If spiritual and ecclesiastical power be in the church or community of the faithful,1 the church doth not only call but make officers out of virtue and power received into herself, and then should the church have a true lordlike power in regard of her ministers. For as he that will derive authority to the church maketh himself Lord of the church, so if the church derive authority to the ministers of Christ she maketh herself Lady or Mistress over them in the exercise of that lordlike authority. For, as all men know, it is the property of the Lord and Master to impart authority. Did the church give power to the Pastors and Teachers, she might make the sacrament and preaching, which one doth in order, no sacrament, no preaching: for it is the order instituted of God that giveth being and efficacy to these ordinances: and if the power of ruling, feeding, and dispensing the holy things of God do reside in the faithful, the word and sacrament in respect of dispensation and efficacy shall depend upon the order and institution ⟨p. 253⟩of the society. If the power of the keys be derived from the community of the faithful, then are all officers immediately and formally servants to the church, and must do every thing in the name of the church, rule, feed, bind, loose, remit and retain sins, preach, and administer the sacraments; then they must perform their office according to the direction of the church, more or less, seldom or frequent, remiss or diligent: for from whom are they to receive direction how to carry themselves in their office but from him or them from whom they receive their office, whose work they are to do, and from whom they must expect reward. If their office and power be of God immediately, they must do the duties of their place according to his designment, and unto him they must give account: But if their power and function be from the church, the church must give account to God, and the officers unto the church, whom she doth take to be her helpers. If it be said that God will have the church to choose officers to execute the power committed unto her, the answer is, Either God will have her elect officers of his designment, to do his work, according to that power he shall give them, and by his direction;
If spirituall and ecclesiasticall power be in the church or community of the faithfull,1 the church doth not onely call but make officers out of virtue and power received into herself, and then should the church have a true lordlike power in regard of her ministers. For as he that will derive authority to the church maketh himself Lord of the church, so if the church derive authority to the ministers of Christ she maketh herself Lady or Mistresse over them in the exercise of that lordlike authority. For, as all men know, it is the property of the Lord and Master to impart authority. Did the church give power to the Pastours and Teachers, she might make the sacrament and preaching, which one doth in order, no sacrament, no preaching: for it is the order instituted of God that giveth being and efficacy to these ordinances: and if the power of ruling, feeding, and dispensing the holy things of God do reside in the faithfull, the word and sacrament in respect of dispensation and efficacy shall depend upon the order and institution ⟨p. 253⟩of the society. If the power of the keyes be derived from the community of the faithfull, then are all officers immediately and formally servants to the church, and must do every thing in the name of the church, rule, feed, bind, loose, remit and retein sinnes, preach, and administer the sacraments; then they must perform their office according to the direction of the church, more or lesse, seldome or frequent, remisse or diligent: for from whom are they to receive direction how to carry themselves in their office but from him or them from whom they receive their office, whose work they are to do, and from whom they must expect reward. If their office and power be of God immediately, they must do the duties of their place according to his designement, and unto him they must give account: But if their power and function be from the church, the church must give account to God, and the officers unto the church, whom she doth take to be her helpers. If it be said that God will have the church to chuse officers to execute the power committed unto her, the answer is, Either God will have her elect officers of his designement, to do his work, according to that power he shall give them, and by his direction;
- 1Argum. 2.
