A63200:230
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.
The first Proposition, That none have power to dispense the Seals, but they that are called to the office of Ministry, is freely granted.
The first Proposition, That none have power to dispence the Seales, but they that are called to the office of Ministery, is freely granted.
The second, That no man can be so called till first there be a Church to call him, needeth explication. For by the Church you must understand the community of the faithful, as they are one body, without officers or guides. And such a Church there cannot be without a Ministry to call and admit them into Church-fellowship. The Apostles baptised not themselves, but by the help of others, & those not called of the people to be baptised, 1 Cor. 1. 17. The Apostles appointed by election, Elders in every city or Church. And so there was a Church before Elders were set over it, but this Church was a society of believers by baptism admitted into Church-fellowship. There can be no Church to call a Minister to feed the flock, and dispense the seals, till they have received the doctrine of salvation entirely, and by the seal of initiation be solemnly received into the society of men professing Christ. A company of men converted to the faith being unbaptized, may and ought to desire baptism, but they have not power to elect and choose one among themselves to dispense the seals unto the rest for ought is to be found in Scripture:1 The Churches constitution into which Christians are to gather themselves must be Apostolical, and not one day or hour younger in nature and form of it, thus the first Church of the New Testament. But it can never be showed in Scripture that any society of unbaptized persons did first choose from among them a Pastor or Teacher by whom they might be baptised: you cannot produce one example or other proof in the Scripture, of one man teaching the Gospel ministerially but he was baptised, and a member of a true Church, or of a society who made choice of a Pastor and teacher, but they were baptised persons.