N01667:199
Practical truths, plainly delivered
Practical truths, plainly delivered: wherein is showed, I. That true believers on Jesus Christ, shall as certainly enjoy everlasting life in heaven, as if they were there already. II. That there is a blessed marriage between Jesus Christ the son of God, & the true believer. III. That men are infinitely concerned, not only to hear the voice of Christ, but that they do it, to day. IV. The work of the ministry, described, in an ordination sermon. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Seven lines of Scripture texts]Practical truths, plainly delivered: wherein is shewed, I. That true believers on Jesus Christ, shall as certainly enjoy everlasting life in heaven, as if they were there already. II. That there is a blessed marriage between Jesus Christ the son of God, & the true believer. III. That men are infinitely concerned, not only to hear the voice of Christ, but that they do it, to day. IV. The work of the ministry, described, in an ordination sermon. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Seven lines of Scripture texts]
printed by B. Green for Daniel Henchman, 1718
The Work of the Ministry described, in an Ordination Sermon.
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.
3. Mutual Election is that which does Essentiate the relation of a Pastor to this or that particular Church. No Church ought to have a […] imposed on them without their […] free choice. No Patron or Prelate may do it. The Apostles notwithstanding their having an Amplitude, and Plenitude of Church power, would not do it. They left it to the Multitude of the Disciples to choose their Deacons. The Electing of a Pastor is of far greater Moment, and therefore no Church should be deprived of that Privilege in which the welfare of their Souls is so much concerned. When an Apostle was to be chosen to join with those whom Christ himself had chosen, Peter and the other Apostles, Call-upon the Brethren in the Church at Jerusalem to choose One suitably qualified. Accordingly they Nominated two, and then cast Lots which should be the Person. And the Lot feel upon Matthias, Act. 1.26. Now the Argument is very strong, that if the Brethren in this Leading Example might choose an extraordinary Officer, they have power to Elect an ordinary Pastor. It is said in Act. 14.23. When they had ordained the Elders in every Church, and Prayed with Fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. That the Original Word [Greek or Hebrew] translated Ordained does not intend imposition of hands (which is the common Ecclesiastical sense of Ordination) but an Election of the ⟨p. 123⟩Church by lifting up of their hands. A learned Knight [Sir Norton Knatchbull] in his Critical Animadversions on the New Testament, has clearly demonstrated. Nothing can be more evident than that in the Primitive times, the Privilege of choosing their own Pastor did belong to the Church to which he was to Minister. Ignatius in his Epistle to the Church then in Philadelphia, says, it belonged to them to choose their Pastor. The Nicene Council in a Synodal Letter to the Churches in Africa, advised them to choose Orthodox Pastors instead of Arians; Cyprian says, Plebs maxim habet potestatem dignos sacerdotes Eligendi, &c. It was a long time before this Privilege was wrested out of the hands of particular Churches by Popish Antichristian Usurpation. Our United Brethren in London, concur in this Article, That ordinarily none shall be Ordained to the Work of the Ministry, but such as are Called and Chosen thereunto by a particular Church. But it is necessary that this Election should be Mutual.