Sect. 9. 2. A Minister is [an officer of Christ,] and therefore receiveth his Authority from him, and can have none but what he thus receives. And therefore 1. He hath no Sovereignty or Lordship over the Church, for that is the prerogative of Christ. 2. He hath no degree of underived Power, and therefore must prove his Power, and produce his Commission before he can expect the Church to acknowledge it. 3. He hath no Power to work against Christ, or to destroy the souls of men, or to do evil: Though he hath a Power by which occasionally he may be advantaged to evil, yet hath he no Authority to do it:) For Christ giveth no man power to sin, nor to do any thing against himself. 4. He deriveth not his authority from man (though by man, as an instrument, or occasion, he may) The People give him not his Power: The Magistrate gives it not: The Ordainers (Bishops or Presbyters) give it not, any further then (as I shall show anon) by signifying the will of Christ that indeed giveth it, and by investing men in it by solemn delivery. The Choosers may nominate the person that shall receive it; and the Magistrate may encourage him to accept it; and the Ordainers may Approve him and Invest him in it: but it is Christ only that gives the Power as from himself. As in Marriage, the ⟨p. 134⟩persons consent, and the Magistrate alloweth it as Valid at his bar; and the Minister blesseth them and declareth Gods consent: But yet the Power that the Husband hath over the wife is only from God as the conferring cause; and all that the rest do is but to prepare and dispose the person to Receive it; save only that consequently, the consent of God is declared by the Minister. Of which more anon, when we speak of Ordination.
Sect. 9. 2. A Minister is [an officer of Christ,] and therefore receiveth his Authority from him, and can have none but what he thus recieves. And therefore 1. He hath no Soveraignty or Lordship over the Church, for that is the perogative of Christ. 2. He hath no degree of underived Power, and therefore must prove his Power, and produce his Commission before he can expect the Church to acknowledge it. 3. He hath no Power to work against Christ, or to destroy the souls of men, or to do evil: Though he hath a Power by which occasionally he may be advantaged to evil, yet hath he no Authority to do it:) For Christ giveth no man power to sin, nor to do any thing against himself. 4. He deriveth not his authority from man (though by man, as an instrument, or occasion, he may) The People give him not his Power: The Magistrate gives it not: The Ordainers (Bishops or Presbyters) give it not, any further then (as I shall shew anon) by signifying the will of Christ that indeed giveth it, and by investing men in it by solemn delivery. The Choosers may nominate the person that shall receive it; and the Magistrate may encourage him to accept it; and the Ordainers may Approve him and Invest him in it: but it is Christ only that gives the Power as from himself. As in Marriage, the ⟨p. 134⟩persons consent, and the Magistrate alloweth it as Valid at his bar; and the Minister blesseth them and declareth Gods consent: But yet the Power that the Husband hath over the wife is only from God as the conferring cause; and all that the rest do is but to prepare and dispose the person to Receive it; save only that consequently, the consent of God is declared by the Minister. Of which more anon, when we speak of Ordination.
