Of national churches their description, institution, use, preservation, danger, maladies and cure, partly applied…

§ 10 VIII. And as they never did as an Universal Aristocratical College, by Vote make new Universal Laws to the Church, much less by any ordinary continued Power, so neither did they as such a College, exercise Judicial or Executive power, but did it in their single Capacities only in their proper Provinces; and that was partly by an ordinary power (of Reproof and Excommunication) which continueth; and partly by an extraordinary miraculous power, of delivering to Satan for Corporal punishment, which power is ceased with them (Tho' Papists in a mock-imitation, deliver the Excommunicate to the Secular powers, to be killed, as if these were Devils.) As for the Universal Laws that tell whom to Excommunicate, they are Christs own Laws, and Rules of Judgment: To which if men may add the like, no wonder if they make Sin and Heresy as they please, and Excommunicate and deliver to Satan (their Magistrates) whom they will; and if he that was an Orthodox Saint this year, be burnt (without change) as an Heretic the next; and it be never certain till the end of the World, what is Heresy or Sin, and what not.

§ 10 VIII. And as they never did as an Universal Aristocratical College, by Vote make new Universal Laws to the Church, much less by any ordinary continued Power, so neither did they as such a College, exercise Judicial or Executive power, but did it in their single Capacities only in their proper Provinces; and that was partly by an ordinary power (of Reproof and Excommunication) which continueth; and partly by an extraordinary miraculous power, of delivering to Satan for Corporal punishment, which power is ceased with them (Tho' Papists in a mock-imitation, deliver the Excommunicate to the Secular powers, to be kill'd, as if these were Devils.) As for the Universal Laws that tell whom to Excommunicate, they are Christs own Laws, and Rules of Judgment: To which if men may add the like, no wonder if they make Sin and Heresie as they please, and Excommunicate and deliver to Satan (their Magistrates) whom they will; and if he that was an Orthodox Saint this year, be burnt (without change) as an Heretick the next; and it be never certain till the end of the World, what is Heresie or Sin, and what not.

§ 20. IX. It being certain then that the Apostles did not, as an Aristocratical Supreme power over the Universal Church, Exercise Legislation, Judgment and Execution, much less by any ordinary continued power, it followeth that they have no Successors that have such power; and all Government being contained in these three parts, there is de Jure no Universal Governor.