A41335:131
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.
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.
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 shews a difference between that Ordinance and another. As the Eyes and Hands lifted up to Heaven in Prayer, visibly shew 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.
Fourthly, Acts 13.3. That here in Ordination, I meet with seventeen Divines besides Dr. Owen, that acknowledge it, and the Definition of Ordination is here seen. When God commanded them to separate, Paul and Barnabas, &c. He did not tell them how they should separate, they knew that before, and accordingly did it with Imposition of Hands; they had learnt that from Numb. 8.10.14. the positive Command, where the word separate is used.