The Reviler Rebuked, Treatise · Part 1 · Head 16
(16 Head of their Scripture-contradiction.) Concerning Elders and Ordination.
Section 43.
ORdaining of Elders was not by man, ſaid one; this I noted as contrary to Acts 14. 23. where by the direction and aſſiſtance of the Apoſtles, with the ſuffrages, or conſenting voices, and geſtures of the Brethren, in the Churches, Elders (Teaching and Ruling) were ordained; or being choſen, were ſet apart to their office, by Prayer and faſting, in every Church. R. F. *Page 21.repreſents me, as if I had not truly quoted James Nayler, his Diſcovery of the man of ſin, Page 38. and calls the wiſehearted to read that book, and it will witneſs, and clear him, and the truth declared in it.
Rep. Agreed, let the wiſe-hearted read all that book, if they pleaſe, and gather up more of his Errors, to witneſs againſt it, then I have done▪ But for that which concerneth Ordination, I again affirm, ſaith J. Nayler, that the ordaining of Elders by the direction of the Spirit, was not by man, nor of man, nor any created power, &c. The wiſe-hearted here appealed to, will ſoon grant, that which they never denied, That the direction of the Spirit was his own, not mans; and the gift of the holy Ghoſt, was his gift: But if the holy Ghoſt makes uſe of the Apoſtles, and of the Churches, to chuſe and ſet Elders apart, as he did; then the wiſe-hearted will conclude agaiſt J. Nayler: this call is not immediate, but mediate; a call of God by man, or by the miniſtery and ſervice of man, and is not diſproved by what he hath ſaid to the contrary.
What hath R. F. to ſay againſt it? This I ſay, The holy Ghoſt made Overſeers, and ſo Elders in the Church, ActsActs 20. 28. vindicated. 20. 28. and the holy Ghoſt is not ſuch men as you are.
Rep. 1. It were well for R. F. if he knew what or who the holy Ghoſt is. Under that Head of the Trinity (as before Section 7.) he was no perſon, in his judgement, diſtinct from the Father and the Son; and now he tells us, he is not ſuch men as we are: Why, what is he? Is he a man, or Angel? ſpeak out R. F. tell us what he is in thy judgement: for in ours, and according to the grounds of our faith, laid down in Scripture, he is neither ſuch men, as we, or the Sect of men, called Quakers; nor is he ſuch a perſon as man, nor is he man or Angel, but the very God. And as he is God with the Father, and the Son, ſo he is a divine perſon diſtinct from the perſonal ſubſiſtences of the Father and the Son, as hath been proved above.
2. What the Father and the Son do, he doth, as to the making of Overſeers, or Biſhops and Elders: he gives the office, he deſigns the officer, he furniſheth the Elders with graces and gifts fitting for the function, and he directeth the Church by his word and rule, whom to chuſe and ſet apart, 1 Tim. 3. Yea, he approveth of mens ſervice in the ſetting apart of men to this, as other offices; he made uſe of the Prophets and Teachers at Antioch, to ſeparate him Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto he had appointed them, as R. F. acknowledgeth; but if he thinketh that which followeth, [and they were ſent out by the holy Ghoſt] cuts off Ordination by man, it is a contradicting-thought to the very Scripture he quoteth, Acts 13. ver. 3. When they hadActs 13. 2, 4. vindicated. faſted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they ſent them away; and yet are ſaid to be ſent forth by the Spirit, becauſe they were but inſtrumental to the Spirits ſending; but if he ſends by them inſtrumentally, he ſends by them mediately. If R. F. thinketh the Spirits ſending in this maner, doth not cut off Ordination by man, then he contradicteth his fellow J. Nayler, who ſaith, Ordaining (no not ſo much as) of Elders was not by man.