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

THE great Privilege of Congregational Churches is to choose their own Officers, they have a liberty given to them by God to choose suitable Persons to Office, they are limited to Persons fitly qualified, but the Privilege of choosing them doth belong unto the Church, it is very probable, that the Synagogues of the Yews had liberty to choose their own Ministers; if they were confined to the Tribe of Levi, yet out of the Levites they choose for themselves; However, thus it ought to be in Christian Churches, the Apostles ordered the Church of Jerusalem to choose their own Deacons, Act. 6.3,4. They did not take upon them to prescribe, who the Persons should be, and impose Deacons on them, but referred the matter to their own choice; and the People nominated two, out of which God chose one to be an Apostle, Act. 1.23.

THE great Priviledge of Congregational Churches is to choose their own Officers, they have a liberty given to them by God to choose suteable Persons to Office, they are limited to Persons fitly qualified, but the Priviledge of choosing them doth belong unto the Church, it is very probable, that the Synagognes of the Yews had liberty to choose their own Ministers; if they were confined to the Tribe of Levi, yet out of the Levites they choose for themselves; However, thus it ought to be in Christian Churches, the Apostles ordered the Church of Jerusalem to choose their own Deacons, Act. 6.3,4. They did not take upon them to prescribe, who the Persons should be, and impose Deacons on them, but referred the matter to their own choice; and the People nominated two, out of which God chose one to be an Apostle, Act. 1.23.

Besides, it is the Privilege of all free Societies to choose their own Officers; such Countries as are conquered don't choose their own Rulers, nor such Countries where the Government is Hereditary, but such as are free, neither under the Power of Conquerors, nor the Bond of a Covenant do choose their own Officers either mediately or immediately: All the Power that Men have over a free People is by their own consent, directly or indirectly, excepting such cases wherein God is pleased to oint Rulers, or some who shall appoint Rulers over them; God appointed Aaron and his Posterity to the Office of the Priesthood in Israel, but God hath not appointed any Officers in Churches now, neither hath he appointed any that shall impose Officers over them, but hath left them to their free choice.