A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many useful questions and cases of conscience are…A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are…

5. And if the Presbytery had ordained, and sent forth Timothy as an Evangelist, what inconsistency, or absurdity had been in it? You will object the less is blessed of the greater, and not the greater of the less, Heb: 7. 7. I answer, although Timothy as an Evangelist, was greater then a single Presbyter, yet that proves not, that he was (even in that capacity,) greater then the whole presbytery, one of the house of Lords, is greater then one of the house of Commons, but he is not therefore greater then the house of Commons. When a King and his people is compared together, we use to say, that he is major singulis, minor universis. Moreover, he that blesseth, is not every way greater then he who is blessed, but he is greater qua talis, in so far as he blesseth. And why might not the Presbytery be greater then an Evangelist, not simply and absolutely, but in so far as they blessed and ordained him. So Ananias put his hands upon Paul, Acts 9. 17. and afterwards certain Prophets and Teachers at Antioch laid hands on him, and Barnabas, Acts 13. 1, 3. And in so far there was a majority and preeminence in those who laid on their hands though simply and absolutely they were the greater, on ⟨p. 104⟩whom the hands were laid.

5. And if the Presbyterie had ordained, and sent forth Timothy as an Evangelist, what inconsistency, or absurdity had been in it? You will object the lesse is blessed of the greater, and not the greater of the lesse, Heb: 7. 7. I answer, although Timothy as an Evangelist, was greater then a single Presbyter, yet that proves not, that he was (even in that capacity,) greater then the whole presbytery, one of the house of Lords, is greater then one of the house of Commons, but he is not therefore greater then the house of Commons. When a King and his people is compared together, we use to say, that he is major singulis, minor universis. Moreover, he that blesseth, is not every way greater then he who is blessed, but he is greater qua talis, in so far as he blesseth. And why might not the Presbytery be greater then an Evangelist, not simply and absolutly, but in so farre as they blessed and ordained him. So Ananias put his hands upon Paul, Acts 9. 17. and afterwards certain Prophets and Teachers at Antich laid hands on him, and Barnabas,