Sect. 29. The ceasing of Ordination in any place, will not either disoblige the people from Gods public Worship, Word, Prayer, Praise, Sacraments; Neither will it destroy their Right to the Ordinances of God in Church communion. But this it should do, if it should exclude a Ministry; therefore, &c. —The Major is proved, 1. In that the Precept for such Public worship, is before the precept for the right ordering of it. He that commandeth the Order, supposeth the thing ordered. 2. The precept for public worship, is much in the Law of Nature and therefore indispensable: and it is about the great and Necessary duties that the honour of Gods add saving of men, and preservation of the Church lieth on: It is a standing Law to be observed till the coming of Christ. And the Rights of the Church in the excellent Benefits of Public Ordinances and Church order, is better founded then to depend on the Will of ungodly Prelates. If Prince and Parliament fa•l, and all the Governors turn enemies ⟨p. 158⟩to a Common-wealth, it hath the means of Preservation of it self from ruin lest in its own hands; or if the Common-wealth be destroyed, the Community hath the Power of self-preservation, and of forming a Common-wealth again to that end. The life and being of States, specially of mens eternal happiness, is not to hang upon so slender a peg as the corrupt will of a few Superiors, and the mutable modes and circumstances of Government; nor a Necessary End to be wholly laid upon an uncertain and oft unnecessary means. The children lose not their Right to Food and Raiment, nor are to be suffered to famish, when ever the Steward falls out with them, or falls asleep, or loseth the Keys. Another servant should rather break open the doors, and more thanks he shall have of the Father of the family, then if he had let them perish, for fear of transgressing the bounds of his calling. If incest (that capital disorder in procreation) were no incest, no crime, but a duty, to the Sons and daughters of Adam in case of Necessity (because Order is for the End and thing ordered) then much more is a disordered preservation of the Church and saving of souls and serving of God, a duty, and indeed at that time, no disorder at all.
Sect. 29. The ceasing of Ordination in any place, will not either disoblige the people from Gods publick Worship, Word, Prayer, Praise, Sacraments; Neither will it destroy their Right to the Ordinances of God in Church communion. But this it should do, if it should exclude a Ministry; therefore, &c. —The Major is proved, 1. In that the Precept for such Publick worship, is before the precept for the right ordering of it. He that commandeth the Order, supposeth the thing ordered. 2. The precept for publick worsh•p, is much in the Law of Nature and therefore indispensable: and it is about the great and Necessary duties that the honour of Gods add saving of men, and preservation of the Church lieth on: It is a standing Law to be observed till the coming of Christ. And the Rights of the Church in the excellent Benefits of Publick Ordinances and Church order, is better founded then to depend on the Will of ungodly Prelates. If Prince and Parliament fa•l, and all the Governours turn enemies ⟨p. 158⟩to a Common-wealth, it hath the means of Preservation of it self from ruine lest in its own hands; or if the Common-wealth be destroyed, the Community hath the Power of self-preservation, and of forming a Common-wealth again to that end. The life and being of States, specially of mens eternal happiness, is not to hang upon so slender a peg as the corrupt will of a few Superiours, and the mutable modes and circumstances of Government; nor a Necessary End to be wholly laid upon an uncertain and oft unnecessary means. The children lose not their Right to Food and Rayment, nor are to be suffered to famish, when ever the Steward falls out with them, or falls asleep, or loseth the Keyes. Another servant should rather break open the doors, and more thanks he shall have of the Father of the family, then if he had let them perish, for fear of transgressing the bounds of his calling. If incest (that capital disorder in procreation) were no incest, no crime, but a duty, to the Sons and daughters of Adam in case of Necessity (because Order is for the End and thing ordered) then much more is a disordered preservation of the Church and saving of souls and serving of God, a duty, and indeed at that time, no disorder at all.
