as is done in the Church of Rome, and in the C — h
of E — ^..... Nor do we find any one ordain'd by
the Apofllcs to preach and baptize, that had no
Power to adminifler the Lord's-Supper, as our Eng-
lijh Deacons are : They may preach, they may bap-
tize, but they mufl not adminifter the Bread and
Wine in the LordVSupper — they may help the
Prieft in the Diftribution of the Communion, but
they can't confecrate the Elements, or authoritatively
deliver them.
The fame Power is given to Popifh Deacons un-
der the fame Limitations of Preaching and Eaptiz.ing
only, Diacomm oportet miniflrare ad altare, baptiz,are
&
preferable to Epifco^al. 1 6 ^
(ir pradicare. Pontifical. Rom. What Scripture can be
produced for this Limitation ? Is Baptifm infcnor to
the Lord's-Stipper ? Are not both Seals to the fame
Covenant ? Did not the Lord Jefus, when he fent
the Apoftles to preach and haptiz^e, empower em to
give the holy Eucharifl: alfo ? Nos cum di^o Jpo^
flolico mentem»patrum adaptij/emus, invenimus eos ejfe lo"
cut OS non de viris qui mini fir ant Myfleriisy fed de Mrnifte^
rio quod in ufu Menfarum adhibentur.-'" Did they need
a new CommifTion for this ? Where fhall w& find that
CommifTion ? Not in the New Teflament, I'm fure.
The Apoftles Commiffion for the Work of the Mi-
niftry, as fuch, extends to all Minifters to the end of
the iVorldy (Ver, 20.) as their Succeflbrs. This is the
Senfe of the Ancients. Leo Ep, p2. />• 402. tx Ep. pi."
p. 2p6. and fuch as all Proteftants will acknowledger
See the Gofpel at the Ordain- Priefis.
The Scripture Deacon was appointed to fer^e Ta-
bles, or to overfee the Poor. Aci. 6- 2, 3. It is not
Reafon we jhoud leave the Word of God, andferve Tables,
wherefore look you out among you feven Men — whom we
may appoint over this Bujinefs. The Miniflry of the
Word, and the Service of Tables are made here tu o
di{\.'m&: Offices, and fuch as are inconfiftent in the or-
dinary Exercife of *em, and therefore the Apoflle op-
pofeth 'em, and appropriates the Word to Minijlers
properly fo call'd, and the Service of Tables to thofe
whom we call Deacons or Overfeers.
This is acknowledg'd by the dth general Council
o( Conftarainople, whofe Teftimony is more confidera-
ble,as not only containing the Opinion of 1 50 Bifhops
who lived about the latter End of the 8ch Century,
but affirming the Senfe of the Fathers of the former
Ages to be the fame with theirs.
They that drew up the Contents of our Church Bi-
bles,
AEi. 6. See the Contents of this Chapter in our Church Bi-
blesy which I hope Church-men will not except againfl,
(ince they ufually read 'em with the Chapter. A-
1 64. TPreshytenal Ordination j
Ability, or aptnefs to teach is not mention'd in
Scriptures among the Qaah'fications of Deacons^ as it
is in thofe of a Bifhop, and therefore we may con-
clude that teaching and preaching was no part of the
Office of a Deacon in the Apoftles Time, i Tim. 3. 2.
'Tis true, fome of the Greek Fathers call 'em
Kd>«i5, Preachers or Publifhers, not becaufe they
did preach the Gofpel. ComiL vafens. can. 4. but be-
caufe they did after the manner of the old Greeks^ com-
mand Silence in order to the Prayers of the Catechu-
mens '^a-vxU* Kxloiy.ri^vlTti*. ArifleYi. ill CoYii^il-Carth. can. 106.
1 find the)' were admitted about the middle of the
fifth Age to read Homilies in the Church, but only
in Cafes of neceflity, as when the Presbyter was
difabrd by reafon of fome Infirmities.
By all which it appears, that Deacons originally
were but Over Jeers of the Poor, to diftribute juftly and
diredly the Alms of the faithful, which the Apoftles
wou'd not trouble themfeives withal, left it fhou'd
hinder them in the Miniftration of the Word and
Prayer.
In Procefsof Time when the Revenues of the Church
were enlarg'd the Cafe was greatly alter'd, the Bifhops
affeded to be Guardians of the Poor, and to make
the Deacons amends, admitted 'em to baptize and
preach. The Bifhops omit Preaching, and become
Servants of Tables, and the Deacons from Serving
of Tables, ftep up into the Pulpit, and become
Preachers.
Obj. VetavJm, the Jefuit, (from whom others fince
have borrow'd their Arguments) takes upon him to
prove Dcacon(hip a Spiritual Order, and to that end
lie tells us, that Fhilif and Stephen were Preachers of
the Word.
ylnf. I anfwer,
it does not appear that either of 'em preach'd at
â– Jentfiilemy Stephen difputed with the JcWS there, ABs
ij. 5?. v/aich withe ut doubt any private Man may do
in
preferable to E^ifco^aL 165
in defence of the Gofpcl, and has been often done
by the old Martyrs in Obedience to that Scripture
in I Pet, 3. 13.
Philip preach'd the Word, but it was at Samaria^
after he was driven from yerufjLm, and fo ceas'd to
exercifc the OiTice of a Deacon there. Acls 8. 4» 5.
He might be advanc'd to the Degree of an Evange-
lift, for ought appears to the contrary. ABs 21. 8.
I Tim. 5. 13.
Becaufe we find him preaching fome time after
his being made Deacon, does it follow he preach'd
as a Deacon ? You may as well fay, that becaufw we
find a Presbyter who was a Parifh Miniiter half a
Year ago, now exercifing Epifcopal Jurifdidion,
therefore every Presbyter has Epifcopal Jurifdidion.
The Cafe is much the fame here ; Philip was a
Deacon to fervc Tables in ASls 6. — and fome time
after in ABs 8.— we find him Preaching, doth it fol-
low, that he preach'd as a Deacon ? when 'tis evi-
dent the Deacon had nothing to do with the Mini-
ftry of the Word. Afls 6. 2, 3.
2. Supppfe they did preach at Jerufulem^ it was
no more than what was done by all gifted Perfons in
thofe extraordinary Times. Apollos^ who was not
well Catechiz'd in the Word, nor was fo much as bap-
tized with the Baptifm of Chrifl, yet preach'd, A^s
j8. 24.
To be fure, he only knew Johns Baptifm, was not
ordain'd by any of the Apoftles ; yea, Aquila and
Prifcilla his Wife, inflrufted him more perfcdly in
the way of the Lord.
Grotius acknowledges that in thofe Circumftances?
of Perfecution, private Perfons might preach as wellN
as Deacons, Grot, in AEls 8. 5. and he quotes to that/
purpofe, ABs ii. 20.
Hilariusy the Roman Deacon, goes further and faith,
17 ergo crefceret & multiplicaretur (ABs 6> 6.) omnibm
inter initia concejfum ejl, & E'vangeliz.are & Baptizare
M 3 &
1 6 6 Tresbyterial Ordpiation^
& Scrip ura5 in Ecdefia exphnaYe, i Cor. 14. 24. at
ubi omnia loca complexa eB Ecdefia^ conventicula conftituta
funty & reciores & catera offida in Ecdefia ordinata —
Hinc ergo efl^ unde nunc neq; Diaconi in pofulo pradicanty
neq; minores ckrici vel laici baptiz^ant. Comment, in Eph.
â– 4. apud Amhr,
From this Quotation \t appears,
1. That all ^ik^d Perfons did preach and baptize,
and explain the Scripture, when the Church was in
fieri, or Infant State. The extraordinary EtFufionsot
the Spirit, accompanied vvith a Power of working
Miracles, feems to juflify that Pradice. AEls6. 8.e5r.8.6.
2. That afterwards, when thofe extraordinary Ope-
rations ceas'd, and the Gofpel was fpread abroad,
no Man muft preach without a regular Call.
^. That Deacons did not preach in Hilary's Time,
(who liv'd to the latter End of the fourth Century)
no, not in the Roman Church. Ad hue in vivis Ann.
384. Cav, Cartoph. EccL
Origen, being perfecuted from Alexandria, prcach'd
publickly at Cafarea, tho' he was but a Lay-man, be-
ing defir'd fo to do by T'hecBtfius Bifhop of the
Place. When Demetrim of Alexandria cenfiir'd the
Action as irregular, TbeuSl:i[lus and Alexander Billiop
of Jerufale?n juftified it, and produced feveral Exam-
ples of the fame Nature. EufeL Ecd. Hij}/'6. 20.
A Lay-man is aJlow'd to teach at the requed of
the Clergy in the Council of Carthage, held about
the Year 45*5. Laicus prafentibus Clericis, mfi ipfis ro-
ganribus docere ncn audent. Carth. Concil. 4. Can. 98.
Martimanm, a Cutler, or Weapon Maker by his
ProfefTIon, with two Brothers of his that were pri-
vate Men alfo, being fold by the Vandals to a Hea-
then King of the Mqoys, preach'd the Gofpel to the
Barbarians ,• and by the Bleffing of Heai'cn upon their
Labours, converted vaft Multitudes of 'em to the
Chriilian Faith, and afterwards fent to Rome for a
presbyter, by whom they were baptized. ViBor de
Vandal, perjec. i. Fol %, When
preferable to Epfcopcd. 167
When John de Belles Mayonsy Archbifhop of Lyons^
inhibited Valdo^ (the Father of the IValdenfes or Van-
dois) from preaching, efpecially for that being a Lay-
Perfon, he exceeded the limits of his Profcflion and
Condition of Life ; Faldo reph'ed, that he could not
hold his Peace in a matter of fo high Importance as
the Salvation of Men, and that he wou*d rather o-
bey God who had enjoyn'd him to fpeak, than Man
who had commanded him to be lllent. Ferrins Hiji,
of the IVdld, I. I c i./'. 4.
From the whole it follows, that a private Man as
well as a Deacon, in times of extraordinary neceflity,
may preach ; and therefore Philip and Stephens preacht^
ing doth not prove that Deacons may ordinarily do
fo, any more than private Perfons.
The ancient Deacons were the Presbyters and Bi-
fhops Servants* Diaconus ita fe Presbyteri & Epifcopi
Miniflrum effe cognofcat. cone. 4 Carth. c. 57. and might
not fit in the Prefence of the Presbyters unlefs defir'd
by em, nor fo much as fpeak in their Affemblies,
unlefs they were ask*d fome Qoeflions by them. 16,
Can. gp, 40.
The Presbyters imploy'd *em to bring the Eulogia,
or Confecrated Elements in the Eucharift to fuch as
could not be prefent at the Communion. JuRin
Apol. II. Ad Ant.
They might diftribute Bread to the People if Ne-
ceflity fo required by Order of the Pried:. They muft
not do this but in cafes of Nece/Iity, which juftify
many Things that are otherwife Unwarrantable.
ConciL 4. Carth. can, 38. Diaconus prafente Prcsbytero
Eucharifiiam corporis Chrifti populo fi neceffitas cogat jujfus
eroget.
If the Preaching Deacon be a Stranger to Scripture,
and the firft Ages of the Church, as hath been prov'd,
and neither Command nor Example can be produc'd
for the Ordaining of Perfons, firft Deacons to preach
and baptize, and then to make 'em Triefls by a new
M 4 Or-
1 6 8 Trcslytertal Ordination.
Ordination ,• it follows, that our Ordinations are more
agreeable to Scripture, in which Perfons are fet apart
to the whole Work of the Miniftry at once.
Chap. VIL
fVhe» m ordain M'tnijlers they arefujjer^d to f reach
without any hindrance. Church Minifters after
thej are ordain^ d^ are forbid to preach without a
hicenfe^ which is purchased ufon pecuniary Con'-
Jideratio^p
Ayg^ VII. T)Erfons ordain*d by us, may freely exe^
-t cife their Miniftry without any further Im^
fedimentSy as it zvas in the ApoRles Time^ and long after.
But, in Epifcopal Ordinations, tho' Perfons be fo-
lemnly dedicated to the Miniftry, and the Bifhop
tells *ein, 7*ake thou Authority to preach the Wordy &c.
yet no Authority is given the Perfon to preach or
catechize, until he be Licensed by the Archbijhop or Bijhop
of the Diocefs under their Hands and Seals, Engl, can* ^6.
Either the Perfon ordain'd is qualified for the Work
of Preaching, or he is not : if he be not, why is he
ordain'd? if he be, why is he reftrain'd till a new
Licenfe be given him ? What Precedent have we ivi
Scripture for this ? Did the Apoftlcs fend out any in
this manner ; faying, T*ake Authority to preach the
JJ/brd. — But this Authority jh all fignifie nothing to you with"
cut another Licenfe under our Hands and Sealsy and till
thofe are obtain d you muR not Preach. Can- 49. adds,
that no Perfon whatfoez/er that is not Licensed as aforefaid
Jhall take upon him to expound in his own Cure^ or elfe^
%:here, any Scripturey or Matter of Dotlrine.
It is unaccountable, that Men fhou'd be made Mi-
nifters by Ordination, and afterwards forbidden to
cxercife that which they are ordain d to. Com-
prferahle to E^ifco^al. 169
Compare this Canon with the Words of Ordinati-
on, which are thus. —
Q. Are you determind out of the Scrif>tures to infiruEl
the teople committed to your Charge ? &c.
A. / have fo determind by God's Grace.
Q^lVtll you give your faithful diligence always fo to
Mintfter the DoHrine and Sacraments^ and the Dffcjfline
of Chrifl as the Lord has commanded^ ike. that you may
teach the People committed to your Care and Charge with
all diligence to keep and olferve the fame ?
A. / will fo do by the help of God.
Here the Minifter folemnly vows to inflru(5i and
reach the People as the Lord has commanded, and
yet the Canon commands him never to Preach nor
Expound the Scripture, or any Matter of Dodrine,
without an additional Power or Licenfe from the
Bifhop.
Why will they folemnly engage him to inRruEl and
teach the People out of the Scriptures • and at the fame
time forbid him to do it without a Licenfe ?
The Canon that reftrains Unlicensed Miniflers
makes the Miniftry arbitrary to the Bifhop*s Will:
He may bind Klen to the Office, and when he has
done, keep *em from the Exercife of it.
However, 'tis a prudent Provifion to avoid the
Guile of Simony : The B — p muft take no Money
for giving Holy Orders, that were to fell the Holy
Gholl for Money.
But he may take Money for the Licenfy and for
producing Letters of Orders at Visitations, and be
as free of the Guilt of Simony^ as the Jews were from
breaking the fifth Commandment by their facred
Corban,
CHAP.
yo Treshyterid Ordination,
Chap. VIII.
Ordaining Vresbyters don*t pretend to confer the
Holy Ghofi in Ordination as the Bijhops do and
the Church of Rome. Thofe Minijters ufon
whom the Spirit isffiffosd to be confer d^ no better
Chrifiims than their Neighbours.
Arg' VIIL 'W/'-E dont pretend to give the Holy Ghofi in
â–¼ â–¼ Ordination : We pray that God
wou'd increafe the Gifts and Graces of his Spirit in
the Ordained, but confer 'em we cannot, nor do I fee
how any can now pretend to this Power without
great Prefumption.
But the Ordaining Bifiop feems to ajfu?ne it^ when hefaysy
Receive the Holy Ghofi for the Office and Work of a Frieft
in the Church of God, now committed to thee by the Impo^
Jit ion of otir Hands. The Ord. of Priefis. Obferve here,
1. If they can give the Holy Ghoft, Wloy do they
not give it to the Deacon^ as ivell as to the Prieii / Is not
the Holy Ghoft as necellary to enable us to preach and
haptiz^ey which they fay is the Work of Deacons, as
to adminifier the Lord's Supper, which is the Work of
Priefis, The Deacons in AEls 6. 3* muft b^ full of
the Holy Ghoft. Is he become lefs necelfary now than
he was of old ? Or, is the Bifhop's Power of dispen-
fins the Spirit reftrain'd to Presbyters as the adequate
Objedofit?
2. It is true, the Holy GhoB was given by the
Hands of the Apoftles, but it was in his extraordinary
Gifts, that enabrd Perfons to fpcak with Tongues,
and to prophefy. ABs 10. 44. 45. and ip.6. If there
had not been fomething extraordinary in this Gift,
Simon Magus had never attempted to purchafe it with
iioney. AEis S^ 17, iS, ip.
We don't find that the Apoftles gave the Holy
Ghoft
preferable to Epfco^aL I y I
Ghoft in any other Senfe: they that affirm it muft
prove it, as alfo that the Bifhops are the ApoftJes
Succeflbrs in the Plenitude of their Power, and en-
dued with the fame Apoftolical Character of confer-
ring the Holy Ghoft.
Experience tells us, that the Bifhops do not give
the Ordinary, much lefs the Extraordinary Gifts of
the Holy Ghoft : for they that were ignorant, pro-
fane, or fuperftitious before Ordination, remain fo
afterwards.
We don't find any greater Mcafures of the Spirit
upon Perfons as they come from Epifcopal Ordina-
tion, than they had before. The fcandalous Lives of
fome Minifters that arc among us, is no very con-
vincing Demon ftration of the Bifhops giving the
Holy Ghoft in Ordination.
3. In Popifh Ordinations,thc ordaining Bifhop pre-
tends to confer the fame Gift, in thefe Words : Re-
ceive thou the Holy Ghofl, whofe Sins thou remitteft, are
remitted^ .... Accipe Spirltum SanBum, quorum remiferis
feccata, remittuntuY eisy & quorum retineris retenta funt.
Pontif. Rom,
The Popifh Fathers of Trent affert the fame Power,
and denounce a grievous Curfe upon thofe that deny it
^...Let him, fay they, he accurfed who affirms y that the Holy
Ghoft is not given by /acred Ordination. Si quis dixerit
per facram Ordinationem, non dari Spiritum SanEliimy ac
proinde fruftra Epifcopos dictre^ accipe Spiritum SanSium
Anathema fit.
For all this Curfe, Dr. Fulk pleads common Expe-
rience againft the Rhemifts, who affirm, that the
Grace of the Spirit is given by Impofition of Hands
in Ordination. Thus he, But that any fuch Grace is
giuen by your Sacrament of Orders^ we cannot fee by £x-
perience. For he that was an unlearned Afs before he was
made Prieft, is made no better than Sir John Lack Latin
by his Order of Priefthood. Fulk. in i Tim. 4. §. 16.
Morinm acknowledgeth that the Words, IRecipe Spi-
f vitum
\ni Treshyterial Ordination^
ritum SanBuin] Heceive the Holy Ghofi, are not four Imn-
dred Tears old m the Church ; they were us'd before not im-
peratorie, l^ut precaritorie ,* they did not pretend to
confer, but only pray'd unto God to give the
Holy Ghoft unto the Perfon ordaind, De Sacr.
EccL Orditif
The Ordainers can t fay they mean the Office of
the Miniftry by the Holy Gholl, whom they pretend
to^ive; foe they fay. Receive the Holy Ghoft for the
Office.
Were Bifhops able to confer. the Holy Ghoft in a
greater Meafure than Presbyters, their Ordinations •
would be more eligible ,• but if it be otherwife, that
is, that they don't confer the Spirit of Ordination,
as the Office of Ordination fays they do, then are
our Ordinations better.
HAP,
IX.
V
Treshyteridns ordain accordwg to Scrifture-Model
Bfjhops add other Ceremomes. An odd CUufe in
the Deacon*s Commiffion confider'^d. Both their
And Preshyters Commtffions conditionaly and depen^
dant on the Bijhofs Will.
Arg.lX.'\T7£) ufe m Ceremonies in Ordination^ lutthofe
VV that are mention d in Scripture, We don't
find any Ceremony us'd by the Apoftles, in the fet-
ting apart of Minifters, befides Impofition of Handsy
accompany'd with Fafting and Vrayer.
But the Bifhop at Ordination, delivers the New-
Teftament into the Hands of the Deacon, faying,
'fake thou Authority to read the Gnfpel, and to preach the
fame, if thou he thereto Ucens'd by the Bijhop himfelf.
He
preferable to Epfco^al. i y ^
He; delivers a Bible into the Hand of the Presby-
ter, faying > l^ake thou Authority to f reach the Word of
Gody and to Mimfter the Holy Sacraments in the Congre-
gation.
But why a New-Teftament only to the Deacon,
and not a whole Bible ? May he not read the Old
Teftament alfo ? Is there no Gofpel there ? Or is he
more a Minifter of the New Teftainent, than a Pref-
byter ? St. Paul thought it a Charader becoming e^en
an Apoftle, to be a Minifter of the New-Tcftament.
2 Cor. 3. 6.
The Words of the Deacon*s Commiflion arc fin-
gular, and without Precedent in that Book which is
delivered to him — T'ake Authority to preachy if thou
be thereto licensed ; that is^ take Authority to preach, if
thou canfi get it. Is not his Ordination a fufEcient
Licenfe ?
The ComnufTion of the Presbyter feems to be more
abfolutcj and yet, // thou be licensed is implied there
alfo, as appears by the Canon, which fays, No Per-
fon Jhall be admitted to any Ecclejiaftical Living, nor fuf^
ferd to preach — except he be licensed. Can. 36.
So that both their Commiflions to preach are con-
ditional, and depend upon the Bifhop*s Pleafure.
The Presbyter hath the Old Teftament delivered
to him, befides what is deliver'd to the Deacon ; and
he has this in his Commiffion above a Deacon, viij.
'fake Authori?y to minifler the Holy Sacraments, &c. How
comes the Old Teftament to refer to the Sacraments
of the New Teftament ?
We don't find that the Apoftles us'd this Ceremo-
ny. It may be thought very innocent, but it would
be more innocent to retain the Apoftoiical Simplicity
of the Gofpel Ordinances, and not add our Inven-
tions to Divine Inftitutions.
It is true, this Ceremony was us'd with fome Va-
riation in the fourth Age. Counc. Carthag. 4. Can. 2.
Then the Book was put upon the Head of the Perfon
* to
I y^- TPreshytericd Ordination^
to be ordain'd. — But what Authority had they from
Chrift or his Apoftles for the iife of it ?
By the fame Reafon, that the Bifbops ufe this Ce-
remony? thePapifts ufe many more, which they judge
as innocent and fignificant as the delivering of a Book
can be.
They anoint the Priefls Hands with holy Oil, to
fignify the Anointing of the Holy Ghoft, which the
Bifliop pretends to give 'em. What Argument can be
us'd againft one Ceremony, which can't be equally
urg d againft the other > If it be faid, the Apoftles
did not anoint the Hands of fuch as were ordain'd ;
very true, no more did they put a Book into their
Hands. Vno abfurde datOy mille fequuntur —
Open the Door for one fignificant Ceremony, and
you make room for many more infignificant ones to
enter. If one myftical Ceremony may be added for
the Decency of an Ordinance, why nqf. two to make
it more decent, and fo forward to the end of the
Chapter. I'll conclude this Head in the Words of
Dodor Fulky againft the RhemifJsy who defend the
Popifh Ceremonies us'd in the Roman Ordinations ;
77?^ true Church of Chrift (faith he) fuhmits her felf to
the DoElrine of. Chrift, and his Apoftles in all things, and
is content ivith thofe Ceremonies which ChriR and his
Apoftles y by his Commandmenty have left unto her, Fulk* in
Tom, 4. §. 18.
Upon this Account our Ordinations are better than
the Epifcopal, becaufe we keep more clofe to the Pri-
mitive Apoftolical Simplicity in Ordinations
CHAP.
p-eferahk to Epfco^d. I y5
CHAP. X.
H^e orda'm Ferfons Minifters in the Language of the
New Teftame^t. Bijhops ordain 'em to the Order
of Priefihood. Reajons to prove the Abfurditj cf
that Pra^ice.
Arg. X. 'WT''^ ordain to the Office of the Minifiry as
» V fuch in the Language cf the New Tefia-'
ment ; butthe Bifhops, in ordaining Minifters, admit
'em to the Order of Vrieflhood^ as they call it. The
words Prieflhood and Vrieft are us'd five or fix times
in their Form of Ordination.
The Reformers of the Common^Prayer-Book in
1(5625 chang'd the word Minifters irtto that of Vriefly
at leaft in five places ; in the Abfolutiony in the Refpon-
fes, in tbe Litany^ and at the Communnion^ &c.
I find the Rhemijh Seminary very angry with our
firft Reformersy for tranflating tr^sa-^uTt^a Elder, and not
Frie/i, fuch Corruption of Scriptures, Jay they, their hatred
of PrieWhood drives ^em to.
Our Bleffed Reformers had reafon to hate the Topijh
Prieflhood, as being Idolatrous ; why the late Reformers
of our Liturgy fhou'd rather be call'd Priefts than Mi-
nifters or Elders, is, I think, what their Admirers
Ihou'd account for. Rhem. in AEl. 14./. 4.
The Rhemifts go on to cenfure our Tranflators for
not rend ring Presbyter PrieR : This is to take away the
office of Sacrificing,and other FunElions of Priefts, fay they.
Dr. Fulk anfwereth, The Reafon why we avoid the Name
of Priefts, is becaufe it is by common ufe taken to fignifie
the Priefts of the Law, whofe Nayne is never in the New
T*eft anient given to the Minifters of the Church, ibid.
We judge it very improper to retain the Names of
Priefts and Prieflhood, for thefe Reafons ; Becaufe,
I. All Proteflants confefs, that the Office of the
Mini-
176 Treshyterial Ordination^
Miniftry is not a real Priefthood. Wc read but of
two Orders of Priefthood, properly fo callM, njtz,.
'The Order of Mekhiz^deky of which Chrift is the only
Prieft ; and the Order of Aaroriy which is now abo-
lifh'd ; together with that Oeconomy to which it
did belong. To revive that PrieBhoody were to deny
that Chrift is come in the Flefh, as the Apoftle dif-
courfeth at large in his Epiftle to the Hebrews. Now
when we all difown the thing, why fhou'd we affed
the Name ? Nomina funt rerum Nota & Symhola.
Hath not the New Teftament furnifli'd us with
variety of more fignificant Names to exprefs that Sa-
cred Office by, fuch as Paftors, Teachers, Presby-
ters, Bifhops, Minifters ? &c,
Why fhou*d Men covet to fpeak in the Language of
Mofes rather than in the Language of ChrifJ and his
Apoftles ?
The Deacon has the New Teftament deliver'd him
in Ordination, with a New Teftament Name, and
the Prieft hath the Old Teftament alfc, with an Old
Teftament Name ; it is unaccouutable that any Chri -