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

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, Acts 20.28. Ans. 1. Ruling Elders do execute their office not only in the Consistory, but from house to house throughout all the bounds of the Congregation; wch may easily make them known to that Church where they serve, whether they be good or bad. 2. Their Consistorial sentences in all matters of importance, such as ordination, Church censures, excommunication, &c. are made known to the whole Church. 3. He passeth a short censure upon the reformed Churches. The reformed Churches is a great word, but this man maketh a moat of it. 4. The place Acts 20.28. cannot help him, for ruling Elders do feed and oversee the whole flock, both by discipline in the Consistory, and by taking heed to all the sheep severally, as every one hath need, and in that respect may be called both Pastors and Bishops. Beside I doubt he can prove that place to be meant of ruling Elders. He ⟨p. 7⟩He goeth on to make plain what he hath said,² by descending to some particulars in which the Elders office s•emeth especially to consist, and these are saith he, The admitting of members into the Church, upon profession of faith made, and the reproving and censuring of obstinate offenders. These are the most frequent public administrations of the office of Ruling Elders. And what of them? he saith, as they leave the execution of these things, to the Elders alone in the settled and well ordered state of the Church, so do they deny, that they can be rightly and orderly done, but with the peoples privity and consent. His restriction to the settled and well ordered estate of the Church, I cannot understand.