The Divine Right of Church Government | Page 5

canons, which we will add in
order, &c., the very heads of which would be too prolix to recite. 10.
Finally, that neither the supreme civil magistrate, as such, nor
consequently any commissioner or committees whatsoever, devised
and erected by his authority, are the proper subject of the formal power
of church government, nor may lawfully, by any virtue of the
magistratical office, dispense any ecclesiastical censures or ordinances:
but that such undertakings are inconsistent with that way of
government which Christ hath appointed in his Church, is evidenced,
Part II. chap. 9, well compared with chap.
11.
Doubt 2. But this presbyterial government is likely to be an arbitrary
and tyrannical government, forasmuch as the presbyters of the
assembly of divines and others (who, Diotrephes-like, generally affect
domineering) have desired an unlimited power, according to their own
judgments and prudence, in excommunicating men from the ordinances
in cases of scandal.
Resol. A heinous charge, could it be proved against the presbyterial
government. Now for wiping off this black aspersion, consider two
things, viz: I. The imputation itself, which is unjust and groundless; II.
The pretended ground hereof, which is false or frivolous.
I. The imputation itself is, that the presbyterial government is likely to
be an arbitrary and tyrannical government. Ans. How unjust this
aspersion! I. What likelihood of arbitrary conduct in this government,
that is, that it should be managed and carried on according to men's
mere will and pleasure? For, 1. The presbyterial government (truly so
called) is not in the nature of it any invention of man, but an ordinance
of Christ; nor in the execution of it to be stated by the will of man, but
only by the sure word of prophecy, the sacred Scriptures. This
government allows not of one church officer at all; nor of one ruling

assembly made up of those officers; nor of one censure or act of power
to be done by any officer or assembly; nor of one ordinance to be
managed in the Church of God, but what are grounded upon, and
warranted by the word of God. This government allows no execution of
any part thereof, neither in substantials, nor circumstantials, but
according to the particular, or at least, the general rules of Scripture
respectively. And can that be arbitrary, which is not at all according to
man's will, but only according to Christ's rule, limiting and ordering
man's will? Or is not the Scripture a better and safer provision against
all arbitrary government in the Church, than all the ordinances, decrees,
statutes, or whatsoever municipal laws in the world of man's devising,
can be against all arbitrary government in the commonwealth? Let not
men put out their own eyes, though others would cast a mist before
them. 2. Who can justly challenge the reformed presbyterial churches
for arbitrary proceedings in matters of church government, practised in
some of them for above these fourscore years? Or where are their
accusers? 3. Why should the presbyterial government, to be erected in
England, be prejudged as arbitrary, before the government be put in
execution? When arbitrary conduct appears, let the adversaries
complain. 4. If any arbitrary conduct hath been discovered in any
reformed church, or shall fall out in ours, it is or shall be more justly
reputed the infirmity and fault of the governors, than of the government
itself.
II. What probability or possibility of tyranny in the presbyterial
government? For, 1. Who should tyrannize, what persons, what ruling
assemblies? Not the ministers; for, hitherto they have given no just
cause of any suspicion, since this government was in hand: and they are
counterpoised in all assemblies with a plurality of ruling elders, it being
already studiously[3] provided that there be always two ruling elders to
one minister: if there be still two to one, how should they tyrannize if
they would? Neither ministers nor ruling elders are likely to tyrannize,
if due care be taken by them, whom it doth concern, to elect, place, and
appoint, conscientious, prudent, and gracious ministers and ruling
elders over all congregations. Nor yet the ruling assemblies, lesser or
greater; for in the presbyterial government all lesser ruling assemblies
(though now at first, perhaps, some of them consisting of more weak

and less experienced members) are subordinate to the greater
authoritatively; and persons aggrieved by any mal-administrations have
liberty to appeal from inferior to superior: and the very national
assembly itself, though not properly subordinate, yet is it to be
responsible to the supreme political magistracy in all their proceedings
so far as subjects and members of the commonwealth.
III. How can they tyrannize over any? Or in what respects? Not over
their estates: for they claim no secular power at all over men's estates,
by fines, penalties, forfeitures, or confiscations. Not over