to a multiplication of tyranny and that whereas formerly they had but one Bishop which did something extort upon them they now had a company of ignorant Presbyters which did much outvie the Bishop in domineering power over them they then began to champe upon the bit they had taken into their mouthes and began to mutiny against Mr. Calvin who together with his two associats the perswaders of the people to embrace and the contrivers of this kind of government were in the heate of these discontents banished the Towne Mr. Calvin was now put to his shifts to appease this tumult and when he had cast upon all assaies he concluded none so probable to take effect as to admit some of the Citizens to joyne in government with the Presbyters and so they might perhaps admit him with his new device of Presbyterian Ministry into the City againe which fell out accordingly for a few yeeres after the Citizens of Geneva had banished Calvin saith juditious Hooker in his preface to his booke intituled Ecclesiasticall policy such was the levity and inconstancy of those people some places being in the interim fallen voide and in want of a Minister that they were not so willing to be rid of Calvin before as they were now importunate to have him backe againe and with severall letters and ingagements did court him to returne unto them Calvin considered with himselfe that now was the time to make knowne unto them he would be no more tennant at will under them but if they would have him to be their Teacher againe they must be content to admit a compleate forme of Discipline which both they and their Pastors should be sworne to observe for ever after of which Discipline the maine and principall parts were these a standing Ecclesiasticall Court to be established perpetuall Judges in that Court to be their Ministers others of the people anually chosen twice so many as they to be Judges together with them in the same Court And these two sorts to have power over mens manners to determine all kinde of Ecclesiasticall causes and to punish as far as with excommunication all sorts of people This proposition of his did some what trouble them for they considered that this government was little better then Popish Tyranny presented to them under a new forme for though for every Minister there were two Lay-men to fit and give voice in the Ecclesiasticall consistory yet they feared that the filling up of those seates was but to please the minde of the people to thinke their owne sway something when as things were to come to tryall their Pastors learning would over perswade simple people who knowing the time of their Presidentship to be but short would alwaies stand in feare of their Ministers perpetuall authority but notwithstanding these considerations such were the straits the Citizens had brought themselves into through their owne giddinesse that now they must of necessity imbrace Calvin upon these or any other conditions unlesse to their endlesse disgrace they would with ridiculous lightnesse dismisse him whom they had with all earnestnesse and after an importunate and most urgent manner desired to returne unto them wherefore having driven themselves upon these exigents they admit of Mr. Calvin and his compound consistory Anno Domini 1541. And here was the beginning amongst Christians of Lay-Elders in their Church Government which you may perceive Reader through necessity by a inconstant people in a troubled State was accepted of Now good morrow to your Infant worship good Mr. Lay-Elder or rather your spurious brat of a Geneva brable I must tell you you may be a handsome fellow but you looke ill favouredly in an English habit but may you say unto me your Taylor or High Priest was too blame for no strange thing now a dayes for Taylor and Priest to meet in one person to put you into the English mode Let me tell you in your owne Country Phrase you beseeme your Office as a Sowe beseemes a saddle you looke as strangely amongst us as an Owle at noone day you must not thinke to make us daire under you wee le rather like a flocke of little birds fright and chase you backe againe to your Arabian Desart when wee come to Geneva wee le be governed by you in the meane time wee do not desire you should governe us nor indeede because you are so rightly entertained in Geneva and Holland are you fit guests for us For Geneva was a free City governed by Elders and Towne Burgers before ever Mr. Calvin came there who admitted some of those Aldermen yearely into his Classis there were some little more collour for that government amongst us if our Judges Justices Aldermen might be admitted into your respective Classes but there is no such matter in our new Eldership but the most silly fellowes generally are pitched upon to make Lay-Elders of and truely this is the greatest peece of pollicy I have observed from our Presbyter or High Priests in our Country for by this meanes they themselves will rule the roast the Lay-Elders being meere Jacks to be wound up and downe at pleasure and the better to compasse this their ends and designe some of them have wronged and abused the Parliament in nominating unto them tryars for the sufficiency of the Elders to be chosen in their respective Classes so insufficient and ignorant that cannot write their owne names the best knowledge they have being to misreade a little English and this I am informed was done by the present Incombent at Standishe and some others nay more then so when the Ordinance came downe and that such men were by the Parliament appointed tryars to be Lay-Elders themselves which the people not mindfull to thwart any thing the Parliament by the mouth of their Minister desired voted it so and so they were Judges themselves and the parties to be judged of themselves Like as if a Justice were made a Jaylor or a Marshall should commit a Souldier To commit a man to himselfe which is against the rules of Law and reason but no more of this I conceive that this government being set up at Geneva is no president imitable for England only I thinke it were not amisse to follow their fashion a little before intangling of our selves in this That seing our fundamentall Lawes in Church subverted and our liberties betrayed into the hands of Lay-Elders for whose government there is no warrant in Scripture I meane their governing Ecclesiasticall affaires Wee should rowse up a godly spirit in our selves and doe as the then free Citizens did by the domineering Presbyters in Geneva banishing them thence I say wee should kicke these Caterpillars out of our Kingdome and sweeping this rubbish from the doores of our Temples and whipping these money changers thence beate the fellowes into their old trades and handicrafts againe It might I am confident procure some more warrantable and moderate government then this which I refer to the serious
instruct the yonger Levites in the manner of Bishops but they were from the first to be instated in holy Orders and then capable to be Overseers or Bishops as they laboured to get a good degree Now I presume none will be so silly as to follow our new Presbyterian Doctrine which perswade that our government in Church by Lay-Elders is no more but this which our highly beneficed Brethren cry aloud in their Pulpits For know Reader there is no Analogy betwixt the Levites and Lay-Elders For first God appointed the one to serve at his Altar but the other hath no calling thereunto and whereas God appointed Moses to assemble 70 Elaers to beare part of the Government with him that was only in temporall affaires not in Church matters Moses was overburthened with being both King and Priest of which I have shewed you before Secondly these which had any calling or Office to serve in the Temple were instated in holy Orders being consecrated by the imposition of hands of the first borne or sons of Israel the representative Church But these Lay-Elders are not admitted into holy Orders nor are their hands filled with any thing save underhand bribes which the people to prevent their utter ruine are forced to give them to purchase their favour and friendship in this age of persecuting tyrannicall Presbyterian Government so that it is evident to any indifferent judgement that the new created Elders of our dayes have nothing to doe in our Church as spirituall Elders I allowe that there may be in severall States both civill and spirituall Elders but the civill Elders are not to meddle and joyne with spirituall in Church affaires which is the next thing in order I am to treate of There were in Israel saith Mr. Godwine in his Jewish Antiquities fol. 197. two Consistories or Courts of justice the one chiefely for Church businesse the other for the affaires of the Common-wealth The spirituall Consistory termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Synagogue the secular consistory termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Counsell and this civill Court consisted of 71 the odde one being to supply the roome of Moses over the first 70. Mr. Purchas in his Pilgrimage 112 and Galatinus conjectures that in the Counsell that condemned Christ there were the whole number of 71. And as these two Courts were severall in their places remote each from other so were the matters discussable before them of severall and distinct natures and quallities as wee may reade in the 2 of Chron. chapter 19. to the spirituall Court belonged matters spirituall or ceremoniall to the secular Consistory matters civill or criminall so Jehoshaphat reforming many abuses in Church and Commonwealth first appointed throughout all the fenced Cityes of Judah secular Judges to determine criminall causes and at Jerusalem he appointed a spirituall Court consisting of Levites Priests and the chiefe Fathers of Israel Amazia the high Priest being chiefe in causes spirituall for the Lord and Zobediah in causes criminall for the King and this spirituall Court was saith Mr. Godwin the representative Church and had the power of excommunication hence is that saying in Mathew 18.16 dic Ecclesiae This forme of distinct government in matters temporall and spirituall is in most States of Christendome and was till of late the Presbyterian party contrived to bring all into a Chaos imitated by us in England wee having spirituall and temporall Courts The one not being to meddle in any matter which properly laied in the conusance of the other for if they did from the temporall Court was a writ of prohibition issueable to stay the proceedings of the spirituall And if it appeared the matter belonged to the spirituall Court a writ of consultation was directed forth to the spirituall Court to proceede in the businesse so that it is manifest they were not to joyne together in judicature for although before in this treatise I have shewed you that the high Priest did amongst the Jewes sit in the Sanhedrin of Elders it was because he was a man excellently learned in the Talmud for if wee le beleeve Mr. Godwine he tells us that the high Priest sate there necessarily is an errour for he was not elected into that company unlesse he was a man of extraordinary wisdome for he was Judge in the Synagogue and was not ex officio to meddle in the Sanhedrin and for my part I cannot find that ever these consistories sate together in one Assembly unlesse Math. 26.3 when they assembled to conspire the death of Christ verse 5. they consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety and kill him and this was decreed by Gods owne will before he having prophesied of his suffrings before them Math. 16.21 That he should goe to Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and Chiefe Priests and Scribes In Imitation whereof sure this new set up motley medley consistory of ours counter-company of Clergy and Laiety are joyned in one to contrive a way to crucifie Christs Spouse For never were the Saints of God Christs representative Church when assembled together so scattered broken and persecuted as they are now and like to be worse should this sencelesse tirany continue under the hands of cruell ignorant Elders Things purposely called out of the meanest of the people not capable of any shame or sensible of any unworthy act and so the fitter to put in execution the unjust directions of their imperious Pastor and for the undoing of whom he please must vote to excommunication any one the Parson privately grudges Oh rare Rogues Reader pardon my expression I beleeve I doe not erre in calling them so for they are wandring Jewes and Vagabonds they pretend they had a passe from Geneva to Scotland and so for England with private directions to come by Scotland first not because they should not curse the old Proverb Omne malum ab Aquilone But because comming from Scotland they would finde the better entertainment in England It being at this day peopled with a Scottish generation which like so many larks dare under the Scotch Hobbies in a cowardly feare shroud their carcases in rush-hilles and there lie suffering the Hobby to ruffe them of all their feathers such as those would for feare give them the better entertainement Others for a foolish doting upon their Brethren for they know not what unlesse for betraying their Leidge Lord and Soveraigne having promised him Ayde which they declined for the tempting pieces of 400000. l. for in such a case though he was given up into the hands of his friends yet it was treachery in them will give them the more hearty welcome because they came from so good a people Now would our grave wise and honourable Parliament take seriously into their sage consideration the danger of these people remaining amongst us who are meer enemies to and inconsistent Rulers in our State pure Scotch incendiaries to kindlenew flames amongsts us that the frozen Scot may have another
THE INFANCY OF ELDERS A Short Treatise composed for Vindication of the Christian liberty of Free-borne denizens of England OR A Refutation of the Tyrannicall unlawfull misgovernment of our Church by Lay-Elders Written by J.S. Minister of the Word in Lancashire Gal. 5.1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not intangled againe with the yoke of bondage Printed in the Yeare 1647. The Infancy of Elders I Have long time exercised my patience in forbeareance to write something of this Subject tryfling away many dayes in a tedious expectation that some one better able would have prevented me who more fully and accurately then I know my self able to performe might have perfected this worke but seeing the daily incroaching tyranny of our new moduled Church Officers spreading like Gangrenes over the whole body of the Kingdome and none offering neither for safety to himselfe and his hereditary freedome nor for prevention of evill to his brethren to calterize or take up a veine in them to obstruct this new dangerous hot disease in our Ecclesiasticall body some though convinced in judgement that they are pernicious mischiefes in a Kingdome yet basely fearing man more then God forbeare to write against them others partly Classicall partly Episcopall but really nothing hovering aloofe with the reare-Mouse to see the battell betwixt birds and beasts with resolution to joyn with the stronger party and now perceiving the Classes headily run on forbearing to stop their proud carreer like bruit beasts creepe into some crib and there stop their mouths with meat and thinke with dumbnesse to fatten themselves without giving testimony to the world of their humane reason and indeed generally lulling themselves in a sottish silence have made themselves guilty thus farre of betraying their owne freedomes to the irreverend censures of our new stamped Elders I thought it my duty to shoot this poore paper bullet at them which if it take no impression upon them yet I hope at the rebound it may be taken up by some who perceiving the softnesse of my Ammunition will prepare harder ware against these impetuous furies however it will be some evidence to future ages to procure a non-guilty upon my name for traiterously consenting to the subversion of the furdamentall Lawes of this Kingdome and betraying that liberty and freedome which as a Free-borne childe of God I ought to enjoy into the hands of ignorant Tyrants and like wise serve to free me from a brand of instability or wandring in my principles suffering my selfe to bee tossed too and fro with every puffe of wind Know Reader I am not of such a Weather-cock temper as to bee moved from my well-grounded station though the North wind bluster high let others who lately were of my opinion till the magneticke force of earthly preferment withdrew them turne Hyperborean dotterells and imitate the fashions prescribed them by holy Highlanders whom the unseasonablenesse of some late winters forced Southward more to succour themselves in a warmer clime then out of any good intended to us natives let such I say play the Apes after them setting up their holy forme of worship and Church-government use the learned perswasions which a proud Presbyter lately reputed a good man whilest ten pound per annum at a private Chappell could satisfie him but now having betroathed a Parliament mans sister is by the strong cordage of attractive Apron-strings drawne up a hill to a benefice of five hundred pound labouring to draw his Auditory to the subscription hereof told them whose bare assertions with his rusticke Auditory passe for Oracles it was a government used in the Jewish Church and therefore to be followed by us Christians Oh rare Pulpit Rhethoricke It pities my heart to thinke how the poore Country people are misled by these blinde guides who poore Simpletons perceiving the current of the times are many of them troubled having plumbeous head-peeces to shape their Pulpit stuffe according to the humor thereof in which they take more paines for saving their benefices then their peoples soules you can scarcely goe to heare a Sermon but the subject thereof is obedience to this godly government and the Presbyterian fatlings will blatter out and quote almost every verse in the Bible that hath but the word Elder in it to prove its lawfulnesse thereby these silly quondam Sur-Johns but now Presbyter or Prester Johns Parochiall Princes doe more Lord it over Gods heritage then ever Becket Wolsey or Laud did instead of feeding leading their flocks into captivity forcing submissions to their imperious rules contrary to the doctrine and late professions of most of them and avouch Authority from the Parliament for to justifie their proceedings herein and proclaime commission for each one to be summus sacerdos sui Classis and the Eldership to bee Officers of the Church of Jesus Christ by Authority of both Houses of Parliament and who dare say against it I am loath to set perine to paper to clash against any thing debated and concluded in that High and Honourable Court having hitherto laboured to my power to propagate their cause which Cause was protested to bee and expresly set downe in the Covenant that it was the defence of his Majestics person the Protestant Religion the fundamentall Lawes and liberty of the Subject and to endeavour Reformation of Religion in the Church of England according to the holy word but now they having set up a Government not agreeable to Gods word nor consistant with the fundamental Lawes of this Kingdome as I shall shew you anon I resolving with my self that it was better to obey God then man did for prevention of further misleading captive poore soules for satisfaction of some men wavering in opinion for discharging of my owne conscience and for instructing not correcting the Honourable Parliament in hopes to adde some good soules to the number of those honest Patriots who were but by few out-voted in the setling of this Antichristian government and in hopes to worke heereby a peaceable and legall quashing of the same adventure to publish this paper wherein I shall endeavour to anatomize this giddy government and shew its illegality which undertaking if I erre through ignorance I will upon convincement from better judgement grounded upon sound divinity and reason willingly recant my mistakes and subscribe to and allow of a warrantable Eldership In the meane time I crave pardon for a little freedome of language It may perchance be wondered at by some that I being not of very grave yeares my selfe should dare to write any thing against the Grandees Seniors of our times but we have a Proverb amongst us That old men are twice children and truly such are many of our Elders they may perchance as babes desire the sincere milke of the word but I am sure many of them are not as yet growne thereby sed nucibus relictis I intend to have about with them armed to their best advantage