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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96941	A modell of the government of the church under the gospel, by presbyters, proved out of the holy scriptures, to be that one, onely uniform government of the universall visible church, and of all nationall, provinciall, classicall and congregationall churches: which is according to the will and appointment of Jesus Christ. Which may serve to stay such as are doubting, with hope of full satisfaction, and clear demonstration of this truth, shortly to be made by the reverend Assembly of Divines. / Composed by a Presbyterian minister of the city of London, and approved by divers of his learned brethren, and at their request published.	Walker, George, 1581?-1651.	1646 (1646)	Wing W362; Thomason E342_3; ESTC R200927	24,926	36

for their works sake And 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the word and doctrine And Heb. 13. 7. Remember them who have the rule over you who have spoken to you the Word of God and vers. 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account These and divers other Scriptures do clearly shew what that Government is which Christ hath appointed in his Church 8. The next part to be considered is to whom Christ Jesus first committed this Government and where he first setled it and in what Church from whence it is derived propagated and communicated to all other Churches which shall be in all ages And in this the Gospell is very clear For it tells us that he first and immediately committed it to his Apostles as they were to teach all Nations and to be the Pastours of the universall visible Church In their hands and in that Church he first setled it for the use of all the members thereof even all Nationall Provinciall Classicall and particular Churches gathered by the Gospell preached in every Nation Countrey State City and Circuit That the Lord Christ having all power in Heaven and earth given unto him did give Authority to the Apostles to preach the Gospell to all Nations to baptize them and to teach them to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them I have before shewed out of the Gospell Math. 28. 19. 20. That he gave to them the keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven and power to open and shut to binde and lose to remit and retaine sins it is manifest Math. 16. 19. Where he said to Peter when he answered in the name and as the mouth of all the rest Thou art Christ the Son of the living God I will give to thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven and whatsoever thou bindest one earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt lose on earth shall be losed in heaven and Math. 18. 18. where he gave the same power to them all againe and Iohn 20. 23. Whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted to them and whosesoever sins ye retaine they are retained And that they ordained Presbyters Bishops Pastours and Teachers in the name of Christ and by the Authority which he gave them it appeares Act. 14. 23. where it is written that Paul and Barnabas ordained Presbyters in every Church of the converted Gentiles and Act. 20. 28. where Paul admonisheth the Presbyters whom he had ordained in the Church of Ephesus to take heed to the flock over which the holy Ghost had made them Bishops that is overseers And they appointed the same order and forme of Government in all Nationall and Provinciall Churches and in every Classis and particular Congregation as in Iudea and Ierusalem so in Corinth Ephesus Asia Galatia Macedonia Creet and the rest as divers Scriptures besides those before named 1 Cor. 4. 17. and 2 Cor. 10. 8. and 13. 10. do abundantly testifie as Ephes. 4. 12. where Pastours and Teachers as well as Apostles are said to be given by Christ for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery and for the edifying of the body of Christ and 1 Thess. 5. 12. where he mentioneth some who laboured among them and were over them in the Lord and Act. 15. 6. where we read of a generall assemblie of Apostles and Presbyters gathered to consider a great matter and to decide a controversie and send out their decree to all Churches and 1 Tim. 3. 1. 2. c. where the office of a Bishop that is a Pastour or overseer is commended for a good worke and the qualification and ordination of such after triall and examination is described as also of Deacons and 1 Tim. 5. 17. where mention is made of ruling by Elders and by them who labour in the Word and Doctrine and vers. 22. of ordaining by laying on of hands and also Chap. 4. 14. And Tit. 1. 5. and 1 Pet. 5. 1. 2. and Iames 5. 14. where Elders of the Church and their worke and behaviour is prescribed In all these places we have Church Government set forth in Presbyteries and in the hands of Presbyters and Presbyteriall Bishops Pastours and Teachers lawfully called and upon due triall ordained by imposition of hands as being that Government appointed by Christ and observed in all Churches But of no other forme of Government do we read in any writings of the Apostles and Evangelists in the New Testament For as there is but one God and Father of all and one Lord Jesus Christ and one faith one Baptisme and one whole universall Church which is but one body moved and informed by one Spirit 1 Cor. 8. 5. and Ephes. 4. 4. 5. So every member of this one body in every Nation City and Countrey and every Congregation of Christians whether Jewes or Gentiles is informed moved and guided by that one spirit as the Apostle testifieth Rom. 12. 5. and 1 Cor. 12. 12. 13. as Pastours and Teachers so also governments are set in the Church by God and the spirit distributeth gifts to them as he himselfe will 1 Cor. 12. 11. and 28. And there is but one law to all which is the word of God which is called the law of Christ Gal. 6. 2. and the law of the spirit of life Rom. 8. 2. because the spirit speakes to none neither doth move or guide any Christian but by this word and law of Christ Iohn 16. 13. 14. as was before shewed What Church soever doth swerve or decline in any materiall or substantiall point of Doctrine or Discipline from that one law and rule of Christ which is the heavenly paterne shewed to us in the Scriptures as the Paterne of the Tabernacle was shewed to Moses in the mount Exod. 25. 40. That Church comes so much short of Apostolicall perfection and hath in it too much mixture of humane policy and infirmity Whatsoever new light proud vaine foolish and fanaticall persons may pretend all sound and stable Christians both ought and will looke to the law and to the testimony of Christ and if any speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa. 8. 20. In respect of this our uniforme Government by one law the word of Christ and one spirit the soule and life of the whole visible Church it is a body uniforme homogeneall and similar And as in all naturall uniforme bodies every part hath the same name with the whole as every particular part of aire is called aire and every river fountaine and drop of water is water and is so called as well as the whole element Even so every Nationall Provinciall Classicall and particular congregation in every Nation City and circuit is a Church and is so called as the Church of Judea Act. 11. 22. 26. the Church

and to diliver him unto Satan 1 Cor. 5 5 13. And he himself delivered unto Satan Hymenaeus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1. 20. And these acts of discipline are not punishments of revenge not execution of justice in a rigid sense but Medicinall corrections of mercy and fatherly chastisements laid on the person censured not in hatred to hurt him nor in rigour to satisfie the law But in love hope desire and godly zeal for a three-fold end and use First For the mortification humiliation and repentance of the obstinate sinner that he may be made sensible of his danger and ashamed of his sin and heartily sorrowfull for it and full of contrition this is intimated by the Apostle where he saith that delivering unto Satan is for the destruction of the flesh that is fleshly corruption by mortification that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 5. 5. 1 Tim. 1. 20. he saith that he delivered unto Satan Hymeneus and Alexander that they might learn not to blaspheme and 2 Thes. 3. 14. Secondly For the preserving of the body and the rest of the members from infection for obstinate scandalous sinners will infect others this the Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 5. 6 7. Saying Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump purge out therefore the old leaven Thirdly For vindicating the Church and Christian Religion from reproach and scandall and all shew and appearance of countenancing and cherishing vile sin and wickednes which will raise an ill report commonly that Christian Religion is worse then Gentilisme and tolerats sins the names of which are loathed among civill heathen This the Apostle implies 1 Cor. 5. 1. saying It is commonly reported that there is fornication among you such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles And certainly the Jews who were according to their law so strict in keeping from the Passeover all such as had any uncleannes on them might justly reproach Christians if they should admit scandalous sinners spiritually leprous and unclean to the Lords Supper and into holy communion with them and not cast them out There is besides those censures before named another most dreadfull censure mentioned in Scripture and called by the name of Anathema Maranatha that is the cursed untill the Lord cometh 1 Cor. 16. 22. This is a curse which the Church denounceth against desperate back-sliders and Apostates who after illumination profession of love to Christ and a taste of the good Word of God and of the power of the world do come do sin against the holy Ghost and fall away into hatred and despight against the truth of which the spirit hath convinced their consciences into malignant persecution of all true godlines and into an impossibility of being renewed by repentance Heb 6. 4. This censure to speak no more of it is a sentence and judgement of the Church declaring and pronouncing that such persons are reprobates and desperate enemies of God finally accursed past hope of recovery given up to the judgement of the last day when the Lord shall come to render vengeance in flaming fire to all them that hate him and that they are to be shunned and abhorred as fire brands of hell Of this curse we have divers examples in Scripture as that which God laid upon Cain Gen. 4. That which Enoch denounced against the old world of which Jude in his Epistle makes mention vers. 14. That of David against Doeg and other enemies and against the traitour Judas Psal. 109. and that wherewith the Lord cursed the reprobate Jews when he forbad the Prophet Jeremy to pray for them Jer. 7. 16. 11. 14. 14. 11. For there is a sin unto death namely the sin of Apostasy and rebellion against the light not to be prayed for as S. Iohn saith 1 Ioh. 5. 16. Besides these acts of Government before named we read of three others The first is Ordination of Ministers which properly belongs to the preaching Presbyters who are to examine them try their gifts and inquire into their lives first and after proof made of their abilities and godly conversation to ordain them with praier and imposition of hands of this we read Act. 13. 2 3. 1 Tim. 3. 2 3 4 c. 1 Tim. 4. 14. 5. 22. Tit. 1. 5. The second is Choosing and appointing of Church Officers this is the common act of the whole Eldership together with the people as appears Act. 6. 3 5. Act. 14. 23. The third is Setting of things in good order and appointing that all things be done decently and in order in the Church this Paul injoined the Elders of Corinth to do 1 Cor. 14 40. and he promised to assist them therein 1 Cor. 11. 34. and laid this charge on Titus Tit. 1. 5. From this discourse framed out of the infallible Word of God and expresse testimonies of holy Scriptures divers Corollaries and necessary conclusions do issue which remove the doubts and answer the questions which doubting scrupulous persons shall propound concerning Church-Government whether it be in whole or part Jure divino and by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ 1. Conclus That there is one uniform Government in the whole universall Church and in every part thereof Jure divino and by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ which ought to be observed in all National Provinciall Classicall and Congregationall Churches as they are parts and members of the Church universall which is the mysticall body of Christ Proved Section 3. and 5. and 6. and 8. 2. As there is but one law to all Christians even the Word of God which is the perfect rule of Government in all Orthodox and well constituted Churches So ought the Government to be one and the same in them all among themselves and in every particular Congregation Proved Sect. 8. 3. The supream Magistracy in every Nation Countrey and State being Christians is in duty bound to be as a nursing father to the Church of Christ to set up and maintain Preachers who may by preaching the Gospel gather their people and subjects into Congregations and set up Elders in every one according to the Word of God And parochiall or particular Congregations so gathered and Elderships set up in them by the dictate and direction of Christ are Iure divino The appointment of the Civill Magistrate is onely a civill sanction it doth not make them to be Iure divino Proved Sect. 3. and 4. 4. Though all Nationall Churches rightly constituted and formed according to the Scriptures are of equall authority not any one superiour to another and likewise all Provinciall Classicall and Parochiall Churches alike well formed are equall No Provinciall superiour to another Provinciall Nor any Classicall Eldership to another Classicall Yet the deciding of a controversy in point of Doctrine or any sentence or censure issuing out and published from a greater Assembly or Eldership as from a Nationall

in the Scriptures before named Math. 28. 19. 20. Mark 16. 15. John 20. 23. and in other places where the exercise of the power of the Keyes of the kingdome of heaven which was given to Peter as the mouth of the rest Math. 16. 19. is also given in common to them all as they were the Church representative and stood in the place of all Pastours and Teachers to the end of the world In so much as if any two or three of them were gathered together in his Name he promised to be in the midst of them Mat. 18. 17. 18. 20. and Joh. 20. 23. And as the Lord Christ gave this power to the Apostles so they exercised it sometimes in common all together in the generall Assembly of the Disciples Brethren and Elders as Act. 1. 15. in the election of an Apostle in the place of Iudas and Act. 6. 2. about the election and Ordination of the seven Deacons and Act. 15 6. about the deciding of a great controversie concerning Circumcision and other legall rites not to be imposed on the believing Gentiles And sometimes two or three of them as Peter and Iohn when they were sent to Samaria to confirme the Church there Act. 8 14. And Barnabas and others who were sent to confirme the first Church called Christian at Antioch Act. 11. 22. 23. And Paul and Barnabas and Silas in ordaining Elders in every Church by them converted to Christ Act. 14. 23. But yet they altogether and everie one or two by themselves exercised and commended to the Evangelists and Presbyters by them ordained the same uniforme government and the same way in Christ both for Doctrine and Discipline So the great Apostle of the Gentiles plainly testifieth 1 Cor. 4 17. writing thus for this cause have I sent to you Timotheus who is my beloved sonne and faithfull in the Lord who shall bring you into remembrance of my waies which be in Christ as I teach every where in every Church and 1 Cor. 7. 17. So ordain I in all Churches And he who had the care of all the Churches as he saith 2 Cor. 11. 28. keeps them to the same custome as is implied 2 Cor. 11. 16. where speaking of new fashions for which some are ready to contend he saith If any man seem to be contentious we have no such custome nor the Churches of God 6. Now this ministeriall uniforme government setled by Christ and his Apostles in all Churches Nationall and Provinciall and Classicall in every Circuit as it was in the hands of the Pastours Presbyters and overseers so it was Aristocraticall But as the whole Church and multitude of believers had liberty in elections to nominate such as they found most fit to be overseers and officers and orderly to give their approbation of the Acts of the Elderships so it is in some part Democraticall As we see in the election of the seven Deacons Act. 6. The twelve Apostles appointed that seven men of honest report and full of the holy Ghost should be ordained The multitude chose them and set them before the Apostles who ordained them with prayer and imposition of hands So also Act. 15. The Apostles and Elders came together to consider of a matter and to decide a Controversie brought unto them from the Church of Antioch vers. 6. Peter and Iames debated the businesse and gave the sentence together with the Elders and all the brethren even the whole Church approved the sentence given by Iames and thereupon a decree was framed in the name of them all vers. 23. And in the ordaining of Presbyters in everie Church Act 14. 23. As the Apostles Paul and Barnabas with Silas prayed and layd on their hands so the people holding up their hands approved the election and ordination These examples and these practices of Church government in Synods and greater Presbyteries performed by men who had received instructions from Christs owne mouth and were inspired and moved there unto by the holy Ghost and the reason of them still standing in force they do shew that such Synods and acts of Church-Government are according to the will and appointment of Christ and are usefull and necessary to the end of the world And all Churches ought to conforme unto this speciall Government Ob. But some do object that the Apostles were men of extraordinary gifts and calling and had an infallible assistance of the holy Ghost which did lead them into all truth and could do in their Synods and Assemblies things which ordinarie Pastours and teachers cannot do they could say It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us and could take upon them the care and oversight of all Churches But now it is well if one or two of the wisest Ministers can teach or rule one particular Congregation It is too much for them to meddle with the common Government of many particular Churches And therefore the examples of the Apostolicall Churches do not binde the Churches of these times Ans. To this I answer First that it was necessary that the Apostles and Evangelists should be extraordinarily called inspired and assisted by the holy Ghost that he might lead them into all truth and call to their remembrance all things whatsoever Christ had taught them and commanded them to be observed in all Churches to the end of the world otherwise they could not have been the infallible penmen of the Scriptures which are the certain rule both of Doctrine and Discipline Neither could their example and practice have been an heavenly paterne of Divine Authority to all succeding ages But after the publishing of the Gospell by them to all the world and their writing of the holy Scriptures and leaving them recorded for a sure rule of teaching and ruling to all Christian Churches there is no more need of any such extraordinary calling and gifts in their Successours but ordinary Pastours and Teachers by the ordinary light and direction of the holy Ghost who hath made them Overseers over the Church may be as able to exercise Discipline and censures as to preach and propound sound and saving Doctrine in the Church out of the holy Scriptures of the Apostles which are as plain a rule and as certain a direction for ruling as they are for preaching And to confirm us in this assurance we have the promise of Christ that he will be with his Ministers in all ages to the end of the world as he was with his Apostles not only in teaching and Baptizing people but also making them observers of all things whatsoever he had commanded Matth. 28. 20. Secondly This objection is of no more force against the imitation of the Apostles in their practice and acts of Church Government in Synods and greater-Presbyteries then it is against preaching their doctrine contained in their writings For they were men of extraordinary calling and gifts in teaching as well as in ruling And if that be a good reason against ruling after their example It is so also against

Provinciall or Classicall is generally of more authority and more to be respected in all Churches then the same sentence and determination proceeding from the Eldership of a lesser or particular Congregation as we see Act. 15. Where the decree of the Apostles and Elders in a Nationall or rather Oecumenicall Synod at Ierusalem was of more authority in all Christian Churches then if it had proceeded from the Eldership of Antioch in which were Paul and Barnabas the two great Apostles of the Gentiles who were able to decree infallibly the same things and appealed to Ierusalem not to learn but to make their doctrine of more authority as appears Gal. 2. 2. 6. Proved Sect. 5. 6. 5. All Elderships consisting of preaching Presbyters and other Elders who do rule well and all the members of such Elderships are Jure Divino and by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 5. 17. and the acts of Government done by assisting Elders together with preaching Presbyters who by their office and calling have authority and ability to expound the word and law the infallible rule of Government are certainly according to the will and appointment of Christ and being conformed to the rule are ratified in heaven Math. 18. 18. 6. All superiour Elderships and greater Assemblies whether Nationall Provinciall or Classicall consisting of preaching Presbyters successours of the Apostles and Evangelists and of other assisting Church Elders who are chosen members of the universall Church unto the common Pastours whereof the Apostles Christ immediatly committed the Government of the whole Church and by them to the Presbyters who do succeed them in severall Nations Provinces Cities and circuits are by the superiour Assemblies and Synods held by the Apostles and Elders gathered together at Jerusalem about matter of greater concernment Act. 6. 2. and 15. 6. and 21. 18. warranted and declared to be Jure Divino and by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ Proved Sect. 8. 7. The Appeals from Congregationall Elderships to Classicall and from Classicall to Provinciall and Nationall are by the Appeal of the Church Presbyters and the two great Apostles Paul and Barnabas at Antioch to the high Synod at Ierusalem warranted and demonstrated to be Iure Divino and by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ and their powers also 8. Occumenicall or universall Assemblies consisting of Pastours and Elders chosen out of all true Orthodox Christian Churches and sent as delegates from every Nationall Church are warranted by that Synod at Ierusalem Act. 15. In which the Apostles there residing together with the two great Pastours of all the Churches of the Gentiles Paul and Barnabas and the Elders in Ierusalem and delegates from Antiochia Syria and Cilicia were assembled to decide a Controversie which concerned the universall Church of Christ And cannot with any good reason be denyed to be Iure Divino and by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ 9. Though notorious scandalous offences for which persons thereof guilty are to be kept from the Sacrament of the Lords supper untill they professe repentance and promise amendment are easie to be discerned and noted by the generall multitude who may privatly judge them to be such Yet the Lord Christ in his word gives power and authority to none by vertue of their office and calling to judge and declare by publike sentence what scandalous offences are worthy of such a censure and to keepe persons guilty of them from the holy Communion But onely Elderships Congregationall Classicall or others meerely Ecclesiasticall in which there are preaching Presbyters who are able and have a publike calling from Christ to expound the word of God which is the law and rule by which scandalous sinnes must be judged and censures given and executed For on their persons and consciences the scandall and guilt will lye heavy if they profane the holy Sacrament by giving it wittingly to such as will eat and drinke unworthily and be guilty of the body and blood of Christ 1 Cor. 11. 17. Proved sect. 3. and 5. 10. There are certain particular rules as the Scriptures cited in this foregoing discourse and divers others do shew some openly expressed in the word of God others by necessary consequence from thence diducted which sufficiently direct all Elderships and all persons who are Elders in them in the exercise of the power Ecclesiasticall before mentioned and in performing all necessary acts of Church Government as receiving accusations publike admonition reproofe rebuke refusing to communicate with or to admit to the holy Communion sinners convicted of scandalous sins and persisting therein without repentance Excommunication and casting out of the Church them who refuse to be ashamed and reclaimed by the former meanes used and continue in contumacie disobedience scorne and contempt of the Churches iudgement and proceeding with them in the Name and by the Power of the Lord Jesus Christ Proved Sect. 9. 11. Although the Scriptures give great power to Christian Kings and Supreme Magistrates over the Church of God in their dominions and the civill Government thereof is in their hands And all Christians and Ecclesiasticall persons of all orders and degrees are bound in Civill matters to be subject to them and to obey and honour them Rom. 13. 1. Tit. 3. 1. and Pet. 2. 13. And as nursing fathers to the Church Isai. 49. 23. they have the power which David Solomon Asa Iehoshaphat Hezekiah and Iosiah exercised in purging and reforming the Church in commanding Ministers of the word and Church officers to execute their offices faithfully in punishing with Civill censures and deposing such as are scandalous and incorrigible in providing maintenance and setting up able Ministers to teach and instruct their subjects and allotting Gods portion to maintain his worship and service in his Church in granting liberty to all to professe true Christian religion and to make lawes for the punishing and restraining of wicked profane persons from disturbing their people in the holy service of God Yet seeing the exercise of Government meerly Ecclesiasticall and the administration of holy ordinances is by Christ committed to the Apostles and their successours Pastours Teachers and Church officers with promise to be with them to the end of the world And the office and authority of expounding the word which is the law and rule of Ecclesiasticall Government is left in their hands without mention of Civill magistracie which neither then was Christian nor for many ages after and yet the Church was well Governed encreased mightily and flourished in all piety religion and godlinesse Therefore the supreme Magistracie is not allowed nor warranted by Scripture but excluded from intruding into the administration of holy Church ordinances and must leave the power of judging and determining of all things which concerne the publike worship and service of God to the infallible word of Christ the holy Scriptures and to those who are by God set apart and furnished with gifts and abilities and ordained according to

Christs institution unto the office of expounding the word and ministring in all holy things in the Church the house of God of which they are stewards officers and Ministers Proved Sect. 3. and 5. 12. Church Discipline without sound Doctrine is a body without a soule The key of Doctrine is the soul life guid and direction of Discipline and those two keys of the Kingdome of Heaven are inseparably tyed together and committed by Christ to the same hands Discipline hath no power nor authority over the conscience but from the word rightly applyed They who are bound and loosed on earth according to the infallible word are also bound and loosed in heaven And Censures erring from the word are void in heaven Sect. 9. 13. Civill Magistrates other grave godly wise and discreet men are not excluded but may be chosen assisting Church Elders and together with preaching Presbyters may rule and Govern in those Elderships whereof they are Elders and have power and authority by the word of God to judge and determine in the Presbytery together with the Pastours and not otherwise who are scandalous offenders unworthy for the present to be admitted to the Lords table For the word expounded by Ministers thereunto lawfully called is the law and perfect rule of all acts of Church Government and Censures 14. Provision of Commissioners who are no Church Elders and who are authorised onely by the Civill Magistracy to judge who are scandalous offenders not fit to receive the holy Sacrament is in the judgement of the best Divines of the reformed Churches and appeares by Scriptures before alledged to be a meere invention of humane policie which hath no example or warrant in Gods word and a manifest usurpation and giving of that power to others which Christ hath appropriated to the Apostles and Presbyters of his Church and so is contrary to the will and appointment of Jesus Christ Godly ministers generally are of this judgement that their approving and yeelding to the practice thereof is a breach of the Nationall league and Covenant King Vzziah was plagued by God with an incurable leprosie for medling in the administration of holy ordinances and in so doing his heart was lifted up to his destruction and he transgressed against the Lord his God 2 Chron. 26. 16. In many men who highly applaud extoll and vehemently urge this new device and practice it favours too much of scorne contempt envy and a most uncharitable opinion conceived against the godly learned faithfull Ministers of Christ and watchfull Pastours of his Church and brands both them and all those who are to be set up hereafter in all places of the land if the godly reformation desired be really intended and sincerely prosecuted with insufficiency and want of grace to do the worke unto which God hath called them It seemes to call in question the faithfullnesse of Christ who hath promised to be with them allwayes even unto the end of the world Math. 28. 20. Many wise and godly people hold it a perverse imagination and a thing unreasonable to thinke that wise discreet and godly men being chosen Elders of the Church and joyned in Elderships with learned and faithfull Ministers who can expound the word and give them the true sense of the law of Christ shall or will not be more able to judge of scandalls and what persons are fit or unfit to be admitted to the Lords Supper then the same persons being commissioners by themselves As if Christ were not able ready and willing to give grace and assistance to them which are his chosen servants and ministers of his Church in things spirituall all as the supreme magistracy is to give to his new formed Creatures who are never owned by Christ in all the new Testament Surely no rationall man will so much as dreame That Ministers of Christ who are able to teach the supreme Magistrate his duty how to be just and to rule over men in the feare of God are not able to rule their owne flock over which the holy Ghost made them overseers or that Church Government in their hands to whom Christ hath committed it will prove more arbitrary irregular unlimited and tyrannicall then the Government both of Commonwealth and Church in the hands of Civill Magistrates seeing Ministers and Church Elders have a certaine and infallible rule the word of God to which alone they are limited and by which the spirit of God is promised to direct them in all Censures and Church Government But civill Magistrates have no such speciall promise of assistance from Christ and they rule by the uncertain lawes of men and have an arbitrary power to make lawes which are sometimes found contrary to the word of God and therefore unjust and tyrannicall over the Consciences of Christians till they be repealed and declared to be void And there can be no just suspition or feare of tyranny in the Government of the Church left in the hands of Church Elders where Christ hath placed it seeing the supreme Magistracy as keeper of both tables in all Christian Kingdomes and states hath as much Civill power to curb and punish them for male-administration of Church Government abuse of their power and manifest corruption of Christs ordinances and to depose and cast them out of their office when they are scandallous and incorrigible as they have to reprove him by Gods word for any notorious scandallous sinnes to admonish him of his duty to threaten him from God and to lay his judgements close to him when he goeth on in his sins of injustice profanenes licentiousnes and the like And now I will conclude all with some breif answers to the grievous accusations and loud clamours raised against the Ministery in generall as if the staine and guilt of all those errours and scandallous vices of pride covetousnes ambition and ignorance envy and cruelty which were found heretofore in the corrupt Popish and Prelaticall Clergy did still cleave to all Presbyters and Pastours of Christs Church and were hereditary to them We meet with this accusation and calumnie now adayes allmost in every company and at every rich mans table and in every libellous Printed pamphlet set forth weekly by Newes Mongers That Presbyterians are as proud as Prelates and if Ministes get into their hands Church Discipline they will tyrannize and Lord is over their flocks and the same spirit of pride envy covetousnes errour and cruelty will worke in them which ruled in the Prelates and in popish Bishops formerly To these I answer first That if we search all histories of the Church in all ages we shall never finde in any Church or Kingdom so many godly learned faithfull and sincere Ministers holding so fast their integrity of life and purity of doctrine under so great corruption of Government both in Church and State and after so great tyranny raging in both together with so many temptations hatred and persecution of godly and zealous Preachers and so open countenancing of prophanenes errour and heresie as we have had of late years and have at this day whom neither persecution losse of goods and estates nor bonds nor imprisonment no nor hopes and offers of preferment honour or riches could move from their stedfastnes And yet all this cannot stop the mouths of the sons of Belial whose hearts are hardened and their tongues set on fire of hell to revile the Ministers of Jesus Christ whose blamelesse lives convince them of malicious slander lying and impudency Secondly It is manifest to all equall and judicious men that the supreme Magistracy hath been the cheif cause of such an ungodly and scandallous Ministery pestring this Kingdome of late yeares For who like Jeroboam did preferre the basest of the people to be Priests of the high places namely Court flatterrers ambitious bribers importunate beggers Simoniacks and slaves to great mens lusts but the suprem Magistracy licentious Nobility profane gentry and covetous patrons of benefices Who but the supreme Magistracy hindred the lawfull ordination of Ministers by Presbyteries after strict examination and tryall had of their learning and gifts and upon testimony and experience of their honest life and conversation and gave the sole power thereof into the hands of those who commonly hated true godlines and either carelessely or corruptly and of purpose admitted vile unworthy persons into the holy calling of the Ministry who were either unlearned and not gifted or if learned and men of parts were vicious men of corrupt minde prone and strong to do mischeif Thirdly the supreme Magistracy by robbing the greatest part of parish Churches and selling away all impropriat Benefices to the Nobility and Gentrie and they covetously retaining them in their possession have made the Churches and Ministery base contemptible and beggerly And Lastly it seemes to reflect upon the supreme Magistracy in these dayes That there is such a scarcity of profitable pr●●●chers and that many Congregations are wholly unprovided and others are out of necessity forced to content themselves with soule-starving shepherds and many young men of learning and of hopefull gifts finding no lawfull way of entering into the Ministery and terrified with the intolerable taxes and other great grievances and discouragments under which many Ministers of great worth do lye groaning are moved to withdraw their mindes from the study of Divinity and betake themselves to other callings This certainly is not the fault of the learned Presbyters of this time who earnestly desire and have petitioned for liberty by the civill sanction to joyne together in Classicall Presbyteries and to ordaine Ministers according to the advice of the Reverend Assembly and the rules by them gathered out of Gods holy word It remaines therefore that they and all the godly in the land do cry mightily unto God in dayly prayer that he would pour out his spirit upon the high Court of Parliament and incline the heart of the supreme Magistracy to yeeld to the petitions and importunity of the City of the Assembly and of the Ministers of the Countrey and to be intreated in so necessary pious profitable and religious a request so easily granted to satisfie the longing desires and hungring and thirsting soules of all godly people that they and we may rejoyce together in the Lord and may blesse his holy name for the abundance of peace extended to us like a river and the Lord Christ may be our King and his Name one in all the three Kingdomes FINIS