N01544:37
A disquisition concerning ecclesiastical councils. Proving, that not only pastors, but brethren delegated by…
A disquisition concerning ecclesiastical councils. Proving, that not only pastors, but brethren delegated by the churches, have equally a right to a decisive vote in such assemblies. : To which is added, proposals concerning consociation of churches, agreed upon by a synod, which convened at Boston, in New-England. : With a preface, containing a further vindication of the Congregational discipline. / By Increase Mather. D.D. ; [Ten lines of quotations]
Boston: printed for N. Boone, 1716
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.
the Church does not ⟨p. 15⟩give more power to one of their Messengers, than to another, a Presbyter, a Deacon, a Brother Sitting in the Synod is a Public Person and Representative of the Church, as well as the Pastor. When a City sends to the Convention of the Nation a Senator, and another who is not Vested with any Civil Authority, to be their Representatives, their Power in the Great Council of the Nation is Equal; tho' when they are in their own City, one has a greater Rule and Authority than the other. Qui (says our famous Parker, p. 391 and Dr. Whitaker) Ab Ecclesijs parit•r delegantur, Par•s esse debent. Why should there not be a Parity in the Power, when there is a Parity in the Delegation? there is great Reason for it, Considering that some Brethren who are sent to Councils, are as able, and it may be, far more able to give Light concerning the Question to be discussed, than any Pastor there. In the famous Nicene Synod, the Great […] was not then a Pastor, (Bishops have appropriated that name to themselves.) But a Deacon in the ⟨p. 16⟩Church of Alexandria. But what Pastor (of which there were more than 300 in that Council) did so much service for the Truth, in opposition to the Arian Heresy, as Athanasius did? who notwithstanding his being but a Deacon, was a great part of that Assembly. In the Synod at Dort, almost an Hundred years since, some of the Seniors (as they call their Ruling Elders) did as Voetius (who was a Member of that Synod) testifies more Service for the Truth against the Arminian Remonstrants, than some of their Pastors did. We have seen in several of our own Churches, Brethren of far greater Learning and Abilities, than their Pastors. And since the power of […] only Consultative, what good reason can there be given, why such should not have an Equal Vote with any other? […] •ut maj•ra in Laici• […], •ur non ad•iberentur in […] Eccle•iastic•? says Bullinger;