An assertion of the government of the Church of Scotland in the points of…

The second defect which he wisheth supplied,¹ is, that the temporary ruling Elders may be made perpetual and for life, which he enforceth by four reasons. This I assent unto providing he admit a distinction betwixt the office it self, and the exercise of the same. The office of a ruling Elder ought to be for his life no less then the Pastors; yet must we not condemn those Churches which dispense with the intermission of their actual attendance for a certain space, and permit them to exercise their office by course, as the Levites did of old, whose example himself here taketh for a pattern.

The second defect which he wisheth supplied,¹ is, that the temporary ruling Elders may be made perpetuall and for life, which he enforceth by foure reasons. This I assent unto providing he admit a distinction betwixt the office it selfe, and the exercise of the same. The office of a ruling Elder ought to be for his life no lesse then the Pastors; yet must we not condemne those Churches which dispense with the intermission of their actuall attendance for a certaine space, and permit them to exercise their office by course, as the Levits did of old, whose example himselfe here taketh for a patterne.

1. 1Pag. 2, 3.

The third thing he saith is of most moment.¹ He doth complain that the Elders do not administer their public office publicly as they should, but only in their private Consistory. He doth permit them indeed to meet apart for deliberation (whereof we shall here afterward) but he will have their Church-office which in the Lord they have received, to be executed ⟨p. 6⟩publicly in the face of the Congregation. 1. Because an office public in the nature, ought also to be public in the administration. 2. Because the reformed Churches cannot know their Elders whether they be good or bad, except by hear-say. 3. Because otherwise the Elders can not ministerially take heed to the whole flock as they are warned to do,