A peaceable and temperate plea for Pauls presbytery in Scotland, or, A modest and…A peaceable and temperate plea for Pauls presbyterie in Scotland, or, A modest and…

But what our brethren deny is, that as Peter and John are Ecclesiastical parts of a single Congregation under the jurisdiction of that single Congregation is clear in the word of God; but that three or four Congregations are parts ecclesiastical of a Presbytery, and Ecclesiastically subjected to the government of the Presbytery; as John and Thomas are parts subjected to the government of a Congregation is utterly denied. But we may reply, John and Thomas are to obey their Pastor preaching, in the Lord, and by that same reason they are to obey their Pastors gathered together, with the Elders in a Synod: So by that same reason, as John and Thomas are to obey their Eldership convented in their own Congregation to govern them, by that same reason, John and Thomas of four Congregations are to hear and obey their own Elderships convented by that same authority of Christ in another Congregation, when a College of other Elderships are joined with them.

But what our brethren deny is, that as Peter and Iohn are Ecclesiasticall parts of a single Congregation under the jurisdiction of that single Congregation is cleare in the word of God; but that three or foure Congregations are parts •cclesiasticall of a Presbytery, and Ecclesiastically subjected to the government of the Presbytery; as Iohn and Thomas are parts subjected to the government of a Congregation is utterly denyed. But we may reply, Iohn and Thomas are to obey their Pastor preaching, in the Lord, and by that same reason they are to obey their Pastors gathered together, with the Elders in a Synod: So by that same reason, as Iohn and Thomas are to obey their Eldership convented in their owne Congregation to governe them, by that same reason, Iohn and Thomas of foure Congregations are to heare and obey their owne Elderships convented by that same authority of Christ in another Congregation, when a Colledge of other Elderships are joyned with them.

But I come to the Scriptures of God. If when the Churches of Syria, Cilicia, Antioch and Jerusalem were troubled with a question, whether they should keep the Law of Moses, and be circumcised, and could not determine it amongst themselves in their particular Churches, they had their recourse to an assembly of Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem, who gave out a Decree and Canon anent that question, which the Churches were obliged to keep, then when particular Congregations are troubled with the like questions in doctrine and government, they are by their example to have recourse to an Assembly of Pastors and Elders, that are over many Churches, and to receive Decrees also, which they are obliged to keep: But the former is the practise of the Apostolic Church, Ergo, to have recourse to a Synod of Pastors and Elders, to receive Decrees from them, that tie many particular Churches, is lawful to us.