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…

Object. 3. The Churches liberty of consenting or not consenting, asserted by the arguments above mentioned, must ever be understood to be rational, so that the Church may not dissent without objecting somewhat against the doctrine or life of the person presented. Answ: 1. The author of the history of Episcopacy part: 6. pag: 362. 364. tells us out of the book of Ordination, that the people are free to except against these that are to be ordained, and are required if they know any crime, for which they ought not to be received unto the Ministry, to declare the same. He saith further, that Presbyters are elected by the Patrons, for and in the name of the rest of the people. pag: 365. So Peresius de tradit: part: 3. pag: 200. confesseth that people should be required to object what they can against the fitness of the man to be ordained. Now then if this be all, that people may object, it is no more then ⟨p. 27⟩Prelates, yea Papists have yielded. Answ. 2. This objection cannot strike against the election of a Pastor, by the judgement and votes of the particular Eldership of that Church where he is to serve: For it is evident by the Scriptures, testimonies, and reasons above specified, not only that the Church hath liberty of disassenting upon grounds and causes objected, but that the Eldership hath power and liberty positive to elect (by voices) their Ministers. Now men vote in Elderships, (as in all courts and consistories) freely according to the judgement of their conscience, and are not called to an account for a reason of their votes. 3. As the vote of the Eldership is a free vote, so is the Congregations consent, a free consent, and the objection holdeth no more against the latter then against the former, for they are both jointly required by the Church of Scotland as appeareth by the citations foresaid. 4. Any man (though not a member of the Congregation) hath place to object against the admission of him that is presented, if he know such an impediment as may make him uncapable, either at all of the Ministry, or the Ministry of that Church to which he is presented: So that unless the Congregation have somewhat more then liberty of objecting, they shall have no privilege or liberty, but that which is common to strangers as well as to them.

Object. 3. The Churches liberty of consenting or not consenting, asserted by the arguments above mentioned, must ever be understood to be rationall, so that the Church may not disassent without objecting somewhat against the doctrine or life of the person presented. Answ: 1. The author of the historie of Epistopacy part: 6. pag: 362. 364. tells us out of the book of Ordination, that the people are free to except against these that are to be ordained, and are required if they know any crime, for which they ought not to be receaved unto the Ministery, to declare the same. He saith further, that Presbyters are elected by the Patrons, for and in the name of the rest of the people. pag: 365. So Peresius de tradit: part: 3. pag: 200. confesseth that people should be required to object what they can against the fitnesse of the man to be ordained. Now then if this be all, that people may object, it is no more then