Five disputations of church-government and worship

Prop. •4. The uses of Synods or Councils, is not directly to be superior Governors of particular Pastors and Churches; but it is Directly 1. For the Information and Edification of the Pastor• themselves by the collation of their reasons and mutual advice; 2. For the Union and Communion of the said Pastors, and of the particular Churches by them: that they may agree in one, and go hand in hand to do Gods work; and so may avoid the crossing and hindering of each other, and one may not receive those to communion without satisfaction, who are excommunicated by others, and so that by this concord of Pastors they may be strengthened to a more successful performance of their duties.

Prop. •4. The uses of Synods or Councils, is not directly to be superiour Governours of particular Pastors and Churches; but it is Directly 1. For the Information and Edification of the Pastor• themselves by the collation of their reasons and mutual advice; 2. For the Vnion and Communion of the said Pastors, and of the particular Churches by them: that they may agree in one, and go hand in hand to do Gods work; and so may avoid the crossing and hindering of each other, and one may not receive those to communion without satisfaction, who are excommunicated by others, and so that by this concord of Pastors they may be strengthened to a more successfull performance of their duties.

But then, these Direct ends of Synods being presupposed, Indirectly they may truly be said to be for Government; Because God in general having commanded us to carry on his work as much as we can in Unity and Peace, and it being the proper work of Councils to agree upon ways of Unity, it followeth that for Unity sake it becomes our duty to submit to their just Agreements; and so that the forming of such Agreements or Canons, is consequently or Indirectly a part of Government, though Directly it is but for Unity and Concord. Pastors in Synods have the same power over their people as they have out: and therefore what Canons they make justly for the Government of the people,