For the first. As he supposeth, each Congregation, such, as to have the privilege of enjoying a Presbytery, or company of more or less Elders, proper unto it self; so being thus Presbyterated, he asserteth this incorporate body or society to be the first and primary subject of a complete and entire power within it self over it's own members; yea, and the sole native subject of the power of Ordination and Excommunication, which is the highest Censure. And whereas this corporation consisteth both of Elders and Brethren, (for as for women and children, there is a special exception by a Statute-law of Christ against their enjoyment of any part of this public power;) His scope is to demonstrate a distinct and several share and interest of power, in matters of common concernment, vouchsafed to each of these, and dispersed among both, by Charter from the Lord: as in some of our towns corporate, to a company of Aldermen, the Rulers, and a Common-Council, ⟨image 4⟩a body of the people, there useth to be the like: He giving unto the Elders or Presbytery a binding power of Rule and Authority proper and peculiar unto them; and unto the Brethren, distinct and apart, an interest of power and privilege to concur with them, and that such affairs should not be transacted, but with the joint agreement of both, though out of a different right: so that as a Church of Brethren only, could not proceed to any public censures, without they have Elders over them, so nor in the Church have the Elders power to censure without the concurrence of the people; and likewise so, as each alone hath not power of Excommunicating the whole of either, though together they have power over any particular person or persons in each.
For the first. As hee supposeth, each Congregation, such, as to have the priviledge of injoying a Presbyterie, or company of more or lesse Elders, proper unto it self; so being thus Presbyterated, hee asserteth this incorporate body or society to be the first and primary subject of a compleat and entire power within it self over it's own members; yea, and the sole native subject of the power of Ordination and Excommunication, which is the highest Censure. And whereas this corporation consisteth both of Elders and Brethren, (for as for women and children, there is a speciall exception by a Statute-law of Christ against their injoyment of any part of this publique power;) His scopeis to demonstrate a distinct and severall share and interest of power, in matters of common concernment, vouchsafed to each of these, and dispersed among both, by Charter from the Lord: as in some of our towns corporate, to a company of Aldermen, the Rulers, and a Common-Councell, ⟨image 4⟩a body of the people, there useth to be the like: He giving unto the Elders or Presbytery a binding power of Rule and Authority proper and peculiar unto them; and unto the Brethren, distinct and apart, an interest of power and priviledge to concurre with them, and that such affaires should not be transacted, but with the joynt agreement of both, though out of a different right: so that as a Church of Brethren only, could not proceed to any publique censures, without they have Elders over them, so nor in the Church have the Elders power to censure without the concurrence of the people; and likewise so, as each alone hath not power of Excommunicating the whole of either, though together they have power over any particular person or persons in each.
