_Of the Proper Author or Fountain, whence Church Government and the
authority thereof is derived by Divine Right, viz. Jesus Christ our
Mediator._
As the Scripture is the rule of church government, so Christ is the sole
root and fountain whence it originally flows; therefore, it is said in
the description, church government is a power or authority, derived from
Jesus Christ our Mediator. Take it in this proposition, viz:
Jesus Christ our Mediator hath all authority and power in heaven and in
earth, for the government of his Church, committed unto him from God the
Father. This is clearly evident,
1. By plain testimonies of Scripture, declaring that the government of
the Church is laid upon his shoulder, to which end the Father hath
invested him with all authority and power. "The government shall be upon
his shoulder," &c., Isa. ix. 6,7. "All power is given me in heaven and in
earth: go, disciple ye all nations," &c., Matt, xxviii. 18, 19. "He shall
be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God
shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign
over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no
end," Luke i. 32, 33. "The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all
judgment to the Son; and hath given him authority to execute judgment
also, because he is the Son of man," John v. 22, 27. "The Father loveth
the Son, and hath given all things into his hand," John iii. 35. "It is
he that hath the key of David, that openeth and no man shutteth, and
shutteth and no man openeth," Rev. iii. 7. "God raised him from the
dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far
above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every
name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to
come: and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the
head over all things to the Church, which is his body," Eph. i. 20-23,
2. By eminent princely titles, attributed unto Jesus Christ our
Mediator, having such authority, power, rule, and government legibly
engraven upon their foreheads, in reference to his Church.
"A Governor which shall feed" (or rule) "my people Israel," Matt. ii. 6.
"That great Shepherd of the sheep," Heb. xiii. 20. "That Shepherd and
Bishop of our souls," 1 Pet. ii. ult. "One is your master, Christ,"
Matt, xxiii. 8, 10. "Christ as a son over his own house," Heb. iii. 6.
"The Head of the body the Church," Col. i. 18; Eph. v. 23. "Head over
all things to the Church," Eph. i. 22. "To us but one Lord Jesus
Christ," 1 Cor. viii. 6. "Made of God both Lord and Christ," Acts ii.
36. "Lord of lords," Rev. xix. 16. "He is Lord of all," Acts x. 36.
"God's King set on his holy hill of Zion," Psal. ii. 6. "David their
king," Jer. xxx. 9; Ezek. xxxiv. 23, and xxxvii. 24; Hos. iii. 5. "King
of kings," Rev. xix. 16.
3. By those primitive, fundamental, imperial acts of power, and supreme
authority in the government of the Church, which are peculiarly ascribed
to Jesus Christ our Mediator, as appropriate to him alone, above all
creatures, e.g.
1. The giving of laws to his Church. "The law of Christ," Gal. vi. 2.
"Gave commandments to the apostles," Acts i. 2. "There is one Lawgiver,
who is able to save and to destroy," James iv. 12. "The Lord is our
judge, the Lord is our lawgiver," (or statute-maker,) "the Lord is our
king," Isa. xxxiii. 22.
2. The constituting of ordinances, whereby his Church shall be edified:
as _preaching the word_, Matt. x. 7; 1 Cor. i. 17; Matt, xxviii. 18-20;
Mark xvi. 15. _Administering of the sacraments. Baptism_, John i. 33,
with Matt. iii. 13, &c., and xxviii. 18, 19. _The Lord's supper_, 1 Cor.
xi. 20, 23, &c.; Matt. xxvi. 26, &c.; Mark xiv. 22, &c.; Luke xxii. 19,
20. _Dispensing of censures_, Matt. xvi. 10, with xviii. 15-18, &c.
3. The ordaining and appointing of his own church officers, by whom his
ordinances shall be dispensed and managed in his Church. "He gave gifts
to men; and he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers," Eph. iv. 7, 8, 11; compare
1 Cor. xii. 28; 1 Thess. v. 12; Acts xx. 28.
4. The dispensing of Christ's ordinances, not in the name of
magistrates, ministers, churches, councils, &c., but in Christ's own
name. The apostles did "speak and teach in the name of Jesus," Acts iv.
17, 18. "Whatsoever ye ask in my name," John xiv. 13, 14, and xvi. 23.
"Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son," Matt,
xxviii. 18, 19. "They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus," Acts
xix. 5. "In the name--with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to
deliver such a one to Satan," 1 Cor. v. 4. Yea, assemblies of the Church
are to be in Christ's name: "Where two or three are gathered together in
my name," Matt, xviii. 20.