The Pulpits Patronage Against Unordained Usurpation, Part 2 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Arguing the equity, that Ordination ſhould be ſtill continued in the Church.
WEE have ſhewed largely, what Ordination is not, and what it is; we have looked round about it, and beheld, as well the back parts, as the fore parts; we have alſo already offered much, for the continuance and fixing of it, in the Church: yet becauſe we have profeſſed a way of Argument, and preſumed much upon the ſtrength and goodneſs of our Cauſe, we are not willing to give out, to be any way defective in our laſt Act, inertis eſt Poetae in extremo a…u deficere, what therefore we have hinted and intimated formerly, we are content to argue plainly, and adventure unto the ſhock, for we have no ingagement of our own that we know, for we preach not our ſelves, but Ieſus Chriſt the Lord (k)2 Cor. 4, 5.: may ſay, as he did, when the boat-man was afraid, Caeſarem vehis, & fortunam Caeſaris, we cary Chriſt in theſe our arguments, and ſure we are, that he cannot miſcarry; our buſineſs therefore is, to crave leave, to offer theſe few arguments, to equall and unbiaſed conſideration.
1. The Church of Chriſt is not a common field Arg. 1 laid open and expoſed unto any body, but an incloſure; when any ſoul is turned and converted unto Jeſus Chriſt, hee becomes ſeverall, is mownded and ditched in, with all exactneſs; Chriſts flocks are not fed in the Common field, but in the cloſes, (l)Pſal. 100. 3.We are thy people, and the Sheep of thy Paſture, The Paſtures are leſs expoſed than the common field, are hedgd and ditched in, which the field is not, yea there was more ſecurity and ſequeſtration, for there was a fold, that had a Dore, that was not only ſhut to ſome, and kept cloſe, but had alſo Porters waiting and attending at it, as our Saviour argues (m)Joh 10. 1, 2.; yet thats not all, for the Church is alſo compared to a Vinyeard (n)Eſa. 5. 1, 2, Mark 12. 1, 2., and that is alwayes ſtrongly fenced, yea to a Garden, which is not only fenced with Hedge and Ditch, as Vineyards uſe to be, but moſt commonly wall'd in, that the eyes of ſtrangers may be kept continent, loving doth commonly begin at looking, as in the firſt Garden, and ſo the Church is to be a Garden incloſed (o), yea the Cant. 4. 12.Church is Gods houſe, and an houſe is alwaies, and ought to be a Caſtle: (p)1 Tim. 3. 15.that thou maieſt know how to behave thy ſelf in the houſe of God, which is the Church of the living God: But there are none of theſe incloſures valid, and of uſe, if Ordination be removed; if the Dore, or entrance be alwayes open, who can be kept out? and we know not any other Barr or Bolt to faſten, and ſhut it up; if theſe Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven be once removed, and taken from the Paſtors, to whom Chriſt gave them (q)Mat. 16. 19, all will be common quickly, the Bear out of the Wood will root it, and the wild Beaſt out of the field devour it, as in the Pſalmiſt,(r)Pſal. 80. 13.
If all were open and expoſed, yet muſt ſevere Arg. 2 and rigid Guards be kept, that none may act and exerciſe in this capacity, but ſuch as are approved, becauſe the influence, and efficacy is ſo penetrating; the tongue in all men is the beſt or worſt part, cureth or cutteth, whoſe teeth are Spears and Arrows, and their tongue a ſharp Sword (ſ)Pſal. 57. 4., So the wiſe man, death and life are in the power of the Tongue (t)Pro. 18. 21., Eſpecially the tongues of Teachers, and inſtructers, what ever they ſay, yet aliquid haerebit, the hearer will be hurt or helped by it, oportet diſcentem credere, in many things, the Scholar muſt take the Maſters word, ſo Paul, (u)2 Cor. 2. 15, 16.we are a weet ſavor of Chriſt to God, in them that are ſaved, and in them that periſh, to the one, we are tho ſavor of life unto life, to the other of death unto death, and who is ſufficient for theſe things? a Miniſters breath is very influentive, is the breath always of life or death, and ſhould be tried ere it be truſted too; the Tree of knowledge that was in Paradiſe, was preferred before the Tree of life, though both were in the midſt of the Garden, as appears (w)Gen. 2. 9. Gen. 3. 3.: we ſtill itch after knowledge, and chuſe it rather than the Tree of Life; Man might have taken life then, but may not now, without going for it unto Jeſus Chriſt, in whom it is (x)1 Joh. 5. 11, 12.; if only the death and life of the body were concerned, yet we ſhould be very wary, whom we truſted, for much hurt may be don, by thoſe that are unskilfull; a young Novice goes out to gather Pot-herbs for the Prophets Sonns (y)2 King. 4. 39, 40., But brings in ſuch, as had been death unto them all, if a miracle had not prevented it; and in our Nation, a Cook was executed for high treaſon, becauſe ſome poiſon was put into the pot; the Deacons were deſignd for the ſervice of their Tables, which the Apoſtles could no longer wait upon, as it appears (z)Act. 6. 2., yet were to be proved firſt, as the Apoſtle ſhews (a)1 Tim. 3. 10, and were not imployed before they were ordained (b)Act. 6. 6., much leſs ſhould Teachers and Inſtructers be, who ſerve the Table of the great God, and provide food for their everlaſting ſouls.
The Miniſtry (without doubt) is a place of Arg. 3 honor; that of the Law was; for Adrons Garments were both for Glory and Beauty (c)Exod. 2 28.; and if the Miniſtry of the Law were glorious, the Miniſtry of the Goſpell is much more, as the Apoſtle by many Arguments concludeth (d)2 Cor. 3. 7, 8, 9.; for is it not an honor, to be the guider and leader of an Army? as they are called (e)Heb. 13. 7. 17. 24.; to be Truſtees of mens eternall intereſts? as Paul acknowledgeth he was (f)1 Tim. 1. 12, 13.; to be a Steward, and have all the ſervants ſubject? as they were to Ioſeph (g)Gen. 41. 44.; to be an Overſeer of the will of God, and have the ordering of all the Legacies? as thoſe Elders were, that came to the (Act. 20. …8.Apoſtle at Miletus (h). If there were nothing of honor in it, it would not be invaded and uſurped, with ſo much eagerneſs, and affection; who goes a wooing to a poor diſtreſſed Maid or Widdow? veniunt à dote ſagitta; …nelopes wooers, would have been diſcharged ſooner, if their entertainment had been coarſer.
But honor ought not to be invaded, and uſurped; (i)Heb. 5. 4.and no man taketh this honor unto himſelf, but he that is called of God, as Aaron was. Adonijah was Davids eldeſt ſon, when Abſolam was dead, and was a very goodly perſon, as appears (k)1 King. 1. 6., & could tell how to play his own game, as his Brother Salomon beleeved (l)1 King. 2. 21, 22., but he invaded this great honor, before his time, and therefore loſt himſelf in the attempt, as Abſolom had done; if honor be invaded and uſurpt, before it offers and preſents it ſelf unto the owner, it is deflowred, and ceaſeth to be Honor: for the advowſon is not in the owner of it, but in the author; honor eſt in honorante, non in honorato; the wearer of a Garment knows not how it doth becom him, but the ſtanders by; you ſpoil the gloſs and luſtre of it, if your own hands touch it. David was born to honor, but was not haſty to invade it, and lay hold upon it over ſoon: it follows thoſe that fly away from it, and flies from thoſe that follow it, ſequentem fugit, fugientem ſequitur; David was one of honors way, when it was brought unto his Fathers houſe, hee took him from the ſheep-folds, from following the Ewes great with young (m)Pſal. 73. 70, 71., Ioſeph was further off, even in the Dungeon (n)Gen. 40. 15., yet honor waited on him there, and brought him out, and ſet him next unto the Throne: if he had ravenouſly romed after it, and raviſht it, as in his miſtris offer he might have done, it would have ſhund him, as the wiſe man truly ſais, (o)Prov. 25. 27.it is not good to eat much honey, ſo for men to ſearch their own glory, is not glory, he doth not ſay, to ſearch their own glory, is not good, though that had been more ſuitable unto the former member, but he ſaies, it is not glory. Chriſt was the heir of honor, as hee is ſaid to be, being made ſo much better than the Angells, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they, (p)Heb. 1. 4.yet was not eager in the purſuance, as the Apoſtle ſhews, (q)Heb. 5. 5.glorif…ed not himſelf to be made an high Prieſt; he would not be his own carver, even in that which was his birth-right: where worth and vertue is, honor will come at one time or another, but thoſe that have no merit and internall fitneſs, ſnatch at the offer of it, as the bramble in the Parable (r)Judg. 9. 14 15.; God hath enacted, that thoſe who ſtand upon the higher ground, and are got up above their fellows, ſhould be thereby diſcovered, Magiſtratus indicat virum; men ſhould take heed therefore how they get up, eſpecially into the Pulpit, for that will tell tales; God would have n̄o man climb unto his Altar by ſteps, leſt his nakedneſs ſhould thereby be diſcovered (s)Exod. 20. …6.; Its therefore fit that ordination ſhould be ſtill continued in the Church, wherby this honor may be convayed as it ſhould be; the places may not lie vacant and expoſed, but be poſſeſſed.
Ordination is the Churches Dowry, and poſſeſſion, Arg. 4 which God hath ſet and veſted in her (t)1 Cor. 12. 28., take that away, and all her other furniture, and Ammunition, will be unfixed, and unfit for ſervice, and therefore Paul Provides for Creet a Titus, that ſhould not only ſet in order the things that were wanting, according to that generall and noted Rule of the Goſpell, (u)1 Cor. 14. 40.Let all things be done decently and in order, but gives particular direction for Ordination, and ordain Elders in every City, as I had appointed thee (w)Tit. 1. 5., ſo the Keis committed unto Peter, by our Saviour (x)Mat. 16. 19, are thoſe himſelf wore, (y)Rev. 3. 7.and they we are ſure, were to open and ſhut, as other parts and offices of Gods houſe, ſo eſpecially the Dores of the fold, wherby the Shepheards were to enter, as Chriſt hath ſaid (z)Joh. 10. 3.to him the Porter openeth, and to others he openeth not, but ſhutteth; thus Timothy was let in by the Presbyters, or Porters that were at Epheſus (a)1 Tim. 4. 14., and thus who enters not, is by Chriſt proclaimed for to be a Theef (b)Joh. 10. 1.: now what God hath fixed thus, and ſettled on his Church, let no man alienat, as Chriſt in the caſe of divorſes, what God hath joyned together, let no man put aſunder (c)Mat. 19. 6.; Life, Liberty▪ and Dower, are the three favorits of the Common Law, this Dower, is of the Law of God the Law is tender of the Widdows right, becauſe ſhe hath no Husband to aſſiſt the vindication of it, but the Church is not a Widdow, or Orphan, as our Saviour ſpeaks▪ (d)Joh. 14. 18, for he is now as neer as eever; if one ſhould think a woman deſtitute of friends, becauſe her Husband was gone to London to be Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, wold he not find himſelf deceived, if he on that preſumption ſhould go about to diſpoſſeſs her of her rights? ſo thoſe that wrong the Church, will find her Husband is but gone to be chief Juſtice of the Upper Bench, or Keeper of the Great Seal, and with a promiſe to be with her alwayes, even to the Worlds end, as he ſpake unto her at their parting (e)Mat. 28. 20..
Ordination, (as we have ſhewed before) is the Arg. 5 veſting of a qualified and fitted perſon with authority, the putting of him into Office, or ſending of him out, upon Chriſts errand; when that Paul and Barnabas were by Gods apointment thus ordained, they are expreſly ſaid to be ſent forth by the Holy Ghoſt (f)Act. 13. 4., and this is ſo eſſentiall to this imployment, that the Apoſtle takes it for granted, that without his ſending they could not preach, (g)Rom. 10. 15.how ſhall they preach, except they be ſent? as Ambaſſadors, ſuch as theſe are (h)2 Cor. 5. 20., cannot deliver the errand, and embaſſage they are ſent about, unleſs they have commiſſions and inſtructions; authority is alwayes a Derivative, received alwayes from another, and it was a particular and proper Queſtion, which they propounded to our Saviour (i)Mat. 21. 23., By what authority doſt thou theſe things, and who gave thee this authority? for they knew no body could give himſelfe authority; the Baptiſt makes the Rule generall, That a man can receive nothing, except it be given him from Heaven (k)Joh. 3. 27., but it muſt needs be true of this, and therefore as God the Father ſent Chriſt, ſo Chriſt ſent the Apoſtles (l)Joh. 20. 21, and they others▪ (m)2. Tim. 2. 2The things which thou haſt heard of me among many witneſſes, the ſame commit thou to faithfull men, who may be able to teach others alſo: and ſo it hath deſcended, from age to age, from one unto another, untill theſe very times, according to that great and precious promiſe (n)Eſa. 59. …1., made by that God, that will not, that cannot lie (o)Tit. 1. …..
In all things, God is carefull to avoid confuſion, Arg. 6 their Cattle might not gender with a divers kind, their field might not be ſown with mingled ſeed, neither night they wear a Garment mingled of linnen and woollen, as the Lord expreſly orders (a)Lev. 19. 19: The diſtinctions of their tribes and families were carefully recorded and preſerved, as appears (b)Ezra. 2. 62: and thoſe unnaturall offences, are therefore branded and forbidden, becauſe they brought in and begat confuſion in the World (c)Lev. 18. …3: Its true, the Goſpell gave a greater liberty, and brake down that partition-Wall that had a long time made a ſeparation between Jew and Gentile, and it was now lawfull for a man that was a Iew, to come unto one of another Nation, as Peter ſhews (d)Act. 10. 28: and in their great Charter and commiſſion, they were commanded to go into all the World, and to preach the Goſpell unto every Creature (e)Mark. 16. 15.: but yet all was not ſet at liberty, though Jew and Gentile were reconciled, and mingled with one another, yet Offices and Adminiſtrations were ſtil diſtinct and different (f)Rom. 12. 6, 7, 8., and ſo are ſet down; Some Apoſtles, and ſome Prophets, and ſome Evangeliſts, and ſome Paſtors and Teachers (g)Eph. 4. 11: and are ſo diſtinguiſhed by the Apoſtle (h)1 Cor. 12. 28., that one of them is firſt, another ſecond, another third, as if they could not coincidere; much more diſtinct and different, were the Paſtors from the people, the Shepheards from the ſheep, the guides and leaders from the lead, and guided: (i)Eſa. 9. 16.for the Leaders of this people cauſe them to err, and they that are lead by them are deſtroyed. So in our Saviours reſolution of that Objection, which the Phariſes occaſioned (k)Mat. 15. 14., the lead and leaders are diſtinguiſhed; when the Apoſtle orders that their Prophets ſhould ſpeak, and others judg, doth he not make a very cleer diſtinction (l)1 Cor. 14. 29.? and though it be certain there were women Prophets (m)1 Cor. 11. 5., as thoſe Daughters of Philip the Evangeliſt (n)Act. 11. 9.: yet theſe were not allowed to ſpeak in the Church, as the Apoſtle doth expreſly ſhew (o)1 Cor. 14. 33, 34.: and all this to avoid confuſion, as there its ſaid; but if Ordination ſhould be removed and taken from the Church, there would be no means that wee know of, to preſerve the diſtinction of this holy calling. The Papiſts have a long time kept, not only the Clergy and Officers in the Church, diſtinct and different from others, by their garbs and habits, but the ſeverall orders of their Monks and Friers; but the Scripture warrants no ſuch garbs in Goſpell-times, unleſs for order, and common decency (p)Zech. 13. 4: Neither will their Actions do it, for a difference in that cannot be eaſily diſcerned, the only way to keep a difference is Ordination, wherby an entrance is allowed, & a character or brand imprinted on them, whereby they may be known; as Sheep, when put into a common Paſture, are alwayes branded, that they may be known; So, much more when they are admitted into the Church, and ſet over people, ſhould they be marked, that they may be known from others; that if wee think not fit to retain the old diſtinction that was wont to be among the Shepheards, where ſome were Shepheards (q)Joh. 10. 2., ſome chief Shepheards (r)1 Pet. 5. 4., yet the Shepheards m…y be ſtill diſtinguiſhed from the Sheep, that the Miniſter or Paſtor of the Church may be known (as they ſay) from a black Sheep, yea from a white one alſo; for if there be no diſtinction between Sheep and Shepheard, the Wolf may ſometimes be entertained and folded among the Sheep; beware (ſaith Chriſt) of falſe Prophets that come unto you in ſheeps cloathing, but inwardly are ravening wolves (s)Matth. 7, 15, 16.. A Wolf you ſee may come in the garb and habit of a Sheep, but not of a Shepheard; and though it be true that Chriſt ſaies, ye ſhall know them by their fruits, yet they may do a deal of hurt before their fruit diſcover them; if a Wolf ſhould be lodged one night with the Sheep, what a deal of miſchief might he do before morning? When Ʋlyſſes and his men had bored Polyphemus eye, and made him blinde, yet he reſolved to take them as they went out, and be revenged on them, for he thought a man could not be formed into the ſhape and habit of a Sheep, but Ʋlyſſes tying duplicate page duplicate page his men under the bellies of thoſe large and luſty Sheep, eſcaped Scot▪free. So if a Romiſh Wolf, thoſe grievous Wolves the Apoſtle ſpeaks of (t)Act. 20. 29, 30., ſhould be tyed under the belly of a Preaching-Sheep, what work might he make in the Fold before he were diſcovered? Durius ejicitur quam non admittitur hoſpes, it is eaſier by Ordination to keep them out, than by excommunication to remove them.
We have ſhewed before, that Ordination is a Arg. 7 ſacred and ſolemn dedication and devoting of a man to holy ſervices, that the ſolemnities are fervent and proper prayers unto God for the enabling and aſſiſting of the perſon in his Work and therefore it ought to be continued in the Church, for the work and ſervice is of that great concernment unto our everlaſting happineſs, that it ought to be attended with all aſſiſting and enabling circumſtances; as when a young man is to go Factor beyond the Seas, to Smyrna, or Al…ppo, or ſome other dangerous place, he gets the prayers of ſome noted Congregations in London, or other places for him, and all acknowledge it a good aſſiſtance and ſecurity, for the effectuall fervent prayers of a righteous man availeth much (u)Jam. 5. 16., as the Apoſtle ſpeaks; or when ſome great engagement draweth nigh, as when Iſrael in their journey were to fight with Amaleck (w)Exod. 17. 11, 12., what ſteed was Moſes prayer in? Now a Miniſter engaging in this common ſervice of the Saints and Church of Chriſt, doth undertake a greater and hotter ſervice, than any other Warrior. Ungodly men are not only compared unto thornes and briars, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks (x)Ezek. 2. 6., againſt which one muſt be fenced with iron, and the ſtaff of a ſpear, as he ſpeaks (y)2 Sam. 23. 6, 7., but unto a Bear robbed of her Whelps, as the wiſe man hath it (z)Pro. 17. 12; this the Apoſtle knew very well, when he doth ſo ſeriouſly and pathetically begge their prayers, (a)Rom. 15. 30, 31.Now I beſeech you Brethren, for the Lord Jeſus Chriſts ſake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye ſtrive together with me, in your prayers to God for me, that I may be delivered from them that beleeve not in Judea, and that my ſervice which I have at Jeruſalem, may be accepted of the Saints; yet he was an old Souldier, and had much experience of Gods in abling and aſſiſting preſence with him, and this was but one particular and ſingle act; how much more ought thoſe to beg and crave our prayers and aſſiſtance, when they are launching out into this great and dangerous ſervice? when they are going to fetch away the Beares Whelps from her, to turn men from darkneſſe unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God (b)Act. 26. 17, 18.; There is no doubt but a man may pray the ſame thing twice, as he may write the ſame thing again, as we may find it in the practice of our Saviour Chriſt (c)Mark 34. 39., and the latter doth corroborate the former, the heat and fervor of the Spirit is ſtrengthened by repetitions, and therefore our Saviour doth not prohibite repetitions ſimply, but vain repetitions (d)Mat 6. 7., and accordingly we find the Holy Ghoſt giving order for a ſecond Ordination of Paul and Barnabas, when they were to be ſent upon that dangerous and weighty Meſſage (e)Act. 13. 2, 3, 4.; the prayers of Gods people do fill their ſailes, and make them wings to fly with, both on their prey, off their danger, as occaſion is; therefore if there were no other uſe of Ordination, but the aſſiſting and enabling of the ordained perſons unto their work, it were ſufficient to argue the continuance, at leaſt in this time, when grievous wolves are entred in already, not ſparing the flock, and of our own ſelves do men riſe up, ſpeaking perverſe things to draw Diſciples after them (f)Act. 20. 29, 30, 31.; Should one throw down his ſword when an enemy is ready to invade him? ſleep on the guard when an aſſault is given? how juſtly doe they call up Jonas to his prayers when the Ship was toſſed, and was ready to be broken (g)Jon. 1. 6.? when the Church and Truth is many wayes invaded and endangered, to leave the doors and gates open, and remove the Porters & Watchmen from their charges? There is great care taken that none be approved or admitted unto Livings and Augmentations, but only thoſe that have upon them a work of Grace, as well as Gifts, that have their gifts and learning ſanctified and ſweetned by the influence and operation of the Holy Ghoſt upon them, & therefore we ſhould be carefull of all thoſe wayes and means whereby the Holy Ghoſt is gotten and given, for the Holy Ghoſt is worth the aſking, and not attended ordinarily without it, (h)Luk. 11. 13If ye then being evill, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more ſhall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? they may contribute prayers that have nothing elſe to give, and as multorum manibus, ſo multorum precibus grande levatur onus, as Peter when he was in Priſon, was let out by their prayers (i)Act. 12. 5..
In all eſtates and ages of the world, Church robbing Arg. 8 hath been odious and abominable; Dionyſius for his boldneſſe in it, was abhorred every where; when that great uproar was made at Epheſus, by Demetrius and the crafts-men, againſt the Apoſtles, the Town-Clerk wiſely tells them, that they had brought men thither who were neither Robbers of Churches, nor Blaſphemers of their Goddeſſe (k)Act. 19. 37., implying, that if they had been guily either of blaſphemy or ſacrilege, they had been juſtly called in o queſtion. Ordination therefore cannot be removed that hath been ſo many years poſſeſſed by the Church; for we find it done by Chriſt himſelf, (l)Mark 3. 12.and he ordained twelve, that they ſhould be with him, and that he might ſend them forth to preach, and as ſoon as ever he was taken from them, the firſt work they do is Ordination (m)Act. 1. 22, ſo Paul and Barnabas made it their buſineſſe to ordain Elders in every Church (n)Act. 14. 23., and becauſe he could not ſtay himſelf at Grete, to ſet right all things that were needfull, he leaves there Titus as his ſubſtitute to make ſupply, and eſpecially to ordain Elders in every City (o)Titus 5. 7.; and what was veſted in her then, and ſhe hath worn from age to age for ſixteen hundred years and upwards, cannot be taken from her now without manifeſt notorious Sacrilege; if ſhe be ſtripped of Ordination, ſhe is robbed not of her Veil and Ornaments, as ſhe was (p)Cant. 5. 7., but of her ſafe guard and ſecurity, of the guard and fence that God hath granted her, and ſhe hath lived and ſubſiſted by ſo many hundred years. When we ſee one ſeize upon our Weapons, and take them from us, we make account he means to ſtrip us, and leave us nothing, for ſo it follows in the Pſalmiſt, Why haſt thou then broken down her Hedges, ſo that all that paſſe by the way do pluck her, the Boar out (q)Pſa. 80. 12, 13.of the Wood doth waſte it, and the wilde Beaſt of the Field dothd evour it? eſpecially when there is little elſe remaining, when ſhe hath parted with her ſtate and dignities, her riches and revenues; when cold winds breath and blow upon her, as thoſe bloody Papiſts in the frozen vallies of the Alps, for if there be no Ordination, in a little time there will be no Miniſters, and then no Ordinances, and then no propagating and begetting men to God, and then confuſion, and afterwards deſtruction will enſue:
Let men therefore take heed of that luke-warmneſſe that is ſo much practiſed in theſe dangerous declining times, wherein men magnifie and cry up grace, that they may with more ſecurity & ſilence pull down Ordination, which is the Grand-Mother at leaſt of grace. The Kings of this Land have often threatned London with the removall of the Termes, but if they could remove the Thames, they would ſoon ruine her. The Honors and revenues of the Church have often been diſturbed and interrupted, yet ſhe hath lived, but if ever Ordination be removed, ſhe is undone and ruined.