and xviii. 19, 20; Mark xvi. 15. 2. They may not
administer the seals, the sacraments, baptize, &c. under the New
Testament; for who gave the people any such authority? hath not Christ
conjoined preaching and dispensing of the sacraments in the same
commission, that the same persons only that do the one, may do the
other? Matt. xxviii. 18, 19. 3. They may not ordain officers in the
church, and authoritatively send them abroad: for, ordinarily the
community have not sufficient qualifications and abilities for proving
and examining of men's gifts for the ministry. The community are nowhere
commanded or allowed so to do in the whole New Testament, but other
persons distinct from them, 1 Tim. v. 22; 2 Tim. ii. 2; Tit. i. 5, &c.
Nor did the community ever exercise or assume to themselves any such
power of ordination or mission, but only officers both in the first
sending of men to preach, as 1 Tim. iv. 14; 2 Tim. i. 6: and to be
deacons, Acts vi. 6, and also in after missions, as Acts xiii. 1-3. 4.
The community, without officers, may not exercise any act of
jurisdiction authoritatively and properly; may not admonish,
excommunicate, or absolve. For we have no precept that they should do
it; we have no example in all the New Testament that they ever did do
it; we have both precept and example, that select officers both did and
ought to do it. "Whatsoever ye bind on earth" (saith Christ to his
officers) "shall be bound in heaven," &c. Matt. xviii. 18, and xvi. 19.
"Whose soever sins ye remit," &c., John xx. 21, 23. "An heretic, after
once or twice admonition, reject," Tit. i. 10. "I have decreed--to
deliver such an one to Satan," 1 Cor. v. 4. "The rebuke inflicted by
many," not all, 2 Cor. ii. "Whom I have delivered to Satan," 1 Tim. i.
_ult_. And the Scriptures nowhere set the community over themselves to
be their own church-guides and governors; but appoint over them in the
Lord rulers and officers distinct from the community. Compare these
places, 1 Thes. v. 12; Acts xx. 28, 29; Heb. xiii. 7, 17, 22. "Salute
all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints." From the
premises we conclude,

Therefore the community of the faithful are not the first subject, or
immediate receptacle of the power of the keys from Jesus Christ.

_Argum_. III. Jesus Christ hath not given nor promised to the community
of the faithful a spirit of ministry, nor those gifts which are
necessary for the government of the church: therefore the