The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

THE exception of Bellarmine and others, against this Testimony, is, that it was a grant and a condescension in Peter, and not a declaration of the Right of the Church; that it was an extraordinary case; that the determination of the whole was by Lot; are of no validity. The pretended concession of Peter is a figment; the case was so extraordinary, as to include in it all ordinary cases, for the substance of them. And although the ultimate determination of the Individual Person, which was necessary unto his Apostleship, was immediately Divine by Lot; yet here is all granted unto the people, in their choosing and appointing Two, in their Praying, in their casting Lots, in their voluntary opprobatory Suffrage, that is desired.

THE exception of Bellarmine and others, against this Testimony, is, that it was a grant and a condescention in Peter, and not a declaration of the Right of the Church; that it was an extraordinary case; that the determination of the whole was by Lot; are of no validity. The pretended concession of Peter is a figment; the case was so extraordinary, as to include in it all ordinary cases, for the substance of them. And although the ultimate determination of the Individual Person, which was necessary unto his Apostleship, was immediately Divine by Lot; yet here is all granted unto the people, in their choosing and appointing Two, in their Praying, in their casting Lots, in their voluntary opprobatory Suffrage, that is desired.

THIS blessed Example given us by the Wisdom of the Apostles, yea, of the spirit of God in them, being eminently suited unto the nature of the thing it self, as we shall see immediately, compliant with all other directions, and Apostolical examples in the like case, is rather to be followed, than the practice of some degenerate Churches, who to cover the turpitude of acting in deserting this Example and Rule, do make use of a mock-show and pretence of that which really they deny, reject and oppose.

THIS blessed Example given us by the Wisdom of the Apostles, yea, of the spirit of God in them, being eminently suited unto the nature of the thing it self, as we shall see immediately, compliant with all other directions, and Apostolical examples in the like case, is rather to be followed, than the practice of some degenerate Churches, who to cover the turpitude of acting in deserting this Example and Rule, do make use of a mock-shew and pretence of that which really they deny, reject and oppose.