A disquisition concerning ecclesiastical councils. Proving, that not only pastors, but brethren delegated by…

Pastors, Teachers, Ruling-Elders, and Deacons. 4. The Essence of a Minister's Call to the Pastoral Office, is in a mutual Election. They are for the Imposition of the Hands of the Presbytery in Ordination. Nevertheless, they look not on that as essential, but as adiaphorus. ⟨p. vii⟩In which they agree with some Eminent Divines of the Presbyterian Judgment, particularly with Mr. Gillespy, ^(g)nay with the general Kirk Assembly in Scotland, as whoever shall consult Mr. Calderwood, ^(h)will find it often asserted. 5. That a Particular Church being furnished with Elders, at least with a Teaching Elder, has full Power to exercise Discipline within it self, without depending on any other Superior Jurisdiction. The famous Mr. Paul Bath ⁽ⁱ⁾affirms, particular Churches are equal and independent on one another. He is (so far as I understand) the first Writer by whom that Term has been used. It is very unreasonable, that for this, Congregational Men should be Nick▪ named Independents. A late Author, who is not of that Way, but a Conformist, ^(k)says, That in the Primitive Times ⟨p. viii⟩every Particular Church was Independent, h. e. that it had a sufficient Right and Power in it self to punish all its Delinquents, without the Concurrence of other Churches. There is then no Reason why such as are for the Congregational Discipline, should be reproachfully called Independents. Our New-England Platform of Church Discipline dislikes that Name. Mr. Hooker ^(l)thinks it was from the Subtlety of Satan, to fix that Name upon those that professed the Truth; that so the Truth it self might be made nauseous and distasteful▪ Mr. John Beverley ^(m)