An apologetical reply to a book called an answer to the unjust complaint of…An apologeticall reply to a booke called an ansvver to the unjust complaint of…

Before I answer the Quaere, I would ask one thing, which might give a little light to that which shall be said afterwards, namely, how the first Classis that ever was upon the face of the earth came to be constituted? And, J conceive, it cannot be denied, but that it was made up by the combination of several ministers, and Elders, and of several Congregations. Whence it must needs follow, that those particular Congregations had power from Christ for to call, & so did, by that their power, choose & call their Ministers fully & completely before ⟨p. 248⟩there was a Classis, and therefore had their power not derived from a Classis, or by it, but from the direct ordinance and appointment of Christ, which power they may not give away, and none can take it away, being a legacy left them by the Lord Jesus, as Dr. Ames disputes and determines in his 4. book of his cases of conscience. pag. 165.

Before I answer the Quaere, I would aske one thing, which might give a litle light to that which shall be said afterwards, namely, how the first Classis that ever was upon the face of the earth came to be constituted? And, J conceive, it cannot be denyed, but that it was made up by the combination of severall ministers, and Elders, and of severall Congregations. Whence it must needs follow, that those particular Congregations had power from Christ for to call, & so did, by that their power, choose & call their Ministers fully & compleatly before ⟨p. 248⟩there was a Classis, and therefore had their power not derived from a Classis, or by it, but from the direct ordinance and appoyntment of Christ, which power they may not give away, and none can take it away, being a legacy left them by the Lord Iesus, as Dr. Ames disputes and determines in his 4. booke of his cases of conscience. pag. 165.

Touching the Quaere then my opinion is this: A particular Congregation hath complete power, by Christ his institution, to give a complete call to a minister, without any derived power from a Classis. They which had complete and perfect Ministers, before any Classis, had power fully to call them, without any Classis. But a particular Congregation, had perfect and complete Ministers, i. e. perfectly and completely called, before any Classis. Ergo. Yet, if by mutual consent, the Congregation hath freely combined it self with the Classis, they shall do piously and expediently freely to crave the approbation of the Classis, that they may be more confirmed, or, if doubts arise, better directed in their course. Always provided, that, if the Classis should not approve, they may lawfully, and without sin, choose without, or against the approbation of the Classis, if they saw good reason, by the convenient fitness of the party to induce them thereunto. And so I judge of the 11 Quest.