Salvationofasinnersupposethaprecedentredemption；forhethatisonceguiltyofsinisobnoxioustothepenaltyofthesame；
andmustpay，orsomeotherforhim，suchransomashethatisoffended，andhashiminhispower，shallrequire。AndseeingthepersonoffendedisAlmightyGod，inwhosepowerareallthings，suchransomistobepaidbeforesalvationcanbeacquired，asGodhathbeenpleasedtorequire。Bythisransomisnotintendedasatisfactionforsinequivalenttotheoffence，whichnosinnerforhimself，norrighteousmancaneverbeabletomakeforanother：thedamageamandoestoanotherhemaymakeamendsforbyrestitutionorrecompense，butsincannotbetakenawaybyrecompense；forthatweretomakethelibertytosinathingvendible。Butsinsmaybepardonedtotherepentant，eithergratisoruponsuchpenaltyasGodispleasedtoaccept。ThatwhichGodusuallyaccepted，intheOldTestament，wassomesacrificeoroblation。Toforgivesinisnotanactofinjustice，thoughthepunishmenthavebeenthreatened。Evenamongstmen，thoughthepromiseofgoodbindthepromiser；yetthreats，thatistosay，promisesofevil，bindthemnot；muchlessshalltheybindGod，whoisinfinitelymoremercifulthanmen。OurSaviourChristthereforetoredeemusdidnotinthatsensesatisfyforthesinsofmen，asthathisdeath，ofitsownvirtue，couldmakeitunjustinGodtopunishsinnerswitheternaldeath；butdidmakethatsacrificeandoblationofHimself，atHisfirstcoming，whichGodwaspleasedtorequireforthesalvationatHissecondcoming，ofsuchasinthemeantimeshouldrepentandbelieveinHim。AndthoughthisactofourredemptionbenotalwaysinScripturecalledasacrificeandoblation，butsometimesaprice；yetbypricewearenottounderstandanythingbythevaluewhereofHecouldclaimtoapardonforusfromhisoffendedFather；butthatpricewhichGodtheFatherwaspleasedinmercytodemand。
THEWORDChurchecclesiasignifiethinthebooksofHolyScripturediversethings。Sometimes，thoughnotoften，itistakenforGod’shouse，thatistosay，foratemplewhereinChristiansassembletoperformholydutiespublicly；as，“Letyourwomenkeepsilenceinthechurches“：*butthisismetaphoricallyputforthecongregationthereassembled，andhathbeensinceusedfortheedificeitselftodistinguishbetweenthetemplesofChristiansandidolaters。TheTempleofJerusalemwasGod’shouse，andthehouseofprayer；andsoisanyedificededicatedbyChristianstotheworshipofChrist，Christ’shouse：andthereforetheGreekFatherscallitKuriake，theLord’shouse；andthenceinourlanguageitcametobecalledkirk，andchurch。
*ICorinthians，
Church，whennottakenforahouse，signifieththesamethatecclesiasignifiedintheGrecianCommonwealths；thatistosay，acongregation，oranassemblyofcitizens，calledforthtohearthemagistratespeakuntothem；andwhichintheCommonwealthofRomewascalledconcio，ashethatspakewascalledecclesiastes，andconcionator。Andwhentheywerecalledforthbylawfulauthority，itwasecclesialegitima，alawfulChurch，ennomosEkklesia。*Butwhentheywereexcitedbytumultuousandseditiousclamour，thenitwasaconfusedChurch，Ekklesiasugkechumene。
Itistakenalsosometimesforthementhathaverighttobeofthecongregation，thoughnotactuallyassembled；thatistosay，forthewholemultitudeofChristianmen，howfarsoevertheybedispersed：aswhereitissaidthat“Saulmadehavocofthechurch“：*andinthissenseisChristsaidtobeHeadoftheChurch。
AndsometimesforacertainpartofChristians；as，“SalutetheChurchthatisinhishouse。“*2Sometimesalsofortheelectonly；as，“A
gloriousChurch，withoutspotorwrinkle，holyandwithoutblemish“；*3whichismeantoftheChurchtriumphant，orChurchtocome。Sometimes，foracongregationassembledofprofessorsofprofessorsofChristianity，whethertheirprofessionbetrueorcounterfeit，asitisunderstoodwhereitissaid，“TellittotheChurch，andifheneglecttoheartheChurch，lethimbetotheeasaGentile，orpublican。“*4
AndinthislastsenseonlyitisthattheChurchcanbetakenforoneperson；thatistosay，thatitcanbesaidtohavepowertowill，topronounce，tocommand，tobeobeyed，tomakelaws，ortodoanyotheractionwhatsoever；forwithoutauthorityfromalawfulcongregation，whatsoeveractbedoneinaconcourseofpeople，itistheparticularactofeveryoneofthosethatwerepresent，andgavetheiraidtotheperformanceofit；andnottheactofthemallingross，asofonebody；muchlesstheactofthemthatwereabsent，orthat，beingpresent，werenotwillingitshouldbedone。
Accordingtothissense，IdefineaChurchtobe：acompanyofmenprofessingChristianreligion，unitedinthepersonofonesovereign；atwhosecommandtheyoughttoassemble，andwithoutwhoseauthoritytheyoughtnottoassemble。AndbecauseinallCommonwealthsthatassemblywhichiswithoutwarrantfromthecivilsovereignisunlawful；thatChurchalsowhichisassembledinanyCommonwealththathathforbiddenthemtoassembleisanunlawfulassembly。
ItfollowethalsothatthereisonearthnosuchuniversalChurchasallChristiansareboundtoobey，becausethereisnopoweronearthtowhichallotherCommonwealthsaresubject。ThereareChristiansinthedominionsofseveralprincesandstates，buteveryoneofthemissubjecttothatCommonwealthwhereofheishimselfamember，andconsequentlycannotbesubjecttothecommandsofanyotherperson。AndthereforeaChurch，suchaoneasiscapabletocommand，tojudge，absolve，condemn，ordoanyotheract，isthesamethingwithacivilCommonwealthconsistingofChristianmen；andiscalledacivilstate，forthatthesubjectsofitaremen；andaChurch，forthatthesubjectsthereofareChristians。Temporalandspiritualgovernmentarebuttwowordsbroughtintotheworldtomakemenseedoubleandmistaketheirlawfulsovereign。Itistruethatthebodiesofthefaithful，aftertheresurrection，shallbenotonlyspiritual，buteternal；butinthislifetheyaregrossandcorruptible。Thereisthereforenoothergovernmentinthislife，neitherofstatenorreligion，buttemporal；norteachingofanydoctrinelawfultoanysubjectwhichthegovernorbothofthestateandofthereligionforbiddethtobetaught。Andthatgovernormustbeone；orelsetheremustneedsfollowfactionandcivilwarintheCommonwealthbetweentheChurchandState；betweenspiritualistsandtemporalists；betweentheswordofjusticeandtheshieldoffaith；
and，whichismore，ineveryChristianman’sownbreastbetweentheChristianandtheman。ThedoctorsoftheChurcharecalledpastors；
soalsoarecivilsovereigns：butifpastorsbenotsubordinateonetoanother，soasthattheremaybeonechiefpastor，menwillbetaughtcontrarydoctrines，whereofbothmaybe，andonemustbe，false。Whothatonechiefpastoris，accordingtothelawofnature，hathbeenalreadyshown；namely，thatitisthecivilsovereign：andtowhomtheScripturehathassignedthatoffice，weshallseeinthechaptersfollowing。
OFTHERIGHTSOFTHEKINGDOMOFGOD，INABRAHAM，MOSES，THEHIGHPRIESTS，ANDTHEKINGSOFJUDAH
THEFATHERofthefaithful，andfirstinthekingdomofGodbycovenant，wasAbraham。Forwithhimwasthecovenantfirstmade；
whereinheobligedhimselfandhisseedafterhimtoacknowledgeandobeythecommandsofGod；notonlysuchashecouldtakenoticeofasmorallawsbythelightofnature；butalsosuchasGodshouldinspecialmannerdelivertohimbydreamsandvisions。Forastothemorallaw，theywerealreadyobliged，andneedednothavebeencontractedwithal，bypromiseofthelandofCanaan。NorwasthereanycontractthatcouldaddtoorstrengthentheobligationbywhichboththeyandallmenelsewereboundnaturallytoobeyGodAlmighty：andthereforethecovenantwhichAbrahammadewithGodwastotakeforthecommandmentofGodthatwhichinthenameofGodwascommandedhim，inadreamorvision，andtodeliverittohisfamilyandcausethemtoobservethesame。
InthiscontractofGodwithAbraham，wemayobservethreepointsofimportantconsequenceinthegovernmentofGod’speople。First，thatatthemakingofthiscovenantGodspokeonlytoAbraham，andthereforecontractednotwithanyofhisfamilyorseedotherwisethanastheirwillswhichmaketheessenceofallcovenantswerebeforethecontractinvolvedinthewillofAbraham，whowasthereforesupposedtohavehadalawfulpowertomakethemperformallthathecovenantedforthem。AccordingwhereuntoGodsaith，“Allthenationsoftheearthshallbeblessedinhim，forIknowhimthathewillcommandhischildrenandhishouseholdafterhim，andtheyshallkeepthewayoftheLord。“*Fromwhencemaybeconcludedthisfirstpoint，thattheytowhomGodhathnotspokenimmediatelyaretoreceivethepositivecommandmentsofGodfromtheirsovereign，asthefamilyandseedofAbrahamdidfromAbrahamtheirfatherandlordandcivilsovereign。AndconsequentlyineveryCommonwealth，theywhohavenosupernaturalrevelationtothecontraryoughttoobeythelawsoftheirownsovereignintheexternalactsandprofessionofreligion。Asfortheinwardthoughtandbeliefofmen，whichhumangovernorscantakenonoticeofforGodonlyknoweththeheart，theyarenotvoluntary，northeeffectofthelaws，butoftheunrevealedwillandofthepowerofGod，andconsequentlyfallnotunderobligation。
*Genesis，18。18，19
Fromwhenceproceedethanotherpoint；thatitwasnotunlawfulforAbraham，whenanyofhissubjectsshouldpretendprivatevisionorspirit，orotherrevelationfromGod，forthecountenancingofanydoctrinewhichAbrahamshouldforbid，orwhentheyfollowedoradheredtoanysuchpretender，topunishthem；andconsequentlythatitislawfulnowforthesovereigntopunishanymanthatshallopposehisprivatespiritagainstthelaws：forhehaththesameplaceintheCommonwealththatAbrahamhadinhisownfamily。
Therearisethalsofromthesameathirdpoint；thatasnonebutAbrahaminhisfamily，sononebutthesovereigninaChristianCommonwealth，cantakenoticewhatisorwhatisnotthewordofGod。ForGodspokeonlytoAbraham，anditwasheonlythatwasabletoknowwhatGodsaid，andtointerpretthesametohisfamily：andthereforealso，theythathavetheplaceofAbrahaminaCommonwealtharetheonlyinterpretersofwhatGodhathspoken。
ThesamecovenantwasrenewedwithIsaac，andafterwardswithJacob，butafterwardsnomoretilltheIsraeliteswerefreedfromtheEgyptiansandarrivedatthefootofMountSinai：andthenitwasrenewedbyMosesasIhavesaidbefore，Chapterthirty-five，insuchmannerastheybecamefromthattimeforwardthepeculiarkingdomofGod，whoselieutenantwasMosesforhisowntime：andthesuccessiontothatofficewassettleduponAaronandhisheirsafterhimtobetoGodasacerdotalkingdomforever。
Bythisconstitution，akingdomisacquiredtoGod。ButseeingMoseshadnoauthoritytogoverntheIsraelitesasasuccessortotherightofAbraham，becausehecouldnotclaimitbyinheritance，itappearethnotasyetthatthepeoplewereobligedtotakehimforGod’slieutenantlongerthantheybelievedthatGodspokeuntohim。
Andthereforehisauthority，notwithstandingthecovenanttheymadewithGod，dependedyetmerelyupontheopiniontheyhadofhissanctity，andoftherealityofhisconferenceswithGod，andtheverityofhismiracles；whichopinioncomingtochange，theywerenomoreobligedtotakeanythingforthelawofGodwhichhepropoundedtotheminGod’sname。Wearethereforetoconsiderwhatothergroundtherewasoftheirobligationtoobeyhim。ForitcouldnotbethecommandmentofGodthatcouldobligethem，becauseGodspokenottothemimmediately，butbythemediationofMoseshimself：andourSavioursaithofhimself，“IfIbearwitnessofmyself，mywitnessisnottrue“；*muchlessifMosesbearwitnessofhimself，especiallyinaclaimofkinglypoweroverGod’speople，oughthistestimonytobereceived。Hisauthoritytherefore，astheauthorityofallotherprinces，mustbegroundedontheconsentofthepeopleandtheirpromisetoobeyhim。Andsoitwas：for“thepeoplewhentheysawthethunderings，andthelightnings，andthenoiseofthetrumpet，andthemountainsmoking，removedandstoodafaroff。AndtheysaiduntoMoses，Speakthouwithus，andwewillhear，butletnotGodspeakwithuslestwedie。“*2Herewastheirpromiseofobedience；
andbythisitwastheyobligedthemselvestoobeywhatsoeverheshoulddeliveruntothemforthecommandmentofGod。