The reviler rebuked: or, A re-inforcement of the charge against the Quakers, (so called) for their contradictions to the Scriptures of God, and to their own scriblings,: which Richard Farnworth attempted to answer in his pretended Vindication of the Scriptures; but is farther discovered, with his fellow-contradictors and revilers, and their doctrine, to be anti-Scriptural, anti-Christian, and anti-spiritual. By John Stalham, a servant of the great bishop and shepherd of souls, appointed to watch his little flock at Terling in Essex.

(16 Head of their Scripture-contradiction.) Concerning Elders and Ordination.

Section 43.

ORdaining of Elders was not by man, said one; this I noted as contrary to Acts 14. 23. where by the direction and assistance of the Apostles, with the suffrages, or consenting voices, and gestures of the Brethren, in the Churches, Elders (Teaching and Ru∣ling) were ordained; or being chosen, were set apart to their office, by Prayer and fasting, in every Church. R. F. * 1.1 represents me, as if I had not truly quoted James Nayler, his Discovery of the man of sin, Page 38. and calls the wise∣hearted to read that book, and it will witness, and clear him, and the truth declared in it.

Rep. Agreed, let the wise-hearted read all that book, if they please, and gather up more of his Errors, to witness

against it, then I have done▪ But for that which concerneth Ordination, I again affirm, saith J. Nayler, that the ordain∣ing of Elders by the direction of the Spirit, was not by man, nor of man, nor any created power, &c. The wise-hearted here appealed to, will soon grant, that which they never de∣nied, That the direction of the Spirit was his own, not mans; and the gift of the holy Ghost, was his gift: But if the holy Ghost makes use of the Apostles, and of the Churches, to chuse and set Elders apart, as he did; then the wise-hearted will conclude agaist J. Nayler: this call is not immediate, but mediate; a call of God by man, or by the ministery and service of man, and is not disproved by what he hath said to the contrary.

What hath R. F. to say against it? This I say, The holy Ghost made Overseers, and so Elders in the Church, Acts* 1.2 20. 28. and the holy Ghost is not such men as you are.

Rep. 1. It were well for R. F. if he knew what or who the holy Ghost is. Under that Head of the Trinity (as before Section 7.) he was no person, in his judgement, distinct from the Father and the Son; and now he tells us, he is not such men as we are: Why, what is he? Is he a man, or Angel? speak out R. F. tell us what he is in thy judgement: for in ours, and according to the grounds of our faith, laid down in Scripture, he is neither such men, as we, or the Sect of men, called Quakers; nor is he such a person as man, nor is he man or Angel, but the very God. And as he is God with the Father, and the Son, so he is a divine person distinct from the personal subsistences of the Father and the Son, as hath been proved above.

2. What the Father and the Son do, he doth, as to the making of Overseers, or Bishops and Elders: he gives the office, he designs the officer, he furnisheth the Elders with graces and gifts fitting for the function, and he directeth the Church by his word and rule, whom to chuse and set apart, 1 Tim. 3. Yea, he approveth of mens service in the setting apart of men to this, as other offices; he made use of the Prophets and Teachers at Antioch, to separate him Barna∣bas and Saul, for the work whereunto he had appointed them, as R. F. acknowledgeth; but if he thinketh that which fol∣loweth,

[and they were sent out by the holy Ghost] cuts off Ordination by man, it is a contradicting-thought to the ve∣ry Scripture he quoteth, Acts 13. ver. 3. When they had* 1.3 fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away; and yet are said to be sent forth by the Spirit, because they were but instrumental to the Spirits sending; but if he sends by them instrumentally, he sends by them me∣diately. If R. F. thinketh the Spirits sending in this maner, doth not cut off Ordination by man, then he contradicteth his fellow J. Nayler, who saith, Ordaining (no not so much as) of Elders was not by man.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Page 21.
• * 1.2

  Acts 20. 28. vindicated.
• * 1.3

  Acts 13. 2, 4. vindicated.