Chapter 52

CHAP. I.--A description of church government 45

CHAP. II.--The subject described, and the terms church government briefly defined 46

CHAP. III.--The general nature of church government, viz., power or authority 48

CHAP. IV.--The special difference of church government from other governments, as to the special rule of it, viz., the Holy 53 Scriptures

CHAP. V.--The proper fountain from which church government is derived, so as to constitute it of divine authority, viz., Jesus Christ our Mediator 55

CHAP. VI.--The peculiar nature of this power and authority 57

CHAP. VII.--The several acts about which this power and authority is exercised, viz., doctrine and discipline 61

CHAP. VIII.--The end and design of this government of the church 67

CHAP. IX.--The peculiar subject intrusted by Christ with this power, and the execution thereof according to the Scriptures 70

SECT. I.--The power granted to the civil magistrate about the 92 Church

SECT. II.--The power utterly refused him in church affairs 94

CHAP. X.--That the community of the faithful, or body of the people, are not the immediate subject of the power of church 97 government

CHAP. XI.--That Christ's own officers are the immediate subject of it; pastors and ruling elders 111

The divine right of the ruling elder at large 114

The divine right of the deacon 149

CHAP. XII.--The divine right of congregational elderships, or kirk sessions, for the government of the Church 172

CHAP. XIII.--The divine right of presbyteries, consisting of rulers from different neighboring congregations 177

CHAP. XIV.--The divine right of synods 197

CHAP. XV.--The subordination of particular congregations to greater assemblies, for their judicial determination of ecclesiastical causes, proved to be of divine right 210

APPENDIX.

No. I.--Of the qualifications and duties of church members 219

No. II.--Who have a right to preach the Gospel 237

No. III.--On the same subject 240

No. IV.--On the people's right to choose their own pastors 249

No. V.--On the ordination and duty of ministers 256

No. VI.--Of ruling elders, from Dr. Owen 258

Conclusion 266

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 117: The substance of this Number is extracted from Ford's Gospel Church, printed 1675.]

[Footnote 118: John xvi. 8, 9; 2 Cor. v. 5; Eph. ii. 1, 5.]

[Footnote 119: Col. ii. 6; 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20.]

[Footnote 120: Col. i. 12.]

[Footnote 121: 1 Pet. ii. 5.]

[Footnote 122: From Brown's Letters.]

[Footnote 123: Extracted from the Christian Magazine for Sept. 1797--a periodical publication well worth the perusal of the friends of evangelical doctrine.]

[Footnote 124: From Brown's Letters.]

[Footnote 125: This number is a summary of Dr. Owen's arguments in favor of the divine right of the ruling elder, with an abstract of the duties which he ought to perform. Although the Doctor was a professed Independent, yet he was entirely different, both in doctrine and church government, from any in Scotland that bear that name, as all who are acquainted with his works will easily observe. The writer of his life asserts that he heard him say, "He could readily join with presbytery as it was exercised in Scotland." And indeed it appears very probable that the difference between the consultative synod which he allows, and the authoritative synod contended for by true Presbyterians, is not so far different as many apprehend, because the decisions of either bind the conscience only as they are agreeable to the Holy Ghost speaking in the Scriptures.]