Ratio disciplinae fratrum Nov-Anglorum. A faithful account of the discipline professed and practised; in…

Nothing being tendered, he now applies himself unto the Brethren of the CHURCH, who have called the Assembly thus together, desiring them, That, if they abide by their Choice of Mr. A. B. to be their Pastor, and will according to the Word of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, submit unto him as their Overseer, and One who is to Watch for their Souls, they would signify it by lifting up their Hands.

'Tis very certain, That the Right of a Church, To Choose its own Pastor, was Recognized and Exercised, in all the Times of Primitive Christianity; Yea, 'twas one of the Last things that the Man of Sin ravished from the People of GOD. The Liberty in this Matter, with which our Ascended REDEEMER has enfranchised and enriched His Churches, appears to have been so conceded by His Apostles, that when we read, [Act. XIV. 23.] They ordained them Elders in every Church; it is evident from the known use of the XEIPOTONIA which was used in it, that the Text is to be read, They had by the Suffrages of the People, created them Elders in every Church. The Apostles only Presided, and the People under their Conduct Elected. The taking away of this Privilege from the People, is by Calvin justly called, Impia Ecclesiae Spoliatio; A Spoil impiously committed on the Church of GOD. Yea, Our English ⟨p. 27⟩Bibles themselves, until they had undergone Episcopal Correction, at this Text, put in the Words, By Election; and the Margin had this Note; The Apostles did not thrust Pastors into the Church, through' a Lordly Superiority, but chose and placed them by the Voice of the Congregation. All Antiquity confesses the Part which the People had in the Choice of their Pastors. The Emperor Constantine, writing to those of Nicomedia, could say to them, That it was in their Power, to make Choice of what Pastor they pleased; and it freely depended on Their Judgment. And the Council of Calcedon, speaking of the Church at Ephesus, could say, That such a Bishop should be given them, as should be elected by the Consent of those whom he was to feed. Yea, this Right was most notoriously claimed by the, Plebs obsequens Praeceptis Dominicis, et Deum metuens, the godly People, in the Cprianic Age; It was then Incontestably allowed, Plebs ipsa maxime hbeat Potestatem, vel eligendi dignos Sacerdotes, vel indignos recusandi! The Power of Electing and of Rejecting their Pastors, let the People have it.