Popery Anatomized, Section 15
SECTION XV. Concerning Impoſition of hands, and whither it be a Sacrament?
Maſter Gilbert Brown.
SEventhly, our doctrine is, that when our Prieſts (which are the only lawful Miniſters now adayes) are called to that function, receives the impoſition of hands, with the grace or gift of the holy Ghoſt, becauſe it is the doctrine of S. Paul in theſe words: Neglect not the gift or grace that is within thee, which is given thee by propheſy, with the impoſition of prieſthood. And therefore muſt be a Sacrament, becauſe it hath an external form, which is the impoſition of hands, of an external grace, which is the gift given by the ſame. And for this cauſe (a) John Calvin himſelf admits it to be a Sacrament: albeit in their Confeſſion they call it a baſtard Sacrament of the Popes, and deteſts the ſame, although (b) Melancthon hath the contrary. a Inſtitut. lib. 4. cap. 14. ſect. 20. item lib. 4. cap. 19. ſect. 28. b In locis com. edit. 1543. de num. ſacrament.
M. John Welſch his Reply.
As for the ſeventh point of your doctrine concerning the impoſition of hands in the ordination of the lawful Miniſters of the Church of Chriſt, becauſe it is a ceremony which hath the foundation of it in the word of God, and was practiſed in the primitive Church, as in the ordination of Timothie here, and others: and is profitable both to put the Paſtors in mind of his calling, that he is ſeparated of God for the diſcharge of the ſame, and alſo the people that they embrace him as one ſent of God to them; therefore we both acknowledge it, and practiſe it. But that either the gift of the holy Ghoſt is inſeparably joyned with it, or that it is a Sacrament of the New Teſtament properly (as you affirm) that we deny. As to the firſt▪ the gift of the holy Ghoſt is not inſeparably joyned with it; Firſt, becauſe that is injurious to the Lords free grace, which is not bound to any inſtrument, let be to a ceremony. And alſo he ſpeaks againſt experience: for how many, I pray you, do receive impoſition of hands, who receive not a new grace and gift of the holy Ghoſt among you? Miſerable experience theſe many ages, both doth teſtifie it; and alſo one hath teſtified the ſame, ſaying, Our Prieſts do lay the word of bleſſing upon many, but in few followeth the effect of that bleſſing, Ex veteri Teſtam. quaest. 109. inter opera Auguſtini. And certainly if any gift of the holy Ghoſt is joyned with this ceremony, it ſhould be an ability to preach the Word: For that is the principal part of the office of the Miniſter of the Goſpel. But how many thouſands are they among you in your Church who have received this impoſition of hands, and yet as unable to preach the Goſpel as aſſes are? And laſt of all▪ what needed that tryal and examination ſo ſtraitly commanded in the Scripture, which ought to be had of them that are to be ordained, if the holy Ghoſt were ever inſeparably given with the ceremony? For wherefore is this tryal and examination? And wherefore is Timothy ſo ſtraitly charged to lay his hands ſuddenly on no man, but becauſe it is only the holy Ghoſt who enables? The which alſo ſhould be well known unto his Church, ere they preſume to teſtifie the calling of God to them. For if it were true that ye ſay, that the gift of the holy Ghoſt were joyned with the impoſition of hands inſeparably, then the Apoſtle ſhould rather have commanded Timothy, 2 Tim. 5.22. to lay his hands upon many, in reſpect of the need that the Church ſtood in of all men, rather then to have diſcharged him. And as for the place of Paul which ye cite here, Deſpiſe not the gift, &c. this ſerves nothing for your doctrine: For if firſt, the gift given to Timothy, which the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, was extraordinary, and ſo ordinarily doth not ever follow the ceremony. 2. It is not aſcribed here to the ceremony of impoſition of hands, but unto propheſie, which is given thee by propheſie, whereby it was revealed to the Church of the ability of this man. And ſo if there be any propheſies that go of you in your Clergy, that the holy Ghoſt is given to you, then ye may claim unto the ſame: but I think ye will not ſay that ſuch like propheſies go of you: therefore ye cannot claim to this teſtimony. 3. Timothy is exhorted to keep that worthy thing concredited unto him through the holy Ghost, 2 Tim. 1.14. It was the holy Ghoſt therefore who was the giver and preſerver of it. And as for the ceremony, it was a ſign of the preſence of Gods Spirit in them who was lawfully ordained. Now as to the ſecond, that ye will have it a Sacrament, becauſe it hath an external form, and alſo a promiſe of grace. That will not follow: For then you ſhould have innumerable Sacraments: For prayer, alms-deeds, and the ordination of Magiſtrats, and many others, have external forms, and have promiſes of grace joyned with them, and yet you will not ſay that they are properly Sacraments For in all the Sacraments of the New Teſtament which properly are Sacraments, there muſt be firſt, not only an external action, but an earthly and viſible element, as water in Baptiſm, and bread and wine in the Supper. And therefore Auguſtin ſaith, in Joan. tract 90. Let the word be joyned with the element, and then it is a Sacrament. Secondly, they muſt have their expreſs warrant and inſtitution from Jeſus Chriſt in the Scripture, as Baptiſm hath, Matth. 28. and the Lords Supper, Matth. 26. Thirdly, they muſt not only have a promiſe of grace, but a promiſe of remiſſion of ſins and ſanctification: For they muſt be ſeals of that Covenant which is common to all Chriſtians, as Baptiſm and the Lords Supper is. But this ceremony of impoſition of hands wants all theſe three: For neither is there any earthly element, neither ſeals it up the Covenant which is common to all, but proper to the Miniſtery only; neither hath it the expreſs inſtitution of Chriſt in all the four Evangeliſts And whereas in the 20. of John, he there ordains his Apoſtles, we read, he breathed on them, and ſaid, Receive the holy Ghoſt. But not a word that he laid his hands on them, or commanded them to uſe it to others. The which without all queſtion he would have done, if he had ordained it to be a Sacrament. And Petrus a Soto, a Papiſt, ſaith, That the making of the impoſition of hands to be a Sacrament, is a tradition. Therefore it is not a Sacrament properly of the New Teſtament. Secondly, if the ordination of any by impoſition of hands were a Sacrament, the ordination of a Biſhop by the ſame eſpecially ſhould be a Sacrament: For the place which ye quote here is of Timothy, who was a Biſhop, as your Church affirms. And Bellarmin ſaith, de Sacramento ordinis, lib. 1. cap. 5. If this be not a Sacrament, then it cannot be proved by the Scripture, that ordination by impoſition of hands is a Sacrament. And he ſaith, If this be not granted, they will loſe all the teſtimonies of the Ancients, to prove impoſition of hands to be a Sacrament, for they ſpeak of the ordination of Biſhops. But the ancient Schollers and Doctors of your own Church, in 4. diſt. 24. and Dominicus a Soto, a learned Papiſt, lib. 10. de juſtitia & jure. qu. 1. art. 2. affirms, That this is not a Sacrament properly; and ſo neither the ordination of the reſt of the Miniſtery can be a Sacrament, ſeeing a Biſhop is above the reſt in your order. Laſt of all, the Council of Trent, ſeſſ. 23. cap. 2. & 3. is not againſt it; and ſundry of the reſt of your Clergy, Bellarm. lib. 1. de ſacr. ord. cap. 9. makes all the ſeven Orders of your Church, as Prieſts, which you diſtinguiſh in two ſorts; to wit, in Biſhops and inferior Prieſts, Deacons, Sub-Deacons, Exorciſts, Lectors, Door-keepers, and your Acoluthyts, every one of them by themſelves, Sacraments. And your Maſter of Sentences, lib 4 diſt. 24. cap. Si autem, calls all the Orders in the plural number Sacraments. So if ye durſt let the people know the ſecret of this your doctrine, ye make not only ſeven Sacraments, but fourteen in very deed. But this were dangerous to you to ſowe abroad: For you fear it would caſt your doctrine in ſome ſuſpicion with them, and be an occaſion to them to examine it by the Scripture; the which if they would once begin to do, ye know your hope were loſt. As for Calvin and Melancthon, they call it a Sacrament, taking the word in an ample ſenſe; for theſe ceremonies that have the foundation in the Word, which have a promiſe of a bleſſing joyned with them, and not in that ſenſe that Baptiſm and the Lords Supper are called Sacraments, as Calvin in that firſt place which ye quote, plainly acknowledgeth: For theſe are his words, Let the Chriſtian Church, ſaith he, be content of theſe (meaning of Baptiſm and the Supper) and let them not admit nor acknowledge, deſire, or look for any other third Sacrament till the end of the world. And as for impoſition of hands which the Church uſeth in their ordinations▪ he ſaith, I will not be againſt it that it be called a Sacrament, ſo being I reckon it not among the ordinary Sacraments. And Melancthon in that ſame place reckons up prayer, alms, marriage, the Magiſtrat, in the number of theſe unto the which he gives this name of a Sacrament: whereby he makes it plain that he takes this word Sacrament, amply and largely, as hath been ſaid before, and not in that ſenſe that Baptiſm and the Supper is called Sacraments. So you play your ſelf, M. Gilbert, in the ambiguity of this word Sacrament, and deceives the Reader with the ſame. And whereas ye call your Prieſts the only lawful Miniſters now adays: I will anſwer to this more fully afterward, only this now: Firſt, ſeeing the fountain and ground upon the which all the lawful callings in your Church depends, and is derived, as your ſelves confeſs, is the ſupremacy of your Pope, whom I have proved to be the Antichriſt in my other Treatiſe: and ſeeing the office of your Prieſthood in ſacrificing the Son of God, as ye ſuppoſe, is moſt abominable, idolatrous and Antichriſtian, as I have proved alſo there: therefore you are not only not lawful Miniſters of Chriſt, but the Miniſters of Antichriſt. And as for the ſtyle of Prieſt, I anſwered it before: it is not ſo much as once aſcribed to the Miniſters of the Goſpel, to ſignifie their proper calling, in the whole New Teſtament.