3. That Jesus Christ hath in his Government appointed no effectual remedy to heal the scandals of an offending Congregation, or at least, a more effectual remedy to redresse an offending Brother, then an offending Congregation. All which are great derogations, and disparagements to the Kingly Office and Government of Jesus Christ. And thus we have shewed that the Presbyterial Government is not new to the Word of God, as some falsly object. We proceed to justifie it in other particulars.
3. The Presbyterial Government challengeth no power over mens bodies or estates. It medleth not in civil affairs, or with inflicting civil mulcts, or corporal punishments. It is a government purely spirituall, dispensing the Keyes of the Kingdom of heaven, not of earth; and how then can it be cruel and tyrannical, in fineing and imprisoning mens persons, as was objected?
4. It is not a Government that hath Lordships and great Revenues annexed to it, as the Prelatical had. It is not gainful and profitable, but burdensome and troublesome: What do the ruling Elders gain by their office, but reproach and contempt? And is not the condition of the teaching Elder worse, in regard of maintenance, since he ingaged in this discipline, then ever it was? This is a government that hath no outward advantages to induce men to accept of it. It is conscience, and (as we hope) pure conscience, that ingageth any in it, and therefore it is, that it hath so few friends, because there are so few that are truly conscientious.
5. It is not a Domineering Hierarchicall magisteriall Government, that lords it over peoples consciences, requiring subjection to the decrees of it, with blind and slavish obedience. But it is a Stewardship, a Ministry, a painful and laborious service. We say, That all the determinations, even of Nationall Synods, are to be obeyed no further, then they agree with the Word of God. And that a Synod is Judex judicandus. That Congregations are to examine with the judgment of discretion, what is sent to them from Synods. There is no more obedience required to the Decrees of a Nationall Synod, then the Independents claim to the decrees of a particular Congregation.
6. It is not an Arbitrary illimited Government, but bounded and limited: 1. By the Word of God; for in this Government, everything is to be administred according to the pattern in the Mount. We desire none to follow, but where the Word goeth before. 2. By the civill Magistrate, in regard of the exercise of it. For we acknowledg our selves (as we have said) accountable to the civill Magistrate, to punish us with civil mulcts, if we abuse our power.
7. It is not a Government, that doth rob and spoyl particular Congregations of their just power and priviledges, but helps and strengthens them. For it is not (as the Prelatical was) extrinsecall to the severall Congregations; (which had no vote in the government, nor consent to it, but were sufferers only of it, and under it:) Neither doth it assume to it self the sole power of Ordination and jurisdiction: (as the Prelatical likewise did, and in this, was lordly and tyrannical over all particular Congregations in each Diocess:) But it is intrinsecall to the Congregation, consisting of the Pastors and Elders of every Congregation, governing one another by their own Officers: For we hold (which few of our Adversaries will understand or consider) That all Congregations are equal. No one Congregation over another. That all Ministers are equall, No one Minister, by divine right, over another.
That which concerns all, must be managed by all.
We hold no Mother-Church, on which all other Churches should depend. But our Government, so far as it is distinct from the Congregational, consisteth of divers Sister-Churches, combined by mutuall concernment, and governing one another in matters of mutuall concernment, by the common agreement of Pastors and Elders, according to that Golden Rule, Quod omnes tangit, ab omnibus tractari debet. In the Presbyterial Government every Congregation hath a voyce, by the Pastors and Elders thereof, and so is governed by a power intrinsecall to it self, which cannot in its own nature be tyrannicall. Though there is no power in the world so just, but by abuse may prove tyrannicall.
To illustrate this by a simile. The Presbyterial Government is like the Government of the City by the Common-councell, wherein there are Common-Councell-men sent from every Ward, to judg and determine of matters, that concern the good of the whole City; which certainly in its own nature, cannot be prejudicall to the severall Wards, but every helpfull and commodious; whereas the Prelatical-Government, was just as if the City should be governed by a High-Commission chosen of Forreiners; and the Independent-Government is just as if every Ward should undertake to govern it self, divided from one another, and not at all to be under the power and authority of the Common-councell.
Adde besides this, the Presbyteriall-Government doth give unto people of particular Congregations all that is by Christ left them. For,