The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

4. HE hath hereon given Commands unto the whole Church to submit themselves unto the Authority of these Officers in the discharge of their Office, who are so appointed, so prepared or qualified, so called by himself, and to obey them in all things, according unto the limitations which himself also hath given unto the Power and Authority of such Officers. For they who are called unto Rule and Authority in the Church by virtue of their Office, are not thereon admitted unto an unlimited Power to be exercised at their pleasure in a Lordly or Despotical manner; but their Power is stated, bounded, limited and confined as to the objects of it, its Acts, its manner of Administration, its Ends, and as unto all things wherein it is concerned. The swelling over these Banks by Ambition, the breaking up of these ⟨p. 39⟩bounds by Pride and love of Domination, by the introduction of a Power over the persons of Men in their outward concerns, exercised in a Legal, Coercive, Lordly manner, are sufficient to make a forfeiture of all Church Power in them who are guilty of them. But after that some Men saw it fit to transgress the bounds of Power and Authority prescribed and limited unto them by the Lord Christ; which was really exclusive of Lordship, Dominion and all Elation above their Brethren, leaving them Servants to the Church for Christs sake, they began to prescribe bounds unto themselves, such as were suited unto their Interest, which they called Rules or Canons, and never left enlarging them at their pleasure, until they instated the most absolute Tyranny in and over the Church, that ever was in the World.

4. HE hath hereon given Commands unto the whole Church to submit themselves unto the Authority of these Officers in the discharge of their Office, who are so appointed, so prepared or qualified, so called by himself, and to obey them in all things, according unto the limitations which himself also hath given unto the Power and Authority of such Officers. For they who are called unto Rule and Authority in the Church by virtue of their Office, are not thereon admitted unto an unlimited Power to be exercised at their pleasure in a Lordly or Despotical manner; but their Power is stated, bounded, limited and confined as to the objects of it, its Acts, its manner of Administration, its Ends, and as unto all things wherein it is concerned. The swelling over these Banks by Ambition, the breaking up of these ⟨p. 39⟩