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
3. They differ in their formal cause, as doth clearly appear by their
way or manner of acting: magistratical power takes cognizance of crimes,
and passes sentence thereupon according to statutes and laws made by
man: ecclesiastical power takes cognizance of, and passes judgment upon
crimes according to the word of God, the Holy Scriptures. Magistratical
power punishes merely with political punishments, as fines,
imprisonments, &c. Ecclesiastical merely with spiritual punishments, as
church censures. Magistratical power makes all decrees and laws, and
executes all authority, commanding or punishing only in its own name, in
name of the supreme magistrate, as of the king, &c., but ecclesiastical
power is wholly exercised, not in the name of churches, or officers, but
only in Christ's name, Matt, xxviii. 19; Acts iv. 17; 1 Cor. v. 4. The
magistrate can delegate his power to another: church-governors cannot
delegate their power to others, but must exercise it by themselves. The
magistrate about ecclesiasticals hath power to command and compel
politically the church officers to do their duty, as formerly was
evidenced; but cannot discharge lawfully those duties themselves, but in
attempting the same, procure divine wrath upon themselves: as Korah,
Numb. xvi.; King Saul, 1 Sam. xiii. 9-15; King Uzziah, 2 Chron. xxvi.
16-22: but church-guides can properly discharge the duties of doctrine,
worship, and discipline themselves, and ecclesiastically command and
compel others to do their duty also.
4. Lastly, They differ in their final cause or ends. The magistratical
power levels at the temporal, corporal, external, political peace,
tranquillity, order, and good of human society, and of all persons
within his jurisdiction, &c. The ecclesiastical power intends properly
the spiritual good and edification of the Church and all the members
thereof, Matt, xviii. 15; 1 Cor. v. 5, &c.; 2 Cor. x. 8, and xiii.
10.[34] May we not from all clearly conclude, Therefore no proper
ecclesiastical power was ever given by Jesus Christ to the magistrate as
a magistrate?
_Argum_. 4th. The civil magistrate is no proper church officer, and
therefore cannot be the proper subject of church power, Hence we may
argue:
_Major_. All formal power of church government was derived from Jesus
Christ to his own proper church officers only. To them he gave the _keys
of the kingdom of heaven_, Matt. xvi. 19, and xviii. 18; John xx. 21,
28: to them he gave the _authority for edification of the church_, 2
Cor. x. 8, and xiii. 10: but this will after more fully appear in Chap.
XI. following.
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