A41335:129
Weighty questions discussed I. Whether imposition of hands in separating a person to the…
Weighty questions discussed I. Whether imposition of hands in separating a person to the work of the ministry be necessary?, II. Whether it be essential to the right constitution of a particular church, that the teaching elders and the members meet always in one place? : whereunto is added a prediction of Mr. Daniel Rogers, minister in Essex, long before the beheading King Charles I and Arch-Bishop Laud, foretelling that they should not dye a natural death / by Giles Firmin ...Weighty questions discussed I. Whether imposition of hands in separating a person to the work of the ministry be necessry?, II. Whether it be essential to the right constitution of a particular church, that the teaching elders and the members meet alwayes in one place? : whereunto is added a prediction of Mr. Daniel Rogers, minister in Essex, long before the beheading King Charles I and Arch-Bishop Laud, foretelling that they should not dye a natural death / by Giles Firmin ...
London : Printed for the author, 1692
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
What Mr. Ainsworth saith of the First born imposing their hands upon the Levites, I think 'tis true: By this sign, they did put the charge and Service of the Church upon them, and did Consecrate them to God in their Name. So I think the Presbytery in their Imposing of hands do impose the charge, the burden, the work of the Ministry upon the Persons ordained, giving them Authority from the Lord, to go forth and Preach, and Administer all the Holy things of God with Authority. As the Church of Scotland saith, It is a mean of Communicating Authority to the person Ordained. Well may the Apostle say, lay hands upon no Man suddenly. See it in a civil Case, Numb. 27.18, 19, 20. Joshua must stand before the High-Priest and the whole Congregation: Moses must lay his hand upon him, a sign of his calling, and Ordination to his Office. v. 23. Moses did so, and gave him his Charge.
Thus if strangers hearing there is an Ordination come in among you, there they may hear Preaching and Prayer; but who is the person to be ordained, they cannot tell by Preaching and Prayer, but when a person is brought forth, and the Presbytery Impose their Hands upon him and pray, now they may know who the Person is.
3dly. If Prayer and Fasting be Ordination without Imposition of hands, then as oft as Ministers meet together, to keep days of Fasting and Prayer, and pray for him who is the Pastor of that Church where they meet, for increase of grace, gifts, blessing upon and success in his Work, so oft the Man is ordained; are not these the Heads you pray for, when you Ordain in your way? What Heads have you more? Not only in the Sacraments; but in all Church-Ordinances, there is something which visibly shows a difference between that Ordinance and another. As the Eyes and Hands lifted up to Heaven in Prayer, visibly show a difference between Prayer and Preaching, and so in Preaching from Prayer; but according to you there is nothing whereby Ordination differs from other Ordinances.