The reasons of the Dissenting Brethren against the third proposition, concerning presbyterial government· Humbly…

But it was affirmed to be sufficient to confirm the Proposition, if it be a Synodical meeting. Presbyterial and Synodical, both it cannot be; for Synods, they are or ought to be extraordinary and occasional, Presbyteries are standing and ordinary, Synods are made up of Commissioners sent from Presbyteries, and Presbyteries are made up of the Elders of particular Congregations. The Members of Synods are Elders of such Churches which are (according to the principles of Presbyterial Government) complete Churches, having full power of jurisdiction for all Acts of Government within themselves; but the members of Presbyteries are Elders of such Congregations which are neither complete Churches, nor have within themselves full and complete power. And these cannot be one. The Elders of the Presbytery of Jerusalem, (when this once became a Synod by the addition of the Elders of other Churches) ceased to be any longer a Presbytery to that Church, and must become with them a new body to all the Churches, these other Elders did come from. And then to ⟨image 17⟩argue these Acts done by these (because the Elders of Jerusalem were present and Members of this Synod) were Presbyterial Acts of the Elders of Jerusalem, is all one as to go about to argue from the Acts of Government put forth by a Parliament at Westminster, to the power of the Burgesses and Common Council of the City of Westminster, because there the Parliament sits, and the Burgesses of that City are parts and members of that Parliament. Or, as if the Kingdom were governed by County Courts, and out of those County Courts, Knights, and Burgesses should be chosen to make up a Parliament, when the Parliament is met, there can be no Argument drawn from the power of a Parliament to prove the power of a County Court. Or from the power of a County Court to prove the power of a Parliament. Thus Synods are made out of Presbyteries, therefore we cannot argue from the power of Synods to the power of Presbyteries; or from the power of Presbyteries to the power of Synods.

But it was affirmed to bee sufficient to confirme the Proposition, if it bee a Synodicall meeting. Presbyteriall and Synodicall, both it cannot bee; for Synods, they are or ought to bee extraordinary and occasionall, Presbyteries are standing and ordinary, Synods are made up of Commissioners sent from Presbyteries, and Presbyteries are made up of the Elders of particular Congregations. The Members of Synods are Elders of such Churches which are (according to the principles of Presbyteriall Government) compleat Churches, having full power of jurisdiction for all Acts of Government within themselves; but the members of Presbyteries are Elders of such Congregations which are neither compleat Churches, nor have within themselves full and compleat power. And these cannot bee one. The Elders of the Presbytery of Jerusalem, (when this once became a Synod by the addition of the Elders of other Churches) ceased to bee any longer a Presbytery to that Church, and must become with them a new body to all the Churches, these other Elders did come from. And then to