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

2. Why I add ordinary, to subordinate.] It is added, to difference that Power, which resideth in the Church for continual use in ordinary dispensations, from that which was in the Apostles for a time, by the gift of Christ. Both Apostolical-Power, and Church-Power agree in this, that they are received immediately from Christ. For, as he said to the Apostles, whose sins ye remit, they are remitted, &c. Joh. 20.23. So he said to the Church, both here, in Peter, and in Mat. 18.18. Whatsoever ye shall bind, or loose on earth, &c. So that, neither did the Apostles receive their Power from the Church, nor doth the Church receive its power from the Apostles, but both immediately from Christ: and therefore, as the Apostles had their Power, before visible Christian-Churches were constituted; so such Churches ⟨p. 92⟩have and hold their Power, when Apostles cease to be on earth. But herein these two Powers differ; 1. That Apostolical Power was centred in one single Person, and extended it self to the circumference of all Churches. Each Apostle had the Power of the whole Church, and of all the Officers of the Church; when he was absent from the Churches, he could administer Seals and Censures, as if he had the presence and concurrence of the Church: and, if he was present in any Church that wanted Officers, an Apostle had power to execute every Office, for the Church. And this their Power extended it self as much to all Churches, as to any one. Their Line went out into all the World, Psal. 19.4. with Rom. 10.18. Mat. 28.19. For as the Father sent Christ the Mediator, with fullness of Sovereign Power; so Christ sent his Apostles with fullness of Ministerial Power, Joh. 20.21. But Church-Power is not in one man, but in a Society, and to be exercised variously by several persons in that society, according to variety of callings. Are all Teachers?