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Show Chap. :z; Anfw. z. As the Authon. t.ic o f t hc p a.;n.o r' a~ d ot.h er E. ltkr,s f,f i is · not from the Church, but from ChrHl:; fo nmher IS their ~ cc and Au-thoritic from the Bifhop, J_lOf fl'Om the Pre!bJI':l> no; rom the ClajjiJ ofPmbyteriu; If theretore that were a,Julll~';~ment, wh the Church fhould not by hand5 upon their el<; ·•rori or· EIJ.r1 beclu(e neither their oflice, nor their Author!tlcr, IS from the Cburch then neither may the Bijl,op,-ner th~ Pmbytery, nor the ct~qi1 l;y their hands upon them; becaufe the!!' office and An-thoritie is no more( nor fo much)from them,:ts from t_he Church ; nor by this Argument-might. the Apojllu themfe!ves ( 1f they \vere refent )'o rd~inc Otficer~~ becaufe neither the offi ce n~~ the Ai~tb~~ itie is ti·om the Apo!Hcs, but from CbriJ! onely. Ne!th.er wrH·~t follow from hence( as lome objetl) that H the Eldm rcc~1ved. the_u· ordin3 tion from th" Church, then they fhonld exewte thm o~~e Ill the Cbu,..:bes.nam<, or that then they may be more or lelfe d1hgent, in their office at the Ch,u·chu appoimmmr, or that then the Churclr nath a 'Lofd-li~ powa ovel'tbem, onhatthcn the Elder! mnll receive thei r- el'r .md frcm tbe. Church, as an Amba(f.tdol:lt' doth h om ltim from whom· he recei':eth.his Commiffion ; or ~ha t the? the CbUJ·~·b, in defctl of all Ofliccrs,may per form~ aUdutm of thm Of ftcm, (as to a d r!1:1 :!n~ r. S e-.1 ~nents,and the hke.) None of all the!,· ~!!c.' ?"S w11I follow.:; Eo!' 1 .Mo!l: of thefe Objellions doe fh ike as .,,;uch ai(ainfi impnjit ion _of bandJ by ~ijbnp1 or p1..,Jbytm. ~- T hough the Eldus doe receiVe the appllcatzon of "their office and . of their power by ~h~ C~ <Jrc h, yet ~ot from the Churdq .. orit from the Church,mmijlmalfy onely,as mfimmcms unto Chritt. So that they cannot choofe or ordainc ·whom they plcafc, to wb.1t ofjic_e thcx plcafe:1 bt.:E who~ they fee the Lord pf«< b3 tb prcp.n·ed and fitted tor them, and as ~t were, cho~n and o~dained to their hands : nor may they mlarge or Jh:atten the ilmits of his office whom they doe eletl or ordaine, bur as the Lord hath prefcribed : nO I' can ~hey give bim ar>y-erNnd, but on ely a Charge ta l•o~ to the minijlery which he bt~tb 1"eceived from tbe Lord,: nor have hey any more Lordly power over hi!",then he aver then:_, but both mirlifieriall, as they havo received from the Lord: neither may thl!J adminiftcr SacramerotJ, in defect of all Officers, beQUle thlt by appointment from Chrifi pertained'! onely to fuch ~axe called by office to preach the Golpei,Mat.z8. 19, 20. As fur . • mHIHa0 mutt<aB injJrJ<Clion and admiffion , election and ordin:ztion of Offt'ceu, opening of the doores of the Church by admijfum of member 1, and {hutting the fame by Cbm·ch-Genfum ; thefe things they may,doe (if need be) witho11t Officers ; yea, and if all their Oflicers were found culpable, either in hereticall DoEl:rine,or fcandalous crime, yet the Chmch hath lawful! Author.itie to proceed to the cenii1~c ofthem all: For they that as a Church might admonifb Arcbippttr, (Col. 4• 17.) might (in cafe he had not hearkened to their admonition) have pmcecded againfi him to Excommunication ; And they that might fo proceed againft one of their Officers, might in like fort (upon like ground)proceedagainfi them all, which they could not doe if the Church did receive the power of the keys not immcdi~tcly ti·om Chrifi, but from the l'rw)ytm:And yet in iiid1 cafes our Churches are never WOnt to proceed,bm in the prefence,. and with the confcnt and approbation of other Churches ; as knowing that in !i.~eh weigh tie cafes, in tbe multitude of Co~tnfellorJ. there u fofetie.: And as the Chnrch dotl~not choofe any Eid.trJ, but in the prefence,and with the approbation of other Churches; fo .neither dotltit proceed to tllil cen(iu·e of thcm,but with the like flraVe-and folcmne afli fia nce. , Objell. 2; The Apoftles rceeived the-power of the keys immetliotely from Chrifi, 'job. 2 0. 2 3. And therefore the Church recci~ ved it from thcApofiles, and the Otficecs of tho Churches from them alfo, and ·not ti:om the Church. Anfw. It iso true) the Apofiles beiBg txtraordinary Officers, as they were immediate!J.J:,tlled and chofen of Chrill:, not by the Church ; fo they .were moll of them ordained by Chri!r, and not by the Church-; And yct·notall of tbem neither,: For Paul and B~rnabaJ, though cho{<n to the Apofl:.6licall officeJmmediately from God, yet they were ord•incd t0 that office by the impojitio7J of !Jcmd;, offome oflicers,ormembers of the Chunch, ..df1. 13.23 3 .Ent that .hinderetlrnot,but as the Apojllu received their powerimmediJtely fi'Om Chrill, Co dicl the Ch,~·ch receive tbcu' power inJmediatcly Gem Chrill· alfo; F-o> he that (ud to the Apoi Hcs, W!Jvfe finne; J'CC ret aim, th<j are retaimd; •vbofe finn~;_ye~ remit, tbey are remittee/, (Joh. 20. 23.) He alfo faid to the Church, Wbatjoevcr yee'binde o!l tartb,Jbllll bi boimd in heavm, a1Jd whatfoever yee {hall loo(i on e . rtb, fh'a/1 be looftd in heaven, M.1t. 18. 18. whic\1 is a Commiffion of the f;un~.powar, and to the fame effetl. If " |