N01544:43
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.
that the President in the Synod shall gather the Votes of every Particular, and declare the Major part; and that Elders deputed by the Churches, shall have their Votes as the Pastors. v. Chap. 8. p. 26, 27. So that in a Presbyterian Synod, an Act may be valid, although' the major part of the Pastors do not Concur; nay, tho' not one Pastor does Concur in the Passing of it. Was not the National Kirk Assembly in Scotland lately Over-ruled by the Ruling Elders therein. As for Congregationalists they Concur with Mr. Parker, Dr. Whitaker, Dr. Voet, and Dr. Owen; that the Power which the Pastors have in Synods, is not merely from their Office, but from the Mission they receive from their Churches; and consequently that there is a parity in the Power: And with this agrees our Platform of Church Discipline, which makes the next Efficient Cause of Synods to be the Missive Power of the Churches, and speaks of the Churches sending their Elders and other Messengers; which supposes that Elders in Synods are Considered as ⟨p. 26⟩Messengers, and not as Officers; and that Synods may not Exercise any Church Authority, which, if they Sat there under the notion of being Vested with Office-Power might be done. And that this was formerly the Judgment of Ministers in New-England, we may Conclude from M. Hooker's Survey of Church-Discipline, which had the Approbation of the Pastors then at New-Haven, Guilford, Milford, Stratford, Fairfield, and many others. Now Mr. Hooker (q)asserts, That in Synods all have Equal Power, because equally Sent and Chosen; and that none act there as Officers, i. e. tho' they •e Officers in their own Congregations, they are not so here, but as Called. Here is no Act of an Officer, because the formal reason of his being a Member of the Synod, is the Choosing and Sending. And therefore they that are no Officers if so Chosen, have a right to Vote; and therefore they that are Officers, if not Sent, have no right of Voting. Those Acts which proceed in Common from Men without, as well as in Office, those ⟨p. 27⟩cannot be Acts of Men in Office, when as all Acts of the Synod are performed by all the Members of the Synod, by Brethren, as well as Elders. Thus speaks our Renowned Hooker.