The power of Congregational churches asserted and vindicated in answer to a treatise of…

Answ. Binding and loosing, taken in the largest sense, as in this Text, comprehend the exercise of all the acts of the Keys, or Church-power: and these acts are not only by public and pastoral preaching (for then, the Ruling-Elder should have no Key to bind or loose); but also by Admonitions, Excommunications, Admissions, which issue from a power of judging, not proper to the Pastors only, but common to the People with them. 2. Though the Keys be given to the Church; yet she may not exercise any act proper to Office-Power, without Officers, whom she doth and must call to that end, and submit to them in the due exercise thereof.

Answ. Binding and loosing, taken in the largest sense, as in this Text, comprehend the exercise of all the acts of the Keys, or Church-power: and these acts are not only by publick and pastoral preaching (for then, the Ruling-Elder should have no Key to bind or loose); but also by Admonitions, Excommunications, Admissions, which issue from a power of judging, not proper to the Pastors only, but common to the People with them. 2. Though the Keys be given to the Church; yet she may not exercise any act proper to Office-Power, without Officers, whom she doth and must call to that end, and submit to them in the due exercise thereof.

4. Reas. If this place give not warrant and authority to Officers, what warrant have they for their Office-Power?]

Answ. 1. This place gives warrant for the People to choose their Officers, according to Christ's appointment, and the Church doth accordingly call them to that place, and invest them with Office, with voluntary professed subjection to them, in the right exercise of that power of Office, which belongs unto them in the Lord. 2. The several acts of Office-power to be exercised by them, are abundantly ⟨p. 84⟩