The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

3. THE continuation of every Church in its original State and Constitution, is, since the ceasing of extraordinary Offices and Powers, committed to the Care and Power of the Church it self. Hereunto the Calling and Ordaining of ordinary Officers, Pastors, Rulers, Elders, Teachers, do belong. And therein, as we have proved, both the Election of the People, submitting themselves unto them in the Lord, and the solemn setting of them apart by Imposition of Hands, do concur. But if there be but One Elder only in a Church, upon his Death or Removal, this Imposition of Hands must either be left unto the People, or be supplied by Elders of other Churches; or be wholly omitted, all which are irregular. And that Church-Order is defective, which wants the Symbol of Authoritative Ordination.

3. THE continuation of every Church in its original State and Constitution, is, since the ceasing of extraordinary Offices and Powers, committed to the Care and Power of the Church it self. Hereunto the Calling and Ordaining of ordinary Officers, Pastors, Rulers, Elders, Teachers, do belong. And therein, as we have proved, both the Election of the People, submitting themselves unto them in the Lord, and the solemn setting of them apart by Imposition of Hands, do concurr. But if there be but One Elder only in a Church, upon his Death or Removal, this Imposition of Hands must either be left unto the People, or be supplied by Elders of other Churches; or be wholly omitted, all which are irregular. And that Church-Order is defective, which wants the Symbol of Authoritative Ordination.

4. IT is difficult, if not impossible, on a supposition of One Elder only in a Church, to preserve the Rule of the Church from being Prelatical or Popular. There is nothing more frequently objected unto those who dissent from Diocesan Bishops, than that they would every one be Bishops in their own Parishes, and unto their own People. All such pretences are excluded on our principles, of the Liberty of the People, of the necessity of many Elders in the same Church in an equality of Power, and the Communion of other Churches in Association: But practically where there is but One Elder, one of the extremes can be hardly avoided. If he Rule by himself, without the previous Advice in some cases, as well as the subsequent consent of the Church, it hath an eye of unwarrantable Prelacy in it: If every thing be to be Originally Transacted, Disposed, Ordered by the whole Society, the Authority of the Elder will quickly be insignificant, and he will be little more in point of Rule, than any other Brother of the Society. But all these Inconveniences are prevented by the fixing of many Elders in each Church, which may maintain the Authority of the Presbytery, and free the Church from the Despotical Rule of any Diotrphes. But in case there be but one in any Church, unless he have