The Government of the Churches of Christ, Book 7 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
Of Anointing with Oyl.
James 5. 14, 15.
Is any sick among you? let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with Oyl in the name of the LORD: And the Prayer of Faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up: And if he have comitted sins they shall be forgiven him.
THE Anointing spoken of in this Text, is not the Anointing spoken of, Mark 6. 13. by which the Apostles healed those that were sick through a miraculous Gift: But it is a standing Ordinance to confirm the promise of Healing unto Church Members; as will appear from the following Arguments.
1. The first Argument is taken from what anointing with Oyl is here joyned with, viz. The Elders Prayers, which are a standing Ordinance to this purpose even for the cure of the sick.
2. All the Precepts besides in this Epistle are about things which concern the Church for ever. And that which this Anointing is joyned with (namely, the prayer of the Elders) is such also. It were strange therefore if this alone should be extraordinary.
The third Argument may be taken from the Persons that are to be sent for, who have the power to Administer it; namely, the Elders of the Church.
1. It is not said, Send for Men who have healing Gifts, but for Elders.
2. Who were standing Officers, and that, of a Church which was to continue.
3. The Elders in every Church had not then such miraculous Healing-Gifts.
4. The Gifts of Healing and those of prophecy, by Wisdom and Knowledge, which enable Men for Eldership, were in those times variously dispensed; and not both to the same Persons (excepting Extraordinary Officers, as Apostles and Evangelists) but to one was given the Gift of Healing, to others a Word of Wisdom and Knowledge, that enabled them to be Elders, 1 Cor. 12. 8, 9, 11:
The third Argument is drawn from the Persons to whom it was to be Administred.
1. They were sick Persons, or infirm. If it had been extraordinary Healing, it would have extended further, even to the blind, the deaf and the dumb: but this Healing reacheth only to these who were sick of Diseases curable, it being no miraculous Ordinance. 2. They were members of the Church, not unbelievers; for the expression is, If any be sick among you: And therefore the Elders of that Church are to be sent for.
Now Miraculous Healing did,
1. Extend to all sorts, Unbelievers as well as Believers.
Yea, 2. To them chiefly, as all miracles did, as 1 Cor. 14. 22. it is said of Tongues.
Therefore, 3. The Apostles themselves who had Gifts of Healing, seldom wrought any cure upon Believers that were sick: So Paul did not heal Epaphroditus, Philem. 1. 2.
The fourth Argument may be taken from the generality of the extent of this Ordinance, even to all persons in a Church. (If any among you be sick) which argues it not to be extraordinary, For when any was healed by an extraordinary Gift, it was by a Faith of Miracles concurring; which was never general, to heal any, or all, but particular, reaching only to such a Person as God would heal, and who was presented, and his Faith stirred up. There was no Universal Rule given for extraordinary Healings.
The fifth Argument is taken from the Means commanded upon all such occasions, which generally is Oyl. Now the extraordinary Gift of Healing was not confined to Oyl, but might be applied without means. It had been enough to have said, Rise and walk. So likewise some were extraordinarily healed by other means, as Napkins, the Apostles shadow, &c.
6. Another Argument may be taken from the generality of the Command, which enjoins every one that is sick to send and seek out for this cure. Now if extraordinary Gifts were meant, then in those times Men should not have died; For extraordinary Gifts of Healing failed not to effect the cure where there was a Warrant to apply them, as here there is unto any. Every one is to send, and they are to come and anoint every one.
It is therefore intended as an Ordinance to confirm the promise of Health unto Church-Members, for the words of the text are, They shall be healed. And because his promise to dispense this outward mercy is not absolute, but indefinite, therefore the Seal is to be taken as such also. For this Seal is to confirm Faith, and Faith is to be answerable to the promise, and the Seal to both. And yet it is of use; for though this Seal assures not the party unto whom it is applied, that he shall be healed; yet it gives a more certain evidence of God's seriousness and faithful care over the Bodies of his Saints, to preserve them in Sickness, than to conser on them any other outward Mercy: their bodies being most dear to him, next their Souls, and their lives precious in his sight, and it being one of his attributes, to be the God that heals them; he therefore hath shewn and confirmed that this is so, by a Seal annexed to the Promise of Healing, when he hath annexed a Seal to no other outward Mercy: So that it Seals up to our Faith, the certainty and faithfulness of that promise it self in its indefiniteness, though not of the infallible fulfilling it unto this or that party, yet so as to raise the heart of every one.
Object. 1. This is to make more Sacraments than two.
Answ. There are no more than two Seals of the Covenant of Grace: But for other ends, and to seal other Promises, there may be more. As that of the Rainbow is in force unto this day, to confirm the not destroying the World by Water.
Object. 2. But this Seal is for remission of sins, as it was then used; for it follows in the Text, They have committed sins, they shall be forgiven, and so there was an extraordinary Healing, at which their Souls were often converted.
Answ. The Remission of sins there spoken of, is not that general and eternal forgiveness of all sins promised in the Covenant of Grace; nor is this the Sacrament of such a Remission; but of the Remission and taking off of that Temporary guilt which might be in any particular sins committed by the persons provoking God to lay that sickness upon them. Which is evident from the Apostles speaking Hypothetically, If he have committed sins; which argues it not meant of the general forgiveness; for then there were no if to come in: it being certain, that all sick persons whatever have in that sense sinned. All have sinned; and he that says he hath no sin, deceiveth himself. The meaning therefore is, That if there be any special sin, the Temporal Guilt whereof hath, in a particular manner, provoked God to lay this sickness on him, it shall be remitted And so forgiveness here is but the removal of that guilt considered as in order to this Punishment. And thus it is taken, Psa. 78. 38. He forgave their Iniquity, and destroyed them not. And so, that it should be a Seal of such a forgiveness, and of the promise of being restored, is but to be a Seal of an outward temporary mercy, and so, not at all of the Covenant of Grace.
Object. 3. But all Sacraments, being Seals, are annexed to absolute Promises; and when rightly used in Faith, have certainly their effect: But so this hath not; for then none should die that in Faith do use it.
Answ. True; All Sacraments of the Covenant of Grace are such, and the Promises to which they are annexed are such; and God hath annexed a Seal to assure our Faith, and hope of the fulfilling of Spiritual Promises, rather than of any other outward Mercy, but yet he may have appointed a Seal for the confirmation of our Faith as to the Performance of them too. And of this nature is that other Ordinance, namely, Imposition of hands, for encrease of Gifts; Not that always, when rightly used in Faith, it hath its effect infallibly; But it is a Means appointed to convey the blessing▪ and confirms the Promise of giving Gifts to Men, which yet is but indefinitely performed, as being of God's good pleasure. Yea, one end of this Ordinance of anointing with Oyl (when ever in use) is here made but indefinite, and with a supposition, If he hath committed sins: That is, in case he hath. And so it may be administred to this or that person with a supposition, if he be one of those (as he may be) unto whom the Promise belongs.
Object. 4. That anointing, Mark 6. and so, healing, was extraordinary: and how can this here be then an Ordinary Ordinance, unless the same gift were continued now?
Answ. So Imposition of hands did in the Primitive Times serve extraordinarily to convey extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost: Yet was it ordained to serve as an Ordinance of Encreasing Gifts, unto the Worlds end; And why may not this be so converted also?
Object. 5. This gives countenance unto the Papists Extreme Ʋnction, and condemns the Reformed Churches for rejecting it.
Ans. 1. The Church of Rome retains almost all Ordinances; only she hath perverted them. As she hath perverted this from being an Ordinance of restoring Health, and forgiving the Temporary Guilt of particular sins provoking God to that Judgment, to become a Sacrament of Justification and forgiveness of all sins, and so, a Seal of the Covenant of Grace; and that not for the sick, but for all dying persons, when past recovery, in which case it should not be used.
Now, 2. The Reformed Churches, seeing that such a Sacrament could not be, and that this must needs be a perversion of it, did justly reject it as they used it: Only in rejecting it (as in some other things) they went too far, even denying it to have that use of restoring the sick, as a Seal of the promise, and an indefinite means to convey that blessing, which God in mercy hath appointed it to be.
Ʋse 1. We see here God's care over our Bodies, as well as over our Souls, in Instituting an Ordinance for Sickness and restoring to Health; and his full provision by Ordinances for every Thing, and every Condition.
Ʋse 2. See also God's especial Hand in that Mercy of restoring his Children unto Health, and of blessing Physick and Means unto them, rather than to Unbelievers; though it be but a common Mercy. And therefore believers should exercise a special Faith and dependance in the use of the means for recovery, beyond what ordinarily they use in other means for other outward Mercies.
Ʋse 3. We should raise our Faith up to God with more hope as to this mercy, than about any other outward Mercies; for the promise of this hath a special Seal.
Ʋse 4. We may infer, that God doth afflict with sickness for particular sins.
Ʋse 5. We may infer, that yet he doth not always do so, therefore an if is put in, If he have committed sins.
Ʋse 6. From hence a proof may be fetcht, that Elders only should administer Sacraments; as here they only are to anoint. And if the lesser Sacrament be appropriated to them, then the greater much more.
Ʋse 7. It should be one ground of further honouring Elders, that God hath made them means of conveying health, as well to our Bodies as our Souls. So that if Physicians be to be honoured (as you have it in Eccles.) then they much more, even with a double honour.
Ʋse 8. We may infer, that it is not necessary that all the Church should be present. The Elders only are to be sent for, since such Rules are given by the Apostle, as may suit all Churches in all Circumstances; But now the Church may consist of so many, that all the members cannot meet without inconvenience to the sick Party; And the Persons sick may be so many, that the Church cannot meet so often; The Elders therefore are set apart for the purpose, and may, and ought, to attend all such occasions.
Ʋse 9. Yet the Elders must be sent for by the Parties; and that whilst there is hope of recovery, and not when they are a dying.
Ʋse 10. Take notice here of the Priviledge of Church Members above other Believers. If any among you, that is, of a Church: and therefore it follows, send for the Elders of the Church. If thou beest out of Church-Fellowship, and fallest sick, thou wantest one Ordinance of recovery which a Church-member hath, and unto which there is both a Promise and a Seal annexed.
The Toleration and Liberty of Conscience which we desire is, that we may not be forced to communicate as Members in these Parishes where we dwell, but may have liberty to have Congregations of such persons who give good testimony of their godliness and peaceableness, and yet out of tenderness of Conscience, cannot communicate in their Parishes, but do voluntarily offer themselves to joyn in such Congregations; which how it may best stand with the peace of the Kingdom, we humbly leave to the consideration of the Magistrate.
This is our request; The first part whereof, viz. That we may not be forced to communicate as Members in those Parishes where we dwell▪ was in effect granted by the Sub-Committee of Divines, and therefore we dispute it not. The other part, That we may have liberty to have Congregations, being denied us as unlawful for the Magistrate to grant, we humbly offer the considerations which follow.