The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

FOR this cause the people obedient to the Commands of our Lord, and fearing God, ought to separate themselves from a wicked Bishop, nor mix themselves with the Worship of a Sacrilegious Priest. For they principally have the power of choosing the worthy Priests, and rejecting the unworthy; which comes from Divine Authority or Appointment; as he proves from the Old and New Testament. Nothing can be spoken more fully representing the Truth which we plead for. He assigns unto the people a Right and Power of separating from unworthy Pastors, of rejecting or deposing them, and that granted to them by Divine Authority.

AND this Power of Election in the people, he proves from the Apostolical Practice before insisted on. Quod postea secundum Divina Magisteria observatur in Actis Apostolorum, quando in Ordinando in locum Judae Episcopo, Petrus ad plebem loquitur. Surrexit, inquit, Petrus in medio discentium, fuit autem turba in uno. Nec hoc in Episcoporum tantum & Sacerdotum, sed in Diaconorum Ordinationibus observasse Apostolos, de quo & ipso in Actis eorum Scriptum est. Et convocarunt, inquit, duodecim, totam plebem Discipulorum, & dixerunt eis, &c.

ACCORDING unto the Divine Commands the same course was observed in the Acts of the Apostles, whereof he gives instances in ⟨p. 81⟩the Election of Matthias, Act. 1. and of the Deacons, Chap. 6.