Five disputations of church-government and worship

Sect. 6. Object. The difference lieth in another point: The Scripture Bishops had the Power of Ordination: Your Pastors have not the Power of Ordination: therefore they are not the same. Answ. That is the thing in Question. I am proving that they have the power of Ordination, thus: In Scripture times all single Pastors of single Churches had the Power of Ordination, there being no other instituted: But our Ordainers are the single Pastors of single Churches, (and of Christs institution:) therefore they have the Power of Ordination. If the Pastors now are denied to be such as were instituted in Scripture times, ⟨p. 200⟩1. Let them show who did institute them, and by what authority. 2. The sole Pastors of particular Churches were instituted in Scripture times: But such are ours in question, therefore, &c.

Sect. 6. Object. The difference lyeth in another point: The Scripture Bishops had the Power of Ordination: Your Pastors have not the Power of Ordination: thereefore they are not the same. Answ. That is the thing in Question. I am proving that they have the power of Ordination, thus: In Scripture times all single Pastors of single Churches had the Power of Ordination, there being no other instituted: But our Ordainers are the single Pastors of single Churches, (and of Christs institution:) therefore they have the Power of Ordination. If the Pastors now are denyed to be such as were instituted in Scripture times, ⟨p. 200⟩1. Let them shew who did institute them, and by what authority. 2. The sole Pastors of particular Churches were institu•ed in Scripture times: But such are ours in question, therefore, &c.

Sect. 7. There is no sort of Pastors lawful in the Church but what were instituted in Scripture times: But the sort of Pastors now in question are lawful in the Church: therefore they were instituted in Scripture times: The Minor will be granted us of all those that were Ordained by Prelates: They would not Ordain men to an office which they thought unlawful. The Major is proved thus: No sort of Pastors are lawful in the Church but such of whom we may have sufficient evidence that they were instituted by Christ or his Apostles: But we can have sufficient evidence of none but such as were instituted in Scripture times, that they were instituted by Christ or his Apostles: therefore no other sort is lawful. The Major is proved in that none but Christ and such as he committed it to, have power to institute new Holy Offices for Worship in the Church; But Christ hath committed this to none but Apostles (if to them,) therefore, &c. Whether Apostles themselves did make any such new Office, I will not now dispute; but if they did, 1. It was by that special Authority which no man since the planting of the Churches by them can lay claim to, or prove that they have. 2. And it was by that extraordinary guidance and inspiration of the Holy Ghost, which none can manifest to have been since that time communicated.