Church Concord, Chapter 6
Chap. VI. Difference IV.
THE fourth Point of Difference is, Whether a particular Church hath Power in it self to Ordain and Impose hands on their chosen Pastors? This Difference is easily Reconciled. For, 1. The Presbyterians hold that regularly it is fittest that the Pastors of divers ChurchesNorton. Resp. P. 99. Toti multitudini Ecclesiae competit examen Pastorum per mannuum impositionem, eorundem ordinatio in Eccl…sia homogenea sed non in officium Ecclesiasticum; quia officium Ecclesiasticum recipitur invocatione, non ordinatione, idque à Christo immediatè, non à totâ multitudine. conjunct do Ordain, because of the Interest and Relation which they suppose each Minister hath to the Church Catholick, yet withal they deny not but he hath a true Ordination, that is ordained by more than one Pastor of the same Church.Id. p. 100. Vicinis insuper ordinariè consultis in Ecclesia homogenea competit fraternitati auxilio & Consilio Presbyterorum vici…orum, & prudentum aliarum Ecclesiarum, P. 101. Populus in judicando dirigi potest ac ordinarie debet à judicio aliorum Pastorum, Electionem vel prae…unte vel concomitante. Requiritur Con…ilium aliorum Presbyterorum & Prudentum propter insufficientiam in Ecclesia infirmiori: Propter salatem in amplitudin… Consiliarii in Ecclesia instructiori: in omnibus propter Communionem Ecclesiarum. P. 103. Propositio illa B…llarmini [Non sunt veri Pastores, qui non sunt à veris P…storibus ordinati,] vera est ordinariè; se… extra ordin…m minimè necessaria. Ju…. Ib. p. 105. Quam vis in Ecclesia bene constituta non debet, aliis quàm Presbyteris Ordinandi munus mandari, in defectu t…e… idoneorum Presbyterorum, potest non-Presbyteris mandari. Ames. 2. Though they deny (and justly) that Imposition of hands in Ordination belongeth to the People, yet they judge not an irregularity in that Ceremony of force to nullifie the calling of the Pastor. 3. If a man that is duely elected and qualified, be in Possession of the Ministry, without a Regular just Ordination (as if it were but by Ruling Elders, or by one such with the people), though such an Ordination is not to be it self approved of, yet being upon a Doctrinal mistake, we may well hold Communion with such Churches, leaving the guilt of their Errour on themselves, when we cannot remedy it. 4. The Congregational Brethren hold that in case they have no Officers in that Church, the CounselIn Ecclesia constituta actum ipsum ordinandi ad Presbyteros pertinere ultro concedimus. and Help of other Pastors may, and ordinarily ought to be made use of: and that ordinarily they are not to be heldP. 106. Toti multitudini Ecclesiae … competit collatio potestatis claviu… in Ministr…s, aut tota, illa potestas, qu… Ministri… Officium Ecclesiasticum tribuit. true Pastors, that be not Ordained by true Pastors, and that in a constituted Church the Act of Ordination belongeth to the Presbyters: and that the multitude confer not the Power of the Keys, but Christ immediately. And that the counsel of Neighbour Pastors is requisite, not only to a weak Church, because of their insufficiency to Judge, but also for the safety of a well furnished Church, by the Amplitude of Advice, and in all Churches, for the Communion of Churches. And I think, they grant it Lawful, though not Necessary, that these Neighbor Pastors lay on hands as well as counsel.
This much being Doctrinally agreed on, our Practical Agreement is easie; thus, 1. Let the Doctrinal point of the Necessity of more Pastors to Ordain be let alone, and left to each Mans Liberty (it being no Article of our Creed, nor a Credendum of absolute necessity;) and seeing the Congregational party hold that more (from Neighbour Churches) May join in Ordaining, and the Presbyterians hold that, they Must (in point of Duty,) in all reason the May be should yield to the Must: And therefore let the Congregational de facto on their own Principles admit of Neighbour Presbyters herein: If they will not yield in a thing by themselves confessed Lawful for the Reconciliation, and Communion of the Churches, the guilt of unpeaceableness will be theirs. Especially while they have the Election of their Offices, and no detriment is like to arise by it to their Churches.
2. But if any of them have not so much love to Peace and Communion of Churches as to yield to this, the Presbyterians can in consistency with their Principles, hold Communion with them for all this, as Churches, though deficient, having first disowned their disorder. And therefore their Pastors may join with us in our Assemblies, and we may as Brethren hold a loving correspondency, though we own not their defects.
Other differences (Doctrinally not the least) there are among us. 1. Whether a Man may not be Ordained a Minister, sine titulo, without Relation to a particular Church, but to the World and the Church Universal? And so, 2. Whether such may not be Ordained without popular Election? And, 3. Whether therefore a Man be not sometime in time, A Minister of Christ, before he be The Pastor of this particular Church. 4. And so whether the peoples Election be not only to make him Their Pastor, and not A Minister of Christ in general. 5. And whether such an Unfixed General Minister, may not Preach, Baptize; and also pro tempore administer the Lords Supper, yea and Govern a particular Church that pro tempore calleth him thereto; the peoples call or consent being necessary for the Exercise, but not alway to the Being of the Office or Intrinsick power: (As a Physicion licensed to practise in general must have Mens personal consent before he be Their Physicion) But, 1. These I cannot call properly differences between the parties, because I think the Congregational are not themselves agreed about them. 2. If they were, yet they are such whose practice our Reconciliation is not much concerned in. Let every Man in these Opinions be left to his liberty, and it need not hinder our Agreement or Communion. For my own Opinion about most of them, I have expressed it, Disput. of Church Government 1. and 2. and about some more of this nature.