Promiscuous ordinations are destructive to the honour & safety of the Church of England (if they should be allowed in it). Written in a letter to a person of quality. Pearson, John, 1613-1686. 1668 Approx. 14 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 9 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A53898 Wing P1005 ESTC R33038 12851674 ocm 12851674 94539 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A53898) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 94539) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1038:22) Promiscuous ordinations are destructive to the honour & safety of the Church of England (if they should be allowed in it). Written in a letter to a person of quality. Pearson, John, 1613-1686. 16 p. Printed for James Collins ... London : 1668. Attributed by Wing to John Pearson. Imperfect: pages stained with loss of print. Reproduction of original in the Union Theological Seminary Library, New York. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Church of England -- Clergy. Ordination. 2000-00 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2001-07 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2001-08 TCP Staff (Michigan) Sampled and proofread 2001-08 TCP Staff (Michigan) Text and markup reviewed and edited 2001-11 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion PROMISCUOUS ORDINATIONS Are Destructive to the HONOUR & SAFETY OF THE Church of England : ( If they should be allowed in it . ) Written in a Letter to a Person of Quality . LONDON . Printed for James Collins at the Kings-Head in Westminster-Hall , 1668. A Person of Quality , A Member of the CHURCH of ENGLAND , To a Moderate Divine . SIR , GIve me leave to let you understand , That I am by a real and unfeigned PROFESSION a true Son of the Church of ENGLAND , one whom God hath blessed with a competent Family , of whose eternal welfare I am equally solicitous . We are seated with many neighbours of the same judgment and desire of future happiness in a Countrey Parish with an ORTHODOX and able MINISTER , whose age and infirmity seem to foretell we shall scarse enjoy him another Winter . Now , Sir , the various Discourses and CONTRIVANCES in this present juncture , together with the known Inclinations of our PATRON , threaten us with a PASTOR as next Incumbent , who is not a Pastor Canonically ordained , but hath received something which he calls Ordination , either after a Classical or Congregational way . In this case I apply my self to you , who are rendred a MODERATE DIVINE , desirous to know whether your Moderation hath induced you to promote or comply with that which seems to us so great Confusion ; and to declare how you can answer it to that Church of which you are also a Member , and what Satisfaction you can give to our Consciences , who are like to be cast into this Condition . ANSWER . Sir , I Cannot take any delight , as to the Differences in matters of Religion , but in the composure of them onely : and if I understand my self , nothing can ever alter that temper , by which I have been so long enclined to a due Enlargement and Indulgence for such as are ready to afford a rational Compliance . But I hope that no such Facility of nature or opinion shall ever reduce me to that weakness , as to betray the great and everlasting Concerns of the Church , or to give over the indispensable duty of endeavouring that Unity which is necessary to its Conservation . That the Order of the Ministry is necessary to the Continuation of the Gospel according to the Promises of Christ , as it was to the first Plantation of it according to his Institution , is a Doctrine Indubitable . That this Ministry is derived by a Succession and constant propagation , and that the Unity and Peace of the Church of Christ are to be conserved by a due and legitimate Ordination , no man who considereth the Practice of the Apostles and Ecclesiastical History , can ever doubt . This way of Ordination having continued so many ages one and the same , could never be considerably alter'd , without some great Commotions and Dissentions in the Church , and the manifest breach of Union and Communion in that body ; whomsoever we judg guilty of the breach of that Union , which is not necessary now to dispute . And as the first introduction of different Ordinations caus'd a standing and settled Opposition , precluding all ways of Reconciliation : So they cannot be brought into any one Church , but they must make such a division and disparity in the Administrations , as will amount to no less than a Schism . However in the peculiar and happy condition of our Church , these promiscuous Ordinations , if all allowed by it , are most destructive to that which is the Safety and the Honour of it . We have the greatest felicity which could happen to a Reformation , as being regular and authoritative , that we have so taken away the many mistakes and errors which had been introduc'd by a long Ignorance and Usurpation , as to retain a perfect Compliance with the Ancient Church : and therefore we can boldly and truly affirm , we are the same with the Primitive Christians , even those of Rome : and while we hold and maintain our Ordinations legitimate , we speak the same language with the most Glorious Fathers , Martyrs and Saints of those happy and pious times . But if we once admit a diversity in our Ordinations , we have lost the honour of Succession , we have cast away our weapons of defence , we have betray'd our own cause and laid our selves open to the common Enemy of all Protestants , and we shall at last inevitably fall into the Socinian doctrine , to deny all necessity or use of any Mission or Ordination . Again though our Discipline be much weakned , and the good effects thereof obstructed by many Scruples and Oppositions rais'd against it , yet they can be no just imputation to that wholsom Institution , it being sufficiently known from whence those Obstructions proceed . But if all sorts of Ordination be any way established by sufficient Authority , if what is so earnestly desired be indulged , That a man once ordained any way be still held and retained for a Labourer in the Harvest , the most legitimate Process in Ecclesiastical affairs will become ineffectual and irrational . Many necessary Articles of Enquiry , founded upon the greatest Justice and Authority , will be put off with such unblameable refusals , and answer'd with so much reason and equity , that His Majesties Ecclesiastical Laws can be with no conscience put in Execution , when they which are to be prosecuted as delinquents according to Law , must be pronounced the most innocent in the opinion and conscience of the Administrators of the same Law. What an uncomfortable and discouraging Confusion is this , whereby Presentments shall be made of those persons who are conscientiously conformable to the Doctrine and Orders of the Church , for actions or omissions proceeding solely out of that Conscience and Conformity , and they who factiously or erroneously dissent from that Doctrine and Order , shall avoid their own and promote the presentment of others , and in this error or faction shall be protected and encouraged by a superinduced Authority Thus by promiscuous Ordinations the Doctrine of the Church will be render'd indefensible , and the Discipline unpracticable . Although these evil Consequences be of great moment in the general , and threaten our Bethel with the notion of a Babel , yet because most men are more apprehensive of particular mischiefs , and stronglier moved with Personal Inconveniencies ; I shall more earnestly apply my self to that condition which you have represented in reference to your self , your Family and Neighbour of the same persuasion : and even this consideration will be of great latitude and concernment , because it is not confined to you alone , but all of the same judgment will be subject to the same unsettlement , and lie under the same fears and Discouragement . If a person onely qualified by a Congregational Mission should be set over you authoritatively as your lawful Pastor , to whose Ministerial acts it is expected you should apply your self in all publick matters of Religion : you being of a constant Persuasion that the Validity of such Acts hath a necessary relation to the Legitimacy of Ministery , & of as certain an Opinion that such a Mission cannot amount to a legitimate Ordination . I cannot see what comfort you take in any compliance with such Administrations . Nay further , if a person be said to have obtained Orders after the Presbyterian way in the late times , when he might have received them from a Bishop , & since the happy restitution of publick Order in the Church , when many of his Brethren have submitted , still obstinately refuses to receive Ordination after the established way of the Church of England : in this case , if you doubt whether his Ordination be valid , or conclude it null . I confess I know no argument to convince you , or to encline you to another Persuasion . But then I cannot but lament your unquiet and sad Condition , accidentally cast upon you , for reasons which I take no delight to consider : and through the short expression in your Letter , I can easily perceive what Thoughts and Apprehensions may press and discourage you . For as you render your self a Son of our Church , I conceive you are one who values the Liturgy , thinking it your duty to give God that Setvice , and taking much comfort in the ancient & regular Devotion expressed in those Publick Prayers ; which being a mixt Office , and having been soever since the Apostolical times , wherein the Priest , or Presbyter , and the People joyntly & interchangeably concurr , and the Rubrick directing what words belong to the Priest , and can properly in the sense intended ( sometimes at least ) be used by no other ; I confess you cannot but abate of the devotion and comfort of your Prayers , when you think the person appointed to read them is no Priest or Presbyter . As for the Administration of the Sacrament of Baptism , you cannot regularly but desire to have your Children baptized and received into the Congregation of Christ's Church in that solemn manner , and by such a person as is appointed by the same Church to receive them ; and though in case of Necessity this Office may be dispensed with in baptizing for the benefit of the Infant , yet it will be very hard to create any other Necessity than what arises on the Infants part , or to make use of that irregularity when there is no Necessity , which is onely indulged to Necessity . But as to the other Sacrament , the Supper of the Lord , your case is far worse . For to that you are often invited , nay obliged to receive it thrice a year , and I doubt not but earnestly desire frequently to participate of the body and blood of your SAVIOUR . Whereas if you be resolved that your Pastor established is not a Priest or Presbyter , and consequently hath no power to consecrate the Elements , or render them Sacramental ; I cannot see how you can follow him to the Holy Table , or with what Comfort or Conscience you can bring your Family , or concurr with your Neighbours , to receive the Elements from his Hands . And yet abstaining from the Sacrament , you are thereby deprived of the Spiritual strength and comfort which you desire and have cause to expect ; and are moreover betrayed to the Censures of the Church , in compliance to whose Doctrine you are rendred disobedient to her Commands . Lastly , the unfeigned exercize of Religion is undoubtedly , as never more Necessary , so never so Comfortable as upon the Bed of our Sickness , especially upon the approach of Death : wherefore the Church hath taken great care that the Minister shall attend , and how he shall behave himself in the Visitation of the sick , for their comfort and advantage . This Comfort I confess must be taken from you , who are of that persuasion concerning your Pastor , for if upon the apprehension of your later end , you feel your Conscience troubled , and being observant of the method prescribed , desire to make a special Confession , and receive the benefit of Absolution ; to which end the Priest is ordered to use these words , By the authority of Christ committed to me I absolve thee of all thy sins : you will never acquiesce in the Absolution , where you acknowledg no Commission , nor can you expect any Efficacy which dependeth upon the Authority . These and the like I look upon not as formal Objections , or cavils , but as real and severe complaints rais'd upon Sober and Religious grounds , matter for Christian Zeal , rather than Moderation . And therefore I cannot persuade my self that any person endued with any Kindness or Care of the Religion settled in this Nation , can ever contrive or assent unto so great a discouragement to the consciencious Professors of it , and confusion in the management and administration . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A53898-e260 Prop. p. 82.