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

His second reason he taketh from the nature of representations, alleging that if the Elders in their Consistory represent the Church, then whatsoever they either ⟨p. 17⟩decree or do agreeing to the Word of God, that also the Church decreeth and doth, though absent, though ignorant, both what the thing is, and upon what grounds it is done by the Elders: and this how consonant it is to Papists implicit faith, he leaveth it to wise men to consider. This argument is as much against the representations of Kings and States by their Ambassadors and Commissioners, it is against the representation of Churches by the Consistory of Elders, and so all the wisdom of Princes and States in their Embassages shall turn to implicit faith, because according to this ground, what the representing doth within the bounds of his Commission, that the represented doth implicitè. And now I shall leave to be considered by wise men these vast differences betwixt the Papists implicit faith, and the case of our Churches governed by Elderships. 1. The Church assenteth not to that which the Consistory of Elders decreeth or doth, except it be agreeing to the Word of God, as the Reasoner himself saith: but there is no such limitation in the Papists implicit faith. 2. The Consistory of Elders doth not press any thing upon the Church, imperiously, or by naked will and authority without any reason, ⟨p. 12⟩as the Church of Rome doth with those from whom she requireth implicit faith. 3. The Papists know not what those things be which they believe by implicit faith: so that such a faith is rightly called mera articulorum fidei ignorantia, ¹a mere ignorance of the articles of faith: but the decrees of our Elderships whereunto our Churches do consent, are made known unto them. 4. Our Churches are by the judgement of Christian discretion to examine all things propounded unto them, even the decrees of the Elders, whereas Papists may not examine what the Church propoundeth or commandeth. 5. Papists by their implicit faith believe whatsoever the Church believeth, because they think the Church can not err, but our Churches conceive not only their particular Elderships, but ecumenical councils to be subject to error.

His second reason he taketh from the nature of representations, alleaging that if the Elders in their Consistory represent the Church, then whatsoever they either