A63200:319
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.
Reply.
The question is of Ministers unjustly forsaken, or driven from the Church or congregation: and your answer is for the most part of Ministers set aside or deprived through their own default. We never purposed to speak one word for any unworthy Minister whom Christ hath put out of office, and therefore your labour to prove that such justly rejected by the Church are no longer Ministers might well have been saved. But setting them aside, we will in few words examine your conclusions upon which you bind the certainty of that sentence you pass against them.
THe question is of Ministers unjustly forsaken, or driven from the Church or congregation: and your answer is for the most part of Ministers set aside or deprived through their own default. We never purposed to speak one word for any unworthy Minister whom Christ hath put out of office, and therefore your labour to prove that such justly rejected by the Church are no longer Ministers might well have been saved. But setting them aside, we will in few words examine your conclusions upon which you bind the certainty of that sentence you passe against them.
First, it is certain and clear from the Word, that a Pastor or Teacher neither in these days hath, nor in any other age of the Church, ought to have Apostolical power over all Churches. The Apostles had only power to serve the Church with the personal service of their Apostleship. But pastoral power of ordinary Ministers or Teachers they never had: and if the Apostles had not the power of ordinary Ministers, much less can Pastors receive the power of Apostles, for Christ gave both the one and the other order. But as the Apostles were not Pastors of that Church to which they preached, and among whom they continued for some space; no more do Pastors become Apostles if they preach the Word, or dispense the Sacraments to another flock or people beside their own, whereof they have the special oversight. But of this matter we have spoken before, and of the texts of Scripture here alleged, therefore we will not repeat what hath been said already: only it seemeth somewhat strange, that you should cited those texts of Scripture, as if the Apostle had said, feed one flock, or feed that flock of God only. For we find the word (one) or (only) neither in the text expressly, nor in the sense for which it is here alleged, viz. as if he might not perform any ministerial act in another Congregation upon any occasion whatsoever.