The True Form of Church Government, Chapter 7 – Chapter 9
CHAP. VII.
EVery officer of the Church must be ordained by the laying on of the hands of the Eldership, T.C. 2. booke, 1. part. page 274. Discip. Ecclesiast. fol. 53.
They say if ought to be done by the Bishop alone, Whitgift▪ page 196. their daily practize doth likewise shew it.
The former is proved, and the latter disproved by these reasons follo…ing.
1. As Church officers were ordained in the Apostles time, so must they be continually, for they did lay the plot, according whereunto the Church must be built unto the end: but they were ordained in the Apostles time by the laying on of the hands of the Eldership, Act. 6 6. & 13.3. Therefore the Church officers must be ordained by laying on of the hands of the Eldership.
2. Church officers must bee ordained by them that have warrant from the Word, to assure the parties ordained, that they are called of God: OnelyOnly the Elders…ip hath such a warrant, 1 Tim. 4▪ 14. Therefore they ought to be ordained by the Eldership.
3. Many of the sentences alledged before, out of Councels, Emperours Lawes▪ Histories▪ and … writers both old and new, for election not to be by one▪ but by divers, speake also of ordination, and so are forcible to this purpose.
Theod…et Book 5. cap. 34. E…agrius came to the office of a B…sh…p unlawfully, because onelyonly Paulinus ordained him▪ contrary to the … of many Canons, which provide, that they should not bee orda…n…d, …ut by all the Bishops of the Prov…nce, or (at the least …y three.
… Concil▪ Cart…ag. c…p 23.5. When a B…shop is to be ordai…ed, &c one Bishop shall pronounce the blessing▪ and the rest of the Bishops with the Elders pr…sent, shall all l…y on their …ands.
Cypri…n, lib. 1. Epi…t. 4.6. When a Bishop was to be ordained, the Bishops adjoyning did ordaine him.
Therefore if Church officers were ordained in the Apostles time, not by one,The Conclusion. … by the E…dership, consi…ting of many; i… they be to ordaine, that have warrant out of the Word, to assure the parties ordained, that they are called of God; if ordination by one B…sh…p be unlawfull and contrary to many canons of Councels; if the Bishops and Elders were to lay on th…ir h…ds: lastly, if the B…shop… adjoyning were to ordai…, … needs follow that Church offic…rs are not to be ordained … the laying on of the hands of the Eldership.
But t…ey fight ha…d aga…nst this, because it s…riketh at a maine pillar of their …ingdom…, th…ir chiefe grounds be these.
1. Object. Paul and Barnabas ordained Elders, where is no mention of an Eldership.
Answ. They are said to ordaine, because they being the chiefe procured it; so is Joshua, 5.3. said to circumcise, which was the Levites office, so say we, the Queene hath made a law, and yet not she alone maketh any.
2. Ob…ection. Though it were so then, yet is it not so required now, no more then the community in the Apostles time.
Answer. There was no more communitie then (for they that thinke otherwise, are in that point Anabaptists) then is to be required now, so that instance maketh for us.
3. Ob…ect. Examples are no generall rules to be followed.
Answ. Examples not contrarying any rule, or reason of the Scripture, be to be followed, as if they were commandements, so that notwithstanding any thing alledged to th… contrary, it remaineth upon the former gro…nds most stedfast, that it belongeth to the Eldership to ordain those Church officers that are to be imployed in the publike service of God.
CHAP. VIII.
THe ordaining of Church officers must be done with humble prayer of the Eldersh…p, and the Congregation▪ Discip. Ecclesi. …ol 50.
Their unreverent beginning and proceeding therewith i… a c…rner, is contrary to this: which is condemned by the proofe of our asser…ion by these reasons.
1. We are to behave our selves in these actions, as they by whom we have direction to doe them, have set us an example: But the Apostles and Elders, when they ordained Church officers, did alwayes commend the action to God by prayer, together with those congregations, over which they placed them, Act. 6 6 & 14.…3. Therefore the ordaining of Church officers must bee done by humble prayer of the Eldership, and Congregation.
2. The greater the action i… that is in hand, the more carefull must they bee that have it in hand, to humble themselves by prayer, for the Lords assi…tance there…n: Bu… the ordaining of Church officer…, is an action of most weighty importance: …h…refore they that have it in hand (which be the Eldership to ordain him, and Congregation to receive him) ought to hum…le themselves in earnest pra…er before hand.
3. They that shall have part in the comfort or discomfort o… the action, are to joyne tog…ther in pr…yer un…o God for the better event, and against the wors…: but the Eldership and people, shall both have part in the event …f t…e action: Therefore th…y are to joyne together in humble prayer before hand, &c.
CHAP. IX.
CHurch officers must be ordained by laying on of hands; in this they agree with us, concerning the ceremonie it selfe, albeit neither in the parties by whom, nor on whom it must be conferred. The profit of this Ceremonie appeareth in reasons following.
1. That which stirreth up every partie, to pray with more fervencie, is profitable to be used: But such is this Ceremonie, for it affecteth the ordainers, when they feele him for whom they pray; and the ordained when he feeleth a calling and charge from God (as it were) sensibly comming upon him, and the congregation, when they see him separated from the rest, by whom they shall reape much comfort or griefe: Therefore the use of it is very profitable.
2. That which helpeth forward the party ordained in his care, to walke with a good conscience in his calling, is profitable to be used: Such is the imposition of hands, for both it declareth unto him, that he is separated of God for that purpose, and also giveth him hope, that his hand who allotted him thereunto, will alwayes assist him in the course of that calling: Therefore it is of a profitable use.
3. That which worketh a more acknowledgment of Gods ordinance in the hearts of the people, is profitable to be used: such is the laying on of hands, for it declareth unto them, that the Lord hath placed him in that Calling over them: Therefore it is profitable to be used.
Conclusion.Therefore seeing the Ceremonie of laying on hands is forcible, to increase the fervencie of every partie, when they pray; seeing it assureth the calling to the party ordained, and giveth him an argument of good hope, for the blessing of God upon him in the course of the same; and seeing it procureth a more perswasion in the people, that he is allotted unto them from the Lord himselfe; it is evident that it is not a vaine and idle ceremonie (as many doe imagine) but of good and profitable use, in all ordinations.