3 A representative Church is a number having election and designation from the Church of believers, but ordination from the Eldership to voice, determine and command, as those who are over them in the Lord, to make constitutions and decrees according to Gods word, and this way we hold a representative Church, Mat: 18. and 1 Cor: 5. which made acts according to Gods word, tying the whole congregation, even the absents; for the presents representeth the absent: If the incestuous person had bin judicially excommunicated, the Apostle Paul and all the absents, that neither had bin actors, nor witnesses had bin tied to abstain from brotherly conversing with him, and this way the decrees of the Council of Jerusalem tied the absent Churches, Act: 16. 4. and Christs power of the keys, John 20. were given to Thomas, howbeit absent, and Pauls Epistles to Coloss, Ephesus, Galatia laid an Ecclesiastical tie upon ⟨p. 84⟩these Churches that consented not to the writing of these Epistles; not only because the matter is the Canonic word of God, but also the tie was Ecclesiastical, in so far as the flock is obliged to hear the Pastor, according to that (He that heareth you heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me.) Any absent through sickness or other distractions, from the election of Matthias, Acts 1. the seven Deacons, Acts 6. and the Elders chosen in every City, Acts 14. 23. were tied to stand to the election of Matthias, the seven Deacons, and the Elders in every City; else no act of the Church were valid, where one or two disassenteth, or where two or three are absent by sickness, and other distractions insuperable: And so here our brethren (I believe) cannot, in reason, deny but there is a representative Church, whose deed tieth the absents. And the reason is clear, that to make a Church-constitution oblige in conscience, and ecclesiastically, there is not required as an essential ingredient of obligation, that all, and every one who are tied and obliged, be personally present, to voice and consent to the constitution; for constitutions tie Ecclesiastically, as made by the Church, but not as made by all, and every one of the Church. And the lawfulness of Commissioners to represent the case of the Church is clear in Gods Word; as Antioch sent Commissioners to Jerusalem, Acts 15. Jerusalem sent Barnabas their Messenger to Antioch, 11. 22.
3 A representative Church is a number having election and designation from the Church of believers, but ordination from the Eldership to voice, determine and command, as those who are over them in the Lord, to make constitutions and decrees according to Gods word, and this way we hold a representative Church, Mat: 18. and 1 Cor: 5. which made acts according to Gods word, tying the whole congregation, even the absents; for the presents representeth the absent: If the incestuous person had bin judicially excommunicated, the Apostle Paul and all the absents, that neither had bin actours, nor witnesses had bin tied to abstain from bortherly conversing with him, and this way the decrees of the Councell of Jerusalem tyed the absent Churches, Act: 16. 4. and Chr•sts power of the keyes, Iohn 20. were given to Thomas, howbeit absent, and Pauls Epistles to Collosse, Eph•sus, Galatia laid an Ecclesiasticall tye upon ⟨p. 84⟩these Churches that consented not to the writing of these Epistles; not onely because the matter is the Canonicke word of God, but also the tye was Ecclesiasticall, in so farre as the flocke is obliged to heare the Pastor, according to that (He that heareth you heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me.) Any absent through sicknesse or other distractions, from the election of Matthias, Acts 1. the seven Deacons, Acts 6. and the Elders chosen in every City, Acts 14. 23. were tyed to stand to the election of Matthias, the seven Deacons, and the Elders in every City; else no act of the Church were valid, where one or two disassenteth, or where two or three are absent by sicknesse, and other distractions insuperable: And so here our brethren (I beleeve) cannot, in reason, deny but there is a representative Church, whose deed tyeth the absents. And the reason is cleare, that to make a Church-constitution oblige in conscience, and ecclesiastically, there is not required as an essentiall ingredient of obligation, that all, and every one who are tyed and obliged, be personally present, to voyce and consent to the constitution; for constitutions tye Ecclesiastically, as made by the Church, but not as made by all, and every one of the Church. And the lawfulnesse of Commissioners to represent the case of the Church is cleare in Gods Word; as Antioch sent Commissioners to Jerusalem, Acts 15
