The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

4. THE Persons of whom all sorts of Ecclesiastical Synods ⟨p. 260⟩are to consist, must be enquired into. And there is nothing of mere humane prudential constitution that hath longer obtained in the Church, than that those should be Officers of the Churches only. And, whereas, after the days of the Apostles we ¹have no Record of any Synods of more Churches than one, until after the distinction was made between Bishops and Presbyters, they were made up of both sorts of them. But afterwards, those who were peculiarly called Bishops, enclosed this Right unto themselves; on what grounds God knows, there being no one Tittle in the Scripture, or the Light of Reason to give them countenance therein.

4. THE Persons of whom all sorts of Ecclesiastical Synods ⟨p. 260⟩are to consist, must be enquired into. And there is nothing of meer humane prudential constitution that hath longer obtained in the Church, than that those should be Officers of the Churches only. And, whereas, after the days of the Apostles we ¹have no Record of any Synods of more Churches than one, until after the distinction was made between Bishops and Presbyters, they were made up of both sorts of them. But afterwards, those who were peculiarly called Bishops, enclosed this Right unto themselves; on what grounds God knows, there being no one Tittle in the Scripture, or the Light of Reason to give them countenance therein.

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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;