Five disputations of church-government and worship

Sect. 26. The End of Ordination ceaseth not, when Ordination faileth: the Ministerial works and the benefits to be thereby conveyed, are the Ends of Ordination: therefore they cease not. This is so plain that I perceive not that it needs explication or proof.

Sect. 27. Nature and Scripture teach us, that Ceremonies give place to the substance, and matters of mere Order give place to the Duty ordered; and that Moral Natural duties cease not when mere Positives cease: But such is the case before us. Ordination is the ordering of the work: If that fail, and the work cannot be rightly Ordered, it follows not that it must be cast off, or forborne. On this account Christ justified his Disciples for plucking ears of Corn on the Sabbath day. Necessity put an end to the Duty of Sabbath keeping; but the duty of preserving their lives continued. On this account he justifieth his own healing on the Sabbath day; sending them to study the great rule. Go learn what this meaneth, I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice:] So here, he will have Mercy to souls and Countries, rather then Ordination: On this account he saith, that [The Priests in the Temple break the Sabbath and are blameless] and he tells them [what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him, how he eat the shewbread, which (out of Necessity) was not lawful for him to eat, but only for the Priests] and yet he sinned not therein.

Sect. 27. Nature and Scripture teach us, that Ceremonies give place to the substance, and matters of meer Order give place to the Duty ordered; and that Moral Natural duties cease not when meer Positives cease: But such is the case before us. Ordination is the ordering of the work: If that fail, and the work cannot be rightly Ordered, it follows not that it must be cast off, or forborn. On this account Christ justified his Disciples for plucking ears of Corn on the Sabbath day. Necessity put an end to the Duty of Sabbath keeping; but the duty of preserving their lives continued. On this account he justifieth his own healing on the Sabbath day; sending them to study the great rule. Go learn what this meaneth, I will have Mercy and not Sacrifi•e:] So here, he will have Mercy to souls and Countreyes, rather then Ordination: On this account he saith, that [The Priests in the Temple break the Sabbath and are blameless] and he tells them [what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him, how he eat the shewbread, which (out of Necessity) was not lawfull for him to eat, but only for the Priests] and yet he sinned not therein.