from them. Nor was Luther and Beza ordained after they came from the Papiſts. (Mr. Stub's Occaſ. Quaer.) But Beza is ſaid to defend his Call to the Miniſtry, by Inſtances of thoſe that were called extraordinarily, as Iſaiah, Daniel, Amos, Zecharias, &c.
Theſe things premiſed, we may aſſume, that either of theſe ways (as approved by our Reformers reſpectively) could we go to defend our Call to the Miniſtry, as well as they: Being firſt, many of us, ordained by thoſe who received Ordination from you, and ſome may run with you to Biſhop Cranmer, who was ordained by the Papacy; and then proceed, till we come up to Clemens, or Lucius, and ſo to St. Peter.
And as for the pretence of Beza, or Luther, about their extraordinary Call, it's not impoſſible for us to give as fair a Demonſtration of it, as either of them, (ſpecially if we take the Rules given by Mr. Beza, to judg of ſuch a Call by, to be cogent, viz. good Life, ſound Doctrine, and the Election of the People.) But to be plain, we do not very well like either of theſe ways. Not the firſt, it is ſo ſordid, as that the Papiſts themſelves in deriving their Call through the Papacy, are forced to take it from ſo many falſe pretended Popes, or Diabolical Popes, even Witches and Devils incarnate (by their own confeſſion) that they make but a lamentable Succeſſion of it in the end. And eſpecially, if Stapleton may be regarded (tho a Papiſt) who tells us, That it is not a bare and perſonal Succeſſion, but lawful Succeſſion, which is a note of a true Church; and defineth that to be lawful Succeſſion, when not only the latter ſucceeds into the void rooms of thoſe that went before them, being lawfully called thereunto, but alſo hold the Faith which their Predeceſſors did. Now let this Rule be honeſtly ſtood by, and we are ſure the Papiſts ſhall never be able to prove a Succeſſion of many points of their Faith, and Doctrines from the Apoſtles, whilſt the World ſtands, and conſequently neither can the Proteſtants derive a lawful Succeſſion from them.
We like not the ſecond way, for we will not compare with Iſaiah, Daniel, Amos, nor Zechariah, in reſpect of their immediate Miſſion. But this we ſay, That our Call to the Miniſtry is no otherwiſe extraordinary, than our Call to believe the Goſpel is ſo; or, as it ſtands clear from all the idle Ceremonies uſed by Papiſts, or others in their Ordinations, or as it is ordered (as near as we can) according to the Word of God. And is the ſacred Word of Power to beget us to God, and by the aſſiſtance of his Spirit to make us his Children, or Chriſtians? and is it not of Power or Authority ſufficient to enable us to worſhip God in his own Ordinances, which were made for Chriſtians, and not Chriſtians for them? This ſeems juſtly ridiculous.
We make no doubt but that it's eaſy with God (and no extraordinary thing) to raiſe a People to himſelf, in a Nation where all have corrupted the way of Chriſtianity, (or loſt the State and Praiſe of a true Church) meerly through his Bleſſing upon the reading and diligent ſearching of the Scriptures, (I ſpeak of a Nation where the Scriptures are received, as that is our caſe.) The Truth is, all the ways of God's Worſhip, are (in the Word) made ready for us, and laid at our Doors, and we do but take up gladly, what others let lie as uſeleſs things, that they may hug their own Devices.
But now to ſilence a Papiſt for ever (which ſome will think to be a difficult undertaking); do they not allow (even by the Pen of the Learned Bellarmine, chap. 7.) that even an Heathen, that is not baptized, may adminiſter Baptiſm in caſe of Neceſſity? And this they eſteem a valid Baptiſm. And why then may not we, when God hath opened our Eyes to ſee any other Truth, as well as that, enter upon the dutiful obſervance of it in the beſt way we can, our Circumſtances (eſpecially the caſe of Neceſſity) being conſidered? For is not Neceſſity as good a Warrant to take up the practice of, or to reſtore one Truth as well as another? Certainly, one Ordinance is as ſacred as another, and where Churches are ſetled, ought to be diſpenſed in the moſt honourable way, and by the moſt fit Inſtruments, even Chriſt's Miniſters. Wherefore, till the Papiſts ſhall recal their opinion about Baptiſm, and prove a Succeſſion as neceſſary to Baptiſm as Ordination, they can with no ſhew of reaſon, inſiſt upon the neceſſity of Ordination to be founded upon Succeſſion. But further,
It's evident from the Scriptures, (Acts 13.) that a Succeſſion is not neceſſary to true Ordination; for tho the Apoſtles were yet living, it was not thought neceſſary that they ſhould impoſe Hands upon Barnabas and Paul: but this is done by gifted Men, or the Prophets that were in the Church at Antioch. The only queſtion here to be reſolved is, Whether this laying on of Hands was for Ordination? The Papiſts do hold it was; ſome Proteſtants deny it; but ſome Proteſtants do affirm it. Mr. Churchman, in his Hiſtory of Epiſcopacy, tells out of Chryſoſtom, That tho Paul was an Apoſtle neither of Men, nor by Men, yet as for the Work to which he was ſeparated, ask the ſaid Father (ſaith he) and he will tell you, foreign, That it was the Office of an Apoſtle, and that he was ordained an Apoſtle here, that he might preach the Goſpel with greater Pewer,—And certainly that he had not the Apoſtleſhip before, may be made manifeſt by that which followed after. But tho ſome Proteſtants doubt whether this were Paul's Ordination (tho the matter is clear of it ſelf) yet here is the Ordination of Barnabas without all queſtion; and then it is evident that there was an Interruption of Succeſſion in the caſe of Ordination, even in the Apoſtles Days, and therefore by no means to be held to be neceſſary in our Days, who are ſo far removed from the times of the Holy Apoſtles, that in vain do Men think to find a clear and undoubted Succeſſion, of any one Ordinance from them. Wherefore we may ſafely conclude, that where the Truth of the Goſpel is received, with the Gifts of God's Spirit (as that was the caſe at Antioch) there is a ſufficiency of Power on the Perſons ſo gifted, with the advice of the Church to ſend forth, or appoint Men to the work of the Miniſtry; altho 'tis true, this courſe is moſt warrantable in the caſe of neceſſity, and in no wiſe to be done in contempt or wilful neglect of that way, which is more ordinary and regular. Howbeit, to tye all Power of Ordination ſo ſtrictly to the Perſons of Men ordained, by ſuch as were ordained by the Apoſtles themſelves, would in all likelihood throw the Power of Ordination out of the Church of God at this day; eſpecially if we ſtand upon the due Election and Qualification of Perſons ſo claiming Succeſſion from the Apoſtles themſelves.
And becauſe due Qualifications, and Election, is as neceſſary to a true Miniſter of Chriſt, as Ordination, ſeeing it's moſt certain, that unleſs God do firſt make Men Miniſters, it's impoſſible for the Church (rightly) to make them Miniſters. We ſhall here add, That beſides his moral Vertues, and Spiritual Gifts, he that is regularly called to the Miniſtry, muſt firſt be a true Member of the Church, and choſen by a true Church to that ſacred Employment. And then we may boldly (yet modeſtly) ſuppoſe, that true Ordination (at leaſt in ſome part of it) is only found in the Congregations of Baptized Believers at this day: For, where true Baptiſm is not, Ordination cannot be regular. Again, due Election is found amongſt them, whilſt neglected both by Papiſts, and Prelatiſts. And further, the true Form and Order of Ordination is found in our Churches. The firſt is evident of it ſelf, No Baptiſm, no due Ordination; is a Truth without exception among all that own Ordination. And for the ſecond, 'tis certain none are ordained to any Office in the Baptized Churches, till elected by the conſent of the Church, or the Major part, to whom they are to miniſter.
And herein they follow the Footſteps of the Apoſtles, Acts 1. when one muſt be choſen in the room of Judas, the 120, which was the whole Aſſembly, allowed the choice of two: and good reaſon there is, that where all are equally concerned, they ſhould all be ſatisfied in the choice of ſuch, as to whom they commit the care and feeding of their Souls.
When the ſeven Deacons were to be ordained, the whole Church is conſulted, Acts 6. and the Election made by them who knew the qualification of the Perſons.
And as holy Scripture, ſo Antiquity ſtands with us in this caſe. The Nicene Council, writing their minds to the Church at Alexandria, concerning ſome that were to ſucceed other Biſhops, gives theſe Directions: If ſo be they ſhall ſeem to be worthy, and the People ſhall chuſe them. What Rules were to be obſerved in reſpect of their worthineſs for Miniſterial Employment, may be gathered from Clement, Epiſt. ad Corinth. Having (ſaith he) made trial of them by the Spirit, to be Biſhops and Deacons. And again, Others well approved of, ſhould ſucceed into the Office and Miniſtry, who therefore have been conſtituted,—by famous and diſcreet Men, with the good liking and conſent of all the Church,—and who withal, have of a long time had a good Teſtimony from all Men.
Leo gives the ſame direction (Epiſt. 84. c. 5.) charging, That none be ordained againſt the Wills and Petitions of the People: And again, Epiſt. 49. The Cuſtom was that he ſhould be choſen of all, that was to be over all, and wills, that the liking of the People and their Teſtimony be ſought: That in Ordinations, the Rules of the Apoſtles and Fathers ought to be obſerved; that he that is to be over the Church, ſhould not only have the Allowance of the Faithful, but the Teſtimony alſo of them that are without.
Cyprian is as clear for us, (Ep. l. 1.) The People who full well and perfectly know the Life of him that is to be ordained Biſhop, are to be preſent, and to be choſen with their allowance, who know the Converſation of every one. And he brings Salinius (his Colleague) for Inſtance, who was choſen by the Voice of the whole Brotherhood, and the Judgment of the Biſhops which came together.
Each Church ſtands free (ſaith Dr. Bilſon, Perpet. Govern.) by God's Law to admit, maintain, and obey no Man as their Paſtor without their liking; and that the Peoples Election dependeth on humane Fellowſhip, and firſt Principles of humane Society and Aſſemblies.
Dr. Field informs us, That this Right of the People hath been invaded many ways: 1. By great Perſonages and Magiſtrates. 2. When the Biſhops grew to great Pomp, and the Clergy began to be enriched by Benefices, Elections were, and to this day are made according to the Intereſts of the Rich and Strong, whilſt the People are not only deprived of, but become ignorant, that any Right remains in them to chuſe their own Miniſters or Paſtors.
Now this Privilege, tho loſt in moſt National Churches, is reſtored and maintained in the Baptized Churches, where none are elected Meſſengers, Biſhops, or Deacons, without the free Choice of the Brotherhood where ſuch Elections are made. And after ſuch Election of Perſons of known Integrity and competent Ability, we proceed to Ordination, with Faſting and Prayer, and the laying on of Hands, according to the Scripture; Acts 13. 3. When they had faſted and prayed, they laid their Hands on them, and ſent them away. Thus for the Ordination of Meſſengers, (which after the manner of ſome are called Biſhops.) Acts 14. 23. And when they had ordained them Elders in every Church, and prayed with Faſting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. Acts 6. 5, 6. And they choſe Stephen, a Man full of Faith, and of the Holy-Ghoſt, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicholas, whom they ſet before the Apoſtles; and when they had prayed, they laid their Hands on them. Thus for the Ordination of Deacons. All which Apoſtolical Practices are religiouſly reſtored and obſerved in the Churches of the Baptized Believers, without any deviſed Adjuncts of our own or others. By all which it may appear, they have a lawful Call to the Work of the Miniſtry.
Here I meet with an Objection; 'Tis doubted by ſome, whether a Man having received Ordination as a Presbyter, may afterward have Ordination as a Meſſenger of the Churches of Chriſt, the Objector ſuppoſing that the firſt Ordination is ſufficient, only the Church muſt give him another Commiſſion.
This Objection I anſwer three ways: 1. By Antiquity. 2. By Reaſon. 3. By Scripture.
1. Antiquity is directly againſt this Objection, being rather for a threefold Ordination than only one, as I ſhall ſhew by and by. But firſt, I marvel how the Objector would give a Man a Miniſterial Commiſſion without Ordination, the Church having no other way at all to give Commiſſions but by Ordination; nor can any Man tell us, how ſhe can give her Commiſſions Miniſterial, but by the very Act of her Ordination; and according to the Nature of her Ordination, ſuch, and no other is her Commiſſion.
Now our Ancients underſtood this, and therefore did uſually bring Men gradually to the degree of a Biſhop, (i. e. a Meſſenger, according to the Scripture, Biſhop, or Overſeer, being a Name common to Elders in the Primitive Times.) Thus Chryſoſtom was Socrat. l 6 c. 12, 13.firſt ordained a Deacon, then a Presbyter, after that he was ordained Biſhop of Conſtantinople, by Theophilus Biſhop of Alexandria. And ſaith the learned Bilſon, In the Primitive Church they were firſt Deacons, and upon Trial, when they had miniſtred well, and were found blameleſs, they were admitted to be Elders; and after that, if their Gifts and Pains ſo deſerved, they were called to an higher degree: ſo that every one, by the ancient Diſcipline of Chriſt's Church, before he could come from miniſtring to governing in the Church of God, received thrice, or at leaſt twice, Impoſition of Hands.
2. Reaſon tells us, that every Man that is called to the Work of the Miniſtry, ought to have a Commiſſion (that is, an Ordination) commenſurable to his Miniſtry. It is Chriſt's peculiar to give Commiſſion by the Word of his Mouth only, the Church cannot do ſo; ſhe muſt confer Miniſterial Authority in ſome ſolemn Rite or Ceremony. This is plain in the caſe of Deacons, it was not ſufficient for the Apoſtles to ſay (of Perſons eminently qualified) we order or appoint them to ſerve Tables, or, look ye to the Poor: But beſides their great Qualifications and Election, they muſt receive their Commiſſion or Authority by Prayer, with the laying on of hands, elſe they have no Commiſſion. In like … be ſolemnly ordained, before the Holy-Ghoſt hath made him an Overſeer of the particular Flock committed to his Charge. And then in reaſon, if he have a far greater Charge afterward committed to him, he has need of a Commiſſion (that is, an Ordination, for other Commiſſion there is none) to enable him to take care of many Churches, and to plant new Churches in the World. We read not of any Meſſengers, that acted as ſuch in that great Truſt, without an Ordination agreeable to their Work; and it is ill venturing to ſend Men out with a Commiſſion too ſhort for their Employment, it being irrational ſo to do, and without any good Example. Let us ſee then what the Scripture will ſay in favour of our Anſwers.
3. The Apoſtles had a twofold Apoſtleſhip; the one limited to the Jewiſh Nation, Mat. 10. the other of extent to all Nations, Mat. 28. If they were ordained to either, then they were ordained to both; and the latter ſeems to be the more ſolemn and formal Ordination, not only for that when Chriſt had given them Order what to do, he lift up his Hands, and bleſſed them, Luk. 24. 50. but alſo gave them Order to tarry at Jeruſalem, until they were endowed with Power from on high. When their Work was particular or limited, they had a limited Commiſſion; when their Work was univerſal, they had an univerſal Commiſſion. Sure the Church, who hath no way to give Commiſſions but by Ordination, ſhall do well and wiſely to follow Chriſt, the Author of all her Power, when ſhe delegates or gives it forth to any of her Miniſters. This Anſwer may ſuffice, yet we add:
Barnabas is confeſſed to have been one of the Seventy Diſciples, and had a divine Authority from Chriſt to preach the Goſpel to the Jews; but when he is ſent to preach to the Gentiles, he hath a new Commiſſion, even an Ordination, as appears, Acts 13.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Grantham, The Loyal Baptist (1684)