N00779:114
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.
4 It is contrary to the principles and practises of Christians in the Primitive Times▪ Eusebius says that after the Death of James, the Church chose Simeon the Son of Cleophas to be his Successor. Nothing is more Evident then that in the First ages of the Church, Pastors were Chosen by all and only their Flocks; in Choosing a Minister they did Klerozein, that is Choose him by Lot; from whence it was that Ministers had the name of the Clergy given to them. Ignatius writing to the Church in Philadelphia tells them, that it belonged to them to Choose their Pastor. The Nicene Council in a Synodal Letter to the Churches in Africa, advise them to Choose Orthodox Pastors instead of Arians. Cyprian tells us, (w)that Cornelius was made Bishop Suffragio Plebis, by the Suffrages of the people. Yea, he says Lib. 1. Epist 41. that Pleb• maxim potestatem habet, vel sacerdotes dignos eligendi, vel indignos recusandi. And there are many passages in him and other Fathers, (as they are called) which show that the power of Choosing Pastors was in the Church. Nay, Antichrist had got a considerable footing in the World, before ever this privilege of Choosing their own Pastors was wrestled out of the hands of Particular Churches. It was about the Year 1219. that Pope Innocent ⟨p. 70⟩III. forbid the Laity to meddle in the Election of any Church Guide. M La Roque (x)supposeth, that Canon was made in opposition to the Albigenses who retained the Ancient practice of the Churches in Choosing their own Officers. The Emperor Constantine writing to Nicomedia, says, that it was in their power to make a Choice of what Pastor they pleased. The Council of Calcedon confirms the Churches power of Elections. There are many Instances to this purpose in the (y)writers of Ecclesiastical History.
4 It is contrary to the principles and practises of Christians in the Primitive Times▪ Eusebius sayes that after the Death of James, the Church chose Simeon the Son of Cleophas to be his Successor. Nothing is more Evident then that in the First ages of the Church, Pastors were Chosen by all and only their Flocks; in Chusing a Minister they did Klerozein, that is Chuse him by Lot; from whence it was that Ministers had the name of the Clergy given to them. Ignatius writing to the Church in Philadelphia tells them, that it belonged to them to Chuse their Pastor. The Nicene Council in a Synodal Letter to the Churches in Africa, advise them to Chuse Orthodox Pastors instead of Arians. Cyprian tells us,