A92287:117
The reasons of the Dissenting Brethren against the third proposition, concerning presbyterial government· Humbly…
The reasons of the Dissenting Brethren against the third proposition, concerning presbyterial government· Humbly presented.
London: printed by G.M. for Ralph Smith, 1645
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Sect. 1.
BY particular Congregations either first an Assembly of Christians meeting for worship only, as to hear, pray, &c. or secondly, an Assembly so furnished with Officers as fit for Discipline having a Presbytery, is meant; in the latter sense, which is that the proofs are brought to confirm, and that that is practised where this government is set up, the proposition is equivalent to such an assertion as this▪ Many Presbyteries may be under one Presbyterial government, as thus, many Parochial Presbyteries may be under one Classical, many Classical, under one Provincial, &c. which is the same as to affirm that one Presbytery may be over another, as the Bishops affirm. That one Presbyter may be over another, this is evident, if you assert a Presbyterial government may be over a Congregation that is composed of a Presbytery and people: for it cannot be said to be over a Congregation, if it be over the people only, that is not over their Presbytery also, for then the Presbytery will be Independent, and the people under two Presbyteries coordinate and not subordinate, which stands not with common reason.
BY particular Congregations either first an Assembly of Christians meeting for worship onely, as to heare, pray, &c. or secondly, an Assembly so furnished with Officers as fit for Discipline having a Presbytery, is meant; in the latter sense, which is that the proofs are brought to confirme, and that that is practised where this government is set up, the proposition is equivalent to such an assertion as this▪ Many Presbyteries may bee under one Presbyteriall government, as thus, many Parochiall Presbyteries may bee under one Classicall, many Classicall, under one Provinciall, &c. which is the same as to affirme that one Presbytery may bee over another, as the Bishops affirme. That one Presbyter may bee over another, this is evident, if you assert a Presbyteriall government may bee over a Congregation that is composed of a Presbytery and people: for it cannot bee said to bee over a Congregation, if it bee over the people onely, that is not over their Presbytery also, for then the Presbytery will be Independent, and the people under two Presbyteries coordinate and not subordinate, which stands not with common reason.