The doctrine of instituted churches explained and proved from the word of God

Thus it is not with Bishops, they do not legally represent the Church; for they are not chosen by the Church, they are not Persons elected by the Church to Act in their behalf, but are put into their Office by civil Authority; and how can they represent the Church who do not desire any Authority from the Church; and secondly, their Office is not of Divine Institution, and how can they who are not of Divine appointment, legally represent the Church? Those whose Office is not acknowledged in the Law of God, cannot legally represent the Church of God.

2. The Church of the Jews was Governed by a Counsel of seventy two Persons. Some are of Opinion that the Jews had both an Ecclesiastical and a civil Sanhedrin, this is evident, that in Christs time they had a Counsel that did consist in a great part of the Priests, Act. 14.6. and 22.30. And that God appointed the Priests and other Judges to join together in hearing of Controversies, Deut. 19.17. So also that there was an assembly of the chief of the Priests and Levites, appointed by Jehoshaphat to hear Ecclesiastical causes, 2 Chron. 19.8. And that the High Priest was over them in those Ecclesiastical causes, v. 11. By these things it is evident, that the Church of Israel was Governed by an Assembly of the Principal Men of the Church. Christ Jesus doth approve of their form of Government that was in his time, Matth. 23.2,3. By Priests, Scribes, Pharisees. By this it is not only evident, that the Government of a National or Provincial Church, by an Assembly of its Principal Elders, is a proper suitable and hopeful way; but likewise that this way is to be observed in Christian Nations, seeing no other Provision is made for their Government; many of the appointments that God made for the Jewish Church, do continue in force still, and this among the rest, no other Provision being made