3. _From the immediate, and proper end of Church Government_, which is not only matter of order and decency, but spiritual and supernatural, being appointed for the [15]_Edification of the body of Christ in grace unto glory_; and more particularly, for the _gaining of an offending brother unto repentance, and for the saving of his soul in the day of the Lord Jesus_. Now this is a certain rule, _whatsoever hath a spiritual efficacy, must of necessity have a divine originall_; _humane institutions_ can but produce humane effects: And therefore, seeing Church Government is designed for divine and supernaturall ends, it must of necessity, plead its originall from God himself.
4. We argue from an enumeration of the substantials of Church-Government. The Word of God declares unto us, That there are _Church-officers_, and who they are, _viz._, [16]_Pastors and Teachers_, [17]_Ruling-Elders, and_ [18]_Deacons_; And how they are to be [19]_qualified_ for, and [20]_externally called_ unto their respective Offices, together with all the Ministerial duties in those Offices, by them to be performed respectively; as [21]_publike prayer_, the _Ministry of the Word_, [22]_by reading and_ [23]_preaching_, the [24]blessing of the people in the name of the Lord, [25]_Administration of the Sacraments_, [26]_Censures_ and [27]distribution of Alms. The Scripture also tells us of a [28]Church, consisting of no more then can conveniently meet in one place to partake in all the Ordinances of publike Worship: and of [29]a Church consisting of divers congregations. The Scripture also speaks of [30]Synods, with Ecclesiasticall Authority, together with the [31]subordination of the lesser, to the greater, and appeals thereunto. Now all these are the substantials of Church Government, and are sufficiently set down in the Word, as may partly appear by the quotations in the Margent, and shall further appear by what we shall say afterwards. And more then these, and such as are necessarily included in these, are not (as we humbly conceive) substantials in the outward Government of the Church. The rest are circumstantialls, for which Christ hath given general rules sufficient to direct the Church in the ordering of them, and from which therefore she may not depart. These rules are set down, 1 Cor. 14.26, 40. _Let all things be done unto edifying, decently and in order_, 1 Cor. 10.31, 32. _Do all to the glory of God_, &c. Rom. 14.19. _Let us therefore follow after the things that make for peace_, &c.