202 TRUE NATURE OF A GOSPEL CHURCH.
of France, and the like; whose original and being depend on the first event of war in that [their ?] dissolution. Unto these new church-states, whose being, bounds, and limits, are given unto them absolutely by those of the civil government which they belong unto, it is thought meet that ecclesiastical synods should be accommodated ; but in what way this is to be done there is not yet an agreement : but it is not my present business to consider the differences that are about it, which are known unto this nation on a dear account. Yet this I shall say, that whereas it is eminently useful imto the edification of the church catholic that all the churches professing the same doctrine of faith, within the limits of the same supreme civil government, should hold constant actual communion among themselves unto the ends of it before mentioned, I see not how it can be any abridgment of the liberty of particular churches, or interfere with any of their rights which they hold by divine institution, if, through more con- stant lesser synods for advice, there be a communication of their mutual concerns unto those that are greater, until, if occasion require and it be expedient, there be a general assembly of them all, to advise about any thing wherein they are all concerned. But this is granted only with these limitations: — (1.) That the rights of particular churches be preserved in the free election of such as are to be mem- bers of all these synods; (2.) That they assume no authority or jurisdiction over churches or persons, in things civil or ecclesiastical; (3.) That none are immediately concerned in this proper synodal power or authority (which what it is we shall inquire) who are not present in them by their own delegates.
As for that kind of synods which some call a classis, which is a convention of the elders or officers of sundry parochial churches, dis- tinguished for presential communion ordinarily, in some acts of it, by virtue of their office, and for the exercise of office-power, it is the con- stitution of a new kind of particular churches by a combination of them into one, whose original distinction is only in the civil limits of their cohabitation; which probably may be done sometimes and in some places unto edification.
4. The persons of whom all sorts of ecclesiastical synods are to consist must be inquired into ; and there is nothing of mere human prudential constitution that hath longer obtained in the church than that these should be officers of the churches only. And whereas, after the days of the apostles, we have no record, of any synods of more churches than one, until after the distinction was made between bishops and presbyters, they were made up of both sorts of them ; but afterward, those who were peculiarly called bishops enclosed this right unto themselves, — on what grounds God knows, there being not one tittle in the Scripture or the light of reason to give them coun- tenance therein.
OF THE COMMUNION OF CHURCHES. 203
It must therefore be affirmed, that no persons, by virtue of any office merely, have right to be members of ecclesiastical synods, as such ; neither is there either example or reason to give colour unto any such pretence. Further ; no office-power is to be exerted in such synods as such, neither conjunctly by all the members of them, nor singly by any of them. Officers of the church, bishops, pastors, elders, may be present in them, ought to be present in them, are meetest for the most part so to be, but merely as such it belongs not unto them. The care, oversight, and rule of the churches Avhereunto they do be- long, the flock among them distinctly, is committed unto them; and for that they are intrusted with power and authority by virtue of their office : but as unto their conjunction in synods, which is a mere act and effect of the communion of churches among themselves, it is not committed unto them in a way of peculiar right by virtue of their office. If it be so, without respect unto the power of the magistrate in calling them, or of the churches in choosing them, then it belongs unto them all ; for that which belongs unto any of them, as such, by virtue of office, belongs equally unto all : and if it belong unto all, then it belongs unto all of one sort only, as, for instance, bishops; or unto all of all sorts, as, for instance, presbyters also. If it be stated in the latter way, then every presbyter, as such, by virtue of his office, hath right and power to be present in all ecclesiastical synods equal with that of the bishops; for although it be supposed that his office is not equal unto theirs, yet it is so also that this right doth equally belong unto his office. If the former be avowed, namely, that this right belongs unto bishops only (such as are pleaded for), by virtue of their office as such, then, — (1.) I desire that any tolerable proof of the confinement of this right unto such an office be produced, either from the Scripture, or reason, or the example of the first churches; which as yet I have never seen. (2.) I fear not to say, that a false presumption hereof was one principal cause and means of introducing tyranny into the churches, and the utter ruin of their liberty.