single congregation, or one classical presbytery. Or in a nation, the
Christian congregations may be so few, or so dispersed, or so involved
in persecution, that they cannot convene in synods, &c.

3. The power of synods contended for, is, 1. Not civil; they have no
power to take cognizance of civil causes, as such; not to inflict any
civil punishments; as fines, imprisonments, confiscations, banishments,
death, (these being proper to the civil magistrate:) but merely
spiritual; they judge only in ecclesiastical causes, in a spiritual
manner, by spiritual censures, to spiritual ends, as did that synod,
Acts xv. 2. Not corruptive, privative, or destructive to the power of
classical presbyteries, or single congregations; but rather perfective
and conservative thereunto. As suppose a single congregation should
elect a minister unsound in judgment, or scandalous in conversation, the
synod may annul and make void that election, and direct them to make a
better choice, or appoint them a minister themselves; hereby this
liberty of election is not at all infringed or violated, but for their
own advantage regulated, &c. 3. Not absolute, and infallible; but
limited and fallible: any synod or council may err, being constituted of
men that are weak, frail, ignorant in part, &c., and therefore all their
decrees and determinations are to be examined by the touchstone of the
Scriptures, nor are they further to be embraced, or counted obligatory,
than they are consonant thereunto, Isa. viii. 20. Hence there is liberty
of appeal, as from congregational elderships to the classical
presbytery, and from thence to the provincial synod, so from the
provincial to the national assembly, &c. 4. Finally, the power of synods
is not only persuasive and consultative, (as some think,) able to give
grave advice, and to use forcible persuasions in any case, which if
accepted and followed, well; if rejected and declined, there is no
further remedy, but a new non-communion instead of a divine church