(2.) Such persons, so set apart and sent, may be esteemed minis- ters in the general notion of the word, and may be useful in the calling and planting of churches, wherein they may be instated in the pastoral office. This was originally the work of evangelists,
THE ESPECIAL DUTY OF PASTORS OF CHURCHES. 93
which office being ceased in the church (as shall be proved else- where), the work may be supplied by persons of this sort,
(3.) No church whatever hath power to ordain men ministers /or the conversion of infidels. Since the cessation of extraordinary of- ficers and offices, the care of that work is devolved merely on the pro- vidence of God, being left without the verge of church-institutions. God alone can send and warrant men for the undertaking of that w^ork ; nor can any mail know or be satisfied in a call unto that w^ork without some previous guidance of divine providence leading him thereunto. It is, indeed, the duty of all the ordinary ministers of the church to diffuse the knowledge of Christ and the gospel unto the heathen and infidels, among whom, or near unto whom, their habitation is cast, and they have all manner of divine warranty for their so doing, as many worthy persons have done effectually in New England ; and it is the duty of every true Christian who may be cast among them by the providence of God to instruct them accord- ing unto his ability in the knowledge of the truth : but ii^is not in the power of any church, or any sort of ordinary officers, to ordain a person unto the office of the ministry for the conversion of the heathen antecedently unto any designation by divine providence thereunto.
(4.) No_man can be properly or completely ordained unto the
ministry, but he is ordained unto a determinate office, as a bishop, Z
an elder, a^pastor. But this no man can be but he who is ordained in and unto a particular church; for the contrary practice, —
[1.] Would be contrary to the constant practice of the apostles, wlw ordained no ordinary officers but in and unto particular churclies, which were to be their proper charge and care. Acts xiv. 23 ; Tit. i. 5. Nor is there mention of any ordinary officers in the whole Scripture but such as were fixed in the particular churches whereuuto they did relate. Acts xx. 28; Phil. i. 1'; Rev. ii., iii.; nor w^as any such practice known or heard of in the primitive church : yea,—
[2.] It \yas ahsohitely^forhidden in the ancient church, and all such ordinations declared null, so as not to communicate office-power or jqive any ministerial authority. So it is expressly in the first canon of the council of Chalcedon, and the council decrees, "That all imposition of hands in such cases is invalid and of no effect." Yea, so exact and careful were they in this matter, that if any one, for any ju.st cause, as he judged himself, did leave his particular church or charge, they would not allow him the name or title of a bishop, or to officiate occasionally in that church, or anywhere else. This is evident in the case of Eustathius, a bishop of Pamphylia. The good man finding the discharge of his office very troublesome, by reason of secular businesses^that it was encumbered withal, and /
/
94; TRUE NATURE OF A GOSPEL CHURCH.
much opposition with reproach that befell him from the church itself, of his own accord laid down and resigned his charge, the church choosing one Theodorus in his room. But afterward he desired that, though he had left his charge, he might retain the name, title, and honour of a bishop. For this end he made a petition unto the council of Ephesus; who, as themselves express it, in mere commiseration unto the old man, condescended unto his desire as unto the name and title, but not as unto any office-power, which, they judged, related absolutely unto a particular charge, Epist. Cone. Ephes. l,ad Synod, in Pamphyl.
[3.J Such ordination wants an essential constitutive cause, and part of the collation of office-power, which is the election of the people ; and is therefore invalid. See what hath been proved before unto that purpose.
[4] A bishop, an elder, a pastor, being terms of relation, to make any one so without relation unto a church, a people, a flock, is to make him a father who hath no child, or a husband who hath no wife, a relate without a correlate, which is impossible, and implies a contradiction.
[5.] It is inconsistent with the whole nature and end of the pas- toral office. Whoever is duly called, set apart, or ordained unto that office, he doth therein and thereby take on himself the discharge of all the duties belonging thereunto, and is obliged to attend diligently unto them. If, then, we will take a view of what hath been proved before to belong unto this office, we shall find that not the least part, scarce any thing of it, can be undertaken and discharged by such as are ordained absolutely without relation unto particular churches. For any to take upon them to commit an office unto others, and not at the same time charge them with all the duties of that office and their immediate attendance on them, or for any to accept of an office and office-power not knowing when or where to exert the power or perform the duties of it, is irregular. In particular, ruling is an essential part of the pastoral office, which they cannot attend unto who have none to be ruled by them.