N00533:25
The judgment of several eminent divines of the Congregational way. Concerning a pastors power.…
The judgment of several eminent divines of the Congregational way. Concerning a pastors power. Occasionally to exert ministerial acts in another church, besides that which is his own particular flock.
Boston: printed by Benjamin Harris, 1693
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Mr. Norton who was many Years an Eminent Teacher of the Church in Ipswich, and after that at Boston, his Answer to Apollonius is by Hornbeck and Others, Esteemed the most Learned Book that has been Published in defence of Congregational Principles. Now in that Book (Pag. 80.81, 82.) he affirms, that tho' a Pastor cannot Authoritatively perform the Ministerial Acts of his Office in another Church, as he may in his own, nevertheless that Charitatively he may do it, Provided that the Exercise thereof be duly qualified, that is to say, that the Church where he does Minister shall request him to perform Ministerial Acts among them, and that the Church be necessitated to that request which is the case (saith he) of an Inorganic Church with respect to the Administering of Sacraments The exercise of Ministerial Power thus qualified is no way repugnant to the Liberty or Summity of a particular Church.
Mr. Norton who was many Years an Eminent Teacher of the Church in Ipswich, and after that at Boston, his Answer to Apollonius is by Hornbeck and Others, Esteemed the most Learned Book that has been Published in defence of Congregational Principles. Now in that Book (Pag. 80.81, 82.) he affirms, that tho' a Pastor cannot Authoritatively perform the Ministerial Acts of his Office in another Church, as he may in his own, nevertheless that Charitatively he may do it, Provided that the Exercise thereof be duely qualified, that is to say, that the Church where he does Minister shall request him to perform Ministerial Acts among them, and that the Church be necessitated to that request which is the case (saith he) of an Inorganick Church with respect to the Administring of Sacraments The exercise of Ministerial Power thus qualifyed is no way repugnant to the Liberty or Summity of a particular Church.
Mr. Thomas Shepard, the first Pastor of the Church at Cambridge in New England, and Mr. John Allyn, Pastor of the Church at Dedham, in their defence of the Nine Positions (Printed in the Year 1648) in answer to Mr. Ball acknowledge that though a Minister has not such power in another Church, as he has over them, that are his proper Flock. nevertheless that he may charitatively ⟨p. 11⟩