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Show .Reformation oftbe Churches in England. Chap. 7• t. • all . ) d nnex it to their owJt private inheritan<;c, (a~ t.~ey (. ~~ch: th~ ufe of the Church,as may (lrengthen th~r ~:~~~ a0ti1fficient maintenattGe of ~b~ir Mini!lery; for tlt~ugh tbm J r:kdicaied to jizcred ufe' camzot be a(wz.md,or: dzverted to pnva~e u[e ;it bout facriledge,yet that holdeth in fuc1 tht~gs ~are {o drfe~cated to facred ufc:' iH that the ,L!rd ac~eptet iH ,am_ .. r. zm_ e~e r ·But God no where iq the-n~w ife!la~l~ot, ~ath cx~r.~~ ~Is acre tance, or aliowance oflands' dedu:~ted to the mfill ery' but orfcl to the fervicc of the whole Churc1t, an~ then for the Churchesyfervice they may be difpofed of by their confenc ; as Come. the Kings and Princes of Ifrael gave away the treafurc:s of tJlmeTs 1 to fave thcmfelves from captivitie, 2 King. 18. t te emp e, IS,I6. . r h' M' ·n ( .• Th~ people having called or. c.h~·en t etr 1~1uer -one or m~re) unto office in a day ofhumthaoon, let them l11 theprefence of the Mini!lcrs of other Chnrchcs deput~ fqmc of the gra~e!l a!ld ~odly members of the Church, to lay their ~ands .upon him,wtth - . over him in the naqw of the Lord, fettmg htm apart to tha~ p~~et The whole Conuregation are faid to a11oint Za~'ftto the Ooflflilccee- of an /;igh Priejl, a"s well as s l b K' Ch 0 on~Oil to e mg, I 1'0!1· zg. Which is a facred right, as lmpofiuon of hands; and this the ~~ole body of ~hem could not doe, but by deputing fome m~inent (( 8 aruong!l them to the performance thereof: But a feet they berf,':ni!bed wi~h Elr:krJ, (a Pmbytery ?f their o"Ylle) let lrnpofidon of hands be given by them ( accordmg to 1 'Itm. + I4.) to fuch as for the future !ball be ordained. . . 6. For the making up of a Pmbytery,m fl:cad of P arfon and V tw (wherewith fome Con~regations are endowed) let them choofe PajlorJ and 'Ieachm;and Rt~ing Eldert', in fl:ead of ~ofc who crept into their roorne 'Viz. the Church-warr:kw, and Str:kfmen. But .let them chooG: -and ordaine them in a day ofhtmJiliation ( accordmg to Ali.! 14.2 3·) andnodi>ra yea~e onely, but during Ufe ;- an~ ~et the PwbytetieJ of all neiuhbour Churches , take all opportutUOf¥ t(),liJa~C IJf~~JlleOf a,~ocJJe;,~r bfpth!;r]y_confid.t~tion, \Jnt p(!)tfur Jurifdiaion,~nd Authprp:te O!]c • .av~r.· ano_cher. And m fl:~li of CoYe{JorJ qr Qverfom for the poore (\\!PO cr~pt into the,roome of Deacons) let Deacon! be chofen ,as ha~ . been lhewed above ; but not as member s.of the PreJbyttry. Se 7· t Sea.z, ?·For fet forms of prayer, or prcfcript Liturgies, let them. rtot be en)oyned unt? the Mini!l:ers of the Churches ; but let the MiniIter~ as well gtVeup themfelves wholly unto prayer, as to the Miitifiery of the_ Word, Act. 6. 4- 8. Bapttfme may orderly be admini!l:red to the children of fuch parents> as have profeffed their faith and repentance before the Church, as ab?ve. Or where either of the parents have made fuch proteffi,on ; ?r It may be~onfidered alfo whether the children may not be oapuzed, where mher the grand-fadicr or grand-mother have. ~ade fuch ~rofeffion, and arc ftillliving to undertake for the Chntltan educaoon of the childe · for it may be conceived where t~ere is .a fiipulation of the Coven~nt on Gods parr, and a refHIhpulauon on mans part,there may be an obhgation of t'lte Covenant on both parts, Gen. I7. 7· Orif thefe faile what hindereth but that if the parents willrcfigne their infant ~o be educated i~ the houfe of a.ny g_?CIIy member of the Church, the childe may be lawfully bapozed m the tight of its hou!bold Govcrnour, accord-ingto the proportion of the law,Gen.17. 12, r3. · 9· Let the Lords Supper beadminif'rred onely to fuch, as have foprofeifed their faith and repentance publickly, and are received & approved members of the Churcb,endued with fufliclenrknowledge, to examine themfelvcs, and to difcerne the Lords body: free from fcandall, and of good converliuion. I o. Let Officers in the Chun:h be redreffed, and removed, not by pr(fentments to Officers o~ other Churches, but according to the order of the Gofpd, defcr1bed ab:JVe, Ch~p. 5· feU. 1, 1, 3· I r. Where the Minif'rcrs of the Congregation are i"norant or fcandalous,meet it is that they were rcmoved,and bctt~r chofen in their roome b-': the people;according t~ the couofell & direfrion of the godly M"mt!l:ers and brethren of neJghbour Chm~chcs,Hof.4.6. I 2. Where; the people in~ Congregation arc generall):: ignorant and profane,tt were nece!fa ry god! y Preachers were fent forth with countenance from the King and State, to preach, unto them, till t?cy were bro~ht on to knowledge,andto fotheimeafure of graCtOtJ$ rcf?miatlon. Thus Jehafzph::~t' fent fornh P rief'rs and Levi tes, t~ teach In the Cities of ]udJb , :and certaine Princes and Nobles Wtth them, to c0untcnance the good worke in d1eir hands, 2 Cbron.l7•7,8, 9· Q2 13. Till |