A63200:167
A trial of the new-church way in New-England and in old ... by that…A tryall of the nevv-church vvay in New-England and in old ... by that…
A trial of the new-church way in New-England and in old ... by that learned and godly minister of Christ, John Ball of Whitmore ; penned a little before his death and sent over to the New England ministers, anno 1637, as a reply to an answer of theirs in justification of the said positions ... ; now published ... by William Rathband and Simeon Ash.A tryall of the nevv-church vvay in New-England and in old ... by that learned and godly minister of Christ, John Ball of Whitmore ; penned a little before his death and sent over to the New England ministers, anno 1637, as a reply to an answer of theirs in justification of the said positions ... ; now published ... by William Rathband and Simeon Ash.
London: printed by T. Paine and M. Simmons for Thomas Underhill, 1644
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.
Thirdly, As the Ministers have peculiar relation to their particular flocks, so the people unto their particular Ministers, unto whom they are tied in special manner, as to their Overseers, who must give account for their souls. And if this peculiar relation betwixt the people & the Minister doth not hinder the people from receiving the Lords Supper at the hands of another Minister; nor the minister from performing the Ministerial act to the members of another congregation. Neither doth his peculiar Relation to his own flock hinder him, from administering unto ⟨p. 32⟩others upon just occasion being entreated thereunto. As the combining of the people to their peculiar Minister, doth not quite cut off their communion with other Ministers: so neither doth the restraining of a Minister to a peculiar flock quite cut him off from administering upon occasion: unto another people. Paul appointeth the Ephesian Elders unto the care & charge only of their own particular flock,1 but so to attend them ordinarily according to the rules of the Scripture; that as occasion was offered, might perform some Ministerial acts in another congregation. The taking heed unto their flocks which Paul requires in this place doth comprehend under it the administration of the Word,2 Prayer, and Sacrament, and if it must be restrained to their own particular Churches only, it is unlawful for a Pastor to preach or call upon the name of God in any public Assembly save his own, upon any occasion, as these be duties pertaining to common confession or profession of faith. Ordinary Pastors and Teachers it is true, are not Apostles, who are to go from place to place, from Country to Country, to plant and erect Churches, but they are tied ordinarily to one flock, as the Text proveth, and to which purpose it is commonly cited. But that a Pastor is so tied to his flock, that he can perform no ministerial act to any other upon any occasion that it proveth not, nor can we find that it was ever so understood by Divines ancient or modern.3 W. B. telleth us, the learned bring these allegations to this purpose.4 But the author in alleging the consent of the learned was very careless or much abused, for there is not one that speaketh to the purpose.