Five disputations of church-government and worship

Sect. 36. For 1. Magistrates it cannot be: none that I know pretend to that. Magistrates in most of the world are Infidels: and therefore cannot there be Ordainers: and none of them hath the work committed to them by Christ, nor do any that I know, assume it to themselves.

Sect. 36. For 1. Magistrates it cannot be: none that I know pretend to that. Magistrates in most of the world are Infi•els: and therefore cannot there be Ordainers: and none of them hath the work committed to them by Christ, nor do any that I know, assume it to themselves.

Sect. 37. And 2. The people it cannot be: For 1. No man can show a word of precept or example for it; nor prove that ever God did give them such a power: Consent or Election is all that can be pretended to by them. 2. It is a work that they are commonly unable for: the Scholars may as well Try and Approve of their Schoolmaster. We confess the People must by a judgement of discretion, endeavour to find out the best they can: but if they had not helps, and if they were also called to a judgement of direction and decision, what work would they make? Do the Major vote, (or the Minor either) in most or almost any Congregations, understand whether a man know the meaning of the Scripture, or to be able to defend the truth, or whether he be Heretical or found in the faith, &c.? God would not set men on a work that is thus beyond the line of their Capacity. It is a thing not to be imagined, that they that call us to be their Teachers, should already be commonly able to Judge whether we are sound or unsound, and able to teach them or not: for this importeth that they know already as much as we (for wherein they are ignorant, they cannot judge of us.) And if they know as much already, what need have they of our Teaching? 3. And it is contrary to the subjection and inferiority of their Relation: they that are commanded to learn and obey us as their Guides, may yet consent or choose their Teachers, when Approved, or to be Approved by abler men; but they cannot be imagined to be appointed by God to Ordain their own Overseers: this is a most ungrounded fiction.