( 125' ) I. I might prernife, that Vhi non eft idem fundamentti, non eft cadent re- latio : At, &c. There is not the fame foundation, therefore not thefameRela- tion. For a. Here is not the fame Eletlion, no nor Confine. I opened this before. Though all Antiquity gave the Church the Election of her own Paftors, yet we make not that neceffary to the being of theoffice, or relation to them: So there be but Confent. But we take Confect of the Church tobe neceffary to any mans Paftoral Relation to that Church ( though not to the Miniftery in general as unfixed. ) For feeing it is not poflible to Exercife the office without thepeoples Confent, it cannot be-affirmed as over themwithout their Confent : Becaufe that which cannot be Exercifed fhould not beunder- -taken to be exercifed. But with us, commonly, thePatronchoofeth, and the Bop approveth, inflituteth, andgiveth him induétion, and fo he is fully fetled in title and poffeffion in their way, without anyof thepeoples knowledge or confent. Obj. Ton choofe Parliament men who make theft laws, andyourAm/lours confen- ted to Patrons power: Thereforeyou confent. Anfw. This feemeth a jeft, but that the bufinefs and execution make it a ferious matter to us. r. It cannot be proved that all the Churchesor people gave the Patrons that power. 2. We never intended to confent that Par- liaments fhould do what they lift, and difpofe of our Souls , or of that which is ueceffary to the Paving of our Souls. 3. Elfe you may as well fay that we confent to be Baptized and to receive theSacraments, becaufe the Parliament whom we chofe confenteth to it : And fo we may baptize Infidels becaufe their great grandfathers confented that all their po- fterity Ihould be Chriftians: And you need no difcipline tokeep men from the Sacrament, ifNoah confented that all his pofterity Ihould fear God and ferve him and fo be Paved. Many men are jetted out oftheir faith and fal- vation, but none are thus jetted into it. Sin is a mockery, but fo is not piety. 4. Our forefathers had no power to reprefent us by fuch contenting. If they could oblige us to Duty by their Authority, they cannot be our fubftì- tutes for the performance of duty, any more than for the poífcilîon of the reward. 5. What God himfelf bath laid upon the Perfon or exifteñtChurch, they cannot commit to another if they would themfelves, becaufe the obli- gation was perfonal,and they have not Gods confent£orthe tranfmutation.We cannot ferve God by proxy, nor be happy byproxy. Obj. But how unfit are the common people to choofe their Páf ars : They are igno- rant, and partial, and tumultuous. Do the children beget their own father, or the fheep choofe their ownjhepherd? Anfw. r. No: -but wives choofe their own husbands, and Patients choofe their own Phyficians, and Clients their own Advocates, and fervants their own matters, mac. Similitudes run not on four feet. If all the Church of Chrift befides the Prelates and their Curates, be as brutifh as Iheep and as filly as infants (in comparifon of them ) then they have talkt reafon in their fimilitude. Elfe 2. Is it not notorious in England that no Congre- Q_2 gations
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