Nuitib. IÌ. 1í P P àE: N D` I X a right way to ufe them; and fo leeks an Ordination into the Miniftry, r Tim. ;. a. He that defreth the Office of a Bithop, defrreth a good Work. But God, as be gives noGifts in vain, fo he fets Man upon no vain Endeavours. Thole therefore that are bound to feek to be Minters, are not bound to vain Endeavoùrs; and therefore there is a poflibilityof Succeeding E But there is very oft nopoffibility of Authoritative Eccleliaftical Ordination t Ergo, There Inuit be a potlibility of fucceeding fome other way ; for, nemo renetar ad impotrbile : God's Gifts of Light are not to be put under a Bufhel. While I live where my Pains may be feared, and others enough maycompetently fupply my Room, I will do nothingdiforder . nor without Authority from Man, fo far as belongs to them to convey it; and if they that havePower filence me, I will be flee. But if I live where there is a t i- fibleNecefltty of my Labours,I will, by God's Help, rather preach without Auche- city ; yea, though I were filenced, than forbear ; as knowing that Men have their Power to Edification, and not to Deftruetion ; and I will rather venture to anaver beforeGod to the Charge of doingGood, and facing Souls to Chrift without Im- polition of Hands, or Human Appointment, than the Charge of hiding myTa- lent as a flothful, evil Servant, and of letting Men go to Hell, and rejeet Chrift for want of a Commiffìon fromMan to hinder them, for I know that an that con- - vertetb a Sinner from the Error of his way, bath fared his Soul from death, and covered a multitude of Sins , yam. ç. zo. 6. Chrift himfelf bath taught us in Scripture fo to interrupt hisLaws, as that Ceremonials and meer-Pofitives, do give way to natural Morals and Subfatitials ; and that whentwo Duties come together and cannot both be performed, the greater mug be chofen ; and therefore it is fo inour prefent Cafe. t. Even under the Law this is oft manifefted; to inl ance but inone ; Circumcifion it felf,which wasfo far neceffary as to be called God's Co- venant, and hethat negle&ed it was to be cut off from the People, yet in the dernefs for forty Years together is difpenfed with, and gives place to greater natu- ral Duties. z. Muchmore under the Gofpel, when God placeth lefs in Externals, as chooing fuch Worfhippers as will worfhip him in Spirit and in Truth. Chrift often healech on theSabbath Day, and tells them it is lawful to do Good (viz. ne- ceffary Good) on that Day. He tells them that David, when he was Hungry, and they that were with him, did eat the Show-bread which wasnot lawful (viz. with- out filch Neceffity) for him to eat, but only for the Prieffs : And that the Priefis in the Temple do break the Sabbath, and are biamelefs, and therefore jufifies his Difciples for rubbing the Eares of Corn. If the Prophet Ifaiab under the Law could tell them, that This ma, the Falb which the Lord bath chafen to loofe the Bands of Wickednefs; to undue the heavy Burdens, and to let the Oppreffed gó Free, and to break every Take, If.: 58. 6, 7. And the Holy Ghoft faith, I will not reprove thee for tby Sacrifices, or thy Burnt Offerings to have been continually before me, Pfal. po. 8. How much more, under the Gofpel, would God haveExternals and Modals Poop to the Sublance? He that tells us there is Joy among the Angels in Heaven over one Sinner that repenteth, would not have that Office that calleth them to Repentance laid by, nor Men forbear the Works of it, for want of a Man rightly ordained himfelfto fay, Goe. There is tome great Moment in that Leffon which Chrift calls -the Pharifes fo emphatically to learn, Mat: 9. t;. But go ye now, and learn what that meaneth, builtbave Mercy andnot Sacrifice : Nor is Chrift very forward to fatisfie their Demand, Bywhat Authority doff than thefe things? Mat. at. 24, 27. Nay, he flatly refufed. 7. An OrdainedMinifter may havefufficient caufe to give over his Calling, without the Will of the Ordainer, or any in his place; therefore he may have fufficient Caúfe to affume it, without the Will of anOrdainer. TheAntecedent is doubtlefs ; Nay, it maybehisDuty to give over i as if the - People do generally rejeht him, or if he be called to an Employment where he may becertainly morefarviceable, or isfitter for; or when there are ma- ny abler to fupplyhis Place if he remove, &c. For the Confequence, perhaps yo* will fay, Itfollows not, becaufe all muff concurto a Man's Call to the Work : Bue one thing wantingmay call him from ir.- But I antwer,' TheStrength of the Con= fequenca is here; in that as clear a Call at leaf is neceffary to take a Man off a Courfeof Duty in fo needfulan Employment, as to put him on: And therefore let us fuppofe a Parity in other Refpe&s, and look only at that one Reafon, The Good of the Church : It is certain, that if I knew I were a great Wrong to the Church by my, Continuance (as by keeping out one far better, or the like) I were bound to give over, though without the Ordainers Content, or againf ir, ifit can- not be had : Therefore it follows, that if my exercifing that Officebe undoubtedly Conftderats confiderands to the great Good of the Church, I may do it without ars Ordainer
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