A02990:297
A friendly trial of the grounds tending to separation in a plain and modest…A friendly triall of the grounds tending to separation in a plain and modest…
A friendly trial of the grounds tending to separation in a plain and modest dispute touching the lawfulness of a stinted liturgy and set form of prayer, Communion in mixed assemblies, and the primitive subject and first receptacle of the power of the Keys: tending to satisfy the doubtful, recall the wandering, and to strengthen the weak: by John Ball.A friendly triall of the grounds tending to separation in a plain and modest dispute touching the lawfulnesse of a stinted liturgie and set form of prayer, Communion in mixed assemblies, and the primitive subject and first receptacle of the power of the Keyes: tending to satisfie the doubtfull, recall the wandering, and to strengthen the weak: by John Ball.
Cambridge: printed by Roger Daniel printer to the University of Cambridge for Edward Brewster, 1640Cambridge: printed by Roger Daniel printer to the Universitie of Cambridge for Edward Brewster, 1640
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.
The church cannot virtually or formally convey what she never had,1 but ministerially she may, sc. as ministering to him who hath power and virtue of deriving it. Nothing can give that which it had not formally or virtually, unless it give it as an instrument to one who hath it; but so it may give what it never had, nor is capable of. A man not having a penny of his own, may give an hundred pounds, if the King make him his almoner: A steward may give all offices in his masters house, as ministerially executing his masters pleasure. Thus the church deriveth, as taking the person whom Christ describeth, and out of power will have placed in this or that office in the church. The ⟨p. 240⟩persons of the ministers are not immediately separated by Christ to that function, as were the Apostles: but their gifts, calling and authority is immediately from him. In respect of their graces and office there interveneth to midst betwixt Christ and them: but the appointment or designation of them to this or that place is from the church. The office is not given of men but of God only, although in conferring and special applying that power and exercise he use men as instruments or ministers. The church is in setting out or ordaining this or that man, as the college is in choosing, when she taketh the man whom the statute of her Founder doth manifestly design: And therefore though the church have power to elect their minister, it followeth not that the power of the keys is immediately in the whole multitude or society of the faithful. For electors have not evermore authority over him whom they elect; but authority and power only to apply that power to him whom they choose. The power of the Imperial dignity is not in the electors of the Emperors; nor the power of that office and authority whereunto a minister is elected, in the church who chooseth him to that office.2 If we consider what men give or give not, universally it must be denied that any men can make ministers; because they do not give the office, gifts or authority, which is from Christ alone. And therefore as they receive their office and graces from God, so they execute their office in the name of Christ, and not of the church: whereas ⟨p. 241⟩if the church did virtually and out of power make an officer, he should execute his office in her name, as we see with those whom the king maketh in the common-wealth.