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

Secondly, the will of Christ for Provincial and National Assemblies to be over Presbyteries, even as they are over the Elderships of particular congregations, appeareth also in this. He hath given us in the new Testament, express warrant for Ecclesiastical Courts and Assemblies in general, that such there ought to be, for the right government of the Church, Matth. 18.20. Where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in the midst of them. Act. 15.6. And the Apostles and Elders came together for to consider of this matter. From these and the like places, it is plain, that Christ willeth jurisdiction to be exercised, and controversies to be determined by certain Consistories and Assemblies. Of the exercise of jurisdiction is the first place, which I have cited ⟨p. 160⟩to be understood, as the cohesion thereof with the purpose which went before, showeth. Of determining questions of faith, and enacting laws concerning things in their own nature indifferent, is the other place to be understood, as we shall hear afterward. So then, we truly affirm of Ecclesiastical Assemblies in general, that power is committed by Christ unto them, to exercise jurisdiction, to determine questions of faith, and to make constitutions about things indifferent, in the case of scandal. Now the several sorts of these Assemblies are not particularly determined in Scripture, but left to be particularly determined by the Church, conform to the light of Nature, and to the general rules of the Word of God. And the particular kinds of Assemblies appointed by the Church, conform to the light and rules foresaid, do fall within the compass of those precepts which are Divine-Ecclesiastica: they are mixed (though not mere) divine ordinances. Even as the Scripture warranteth times of fasting, and times of thanksgiving, showing also the causes and occasions of the same, and the right manner of performance; but leaveth the particular days of fasting and thanksgiving to be determined by the Church, according to ⟨p. 161⟩the rules of the Word. In like manner, the Scripture commendeth the renewing of the covenant of God in a Nation that hath broken it, but leaveth the day and place for such an action to be determined by the Church, according to the rules foresaid.