The Due Right of Presbyteries, Chapter 10 · Section 15 · Objection 17
Object. 17. From the power of jurisdiction, in a Synod, you may inferre a power of jurisdiction, in a nationall Church, and a power of jurisdiction in the whole Christian world, and wee know not any Politicall Church Catholick and visible in Scripture, and if then were any such Church Catholick, then might they conveene and sweart a Catholick-covenant for uniformitie of doctrine, worship, and government of the Church, as wee have done in Britaine, and this Catholick Church might impose it, upon a nationall Church, even by that same Law of proportion, by which the nationall Church may impose it on particular Churches which are parts of the Nationall Church.
Answ. I see not how the consequence holdeth every way good, that as wee inferre from a juridicall power in a presbytery, the same power juridicall in a Synod, and the same in a nationall Assembly, that therefore wee may inferre the same juridicall power in an Oecumenick councell: and the reasons of the disparitie I take to bee these; 1. The farther remote in locall distance of place that Churches bee, (as it falleth out in the Catholick visible Church) the danger of scandalizing one another, by visible communion, and so the opportunitie of edifying one another is the lesse, and so the communion visible is the lesse, and consequently the power of jurisdiction is the lesse. 2. An universall and oecumenick councell of all the visible Churches on earth, is an act of the visible Church which supposeth all the visible Churches on earth to bee in that morall perfection of soundnesse of faith, of concord and unitie, that some one Congregation or classicall presbytery of Elders according to Gods heart may bee in, which morall perfection perhaps is not de facto attainable, (though it bee not physically impossible) in this life, except wee suppose the heavenly dayes of Christs visible reigne on earth a thousand yeares, when yet there shall bee no Temple nor externall ministery, of which state I cannot now dispute, and therefore I conceive these sixteene hundred yeares there never was an integrall and perfect oecumenick councell of all the Churches on earth, and therefore if wee should dispute of the juridicall power of such a Catholick assembly whether it may impose an oecumenick and Catholick oath on a nationall Church against their will, and excommunicate a nationall Church, is but a needlesse and a Ch…mericall dispute, and it includeth two contradictory suppositions. 1. That all the Churches on earth are of one sound faith, worship, doctrine and Church-government, and yet one nationall Church is supposed to bee heterodox, scandalous, and obstinate, so that that whole nationall Church must bee constrained to take a lawfull oath and must bee excommunicated; such an hypothesis is not possible where the Gospell is preached, for even the whole Romish Church in all its members deserveth not excommunication, in respect wee are sure God hath thousands in the bosome of that Church; who beleeve in Christ, and doe not defend popery with obstinacie, and such an hypothesis is contradicent to the supposition of the soundnesse of faith and unitie of all Christian Churches on earth, and therefore I plainely deny that Christ hath given the like power of jurisdiction to the Catholick visible Church, that hee hath given to a nationall Church, over a provinciall Church or Synod, and to a Synod over a classical Presbyterie; yea I much doubt if a Catholick councell can formally excommunicate a nationall Church, though such a councell may use a power analogicall like to the power of excommunication.