be framed and conformed to this rule, and overturneth all the reasonings
of worldly wisdom, and bringeth into captivity the thoughts of the proud
swelling mind to the obedience of Christ. Neither ought the voice of any
to take place or be rested upon in the church but the voice of Christ
alone.

6. The same Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, the only Head of the
church, hath ordained in the New Testament, not only the preaching of the
word and administration of baptism and the Lord's supper, but also
ecclesiastical government, distinct and differing from the civil
government; and it is his will that there be such a government distinct
from the civil in all his churches everywhere, as well those which live
under Christian, as those under infidel magistrates, even until the end of
the world. Heb. xiii. 7, 17; 1 Tim. v. 17, 19; Rom. xii. 8; 1 Cor. xii.
28; 1 Thess. v. 12; Acts i. 20; Luke xii. 42; 1 Tim. vi. 14; Rev. ii. 25.

7. This ecclesiastical government, distinct from the civil, is from God
committed, not to the whole body of the church or congregation of the
faithful, or to be exercised both by officers and people, but to the
ministers of God's word, together with the elders which are joined with
them for the care and government of the church, 1 Tim. v. 17. To those,
therefore, who are over the church in the Lord, belongeth the authority
and power, and it lieth upon them by their office, according to the rule
of God's word, to discern and judge betwixt the holy and profane, to give
diligence for amendment of delinquents, and to purge the church (as much
as is in them) from scandals, and that not only by inquiring, inspection,
warning, reproving, and more sharply expostulating, but also by acting in
the further and more severe parts of ecclesiastical discipline, or
exercising ecclesiastical jurisdiction, even unto the greatest and
weightiest censures, where deed is.

8. None that is within the church ought to be without the reach of church
law, and exempt from ecclesiastical censures; but discipline is to be
exercised on all the members of the church, without respect or
consideration of those adhering qualities which use to commend a man to
other men, such as power, nobility, illustrious descent, and the like: for
the judgment cannot be right where men are led and moved with these
considerations. Wherefore, let respect of persons be far from all judges,
chiefly the ecclesiastical: and if any in the church do so swel