Five disputations of church-government and worship

Sect. 39. Prop. 2. It is only the Pastors of one particular Church, but also the Pastors of Neighbour churches that hold Communion with that Church, that should regularly Approve or Ordain Ministers: though I deny not but he may be a Minister that hath no Ordination but by the Pastors of a particular Church, yet I conceive that this is not a regular course.

Sect. 39. Prop. 2. It is only the Pastors of one particular Church, but also the Pastors of Neighbour chu•ches that hold Communion with that Church, that should regularly Approve or Ordain Ministers: though I deny not but he may be a Minister that hath no Ordination but by the Pastors of a particular Church, yet I conceive that this is not a regular course.

Sect. 40. My reasons are these. 1. Because if it be ordinarily tied to the Pastors of the same Church only to Ordain, then it will be done ordinarily without any Pastors at all. For most particular Churches in the world have but one Pastor: and when he is dead, there is none left to Ordain; and therefore others or none must do it in such cases.

Sect. 40. My reasons are these. 1. Because if it be ordinarily tyed to the Pastors of the same Church only to Ordain, then it will be done ordinarily without any Pastors at all. For most particular Churches in the world have but one Pastor: and when he is dead, there is none left to Ordain; and therefore others or none must do it in such cases.

Sect. 41. And 2. If there be one left, and all the power be left in him, the welfare of the Church would run too great an hazard: if every man shall be Ordained a Minister that can procure the Approbation of a single Pastor, the Church will be subjected to most of the lamentable miseries before mentioned, supposing that men were judges for themselves.