exposition I take to be most agreeable to the word of God Paul telling us in the second to the Corinthians 5.20 that the Ministers of the Gospel are Christs Embassadours praying us by the Gospel to be reconciled to God and 6. Ephes 20. Paul though in Prison was Christs Embassadour to speake the word boldly so that according to the sence of the word Presbyter Lay-Elders are not to be understood therby only the Ministers of the Gospel the Embassadours of Christ sometime the word Elder is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is inspectores overseers of their flocke Acts the 20.28 and in that Chapter it is both rendred Presbyter in the 17. ver and Episcopus or Overseer in the 28. Sunt enim Episcopi sacri gregis in spectores qui verbo gubernationi preerunt quique quasi speculatores in doctrinam mores commissi gregis inquirebant Nor are out Lay-Elders within the comprise or reach of this word for they have no flocks to feede their high Priest takes that Office to himselfe And I thinke they will thanke me for telling them so for they would hate to be called Bishops And here by the way I thinke it were not amisse should I a little explane the meaning of that much wrested and abused Text of Scripture which our Novalists so much insist upon to ensnare the people to a subjection to their new Eldership 1 Tim. 5.17 The Elders which rule well account worthy of double honour especially those which labour in word and doctrine by which Text they would perswade the people that there ought to be ruling Lay-Elders as well as teaching Elders in the Church The Elders in that place is by all Translators rendered Presbyteri not seniores Lay-Elders or Rulers of the people but I say Presbyteri that is Ministers of the gospel Embassadours of Christ so that it cannot be understood of ruling Laity but ruling or governing Cleargy nor is this interpretation either contrary to Gods word as may be proved by other Texts ef Scripture nor doth it any wise gainsay the practise of the Primitive Churches for you may finde it recorded in Posen in vita Augusti cap. 5. that there may be as well ruling Ministers as preaching Ministers for some for administration of the Sacraments for their wisdome and judgement were not unmeete to be Bishops and Pastors and yet being not well versed in the languge of the people over which they had the charge they wanted elocution to preach and yet governed their Church well as Valerius was a Bishop amongst the Romans at that time Paul writ to Tymothy and being a Grecian borne and not skilled to pronounce the Latine did not preach and yet was honoured as a reverend Father of the Church and Minister of Jesus Christ so I beleeve wee have some great Presbyters rule in Welch Benefices and know not how to teach in that language and yet will think to have double honour from their Parishoners and it is due unto them but if they could teach too then were they more to be esteemed Wee may read in the first of the Cor. 12. chap. All men had not the same gifts to one was given the spirit of wisdome to another the spirit of faith to another the spirit of healing to another the spirit of miracles to another divers kinds of tongues and ver 28 It is said in the Church God hath set some first Apostles secondly Prophets and thirdly Teachers so that if wee must goe the old way of expounding Scripture to examine one place by another wee may hence cleerely perceive that that Text of Tymothy is to be understood ruling Presbyters and not ruling Lay-Elders ruling Presbyters ordained by God and his Church and all Translators that ever I did see render it Preebyter understanding that the Elders which rule well and are to be accounted worthy of double honour mentioned in that Text are spirituall men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministers of the Gospel Christs Embassadors But admit the new Classicall wresting of that Text that it is to be understood of ruling Laiety yet there can be nothing gathered from that pace to prove that such men are to meddle in Ecclesiasticall affaires but of that in his proper place only that the Civill Elders which governed the State well were to be accounted worthy of double honour but especially the spirituall Elders which governed the Church and increased the flocke of Christ by their word and doctrine I have briefly done with the first part of this worke to wit the diffinition of the word Elder and now I will proceed to the second branch touching Civil or Lay-Elders in generall in the number of whom our Lay-Elders are not to be reckoned Wee read that Jewish State was governed by Elders almost in every Authour which writes any thing either of them their State or Government and more particularly and fully Mr. Purchase in his Pilgrimage folio 110. testifieth of them thus That their government was under 70. Elders according to the number of the persons which descended with Jacob into Aegypt and that the 70 assigned after to Moses in the 11. chapter of Numbers were but continued in their former Office with confirmation from on high but not newly instituted and ruled in Aegypt notwithstanding Pharaohs cruelty and were by Moses and Aron assembled together Exod 4.29 And thus it continued in Josuahs time till they had conquered and inhabited severall Cities then each City had its Sanhedrim or Councell of Elders proportionable to the greatnesse thereof as in Bethlem Boaz assembled 10 Elders about the matter of Ruth Ruth 4.2 1 Chron. 23.4 2 Chron. 19.8 and usually every Senate of Elders had a Levite or two to sit with them in judgement because the Elders were ignorant of the Talmud or Law which was much altered and inlarged by severall Governours of the University of Jerusalem and was lastly compleated by Rabbi Jochanan Anno Christi 500. and called the Talmud a rule in all causes Ecclesiasticall and Civill to this very day amongst the Jewes God commanded Moses in the 11 of Numbers saying Gather unto me 70. men of the Elders of Israel which thou knowest to be Elders of the people and they shall be are the burden of the people with thee c. This is a place much insisted upon to warrant our newtaking of Elders into the Church to beare part of the Government but I will make it manifest that this part of Scripture is no warrant for us to doe so heere in England The Government thus setled saith Josephus in his book of Antiquities libro quarto cap. 8. was mixed the Monarchy being in Moses but qualified with an aristocracy in the 70 and democracy as it were appeared in the often Assemblies of the people this but continued saith he till they desired a King and then it ceased and whilst it continued it was only for temporall affaires the Elders not being to medle in any Ecclesiasticall matter for
consideration of our wise Parliament in hopes their wisdomes will take due care to prevent the impending miseries of our Nation for very many thousands will rather have moderate Episcopacy up then this senselesse government of Lay-Elders which are indeede no Rulers but meere stalking Horses or Asses or a disguise wherein the Presbyters may plunder the people of liberty of conscience pretending it is not the Art of Cleargy only pritty judgling but no more of this stultum est obsurdas opiniones accuratius refellere I will proceede to treate of that part or division of this worke lies next in order to wit of spirituall Elders in generall and that our Lay-Elders may not rightly be taken for such Every Bishop Presbyter Pastor or other grave and reverend Divine is rightly and truely called a spirituall Elder and to prove this my assertion I neede not wander far to fetch authority from rare Authors the Apostles themselves have saved me a labour as Peter the 1.5.1 The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder c. John in his 2. and 3. Epistles stiles himselfe and Elder in the second thus The Elder unto the elect Lady in the third The Elder unto the welbeloved Gains and wee may reade Acts 6.6 because the word of God should not be left and the people to serve tables wherefore the Apostles desired the people to looke out among themselves 7 men of honest report full of the Holy Ghost and of wisedome whom they admitted into holy Orders by praying and laying on of hands who were called Elders so Paul Acts 14.23 when he passed through severall Countries upon his being stoned at Lystra in Licaonia ordained them Elders in every Church Elders in that place by all Translators being rendred Presbyters or Bishops men of holy Orders to succeed the Apostles who being thereunto thus lawfully called have Gods promise to let his holy spirit rest upon them even unto the end of the world Math. 28.20 It being promised to such as teache his people to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you even to such who had Commission to teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Wee may reade likewise Iames 5.14 If any be sicke among you let him send for the Elders of the Church and let him pray over him anointing him with oyle in the name of the Lord the word Elder being there translated Presbyter which is of the same signification with us as Sacerdos was under the Law There are many more places of Scripture to prove spirituall Elders in the Church But I will briefely shut up this point with the 20 of the Acts where it appeares how Paul at Melitum called the Elders from Ephesus verse the 27. and telling them that they must see his face no more he charges them verse the 28. that they should take heede unto themselves and to all the flocke over which the holy Ghost had made them Bishops to feede the Church of God by all which and other Texts of Scripture it is evident that the word Elder generally in the new Testament signifies feeding and praying Ministers not loytering lazie Lay-Elders Officers no more requisite in a Church then a company of drones are usefull in a hive of Bees unnecessary evills meere horseleeches to sucke the peoples bloud who have no neede of Phlebotomy but I leave the Jewish Laiety which I hope will no waies arrogate this Office unto themselves though their holy Fathers their high Priests endued with great store of impudence and ignorance tells them they are instated into holy Orders by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when with hands lifted up at their elections they tooke the Covenant by which Covenant I would have them to understand they are to degrade themselves from their Office for it being on foote in Scotland is no warrant for them to continue it heere in England the words of the Covenant being That wee shall endeavour the reformation of Religion in the Church of England according to Gods holy word and I cannot finde one Text in Scripture to warrant their calling in the Church they being Lay-men nor will that argument which some frame from the Levites having severall places of trust about the Temple serve to prove their Office and Government It is true that in Moses time Gershon Cohath and Merari Levy his three Sons had the Office to pitch to take downe and to beare up and downe the Tabernacle and the vessells thereof the Gershouites charge was to carry the coverings and hangings of the Tabernacle the Cohathites the chiefe things within the Sanctuary and the Merarites had charge of the wood-workes and the rest of the instruments of the Tabernacle This was their Office during their abode in the Wildernesse whilst they were on their Journey but afterwards when they were setled in the promised Land David changed their Office some being appointed to have charge of the Treasure of the Temple 1 Chron. 26.20 others to be Overseers and Judges others to be Porters and Singers 1 Chron. 23.4 The Singers were to be clad in linnen robes 2 Chron. 5.12 hence doe some argue that the government by Elders is no more then what was in Davids time when the Levites were The Levites were Judges and Overseers to which objection I give this answer God by his divine and eternall decree had appointed the Tribe of Levi to serve at his Alter and minister unto the people as wee finde it recorded in the 10 of Deut. verse 8. God seperated the Tribe of Levi to beare the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord and to stand before the Lord to minister unto him and to blesse in his name even to this day And Deut. 11. and the 5. The Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy Tribes to stand and minister in the name of the Lord him and his sons for ever And Moses in the 33 of Deut. verse 8. prayes That the Vrim and Thummim of the Lord be with thine holy One meaning in that place one of the Tribe of Levi who verse the 10 shall teach Jacob thy Judgements and Israel thy Law they shall put insense before thy face and burnt offrings upon thine Altar It is manifest by those places of Scripture that it was Gods holy will that the Tribe of Levi should serve at his Altar all of them being instated in holy orders by imposition of hand and although amongst them there were certaine degrees according to which Paul writ in the 1 to Tim. 3.13 that they that have ministred well get themselves a good degree as Godwyn in his Jewish Antiquities fol. 22 observes as when they had been a moneth initiated they were to be presented unto God Numb 3.15 and they were consecrated by imposition of hands at 25 yeeres old Num. 8.24 And they were to carry the Tabernacle up downe from 30 to 50 and afterwards they were to oversee and
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
opportunity to warmehis fingers at an English fire which is likely to come to passe if these malapart Officers be not quickly supprest Nor can their wisdomes blame the Christians who for defence of their just freedomes and liberty of conscience without any sinister ends shall cause new stirs and in defence of their liberties and Religion endeavour to chase this new tyrany forth of the Kingdome And I am assured would their wisdomes but duely examine their businesse heere they would plainely find it is for no other end And withall would their grave judgements but seriously poize the validity of their passe to come and settle here they would finde it altogether insufficient and no warrant either by Gods Law or the Law of Nations for such people by people of other Nations directed hither to settle and make a constant abode heer And I am confident their Honours upon due consideration hereof would either send them from Constable to Constable backe into Scotland or else whip them quite home to Geneva which that they may doe The Lord who is Ruler of all mens hearts dictate this to his servants in the Parliament that they may put their helping hands to this worke and then the Lord prosper the worke of their hands Oh prosper thou ô Lord their handy worke I will but adde one reason more why the Lay-Elders are not to meddle in the spirituall consistory and that is because they were never included within the power of the keyes given to the Apostles and their Successors which power hath from them devolved into our Church Some affirme the Gospel to have been preached heere by Paul the Apostle but I cannot learne any certainety of that But the Apostles being under the persecution of Nero I finde that Philip and divers of the godly fled into France who severed themselves asunder the better to propogate the Gospel about the 64 yeere after Christ he sent over into Brittaine one Josephus together with one Simon Zelotes to preach unto the Britaines and administer the Sacraments according to the Rites of the Church of Greece which Josephus saith William Malmesbury in his booke de Antiquitate Glasconici Monasterii was buryed at Glassenbury and John Bale following the Authority of Gyldas and other English Writers saith that it was Joseph of Arimathea and about this time did divers of this Nation receive the Christian faith and were baptized Not long after all Authors agree that Lucius King of this Isle sent to Eleutherius Bishop of Rome Anno Christi 177 not promising any subjection to his See that not being desired only obtruded upon King Henry the second in Beckets businesse but to say with such as were pricked in minde Acts 2.37 Men and Brethren what shall wee doe to be saved Eleutherius understanding the desires of King Lucius to be baptized and to professe and maintaine the Christian Religion and withall perceiving the able parts and sufficiency of those two Britaines Lucius had for this purpose sent over to him did consecrate them Bishops and sent them backe into Britaine And withall he taking into consideration that the converting of some and establishing of all of this Isle in the Christian Faith was a taske too great for two to undergoe Though he had knowledge of their faire progresse herein yet for their ease helpe and incouragement in so great a worke he sent over more labourers after them into this Harvest who for the better propogating of the faith and winning of soules unto Christ and that all might be instructed they divided the Kingdome into Circuits amongst them There being by Lucius and his Nobles appointed three superintendents or Arch-bishops instead of three Arch-Flamins which ruled before in time of Paganisme placed over the rest one at London another at Yorke another at Carleon in Monmouth-shire This Bishopricke of Carleon was after removed thence to St. Davids in Wales thence into Normandy Yorke continues Metropolitan still London was translated to Canterbury by Austine the Monke Lambert in his perambulation of Kent fol. 63. And although the English Saxons had not received the Gospel till Ethelberts time in whose Raigne Gregory the Pope upon occasion of seeing sweet faced boyes to be sould in the Market and inquiring of them of what Nation and Countrey they were he was told they were Angli and of the Province of Deira their Kings name being Alla to which Gregory replied well may they be called Angli à Dei ira liberandi to sing Hallelujah unto the Lord whereupon Austin the Monke was sent over and preached in Ethelbert his Kingdome to the English Saxons at Canterbury Anno Christi 596. Yet reverend Bede and divers others testifie that the Britons who by the impetuous fury of the Saxons were beaten hence into Wales embraced the Christian faith many hundred yeeres before Austins time Lambert Perambulation of Kent 19. Holinshead History of England 51 and had their Church government by convocations assemblies of the most learned and best Divines which in some course and order continued amongst us till this new fashioned Presbyters started up but never had any Lay-men to joyne with them in that action it being conceived not to be warranted by Gods word Some perhaps will wonder at me that I should digresse so far from my purpose for vindication of Bishops affirming them to be by Lucius our first Christian King established in this Land I might say they were ordained by the Apostles themselves Act. 20.28 but this is no part of my purpose only laid in the way to prove our Church by the Apostâ—â—s planted heere some say by Paul but certaine by Philip and by the Church of Rome in after times which then was a true Church much pâ—â—â—â—â—â—ted I say it is not my purpose to vindicate Episcopacy I am too weake a prop to uphold such a tottering and reeling Fabricke Yet armed inwardly with truth outwardly with argument I will boldly tell you Reader I care not who wonder at me let them be wondring still and in their wonder snarle at me I would rather be subject to moderate Episcopacy then our Classicall Presbytery such Episcopacy as should not Lord it over Gods Heritage for wee know our Saviour rebuked James and John Mar. 10.42 Luke 22.25 When the one desired to sit to his right hand the other on his left in his Kingdome saying The Kings of the Gentiles beare rule over them and their great ones exercise Authority upon them but it shall not be so amongst you Such Episcopacy as should have no temporall honour or office to withdraw them from their spirituall function there being appointed in every County one Superintendent or Bishop who with his Assembly of Divines of that County should governe the Church and decree Ecclesiasticall Causes I say such Episcopacy I would rather embrace and submit unto it then a company of ignorant Elders for better it were to be governed with prudence and knowledge then with pride and ignorance two things incident to our
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
admitting them their sage and politique capacities as Elders and yet will take them off their feet and throw them upon their backes ere I leave them In prosecution whereof though it be not my custome to play with words yet for method sake I will first insist upon the definition of the word Elders Omnis enim qui de re aliqua instituitur sorme debes à definitione proficisci ut intelligatur quid fit de quo disputatur and prove that our Lay-Elders are no waies to be understood the things signified by the word Secondly of Civill Elders in generall and that here in England our Lay-Elders are not within that notion Thirdly of Spirituall Elders in generall and that they cannot be rightly taken for such Fourthly that Civill Elders are not to joyne with Spirituall in Ecclesiasticall affaires For the definition of the word Elder Verstegan and divers others affirme that it is an abreviation of a word which we borrow from the Saxons called Salden ealder which word is used for grave wise and expert men men which for their deserving parts excellent above others were made choice of to be Officers in the Common-wealth or else for such their noble deservings were promoted to dignity and honour And hence hath that custome growne in England That out of the Nobility were selected the most discreet and grave Barons and were made above the ranke of Barons Ealdermen In the Danish tongue Eorles in English Erles a name we continue to this day And indeed Erles and Elders are both one in the literall sense So likewise we have in every ancient Burrow a Court of Ealdermen that is to say Elders men of most sufficiency and discretion and these men were to bee honoured of others for their worthy and Noble vertues according to which Mr. Purchase in his booke called His Pilgrimage fol. 125. faith The Iewes have an affirmative precept to wit rise before thine Elder the word Elder being expounded in that place by Rabbi Jose saith it signifieth a wise man though young in yeares and to him the people were to rise at foure cubits distance and being past to sit downe againe according to this interpretation my Lord Cooke that grave and reverend Judge of the Law in the first part of his Institutes fol. 168. saith Aldermani non ita dicuntur propter aetatem sed propter sapientiam dignitatem adolescentes exim essent juris periti experti But stay I must not digresse too far from my businesse for what doth this concerne our reverend Coblers Websters Taylors Skinners c the Ruling-Elders of this age to whom I am sure the sense of this word is not applicable unlesse in reference to their Trades and Handicrafts and yet these filly upstart fellows now made Lay-Elders begin to puffe and swell already with pride and conceit themselves by a wonderfull providence to be exalted above their former equalls expecting submission from the people as unto Rulers for my part I shall acquit them of this crime and give my voice that the poore simple bumpkins are not to be blamed for it it being according to their education and tutoring for sith their Minister or High Priest tells them that their government was used amongst the Jewes well may they expect the circumstance or concomitance of their office to follow along with the office it selfe to wit that according to the Jewish custome the people should rise up before them But this is not all that causeth this timpany of pride in them they are further instructed that they shall reap profit by their places the same or more their territories considered as Bishops formerly exacted from the people Now this considered me thinkes the people have very much betrayed their liberty who gave any consent to this government for that whereas formerly the greedy gripings of Bishops and their officers were censured for high incroachments upon the peoples priviledges and freedomes and propriety in their goods they must needs now expect a huge multiplication of extortion from a numerous rable of Lay-Elders poore and meane fellowes put into Office who being called from their Trades and Handicrafts which was their livelihood must now of necessity live upon the people But I will proceed to a further explanation of the word The word Elder is sometimes taken for aged and hoary headed men as Levit. the 19. cap. the 32. ver our English translation renders it thou shalt rise before up the hoary headed And the 1 of Tim. 5.1 It is used for a word of Age not Office and all translations of such places render it Senior not Presbiter rebuke not an Elder translated by Beza by Junius Tremelius seniore non increpato by Erasmus seniorem ne savius objurges but all seniorem not Presbiterem Intreate him as a Father the yong men as Brethren It is likewise a word of age the 1 of Pet. the 5.1 The Elders which are among you I exhort c. and ver 5. likewise yee yonger submit your selves unto the elder but in this latter place it is a word both of Office and Age. Peter bidding them feed the flocke and therefore is the word there rendred Presbyteri as it is alwaies where it signifies Church Officers but not comprehensible of lay Elders of which anone in all other places it is rendred seniores Reader what is in other Countryes I cannot tell but in this County of ours in which these Master-ships Country Lay-Elders are leapt into Authority upō a private petitiō of some lordly Pastors mē never heard of by many thousands till the Ordinance came downe I know not any one particular man of them that is comprised within the sence of the word that is to be a hoary headed man but they are generally as non-sensically called Elders in this interpretation as they come short for challenging the name in the first to wit grave wise and expert Since God hath set these fellowes over us as a punishment for our sins and a meere reproach unto the Nation that men should rule over us that are not endowed with any thing to be honoured in them no not so much as with this which their Muse Dame nature amongst the rest of their Arts she hath quallified them with might easily have bestowed upon them but I will proceed a little further in expression of the Word and see if it will any wise concerne them The word Elder sometimes is a word of Ecclesiasticall Office and not of age and is as much as to say Priest or Bishop and is scarce mentioned in the new Testament in any other sence unlesse Mathew the 26.3 Math. 16.21 Jo. 11.47 where it is rendred Elders of the people which all Translators render seniores in other places it is translated Presbyter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the Greeke signifies seniores aetate Magis prisci qui Ecclesia presunt the word being derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Legatus mittor to be sent an Embassadour and this
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-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
Lay-Elders and this were agreeable to the word of God the power of the keyes or of Ecclesiasticall Authority being given to the Apostles and their Successors Apostles and Ministers not Lay-Elders I say the power of the keyes being given to all the Apostles in generall not to Peter only as is affirmed by Cajetan in his book de primatu Romanae Ecclesiae cap. 5. and by Jerome in his first booke against Jovinianus quod sine dubio emnes Apostoli a Christo non a Petro susceperunt claves And the Holy Ghost is plaine in it whatsoever yee shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven Math. 18.18 and the 1 of the Corinth 5.4 In the name of our Lord Jseus Christ when yee are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such an one unto Satan c. And Joh. 20.23 Christ came and stood in the midst of his Disciples after his resurrection and said peace be unto you receive yee the Holy Ghost whose soever sinnes yee remit they are remitted unto them c. All which places of Scripture plainely shew that the keyes were given to all the Apostles in generall though in the 16 of Mathew they were given to Peter alone that is to be understood saith one that Peter was to have power over the rest of the Disciples but as to others their power was all alike And Christ in the 28 of Math. 19. dielegating this power unto the Apostles in generall bid them goe and teach all Nations and verse the 20. Loe I am with you even unto the end of the world he promising his spirit to be with them that is in their succession to the worlds end their Successors though ordained by men having the same power of jurisdiction the Apostles had as Augustine in his first booke de Doctrina Christiana cap 18. plainely affirmes Potestas data Apostolis successoribus non data suit propter meos sed propter Ecclesiaem qua propter perseverante Ecclesia potestas data Apostolis aebet perseverare I have been a little too tedious in this particular but Reader your pardon it was only to shew who have Ecclesiasticall power and are to medle in the Church and it is plaine they are the Apostles and their Successors men lawfully ordained and having a lawfull calling thereunto 1 Tim. 3.7.4.14 by the laying on of hands of the presbytery of the first borne of Israel the representative Church Acts 6.6 Hebrewes 12.23 not rashly 1 Tim. 5.22 but consultly instating such in holy Orders as are blamelesse apt to teach not covetous not a Novice lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devill 1 Tim. 3. he must upon examination likewise be found to be one which may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and convince the gainsayers Titus 1.9 and such as these being admitted into holy Orders to teach and instruct others have Apostolicall power in their Assemblies to binde and loose upon earth and so dic Ecclesiae expressed in the 18 of Mathew the 16. is to be understood of men in holy Orders assembled together to binde and loose upon earth 1 Cor. 5.4 as I have already shewed you It doth not follow that every Presbyter in his Parish with his Classe of Elders hath this power it were absurde to alledge it I have shewen you that this power was given to the Apostles in generall and their Successors and the spirituall Consistory must consist of such 1 Cor. 5.4 Now Lay-Elders can no waies be said Successors to the Apostles they neither being instated in holy Orders nor within the rules prescribed by St. Paul to be admitted thereunto unlesse wee must in this topsiturvy time of ours send our grave wise Doctors to the Scoole againe to be taught by silly Lay-Elders which scarce know their A. B. C. not fit to exhort much lesse to convince such and so tread Antipodes to the practise of the Primitive Churches obtruding as Laiety no waies claming from Levi to be Rulers and Governours in our Church such a Laiety as I may justly say are meere Idols in our Church so that wee have wrought a priâ—y worke and brought about a fine Reformation instead of Pictures and Crucifixes in stones and windowes which with much zeale were demolished wee have placed in our Churches walking Images things that represent Elders and which the people worship as Elders but really and truely are none in the litterall sence they are not Elders grave wise and expert as I have shewed you and admit they were yet they are Lay-men not truely Church Officers as spirituall Elders and are not to joyne with spirituall Elders in any Church affaires so that for the people to worship them as Elders or to rise up before them is to commit Idolatry to prevent the occasion of which good King Hezekiah caused the brazen Serpent which was set up for a good end to heale the people that were bitten of Serpents Numbers 21. to be broken in peeces 2 of Kings 18.4 In imitation of which good Act as also in commiseration of the free borne people of England groaning under the Tyranny and slavery of this worse then high Commission Court I hope our happy Parliament who hitherto have shewen themselves ready and willing to redresse grievances will not in this time of necessity crying loude unto them for helpe forget their wonted practise of goodnesse to relieve distressed people and take off the heavy pressures of the Kingdome but will rid the people of this one and only grievance in the Kingdome neither warranted by Gods Law nor the Lawes of this Kingdome any further then it is their pleasures to continue it And they will ingage a multitude of prayers for their prosperous proceedings in all their undertakings the which that they may speedily doe the Almighty God of Heaven who art a present remedy in all distresses and a ready helpe at hand for them that are in misery the only wise God the great Counsellour and ruler of all mens hearts dictate this to his servants in the Parliament that wee may be freed from this intollerable slavery to Gods glory the Parliaments honour and our owne joy and comfort in the Lord Jesus Amen Thus have I briefely couched together some collections and short meditations of mine owne which to the indifferent and not forestalled judgement will give some satisfaction in the businesse I have treated of that these fine feathered Buzzards Lay-Elders deckt with Ecclesiasticall Plumes are meere counterfeits Semiramis Elephants which were but stuffed oxe hides which had a gallant undaunted Army in suspence counterfeit Diamonds not such as Christs Spouse lookt comely with Cant. 1 9. Bolton halfe crownes not lawfully stampt with Caesars Image Scotch twenty-pences the base coyne of a copper Nation not currant English but such as every one may lawfully deny and I am confident the wise and judicious Reader seriously considering this will not with the yong Dotterell Birds be inticed with chaffe to be caught in this net though never so privily laied but will beare off and keepe himselfe free till he see them fall in their owne mischiefes and themselves caught in the share which they have privily laid for others and if unadvisedly through ignorance he hath suffered himselfe to be drawen in to consent unto this government yet he will in time unintangle himselfe from the bondage thereof As for the perverse and obstinate Presbyter which hath wedded the government together with some fat Benefice and cannot divorce himselfe from the one without leaving the other having vowed perpetuall incumbency to himselfe I know his heart is hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin and I cannot diswade him from his Classicall beneficiall cure Let him that is uncleane be uncleane still spoken to obstinate and wilfull sinners for my part I doe not seeke to wash Blackmoores I 'le give him leave at his Sunday dinners and spirituall pig-feasts when none is by but his Lay-Elders to raile against me and would extreamely thanke the pontificall Parson would he but write any thing subscribed with his owne hand in contradiction to what I have here writ that I might have further occasion to anatomize the tyranny of him and his Elders In the meane time what I have heere writ shall suffice hoping shortly to heare that this Government will be abolished so that wee shall neither neede to wrestle any longer against it in words nor with Peter to draw the sword to cut off the High Priest servants care Malcus who had he lived till now would have beene Crop the leader in this teame of Lay-Elders but I say I hope to see these Hobby-Horses unyoked againe before they run to woode with the Church for they must needs goe whom the Devill drives And having loosed them out of their Ecclesiasticall Tresses wee will turne the Jades to their old Rustich drudgeries againe which will be the better for them the sooner it is because they will the more easily come to themselves againe and it cannot be worse for us to see them reclaimed from their wincing conditions and our selves freed from the evill thereof So that I conclude this worke with an earnest desire that this may speedily come to passe and Quo citius to Melius FINIS