The Divine Right of Church Government by Sundry Ministers Of Christ Within The City Of London by Unknown
page 209 of 411 (50%)
page 209 of 411 (50%)
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2, 3. None of these are the church guides which Christ hath committed
his proper power unto. But affirmatively understand all these church guides extraordinary and ordinary, which Christ hath erected in his Church, vesting them with power and authority therein, viz. apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, governments, or ruling elders, mentioned together in Eph. iv. 8, 11; 1 Cor. xii. 28; 1 Tim. v. 17; Rom. xii. 6-8. These are Christ's own church officers, these Christ hath made the immediate receptacle and first subject of the keys, or of ecclesiastical power derived from himself. 3. What is meant by Christ's committing this stewardly power first and immediately to the church guides? _Ans_. There is, 1. A priority and immediateness of the donation of the power of the keys: thus Christ first and immediately gave keys to his own officers, whom Scripture, therefore, calls _the ministers of Christ_, (not of the Church,) 1 Cor. iv. 1, not first and immediately to the community of the faithful, or Church, and then by the Church secondarily and mediately to the officers, as her substitutes and delegates, acting for her, and not in virtue of their own power from Christ. 2. A priority and immediateness of designation of particular individual persons to the office of key-bearing, and this is done by the mediate intervening act of the church officers in separating of particular persons to the office which Christ instituted; though it is not denied but that the church or company of the faithful may lawfully nominate or elect individual persons to be officers in the congregation, which yet is no act of authority or power. 4. How hath Christ committed this power of the keys to his church guides, that thereby they become the most proper receptacle thereof? _Ans_. Thus briefly. All absolute lordly power is in God originally: all |
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