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

And in the third place, If there were any further authority or jurisdiction in their Decrees, it was from the Apostles, who were present and concurred in it, and who had power over all the Churches; and accordingly though the Elders in the whole Church were present and joined with the Apostles, Quantum in se, to consent and approve their Decrees with that several respective kind of judgment proper unto them, yet all the authority put forth over these Churches was that transcendent authority of the Apostles, which is not now left in all the Elders of the world joined together; and that therefore these Decrees made, and the decision of these questions here, were by infallible Apostolical authority, and to that end they subjoined that Apostolical Seal, It seemed good to us and the Holy Ghost. And although the ordinary Elders, yea, and the whole Church joined in this, yet but according to their Measure, Analogy, and Proportion of their faith, even as in writing some Epistles Timothy and Silvanus joined with Paul, but yet Paul only wrote Apostolically, and the authority in them is looked at as his; or else because perhaps they having the Holy Ghost fallen on them through the Apostles Doctrine then delivered (which was then usual) persuading their hearts unanimously (though afore dissenting, as ver. 25.) to accord, in that respect they might speak this in such a sense, that no assembly of men wanting Apostolical presence and instruction, may now speak. And although it may be objected, That then this Letter and these Decrees should be formal Scripture, and so bind us still, it is answered; That they are Scripture, and written for our learning; and if the case were the same upon which they obliged ⟨p. 34⟩them then, (viz. matter of offence) that then they would bind us now: but the things being enjoined, but as [Greek or Hebrew], things of a superadded casual necessity and not absolute, in case of offence only and not simply for the things themselves, therefore now the necessity being ceased, the obligation ceaseth, yet so as the equity of the rule and ground these were commanded upon, to abstain from things that will offend our brethren, doth hold in like cases to the end of the world.

And in the third place, If there were any further authority or jurisdiction in their Decrees, it was from the Apostles, who were present and concurred in it, and who had power over all the Churches; and accordingly though the Elders in the whole Church were present and joyned with the Apostles, Quantum in se, to consent and approve their Decrees with that severall respective kinde of judgment proper unto them, yet all the authority put forth over these Churches was that transcendent authority of the Apostles, which is not now left in all the Elders of the world joyned together; and that therefore these Decrees made, and the decision of these questions here, were by infallible Apostolicall authority, and to that end they subjoyned that Apostolicall Seale, It seemed good to us and the Holy Ghost. And although the ordinary Elders, yea, and the whole Church joyned in this, yet but according to their Measure, Analogy, and Proportion of their faith, even as in writing some Epistles Timothy and Silvanus joyned with Paul, but yet Paul onely wrote Apostolically, and the authority in them is looked at as his; or else because perhaps they having the Holy Ghost falne on them through the Apostles Doctrine then delivered (which was then usuall) perswading their hearts unanimously (though afore dissenting, as ver. 25.) to accord, in that respect they might speak this in such a sense, that no assembly of men wanting Apostolicall presence and instruction, may now speak. And although it may bee objected, That then this Letter and these Decrees should bee formall Scripture, and so binde us still, it is answered; That they are Scripture, and written for our learning; and if the case were the same upon which they obliged