fame Ordaining Aciion can conftitute but one and
the fame Office (e) The Holy Ghoft conftituted the
Elders of the Church of Ephefm, Bifhops of the Flock,
to whom the Government of it was committed.

Prop. IV- I'he Presbyters or B'Jhops ordain d by the
Apoflles in mofi if not all Churches, govern d the Church
in common ; this is evident from Scripture and An-
tiquity.

I. From Scripture, We have a clear and convincing
Proof of this in the Apoflles Charge to the Presbyters of
the Church of Ephefus ; the Government of which
Church is acknowledg'd to be a Platform to all other
Chriftian Churches. St. Paul having fent to Ephefus
from Militmy and call'd the Presbyters or Elders of



(b^ ASIs 14. 23. They Ordain d 'em Elders in every Church and
pray'd with fnfimg. (c; TJ^xr/^viifii^i ^ «V*fl-x«T««. ( 6. (c)

• the



The Hijlory of Ordination. 19^

the Church, he thus addrelTes 'em, Take heed unto your
f elves and to all the Flock, over the which the Holy Ghoji
hath made you B/fiops (() to feed the Church of God, which
he hath purchafed with his own Blood. Let it be here
obferv'd,

(i.) 'This was the proper time for the Apojlle to fettle
the Government of this Churchy becaufe he expeded toi
fee tlieir Faces no more, for fo hefpeaks Verfe 25. /
know that ye ally a7iiong whom 1 have gone Preaching the
Kingdom of God, Jhall fee my Face no more, or as it s
rendred in the I^orm of ordering of Priefts, / a?/t fure
that henceforth yefiallfee my Face no more. (g).

Hereupon the Elders took a folemn and final Leave
of him with many Tears, forrowing mofi of all for the
M-^ords which he fpake, that they Jhould fee his Face no
more- Verfe 38.

I difpute not now whether he vifited this Church
again or not, 'tis certain he thought he fliould nevet*
fee their Faces again, and therefore we may now exped
his la/i Thoughts concerning the Government of this
Church.

(2.) He appoints no ftngle Perfon to fucceei him in the
Government of this Church. We are told by fome^
« That the Presbyters did govern the Churches in
^ common under the Apoftles while they were able
* to take care of em, but that fometime before their
' Death they appointed fingle Perfons to fuGceed 'etti
^ in the Government of the Presbyters.

To which I anfwer, that the contraty h evident
in this place. The Apoftle preaches his Farewel Ser-
monXo the Presbyters of the Church o( Ephefusy where-*
in he tells rhcm their Duties towards their Flock, but
not one Word of a fuperior Bifiop, whom they fhould
reverently Obey y but on the contrary he comfnits the







li TO T


Lond.


edit.


for


Bi. Pawiet.







fg) Edit
Marg.f,


Lond.

1 4a.


^J7i 10. 17. z?.
1 68 4. fid. Jut,

Go*



194 ^^^ Hiflory of Ordination.

Government of the Church wholly to the Presbyters,
as the undoubted Bijhops of it, whom the Holy Ghoft,
and not Man, had made, or appointed (h) Bijhops over
the Flocky to feed or rule (i) the Church of God.

He Jbund not to declare to \m all the Counfel of Gody
(k) and if their neceflary Subjedion to a fingle Per-
fon, as their Governour, had been any Part of it, he
had not fuppreft it at this Time, when he was taking
his final leave of *em.

(3.) He commits the Government of this Church to the
Tresbyters in coinmon. He fpeaks to all equally. Take
heed unto your felves and to all the Flocky over the which
the Holy Ghofl hath made you Bifiops, They are all Bi-
fiofs of the FJock, and are all injoyn d to feed, or *
rule the Church of God.

(4.) This Government of the Church by Presbyters in
common is an Appointment of the Holy GhoB. So the A-
poftle tells the Presbyters of Ephefm, the Holy Ghofl
hath made you Bijhops. It muft therefore be a Divine
Eftablifhment, becaufe it hath the Spirit of God for
its Author ; it s not a prudential Confiitution, as that
of Bifhops in after Ages, but an Ordinance of God>
which can't be changed by any humane Authority.
Great Allowance muft be made to Rules of Prudence
in fuch Things as further the Exercife of that Power,
which the Holy Ghoft hath committed to the Pref-
byters, but humane Wifdom can eftablifh nothing that
is deftruElive of it. The primitive Churches gave a
Degree of Eminency to one Presbyter above others,
for Order and Peace fake, but not fuch as was de-
firuBive of that Power which the Holy Ghoft gave
unto the Paftprs of Churches. This appears in the
Church of Alexandriay in which the Presbyters made
their own Bifhop, as we fhall fhew anon, but they



.Ch)-«3^iro iTriTKoxH^, (i) To Rule the Church of God* So the Torm
sf Ord. Priejls, Old, Edit, (kj A^s to. 17. * TrmfuctJiM, to Rule,
^v.^i. 17, fy; 2. 9. 70.

di-



The Hijlory of Ordination. 19-5

diveftcd not themfelves of their original Power, not
did they advance their Bifiiop into a higher Order,
but they governed the Church in common with him.

(5.) 7 he Holy G/jcfl appointed the Government of the
Church by Presbyters for aRemedy againf} Schifm. This ap-
pears from the Reafon which the Apoflle gives why
the Elders of Ephefm {hou*d ovtrfee and rule the Flock ;
for, faith he, / know this, that after my departing
Jhall grievous Wolves enter in among you, not fparing the
Flock ; alfo of your own felves {hall Men arife fpeaking
perverfe Things^ to draw away Difciples after \m. (1)
Jerom faith, that Bijhops were fet up ci6 a Remedy againff
Schifm. (m) 'Tis certain that the Apoftle makes no
mention of this Remedy in the firfl Epifile to the Co-
rinthians, in which he treats of Schifm^ and provides
Remedies againft it; nor in tht Epi file to the Ephefians,
wherein he treats of the Unity of the Chriftian
Chuxch, and of the feveral Orders of Minifters,
which Chrift hath appointed for the Prefervation of
Unity, (n)

He cautions the Romans againft Schifms^ but no
where mentions the remedy of Superior Bifhops. (o)
But in his JaftDifcourfe to the Elders oi Epheffn, he bids
the Presbyters feed theFlockyZs the Bijhops of it, to obvi-
ate thofe Schifms which he forefaw would arife in
that Church. The Government of the Church by-
Presbyters is the Remedy which the unerring Wifdom
of the Holy Ghofl has prefcrib'd againft Schifm.

It muft needs be the aptef} and mofl efeBual, be-
caufe it is appointed by the Holy Ghoft, whofe Pro-
vifions are not meerly prudentiah like thofe of Mens de-
vifing, but are the infallible Didates of infinite WiJ-
dom. Men are fliort fighted, and therefore on trial
of the inaptitude of Means to their Ends, change
their Thoughts concerning 'em, and take new Mea*



18. Efh, 4. II, II. 13. (o; Row. 16, 17.

O 2 fure;



196 The Hijlory of Ordination.

furesl"''It is not fo with the ^///wi/^ God, tv-ho fees the
End in the Beginning, and with whom is no variable-
nefs nor J/jadow of turning*

Two things are objeded to this Divine Eflabltfi-
fftent of Presbytery.

Obj. I. It's not inconfiflem, to fay that 7/wo% was
appointed their Ruler, or Bi/hop, and at the fame
time, that the Presbyters were made Overfeers of the
Flock under 'timothy, Cp)

Anfvc- Timothy w3,s not Bifliop of this Flock for fe-
veral Years after this time, if the firft Eptftk to him
was written after PauVs firft Imprifonment at Romey
which Mr. Gips labours hard to make out ,• for, the
great Argument for his being Bifhop of Ephefusy is
grounded on thofe Words in the i oi Tr/nothy i. 3.
/ befought thee to abide fli II at Ephefus 'ivhen I 'u:ent into
Macedonia. Now he endeavours to prove that this
'Journey to Macedonia, when "Timothy was made Bifhop
o( Ephefm, was none of thofe mention'd in the ABs
of the Apoftles, which concludes with Paul's two
Years Confinement at Rome, * and he had been at
leaft two Years detain'd in Judea, and in. his way to
Rotncy (q) after he had committed the Government of
the Church of Ephefus to the Elders of that Church.

TheRe6:or is very inconftflent with hinafelf, and one
wou'd think had ftrangely forgot himfelf. He has
written two Books, in which he endeavours- to over-
throw the old Chronology, and to prove that.St. Paul's
firfl Epiflie to Timothy, which mentions his being left
at Eph^fifi a fupreme Governour, was written after
his firft Bonds at Ro7ne ; and now at a dead Lift is
glad to have it taken for granted that he was Bifhop
of Ephefus^ vj\\z\\ the Apoftle (m jBs.io-) commit-
ted the Government or that Church to the Fresb)-

(p; Mr.Gip'i Defence ef kis T^nu p, 51. * ^^s i3. 30. (q) ^^s
*Kl IX .r.o5*. ...



The Htjiory of ^ Ordination, \^n

ters, which was at lead four Years before he was fee
at Liberty.

That he was no Bifliop of Ephefus when Vaul was
tit Milet:iSy,(i;y is evident, becaufe the Apoftle com-
rhits t\\Q,,Epifcopal Go-jernment of that Church to the
Vresbyters 'of ^lUyvhom the Hol^ Ghoft had made Bffiop>
to rule the ' Fto'cji^] 2LY\d he jnakes' no mention of any fu-
perior Bifhop he had fet over cm, which doubtlefs
he would have done, had he appointed ;uiy fingle
Perfon to fucceed him in the GovernmeiU of this
Church and its Prqsbytcrs. This was the proper
Time to declare his ^S'm^o/, when he could overfee
'cm no more, nor expcded'To .much as to fee their
Faces any more. T'iimthfwis n6w prefent, '5r not far
from him, (Q and can it be ..imagin'd, that, he /hould
overlook their fuprcme Biffiop at fuch a Time as this,
and commit the. Government to the Presbyters, with-
out minding *em of the Obedience they oind their Diocc-
fan. He tells *em h^ Jhinned net t& dec /are to ^e?n tie whole
Counfelof'CjpdjSiyid then immediately fubjo>ns, that
the Holy GJjofI"]:\3.d made Vm Biftiops of the Flock, (t}
Therefore if the "Subjection of Presbyters had been
any Part of the Divine Counfely hthdid not omittedj
to declare it in fo necefiary a Jundlure as this was. ,.
'.'To put" this Matter beyond all difpute, I will tran-
icribe Mr. G//j's own Words, who gives this account
of the Church o^Epbcfus, and the Government of it.
The Apoftky faith, he, committed tBe Government of this
Church in his ah feme unto th'efe Presbyters, or BiJJjops ; (u)
and a little after, the Apvfile being fet at liberty {2.1 Rome)
and returning back from Italy ^0 the ^zA^and being now old,
(Philemon Verfe p.} and finding tbatDivfions every where
increased and frevaiTci, cpnjljtuted Timothy Bijhop cf
Ephefus> CIS (^ouhtlcfs he'djd 'the fame in all Othei' Tin-

CO Acii to. 17, a8. (O ABs 20. 4-, 5' (0 ^^i io. 2.7. 2-3. (u)
Tm. nov. p, 47. * I Tiw. 1.3. (w) Ibid. />. 48.

O 15 Here



I^S TJx Htjlory of Ordinatmu

Here is a fair Confeflion that Timothy tvas not Bi-
ftop o^ Ephefus when the Apoftle took his laft Leave
of the Presbyters of Ephefm at Miletus, never to fee
their Faces more. Therefore the Government of that
Church was committed to the Presbyters without a
fuperior Bifhop. Vaul could not overfee *em, nor e-
ver de(ign*d to vifit 'em any more, nor was Timothy
yet made the Bifhop, as Mr. G/ps affirms and pre-
tends to prove. It follows then, that the Apoftle by
the Diretlion and Command of the Holy Ghofl, fettl'd
the Government of this Church in the Presbyters
without a Diocefan Prelate. And to ufe Mr. Gips's
own Words, Doubt lefs he did the fame in all other
Places,

Ohj. 2. Though it be granted that the Apoftle left
the Government at this time to the Presbyters of £-
phefus^ he afterwards altered it by fettling Timothy Bi-
ft:op there. For the firji Epiftle ^o Ji/«o%, which afferts
his Epifcopal Power, was written long after the Con-
grefs at Miletus^ even after PauVs Imprifonment at
Rome, Being fet at Liberty, he went to Judea, and
thence ihio' Syria to Jjta, Being at Iroa^y 2 Tim,j^, 13.
about to fail into Macedonia^ he befought Timothy to
ahfde at Ephefus. Shortly after, when in Macedonia^
haply, or Greece, or fomewhere thereabouts, he wrote
this firfl Epiftle to "fimothy, giving him the neceflary
Orders, how he was to behave himfelf in the Charge
lately committed to him- Thus Mr. Gips out of the
Learned Dr- Pearfon. (x).

To all this I anfwer,

J . This Objedion grants what I plead for, that
the Apoftle committed the Government of the Church
of Ephefus to the Presbyters of that Church, without
a Superior Lifiop. The Apoftle ceas*d to govern it
having taken his laft Farewel ; Timothy was not yet



(«; Def. of his TfTft, fref, f. 3.

made



The Hijlory oj Ordination. 199

made their Bifhop, therefore the Ptesbyters of Ephe*
fin whom the Holy Ghoft made Bifhops of this
Church were the fole and fupreme Rulers. Dr. Pear-
fons Chronology, which Mr. Gips fo zealoufly pleads
for, eftabiifhes my Hypothefis.

2. Suppofe the/r/7 Epifl'tQ 7/w. was written long
after the Congrefs at Miletus^ as the Dr. and Mr.
Gips would have it, this proves not that the Apoftks
alter d the Government of that Church. Becaufe the
Holy GhofI made the Elders of that Chunh Bijhops over ft
to feed and rule tty without a fuperior Bifhop. This
Eftablifhment was never altered by the Apoflles.
For,

1. The Holy Ghofl is confifient with Himfelf He does
not fet up one fort of Government this Year, and a-
nother the next. Sudden Changes in humane Con-
ftitutions argue Imperfedion m the Eflablifhmcnt
and Defed of Wifdom in the Legiflators, none of
which can be imputed to the Holy Ghoft and His
Laws.

2. This Eftablifhment was the lafl which the A-
poftle intended in that Church,for he had no Thoughts
of feeing *em again.

3. There is not one Circumftance in the whole
Context that may feem to favour a temporary Conftituti^
on. The ApoftJe is leaving this Church, expcding
never ta fee it more, and therefore takes care of its
future Government, and appoints the Presbyters to be
his Succejjors therein. If ever we may expcdt a per^
petual EJiablijhmenty this is the time when the Apoftlc
was conligning the Government of it to others,
who fhould fucceed him in the overfight of it.

4. We may with good Reafon affirm, that 7«wp*
thys Power over the Presbyters there was occafional
and temporary, becaufe he was an Evangelifi whom aU
acknowledge to be Superior to Pajlors and Teachers. *



O 4 Ana



aoo The Hiflory af OrdmatioL i

And; he was appointed to flay there to fettle
thin^xs in the Apo/iles Ahfince. Obferve the vail: diffe?
rence between the Apoftle's committing the Govern*
ment at M;7e^;^ to the Presbyters of Ep he/my and hi^
appointing T'imothy to ftay fome time there.

(i.^-.When he charg'd the Presbyters with. ihe
Government of thatChurch> he took hisdaft Leave of
'em, being, afiurd he fhould fee their- Faces no more:
when he appointed '7^>«o.^A>' to abide- there, he de-
fif^ad in a little time to Vi^ii that Church, \for fo he
(peaks, Thefe .things writp I. imtQ thqe, haping.to come
unto thee fliortly. {^yi-ii; -ji/ja er.v ^n^iiiJ};.

It's more reafonable to exped a perpetual Settlement^
when -the ApoiUe intended to fee the Church of; £-
phejrypi no more, than when he defig^d Jto viiit it in a
little time. The Patrons of Eptfcopacy do own, that
originally Bijhvps and Fresbyters were the fame, but
that -the Apoftles fettrd Superior Bifhops over the
Presbyters, > when they could overfee the Churches no
longer, (z)

Wf agree that the moft proper Seaibri of fettling
the Government was \yhen they couldoverfee the Church
no longer y which was the Cafe of the Church o( Ephefus
wh^n the Apollles committed the Government of it
to the Presbyters ; but when he left Ttmothy there he
had not quitted the overiight pfjt, for he intended
to return again. . :-,- i, ^ . /'â– - ;t

This one Confideration^ is fu{Ecient to determine
what Governi»enf the Appillp kttkd'SLt Epheffn: he
Jeft "timothy th^^e vyhfjvJi? had not quitted the Go-
verament of that Chuxch ; he committed the oversight
of it toithfi Presbyters, when, be refigjn!d the Govern-
ment, as knowing he jimdd-Jee their Fa(;es no more. There-
fore the Presbyters qf Ep hef ha wcr^ theApoftle^s Suc-^
<:
iy~Tim. 3. i4"V»i 1 4." 1 3'. ~73'HalJ*^ Bpifco^. 1 ^(trt, p, ai.

• ■ ■ • i ■ ••'^.^•i - ^fhe



The Hijloiy of Ordination. loi

the Holy Ghoft committed the Charg'C of it, and not
Timet hy^ who was left there to fupply the Apoftle^d
Abfence for a fhort Seafon. 7/ the Form ordain dfo^
the Church's Admtritftration by the Apoftles be of umverfal
and perpetual ufe, as Bifhop Hail laith it is, (a) and
in Reafon it ought to be, the Government of the
Church by Presbyters in Parity, is of divine Right,
uniyerfally and perpetually obliging. <>

2.. Ohferve the d/jj-erent Form of Speech tifed, in commit^
ting the Government to the Presbyters of Ephefus, and to
Timothy- 'The Holy Ghofi is faid to make or conftitute
the Presbyters Overfeers or Bi/hops of the Flock to feed
or govern the Church of God. (b) Here's a plain di-
vine Appointment. But when Timothy was left there
no fuch Words are ufed ; all that is faid of him is
this, that Paul befoiight him to abide flill at Ephefus, (c)
he doth not injoyn, but befeecb him. When the*A-
poftles befought the Evangelifts, their Fellow-helpers,
to go to fome/ particular Church, they did not oblige
'em by any Divine Commandy but in treated em as
Brethren, who were at liberty to comply or other-
otherwife, as they faw occalioii. Thus Paul befought
Apollos greatly to go to Corinth, (d) but he judg'd it
not convenient. If Timothy had been Bifhop o^ Ephe-
fus he needed no Entreaties to abidezmon^ his Flock,
which he was oblig'd to do by Virtue of his Office:
but the Apollle intreats him as a Pcrfon that was at
Liberty, and under no particular Engagements to
the Church oi Ephefniy any more than to the Churches
of Macedonia and Achaia, to whom the fame Apoftlc
fenf him^ to Eflablijh and Comfort 'em. (e) When he
was under an indifpenfiblc Obligation, he fent Com-
^ ptands unto him, and not Intreaties. (f)



' 'fa) Div. Right of Epifc, Tojlulat, ^, {h) ABs lO. 18. ^^irol^irl
Koxaq ^otiAttitH*. (C) I Ti/^. i. 3. 9raffj(^Af#»«r5 ^at9(rfJUH>a4. (d)
I Cor, 16^ 12. 5raW -rm^iKolXttn* tcvrof. (e) I Thejf 3, 2. Affs 19,

But



aoi The Hiflory of Ordination.

But he lays no Command upon him to al^ide there,
and if he had, it will not prove him BrJIjop of Ephe-
fniy for he and Silas are faid to abide ftill at Berea,
though they made but fhort flay there, (g) and were
po Bifhops of it.

In like manner St. Veter exhorts the Presbyters
to ft^^d or govern the Flock, and (h) to perform the
office of Bijhops. The Presbyters of T%effalomca were the
Governors, (i) of the Church. We read alfo in the
Epifl. to Timothy^ of the Presbyters that Rule well, (k).

II. From Antiquity, Jerom affirms, that the ancient
Church was governed by the Common Council of the
'Presbyters, (1).

In this Senfe we arc to underftand Ignatius^ when
be faith, that the Prtshytevs prefided in the place of the
College of the Apoflles. (m)

Again, I'he Presbyters are as the Council of Godj
and the Bond of the Apoflles of Chrifl. (n)

The ConflitutioHS of the Apoflles, (o) which are con-
fefl'edly ancient, do ailign unto the Presbyters a
double Portion to that of the Deacons, in Honour of
the Apoflles of the Lord, whofe Place they hold, as the Bi-
jhops , Councillors, and the Crown of the Church, for they are
the Senate and CouncH of the Church.

Cyprian writes to Cornelius, Bifhop of Rome and to
the mofl flourijhing Clergy prefiding with him. (p)
s; Bifhops did nothing of Moment without their
Presbyters, no nor without their People, as Cyprian
fpeaks of himfelf ; I have determined fince my firfl en-



(g) ABs 17. 14, 1$, tbsi*«»d«'. (h) 1 Pet,f,j»t, irirxoTstfTtf.
(T) I Thef. «5. ir. cr^iyet^w. (k) i Tim, j-. 17. ol x»A/?« &&S7UTH'
(\) Communi Coneilio Prcsbytcrorum gubernatirr Ecclefia, Hicr. ad
Evagr. (m) «$ roTny (TvfiS^)t rui elmfoXett, Igoat. ad Magnes.

I^nat. ad Trallens. (o) mnsrloXw — £y >^, roi' tj^» ^vXecertsat — •
tia-l ^ a-vvii'^ef ^ ;S»Ai» 'f eit«Attf-/<*?. Conft. Apoft. %t. 28. yid. Ibid,
cap. i6. (p) FlorcnuiTimo Clero tecum prsiidcntif Cvprian. Epift.

trance



The Hijlory of Ordination. ao^

tratu:e on my Epifcopal Charge ro do nothing by my
own private Judgment without your Counfel fmean-
ing his Presbyters) and without the Confent of my
People, (q)

By the African Canons, Bifhops were forbidden to
hear any Mans Catife -without the Prefence of his Clergy, and
the Decree of the Bifiop was void, unlefs it were confirm d
by the Prefence of the Clergy, (r).

Prop. V. As the Scripture Presbyters were made Cover ^
norus by the Apofiles,fo were they entruftedwith the ordain^
ing Power. The Commifllon given em includes this
Power, for it is the fame with that of the Apoflles,
excepting only the extraordinary Parts of their Mi-
tt iftry, which was proper to em and ceas'd with
em.

The Apoftles Commiilionis in Mat. 28. 18, ip, 20.
AH Power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth, go
ye therefore and teach all Nations, baptiz.ing them in the
Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghoft, teaching \m to obferve all things whatfoever I have
commanded you ; and lo, I am with you alway, even td the
end of the World. Amen. Obferve,

1, This Commiffion was given unto the Apoftles
and unto their Succeffors in the Gofpel Miniftry unto
the end of Time, for fo the Promife runs, / am with
you alway even unto the end of the World. The Com-
miffion and Promife are of the fame Extent.

The Apoftles were not to continue to the end of
the World in their own Perfons, but in their Suc^
ceffors. ' "*^'

2. The principal Parts of the Minifterial Office
are here mentioned, Preaching and baptiz>ing. Preachr
ing the Gofpel of Salvation, is the main and chief
Part of a Minifter's Work. The Sacraments arc



fq) Sine confilio vcftro & fine confenfu plebis mc«. Cyprian.
Epift. 6. (r) Irrita crit Sententia Epifcopi, pifi Clericorum prefcoti^
confirmctur. Carth. Cow. 4. 23.

Seal^



004- The Hi/lory of Ordination.

Seals to the Dodvin? of the Gorp^ej, ^nd 'tis a great
er \Vork to pub I ijh the DoElrine th^n to apply the Seals.
Therefore St, Paul faith, that Chrifi did not fend him
to haptiz,e but to preach (Q. Jejus Chrifi himfelf preach-
ed, but did not^ baptize (t).. Preaching only therefore
|s niention'd by St. ^V/.i/-^, Matthews Abridge^,,. as
in<;luding the whole Miniflerial VV^ork, Mark i6^ i jj
Go ye into all the Worlds and preach tfj^Gofp el to ..every
Gr£atw'e, So, Gal i . i^. (w) ^ . < .
^^;,g.. .Under thefe principal Parts of the MiniPcefial
Qffic?, are includeid all other;. Mimfterial Powers,
(kch as adminiftring::the Lor,d's .Supper^, governing
the Flock, ordaitiing. other ivjinifters^ &c. Either
ti^y. are not contained in this , Commjffion, or they
are included in the Power of Preaching, which in Other
Places is put for the whole OiEcc^of the Miniftry.
'Tis; certain th^Qydaining Tower is included in this Com-
m'iffipn, for the Brptnife is made to the Apoftlesand
their Succeflpirs unto the Endofthe fVorld, Therefore
they ..are impower'd to conft^tutq SucceiTors in thcj^
ordinary Parts of tlieir Miniftry,;Xo.. which Or^ihdtion
is fubfervient as the AfoJ^' of Entrance into it. .""^
4. It'hence -follows, that all that, are admitted in-
to this facred ifunAion of difpenfing the Gofpej,
have the whole Miniflerial Power committed to
^liem, even all that Power which the Apoftles were
to tranfmit to;^ ^h*W SucceiTors. The Office is but
DViei,.;and cannot be divided. They who are ini-
power'd to difpenfe the Gofpel, have Power ;ilib ta
apply the Seals ; and they who are authorized to ad-
i^inifter the Sacramental Seals^ are made Judges of
their pwn.Adsi and confequentlymuft judge of the
litnefs of thofe that receive the Sacraments, which
i^ an Av^ of Government; all Miniflers have thi:
Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven 'given 'em, (x) by



xn(f) iiGor. I. I7t (t) John 4. i. (w) Rom^ 10. 15*. Vid. ,4^s
10. 42/ Efhef, 3. 8., (x; hdatt, 16, 19. J^hn 20. 3^3.

2!fij2 ' . which



The Hiflory of Ordination, ^05

which is fignified all Ecclefiaftical Power, (y) not on-
ly the Key of DoBrme, which it is confefs'd Presby-
ters have committed to them, but the Key of Jurifdi-
Bion and Order ^ for Chrift gave them together with-
out Diftindion.

5. That the Power o^ Ordination^ as well as that o£
Treaching and Baptiz.ing-, is committed to Presbyters
by this Commiflion, is evident, becaufe they exer-
cised this Power : they not only preach'd the Gofpel
and adminilbed Sacraments, but laid on Hands for
the Ordaining of Minifters- We have two exprefs Ex-
amples of Vresbyters Ordaining in the New T'eftarnent'

1. The fir fl is in Ads i^. i, 2, 3. I'here were in the
Church at Antioch certain Prophets and Teachers ; as
Barnabasy and Snfieon, called Niger^ and Lucius of Cy-

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