er be denied
unto him. 2. Nor shall it here be discussed, what the power of
congregational elderships is, whether it be universally extensive to all
acts of government ecclesiastical whatsoever, without exception or
limitation; and that independently, without subordination to the greater
assemblies, and without all liberty of appeal thereunto in any cases
whatsoever, though of greatest and most common concernment. Which things
are well stated and handled by others;[105] and will in some measure be
considered afterwards in Chapter XV.

3. But the thing for the present to be insisted upon, against the
Erastian and prelatical party, is, the divine right of authority and
power for church government, which is in congregational presbyteries or
elderships, in reference to their respective congregations. Take it
thus:

Elderships of single congregations vested and furnished with
ecclesiastical authority and power to exercise and dispense acts of
government in and over those respective congregations whereunto they do
belong, are by divine right warrantable.

For confirmation hereof the light of nature, the institution of Christ,
the apostolical practice, and the law of necessity, seem to speak
sufficiently unto us.

1. The common light of nature thus far directeth all sorts of smaller
societies, whether political or ecclesiastical, to compose all
particular and more private differences and offences within themselves;
and to decide and determine small, common, easy causes and matters, by
smaller courts and judicatories appointed for that end: a vain thing to
trouble more and greater assemblies with those matters, that may as well
be determined by the lesser. It was wise and grave counsel which Jethro,
Moses' father-in-law, gave to Moses, that he should set up over the
people certain judges inferior to himself, who themselves might judge
all smaller matters, but all _great and hard matters to be brought to
Moses_, Exod. xviii. 22, 26. And our Saviour seems to insinuate, that
the Jews had their inferior courts for inferior causes, superior
judicatories for greater, in that gradation of his, Matt. v. 22.
Likewise they had lesser and greater ecclesiastical assemblies, (as
after will appear.) Now, to what use are greater and lesser
judicatories, civil or ecclesiastical, but that the lesser and lighter
causes may be judged in the inferior, harder and greater in the
superior?

2. The institution of Christ recorded Matt. xviii. 15