ligatory upon all.

CHAPTER V.

_Of the Proper Author or Fountain, whence Church Government and the
authority thereof is derived by Divine Right, viz. Jesus Christ our
Mediator._

As the Scripture is the rule of church government, so Christ is the sole
root and fountain whence it originally flows; therefore, it is said in
the description, church government is a power or authority, derived from
Jesus Christ our Mediator. Take it in this proposition, viz:

Jesus Christ our Mediator hath all authority and power in heaven and in
earth, for the government of his Church, committed unto him from God the
Father. This is clearly evident,

1. By plain testimonies of Scripture, declaring that the government of
the Church is laid upon his shoulder, to which end the Father hath
invested him with all authority and power. "The government shall be upon
his shoulder," &c., Isa. ix. 6,7. "All power is given me in heaven and in
earth: go, disciple ye all nations," &c., Matt, xxviii. 18, 19. "He shall
be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God
shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign
over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no
end," Luke i. 32, 33. "The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all
judgment to the Son; and hath given him authority to execute judgment
also, because he is the Son of man," John v. 22, 27. "The Father loveth
the Son, and hath given all things into his hand," John iii. 35. "It is
he that hath the key of David, that openeth and no man shutteth, and
shutteth and no man openeth," Rev. iii. 7. "God raised him from the
dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far
above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every
name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to
come: and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the
head over all things to the Church, which is his body," Eph. i. 20-23,

2. By eminent princely titles, attributed unto Jesus Christ our
Mediator, having such authority, power, rule, and government legibly
engraven upon their foreheads, in reference to his Church.

"A Governor which shall feed" (or rule) "my people Israel," Matt. ii. 6.
"That great Shepherd of the sheep," Heb. xiii. 20. "That Shepherd and
Bishop of our souls," 1 Pet. ii. ult. "One is your master, Christ,"
Matt, xxiii. 8, 10. "Christ as a son over his own house," H