A demonstration of the trueth of that discipline which Christe hath prescribed in his worde for the gouernment of his Church, in all times and places, vntill the ende of the worlde Wherein are gathered into a plaine forme of reasoning, the proofes thereof; out of the scriptures, the euidence of it by the light of reason rightly ruled, and the testimonies that haue beene giuen therevnto, by the course of the churche certaine hundredths of yeares after the Apostles time; and the generall consent of the Churches rightly reformed in these latter times: according as they are alleaged and maintained, in those seuerall bookes that haue bin written concerning the same.

CHAP. 5.

NOne is to be admitted vnto any pub∣like office in the Church vntill he be thorowly examined by the eldership, both concerning his state of Christi∣anitie, & abilitie to that place where to he is to be called, T. C. 1. book: page 38. Disci. Ecclesiast fol. 46: They thinke one may do it, as appeareth by the book of ordering, &c. VVhit∣gist page 134. & 135. and their slight passing it o∣uer, thorow the Archdeacons hands.

The former is prooued, and the latter disprooued thus.

1 Those that are to ordayne, must haue par∣ticular knowledge of the parties to bee orday∣ned, (or else they breake the rule prescribed them, 1. Tim. 5. 22) which cannot be without ex∣amination: But the Eldership is to ordaynee∣uerye Churche officer, as shall appeare in the Chap. of Ordination: Therefore it belongeth to the Eldership to examine, &c.

2 The matter of greatest importance in the gouernement of the Churche, must be done by the most able gouernours of the same: The ap∣proouing or disproouing of Churche officers, is the matter of greatest importance, because the consequence of ruling well is the best, or ill the worst: and the Eldership is the Senate of most able gouernours in the Church, as shall appear in the Chap. of Eldership: Therefore the Elder∣ship is to examine, &c.

3 The way whereby a mans insufficiencie is best espyed, and his abilitie discerned, is the fit∣test to examine them that are to be admitted: But by the eldership (consisting of diuers) his in∣sufficiencie

is best espyed, and his abilitie best discerned, for the common prouerbe telleth vs that many eyes do see more then one: There∣fore it belongeth to the Eldership, &c.

4 They are to examine Church officers, that are least subiect to be blinded with partiallitie: But the Eldership is least subiect to partiallitie, both for that they be many, who are not so ea∣sily ouer ruled by affection or fauour, as one, as also (and that especially) for that it being the Lords owne ordinance (as shall appeare) we are to perswade our selues, that his spirit shal guyde them: Therefore it belongeth to the Elder∣ship, &c.

5 The way that was vsed in the Apostles time in examining, is of vs to be folowed, vnles some reason out of the word to perswade the consci∣ence, can be alleadged to the contrary, which none haue euer yet done: But many vsed in the Apostles time to examine, as appereth in cho∣sing out one to be in the place of Iudas, Act. 1. 22. 23. and fit men for Deacons, Act. 6, 5. wherof the gouernours especially were some, for that they were to ordayn vpon knowledge, as is said in the first reason: Therefore it belongeth to the Eldership. &c.

6 They whose testimony the people may best credit, are to examine them that are to be admitted: But the people may best credite the iudgement of a company of able and sufficient men, which the Eldershipp rightly established must needes be: Therefore it belongeth to the Eldership. &c.

7 Examination belongeth vnto them which

may most perswade the people of his sufficien∣cy, & so procure gretest reuerence vnto him in his place: But the examination by the Elder∣ship is such: Therefore it belongeth to the El∣dership, &c.

Therefore if they that are to ordain, must ex∣amine: if it be a matter of grerest waight in the gouernment of the Churche, & they the most able to dispatch it; if by them his sufficiency or insufficiency be best found out; if they be hard∣liest carried away with affection or parciallitie; if the examination was suche in the Apostles time; if the people may (in reason) giue most credit to the examination that is by such; if that kinde of examination perswade the people best of his sufficiencie, and procure him greatest re∣uerence in his place: then must it needs folow, that it pertaineth to the Eldership to examine those that are to bee admitted to any office in the Church.

There is nothing obiected against this, that hath any shew of reason in it, and ther∣fore it were needles to set any thing downe.

Notes

• The Conclusion