Treatise of Miscellaneous Questions, Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII.
Objections against the necessity of Ordination answered.
I Come now to answere the strongest objections of those who hold Ordination not necessary, nor essentiall to the calling of a Minister.
Obejct. 1. From Acts 8. 4. They that were scattered abroad, went every where preaching the Word. So Acts 11. 19. Apollos also taught boldly in the Synagogues, Acts 18. 25, 26. yet no word of their Mission or Ordination. The Jews esteemed Christ himself but a private man, not ordained nor authorized to any office in the Church, yet they permitted him to preach in their Synagogues. Answ: 1. Those that after Stephens death, were scattered abroad, and preached the Word, must needs have been called, sent, and ordained (by the principles of the Socinians themselves,) for the Doctrine which they preached, was a new Doctrine, both to Samaria, Acts 8. 5. and to those dispersed Jews, Acts 11. 19. Themselves confesse, that they who preach a new Doctrine, must have a speciall Mission and Ordination. 2. Philip was one of those who went abroad preaching the Word, Acts 8. 45. Now hee is expressely called an Evangelist, Acts 8. 8. therefore no president for private Christians to preach. 3. It is a bad argument Luke mentioneth, not their Ordination, therefore they were not orda…ned. They may aswell argue thus. Luke mentioneth not that they prayed when they preached, therefore they did not pray when they preached. Or thus: The Scripture mentioneth not Ioabs father, but onelyonly his mother Zerviah, therefore he had not a father. 4. And suppose they preached the Word without Mission or Ordination, this is but like that which Chrysostome, lib: ad eos qui scandalisati sunt, cap: 19. recordeth as a marvelous extraordinary benefit, which did accrew from the bloody persecutions of those ancient times, viz. That in such times, the sheep acted the parts of shepheards, being driven away to deserts and mountains, where (by the Spirit of God speaking in them) they converted unbeleevers, and gathered Churches: Which concludeth nothing against the necessity of Ordination, in constituted and reformed Churches, for they who were scattered abroad, being driven away in the heat of persecution, might not have the opportunity of Ordination, and they went forth to gather Christians to plant Churches, to lay foundations where Christ was not known. Such cases were in the beginning excepted from the sta…e of our present question. 5. If Apollos preached without Ordination, when he knew onelyonly the baptisme of Iohn, and withall when he had to do with those Jews, who were yet to be convinced that Jesus was the Christ, Acts 18. 25, 26, 28. It is no good argument against the necessity of Ordination, where the doctrine of Christ is known and receaved, and Churches constituted. And withall how will it be proved, that Apollos having been one of Iohns Disciples, had not some commission from Iohn to preach the Word? Or if Apollos was but a gifted brother without any publick calling or authority in the Church, how came he to be so much esteemed, as to be compared with Peter and Paul, 1 Cor: 1. 12. Lastly as touching Christs preaching in the Synagogues, hee was lookt upon as a Prophet extraordinarly r…ised up in Israel. Luke 4 15. 16, 24. and the Jews say of him plainly, a great Prophet is risen up among us Luke 7. 16. Iosephus his testimony given to Christ, as a great Prophet, is known.
Object: 2. The Church doeth foreign, by their voices in Election, make, creat, constitute or ordain Elders, Acts 14. 23. therefore Elders need no other Ordination, but are sufficiently ordained or made by the Church, if elected, and receave their power from the people See this Objection prosecuted in the foreign pag: 9. 10. 11. And in the Queries touching Ordination, pag: 33. tom: 37. Answ: 1. There is no cogent reason brought by these men, why foreign, if rendered thus as they would have it, when they had by voices ordained, must bee therefore understood of Ordination by the people, and not by Paul: and Barnabas, for as I have before noted out of Calvìn: Instit. lib: 4. cap: 3. §. 15. The sence may bee this, Paul and Barnabas did make and ordain Elders according to the voices of the Churches themselves, that is, they ordained such as the Church desired. If so, they are double loosers by this their Objection. 2. If foreign be meant of the Churches Act, then it is not ordaining, but choosing by voices. The foreign ought not to hinder the foreign. Election with the Churches consent, and Ordination are both of them necessary, not inconsistent. In Athens it self, although the people did foreign choose by voyces their Magistrates or Rulers, yet the persons so elected were not ordained, and solemnly set apart, appointed and authorized by the people, but by the Judges called foreign of whom Dem…sthenes orat. advers: Timo…r: tels us that they did foreign, for the foreign, took an oath to be faithfull in their constituting or ordaining of Mag strates. 3. In Scripture we finde Election and Ordination frequently distinguished, not only as distinct acts, but oft times in distinct hands, Deut. 1. 13. Moses said unto all Israel, Take yee wise men and understanding, and known among your Tribes, and I will make them Rulers over you. The people choose them who shall be Rulers, but Moses maks them Rulers, Acts 6. 3. Wherefore brethren look yee out among you seven men of honest report, full of the holy Ghost and wisdome, whom we may appoint over this businesse. The people choose, the Apostles appoint the Deacons. 4 The choosing of a person to an office, is not the authorizing of the person elected, but the designation of the person to be authorized. 'Tis here with a person chosen, as with a thing chosen: Ezra was to choose, and to designe, when, and how much silver, wheat, wine, oyle, should be taken for the House of the Lord, not exceeding the proportion of a hundreth, but the power and authority by which these things were given forth by the Thesaurers, to be applyed to such uses, was from the decree of Artaxerxes, Ezra. 7. 21, 22. So Ester choosed what to make request for, but the thing was to be performed by authority of the King, …. 5. 3, 6. So a man may be chosen to an office by some, and authorized to act in that office by others. How many subordinat offices, (civill and military) are there, in which men act by the power and authority, derived from the ordinances of Parliament, although not nominated and chosen by the Parliament; but by others, intrusted by the Parliament to choose. 5. Even where Election and Mission, are in the same hands, yet they are not confounded, but are lookt upon as two distinct acts: Christ first choosed the twelve, and pitched upon such as he would, and then ordained them, and sent them forth, Mark: 3. 13. 14. The Synod of the Apostles and Elders first choosed, then sent Iudas and Silas, Acts 15. 22, 25. Where you may observe also by the way, that the Mission of a man to the Ministery, or Pastorall charge of a Congregation, doeth not belong to the people who choose him, they cannot send him to themselves. When Election and Mission are in the same hands, 'tis in such cases as th…se two last cited, when men are sent abroad to others, then indeed they who choose them, may also send them: but when they are sent to those who choose them, then they are sent by others, a Minister is sent to the Congregation, therefore he is not sent by the Congregation, and so that place, Rom: 10. 15. How shall they preach except they be sent? cannot be understood of the peoples Election, but of Ordination, or Mission from the Presbytery appointed to ordain. 6. The same Apostolicall Patterne which holds forth unto us the choosing of Elders in every Church, Acts 14. 23. doeth also hold forth unto us the ordaining of Elders in every City, Tit: 1. 5. and these acts in different hands, therefore not the same; yea, as many conceave in that same Text, Acts 14. 23. beside the Election by voyces, th re is a distinct Ordination expressed under the adjuncts thereof, prayer, and fasting.
Object: 3. The Apostle saith, 1 Cor: 14. 26. When yee come together every one of you hath a Psalme, hath a Doctrine, hath a Tongue, hath a Revelation, hath an Interpretation, vers 13. yee may all prophesie one by one. Therefore all that preach or proph…sie, need not to be ordain…d Answ: What those Prophets were, and what is meant by prophesying there, all are not of one opinion. I hold that these Prophets were in mediatly and extraordinarly inspyred, and I reckon them among these other administrations, which w…re not ordinary, or ever to continue in the Church, Apostles, Evangelists, Workers of miracles. But of this I am to speak distinctly, and by it selfe afterwards. Mean while, th…y that make the Objection, must prove two things, else they conclude nothing against the necessitie of Ordination. 1. That these Prophets were not sent and ordained, but that their gifts and parts, gave them a sufficient calling to interpret in the Church. 2. That although they had no Ministeriall sending, or vocation, yet they were not extraordinary Prophets, but that such Prophets are to continue ordinarly in the Church, I beleeve it will trouble them to prove either.
Object. 4. 'Tis said of the house of Stephanus, 1 Cor: 16. 15. They have addicted (or ordained) themselves to the Ministerie of the Saints, foreign. They were not ordained by others, but they ordained themselves. Answ: 1: This may well be understood (as 'tis by diverse) of their devoting themselves to Minister to the necessities of the Saints, by their works and labour of Love. Which is else where called, Ministering to the Saints, foreign, 2 Cor: 8. 4. Yea, 'tis called foreign, 2 Cor. 9. 12. the administrations of service. See also, Ibid. vers: 13. and Rom. 15. 31. Where foreign alone is used in the same sence. 2. Others give this sence, that they did willinglie and zealously desire to do service to Christ in the Ministery of the Gospell, according as they should finde a calling. In which sence, if a man desire the office of a Bishop, he desireth a good work, 1 Tim: 3. 1. So Isa: 6. 8. Here am I, send me. He is very willing to the work, yet hee dare not runne, except he bee sent, and get a commission.
Object. 5. He that digged in the earth, and hid his talent, is condemned for it, Mat. 25. 25. 30. Therefore he that hath gifts for preaching, and administering the Sacraments, cannot answere it to God, except he improve and use those gifts. Ans. 1. If that Parable be applyed to Ministeriall talents, then it will prove, not onelyonly a perpetuall Ministery, because the Lord saith to his servants, Occupie till I come, Luke: 19. 13. But likewise, that none ought to intrude themselves into that holy function, except they have a calling as well as gifts, for Mat: 25. 14, 15. that Lord called his owne servants (Luke saith, hee called his ten servants) and delivered unto them his goods: and unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to everie one according to his severall abilitie: Where wee have a distinction of the calling and ability, suppose another man had been able enough, yet if he bee none of the called ones, that Parable cannot be applyed to him. 2. This Objection may be made in the behalfe of women also; many of whom receave excellent gifts from God, yea, it was foretold by Ioel, and applyed by Peter: that women as well as men should Prophesie, Acts 2. 7. 8. Which being misunderstood, gave some colour to the old Pepuzian Heresie.
Object: 6. If we hold Ordination necessary, and essentiall to the calling of a Minister, wee bring our selves into this snare, that either the Ministers in the reformed Churches, are not true Ministers, but falsely pretended to be so, or otherwise we must hold that those in the Church of Rome, from whom the Protestant Ministers, in the beginning of the Reformation, had their Ordination, were true Ministers of Christ. For if those in the Church of Rome who did ordaine, were not true Ministers of Christ, then they had no commission from Christ to make Ministers for him. And who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean: If so, then the Protestant Ministers, who first ordained other Protestant Ministers (from whom Ordination hath come to us downwards) having no Ordination, but what they receaved in the Church of Rome, they had not power to ordain others with such an Ordination, as hath a divine stamp and character upon it.
This argument is much insisted upon by the Author of the Queries touching Ordination: If it can do any thing, yet it is no new light, but the very same which hath been formerlie objected by Papists, and answered by Protestant writers. Whereof see one instance in Gerhard, loc: com: tom: 6. de Minist: Eccles: § 157.
And now that those who drive so furiouslie after this Popish argument, may forever be ashamed of it: I returne these answeres. 1. By retortion, the argument will conclude as much against the Baptisme, and Church estate of Independents, Anabaptists, and who ever they bee that make any use of this way of arguing against us. For by this argument, those who first gathered their Churches, bap…ized, and incorporated them into the body of Christ, were not only no true Ministers, but no true Church-members, having no other baptisme, but what was receaved, either in the Church of Rome, or from those who were baptized in the Church of Rome: But who can bring a clean thing, out of that which is unclean. Where note by the way, that this argument of theirs, will also make the Scripture it self unclean now, because we have it out of an unclean thing, (the Church of Rome): So that all that will stand to this argument, must unchurch, unbaptize, unchristen themselves: If they will have their recourse to that promise, where two or three are met together, there am I in the midst of them, and think to lay the foundation of their Churches there, without any derivation from the Church of Rome, they must allow us to …o so too, but then they must passe from their argument. What will they say then? Either, there can bee in our dayes atr…e Church with all the ordinances of Christ in it, independent upon the Church of Rome, and without building or leaning upon a lineall succession, or derivation from the Church of Rome, or there cannot. If they hold the affirmative, their argument is not worth a straw, for Ordination being one of the ordinances of Christ (which is here to be supposed, and hath been in the precedent Chapter proved) the reformed Churches had power to set it up, and restore it by vertue of Christs own institution. If the Negative, our Opposits, must all turne Seekers, their Churches are no Churches, their Baptisme no Baptisme, &c. 2. Suppose those protestant Ministers, who first ordained other Ministers, were themselves ordained by such as had no power to ordain them. Nay suppose the first reforming Ministers, to have been at the beginning of the Reformation, no Ministers, but private Persons, not pretending to be ordained. What will they conclud from this? It proves nothing against that which wee hold concerning the necessity of Ordination: For we plainly say, that in extraordinary cases when Ordination cannot be had, and when there are none who have commission and authority from Christ to ordain, then, and there, an inward call from God enlarging the heart, stirring up, and assisting with the good will and consent of a people whom God makes willing, can make a Minister authorized to Ministeriall acts. Suppose this to have been the case at the first comming out from Popery, yet here was a seed for more Churches, and more Ministers. At the first plantation of Churches, Ordination may bee wanting without making void the Ministery, because Ordination cannot be had, but in constituted Churches, the want of Ordination doth make a Minister no Minister. 3. Touching the Church of Rome; I answer as a learned country man of mine answered nere 70. yeares agoe. Although it was a Church miserably corrupted and defaced, y…t it was even then a Church, wherein he professeth to follow Luther, Oec lampadius, Zuinglius, Bucerus, Calvin, Musculus, Bullinger, and the generall sence of the Protestant writers. See the Smetonii respons; ad Hamilton. Apostat. pag. 6. If there was not a true Church, when Popery and Antichristianisme had most universally spred it self, why is it said that Antichrist sitteth in the Temple of God, 2. Thes: 2. 4? And if God had not a people in Babylon, why is it said, Come out of her, my people Rev. 18. 4? And if there were not all that time, even before the Reformation, true Ministers of Christ, why are the two witnesses said to Prophesie 1260. dayes (compting dayes for years) in sackcloath. Rev: 11. 3. 5. Sure the time of the witnesses, their Prophesying in sackcloath, where ever we fix the beginning and ending of it (which is contraverted) it doth certainly comprehend those ages before the Reformation, as a part of this time. Therefore Christ had his Witnesses and Ministers all that while. Protestants as well as Papists, hold the perpetuity of the true Church and Ministery, though not ever visible or alike pure. And otherwise, how shall we understand Christs owne word, Mat: 28. 20. Loe, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. 4. Wherefore I conclude that those who were ordained in the Church of Rome before the Reformation, in so far as they were ordained in the name of Christ, by these who had been themselves ordained Presbyters as well as Bishops, and authorized to preach the Gospel, and administer the Sacraments; this far they were true and lawfull Ministers, truely and lawfully ordained. But in so farre as they were ordained according to the Popish statutes and Canons, for teaching and maintaining the traditions of the Church of Rome, and for offering up the body of Christ in the Masse, in this consideration; their calling and Ordination was impure and unlawfull, like pure water flowing out of a clean fountain, which contracts impurity from a filthie channel it runs through. See Synops: Pur: Theol: Disp. 42. Thes: 48. and diverse others who might be cited to this purpose.