CHAPTER I.

_That there is a Government in the Church of_ DIVINE RIGHT _now under the New Testament._

Jesus Christ our Mediator hath _the government_ (both of the Church, and of all things for the Church) laid _upon his shoulder_, Isa. ix. 6, and to that end hath _all power in heaven and earth given to him_, Matth. xxviii. 18, John v. 22, Ephes. i. 22. But lapsed man (being full of pride, Psal. x. 2, 4, and enmity against the law of God, Rom. viii. 7) is most impatient of all government of God and of Christ, Ps. ii. 1, 2, 3, with Luke xix. 14, 27; whence it comes to pass, that the _governing_ and _kingly power_ of Christ hath been opposed in all ages, and especially in this of ours, by quarrelsome queries, wrangling disputes, plausible pretences, subtle policies, strong self-interests, and mere violent wilfulness of many in England, even after they are brought under the _oath of God to reform church government according to the word of God_. Yet it will be easily granted _that there should be a government in the Church of God_, otherwise the Church would become a mere _Babel_ and _chaos_ of confusion, and be in a far worse condition than all human societies in the whole world: and _that some one church government is much to be preferred before another, yea, before all other_; as being most desirable in itself, and most suitable to this state; otherwise, why is the _Prelatical_ government rejected, that another and a better may be erected instead thereof? But the pinch lies in this, _Whether there be any government in the Church visible of divine right?_ And, if so, _which of those church governments_ (which lay claim to a divine right for their foundation) _may be most clearly evinced by the Scriptures to be of_ divine right _indeed?_ If the former be convincingly affirmed, the fancy of the _Erastians_ and _semi-Erastians_ of these things will vanish, that deny all government to the Church distinct from that of the civil magistrate. If the latter be solidly proved by Scripture, it will appear, whether the _monarchical government_ of the pope and prelates; or the _mere democratical government_ of all the people in an equal level of authority, as among the Brownists; or the _mixed democratical government_ of both elders and people within their own single congregation only, without all subordination of Assemblies, and benefit of appeals, as among the Independents; or rather the _pure representative government_ of the presbytery or church rulers only, chosen by the people, in subordination to superior synodical assemblies, and with appeals thereto, as it is among the Presbyterians, be that peculiar government which Jesus Christ hath left unto his church, by divine right, and in comparison of which all others are to be rejected.

To draw things therefore to a clear and speedy issue about the divine right of church government, let this general proposition be laid down--

_The Scriptures declare, That there is a government of_ DIVINE RIGHT _in the visible Church of Christ now under the New Testament._

This is evident, 1 Cor. xii. 28, _God hath set some in the Church, first, Apostles, secondly, Prophets, thirdly, Teachers--Helps, Governments;_ in which place these things are plain: 1. That here the Apostle speaks of the visible Church: for he had formerly spoken of visible gifts and _manifestations of the Spirit given to profit this_ Church _withal_, ver. 7 to 12. He also compares this Church of God to a visible organical body, consisting of many visible members, ver. 12, 13, &c. And in this 28th verse he enumerates the visible officers of this Church. 2. That here the Apostle speaks of one general visible Church; for he saith not _churches_, but _church_, in the singular number, that is, of one; besides, he speaks here of the Church in such a latitude as to comprehend in itself all gifts of the Spirit, all members, and all officers, both extraordinary and ordinary, which cannot be meant of the church of Corinth, or any one particular church, but only of that one general Church on earth. 3. That this general visible Church here meant, is the Church of Christ now under the New Testament, and not under the Old Testament; for he mentions here the New Testament officers only, ver. 28. 4. That in the visible Church now under the New Testament, there is a government settled; for besides _Apostles, Prophets_, and _Teachers_, here is mention of another sort of officer distinct from them all, called, in the abstract, _Governments_, a metaphor from pilots, mariners, or shipmasters, who by their helm, card, or compass, cables, and other tacklings, guide, and order, turn and twine the ship as necessity shall require; so these officers called _Governments_, have a power of governing and steering the spiritual vessel of the Church; thus, Beza on this place, says he declares the order of Presbyters, _who are keepers of discipline and church polity_. For how improperly should these, or any officers be styled _Governments in the Church_, if they had not a power of government in the Church settled upon them? Nor can this be interpreted of the civil magistrate; for, when the Apostle wrote this, the Church had her government, when yet she had no civil magistrate to protect her; and when did God ever take this power from the Church and settle it upon the civil magistrate? Besides, all the other officers here enumerated are purely ecclesiastical officers; how groundless then and inconsistent is it under this name of _Governments_ to introduce a foreign power, viz. the political magistrate, into the list and roll of mere church officers? Finally, the civil magistrate, as a magistrate, is not so much as a member of the visible Church, (for then all Pagan magistrates should be members of the Church,) much less a governor in the Church of Christ. 5. That this government settled in the Church is of divine right; for, of those _Governments_, as well as of _Apostles, Prophets_, and _Teachers_, it is said, _God hath set_ them _in the Church. God hath set_ them, _hath put, set_--Tremellius out of the Syriac. Hath _constituted, ordained_--Beza out of the Greek. Now, if they be set in the Church and God hath set them there, here is a plain divine right for government in the Church.

Add hereto, 2 Cor. x. 8, "Of our authority, which the Lord hath given to us for the edification, and not for the destruction of you." Here are mentioned--1. Church power or authority for government in the Church. 2. The end of this power--positively, for the edification; negatively, not for the destruction of the Church. 3. The Author or Fountain of this authority--the Lord Christ hath given it, dispensed it; there is the divine right. 4. The proper subjects intrusted with this authority, viz: the church guides, our authority, which he hath given to us. They are the receptacle of power for the Church, and the government thereof. Compare also 1 Thes. v. 12, Matth. xvi. 19, 20, with xviii. 11, and John xx. 21, 22, 23. In which and divers like places the divine right of church government is apparently vouched by the Scripture, as will hereafter more fully appear; but this may suffice in general for the confirmation of this general proposition.