more allow the Angels representing the Pastors then the Stars signifying the same thing nay or the Candlesticks the Churches to be taken for single persons But for further clearing of all these and like objections I referr the Reader to the many Authors by whom these things are more fully handled These grounds then being all undoubtedlâ— Scriptural with what confidence can it be demanded where doth the Scripture hold out a paritie among Ministers Or how can it be affirmed that the Episcopus Praeses contended for specially with his necessary presence in Ordination as we will afterwards hear is not contrary but agreeable to the word of God By all which it appears that as our Presbyterian paritie is plainly warranted both by general Gospel-rules and very expresse instances contained in Scripture So the apparent lawfulness of any other form of mans devising can be no justification thereof But it is objected If this ground be rejected how will we maintain or where will we finde an expresse command or rule for our own model of Kirk-sessions Presbyteries Syonds Provincial and National with a Commission of the Kirk in their several dependencies and subordinations and the changing of the moderator in these meetings excepting that only of the Kirk-sessions wherein the Minister doth constantly moderat for without this expresse Kule a Bishop or fixed President may very well consist with that frame which we contenâ— for And it is really and actually so at this present in this Church In answering this objection I must begin with its latter part which is so directly contradicted by the present constitution both in its legal establishment and known exercise as I have already proven that I marvel how it could escape any person of ordinary understanding As for the main thing objected having from the Scripture asserted the warrant of our parity its difficulty is easily satisfied for seeing that by Divine institution the Church is erected into one Society and officers in an equal parity for its oversight and Government thereto appointed And seeing that in every concession the things natural and proper to what is conceded must be understood to be therein imported the libertie and power of common counsel together with the subordination of the parts to the whole do thence necessarily result The premisses of which argument being so consistently composed of Scripture and reason thereon dependent I need not here enlarge in any explication Sure I am he who duely perpendeth these uncontrovertible Scripture-truths That the Church is gathered into one body that the Apostles together the Pastors and Elders together are incharged with its oversight and rule that the Spirit of the Prophets is subject unto the Prophets and that where two or three are gathered together in the Lords Name there he is in the midst of them It is impossible he should remain doubtful of the Divine warrant and authority of our meetings Conforme to which truths and principles we not only finde in the Acts of the Apostles the Church governed by common counsel but the same Meetings and Councels inspired and directed by that humilitie love and harmonie that no more then a chair man for the time no sixed moderator can therein be discerned If these grounds were not both solidly and evidently conclusive of all necessarie for me to prove I might easily without either worming or straining as our moderatists phrase it adduce and make out from Scripture precedents more exactly correspondent to our formes But seeing the right and Priviledge of common Counsel for Government in order both to the whole and certain of the partsâ— is by Scripture-practiâ—e obviously held forth its extension to all the parts and their â—ubordination to the whole doth so naturally and necessarily â—ollow thaâ— I judge it superfluous to engadge my self further into our adversaries scrupulous quiblings Now as for the Commission of the Kirk whereof Scripture warrant is also required seeing we do not hold it to be an ordinarie Church-judicatorie but do only regard it as a delegation from the preceeding National-assembly elicit by extraordinary exigences and precisely accountable to the next ensuing It s right is so certainly parallel to that of every Committee appointed by any meeting for dispatch that unlesse it were alledged that this power of commissionating is by Scripture inhibite it must of necessity be understood to be founded in the same warrant with the Assemblies from which it doth flow receive its conâ—irmation I contend not but our observance in practice might have had its own failings in this point but seeing the excesse in this matter if any was did probably flow from the mistake of a suppoâ—sed expediencie the evidence of its warrant and right use by such and error in fact cannot at all be impugned But the ministers their being constantly moderators in Kirk-sessions among the Elders joyned with them for Discipline is that wich our adversaries do urge as a great advantage for proving the lawfulness of the fixed Moderator in Presbyteries and Synods and our inconsequence in denying the same In the fond conceit of which argument it hath been and is so frequently by them inculcat that here is a Presbyter having a fixed presidencie among presbyters that I am sure it may â—ustly nauseat or move to laughter any indifferent observer To begin therefore with this childish emphasis taken from the terme Presbyter and the calling of the minister and parochial-elders both of them presbyters such indeed they are but seeing the scripture doth warrant the office of our Ruling Elder also attributeth several other names to Ministers agreeable to the main labour and to these Parochial Elders only that of Presbyters or Elders and yet on the other hand the classical Assemblies principally consisting of Ministers are commonly called Presbyteries If use for distinction hath appropriat to these Parochial-elders the name of Elders rather then that of Presbyters what folly is it to think that a contrary usurpation of names can be of any import or wherefore do not our adversaries if they have such a complaisance for these conceits tell us further what a qstrange thing it is to see a Presbyterie for so a Kirck-session may well be termed consisting only of one Minister and all the rest Laiks as they speak and withal reflect upon these more pungent retorsions nearer Home viz. that in their way a Bishop pretends to a-Superiority or presidencie over many Bishops and a single Presbyter must have the preheminence over his Fellow-presbyters But leaving these fopperies and taking words according to the determination of custome in such cases in answer to what is material in the objection I say 1. That where there are two Ministers in a parish they moderat in the Session by turnes 2 Where the Session doth consist of one Minister both a preaing and a ruling Elder and the other Elders of the Congregation who are but his helpers in discipline his different quality with the double honour allowed to him by the
the present Presbyteries and Synods I clearly state the Question thus Whether a constant Moderator or fixed Proeslos for terme of life in Church-meetings be a thing in it self lawful And how far it is by us admissible And what complyance we may have â—or it And because there are some papers gone abroad from the Bishop of Glasgow as is supposed upon this subject and that the current of the speeches at Pasely wereof the same strain I conceive for rendering of the debate more certain it will not be amisse that I bring them to a particular and exact review And in the beginning of these Papers we find it asserted That Episcopal Government managed in conjunction with Presbyters in Presbyteries and Synods is not contrary either to the rule of Scripture or the example of the primitive Church but agreeable to both That this position doth hold forth no more then the lawfulness of an Episcopus Praeses that upon negative grounds giving the asserter the easier part of defence is obvious to the first observation To have affirmed an obligation to this model though the Author's choise had not been convenient the thing which hath been it is that which shall be and an agreeablenesse to Scripture and antiquitie is for the time a very colourable pretension and all that the Author dare adventure to affirme But that as much may be said for a Presbyterian paritie exclusive of this presidencie I think our adversaries themselves will not deny And it is very evident that it is the thing they have no inclination to redargue Which advantage lying equally and fairly on our side and being confirmed by possession strengthned by an Oath and to the present conviction of all mostly arising from the contrary effects of Episcopacie sealed with the seal of good Gospel fruits one of the great evidences produced by Paul for his Apostelship how much it doth impugne the late change and justifie the aversion and non-compliance of all good men therewith all rational men may discerne But seeing our cause is not as theirs leaning only to negative probalities and the power wherewith it is supported to deal clearly in this matter though we do not pretend to a positive expresse and particular Scripture-precept as well against the presidencie as for the parity pleaded yet that we have an equivalent divine warrant more pregnant then what in other particulars is acknowledged for such even by our Opposites The following heads do plainly evince And first That Iesus Christ King in Zion sitting and ruling upon His Throne to whom all Power is given and who is the Head of the Body when He ascended on high sent forth His Apostles to gather feed and rule His Church promising to be with them to the end of the World and thereby hath appointed a Government in His house suitable to these holy ends for which it is designed is not more evidently founded upon the scripture-Scripture-grounds insinuat then firme in its connexion and inference 2. As the Apostles and their Successors were the only perpetual Pastors ordained by our Lord for as for the mission of the Seventy what ever allusions after Ages according to their then model did draw from it without all peradventure accòrding to is own tenour it did expire before our Lords suffering so they were by him constitute in an exact paritie as Brethren and because of this equality and the nature of their Ministrie our Lord forbids among them all distinction of authoritative Superioritie the very name of Rabbi and Master then abused and all ambition affectation of these or any other elating dignities and titles but they are only commanded to outstripe and exceed on another in that diligence and humilitie recommended to them in that common service whereunto they were destined 3. According to this command given so they conversed and behaved in the Church of God without the least vestige of imparity either in power or presidencie Nay on the contrary with a manifest equality except it be in some notes of apparent preheminence in these by men esteemed inferior expresly as it seems recorded to counter-ballance the vanity of ambition of after Ages who in favour of others might imagine a Superiority And such are the principal resort made to Iames his moderating rather then Peters in the meeting at Ierusalem Pauls resistance to Peter and the right hand of fellowship given to him by Iames Cephas and Iohn and the like 4. The pastors appointed by the Appostles being their successors both in their ordinarie power and blessing whatever might be the inequalitie betwixt them and the Appostles either from the immediacy and extent of the Apostles their mission their infallible assistance and greater eminency of gifts or by reason that the Apostles were the Lords chosen witnesses and authors of conversion to most of them whom they ordained yet as to the perpetual and ordinary power given to and transmitted by them in the Church it is evident from Scripture that in that they neither claimed nor exercised either superiority or presidencie over other Ministers Hence it is that as they call and account them their brethren partners fellow-labourers and themselves fellow-elders with them so we finde that what in on place Paul ascribes to the laying on of his own hands in another he attributes to the laying on of the hands of the Presbyterie And the same Paul who was not a whit behind the very chiefest Appostles receiving a solemn mission from a Presbyterie not consisting of Fellow-apostles but of other Prophets and Teachers Gifts there fore were indeed diverse and unequal and imploiments also were various in the dayes of the Apostles according to the then exigence of a growing spreading Church but that either among the Apostles themselves or them and the Pastors by them ordained or among the Pastors themselves there was the least imparity in respect of that ordinarie and standing power continued in the Church as the passages mentioned do plainly confirme the negative so there can no instance be adduced from Scripture in the contrary We know Timothie Titus the Angels of the Churches are much talked of as the first superior Bishops and to this it is as easily reponed 1. That there is nothing enjoyned or recommended in Pauls Epistles to Timothie which is not proper for every Pastor unlesse what is evidently referable to his office of an Evangelist there expressed 2. The command given to Titus to ordain Elders was by way of expresse commission and not in the least exclusive of the concurrence of other Elders where they might be found in the place 3 That it is in these very Epistles more then any where els in Scripture that both the names of Bishops and Elders are promiscuously used and the thing and office thereby signified held forth to be the same And lastly that the known use elegancie of the singular number for the plural with the figurative speech and tenor of the seven Epistles in the Revelation do no
by Proclamation cast out both of our places pulpits and parishes and that our former Church-assemblies being all at once in the same manner suppressed we never had any station in these present meetings pretending to the succession this pitiful quibling as if we had extirpate our selves when we was in effect expulsed iâ— but a poor and weak mint at witâ— altogether insufficient to colour its obvious impertinency As to what doth here ensue for proving that the preâ—ent Episcopal-government is not the same with that which by the Covenant we abjured and concerning the acceptation that it would find in England I am sure I have considered it at that length and discussed it upon such evident and certain grounds as neither the Authors reason nor his prejudice his impartiality nor partiality with all the patience he wished us and impatience which he himself often sheweth will be able satisfyingly to removeâ— Whether then the things mentioned in this place by the Author be indeed truths as he alledgeth or grosse errors and mistakes as I have evinced and his discerning in themâ— though the best he hathâ— sound or on the contrary a palpable delusionâ— I willingly leave it to the Readers ingenuity He saith if they be truths â— he is sure they are pertinent truths towards the healing of our sad divisions â—ut when he shall make as much serious search after the cause as he seemeth to be sensible of the effects then I am sure he shall acknowledge them to be not only untruths but most impertinent However if any list to be contentions he wisheth he could say of this Churchâ— we have no such custome And this wish I confesse is very consequent to both the Authors opinion and design For as we have heard him undervalue the Ordinance and Oath of God though most convincingly sealed amongst us by the Lords Power and presence unto modes and trifles to the effect he may gain to a compliance where he can not prevail by his simulat condescendencies so at present supposing them to be as little material as the length or shortnesse of the excrementitious hair he endeavours to enervat all the just opposition of the faithful with the reproach of strange contention But seing the things that we contend for do really merite that immovable stedfastnesse and constant perseverance so much commended by our Lords command and the example of all his followers we hope the custome of perfidious time-serving which the Prelats have so much practised in this distracted Church shall never be able to counterballance it And therefore as these men have by their vain carnal and violent contentions at best for their formalities butâ— in effect for fulfilling their sinâ—ul lusts and affections not only dis-edifiedâ— but destroyed and subverted the Church of God in this Land and disobeyed and disgraced the Prince of Peace whom they pretend to follow so let us as the fearers of the God of truth and true lovers of our Lord Iesus who is the Truth and also our Peace considering his example so much the more endure contradiction despise shame and reproach fight â—he good fight keep the faith and hold fast our integrity that we may attain unto that Crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give at that day unto all that love his appearing And now remaineth the Authors one word which he is sure is undeniable and he thinks very considerable and it is that he that cannot joyn with the present frame of this Church And if yow please to bring the matter nearer with the termes of the present Accommodation could not have lived in the Communion of the Christian Church in the time of the first most famous general Assembly of it the Conncil of Nice yea to go no higher though safely I might sayes he he must as certainly have separated from the whole catholick Church in the dayes of the holy Bishop and Martyr Cyprian upon this very scruple of the Government as Novatus did upon another occasion Whence the Author doth draw his assurance and whereon it is that he would have us to bestow our consideration I wish he had been more explicite That in the times to which he referres there was an Episcopacy well advanced in the Church and consequently a corruption contracted in its government and yet by all quietly comported with I do not deny and to this if it should be repliedâ— that there is a hudge disparity betwixt a corruption contracted in lawful government still holding the head and substance by our Lords authority given to His Church the worst that can be supposed of these primitive times and a Government fundamentally corrupt deriving all its power from him to whom it doth not belong and founded in an Antichristian â—upremacy the certain character of the present constitution I am confident the Author would not be able to make any satisfying reâ—urn But the true account of the matter is that in these ancient times this Prostasia having crept in and from small beginings and under very specious pretenses grown up insensibly in the Church and the mystery therein secretly working not having openly disclosed it self it is little wonder that though by the more discerning the evill might be feared yet never the lesse no remedy offering it was not directly opposed whereas in our dayes this latent corruption with its most pernicious tendency and bitterfruits being fully discovered and thereupon by us solemnly ejected and abjured and now onâ—â— re-obtruded under the guilding of some apparent condescendencies the better to suppresse the true Government of Gods house which we are bound to preserve and for establishing the Supâ—emacy the very consummation of this iniquity Certainly these things do import a most manifest difference I shall not here stand to cleare how that an Oath though taken upon a matter antecedently binding doth neverthelesse in such manner superinduce a â—urther obligation as doth not only more strictly bind to vigilance and circumspection but also to a measure of zeal against defection beyond the opposition to that same material transgression formerly required nor need I to put any in minde how that the sacrificing to the Lord in the high places permitted without reproof to Samuel David and Solomon before the building of the Temple did afterward make an exception from the integrity of succeeding Princes Certainly to judge that the continuance of an evill and a relapse into it are of the same nature and that at this time we may have the same compliance with this episcopal Presidency which once it found in the Church under quite different circumstances were grossly to confound times despise warnings trample upon deliverances and violate the Oath of God nay further to contradict even the principles of these times mentioned and that to that hight that I am assured were the same ancient Christians boasted of on liâ—e to see the sad effects that have ensued upon their well-meaning practices and the patrociny which is thence taken for the
contrivance We have heard in the second Article that he is willing that Chnrch-matters be managed in Presbyteries and Synods by the vote of the plurality a fair insinuation that the matter of Ordination shall be in the same manner transacted And in this Article he leaves the trial to the Presbytery consents that if possible the Ordination be at the parish Church where one shall be appointed to preach and lastly is content differences falling in be referred to the Superior Courts all fair generals But wherefore no mention who shall be the actual ordainers whether the Bishop and whole Presbytery or the Bishop alone in behalfe and as Mederator of the Presbytery or the Bishop alone as indeed something greater whether as in a superior order or only in a higher degree is but a School nicety then either a Presbyter or the Presbytery to whose office this part doth properly belong And as to these things though we be left in the dark yet many palpable indications lead us to feel this last to be the thing designed against which if I might now stand to debate I could show this not only to be contrary to Evangelick parity and simplicity and Apostolick practice and destitute even of these pretended testimonies of the next Ages for a fixed prostasia but that it hath been one of the main impostures of the prelatick Spirit first injuriously to usurpe and then mysteriously to involve the matter of Ordination that the Bishops might have the dignity to be its proper dispensators and the mystery of iniquity be the more thereby advanced But the point here most remakable is that apprehending his condescendencies might render him as being obnoxious to the plurality of voices of lesse power and influence in this affair Behold how craftily he goeth about to salve his negative which he may not for fear of a discovery plainly owne and that is by making the appointment of the day for ordaining to depend on his and the Presbyteries joynt agreement wherein if he please to be a dissenter It is certain that his not assenting to this circumstance will be of no lesse consequence for his purpose then if he had reserved unto himself an inhibiting veto upon the substance of the whole businesse Now that this power in what sort soever by him couched and covered is not to be allowed his want of any sufficient warrant for it doth aboundantly evinceâ— And further what the Scripture and Apostolick rule in this affair is these few considerations may in this place satisfie 1. That the power of Ordinantion is certainly annexed to dependent upon the pastoral charge for seing that the cure committed to the Apostles and by them to succeeding Pastors could not be perpetuat without a succession the evident reason of the thing it self with the import of that command The things that thou hast heard of me the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also do plainly perswade the assertion 2. As we find in Scripture the Apostles and others upon occasion by themselves alone ordaining so whereever a concurrence did offer we may observe the Act to be alwayes joyntly done and administrat so we find the twelve joyntly ordaining and laying their hands upon the seven Deacons without any prerogative acclaimed by Peter who yet if falshoods may be compared hath more apparent grounds in Scripture for his Primacy then can be shewed for the Presidency of any Bishop Next we have the fraternity of Prophets and Teachers at Antioch sending forth and imposing hands upou Barnabas and Saul by a like equall conjunction 3. It is said of Paul and Barnabas that they in a plural union Did ordain Elders in every Church And 4. it is manifest that Paul by reason of his concurrence with other Presbyters in the Ordination of Timothie doth attribut the same act indifferently to his own hands and to the hands of the Presbytery Which Scripture-grounds being joyned to the want of any probable reason for this singularity and the manifestly woful and sad consequences of this Episcopal imparity with the present unquestionable design of bearing down the just liberty and authority of the Lord's Ministers in a convenient Subserviency to mens lusts and wickednesse by the stiff and inflexible retaining of this privilege do I am confident make out the eccentrick preheminence acclaimed to be not only in it self unlawfull but by our solemn Oaths to maintain Presbytery and extirpat every thing that shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of godlinesse perpetually abjured Seing therefore that this Article doth certainly imply this corruption as I have above declared that it can have no better acceptance from us then the preceeding needeth no further reasoning As for the other trifling circumstances whereby the principal thing in it is endeavoured to be palliat they do not merite any more speciall inquiry The fift Article is It is not to be â—oubâ—ed but the Lord Commissioner will make good what he offered anent the establishment of Presbyteries and Synods and we trust his Grace will procuâ—e such security to the Brethren for declaring their judgment that they may do it without any hazard in counterveening any law and that the Bishop shall humbly and earnestly recommend this to his Grace This Article made up of uncertain assurances ridiculous trusts and the Bishop's conformable undertaking is already by me sufficientâ—y examined in the very entry of this discourse and there told that what the Commissioner did undertake anent the establishment of Presbyteries I did not exactly know but if it was that which is reported viz that they should be set up as preceeding the 1638. I thought it could contribute notâ—ing to the removal of our just exceptions I shall not here offend the Reader by a vain repetition but seing the grounds formerly laid down are very material and yet by the most part little adverted to it will not be amisse that after the full and plain account I have given of these matters I again run over them and 1. That according to the principles of truth Presbyteries are not founded in any humane establishment but in the right and Authority which our Lord hath given unto his Church is our constant perswasion so that though the accessory confirmation and countenance of the powers may be of great use to and no lesse acceptance with the Church yet it is no part of their original right 2. Before the 1638. and even until the Year 1661. Presbyteries were founded and did continue in this Church not by vertue of any Act of â—arliament whereby they were properly authorized but upon the basis of that intrinseck right which I have already mentioned Thus having conveened and settled themselves shortly after the Reformation they continued their possession uninterrupted until the Year 1661. It is true they obtained the confirmation of King and Parliament in the Year 1592. as also in the Year 1612. many corruptions introduced and