Chris:
I can't point you to any essays or articles on this, but websites to look at would be Spindleworks. You might also find some articles in the Ordained Servant articles listed on the OPC website. That's just off the top of my head.
I was brought up in the Dutch church, and am quite familiar with that form of Presbyterianism. I consciously came over to Presbyterianism after seeing all the abuses that took place, and was looking for a better understanding of the Biblical principles. I've seen both sides now, and I'm not that sure anymore that Presbyterianism is any better. There are strengths and weaknesses on both sides. I would be interested in your findings.
The main difference I think exists is that the Dutch churches ground the original derived authority in the elders of the local church ( including the ministers ), while the Presbyterians seem to hang it on the Presbytery. Whereas the Dutch churches carry their original authority to the classis, delegating it in the concensus of the whole, the Presbyterian churches seem to delegate their authority down to the elders of a church. This seems to be the case moreso where elders too are members of the Presbytery instead of just the ministers, as opposed to being members of their local congregation.
From this difference spring a bunch of other differences. The system of appeal would be one example; the view of term of office as opposed to lifetime office another.
The subscription thing is tied to this too, but is more of a difference in the understanding of the unity of the church. The Dutch also usually have a single song book denomination-wide; and that is closer to the subscription concept that they hold. But it is true that their idea of office differs somewhat also: the Dutch hold a more stringent view of office. And that also ties in with the subscription issue. They have more of a separation of man and office, not mixing the two. But that takes a bit of explaining, I guess. Anyways, the subscription issue is more of an effect on the view of office, of denominational unity, and of governance than it is that these are an effect on subscription. And that seems to be where the Presbyterians differ as well, because it seems they tend to want the latter when they speak of subscriptionism.
Mind you, I've only experienced the RPCGA and the OPC as far as Presbyterianism is concerned. And I'm familiar with the old CRC, the URC during its founding, and somewhat with FRC and CanRC polity. Of these, the one I'm most familiar with is the old CRC.
If you want to look into the old CRC, there is a book on amendments and rulings by the CRC on the Church Order and on the Three Forms of Unity. I can't recall the name of it right now. But you would have to access the Acts of Synod as well to get all the details, the complete overtures that were adopted and ratified. Its a lot of work. I did some of that quite a long time ago when I had that book. I still have it somewhere, I think. But this gave me a very clear understanding of CRC polity and how it worked.
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