N00779:112
The order of the Gospel, professed and practised by the churches of Christ in…
The order of the Gospel, professed and practised by the churches of Christ in New England, justified, by the Scripture, and by the writings of many learned men, both ancient and modern divines; in answer to several questions, relating to church discipline / by Increase Mather, president of Harvard College in Cambridge, and teacher of a church at Boston in New England. ; [Five lines of Scripture texts]The order of the Gospel, professed and practised by the churches of Christ in New England, justified, by the Scripture, and by the writings of many learned men, both ancient and modern divines; in answer to several questions, relating to church discipline / by Increase Mather, president of Harvard Colledge in Cambridge, and teacher of a church at Boston in New England. ; [Five lines of Scripture texts]
Boston: printed by B. Green for Benjamin Eliot, 1700
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.
2. It is against Reason. For them who have no right to the Lords Supper themselves▪ to appoint who shall be the dispenser of that Ordinance to others, is highly irrational.
3 This will deprive particular Churches of that Power which does belong to them, and which Christ ha's purchased for them wi•h the price of his own Blood. To have power to Choose their own Pastors is an invaluable Privilege For them to give or rather to s•ll that Privilege away to all that will Contribute, must needs be displeasing to the Lord who has bought it for them at so dear a rate. It may be the Contributors will be more than twice so many as the Brethren of the Church. So i• may easily come to pass, that a Pastor shall be Chosen and not so much as one in the Church that did, or could in Conscience Vote ⟨p. 69⟩for him. So then this Principle is of Dangerous Consequence. It may soon prove fatal and destructive to the Churches, and to the Interest of Christ amongst them.
3 This will deprive particular Churches of that Power which does belong to them, and which Christ ha's purchased for them wi•h the price of his own Blood. To have power to Chuse their own Pastors is an invaluable Priviledge For them to give or rather to s•ll that Priviledge away to all that will Contribute, must needs be displeasing to the Lord who has bought it for them at so dear a rate. It may be the Contributors will be more than twice so many as the Brethren of the Church. So i• may easily come to pass, that a Pastor shall be Chosen and not so much as one in the Church that did, or could in Conscience Vote ⟨p. 69⟩