A Defense of Sundry Positions of the Congregational Way, Position 11
POSITION XI.
When the Apoſtles were ſent out by Chriſt, The words of the Anſwer to 32. q. p. 71.there was no mention of Ordination in that Commiſsion of theirs, but only of teaching and baptizing, Mark. 16.15. Matth. 18.19, 20. If Ordination of Miniſters had been ſuch a ſpeciall work, there would be like have been ſome mention of it in their Commiſsion.
Neither is there mention of the celebration of the Euchariſt. Anſwer.
The Euchariſt is an ordinance, Reply. ſealing the ſame Covenant that Baptiſme ſealeth; therefore the Apoſtles having Commiſſion for the one, could not want it for the other, though it be not mentioned.
Preaching and Baptizing were firſt to be done to the Nations, Anſwer. therefore they are there mentioned.
That is not the ſole reaſon: Reply. but becauſe they were principall works, and in reference to the ſubject perſons about which they were exerciſed more Apoſtolicall; for they might preach and baptize in all the world: whereas ordinary Officers, in an ordinary way, may not do ſuch works in all the world, but only in the Church.
We find the Apoſtles did practiſe ordination, Anſwer. and yet we ſuppoſe they went not beyond their Commiſſion, Acts 6. & c. 13. & 14. and a Commiſſion to Elders we reade, 1 Tim. 5.
The Poſition ſaith not, Reply. that ordination was not within their Commiſſion, but ſaith, That there is no mention thereof, when they firſt received their Commiſsion, and the page out of which the Poſition is exerted, makes mention of ſome other works, within their Commiſſion, not mentioned, viz. Prayer; and Acts 6.4. is quoted for it.
But indeed, Brother, you are injurious to the Authors of thoſe words of the Anſwer to 32. q. p. 71. for Ordination is not denied to be within the Commiſſion of the Apoſtles, but thoſe Reverend men do grapple with Hierarchicall perſons, in that place; and we ſee no reaſon why you ſhould take offence thereat, if you would not have your ſelf judged to be one of them; their words are theſe: Some, indeed, have ſo highly advanced ordination, that they have preferred it above preaching, miniſtring of Sacraments, Prayer; making it, and the power of excommunication, the two incommunicable prerogatieves of a Biſhop, above an ordinary Miniſter; who are theſe ſons? Prelaticall mens: againſt them, the Authors of the Poſition fight: And firſt would beat them with the words of the Apoſtles firſt Commiſſion, which was to preach and to baptize; and afterwards they do ſhew, that preaching was the great work that they were to attend upon; and do alledge 1 Cor. 1.17. for it; and next after preaching they mention prayer, and alledge Acts 6.4. and then they ſpeak of the Sacraments, not of Baptiſme alone, but of the Lords Supper; So that Brother, you had no reaſon to take ſuch offence becauſe of the Euchariſt, for they gave it its due place in the Apoſtles Commiſſion; after this, they render another reaſon, why preaching was a greater work then ordaining, becauſe Paul went about the work of preaching, and left Titus (an inferiour Officer to himſelf) to the work of ordaining.
Indeed afterwards, when thoſe Reverend men had proved that ordination was not ſuperiour to Preaching, Baptiſme, &c. they then indevour to ſhew, that it is not equall to thoſe works, ſo as that none but thoſe which may perform thoſe works, may ordain; and they bring this Argument: Ordination being nothing elſe but the accompliſhment of Election, it may be performed by the people of God, (who yet have no office,) even as Election may upon whom it depends: and they bring the teſtimonies of many Proteſtant Writers, among the reſt, D. Whitakers Anſwer to Bellarmine, If Bellarmine grant the calling of thoſe Biſhops to be lawfull, there is leſſe cauſe why we ſhould doubt of Ordination: For thoſe who have the authority of calling, they have alſo the authority of ordaining, if a right ordination cannot be obtained; for Ordination follows Vocation: he that is called (by calling he means election) is, as it were, ſent into the poſſeſſion of his function.
You intimate that ſpeciall works which the people might not do, Anſwer. are mentioned in that Commiſſion, which if you ſtand to, you muſt deny the people power, either to baptize or to preach; if theſe words be not a Commiſſion to the Apoſtles and Elders to ordain, I am ſure they are no commiſſion to un-officed men to preach or to ordain.
We conceive we differ not much from you in this matter, Reply. we are utterly againſt un-officed mens baptizing, and againſt their preaching in ordinary, except when they have been trained up to learning, and to the knowledge of the Scriptures, and are expectants of a call to execute the Miniſtery; and your ſelves in this caſe grant it; and you put difference betwixt preaching and baptizing, though they be joyned together in the Apoſtles Commiſſion, for in no caſe will you let an un-officed man baptize, and yet for triall of gifts you think it fit to ſuffer an un-officed man to preach, from 1 Tim. 3.10.