1.  Church is originally derived from a Greek word,[23] which signifies to call forth.  Hence church properly signifies a company or multitude, called forth; and so in this notation of the word, three things are implied:  1.  The term from which they are called. 2.  The term to which they are called. 3.  The medium or mean by which they are brought from one term to another, viz. by calling.  And these things thus generally laid down, do agree to every company that may properly be called a church.  Now, this word translated church, never signifies one particular person, but many congregated, gathered, or called together; and it hath several acceptations or uses in the New Testament:  1.  It is used in a common and civil sense, for any civil meeting, or concourse of people together:  thus that tumultuous and riotous assembly is called a church, Acts xix. 32, 39, 40. 2.  It is used in a special religious sense, for a sacred meeting or assembly of God’s people together:  and thus it signifies the Church of God, either, 1.  Invisible, comprehending only the elect of God, as Heb. xii. 23, “and Church of the first-born,” Eph. v. 23, &c., “Even as Christ is the head of the Church.” 2.  Or, visible, comprehending the company of those that are called to the visible profession of the faith in Christ, and obedience unto Christ, according to the gospel, as Acts ii. 47, and v. 11, and viii. 3, and xii. 1, 5; 1 Cor. xii. 23, and often elsewhere.  Now in this description, church is not understood of a civil assembly; for such assemblies are governed by civil power.  Nor of the invisible Church of Christ; for, as the Church is invisible, (to speak properly,) it is invisibly governed by Christ and his Spirit, Rom. viii. 14; Gal. ii. 20.  But of the visible Church of Christ, for which Christ hath provided a visible polity, a visible government, by visible officers and ordinances, for the good both of the visible and invisible members thereof, which is that church government here spoken of.

2.  Government is the translation of a Greek word, which properly signifies the government of a ship with chart, &c., by the pilot or mariner, and thence metaphorically is used to signify any government, political or ecclesiastical.  But the word is only once used in all the New Testament, viz. 1 Cor. xii. 28:  Governments, h.e. ruling elders in the church; the abstract being put for the concrete, governments for governors.  But whatever be the terms or names whereby government is expressed, government generally considered seems still to signify a superiority of office, power, and authority, which one hath and exerciseth over another.  This is the notion of government in general.  So that church government, in general, notes that pre-eminence or superiority of office, power, and authority, which some have and exercise over others in spiritual matters, in church affairs.  And here we are further to consider, that church government is either, 1.  Magisterial,