The doctrine of instituted churches explained and proved from the word of God

This National Church is to be divided into provincial, and those again subdivided into Classical. The Light of Nature teaches us to make such Divisions of great Political Bodies, that Government may be more easily managed. Natural prudence teaches Men in the civil State, to make such Subordination of Courts of Justice, for the benefit of the Common Wealth. This is according to the Counsel which was given to Moses, by his father in •aw, and approved by God, Exod. 18. By the same Rule that the whole is to Rule over the parts, the greater parts are to Rule over the lesser parts, for a greater part, is an whole respecting the lesser parts into which it is divided. A County is a part with respect to a Province, but an whole with respect to the several Congregations therein, and accordingly may Exercise Government over them; yet with Subordination to that Authority that is over the whole. A gradation both in Civil and Ecclesiastical Authority is founded in the very Law of Nature.

Obj. If we grant a National Church under the Gospel, we may as well grant an Ecumenical Church: those that plead for the Jurisdiction of Synods, refer things at last to the Judgment of an Ecumenical Synod.

Obj. If we grant a National Church under the Gospel, we may as well grant an Oecumenical Church: those that plead for the Jurisdiction of Synods, refer things at last to the Judgment of an Oecumenical Synod.

Answ. […] is no such thing as an instituted Ecumenical Church; there is a •lick Church, but that Notes all those that profess the true Religion; but there is no Instituted Ecumenical Church, for the several Christian Nations are not in the same Covenant; they are indeed in the same special Covenant, but not in the same individual Covenant; so it is here, one Nation may keep Covenant, while other Nations break Covenant.