Weighty questions discussed I. Whether imposition of hands in separating a person to the…

Name: Weighty questions discussed I. Whether imposition of hands in separating a person to the…
Author: Giles Firmin

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 ...

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First, As for Imposition of Hands for Confirmation, as it is used in England, after Baptism, I find not one word of it in all the History, nor did the Church of Scotland own it, that I find there.

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Secondly, All this while, there is not one Scripture brought by those who opposed Imposition: Yet they had taken the Word of God for their only Rule, which is so express for Imposition, &c. which makes me wonder at Mr. Bruce, so holy a Man. But if they had no Scripture, had they no Reasons? Yes, they had one, and but one, and that a pitiful one too. Thus, It being laid as a ground, ¹that none can receive Ordination to the Ministry, without Imposition of Hands, and that the Ceremony is proper to Bishops, it behoved to follow, that none could enter into the Ministry, without the Imposition of the Hands of Bishops. This is all very strange that Mr. Bruce should admit of Imposition of Hands for Confirmation, when the Bishops do appropriate that to themselves as well as in Ordination.

Secondly, All this while, there is not one Scripture brought by those who opposed Imposition: Yet they had taken the Word of God for their only Rule, which is so express for Imposition, &c. which makes me wonder at Mr. Bruce, so holy a Man. But if they had no Scripture, had they no Reasons? Yes, they had one, and but one, and that a pityful one too. Thus, It being laid as a ground, ¹that none can receive Ordination to the Ministry, without Imposition of Hands, and that the Ceremony is proper to Bishops, it behoved to follow, that none could enter into the Ministry, without the Imposition of the Hands of Bishops. This is all very strange that Mr. Bruce should admit of Imposition of Hands for Confirmation, when the Bishops do appropriate that to themselves as well as in Ordination.

1pag. 425.

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How many things may be said to this, to show the weakness of this ground? Any understanding man may easily see; but I forbear. The Representation of Presbyterian Government, and put out the Year 1690. when Bishops are turned out, tell us in the sixteenth Section, That Men come into the Ministry by Election and Ordination, by laying on of the Hands of the Bresbytery, which is a mean of Communicating Authority to him. Then it seems the Church of Scotland, where this stir was, can impose Hands in Ordination without Bishops.

How many things may be said to this, to shew the weakness of this ground? Any understanding man may easily see; but I forbear. The Representation of Presbyterian Government, and put out the Year 1690. when Bishops are turn'd out, tell us in the sixteenth Section, That Men come into the Ministry by Election and Ordination, by laying on of the Hands of the Bresbytery, which is a mean of Communicating Authority to him. Then it seems the Church of Scotland, where this stir was, can impose Hands in Ordination without Bishops.

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By reading this History, I find the Government of the Church of Scotland, from the first beginning of Reformation, was Presbyterian; wherefore it was no small injury to impose upon them Prelatical Bishops, unless they had been of Christs Institution, which we are sure they are not. And that, our first Reformers in King Henry the Eights, and in King Edward the Sixth's, did declare, That Episcopacy was no distinct Order from Bresbytery by Divine Right, but only a prudent Constitution of the Civil Magistrate, for the better Government of the Church.

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SECT. II. The Definition of Ordination.

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AS to the word Ordination, I think Greg, de Valen. speaks right; ¹the word is taken from the Effect of that Ordinance, Quia per Ordinationem aliquis in gradu quodam atque Ordine certo Ecclestasticae Dignitatis Constituit•r. Some are Pastors, some are Teachers, some a•e Ruling Elders, some are Deacons, they are set or placed, [Greek or Hebrew], 1 Cor. 1.28. in such an Order in the House of God, by Ordination. Thus it hath passed for Currant many hundred Years in the Church, till yesterday, Election gave the Essence, and Ordination was but an Adjunct. I desire my Brethren but to give me that Adjunct, according to the Word of God, and we shall unite, tho' we differ in our Logical Notions.

AS to the word Ordination, I think Greg, de Valen. speaks right; ¹the word is taken from the Effect of that Ordinance, Quia per Ordinationem aliquis in gradu quodam atque Ordine certo Ecclestasticae Dignitatis Constituit•r. Some are Pastors, some are Teachers, some a•e Ruling Elders, some are Deacons, they are set or placed, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, 1 Cor. 1.28. in such an Order in the House of God, by Ordination. Thus it hath passed for Currant many hundred Years in the Church, till yesterday, Election gave the Essence, and Ordination was but an Adjunct. I desire my Brethren but to give me that Adjunct, according to the Word of God, and we shall unite, tho' we differ in our Logical Notions.

1Tom. 4. Dis. 9. Q. 1. p. 1.

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What should he done where Ordination cannot be had? Something I had to say to it, but being none of our Question, I let it alone. It is more material to know what Ordination is, and being it is Essential to our Discourse, I will give the Definition of it. This being a sure Truth, That they who do not give the Definition, they do but mock the Person to be ordained, and abuse the Ordinance, for he is not ordained, Cui convenit Definitio eidem quoque Convenit Definitum: & è Contra, &c.

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Ordination then is, the Separation of a Person rightly qualified to the work of the Ministry, by teaching Elders, with Fasting, Prayer, and Imposition of Hands.

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Something I had thought to have spoken about the Qualification [wherein I see these mens Practices with no content, their way being to debase the Ministry] but the stress lying most in the Ordiners and Impositions of Hands, I shall speak to these two Heads.

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That it belongs to Teaching Elders, Act. 13.3. Tim. 1.4.14. I prove it.

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Here the People rise up, and claim a Right; by Virtue of their being the [Greek or Hebrew], of the Power of the Keys: And I have seen it practised. Two Private Persons imposed their Hands upon an Ancient grave Divine, who was ordained, I believe, near 40 Years before in England, &c. They gave him the Essence, in giving him a Call, and so they gave him the Adjunct. And this being the Opinion of these men here, I prefer their Ordination, with Imposition of Hands, and would own him for a Gospel Minister, before them whom you ordain [as you suppose] without Imposition: And if Ordination be no more than Prayer and Fasting, what need of you [according to the Principles of Independency] in another Church. It is not Prayer, Preaching, and Fasting. Tho' I grant Preaching is very comely at such an Ordinance; yet Preaching is not Ingredient into the Ordination: The People can Fast and Pray as well as you. I observed, while the hands of these private Persons were upon the Head of their Pastor, one of them made such a Prayer as might become any Minister, it was so apposite to the business in hand, that I could but wonder at it; and I believe it was his own Composing.

Here the People rise up, and claim a Right; by Virtue of their being the 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, of the Power of the Keys: And I have seen it practised. Two Private Persons imposed their Hands upon an Ancient grave Divine, who was ordained, I believe, near 40 Years before in England, &c. They gave him the Essence, in giving him a Call, and so they gave him the Adjunct. And this being the Opinion of these men here, I preser their Ordination, with Imposition of Hands, and would own him for a Gospel Minister, before them whom you ordain [as you suppose] without Imposition: And if Ordination be no more than Prayer and Fasting, what need of you [according to the Principles of Independency] in another Church. It is not Prayer, Preaching, and Fasting. Tho' I grant Preaching is very comely at such an Ordinance; yet Preaching is not Ingredient into the Ordination: The People can Fast and Pray as well as you. I observed, while the hands of these private Persons were upon the Head of their Pastor, one of them made such a Prayer as might become any Minister, it was so apposite to the business in hand, that I could but wonder at it; and I believe it was his own Composing.

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Whether the Fraternity be the first Subject of the Power of the Keys; ¹I have spoken to it several Years since in another Tract. I add but a few word now.

1Mr. Nath. Ward use to say, They were the first Subject of the Key-Clog, not the Keys: So they have proved in many Churches, I am sure.

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In the Common Wealth, the People are before the Magistrate: In the Church, the Ministry is before the People. Thus it began with the Apostles, they were first, and after them by a continual Succession of the Ministry the Church is continued. The Ministry is the Instrument in God's Hand, which he useth commonly or chiefly, for the bringing in, and building up of his Church, 2 Cor. 6.1. Ephes. 4.11, 12. The principal Cause and the Instrument work together, to the producing of the Effect; that then the effect of a Power, should be the first Subject of that Power of which 'tis an Effect, is new Logic to me.

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Dr. Owen saith, The Church is before Ordinary Ministers.

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Answ. First, But is it before the Ministry? Else 'tis nothing.

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Secondly, The Proposition is not true, [Greek or Hebrew]; that faithful and laborious Servant of Christ Mr. Eliot [whom I know and honour] Mr. Mahew. Mr. Leverick, with great Labour and Industry, get the Indian Language, and preached to the Indians; they were but ordinary Ministers. God blesseth their Preaching: The Indians some of them are converted, gathered into a Church: Were they a Church before these Ministers? And were they the first Subjects of the Power of the Keys, before these Ministers preached to them?

Secondly, The Proposition is not true, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉; that faithful and laborious Servant of Christ Mr. Eliot [whom I know and honour] Mr. Mahew. Mr. Leverick, with great Labour and Industry, get the Indian Language, and preach'd to the Indians; they were but ordinary Ministers. God blesseth their Preaching: The Indians some of them are converted, gathered into a Church: Were they a Church before these Ministers? And were they the first Subjects of the Power of the Keys, before these Ministers preached to them?

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

SECT. II. The Definition of Ordination.