The Presbyterie.

I. THis is found in Holy Writ, and the Holy Ghost is pleased to men­tion it by name, (1 Tim. 4. 14.) for the due honour there­of.

II. This consists of Presbyters, called [Page 2] Elders, 1 Tim. 5. 17. or Parochiall Bishops, or Bishops of particular Congregations, Acts 20. 17, 28. Phil. 1. 1. of equall authority a­mong themselves, not Lording over Gods heritage.

III. These have a divine Institution by the Holy Ghost, Acts 20. 28. and are ordained by the Apostles, Acts 14. 23. and by the Apostles commandment, Titus 1. 5. 7. and have warrant we see from the Ca­nonicall Scriptures.

IV. These were joyned with the A­postles, and sate in the Councell at Ierusalem with them; and with them made and sent out by the di­rection of the Holy Ghost the De­crees, Acts 15. 4. 6. 22. 23. 28. & 16. 4. & 21. 18. 25.

V. These Elders were they who by divine authority did rule, they were called Elders that ruled, of such speaketh the Apostle, 1 Tim. 5. 17. Heb. 13. 24. and the people had an Apostolicall charge, to know them to be over them, in 1 Thess. 5. 12. and to rule over them, Heb. 13. 7. and the people were to obey them, and submit to them, Vers. 17. What can be more clearely delivered out of the Text.

VI. The rule of these was Aristocra­ticall and conjoynt, and therefore we reade plurally of Elders; the Bishops in one Citie, Acts. 20. 17. Phil. 1. 1. Yea, Elders were ordai­ned in every Church and Citie; Acts 14. 23. Titus 1. 5.

VII. These rule after God, according to his Word, and according to such Constitutions as shall be genera [...]ly (with one consent) agreed upon, and warranted by the Word.

VIII. These can and doe rule spiritually after a spirituall manner, Without pompe and great revenues, With­out a traine of domesticke atten­dants; Without their Chancellors and Archdeacons, Commissaries, and Officials, Surrogates; Without Advocates, Doctors, and Proctors; Without charge of great fees, and pecuniary mulcts; Without their prisons corporally to punish Delin­quents.

IX. These use no base nor no lewd companions to come to call Delin­quents before them.

X. These calling offendors before [Page 4] them, proceed religiously with them onely, seeking their reforma­tion and amendment; (and so they finde it) and not to ma [...]e game of the people, nor doe they ever ex­communicate any for not paying fees.

XI. These oppose all corruptions in Gods worship, the life and do­ctrine in all sorts, as well in the Clergie as Laitie, without respect of persons, to honour thereby their Christian profession, and to procure glory to God, and salvation to ma­ny soules.

XII. These make and ordaine a prea­thing Ministry, setting over every particular Congregation a sit Pa­stor, resident and painfull, onely at­tending his [...]ecke, and wholy gi­ving himselfe unto his Ministry, and not putting off his charge to a Cu­rate.

XIII. These allow not any one of them upon himselfe to ordaine.

• 1. Any Minister alone.
• 2. Nor any man altogether to be Minister, without a particular slock to attend upon.
• 3. Not to bee made to pay any thing for his Ordination, for a Li­cense [Page 5] to preach, for Institutions and Inductions.
• 4. Not to sweare Canonicall o­bedience to them.

XIV. These Ordaining Ministers doe throughly try them, not childishly by asking of questions read out of a booke, and answers made thereto upon the same booke; but in wisedome as shall bee thought fitting for them to aske, and the Ordained to answer unto with understanding, and this is done with fasting and prayer very so­lemnely.

XV. These having thus ordained Pa­stors over Congregations, presse them to preach unto their flockes, and thereof to be very carefull, or else shall they bee called before them, and censured for neglect of their duty herein.

XVI. These impose not needlesse Ce­remonies; Crosse, and the Surplice, and such like, to bee used in the time of Gods worship; for they observe the Apostolicall rules for indifferent things, and know how grievously they should sinne in im­posing any such things upon Mini­sters, [Page 6] not sufficiently perswaded of the lawfulnesse thereof.

XVII. These punish no Ministers for neglecting any indifferent, but for neglect of performing necessary duties to God and men.

XVIII. These seeke Pastors for to feed the people, and to fit them for the Congregations, as they are lesse or greater, and learned or otherwise, and may be most for the perfecting of the Saints, the worke of the Mi­nistry, and the edifying the body of Christ, Ephes. 4. 12. such they carefully preferre without sinister ends.

XIX These study carefully with all di­ligence to hold up goodnesse, and that sinne in all sorts may be spee­dily cut off.

XX. This Presbyterian Government therefore admitteth of foure kinds [Page 7] or degrees of Assemblies, for the well governement of all in onely causes Ecclesiasticall.

XXI. The first is the Assembly of the Parish, called a Session or Consi­story; this consists of one Minister, commonly approved for his lear­ning, his life, and discretion in go­vernement. Secondly, of certaine men called Elders, men of best knowledge and holiest life in all the Parish: their number are moe or fewer, according to the large­nesse or sinallnesse of the Parishio­ners; they are chosen with the peoples consent in their presence, and solemnely admitted to their charge: their meeting is weekely, by these (to wit, the Pastor and Elders) are Parishes well ordered, as the Law of God, and Law Ec­clesiasticall of the Land appoint them, according to the Word. To these Assemblies come another sort called Deacons, to receive directi­ons in their duty concerning the poore; for about them is the Dea­cons employment, men grave, hol­ding the mystery of faith in a good conscience, 1 Tim. 3. 2.

XXII. By this Assembly weekely at home among themselves, the spi­rituall estate of the people is looked into; their walking also towards God, and one towards another in love: Religion is upheld, and the exercise thereof; Gods worship kept and upheld from pollution, Sacraments from being prophaned by the keeping backe of unworthy persons, scandals and offences re­moved, abuses reformed in breach of the Sabbath, vertue nourished, & vice is suppressed, in persons and in families by the office of these Elders, throughout the whole Pa­rish, to the joy of well-doers, and without chargeable expences to the Delinquents.

XXIII. The second is, The Presbyteriall or Classicall meeting: which con­sists of particular Pastors of parti­cular Churches in a certain circuit, much like to our severall Deana­ries; and as with us there be many Deanaries, so are there to be many Presbyteries.

Here an Elder of every Parish, appointed by the particular Session thereof, doth come and meet with the Ministers; and with these o­thers also intending the Ministry, who here exercise their gifts.

This meeting of theirs is some­where [Page 9] once a weeke, but it may be once a fortnight, or at farthest once in a moneth.

This hath the power of Jurisdi­ction and Ordination, Deprivati­on, Visitation, tryall of Processe, of Excommunication from the Paro­chiall Session, and direction to the Minister of the Parish to excom­municate, if need be.

Here the life and doctrine, the diligence of Ministers (within the Presbyterie) is look'd into, and so the lives and behaviours of their Elders, and the disobedience of any one to the Session, is with authori­ty censured.

This is begun and ended with Prayer, as religious meetings should ever be.

XXIV. The third is called A Provinciall Synod: there be many such with us as Diocesses.

This consists of all such Presby­teries within such a circuit, as may be like our Diocesses, and every Synod is kept twice a yeare.

Hitherto come all the Ministers, and one Elder from every Parish. It's begun with Prayers and Prea­ching, by a Moderator of a former Synod, who is ever here chosen; and when he hath done, another is chosen for the present.

Then they proceed to try all the Presbyteries, how they have orde­red [Page 10] themselves in their meetings, and faithfully discharged the power and authority committed to them, and this tryall is by the records pre­sented to the Synod by the Clarke of every Presbytery. In the end they conclude with Prayer.

Here is no calling for Procurati­ons, nor purchasing of Licenses; no paying of money to an Apparitor, nor to a Register to shew letters of Orders for better, and not for such base ends is this pious Synod kept.

XXV. The fourth and last meeting is, The Generall and Nationall Assembly, the highest Ecclesiasticall Judica­tory, and kept commonly once a yeare at the place appointed.

This consists of Ministers and El­ders, from every Presbytery, where are also present persons of highest place, and of the Nobilitie.

This is begun with a day of Hu­miliation: after which is chosen by the Assembly, a Minister to bee Moderator or President. Here is handled all causes Ecclesiasticall, concerning the whole Church of God, every one hath his free voice: [...]hes [...] [...]les are propoun­ded, [Page 11] and satisfied; and whatsoever is ordained, is with consent of all: there be also chosen out certaine Commissioners, to present what of all is thought fit to the Parliament, the King, the Counsell of the King, or the Convention of the Estates.

XXVI. By this most happy subordinati­on of these foure, stands the beauty and strength of the Church Go­vernment, comfortable to all godly Pastors and Professors; onely di­stastefull to Prelaticall spirits, to Papists, Atheists, Hereticks, Schis­maticks, prophane and Machiavi­llan Statists; for by this Governe­ment all these are crushed in them, first appearing in Parishes by the Session weekely, or in the Rurall Presbytery monethly, or by the Provinciall Synod in the halfe year; but if these be not so prevalent on a sudden, yet are they mightly sup­pressed once in a yeare by a Natio­nall Assembly.

XXVII. Under this Presbyterian Go­vernment godly Ministers and peo­ple are much encouraged, in prea­ching, in hearing, in frequenting Sermons in conferring together af­ter Sermon, in fasting and praying, [Page 12] no hinderance of neighbourly and Christian meetings, to reade godly means bookes, allowed to be prin­ted. No lett, but rather heartning for one to instruct another; to build up, to edifie one another, without wicked jealousie of unlawfull con­venticling, whereby knowledge of God increaseth, and brotherly love among the people.

XXVIII. This doth allure none unto it, but onely the warrantablenesse of it, the goodnesse of it; the singular benefit which commeth thereby to the Churches of Christ, where it is erected; to wit, the safety of soules, the beating downe of sinne and iniquity, the humbling of the people by often set fastings, and other holy duties, which all that feare God should more affect in Ecclesiasticall government, then all earthly preferment.

XXIX. This is the governement of the Churches of Christ, the reformed Churches, with which we confesse our selves to be one; and never was it east out, where once it was ere­cted, [Page 13] and carefully practised among them, as any way hurtfull to reli­gion, or the Civill State.

XXX. This, since the beginning of Re­formation, hath beene desired of painfull and conscionable Teachers, and in following their desires to enjoy it, have suffered much, as all know, for their writing and prea­ching, praying, and petitioning to Soveraigne Authoritie and Parlia­ment for the same.

Lastly, this could never yet bee endured here; to make a tryall of it, and to discerne it in the happy fruits of it, as is humbly desired by many thousands to be admitted.

The Prelacie.

I. THis is not to be found in the Apostles writings, nor doth the HolyGhost vouchsafe to name it, as being an over-topping title which Christ approves not of.

II. This consists of Prelates, called [Page 2] Diocesan Lord Bishops, Lording over their brethren contrary to Christs forbidding, Mat. 20. 25, 26. and Lording over their people, contrary to the charge of S. Peter, 1 Peter 5. 3.

III. These have no divine Institution▪ there is for their present standing no warrant from Christs word; but what they rest upon are two false Postscripts, Apocryphall writings added to the end of the second Epi­stle to Timothy, and the other to Titus.

IV. There is no mention made of these kinde of Bishops, they had then no beeing; nor was there in this Councell then any mention at all of any Bishop, nor any as yet had that name till Pauls preaching at Ephesus, who first mentioned the name of Bishops, Acts 20. 28. and yet meaning no other then Elders, Verse 17. neither then, nor long after, Titus 1. 5. 7.

V. These Lordly Diocesan Bishops have no rule over us in the Lord; if they have, let them from Holy Scripture shew it as the Elders can; the truth is, the rule which these exercise is meerely humane, and from the authority of men; as hath heretofore been acknowledged by themselves.

VI. The rule of these is Monarchicall, and but one in a Citie, and over a great Diocesse, extending their power very farre beyond that they are able to performe.

VII. These rule after the will of man, and according to either Popish, or their owne devised Canons, thrust upon the people after the pleasure and lust of some, without warrant from Holy Scripture: the truth of this appeares from their former and late Canons.

VIII. These neither can, nor doe rule spiritually after a spirituall manner; but with pompe: they cannot bear up their Prelacie, but with great revenues, with many attendants; and all these fore-mentioned, which the Presbyterian governe­ment hath utterly shaken off, as both needlesse and very burthen­somely grievous.

IX. These use Apparitors and others to cite men unto their Courts, very lewd and base fellowes all of them, of an evill report among the peo­ple.

X. These make gaine of the peoples [Page 4] sinnes by their fees, in all and eve­ry of their Courts, and seeke not their amendment; for what one is made the better by them? and if any of them pay not fees, they are excommunicated by them.

XI. These tollerate many corrupti­ons in Gods worship, in mens do­ctrine and lives in the Clergy; as is knowne by shamefull instances to the House of Parliament, and in the Laity, who if great, fearing to meddle with them; if rich, by ma­king gaine of them; if very poore, neglecting them because no money is to be had; to the great disgrace of profession, to Gods great disho­nour, and to the fearefull damnation of many soules left to themselves: of the truth thereof God and men can witnesse.

XII. These make and ordaine a read­ing Ministry, allow Pluralists, Non­residents, idle Ministers, many gi­ving themselves unto the world; not a few Master Doctors intru­ding themselves into secular af­faires, putting off their Cures to some poore Curates.

XIII. These take upon them to or­daine alone.

To Make a Minister without a charge: to be some Curate, or to employ himselfe otherwise till a Li­ving fall.

To be made to pay his fees for Ordination, and License; and when [Page 5] hee is to be admitted into his Li­ving, to pay for Institution and In­duction, with other gratuities to the Prelates servants, and their gentle­men Apparators; and are forced to sweare Canonicall obedience to their Lordly Authoritie.

XIV. These make Ministers upon slight tryall, and in their Ordination the Bishop out of booke readeth his questions, and the Parties to be Or­dain'd answer them, by reading in the book very babishly; and instead of fasting, the Lords day after Ember weeke; and for prayers, they reade the Letany and some short Collects out of the book: thus slightly doing one of the weightiest works of the Ministry in the Church of Christ.

XV. These having ordained Ministers, Instituted and Inducted them, al­low them not to preach, except they come and procure a License so to doe: Which when they have gotten, though they seldome or ne­ver preach, they are never called into question for the same: so be it they reade their Service.

XVI. These impose these Ceremonies, as so necessary, that they cry out No Ceremony, no Bishop, though they know what S. Paul saith touching the use of things indifferent; they neither observe his Canons, nor fear to lay a stumbling-blocke before their brethren, nor to wound con­sciences, [Page 6] nor to cause them to pe­rish, for whom Christ died, nor doe they care to sin against Christ: of all which foure evills Saint Paul speakes in the 14. of the Romans, vers. 13. 1 Cor. 8. 11, 12.

XVII. Yet these sinners against Christ doe not onely seeke to kill soules, by wounding of consciences, ma­king them to perish; but have rui­ned many faithfull Ministers in their estates, by suspensions and deprivations; yea, they have kil'd their bodies by imprisonment, and all this onely for not-conformity, passing by many others neglecting necessary duties, being conformable. O yee heavens stand astonished and wonder.

XVIII. These seeke out and search for the fattest Parsonages to feed themselves, and to fit their carnall mindes, carefully preferring their Sonnes, their Chaplaines, their Friends, Kinsmen, and Favorites; endeavouring sometime to deprive true Patrons by cunning shifts of the right of Patronage, to place in whom they please; respecting mens persons, and not the spirituall good of the people.

XIX. These study carnally to their ut­most power, that they may hold up their owne greatnesse, and not nourish people in goodnesse: they strive not against sinne, but rather how to secure themselves in their Lordly standing.

XX. This Prelacie therefore allow­eth of no such Assemblies, for that [Page 7] they fear thereby their own down­fall; and for that they onely would have the guiding of all, in all mat­ters Ecclesiasticall.

XXI. This is not allowed at any hand under this Prelacy, but instead thereof, in many Parishes is a blind Shepheard, or a prophane Mini­ster, without learning, honesty of life, and discretion to know how to governe. Secondly, there are two Church wardens, and with them two Side men; not chosen ever for their knowledge and godly life, but by house rous chosen they be, as the house falls, and in some pla­ces otherwise, but admitted to their charge not after a solemne manner, but by their names set downe in a booke their common office is knowne; neither Pastor nor these have any rule Ecclesiasti­call, but the Church-wardens must appeare twice yearly to forsweare themselves at Visitations, to pay money for a booke of Articles, and to make presentments to the Eccle­siasticall Courts, according to these Articles, onely to helpe the Ordi­nary, the Registers Apparitors with money, but nothing reform'd in mens lives, but perhaps glasse win­dowes, and Church walls amended, Bells broken, and Ropes prepared, Pulpits, Seats, Surplisses, and Communion Tables to be all fit; weighty matters.

There be also in every Parish over seers of the poore, such as they bee.

XXII. By this their Prelaticall way, and want of the Parochian Session, all things goe awry, and great is the spirituall misery of the people; they live in much ignorance, little power is there of the life of religi­on, their worship is but customary, the Sacrament is greatly propha­ned by unworthy Communicants, open drunkards, knowne adulte­rers, common swearers, &c.

On the holy Sabbath the Lord is dishonoured, much vice raigning among them, in them; their fami­lies, (to the great griefe of such as feare God) who complaining of them, shall be heard; perhaps it may be for the Court to get money, but if others complaine of these, they shall surely feele the weight of malice and ill will.

XXIII. Under this Prelacie is no such Presbyteriall Assembly.

Here are certaine Deanaries, in every of which is held an idle Vi­sitation by an Archdeacon, or his Substitute once in halfe a yeare, to this resort all the Ministers within that Deanary where the Visitation is kept.

Hereto come the Church-war­dens and Side-men, and such as have Wills to prove.

Where we have a Sermon made by such a one as the Archdeacon shall get & appoint, after which all [Page 9] the Ministers by name are call'd to shew their appearance, but no try­all of their gifts, nor any such things as be mentioned in the Presbytery: they pay there their Paschals and Procurations, but none hardly know why. Then the Church­wardens & Side-men are called, & an Oath administred, with Articles to make their presentments by; then if any have Wills to prove, they bring them, and an Oath is al­so administred to the Executor.

Which done, the Assembly breakes up to goe to dinner; after which, the Church-wardens and Side-men doe come againe before the Judge of the Court to give in their presentments.

This done, all is ended without a blessing.

XXIV. Here is no such Provinciall Sy­nod, but the Prelates trienniall Vi­sitation, whither doe come all the Ministers out of every Deanary, one day after another, where the Prelate is, which commonly is at the Cathedrall Church, where he sits with his Chancellors. It's be­gun with a Sermon, after which the Prelate makes a Speech, such as he pleaseth to utter.

Here is calling of Ministers and Church-wardens, but no tryall of Ministers gifts, nor enquiry of their proficiency; but here is paying of Procurations, & buying of Licenses [Page 10] to rade prayers and to preach, and giving money to the gentleman Apparitor.

The Church-wardens made to sweare, and are to buy a booke of Articles, and make presentments to the Chancellour, who receives their Bils.

Here the Ministers shew their Orders and Licenses (such as have them) to the Register, who gets much money for them.

If the Prelate have any private businesse with this Clergy, or to crave a benevolence, (which dare not be denyed him) he calls them together in private by themselves.

Which ended, they may depart and goe as they came, without any religious care of them: the Prelate goes to his Pallace with his traine, and the Chancellor by an Apparator invites the abler sort of Ministers to dine with him at an Inne, to their proper cost.

XXV. Here is no such Nationall Assem­bly, but a meeting called a Convo­cation, when wee have a Parlia­ment, which is in two Provinces; one at Yorke, in which the Arch-Bishop of Yorke is President; and the other at London, where the Archbishop of Canterbury is Pre­sident; ruling and commanding, or cunningly contriving to bring a­bout what ever pleaseth him.

Here meet all the Prelates, all the great Deanes and Archdeacons, and the rest of the Prelaticall body; and to these come two Ministers called Clerks out of every Diocesse, to represent all the rest of the Mi­nisters: [Page 11] chosen these should be free­ly by the rest of their brethren; but are appointed by the Lording Pre­lates, such as they best like of▪ The Nobles and Gentry have nothing to doe here; the Prelates have ever had the Laitie, as they call them in contempt, scorning they should meddle in causes Ecclesiasticall, though never so learned and wise: here their corrupt dealing need not to be further laid open, it's so open­ly knowne and condemned by the Parliament.

XXVI. By the unhappy want of such lively meanes here, and the over­topping power of this Prelacie; many painfull Ministers have beene suppressed, many people have been grieved, Papists, Atheists, Semi-pe­lagian Hereticks have encreased; Separatists (through the Prelates severity in pressing of Ceremonies) have multiplyed, the prophane have growne into much basenesse, more and more by their proclai­ming of liberty to prophane the Lords day; and by their corrupt Courts: the proofe hereof is the common experience of all this Land.

XXVII. Under this Prelacy and Prelati­call Government, much preaching is not valued, but rather suppressed, as it of late hath beene.

They give no heartning to peo­ple to follow the means of know­ledge [Page 12] conferring after Sermons, reading together of good bookes, singing of Psalmes, and praying together, and such Christian mee­tings, fill Prelaticall spirits with the spirit of Jealousie, & causeth them to hunt after such persons, and to cite them for Conventiclers; where­by they hinder the growth of grace, and the increase of Christi­an love, knowledge, faith, and god­ly watchfulnesse one over another, much to be wished.

XXVIII. This hath all worldly allurements whatsoever may entice carnall mindes to entertain and hold it up, as greatnesse, riches and pompe, glory, high estates in dignitie, plea­sure and profit, ease, and what not, that may favour of the flesh, the fruits whereof are peoples ig­norance, prophanenesse, licenci­ousnesse, liberty, neglect in most, and contempt in many holy duties, privately and in families, reigning sinnes in publike, to be with teares lamented, no way to be suffered nor is suffered in a right ordered Church Government.

XXIX. This is the government of the Papall power, under that Romish Antichrist, against which we make open profession; and is a governe­ment rejected by all the Churches [Page 13] reformed, and cast out as hurtfull to the Church of Christ, and to a Civill State; and is now so judged to be by many worthies in Parlia­ment, and that very justly.

XXX. This hath beene upheld by sel­dome preaching Prelates, by the like Doctors, by Pluralists and Non-residents, Idle Ministers, De­pendants upon Ecclesiasticall Courts, such as eate of the fat, and hope for preferment to themselves and to theirs; these have beene persecutors, but voluntarily never came to suffer for meere Prelacie, but for other misdemeanors, if they have suffered.

Lastly, this hath stood up full fourescore yeares, and is well knowne with the unhappie fruits of it; and therefore voted against in the House of Commons.