The judgment of several eminent divines of the Congregational way. Concerning a pastors power.…

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⟩put forth an Act of his Office to those […] Church of whom he is no Officer: Pag. […] 133. and again 134. in Answer to that […] Whether a Minister may Administer the Seals in another Congregation? Their words are, […] not deny but that occasionally being called thereunto […] the desire of the Church, he may Lawfully […] same. This was the Judgment of Mr. Shepard of Cambridge and Mr. Allyn of Dedham, both of them famous in New-England.

Mr. Thomas Shepard, the first Pastor of the Church at Cambridge in New England, and Mr. Iohn 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⟩put forth an Act of his Office to those 〈…〉 Church of whom he is no Officer: Pag. 〈…〉 133. and again 134. in Answer to that 〈…〉 Whether a Minister may Administer the Seals in another Congregation? Their words are, 〈…〉 not deny but that occasionally being called thereunto 〈…〉 the desire of the Church, he may Lawfully 〈…〉 same. This was the Judgment of Mr. Shepard of Cambridge and Mr. Allyn of Dedham, both of them famous in New-England.

Dr. Tho. Goodwin has truly stated and asserted the Congregational way, as it differs from Presbyterianism and Brownism. Now that that great Divine was for the Affirmative in the Question under Controversy, is well known, and in a Letter of his to a Minister at Boston in New-England, Dated March 25th. 1679. (which was not long before he was Translated to Glory) His words are these; A Church beginning to become a Church may have Liberty while without Elders to receive in or cast out, an occasion is, yet I do advise that they should hasten to Choose Elders to those Ends, or if they do not, that they may take the Elders of another Church, whom they confide in, and Electively Choose for that purpose, they may make use of them, he or they having Power conferred on them for that Act by the Brethren. This being my private Opinion that an Elder, one set apart for that Office in any Church is truly a Minister