The way of the churches of Christ in New-England, or, The way of churches…The vvay of the churches of Christ in New-England, or, The vvay of churches…

Reason. 2 As every Church hath equally received the same power of the keys, so ought they to maintain and stand fast in the same; The power of the keys as it is a privilege and liberty purchased to the Church by the blood of the Lord Jesus; so at a less rate it may not be alienated from the Church. Christ by his death and resurrection hath obtained all power, both in heaven and in earth, Mat. 28.18. Phil. 2.8, 9, 10. And look where he hath communicated the same by his Testament, ratified in his blood, there it ought to remain and not to be removed out of their hands, by the hand of man or Angel. Whence it appeareth unlawful for any Church of Christ to put over that power which they have received of Christ, out of their own hands, into the hands of the Presbyters of other Churches. The Apostles having received all of them equal power from ⟨p. 51⟩Christ, it was not lawful for them by common consent, to have conferred upon Peter and Paul, James and John, a transcendent government over them all. If some of the Apostles seem to be pillars, as is said of Peter, James and John, Gal. 2.9. and so more eminent in gifts then all their brethren, it may put upon their brethren an expediency, and sometimes a necessity to call upon them for more counsel, but not to call them to more Authority. In like sort, if a Church in a City, and the Officers thereof, be of more eminent gifts and graces, then a Church in a village, it is a just occasion for the Church in the village, to listen the more after the counsel of the Church in the City, but not to submit the more unto their Authority in the way of subjection. And so it is true, a Classis of the Presbyters of many Churches may excel (in more variety of all abilities) then the Presbytery of any one Church, yet that only reacheth to make their counsel the more weighty and acceptable, but not to invest them with more rule or more authority. Thirdly, If a Church shall send to the Presbyters of another Church for ordination of their Elders, they may as well repair and submit to them for censuring of their offenders; And would not that be a manifest transgression of the royal law of Church-Government, Matth. 18.15, 16, 17, 18