1. If the first be your sense, then you have two works to do. 1. To prove that these before mentioned were mutable institutions, or that they were settled but disjunctively with some other, and that the choice was left indifferent to men. 2. To prove the institution of your other form (which you suppose left with this to men's free choice).
But I have already proved, that both the general and particular church form are settled for continuance as unchangeable ordinances of God. I suppose you doubt not of the continuance of Christ's supremacy, and so of the universal form: and if you will prove that church assemblies with their pastors may cease, and some other way supply the room, you must be strange and singular undertakers. The other two parts of the government (by general officers, and by consociation of churches) are more disputed; but it is the circumstances of the last only that is controverted, and not the thing; and for the other I shall now add nothing to what I have said elsewhere.[308]
2. But if you only mean that another part of the form may be jure divino as well as this, that will but prove still that some form is jure divino.
But, 3. If you mean that God having instituted the forms now proved, hath left man at liberty to add more of his own, I shall now come to examine that case also.
[306] Eph. i. 22, 23; v. 25, 26, &c.; iv. 4-6, 16; Heb. x. 25; 1 Cor. xiv.; Acts xiv. 23; Titus i. 5; 1 Tim. v. 17; 1 Thess. v. 12, 13; 1 Tim. iii. 3-6; 1 Pet. v. 1-3; Acts xx. 28; Phil. i. 1, 2.
[307] Dr. Stillingfleet's Iren. p. 154. so p. 173. By church here I mean not a particular congregation, &c. So he granteth that, 1. The universal church, 2. Particular congregations, are of divine institution; one ex intentione primaria, and the other, as he calls it, accidentally, but yet of natural necessity.
[308] Disput. of Church Gov. disp. 3.
Quest. LVII. Whether any forms of churches, and church government, or any new church officers, may lawfully be invented and made by man?
Answ. To remove ambiguities, 1. By the word forms may be meant either that relative form of such aggregate bodies which is their essence, and denominateth them essentially; or only some accidental mode which denominateth them but accidentally.
2. By churches is meant either holy societies related by the foundation of a divine institution; or else societies related by accident, or by human contract only.