hat sense or notion they are the subject
and receptacle of this authority and power from Christ, whether jointly
or severally; as solitarily and single from one another, or associated
and incorporated into assemblies with one another; or in both respects?

For resolution herein we must remember that distribution of the keys, or
of proper ecclesiastical power, (which was briefly mentioned before in
Part 2, Chap. III.) into that which is,

1. More special and peculiar to the office of some church governors,
which by virtue of their office they are to execute and discharge: thus
it is peculiar to the minister's office, 1. To preach the word; compare
these places together, Matt. xxviii. 18-20, John xx. 21-23, Rom. x. 15,
1 Tim. v. 17, Heb. xiii. 7, 2 Tim. iv. 1, 2, &c. 2. _To dispense the
sacraments_, Matt. xxviii. 18-20, 1 Cor. xi. 24, 25. The word and
sacraments were joined together in the same commission to the same
officers, viz. the preaching presbyters, &c., as is evident in that of
Matt. xxviii. 19.

2. More general and common to the office of all church governors, as the
power of censures, viz. admonishing, excommunicating, and absolving, and
of such other acts as necessarily depend thereupon; wherein not only the
preaching, but also the ruling elders are to join and contribute their
best assistance; as may be collected from these several testimonies of
Scripture, Matt. xviii. 17, 18, _Tell the Church_,[103] 1 Cor. v. 2-13,
2 Cor. ii. 6-12, compared with Rom. xii. 8, 1 Cor. xii. 28, and 1 Tim.
v. 17.

Now these officers of Christ, viz. they that labor in the word and
doctrine, and the ruling elders, are the subject of this power of
jurisdiction as they are united in one body, hence called a Church,
Matth. xviii. 18, viz. the governing or ruling church; for no other can
there be meant; and presbytery,[104] i.e. a society or assembly of
presbyters together, 1 Tim. iv. 14.

The presbyters, elderships, or assemblies wherein these officers are
united and associated, are of two sorts, viz: 1. The lesser assemblies,
consisting of the ministers and ruling elders in each single
congregation; which, for distinction's sake, is styled the
congregational eldership. 2. The greater assemblies, consisting of
church governors sent from several churches and united into one body,
for governing of all these churches within their own bounds, whence
their members were sent. These greater assemblies are either
presbyterial or synoda