III.  Finally, the present opportunity of publishing a treatise on this subject doth much incite and encourage us therein.  For at this time we are beginning, in this province of London, (and we hope the whole kingdom will, with all convenient speed, and due caution, second us,) to put that covenanted church government into actual execution, which we have a long time intended in our deliberate resolutions.  So that generally we shall be engaged in the government one way or other, either as acting in it as the church officers, or as submitting to it as church members:  now, how shall any truly conscientious person, either act in it, or conform and submit unto it with faith, judgment, and alacrity, till he be in some competent measure satisfied of the divine right thereof?

Will mere prudence, without a divine right, be a sufficient basis to erect the whole frame of church government upon, as some conceive?  Prudentials, according to general rules of Scripture, may be of use in circumstantials, but will bare prudentials in substantials also satisfy either our God, our covenant, our consciences, or our end in this great work of reformation?  What conscientious person durst have a hand in acting as a ruling elder, did he not apprehend the word of God holds forth a divine right for the ruling elder?  Who durst have a hand in the censures of admonishing the unruly, excommunicating the scandalous and obstinate, and of restoring the penitent, were there not a divine right hereof revealed in the Scripture, &c.  Now, therefore, that ruling elders, and the rest of the people, may begin this happy work conscientiously, judiciously, cheerfully, in some measure perceiving the divine right of the whole government, wherein they engage themselves, cleared by Scripture, we hope, by God’s blessing, that this small tract will afford some seasonable assistance, which will be unto us a very acceptable recompense.

Thus far of the nature of this treatise, and the grounds of our publishing thereof.  In the next place, a few doubts or scruples touching church government here asserted, being succinctly resolved, we shall preface no further.

Doubt 1.  Many scruple, and much question the divine right of the whole frame of church government; as, 1.  Whether there be any particular church government of divine right? 2.  What that government is? 3.  What church officers or members of elderships are of divine right? 4.  Whether parochial or congregational elderships be of divine right? 5.  Whether classical presbyteries be of divine right? 6.  Whether provincial, national, and ecumenical assemblies be of divine right? 7.  Whether appeals from congregational to classical, provincial, national, and ecumenical assemblies, and their power to determine upon such appeals, be of divine right? 8.  Whether the power of censures in the congregational eldership, or any other assembly, be of divine right? 9.  Whether there be any particular rules in the Scripture directing persons or assemblies in the exercise of their power? 10.  Whether the civil magistrates, or their committees’ and commissioners’ execution of church censures be contrary to that way of government which Christ hath appointed in his Church?