(3.) Where there hath been any maladministration of discipline, whereby any members of a church have been injured, — as suppose they are unduly cast out of the church by the power and interest of some Diotrephes, or that any members of the church make a party and faction to depose their elders, as it was in the church at Corinth when the church at Rome gave them advice in the case, — it is neces- sary, from the communion of churches and the interest the persons injured have in the catholic church, whose edification is the end of all church administrations, that the proceedings of such a church be reviewed by a synod, and a remedy provided in the case. Nor was it the mind of the apostles that they should be left without relief which were unduly cast out of the church by any Diotrephes, nor is there any other ordinary way hereof but only by synods; but this case, I suppose, I shall speak unto afterward.
(4.) The same is the case with respect unto tuorship, as also unto manners and conversation. If it be reported, or known by credible testimony, that any church hath admitted into the exercise of divine worship any thing superstitious or vain, or if the members of it walk like those described by the apostle, Phil. iii. 18, 19, unto the dis- honour of the gospel and of the ways of Christ, the church itself not endeavouring its own reformation and repentance, other churches walking in communion therewith, by virtue of their common interest in the glory of Christ and honour of the gospel, after more private ways for its reduction, as opportunity and duty may suggest unto their elders, ought to assemble in a synod for advice, either as to the use of further means for the recovery of such a church, or to with- hold communion from it in case of obstinacy in its evil ways. The want of a due attendance unto this part of the communion of churches, with respect unto gospel worship in its purity, and gospel obedience in its power, was a great means of the decay and apostasy of them all. By reason of this negligence, instead of being helpful one to another for their mutual recovery, and the revival of the things that
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were ready to die, tliey gradually infected one another, according as they fell into their decays, and countenanced one another by their examples unto a continuance in such disorders.
The image which, in late ages, was set up hereof, in diocesan and metropolitical visitations, and those of lesser districts, under officers of antichristian names, hath been useful rather unto destruction than edification ; but so it hath fallen out in most things concerning church order, worship, and discipline. The power and spirituality of divine institutions- being lost, a machine hath been framed to make an ap- pearance and representation of them, to divert the minds of men from inquiring after the primitive institutions of Christ, with an experience of their efficacy.
Considering what we have learned in these later ages, by woful experience, of what hath fallen out formerly amongst all the churches in the world, as unto their degeneracy from gospel worship and holi- ness, with the abounding of temptations in the days wherein we live, and the spiritual decays that all churches are prone unto, it were not amiss if those churches which do walk in express communion would frequently meet in synods, to inquire into the spiritual state of them all, and to give advice for the correction of what is amiss, the due pre- servation of the purity of worship, the exercise of discipline, but espe- cially of the power, demonstration, and fruit of evangelical obedience.
Hence it is evident what are the ends of such synods among the churches of Christ. The general end of them all is to promote the edification of the whole body or church catholic; and that, — (1.) To prevent divisions from differences in judgment and practice, which are contrary thereunto. The first Christian synod was an as- sembly of the first two churches in the world by their delegates. The first church of the Jews was at Jerusalem, and the first church of the Gentiles was at Antioch ; to prevent divisions and to preserve communion between them was the first synod celebrated. Acts xv. (2.) To avoid or cure offences against mutual love among them. (3.) To advance the light of the gospel by a joint confession and agreement in the faith. (4,) To give a concurrent testimony against pernicious heresies or errors, whereby the faith of any is overthrown, or in danger so to be. (5.) To relieve such by advice as may be by any Diotrephes unduly cast out of the church.
What are the ends whereunto they have been used may be seen in the volumes written concerning them, and the numberless laws enacted in them ; whereof very little belongs unto the discipline of the gospel or real communion of churches.
3. The measure or extent of them ariseth from concernment and convenience. All unprejudiced persons do now acknowledge that the pretence of oecumenical councils, wherein the whole church of Christ on the earth or all particular churches should be represented,
200 TRUE NATURE OF A GOSPEL CHURCH.
and so obliged to acquiesce in their determinations, is a fond imagi- nation ; and it were easy to demonstrate in particular how every one of them which hath in vulgar esteem obtained that title were openly remote from so being. Such councils never were, and, as it is probable, never will nor can be, nor are any way needful unto the edification of the church.