An assertion of the government of the Church of Scotland in the points of…

But first of all we require those, whom we now labour to satisfy, to condescend upon another point, viz. that the exercise of Ecclesiastical power and jurisdiction in a particular Congregation, ought not to be committed to the whole collective body thereof, but is peculiar to the Eldership representing the same; for in vain do we debate the other point concerning Presbyteries and Assemblies, if this latent prejudice still occupy their minds, that the Government of the Church must needs be popular, exercised by the collective body, which happily may in some sort be done within the bounds of a well limited Congregation, but is manifestly inconsistent with classical Presbyteries & Synods, because the collective Bodies of all particular Congregations within the bounds of a shire, of a Province, of a Nation, cannot be ordinarily, nor at all ordinately, assembled together, and if they could, ⟨p. 110⟩I believe that the Separatists themselves would in that case allow a dependency or subordination of particular Congregations unto the more general Congregation. So that the point of popular government being once cleared, it shall facilitate the other question concerning the Subordination of particular Elderships to classical Presbyteries & Synods. Now there are good reasons why this popular government or exercise by jurisdiction by all can not be admitted into a Congregation.

But first of all wee require those, whom we now labour to satisfie, to condescend upon another point, viz. that the exercise of Ecclesiasticall power and jurisdiction in a particular Congregation, ought not to bee committed to the whole collective body thereof, but is peculiar to the Eldership representing the same; for in vaine doe wee debate the other point concerning Presbyteries and Assemblies, if this latent prejudice still occupy their minds, that the Government of the Church must needs be popular, exercised by the collective body, which happily may in some sort bee done within the bounds of a well limited Congregation, but is manifestly inconsistent with classicall Presbyteries & Synods, because the collective Bodies of all particular Congregations within the bounds of a shire, of a Province, of a Nation, cannot bee ordinarily, nor at all ordinatly, assembled together, and if they could, ⟨p. 110⟩I beleeve that the Separatists themselves would in that case allow a dependencie or subordination of particular Congregations unto the more generall Congregation. So that the point of popular government being once cleared, it shall facilitate the other question concerning the Subordination of particular Elderships to classicall Presbyteries & Synods. Now there are good reasons why this popular government or exercise by jurisdiction by all can not be admitted into a Congregation.