THE DIVINE RIGHT OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT: WHEREIN IT IS PROVED THAT THE PRESBYTERIAN GOVERNMENT, BY PREACHING AND RULING ELDERS, IN SESSIONAL, PRESBYTERIAL, AND SYNODICAL ASSEMBLIES, MAY LAY THE ONLY LAWFUL CLAIM TO A DIVINE RIGHT, ACCORDING TO THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. A NEW EDITION, CORRECTED AND AMENDED. * * * * * BY SUNDRY MINISTERS OF CHRIST WITHIN THE CITY OF LONDON. * * * * * TO WHICH IS ADDED AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING EXTRACTS FROM SOME OF THE BEST AUTHORS WHO HAVE WRITTEN ON CHURCH GOVERNMENT, CONCERNING THE SCRIPTURAL QUALIFICATIONS AND DUTIES OF CHURCH MEMBERS; THE SOLE RIGHT OF GOSPEL MINISTERS TO PREACH THE GOSPEL; THE PEOPLE'S DIVINE RIGHT TO CHOOSE THEIR OWN PASTORS; TOGETHER WITH AN ABSTRACT OF THE ARGUMENTS OF THE GREAT DR. OWEN (THOUGH A PROFESSED INDEPENDENT) IN FAVOUR OF THE DIVINE RIGHT OF THE OFFICE OF THE RULING ELDER. * * * * * NEW YORK: R. MARTIN & CO., 26 JOHN-STREET. * * * * * M.DCCC.XLIV. THE EDITOR TO THE READER. * * * * * After what the authors of the following Treatise have said in their preface, the Editor judges it unnecessary for him to detain the reader long with any observations of his upon the subject. He, however, could sincerely wish that the friends of Christ would pay that attention to the government and discipline of his Church which it justly deserves. Although this subject should not be placed among the things essential to the being of a Christian; yet if it be found among the things that Christ has commanded, it is at our peril if we continue wilfully ignorant of, or despise it. He has expressly declared, that he who breaks one of the _least_ of his commandments, and teacheth men to do so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. It is an opinion too common, that if we believe the _essentials_ of religion, there is no occasion for so much preciseness about the forms of church government, which are only _circumstantials_, as there will be no inquiry made about these at the tribunal of Christ. But whatever relative importance the things of religion may have, when compared with one another, we ought to reckon nothing which God hath appointed, nothing which Jesus hath ratified with his blood, nothing which the Holy Spirit hath indited, so _circumstantial_, as to be unworthy of our serious regard. It is at least very rash, if not presumptuous, to say, that nothing about the circumstantials of religion will be inquired into at the tribunal of Christ. God has expressly said, that every work, good or evil, every idle word, and every deed done in the body, shall be brought into judgment; and false worshippers will, perhaps, find that their form of worship consisted in something worse than idle words, or sinful words either, even in sinful deeds, for which they will be accountable at the judgment.