ot only because it hath God for its object,
but also God for its principle; now that which is according to God's
manifestation, must needs be of divine right.

2. Because the Spirit of God and of Christ in the New Testament is
pleased often to argue from the light of nature in condemning of sin, in
commending and urging of duty, as in the case of the incestuous
Corinthian; "It is reported commonly, that there is fornication among
you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the
Gentiles," (who had only the light of nature to guide them,) 1 Cor. v.
1. In case of the habits of men and women in their public church
assemblies, that women's heads should be covered, men's uncovered in
praying or prophesying. "Judge in yourselves, is it comely that a woman
pray unto God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that if
a man hath long hair, it is a shame to him? but if a woman have long
hair it is a glory to her," &c., 1 Cor. xi. 13-15. Here the apostle
appeals plainly to the very light of nature for the regulating and
directing of their habits in church assemblies; and thus, in case of
praying or prophesying in the congregation in an unknown tongue, (unless
some do interpret,) he strongly argues against it from the light of
nature, 1 Cor. xiv. 7-11, and afterwards urges that women be silent in
their churches, from the natural uncomeliness of their speaking there,
for it is a shame for women to speak in the church, 1 Cor. xiv. 34, 35.

Now, if the Spirit of God condemn things as vicious, and commend things
as virtuous from the light of nature, is there not divine right in the
light of nature? May we not say, that which is repugnant to the light of
nature in matters of religion, is condemned by divine right; and what is
correspondent to the light of nature, is prescribed by divine right? And
if not, where is the strength or force of this kind of arguing from the
light of nature?

Consequently, in the present case of church government, that which is
agreeable to the true light of nature, must needs be confessed to be of
divine right. Though the light of nature be but dim, yet it will lend
some help in this particular: e.g. the light of nature teaches, 1. That
as every society in the world hath a distinct government of its own
within itself, without which it could not subsist, so must the Church,
which is a society, have its own distinct government within itself,
without which it cannot subsist more than a