A treatise of liturgies, power of the keys, and of matter of the visible…A treatise of liturgies, power of the keyes, and of matter of the visible…

Thus far it is clear: But now whether a Minister may administer the Seals in another Congregation, is not so evident, yet we will not deny but that occasionally being called thereunto by the desire of the Church, he may lawfully do the same, yet it's no foundation of a stated Presbytery out of a particular Congregation, for in all such acts the Church still keeps her power in her own hands, while the Minister hath no authority, nor can put forth any act of his Ministry, but at her desire, and according to her own necessity, neither doth this make a Minister a Pastor of the universal Church, for pastoral Office consists in taking charge of a people, and having power of authority to exercise the same towards his Church: But all that is said doth include neither of these, nor doth it follow that because they may set up a Presbytery over themselves in the same Church, that therefore they may combine & set up a Presbytery of many Churches, the first being their duty enjoined by Christ, not the other; for it is necessary for them to have such amongst them as may ordinarily feed, teach, watch over them, and rule them (the end of a Ministers Office) but it's not necessary so to submit to others, who may find work enough to feed and rule their own, and therefore look as it is not in the power of many Congregations to join together, to set one Pastor over them successively to feed them, (for so they make a Pluralist, and the Bramble the King of trees) nor yet in their power to set up (as in the first ambitious time) a [Greek or Hebrew] with power over all singly, but under all jointly, so neither is it in their power to set up many Pastors, who by their plurality of votes may wholly drown that power of their own.

Thus far it is cleare: But now whether a Minister may administer the Seales in another Congregation, is not so evident, yet wee will not deny but that occasionally being called thereunto by the desire of the Church, hee may lawfully doe the same, yet it's no foundation of a stated Presbytery out of a particular Congregation, for in all such acts the Church still keepes her power in her owne hands, while the Minister hath no authority, nor can put forth any act of his Ministery, but at her desire, and according to her owne necessity, neither doth this make a Minister a Pastour of the universall Church, for pastorall Office consists in taking charge of a people, and having power of authority to exercise the same towards his Church: But all that is said doth include neither of these, nor doth it follow that because they may set up a Presbytery over themselves in the same Church, that therefore they may combine & set up a Presbytery of many Churches, the first being their duty injoyned by Christ, not the other; for it is necessary for them to have such amongst them as may ordinarily feed, teach, watch over them, and rule them (the end of a Ministers Office) but it's not necessary so to submit to others, who may finde worke enough to feed and rule their owne, and therefore looke as it is not in the power of many Congregations to joyne together, to set one Pastour over them successively to feed them, (for so they make a Pluralist, and the Bramble the King of trees) nor yet in their power to set up (as in the first ambitious time) a with power over all singly, but under all joyntly, so neither is it in their power to set up many Pastours, who by their plurality of votes may wholly drowne that power of their owne.