The Divine Right of Church Government | Page 8

Israel of God.

THE DIVINE RIGHT OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT.

PART I.
OF THE NATURE OF A DIVINE RIGHT: AND HOW MANY
WAYS A THING MAY BE OF DIVINE RIGHT.
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