The keys of the kingdom of heaven and power thereof according to the word…The keyes of the kingdom of heaven and power thereof according to the word…

We need not enlarge in the application of this: Although a greater Assembly of Elders are to be reverenced as more wise and able than a few Elders with their single Congregations, and accordingly may have an higher doctrinal power, (a power properly, and peculiarly suited to their Abilities.) in cases of difficulty, to determine and direct Congregations in their way; yet Christ hath not betrusted them with that power He hath done the Congregations; because they are abstracted from the people: And so one Tribe of men concerned in all the forementioned respects is wanting, which Christ would have personally concurring, not by delegation or representation alone, not to the execution only, but even to the legal sentence also of cutting men off, as in the former parallel and instance may be observed. Yea, and the higher and the greater the association of the Presbyteries are, the further are they removed from the people, and although you might have thereby a greater help, in that Juridical knowledge of the Rule, to be proceeded by: yet they are in a further distance (and disabled thereby) from that Precise practic knowledge of the Fact and frame of spirit in the person transgressing. And Cases may be as truly difficult and hard to be decided from obscurity, and want of light into the Circumstantiation of the Fact, and person: in which it was committed, and by him obstinately persisted in; as of the Law it self.

We need not inlarge in the application of this: Although a greater Assembly of Elders are to be reverenced as more wise and able than a few Elders with their single Congregations, and accordingly may have an higher doctrinall power, (a power properly, and peculiarly suited to their Abilities.) in cases of difficulty, to determine and direct Congregations in their way; yet Christ hath not betrusted them with that power Hee hath done the Congregations; because they are abstracted from the people: And so one Tribe of men concerned in all the forementioned respects is wanting, which Christ would have personally concurring, not by delegation or representation alone, not to the execution only, but even to the legall sentence also of cutting men off, as in the former paralell and instance may bee observed. Yea, and the higher and the greater the association of the Presbyteries are, the further are they removed from the people, and although you might have thereby a greater helpe, in that Juridicall knowledge of the Rule, to be proceeded by: yet they are in a further distance (and disinabled therby) from that Precise practique knowledge of the Fact and frame of spirit in the person transgressing. And Cases may be as truely difficult and hard to bee decided from obscuritie, and want of light into the Circumstantiation of the Fact, and person: in which it was committed, and by him obstinately persisted in; as of the Law it self.