The model of Presbytery· Wherein the supreme power resides in the high and mighty annual assembly, which is composed of two preaching elders or ministers, and one lay-elder out of every Presbytery; one commissioner from every corporation, university and colledge; ...

THE MODEL of PRESBYTERY .

Wherein

THE SUPREME POWER resides in the HIGH and MIGHTY Annual ASSEMBLY , which is composed of two Preaching Elders or Ministers , and one Lay-Elder out of every Presbytery ; one Commissioner from every Corporation , University and Colledge ; who being meer Laicks , Shop-keepers , Artificers , and Mechanicks have hereby a full power to define and decide the most curious Points of Divinity , which it is impossible for want of Learning they should understand .

This and much more was actually lone in Scotland when this Government was by force of Armes set up , is may be proved from the Authentique Records of the State , and by the Records of the Presbytery ; as also by Knox his History of the Reformation of Scotland , the Preachments of Meluil Gibson , &c.

The King or his Representative , who has onely one Vote , and the privilege to be equal to the meanest Lay-man of the Holy Assembly , and is debarred from a Negative Voice : and by consequence is inferior to the Moderator or President , who is alwayes to be a Minister ; by which proviso the King is excluded from a possibility of presiding therein .

King James that Miracle of Learning , Piety and Wisdome , complaining of the Insolences of these People , the Chancellor frankly told him , The fault was wholly his own ; for if he would but leave them to themselves , the People would universally rise up against them , and stone them . To which the King reply'd , My Lord , your Advice is shrew'd Policy , but your Counsel is not good Piety : I know it would prove so , but I am to be a Nurse to the Church . And how well they requited his pious Indulgence , his Son and Successor and our Martyred Sovereign can tell us , whose Blood like Abel's yet speaketh .

This ASSEMBLY is called together by their own Authority , derived ( as they say ) from CHRIST : without respecting the King's Consent , Writ , Summons , or Authority : And at the end of every Session , the President declares and appoints the Time and Place of the next GENERAL ASSEMBLY .

At the Close of the Assemblies Session , Commissioners of the best Heads , and greatest Politicians are chosen to be the Virtual Assembly , who are to reside in the Capital City of the Kingdom , and who are to over-look the Actions of King , Council and Parliament , that no detriment happen by them to the Church ; and to prepare matters for the next General Assembly , which if there be urgent occasion may be oftner than once in a Year ; and in his Junto is hatched all Disobedience , Treason , and Rebellion .

By which Procedure , they declare themselves free from all Obedience , Duty and Subjection to the King ; and lay the Foundation of their own Supreme Spiritual Democracy , Unbounded , Absolute , Tyrannical and Abitrary Dominion .

For ,

To the Decrees , Definitions , Determinations , Final Sentence and Jugement of this Spiritual Court , enacted by plurality of Voices , ( and from whose Judicature there lies no Appeal ) are subject

At present the Nation or Kingdom where they are established : and the rest of the World so soon as they can shake off the Yoke of Antichristian Monarchy and Prelacy , and be able to exalt the Scepter of CHRIST , by Democracy in the State , and the Linsy-Woolsey Aerian Parity of Lay-Ecclesiastical Goverment in the Church .

The Moderator or President of the great Assembly is in reality the Annual King and Supreme Judge ; and the Virtual Assembly of Commissioners are the Privy Council , according to whose Directions all things must be manag'd , to whom all the rest of the Clergy are absolute Slaves .

Usurpation upon the Rights , Prerogative and Power of the Prince and People . Usurpation upon the Presbyters and Lay-Elders by deceit and hypocrisie . Indirectly , or in order to Spirituals .

First , The King's Majesty , the Queen , the Regent during the King's Minority , the Royal Family ; any and all of which may be Censured , Excommunicated , and deposed from the Government , Possession , and Succession to the Crown , for persecuting , that is opposing them , who are the Saints , the People of God : for Idolatry , or any other Crimes against the Laws of God : and may also be punished , even to Imprisonment and loss of Life :

All the Nobility , Councils , Parliaments , great Ministers of State , Judges , and Inferior Magistrates , Gentlemen , and the whole Populace , of what Age , Degree , Sex , Condition , or Quality soever , who are all bound to yield Obedience to their Discipline , Faith , Doctrine , and Opinions ; otherwise , they may be Censured , Excommunicated and deprived of their Liberties , Estates and Lives , and whatever they do possess . Partiality . For these Holy Men of the Assembly are no respectors of Persons , though they are of Presents and Flatteries , by which onely means they may be gained to over-look the failings of such great Men , as for their own Interest , favour and support them ; Revenge . and for whom they would readily employ all their Unlimited Spiritual Power , to revenge them of their private Injuries and Enemies : all which shall be said to be against GOD , if against any one of their great Patrons or Friends .

Secondly , All Laws , Acts of Parliament , Royal-Proclamations , of which they pretend to be the Supreme and onely competent Judges , whether they are for God's Glory ? And if they say no : Disobedience . The People are bound to disobey them ; for they must obey God rather than Man . The Inferior Presbyters are obliged to preach this Doctrine to the People in all their respective Parishes , and to animate them to put this Duty of Disobedience to the King , Parliament , Laws , and Proclamations , in Practice , under pain of being delivered up to the Devil by Excommunication . Rebellion . See here Rebellion and Mischief framed by a Law : Psal . 94.20 . A Law superior to the Fundamental Laws of the Nation , Arbitrary , Unlimited , and from which there is no Appeal .

Thirdly , All Actions Civil and Political ; Contracts , Bargains , Sales , Leases , Indentures ; so that an Estate or just Debt upon the specialty recovered by due process of Law ; if it be suggested that there was scandal by suspicion of forgery , bribery , or subornation in the Case , shall come before them ; Injustice and Oppression . and they will undertake to determine it contrary to the Rule of the Laws , in favour of a pretending oppressed Saint , who humbly crouches and applyes himself by Appeal , to the Supreme Sovereign Lords of Presbytery . All Forreign Leagues , and Alliances , Matches of the Royal Family , and State Affairs , Trade and Manufactures , Peace and War , abroad or at Home , with which for Disobedience to them , Treason . they will not onely threaten their lawful Prince , but execute it against him and all his Loyal Adherents , as malignant and evil Counsellours ; and by crying , The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon , and proclaiming them Enemies to God , perswade the Unruly Multitude that it is not onely lawful , but necessary .

Fourthly , All Punishments which ( when they have decreed ) the King and Civil Magistrates are bound to execute . Cruelty . Whether they be Corporal , by Imprisonment , Feeding the Criminal with Bread and Water onely , Stool of Repentance , Pillory at the Church door , cutting off half the Hair , forbidding all Commerce , Banishment , loss of Life : Or secondly , Spiritual ; by Defamation , and irrecoverable loss of the inestimable Jewel of Reputation , for any supposed Crime under the Notion of Scandal : Or thirdly , Pecuniary , by confiscation of all or any part of the Offenders Estate , Goods and Chattels ; which are usually for a small composition made over to the Prosecutor the mortal Enemy of the Accused . No sin or scandal without a fine , if the Person be of ability , and no Pardon without paying it down ; nay , they will deny Baptism to the poor Infants , the Children of Offenders , till they have satisfied the Censures and Penalties imposed by them . And all this they will execute for Disobedience to any the meanest and most indifferent thing commanded by them , which by such command becomes absolutely necessary to Salvation .

Directly .

First , All Spiritual-Lay-Persons , which are of three principal Ranks , for I do not understand what their Doctors , which make the fourth , signifie : These are ,

1st . The Presbyteries , into which all the Kingdom is divided , as they in their Prudence think fit , and which consist of the Parochial Ministers , and a Lay-Elder for each Parish : which Lay-Elders are onely Annual Officers , who by this device are kept in subjection to the Presbyters who are in power for Life ; so that they dare not vote against them for fear of their power when they come to be out of Office . By this Artifice the People have the Name and Imagination of some Power ( enough to delude them with the shadow of Governing , or to enable them to strut and domineer for a Year over their Neighbours ) but the Presbyters possess the Soul , the Life and Substance of Authority ; and by making an example of a little pert ignorant Lay-Elder , who has exceeded his limits , they can at pleasure strike an Eternal terror into all his Successors .

2dly , Tyranny . The Parochial Session ; composed of one or more Ministers , Lay-Elders and Deacons , or Over-seers of the Poor ; of which a Teaching-Elder or Minister is the Moderator . Over all which the Members of the Assembly and Leading-Active Presbyters Lord it far more than the Pope , or any Bishop over the most inferior Clergy . For they are bound to preach their Doctrines or Decrees , and Opinions : and cannot by any Law be so securely instated ; Coveteousness . but if any one of them have a good Benefice , to which a busie great Minister has an Eye , he shall with ease procure a Complaint against him , That he does not edifie his Parish , and by that means shall possess himself of it , and turn him out to his small edification , to edifie some small and poor Cure , Oppression . for with them Souls hold a proportion of necessity of a greater or lesser Edification , according to the Quality and Richness of the Living .

3dly , Innovation . All those who are called Expectants ; a new Order of Presbyterian Predicants without Orders ; who yet may do all Offices of Ministers , except Baptizing , and giving the Sacrament .

Secondly , Absolute and unlimited Supremacy . All Spiritual Places and Affairs , Ordination , Government , Faith , Doctrine , Opinion , Manners , and Divine Worship , which they pretend to determine beyond Appeal .

Thirdly , All Church Censures , Appeals , Excommunication of all Persons , who will not obey the Scepter of Christ in their Hands : The King is not excepted or exempted , but must submit to the Great Council , nay to the Presbytery in which he is ; and to his own Parochial Minister , otherwise he runs the hazard of Excommunication : Which they exercise principally for , 1st , Heresie , which is all dissenting from them in Faith , Doctrine , Opinion , or Manners : 2dly , Scandal , or Suspicion of Crimes ; whereby the Malicious and Envious never want suggestions , temptations and opportunities , to revenge themselves of their Enemies . Want of Charity . And the most Virtuous Persons of differring Sexes , cannot converse together in private , but they may be accused of scandal of Adultery , or Fornication ; be imprisoned , fed with Bread and Water , all proof sought against them , and be publickly forced sometimes by Oaths , to clear themselves ; and in the face of their Parish to crave pardon for a Scandal : and if ever after they be known to maintain any private correspondency , they shall be juged guilty of the Crimes , and treated accordingly ; To the perpetual ruine of all innocent and most divertive and it may be religious Friendships ; Peace and Unity banished . of the peace of all private Families ; of the Unity of all Societies , and the Extirpation of that true Christian Charity , of private Admonitions which covers a multitude of faults ; to the breeding jealousies and discords betwixt the dearest Relations and nearest Friends ; defaming the Innocent , and putting indelible stains of infamy upon the strictest Vertue ; which is not capable to secure the most prudent and reserved of both Sexes , from scandal of suspicious Envy , and inventing malice of Revenge : and in a word , to the banishing all true Religion , ( and introducing Hypocrisie ) and all love of Religion , by these Rigours and Austerities , out of the minds of Men , Slavery . and making them Slaves , and to serve GOD , as the Indians do the Devil , for fear he should do them injury by these his great Servants .

From all which it appears , That the Government of Presbytery is founded upon Usurpation , maintained , supported , and continued by Treason and Rebellion , exercised with the most Arbitrary and highest Tyranny and Oppression of all Degrees and Conditions of Men , in all their Rights , Privileges and Properties , both Civil and Religious ; and the End of it is the Ruine of Monarchy , the setting up of Democracy , and establishing the most insupportable Slavery here ; and unavoidable Damnation hereafter : For they that resist Lawful Authorities shall receive to themselves ( without Repentance and Amendment ) Damnation ; From which and Presbytery , Libera nos Domine .