mal
visible Christian Church was gathered or constituted, are the first and
immediate receptacle or subject of the power of the keys from Jesus
Christ.

_Minor_. But the ecclesiastical offices of Christ's own officers for
governing of the Church, now under the New Testament, were instituted by
Christ before any formal visible Christian Church was gathered or
constituted.

_Conclusion_. Therefore Christ's own officers for governing of the
Church now under the New Testament are the first and immediate
receptacle or subject of the keys from Jesus Christ.

The major proposition cannot reasonably be denied, and may be further
cleared by these considerations, viz: 1. That the Church offices for
church government under the New Testament are in their own nature
intrinsically offices of power. The apostle styles it _power_, or
_authority_, which is _given_ to these officers by _the Lord_, 2 Cor. x.
8, and xiii. 10. _The keys of the kingdom of heaven_ are committed to
them, Matt. xvi. 19, and _keys_ import a stewardly power: compare Matt.
xvi. 19, and xviii. 18, John xx. 21, 23, with Isa. xxii. 21, 22.
Materially, the acts and exercise of these officers are acts of power,
as _binding, loosing_, &c., Matt, xviii. 18; not only _preaching_, &c.,
but _excommunicating_, is an act of power, 1 Cor. v. 4. Absolving the
penitent, and confirming him again in the Church's love, is an act of
power:--_to confirm love unto him_, i.e. authoritatively to confirm,
&c., as the word signifies, 2 Cor. ii. 8. Formally, these acts are to be
done as acts of power, in Christ's name, and by his authority, Matt.
xxviii. 19; 1 Cor. v. 4. Now if these offices be in their own nature
offices of power, consequently they that have such offices conferred
upon them by Christ, before the Christian Church had being or existence,
they must needs be the first and immediate recipient subject of the
power of the keys from Christ. 2. Either those church officers, whose
offices were instituted before the Christian Church was constituted,
must be the first subject of the power, &c., or some others. If any
other, then, 1. Either heathens, or heathen magistrates, who are out of
the Church: but both these were absurd to grant; for then they that are
not so much as church members should be church governors, and the Church
be ecclesiastically judged by them that are without. 2. Or the first
subject of this power was the Christian Church itself before it had
existence; but