The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

IT hence follows, that the introduction of Humane Authority into the Rule of the Church of Christ in any kind, destroyeth the nature of it, and makes his Kingdom to be of this World, and some of his Disciples to be in their measure like the Princes of the Gentiles; nor is it oft-times from themselves, that they are not more like them than they are. The Church is the House of Christ, his Family, his Kingdom. To act any power in its Rule, which is not his, which derives not from him, which is not communicated by his legal grant; or to act any Power, by Ways, Processes, Rules and Laws not of his appointment, is an invasion of his Right and Dominion. It can no otherwise be, if the Church be his Family, his House, his Kingdom. For what Father would endure that any Power should be exercised in his Family as to the disposal of his Children and Estate, but his own? What Earthly Prince will ⟨p. 31⟩bear with such an intrusion into his Rights and Dominion? Foreign Papal Power is severely excluded here in England, because it entrenches on the Rights of the Crown, by the exercise of an Authority and Jurisdiction not derived from the King according unto the Law of the Land. And we should do well to take care that at the same time we do not encroach upon the Dominion of Christ, by the exercise of an Authority not derived from him, or by Laws and Rules not Enacted by him, but more Foreign unto his Kingdom, than the Canon Law or the Popes Rule is unto the Laws of this Nation, lest we fall under the Statute of Praemunire, Matth. 10.26, 27, 28. The power of Rule in the Church, then, is nothing but a Right to yield Obedience unto the Commands of Christ, in such a way, by such Rules, and for such ends, as wherein and whereby his Authority is to be acted.

THE persons concerned in this Rule of the Church, both those that Rule and those that are to be Ruled, as unto all their Civil and Political concerns in this World, are subject unto the Civil Government of the Kingdoms and Places wherein they inhabit. And there are sundry things which concern the outward state and condition of the Church that are at the disposal of the Governors of this World: But, whereas the Power to be exercised in the Church is merely Spiritual as unto its objects, which are the Consciences of Men; and as unto its ends, which are the tendency of their Souls unto God, their spiritual obedience in Christ and Eternal Life, it is a Frenzy to dream of any other Power or Authority in this Rule, but that of Christ alone.