l house, and _temple of
the living God_, Eph. ii. 21, and iv. 12; 1 Cor. iii. 9, 16, 17. The
edification of this house is gradually to be perfected more and more
till the coming of Christ, by laying the foundation of Christianity, in
bringing men still unto Christ, and carrying on the superstruction in
perfecting them in Christ in all spiritual growth, till at last the
top-stone be laid on, the Church completed, and translated _to the house
not made with hands, eternal in the heavens_.

CHAPTER IX.

_Of the proper receptacle and distinct subject of all this power and
authority of Church Government, which Christ hath peculiarly intrusted
with the execution thereof according to the Scriptures. And_ 1.
_Negatively, That the political magistrate is not the proper subject of
this power._

Thus we have taken a brief survey of church government, both in the
rule, root, kind, branches, and end thereof, all which are comprised in
the former description, and being less controverted, have been more
briefly handled. Now, the last thing in the description which comes
under our consideration, is the proper receptacle of all this power from
Christ, or the peculiar subject intrusted by Christ with this power and
the execution thereof, viz. only Christ's own officers. For church
government is a spiritual power or authority, derived from Jesus Christ
our Mediator, only to his own officers, and by them exercised in
dispensing of the word, &c. Now about this subject of the power will be
the great knot of the controversy, forasmuch as there are many different
claims thereof made, and urged with vehement importunity: (to omit the
Romish claim for the pope, and the prelatical claim for the bishop,) the
politic Erastian pretends that the only proper subject of all church
government is the political or civil magistrate; the gross Brownists or
rigid Separatists, that it is the body of the people, or community of
the faithful in an equal even level; they that are more refined, (who
style themselves for distinction's sake[26] Independents,) that it is
the single congregation, or the company of the faithful with their
presbytery, or church officers; the Presbyterians hold that the proper
subject wherein Christ hath seated and intrusted all church power, and
the exercise thereof, is only his own church officers, (as is in the
description expressed.) Here, therefore, the way will be deeper, and the
travelling slower; the opposition is much