Transcriber's Note:
The text includes a large number of marginal notes that are printed insmall font and are sometimes unclear. They have been converted intofootnotes or (if they comprise general descriptions of a passage) intosidenotes. A footnote may refer to the following, rather thanpreceding, word or phrase. If so the footnote anchor has beenpositioned accordingly.
Many of the paragraphs are numbered according to a complex scheme.Only on one page are they indented. The size of the font used varies,often within a paragraph. While the numbering has been retained theindenting has been removed and variations in font size ignored.
Apparent typographical errors, and inconsistencies in hyphenation,have been corrected. Greek accents are often unclear and (apart fromrough-breathing marks) have been omitted.
The error noted at the end of the text has been incorporated.
A
VINDICATION
OF THE
Presbyteriall-Government,
AND
MINISTRY:
TOGETHER,
With an Exhortation, to all the Ministers,
Elders,and People, within the Bounds of
the Province of London,whether joyning with
Us, or separating from Us.
Published, By the Ministers, and Elders, met together in a
Provinciall Assembly, Novemb. 2d. 1649.
Wherein, amongst other things, these ensuing particulars are contained:
- That there is a Church-Government, by Divine Right.
- That the Magistrate, is not the Fountain of Church-Government.
- That the Presbyterial-Government, is by Divine Right.
- The Inconveniencies of the Congregationall-way.
- That the Ruling-Elder is by Divine Right.
- That it is the will of Jesus Christ, that all sorts of persons should give an account of their Faith, to the Minister, and Elders, before admission to the Lords Supper; together with Answers, to the usuall Objections made against it.
- Directions to the Elders for the right managing of their Office.
- Directions to such as are admitted to the Lords Supper, for the right sanctifying of Gods Name, in that Ordinance, & for their carriage one towards another.
- Rules to preserve People, from the Errours of these Times.
- That Separation from our Churches, is justly charged with Schisme.
- That Ministers formerly ordained by Bishops, need no new Ordination.
- The Necessity and usefulness of Catechizing.
Licensed, Entred, and Printed according to Order.
London, Printed for C. Meredith, at the Crane in PaulsChurch-yard, 1650.
IT hath been the chief stratagem of the adversaries of the Church,in all Ages, to erect a throne for themselves, in the hearts ofpeople, by casting reproaches and slanders upon the Doctrine,Government, and Godly Ministers of Jesus Christ. Inthe old Testament, when the Jewes came first out of Babylon,and began t