nwealth. This latter form, again, is twofold; for either
the fault is such, that, though a man be condignly punished for it by the
civil magistrate, yet he doth not, therefore, fall from his ecclesiastical
office or dignity; of which sort experience showeth many; or else such as
being punished according to their quality and demerit, a man, by necessary
consequence, falleth from the ecclesiastical function and dignity which
before he had: this was Abiathar's case, and the case of so many as, being
justly punished by proscription, incarceration, or banishment, are
_secundario et ex consequenti_ shut from their bearing office in the
church. "If Abiathar had sinned in a sacred matter, the cognition thereof
(saith Junius(1118)) had pertained to the priests; but because he sinned
against the commonwealth and the king's majesty, it was necessary to deal
with him civilly, and not ecclesiastically. What! Are no ecclesiastical
men in this time also thought to be lawfully judged by the civil
magistrate, if, at any time, they be found guilty of appaired majesty?" As
for the other sorts of faults, whereby (as we have said) sacred and
ecclesiastical duties are violate, such as the teaching of false and
heretical doctrine, neglecting of discipline, unbeseeming and scandalous
conversation, &c. which things (if they be not mended) they who have the
execution of ecclesiastical jurisdiction committed to them ought to punish
by suspension, deposition, &c. Now, as when one is called to the work of
the ministry, his fitness and qualification for that work should be tried
and judged by the clergy of the adjacent bounds assembled in their
classical presbytery, to whom it also appertaineth (after that he is by
them tried and approved, and after that he is elected by the church where
he is to serve) to send him out from them with power to exercise the
office of a pastor; so when there is just cause of suspending and
depriving him, it belongeth to the same presbytery to consider and judge
hereof; and, according to his offence, to give judgment against him. For
who should recal him but they that sent him? Or who should discharge him
his ministerial function, except they who ordained him to exercise the
same? And who may take the power from him but they who gave the power unto
him? That ordination pertaineth to the whole presbytery, and not to the
bishop alone, we have showed before, and now, by the same reason, we say
suspension and deposition pertai