OF THE LA W S OF ECCLESIASTICAL POLITY. BOOK Vİ. Containing their fifth Assertion, that our Laws are corrupt and repugnant to the Laws of God, in matter belonging to the power of Ecclefiaftical Jurifdiction, in that we have not throughout all Churches certain Lay-Elders eftablished for the exercife of that power. VI. whether all THE fame men, which in heat of contention do BOOK hardly either speak or give ear to reafon, being after fharp and bitter conflicts retired to a calm remem The quef brance of all their former proceedings; the causes that tion bebrought them into quarrel, the courfe which their tween us, striving affections have followed, and the iffue where- congregaunto they are come, may peradventure, as troubled tions of waters, in small time, of their own accord, by certain ought to eafy degrees fettle themselves again, and fo recover that Elders inclearnels of well advised judgment whereby they fhall vefted with stand at the length indifferent both to yield and ad- Power of mit any reasonable fatisfaction, where before they in fpiritual VOL. III. B could parishes have Lay. jurifdi&tion caufes. VI. BOOK could not endure with patience to be gainfaid. Neither will I defpair of the like fuccefs in these unpleasant controverfies touching Ecclefiaftical Polity; the time of filence which both parts have willingly taken to breathe feeming now as it were a pledge of all men's quiet contentment to hear with more indifferency the weightieft and laft remains of that cause, Jurifdiction, Dignity, Dominion Ecclefiaftical. For, Lib. viii. let not any imagine that the bare and naked difference Lib. vi. of a few ceremonies could either have kindled fo much fire, or have caused it to flame fo long; but that the parties which herein laboured mightily for change, and (as they fay) for reformation, had fomewhat more than this mark whereat to aim. Having therefore drawn out a complete form, as they fuppofe, of public fervice to be done to God, and fet down their plot for the office of the miniftry in that behalf, they very well knew how little their labours fo forth bestowed would avail them in the end, without a claim of jurifdiction to uphold the fabric which they had erected; and this neither likely to be obtained but by the strong hand of the people, nor the people unlikely to favour it; the more, if overture were made of their own intereft, right, and title thereunto. Whereupon there are many which have conjectured this to be the cause, why in all their projects of their difcipline (it being manifeft that their drift is to wreft the key of fpiritual authority out of the hands of former governors, and equally to poffefs therewith the paftors of all feveral congregations) the people first for furer accomplishment, and then for better defence thereof, are pretended neceffary actors in those things, whereunto their ability for the moft part is as flender as their title and challenge unjust. Notwithstanding, (whether they saw it neceffary for them to perfuade the people, without whofe help they could do nothing, or else (which I rather think) the affection which they bear towards this new form of VI. of government, made them to imagine it God's own BOOK ordinance,) their doctrine is, that, by the Law of God, there must be for ever in all congregations certain Lay-Elders, minifters of Ecclefiaftical jurifdiction, inasmuch as our Lord and Saviour by teftament (for fo they prefume) hath left all minifters or paftors in the Church, executors equally to the whole power of fpiritual jurifdiction, and with them hath joined the people as colleagues. By maintenance of which affertion there is unto that part apparently gained a twofold advantage, both because the people in this refpect are much more eafily drawn to favour it, as a matter of their own intereft; and for that, if they chance to be croffed by fuch as oppose against them, the colour of divine authority, affumed for the grace and countenance of that power in the vulgar fort, furnisheth their leaders with great abundance of matter behoveful for their encouragement to proceed always with hope of fortunate fuccefs in the end, confidering their caufe to be as David's was, a just defence of power given them from above, and confequently their adverfaries' quarrel the fame with Saul's, by whom the ordinance of God was withstood. Now, on the contrary fide, if their furmise prove falfe; if fuch, as in juftification whereof no evidence fufficient either hath been or can be alleged, (as I hope it fhall clearly appear after due examination and trial,) let them then confider whether those words of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram against Mofes and Numb, xvi. against Aaron, It is too much that ye take upon you, feeing 3. all the congregation is holy, be not the very true abstract and abridgment of all their published admonitions, demonftrations, fupplications, and treatifes whatsoever, whereby they have laboured to avoid the rooms of their fpiritual fuperiors before authorized, and to advance the new fancied fceptre of Lay-Prefbyterial power. |