Presbytery.
THey that would bring in a new Government, would very fain perswade us, they meet it in Antiquity. thus they interpret Presbyters, when they meet the word in the Fathers: Other professions likewise pretend to Antiquity. The Alchymist will find his Art in Vir∣gil’s Aureus ramus, and he that delights in Opticks will find them in Tacitus. When Caesar came into England they would per∣swade us, they had Perspective-Glasses, by which he could discover what they were doing upon the Land, because it is said, Positis Speculis: the meaning is, His Watch or his Sentinel discover’d this, and this, unto him.
Presbyters have the greatest power of any Clergy in the World, and gull the Laity most: For Example; admit there be twelve Laymen to six Presby∣ters, the six shall govern the rest as they please. First because they are constant, and the others come in like Church-War∣dens in their turns, which is an huge
Advantage, Men will give way to them who have been in place before them. Next the Laymen have other professions to follow: the Presbyters make it their sole Business; and besides too, they learn and study the Art of perswading; some of Geneva have confess’d as much.
The Presbyter with his Elders a∣bout him, is like a young Tree fenc’d a∣bout with two, or three, or four Stakes; the Stakes defend it, and hold it up; but the Tree only prospers and flourishes; it may be some Willow Stake may bear a Leaf or two, but it comes to nothing. Lay-Elders are Stakes, the Presbyter the Tree that flourshes.
When the Queries were sent to the Assembly concerning the Jus Divinum of Presbytery, their asking time to an∣swer them, was a Satyr upon themselves: For if it were to be seen in the Text, they might quickly turn to the place, and shew us it. Their delaying to answer makes us think there’s no such thing there. They do just as you have seen a fellow do at a Tavern Reckoning, when he should come to pay his Reckoning, he puts his Hands into his Pockets, and keeps a grabling and a fumbling, and shaking, at last tells you he has left his Money at home, when all the Company knew at first, he had no Money there; for every Man can quickly find his own Money.