May amm1 be oft or twice Ordained ? 3 . tt is a taking the N1rne of God in vain ; thus to do and undoe and do again: and to promile and renounce and promife again, and to prccend to teceive a power which we had before. 4 . Jt rcndeth to great confufions in the Church; As to make the people doubt of their E.;pzifn, or all the Minifierial Admini{\:rations of fuch as are re-ordained, while they acted by the firfi Or– dination. 5· It hath ever bc<n condemned in the Churches of Chrill, as the C•nons called the Apollks, and the Churches conlhnt practice, teflitie. 5• Though the bare ~epetition of t?e outward Action ~nd words be not.Rc-o:dina~i~n, yet he thH on any of the forcmentlom:d occafions 1s put to rcptatthe fa.td words and aChons, IS obliged fa to do ir, as that it may not fcem to be a Re-ordination, and_ f~ be a fcanda~ to the Church. 0~ if it outw.Jrdly [ccm [o by the aOion, he: is bound to declare that It IS no fuch thtng, for the counterpOJfing that appur– anctof evil. 6. when the Ordaintrs or the common efiimation of the Church, do take the Repetition of the words and AUioit for a Re-ordination, though the Receiver fo intend it not, yet it mJy become un– lawful ro him by this accident, becaufe he fcandalizcth and hardeneth lhc erroneous, by doing or re· ceivirig that which is Intcrpretat~ve Re-ordinati?"· . . . . . 7· Efpecially when the Ordamers {hall rcquttc th1s Repctwon on notououfly w1cked grounds, and fo put that fc:nfc on the ad:ion by their own doctrines and demands: As for inilance. 1. If Hc:reticks fhould ( asthe Arrians,) fay that we are no Minillcrs, becaufc we arc not of their Herefie, or Ordained by fuch as they. 2· If the Pope or any proud Papal Ufu1pers (hall fay, You are no Minijlm of Chrijl, except "''or– dain )IOtt; And fO do ir to eaabtifh a uayterous ufurpc:.d Regiment in the Church; It is not lawfut to fetvditch an ufurpation. A~ if Cardiuals or Arch,bifhops fhoutd fay, none are true MiniOers but rhofe that we Ordain : Or Counctls or Synods of Bifhops or Presbyters lhould fay, None arc true Minifiers hllt thofe that t!lt Ordain. Or if one Presbyter or one Bifhop without Authority would ~hus make himfelf mafier of the refl, or of other Churches, and fay, You arc: no Minifiers unlefs I Ordain you; we rm.y not promote fuch Tyranny and Ulurpation. 3: If Magijlrawwould ufurp the power of the Keys, in Ecclcfiallical Ordination, and f•y that none: but they have power to Otdain, we may not encourage fuch pretences by repetition of the words and Action. 4· If they would make fome thing nccdfuy to Ordination which is not, as if it were a falfe Oath, or Jalfe fobfcriptiou or profeffion, or fame unlawful Ceremony ( as if it were Anointing, wear– ing Horns, or any the like ) and fay, You are no Miniilers without thefc, and therefore you mu!l: be Re·ordained to receive them. 5• Yea if they declare our former Minillry caufclefiy to be Null, and fay, You arc no Miniflers till you are Ordained again, and fo publickly put this fenfc upon our Ad:ion, thJt we take it as Re· or– dination; All thefe Accidents make the Repetition of the words and ad-ions to be unlawful, Ui11el31 when Greater Accidcnu notorioufly preponderate. • Q.!!dl. But if fuch Church Tyrants {hould bav_e fo great power, dJ tbat without their Repetition of Or– dination on thofe ttrmJ, the Minijlry might not be tXercifed, H it la1JI/uJ fo to taJte it iu a cafe of Jitcb n<e<ffityl Anfn>. I• Every f<tming nmffity to you, is not a nec<flity to the Church : 2. Either you m1y publickly declare a contrary fcnfe in your Receiving their new orders or not. l• If )'Ou may not as publickly declare that you renounce not your former Miniilry and De– dication to God in that office, as the Ordaineu dcc:lare their fcnfc of the NuUjty of it, fo that your open declaration may free: you from the guilt of fuming con{ent, I conceive it is a finful c:omplyance with their fin. 2· Yea if you may fo declare it, yet if there be no ncccffity of your Mi~ nifi:uiallibetty in that plice, I think you may not u.ke it on f~o~ch terms. As, r. lf there be worthy men enough to fupply the Churches wants there without you. 2· And if you may f<!Ve God fur– tefsfully in a perfecuted !late, though to the fulfering of your fle(h; 3· Or if your imprifonmcnt for Preaching be like to be as fcrviceable to the Church and Gofpel as your continued Preaching on thofe fcandalous term!. 1-• Or if you may remove and Preach in another Countrey. . 9• When any fuch cafe doth f•ll out, in which the Repetition of the outward Action and Words is lawful, It is not lawful to mix any falfe or fcandalous expreilions: As if we were required to fay falfiy I accept th~ Ordination as confof!ingmy fllf no Minijltr of Cbrijl tiU noiJ> : or any fuch like. ' 797 10. In a word, A peaceable Chrifiian may do much as to the meer outward Action and Submiflion for obedience, peace,order,orfati!factioo to his own or other mens Confc:icnces. But, 1 • He ma; Th r. do nothing for good ends which is fal(t and injurioUf to the Church. •· And he may not do that ~.1.',: !: ~~· which otherwife were lawful, when it is for evil end1, or tenclcth to more hur~ than ~ood; A; to Gal. 2. 14. promote Hercfie, or Church·Tyranny and Ufurpation ; whether in Pope, Prelates, Presbyters or People. Iiiii t
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