Answer to Book by Romish Priests, Doctrine 43
XLIII. That no interior Grace is given by Impoſition of Hands, in Holy Orders. And that Ordinary Vocation, and Miſſion of Paſtors, is not neceſſary in the Church.
Anſwer.
HERE are Two Parts of this Propoſition; in both of which he notoriouſly ſlanders us; and in the firſt of them diſſembles their own Opinion. For we do not ſay, That no interior Grace is given by Impoſition of Hands, in Holy Orders; but that this is not a Sacrament, properly ſo called, conferring ſanctifying Grace; and that the outward Sign among them is not Impoſition of Hands; but delivering of the Patin and Chalice, concerning which the Scripture ſpeaks not a ſyllable. Nor is any man admitted to be a Paſtor among us, but by a Solemn Ordination; wherein the Perſon to be ordained Prieſt, profeſſes he thinks himſelf truly called, according to the Will of our Lord, &c. unto that Order and Miniſtry; and the Biſhop when he lays hands on him, ſaith in ſo many words, Receive the Holy Ghoſt, &c. which is the conferring that Grace, which they themſelves call gratis data; and which the Apoſtle intends in the Scriptures he mentions.
1 Tim. IV. 14.In the firſt of which, 1 Tim. IV. 14. there is no expreſs mention of Grace, (which he promis'd to ſhow us in our Bible) but of a Gift. By which Menochius himſelf underſtands, The Office and Order of a Biſhop, the Authority and Charge of Teaching. And ſo ſeveral of the Ancient Interpreters, ſuch as Theodoret, St. Chryſoſtom, underſtands it: As others take it to ſignify extraordinary Gifts, ſuch as thoſe of Tongues, Healing, &c. none think it ſpeaks of ſanctifying Grace. So that I may ſay (alluding to his own words) See how plain it is, that this Man doth not underſtand the Scripture! And hath made a mere Rope of Sand in his following reaſoning; for there is this Miſſion among us, of which the Apoſtle ſpeaks, viz. A Deſignation unto a ſpecial Office, with Authority and Power to perform it.
The Apoſtle ſpeaks of the ſame thing, in 2 Tim. I. 6.2 Tim. I. 6. where there is no mention of Grace at all, but only of the Gift of God, which was in him. Which if we will call a Grace, (a word we diſlike not) it was not a Grace to ſanctify, but to inable him to perform all the Offices belonging to that Order, ex gr. ſtrenuouſly to Preach the Goſpel, and to propagate the Faith, &c. They are the words of the ſame Menochius; from whence I may take occaſion again to ſay, See, how plain the Scripture is againſt him. And how fouly he belies us, in ſaying that we affirm, Laying on of Hands, not to be needful to them, who have already in them the Spirit of God. For after the Biſhop hath askt the queſtion to one to be ordained Deacon, whether he truſt that he is inwardly moved by the Holy Ghoſt, to take upon him that Office and Miniſtration, &c. And he hath anſwer'd, I truſt ſo; then the Biſhop (after other Queſtions and Anſwers) layeth hands on him. Which is not to ſanctify him, for that is ſuppoſed; but to impower him to execute the Office committed to him in the Church of God.
The Apoſtles words, V. Hebr. 4. are alledged after his manner, to prove what none of us deny, That no man may take this Office upon him, unleſs he be called to it.
They who have a mind to ſee more, may ſoon find that the reſt of the Scriptures (ſome of which are the ſame again) prove nothing but a Miſſion, by laying on of Hands, which we practice. And one of them, 1 Tim. V. 22. can never be proved to belong to Ordination; being referred by many, of no ſmall Name, to Abſolution. For Impoſition of Hands was uſed in giving that, as well as in giving Orders; which is an unanſwerable Argument, that this is not a Sacrament; becauſe the only ſign that can be pretended out of Scripture, to belong unto it (viz. Impoſition of Hands) is not proper to giving Orders, but common to other things.
None of his Fathers, nor any others, for many Ages, knew of more proper Sacraments, than two only. And therefore it is but to waſte Paper, and abuſe the Readers patience, to ſhow how impertinently thoſe, whom he mentions, are alledged.