IT must therefore be affirmed, that no Persons, by virtue of any Office merely, have Right to be Members of Ecclesiastical Synods as such. Neither is there either Example or Reason to give colour unto any such pretence. Farther is no Office-Power to be exerted in such Synods as such, neither conjunctly by all the Members of them, nor singly by any of them. Officers of the Church, Bishops, Pastors, Elders, may be present in them, ought to be present in them, are meetest for the most part so to be, but merely as such, it belongs not unto them. The Care, Oversight and Rule of the Churches whereunto they do belong, the Flock among them distinctly is committed unto them, and for that they are instructed with Power and Authority by virtue of their Office. But as unto their conjunction in Synods, which is a mere act and effect of the Communion of Churches among themselves, it is not committed unto them in a way of peculiar Right by virtue of their Office. If it be so, without respect unto the power of the Magistrate in calling them, or of the Churches in choosing them, then it belongs unto them all; for that which belongs unto any of them, as such by virtue of Office, belongs equally unto all, and if it belongs unto all, then it belongs unto all of one sort only, as for instance Bishops; or unto all of all sorts, as for instance Presbyters also. If it be stated in the latter way, then every Presbyter, as such by virtue of his Office, hath Right and Power to be present in all Ecclesiastical Synods, equal with that of the Bishops. For although it be supposed that his Office is not equal unto theirs; ⟨p. 261⟩yet it is so also that this Right doth equally belong unto his Office. If the former be avowed, namely, that this Right belongs unto Bishops only (such as are pleaded for) by virtue of their Office as such; then, (1.) I desire that any tolerable proof of the confinement of this Right unto such an Office be produced, either from the Scripture or Reason, or the Example of the First Churches; which as yet I have never seen. (2.) I fear not to say, that a false presumption hereof was one principal cause and means of introducing Tyranny into the Churches, and the utter ruin of their Liberty.
IT must therefore be affirmed, that no Persons, by virtue of any Office meerly, have Right to be Members of Ecclesiastical Synods as such. Neither is there either Example or Reason to give colour unto any such pretence. Farther is no Office-Power to be exerted in such Synods as such, neither conjunctly by all the Members of them, nor singly by any of them. Officers of the Church, Bishops, Pastors, Elders, may be present in them, ought to be present in them, are meetest for the most part so to be, but meerly as such, it belongs not unto them. The Care, Oversight and Rule of the Churches whereunto they do belong, the Flock among them distinctly is committed unto them, and for that they are instructed with Power and Authority by virtue of their Office. But as unto their conjunction in Synods, which is a meer act and effect of the Communion of Churches among themselves, it is not committed unto them in a way of peculiar Right by virtue of their Office. If it be so, without respect unto the power of the Magistrate in calling them, or of the Churches in choosing them, then it belongs unto them all; for that which belongs unto any of them, as such by virtue of Office, belongs equally unto all, and if it belongs unto all, then it belongs unto all of one sort only, as for instance Bishops; or unto all of all sorts, as for instance Presbyters also. If it be stated in the latter way, then every Presbyter, as such by virtue of his Office, hath Right and Power to be present in all Ecclesiastical Synods, equal with that of the Bishops. For although it be supposed that his Office is not equal unto theirs; ⟨p. 261⟩yet it is so also that this Right doth equally belong unto his Office. If the former be avowed, namely, that this Right belongs unto Bishops only (such as are pleaded for) by virtue of their Office as such; then, (1.) I desire that any tolerable proof of the confinement of this Right unto such an Office be produced, either from the Scripture or Reason, or the Example of the First Churches; which as yet I have never seen. (2.) I fear not to say, that a false presumption hereof was one principal cause and means of introducing Tyranny into the Churches, and the utter ruine of their Liberty.
