The due right of presbyteries, or, A peaceable plea for the government of the…

Answ. We desire a warrant from Gods Word, where Elders, where they are present, are to ordain Elders by imposition of hands, and not believers; for ordination is a work of the Church; Officers are not the Church, nor are they parts or members of the Church, but only accidents; the Church hath its full being, ⟨p. 197⟩the power and use of the Keys given to them by Math. 18. though there be not a Pastor or Officer among them; and if Christ before his resurrection gave the Keys to believers as to his Spouse, living body, and such as have Peters faith Math. 16. Resolve us, we beseech you brethren, in this, how Christ can give the Keys after his resurrection, Joh. 20. 23. to the Apostles as Pastors, and as no believers, not his Spouse, not his body; for Officers, as Officers, are not the redeemed of God, nor Christs Spouse. If you say that Christ, Joh. 20. gave the Keys to his Disciples as believers, then he gave the power of baptizing after his resurrection also, by the parallel place Math. 28. 19. to the Apostles as to believers. Hence 1. Christ hath never given the Keys to Officers as Officers. 2. The place Joh. 20. is but a renewing of the Keys given to the Church, Math. 16. and Math. 18. and all believers are sent and called to be Pastors, as the Father sent Christ, and as Christ sent his Apostles, as our Lord speaketh, John 20. 21. This I think all good men will abhor, though M. Smith saith these words, and that power John 20. 21. was given to Cleo•has and Mary Magdalen. And by your way, Paul (as I think) without warrant interdicted women of the use of that power, that Christ purchased by his blood. 3. There is no warrant of the Word to make good, that Christ gave the Keys to Officers as Officers, by your way, but only to Officers as to believers; and therefore believers ought rather to ordain Pastors then the Officers, though there be Officers to ordain. 3. That Pastors of other Congregations may not ordain Pastors to Congregations, who have no Pastors of their own. as they may baptize infants to them also, we see no reason.