A53671:198
A brief instruction in the worship of God, and discipline of the churches of…
A brief instruction in the worship of God, and discipline of the churches of the New Testament, by way of question and answer with an explication and confirmation of those answers.
London : s.n., 1667
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.
Secondly, If he have not received such gifts as completely to enable him unto the discharge of the whole work of the Ministry in the Church wherein he is to administer, it is not lawful for the Church to call him unto that work wherein the Lord Christ hath not gone before them in qualifying him for it. Yea to do so, would be most irregular, for the whole power of the Church, consists in its attendance unto the rule given unto it. And therefore the office and work of the Ministry being constituted by the Law of Christ, it is not in the power of the Church to enlarge or straiten the power or duty of any one that is called unto the office thereof. ⟨p. 138⟩Neither can or ought any person that is called unto the work of the Ministry to give his consent to the restraint of the exercise of that gift that he hath received, in a due and orderly manner, nor to the abridgement of the authority which the Lord Christ hath committed unto the Ministers of the Gospel.
Secondly, If he have not received such gifts as compleatly to enable him unto the discharge of the whole work of the Ministry in the Church wherein he is to administer, it is not lawful for the Church to call him unto that work wherein the Lord Christ hath not gone before them in qualifying him for it. Yea to do so, would be most irregular, for the whole power of the Church, consists in its attendance unto the rule given unto it. And therefore the office and work of the Ministry being constituted by the Law of Christ, it is not in the power of the Church to enlarge or streighten the power or duty of any one that is called unto the office thereof. ⟨p. 138⟩Neither can or ought any person that is called unto the worke of the Ministry to give his consent to the restraint of the exercise of that gift that he hath received, in a due and orderly manner, nor to the abridgement of the authority which the Lord Christ hath committed unto the Ministers of the Gospel.
As it is incumbent upon them to take care to preserve their whole authority, and to discharge their whole duty, so that arbitrary constitutions of this nature are irregular, and would bring in confusion into Churches.