f God constantly follow, not the doubtful
practices of unglorified saints, but the written pleasure of the most
glorious King of saints; and as many as walk according to this rule,
peace shall be on them, and upon the 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 p