A Second Discourse About Re-Ordination, Discourse
A SECOND DISCOURSE UPON Re-ordination.
HAving met with a certain Book of ſome worthy perſon, under the title of foreign, and an unknown name, with Animadverſions on my Diſcourſe about Re-ordination, I perceive the Lord is pleaſed to call me forth to a new endeavour upon this ſubject, for the ſake of my Brethren, unto whom I am already engaged. It is a truth, this author hath from Mirandula, Non eſt in potentia hominis facere aliquid apparere intellectui ſuo verum quando, or quia vult, and when I find ſo ſober and temperate a perſon, who is willing, and profeſſing it his advantage, to be of the opinion he oppoſes, if he could, declaring to me that he is not ſatisfied with what I have written, I cannot but in ingenuity be ready to have the leſſe thoughts my ſelf of the ſame, and adviſe my Readers to be the more cautious in receiving it: Nevertheleſſe, ſo long as I find a kind of requiting temper in my breaſt (to my coſt) apt to entertain the hardeſt prejudice, my own heart, or others, or the tempter can ſuggeſt againſt my ſelf in this thing, which is followed many times with dark and dread reflexions, and yet when I conſult with my judgement alone, (which I ought) and follow the little unclouded reaſon that I have at any time to uſe about it, it appears to me, that both what this author ſayes may be fully anſwered, and what I have, is for the main not touched, or in the weight not impaired, I can but be ſorry my ability hath been no more to ſerve thoſe I have deſired, and be content, ſuch as I have, to lay out yet once more in their behalf, and my own; though I muſt needs ſay, with ſuch a heavie and weakned ſpirit in good earneſt, that I have more need to crave their prayers unto God and be ſupported my ſelf, then to offer freſh ſupport and furtherſatisfaction to others. He giveth power to the ſaint, and to them that have no might he encreaſeth ſtrength.
A hard task it is upon me, unto him I look up; and I cannot well tell from whence to derive my diſcourſe, which is ſure to meet with ſo much prejudicate intereſt, and opinion. It is Cuſtom I know and the common apprehenſion that rules the many, and while their heads run ſhallow, it is not enough for a man to embark in a ſound bottom, unleſſe we have ſomething of the tide alſo, and ſtream with us. I remember what a ſtrange thing the Antipodes ſeem to Lactantius, as others of the Fathers; and to beleeve any habitable land beyond the Ocean, was to the antient Clemens another world, foreign It is enough certainly to make truth it ſelf ſeem a crime if it appears but ſingular, and if Paul himſelf, but offers to bring ſome new thing, they will determin it beforehand to be babbling; though it was the ſpread doctrine of the Chriſtian Religion. And yet is not this all, but there are the ſeveral engagements of mens ſpirits, and concernments to bee met with alſo, wherein, one muſt look to run the fate of ſuch who are engaged in arbitrations, who when they have moſt carefully diſcharged their truſt, doe reap but ill will on both ſides; and only have left them the teſtimony of their own conſcience, that though both parties (that are extream) be diſpleaſed, yet both have cauſe to be content. Hee perſued, and poſſed ſafely, even by the way, that he had not gone, with his feet.
There is a School adage well applyed to the Intellect, Intus exiſtens prohibet alienum; and I perceive indeed here that the common notion which lies upprrmoſt, hath ſo filled the minds of moſt, that Orders makes us Miniſters, (which ſhould bee rightly underſtood) and that we are Miniſters already, that they have no thoughts hardly left them free born for the diſcuſſion of this matter. It is beſides the Original humour of man, to be apt to think of himſelf more high then he ought to think (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks) and not ſoberly, according to the meaſure God hath dealt him; and hereupon is the Ordainer ready to beleeve that in Orders he conferrs no leſſe then the holy Ghoſt it ſelf, his grace or gifts, or the ſpiritual power at leaſt of the Miniſtry, which all are indeed the prerogative (I take it) alone of Jeſus Chriſt; and does argue, both the pride of ſome mens underſtandings that dare aſſume ſo much without Gods word, and the lowneſſe of others, to take it up upon truſt, as if our Proteſtants all, as well as the Papiſts were of that opinion. A large preſumption, that lying at the bottom of this diſpute, does require ſome of our firſt and moſt ſerious thoughts about it, as introductory to our buſineſſe. I ſaid, I will anſwer alſo my part, I alſo will ſhew my opinion.
To fetch this matter from the beginning; Let us look unto the Prieſts under the Law, and obſerve what God almighty hath ſaid in the firſt place. Exod. 29.9. The priests office ſhall be Aarons and his ſonnes, for a perpetual ſtatute. I gather from hence, that the Right, power, dignity, office of Prieſthood, did flow immediately upon the prieſts under the law from this ſtatute, which is undoubtedly Gods will appointing of it. If the ſpiritual power or authority of the prieſt (as our Book of Orders calls us) came only by ſuch a delegation, that conveighes the ſame through mans hands, then was the prieſts under the law no prieſts, or had no power, for they were not ordained prieſts, but born prieſts; and this right and power of prieſthood was theirs, we ſee expreſly, by this ſtatute for ever. We read indeed of the prieſts ſanctifying themſelves often to ſome particular work, as to carry the Ark, to cleanſe the Sanctuary, and the like, but we read not that they were to be conſecrate to their office, as I yet finde. We read indeed that the high Prieſt as he ſucceeded, was to be conſecrate, and annointed, and ſo Aarons garments were kept on purpoſe, but foraſmuch as this dignity it ſelf of the high prieſthood, came alſo by birth, it is apparent, that their annointing and conſecration did not give them their right and office, but only ſolemnize and confirm it; as princes who are ſo by birth cannot have the regal office conveighed, but declared and ratified by their inauguration. As for the reſt of the prieſts, we read of one conſecration only by Moſes at once for all of them. Lev. 8. Exod. 29. And certainly we may conceive if God did intend that the Miniſterial power ſhould be conveighed ordinarily through the hands of man any otherwiſe then as the ſignifiers of his will, then ſhould not one conſecration (it is like) have ſufficed for all, but he would have commanded every one of them to be particularly conſecrate, or ſet apart for the receiving that power by man in their generations. Beſides when Aarons ſonnes are conſecrate at once by Moſes, this is all you ſhall find in it. An Investiture by ſeveral ceremonies (you may ſee Lev. 8.) which all are manifeſtly (without the leaſt word or form of conferring power) by the way onelyonly of external ſolemnization; and an Attonement made by ſacrafice for them, becauſe elſe they might not approach the holy God in their fins; and therefore, is is ſaid, This ſhalt thou do to hallow them to miniſter in their office, Exod. 29.1. It is not ſaid, This thou ſhalt do to give them their office Their office was conferred by Gods appointment, and the hallowing them is only to the work, that they might ſtand before the Lord to execute their ſervice in the holy place.
And now let us come to look alſo under the Goſpel; All power (ſayes Chriſt) is given me in heaven and earth, Go, preach, and baptize. Here we ſee from whence the authority of the Miniſtry is derived, and that is from him only who is the Maſter of diſcipline, and fountain of power. And does he ſay this to his Apoſtles only? No: it followes, And lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world. Again, when he aſcended and gave gifts to men, as he gave ſome to be apoſtles, ſo he gave ſome to be paſtors and teachers, Eph. 4 It is he then gives the office; putting us in the Miniſtry, as Paul ſpeaks 1 Tim. 1.12. In Mat. 9.38. It is the father ſends forth labourers into the harveſt; and though thoſe Elders (it is likely) at Epheſus (Acts 20.) were ordained, yet as for their power, it is expreſſe the holy Ghost made them Overſeers. We receive our commiſſion and authority from them whoſe embaſſadors we are, but we are not the embaſſadors of men, but the Stewards of God, 1 Cor. 4.1. and embaſſadors of Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Cor. 5.20. VVho then is that faithfull Steward, whom his Lord ſhall make ruler of his houſhold, Luke 12.42. It is the will (I gather) and appointment of the Lord which gives the formal being of a ruler to this ſteward, and at for the ſervants they might indeed deliver him the keyes, and ſo bee ſaid if you will to make him ſteward (which is to be known alſo) by the way of inveſtiture and external poſſeſſion.
The London Divines, who are to be much regarded in ſuch works of theirs, In Jus. Div. Min. Evan c. 11. after they have told us that the contrary is maintained by many Reverend Divines (which by the way, may daſh ſome, who think this Opinion of mine to be ſingular) and are laying down arguments to prove that Orders do give the Ministerial Office (which arguments I ſhaal anſwer in due place) they check themſelves in their courſe, and tell us, they mean it only as to the eſſence of the outward call; and if that indeed be all, let us take their meaning thus, that it gives the Office before men, ſo that a man is (and is to be) taken for a Miniſter thereupon, which in the Court of the Church he was not before, and that does hit the truth (I think) and bottom of this matter. I do not doubt but we may ſay (as we do ordinarily) that Ordination makes us Miniſters, nay that it makes us ſo, as we were not before; but then we muſt underſtand this aright; There is therefore this diſtinction (which is clear in its own light) to be received here, unleſs we will remain ſtill in the dark; and that is this, The Miniſterial power which a man hath, by vertue of that grand warrant, Go and Teach all Nations, muſt be conſidered as good, In foro Dei, or In foro Eccleſiae. There are many worthy Perſons who devoting themſelves to this ſervice, have preached a good ſpace (as Origen of old) before they have taken orders, (when perhaps they have forborn the Sacraments) and we may not doubt but ſome of them have converted ſouls; Now where there is converſion, there is Faith, and where there is that preaching as begets Faith, the Preacher muſt be ſent; which is expreſſe Ro. 10.15. and conſequently ſuch a man then muſt have his Commiſſion in the Court of God, when he hath none yet in the court of man, and is not a Miniſter yet indeed as to the Church, before Orders. Ordination then does make a man a Miniſter, as Baptiſm makes a Chriſtian, when he hath ſaving grace before. The Orders of the Church does give the Miniſtry, as the abſolution of the Church does forgive ſinnes; that is, where a man hath true faith and repentance, and ſo is forgiven in heaven. It is the prerogative of God to forgive ſinnes, and yet doeth the Church forgive them in her court, that is, declares and pronounces to the penitent remiſſion, as our Liturgy hath it. It is the prerogative royal of Jeſus Chriſt to appoint his own officers in his Church, and yet does the Church make a man a Miniſter in her court, that is, declares, pronounces him to be ſuch, approves and confirms his call from the Lord by this ſolemnity. There is no man taketh to himſelf this honour, but he that is called of God, Heb. 5. This calling then of God is that which gives the honour and office in his ſight, and the call of man (whereof Orders is the conſummation) does give it him before men, by ſolemnization. If it muſt be firſt given of God before a man may take it to himſelf, I gather à fortiori, it muſt be firſt given of God before another can apply it to him by the ceremonie thereof. And Abraham received circumciſion, a ſigne of the righteouſneſſe of faith which he had whiles he was uncircumciſed.
As for the outward call thoſe Divines ſpeak of, it muſt bee oppoſed to the inward; The inward call is this call of God as diſtinguiſhed from mans. Herein I have conceived three things.
1. The Inſtitution, which is Gods appointing ſuch an office to bee, and that thoſe who have ſuch gifts ſhall bee ſuch officers.
2. The Gift, which is Gods endownents of a perſon adapting him for this office, and that peculiarly above others; which I put in, becauſe the abilities of a perſon are warily to bee conſidered, according to mens ſeverall capacities, diſpoſitions, condition, and thoſe circumſtances of providence, and otherwiſe, which render ſeveral men of the ſame parts, ſerviceable to their generation, under ſeveral employments.
3. Conſent, which is the reſigning a mans ſelf hereunto, and does lye in thoſe holy and ſincere deſires and ends, that the ſpirit of God alone can ſtirre up, and a man ought to have, that does devote his life to ſo ſacred a function, to wit, that his great aim in the prevailing Intereſt of his heart be nothing elſe but the glory of his Redeemer and Salvation of mens ſouls.
When God now hath given the ſecond of theſe to wit the gift; the firſt alone does neceſſarily conveigh to him the Power, and makes the third his duty. Ʋnto every one of us is given Grace according to the meaſure of the Gifts of Chriſt. Eph. 4.7. By grace is meant there (I ſuppoſe) Authority or Office (as we ſhall ſee more ſomwhere) and then it followes, where there are Chriſts gifts this Authority to uſe them is given with them. So 1 Cor. 12.7. The Manifeſtation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall. The Gifts alone do infer a power to edifie the Church by them. Hence in that place before Eph. 4. if we compare verſ. 8. with v. 11. while Chriſt is giving gifts in the one, he gives the office in the other; And the reaſon is good, becauſe the power does ſlow upon the gifts, from the Inſtitution. A power let me ſay again, but in Gods ſight; for it is not for every man to pretend gifts and ſtraight be a Miniſter, which I ſhall meet with well enough, if you will attend a little till its due place. When the Lord in the parable gave the man his talent, that alone impower'd him and obliged him to traffique with it. There was no need more in a Prophet then to be inſpired with a Prophecy to be ſent of the Lord. No more can there be likewiſe required in a Miniſter to give him his Office before God, then this call of God. And as for the farther call of man, which is yet required to a Miniſter before men, that was not to a prophet, when there are already the three things mentioned, what can there be more herein diſtinguiſhed there from (beſides the commending a man to Gods grace, or the invocation of his bleſſing upon him for his work, which is the moſt ſignal end of this Rite. Act. 14) then I and our Proteſtant Divines do account of it. viz. Such a Perſon preſents himſelf to the Ordainers, they examine him, and what is it they are to ſearch and to find? Why if they conſider what it is, it is this, whether the man hath the gift, whereupon they may conclude that he is commiſſioned according to Chriſts Inſtitution, and alſo hath ſincere ends of being faithfull in his place; if they find this, here is the call of God, and what is there remaining poſſible for them to do beſides what is done, but to confirm it before men, that they may receive him? So that this Rite in its eſſence (to uſe thoſe Divines word) is but the ſolemn Approbation, Declaration, or Confirmation of our call by God; and the immediate effect of it, is the value, repute, outward Authority, Account, or Eſteem with men as Miniſters of his, to all ends and purpoſes in the Church, and place where a man ſhall be ſo appointed. And this is that thing which orders does really and effectually give, which is not a matter neither of ſmall moment, but of great conſequence, even ſo much as the free paſſage of the Goſpel comes to in the Church where we are; which muſt therefore, and will keep up the head of Orders while the World laſts. Now Sirs! The immediate effect of an action muſt be the end of the Agent, and foraſmuch, as in this Change of times and Government which God hath brought upon us, this end and effect, doth fail us in our firſt Orders, we ſee how there ariſes upon a man even from Providence it ſelf, without any other arguing, the neceſſity, the duty (ſuppoſing him at firſt, and ſtill fit) and reaſon of his Re-ordination. And this I take it is the marrow of what I have in my firſt ſheets, which is not yet ſo much as taſted or touched, by my Oppoſer, neither in his Book where he diſputes upon this queſtion, nor in his Appendix, which he hath againſt mee in the way of animadverſion. I ſhall take both now into conſideration, I will ſpeak, that I may be refreſhed, I will open my lips and anſwer.