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
Religion
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
Presbyterian Church -- Government
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.
CHAPTER II.
_Of the Nature of a_ DIVINE RIGHT _in general._
Now touching this divine right of church government, two things are yet
more particularly to be opened and proved, for the more satisfactory
clearing thereof unto sober minds, to unprejudiced and unpre-engaged
judgments, viz:--1. What the nature of a divine right is, and how many
ways a thing may be said to be of divine right, and that by warrant of
Scripture. 2. What the nature of the government of the Church under the
New Testament is, which is vouched by the Scripture to be of divine
right.
For the first--viz. What the nature of a divine right is--consider both
what a divine right is in general, and how many ways a thing may be said
by Scripture warrant to be of divine right in particular.
_Right_ is that which is most proper, just, or equal; or that which is
prescribed or commanded by some statute law, and is just to be received
in virtue of said law.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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