13 - That the government of the church is not purely democratical, but like that of a free state, wherein the power is in the whole, not in any part, which is the author's judgement

Summary

That the Power of the Keys is not primarily in the pope, nor in the civil sovereign; nor in the prelate; nor in the presbyter; nor in both jointly as in a pure aristocracy, hath been formerly declared. It remains, we examine the people's title as distinct from that of the bishop and the presbyter, as they are [pre-eminent citizens of the church], parts of a Christian community. The people and number of believers thus considered, are rather plebs, than populus. To understand this it's to be considered that in a Christian community there are neither optimates properly, nor plebs. There may be and are, as you heard before, such as are incomplete and virtual members, as women, children and other weak Christians, who are not fit to have any vote in the public affairs of the church, much more unfit to exercise and manage the Power of the Keys. There are also complete members, and amongst these some more eminent than the rest. To place the power in the inferior rank, or to make that party predominant, is to make the government democratic. And this opinion is not worth the confutation, because it's not only disagreeing with plain Scripture, but with the rules of right reason. In this regard they are generally rejected. Some charge Morellius and the Brownists with this error, but I have not seen their books.