Five disputations of church-government and worship

§. 19. Object. But, (the Prelatical men will say) our Parishes are not capable of this, because they have commonly but one Pastor, nor have maintenance for more. Answ. 1. Though the greater number have but one yet it is an ordinary case to have two, or three, or more, where there are Chapels in the Parish, and the Congregations great, as in Market Towns. And if ever we have Peace and a settled faithful Magistrate that will do his part ⟨p. 315⟩for the house of God, we shall certainly have many Ministers in great Congregations: Or else they are like to be left desolate; For Ministers will over-run them, for fear of undertaking far more work then with their utmost pains they are able to perform.

§. 19. Object. But, (the Prelatical men will say) our Pari•shes are not capable of this, because they have commonly but one Pastor, nor have maintainance for more. Answ. 1. Though the gre•ter number have but one yet it is an ordinary case to have two, or three, or more, where there are Chappels in the Parish, and the Congregations great, as in Market Towns. And if ever we have Peace and a setled faithfull Magistrate that will do his part ⟨p. 315⟩for the house of God, we shall certainly have many Ministers in great Congregations: Or else they are like to be left desolate; For Ministers will over-run them, for fear of undertaking far more work then with their utmost pains they are able to perform.

§. 20. And 2. There are few Congregations, I hope, of Godly people, but have some private men in them that are fit to be Ordained Assistant Presbyters, though not to govern a Church alone (without necessity) yet to assist a Learned, judicious man, such as understand the body of Divinity, (as to the great and necessary points▪) and are able to pray and discourse as well as many or most Ministers, and to exhort publicly in a case of need. He that would imitate the example of the Primitive Church (at least in the second Century) should Ordain such as these to be some of them Assistant Elders, and some of them Deacons in every Church (that hath such;) and let them not teach publicly, when a more learned, able Pastor is at hand to do it; but let them assist him in what they are fittest to perform; Yet let them not be Lay Elders: but authorized to all Pastoral administrations, and of one and the same office with the Pastor, though dividing the exercise and execution according to their abilities and opportunities; and not coming in without Ordination, nor yet taking up the Office only pro tempore. And thus every Parish, where are able Godly men, may have a Presbytery and President.