Of a'Bijhop or Paftors p01ver in another [lmrcb. 3• But if the cafe be no~ thus to be determined by the perfons notorious qualificuions, then ei– ther it is, J, The man ordamcd, 2· OrthcPeoplcthatthccafc is debued by, whether they lhou\d cake him for a Minifier; i· Or the neighbour Minitters. 1. The perfon him~elf is c.etr:risp.zribsu n:ore to regard the judgemer:t of many concordai1t Billi-ps, than of one finguhr BJ!hop; And therefore IS not to tak._e ordrrs from a fmgul.zr Bijbop, when the Gc– rw·alityof the wife and faithful arc: againfi it; unlefshe be fure that it is fame notorious faClion or er– rout that pervcrtctl1 them, and that there be notorious neceJii£y of his hbour. :1. The A~tdit()rs are either Infidels to be converted, (and thefc will take no man upon any of their Authorities ), or el~e Chrijli1ns converted. Thefc arc either of the pudcular charge of the fingular BiflHJP who .ordamcth, or not : If they ~e, then P'? tempore for orderJ fake, they owe bim a peculiar obedirnce, ull fome further proce~s or dtfco~cry dtfobhge them, ( Though the moll be on the other fide). But yet they may be filii bound m Reafon mol! to jitfpdJ the Judgement of their fingular Bifhop, while for orders fake they fubmit to it. But if they are not of bil flock.., then, 1 fuppofcthc Judgement and ACl:of many is to prevail fo much againfithe ACl: of a fingle and fingular periOn, as that both neighbour Minifiers and people are to difown fuch an or~ained perfon as unfit fOr thtir Communion under the notion of aMinijler, ( BecaufeCommttnion of Churches is maintained 799 by the Concord •f Pajlors ). But whether the ordained mans Minifiry, be by their contradictory de- Eph. 4·l· claration or degradation, made an abfolute nuflity, to bimfelfand thofe that fubmit to him, neither I 1 Cor. 1:1. : will determine, nor 01ould any other Strangers to the pnticular cafc: : f"orif he be rejected or degraded Rom. 14' 1 1' wichout fu,h caufi: and proofas may fatistie other fobcr perfons, he hath wrong; But if he be fo 1 Cor 14:;~: degraded, on proved fufficient caufe, to them that it is known to,it giveth rhe dcguders the advantage. 1 Thcr. 5· 12, And as 1. All pu1icular members are to be obedient to their proper Pafior. . IJ. 2• And all particular C~urc~es arc to h.old correfpondc~cy and cor:nmunion accor~ing to their i~::: :~:;t capacity; fo mufi I!len act m thts and fuch like cafes refp:lhvcly accordmg to the Laws of Obedience 1 Cor. 1 • 10 • to thrir Pajlor, and of Co11cordof the Churchtr. Qtell:. 24. Bath one 'Bijhop pozver by :Divine rigl1t to Ordain, 'Degrade, or Go. rvem, or Excommunicate, or .fibjolw in anothers 'Diocefs or Gurcb, eitf,er by h~ c01ifent, or ag~inft it ? And doth a Mmifter tl1at ofjiciatet!J i11 anothers Churc/,, 11ft M aPaftor, and their Paftor, or M a private mml! And dot/, the Minift.eria! office ce~~je when amanremowth from bu flock. I Thrufi th& queflions all together for their affinity, and for brevity. 1. EvCiy uuc Miniflcr of Chrill, Bifhop or Paftor is related to the Jtniverfal Church by flronger obligations than to his puticular charge; As the whole is better rhan the p.srll, and its wcllfare to be preferred. 2. He th:.r is no Pallor of a particular Church, may be a Paftor in the univerfal, obliged as a con.. fecrated p:riOn to endeavour its good, by the works of his office, as he hath particular opportunity and ea!!. • 3· Yet he that hath a particular charge is fpecially and neerlyer related and obliged to that charge or Church, than to any other part of the univcr[al (though not then to the wb,le : ) And confe– <JUCntly hath a puuliar Amhority 1 where he hath a peculillr obli1,a1ion and work. 4· He that is ( without drg-.ding) removed from a particular Church doth not ceafc to be a Geneu\Miniller and PJ.fior related to the Univerfal Church ; AJ a Phyficion put out of a Hofpital . chugc, is a PhJificirm tliii. And therefore he necdcth no new ordination, but OJ1ly a ~pecial Dtjignation, to his nexr puticular charge. 5· No man is the Bi!hop of a Dioct[J as to the mta{urt of f,round, or the place, by divine right, that is, by any particular Law or determination of God: But only a BiChop of the Church or people : For your rffice dTentially containeth a Relation to the People, but AccidentaUy only to the Place~ 6. Yet natural Convenience, and Gods General L1ws of Order and EdifiCation, do make it u[ually (but not alwayes ) hejl, and therefore a duty, to difiingui{h Churches by the peoples habitation: Not taking a mln for a Member eo nomine, beca.ufe he Iivcth on that ground; But for order fake taking none for members that live not on that ground ; and not intruding CiU{oldly into each otheiS bounds. 7· He th" by the Call or Con{tnl of a Neighbour Pafiorand people doth officiate (by Preaching; S1craments, Excommunication or Abfolution ) in anothers fpecia.l charg'e for a day, or week, or month, or more, without a fixed relation to that flock, doth neither officiate.as a Lay-man, nor yet unlar:vfuUy or irrcgttlarly; But, I· A-:. a Miniller of ChrHl: in the Church Univcrfal. 2·. And as the Pajt" of 1ha1 Church for the prr[tnt lime only, though not jlatedly: Even as aPhyficion called to help another in his Hofpital, or to fupply his place for the time, doth perform his work, t. As a Li– ccnfed Phylicion, 2. And as the Phyficion of that patient or Hofpita) f.r th•l time, though not ft>ttdiy. s. No
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