A41335:277
Weighty questions discussed I. Whether imposition of hands in separating a person to the…
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 ...Weighty questions discussed I. Whether imposition of hands in separating a person to the work of the ministry be necessry?, II. Whether it be essential to the right constitution of a particular church, that the teaching elders and the members meet alwayes 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 ...
London : Printed for the author, 1692
A Weighty Question DISCUSSED. › Question 2: Second Question.
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.
Many thousands of particular Churches make up One Body of Christ: Why then so many particular Congregations [where the Members of one Congregation are known to the others] as there may be Elders sufficient to carry on all Church-work, may not make one particular Church, I know not. It is certain, that where only one Pastor, with a Parochial Congregation make a Church, all the Ends of Churches cannot be attained; not only Reason, but Experience also hath sufficiently proved it.
Where a Congregation is so far remote from others, and so poor that it cannot maintain one Pastor well, such a People must do as well as they can; but where Congregations are nearer, tho' they be poor, [as I know sew that are not] yet they may Coalesce into one Church, to attain all Church-Ends, so far as our Performance of Duties to those Ends may conduce.
Suppose there were seven Teaching Elders in a particular Church, there is but One of these that Pray, Preach, Administer the Sacraments, Order the Singing, at one time, all the rest put forth no Official Act, but are Attendants, as the Private Brethren. But if these seven were in seven Congregations, every one is at work, performing these Acts. As for other Official Acts, as Exercise of Discipline, Ordination, Election of Officers, &c. they may all meet together, and Act jointly; and thus it was in our Mother Church in Jerusalem, which is more to me than all that is said for One Place, One Altar, One Bishop. I cannot call to mind any Church-End, but may be attained as well this way, as if they met in one place always, and better.
Suppose there were seven Teaching Elders in a particular Church, there is but One of these that Pray, Preach, Administer the Sacraments, Order the Singing, at one time, all the rest put forth no Official Act, but are Attendants, as the Private Brethren. But if these seven were in seven Congregations, every one is at work, performing these Acts. As for other Official Acts, as Exercise of Discipline, Ordination, Election of Officers, &c. they may all meet together, and Act jointly; and thus it was in our Mother Church in Jerusalem, which is more to me than all that is said for One Place, One Altar, One Bishop. I cannot call to mind any Church-End, but may be attained as well this way, as if they met in one place alwayes, and better.