The true form of church government first instituted by Christ, novv used and practised in all the reformed churches of Germanie, France, and Scotland: humbly presented to the high and honourable court of Parliament, at this time most happily assembled. Plainly proved by Scripture, rectifide reason, and the testimonie of the Church, some hundreds of yeares after the Apostles time, and the generall consent of the Churches rightly reformed in these latter times, contrary to the Romish, and our archiepiscopall government.

CHAP. VII. (Book 7)

EVery officer of the Church must be ordained by the laying on of the hands of the Eldership, T.C. 2. booke, 1. part. page 274. Dis∣cip. Ecclesiast. fol. 53.

They say if ought to be done by the Bishop alone, Whitgift▪ page 196. their daily practize doth likewise shew it.

The former is proved, and the latter disproved by these reasons follo••ing.

1. As Church officers were ordained in the Apostles time, so must they be continually, for they did lay the plot, according whereunto the Church must be built unto the end: but they were ordained in the A∣postles time by the laying on of the hands of the Eldership, Act. 6 6. & 13.3. Therefore the Church officers must be ordained by laying on of the hands of the Eldership.

2. Church officers must bee ordained by them that have warrant from the Word, to assure the parties ordained, that they are called of God: Onely the Elders••ip hath such a warrant, 1 Tim. 4▪ 14. There∣fore they ought to be ordained by the Eldership.

3. Many of the sentences alledged before, out of Councels, Empe∣rours Lawes▪ Histories▪ and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 writers both old and new, for ele∣ction not to be by one▪ but by divers, speake also of ordination, and so are forcible to this purpose.

* 1.14. E••agrius came to the office of a B••sh••p unlawfully, because one∣ly Paulinus ordained him▪ contrary to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of many Canons, which provide, that they should not bee orda••n••d, ••ut by all the Bi∣shops of the Prov••nce, or (at the least ••y three.

* 1.25. When a B••shop is to be ordai••ed, &c one Bishop shall pronounce the blessing▪ and the rest of the Bishops with the Elders pr••sent, shall all l••y on their ••ands.

* 1.36. When a Bishop was to be ordained, the Bishops adjoyning did ordaine him.

Therefore if Church officers were ordained in the Apostles time, not by one,* 1.4 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by the E••dership, consi••ting of many; i•• they be to ordaine, that have warrant out of the Word, to assure the parties ordained, that they are called of God; if ordination by one B••sh••p be unlawfull and contrary to many canons of Councels; if the Bishops and Elders were to lay on th••ir h••••ds: lastly, if the B••shop•• adjoyning were to ordai••, 〈…〉〈…〉 needs follow that Church offic••rs are not to be or∣dained 〈…〉〈…〉 the laying on of the hands of the Eldership.

But t••ey fight ha••d aga••nst this, because it s••riketh at a maine pillar of their ••ingdom••, th••ir chiefe grounds be these.

1. Object. Paul and Barnabas ordained Elders, where is no menti∣on of an Eldership.

Answ. They are said to ordaine, because they being the chiefe pro∣cured it; so is Joshua, 5.3. said to circumcise, which was the Levites

office, so say we, the Queene hath made a law, and yet not she alone maketh any.

2. Ob••ection. Though it were so then, yet is it not so required now, no more then the community in the Apostles time.

Answer. There was no more communitie then (for they that thinke otherwise, are in that point Anabaptists) then is to be required now, so that instance maketh for us.

3. Ob••ect. Examples are no generall rules to be followed.

Answ. Examples not contrarying any rule, or reason of the Scripture, be to be followed, as if they were commandements, so that notwith∣standing any thing alledged to th•• contrary, it remaineth upon the for∣mer gro••nds most stedfast, that it belongeth to the Eldership to ordain those Church officers that are to be imployed in the publike service of God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Theod••••et Book 5. cap. 3
• * 1.2

  •• Concil▪ Car∣t••ag. c••p 23.
• * 1.3

  Cypri••n, lib. 1. Epi••t. 4.
• * 1.4

  The Conclu∣sion.