A trial of the new-church way in New-England and in old ... by that…A tryall of the nevv-church vvay in New-England and in old ... by that…

If the power of the keys be given to the whole Church the Apostles themselves must derive their authority immediately from the Church, and not from Christ, for the power must be derived from them, unto whom it was give; but their power, and authority was not from the Church; but from Christ immediately. And if the dispensation, and exercise of the keys, be concredited to the Ministers; Doth it hold in all things or only in the dispensation of the Sacraments, and preaching by office? Do they dispense the seals as the Stewards of Christ, from whom they receive their authority immediately or as the servants of the Church, from which they derive their authority? If in the first sense; the power of the keys is not in the community of the faithful. If in the second, the office of a Minister is not the immediate gift of Christ, nor the Minister, so much the servant of Christ, as of the Church, from whom he must receive laws, in whose name he must do his office, and to whom he must give an account. We could wish you had explained in what sense, you hold the dispensation, and execution of the power of the keys is concredited to the Ministers, and by whom. For if the community of the faithful have to do in all matters concerning the body,¹ to admit members, and cast them out, to make and depose Ministers, to bind and loose by authority derived from Christ, we cannot see how in your judgement the dispensation, and execution of the power of the keys is concredited to the Ministers.

If the power of the keyes be given to the whole Church the Apostles themselves must derive their authoritie immediatly from the Church, and not from Christ, for the power must be derived from them, unto whom it was give; but their power, and authority was not from the Church; but from Christ immediatly. And if the dispensation, and exercise of the keyes, be concredited to the Ministers; Doth it hold in all things or onely in the dispensation of the Sacraments, and preaching by office? Doe they dispense the seales as the Stewards of Christ, from whom they receive their authority immediately or as the servants of the Church, from which they derive their authority? If in the first sense; the power of the keys is not in the community of the faithfull. If in the second, the office of a Minister is not the immediate gift of Christ, nor the Minister, so much the servant of Christ, as of the Church, from whom he must receive lawes, in whose name he must doe his office, and to whom he must give an account. We could wish you had explained in what sense, you hold the dispensation, and execution of the power of the keyes is concredited to the Ministers, and by whom. For if the community of the faithfull have to doe in all matters concerning the body,