ferences, If this were their church
fellowship, he would lay down his eldership; and nothing was more
commonly spoke among the members, than that certainly for matter of
discipline they were not in the right way, for that there was no way of
bringing things to an end. At last, after more than half a year's
debate, not being able to bring these differences to an end, and being
come into England, they had their last meeting about it, to agree not to
publish it abroad when they came into England, &c. Mr. Edwards's
Antapolog., pp. 36, 37.]

[Footnote 40: Mr. J. Cotton, in his Way of the Churches of Christ in New
England, chap, ii. sect. 7, p. 43.]

[Footnote 41: Were the power in the church, the church should not only
call them, but make them out of virtue and power received into herself;
then should the church have a true lordlike power in regard of her
ministers. Besides, there are many in the community of Christians
incapable of this power regularly, as women and children. Mr. P. Bain in
his Diocesan's Trial, quest. 3, conclus. 3, page 84, printed 1621.]

[Footnote 42: If spiritual and ecclesiastical power be in the church or
community of the faithful, the church doth not only call, but make
officers out of virtue and power received into herself, and then should
the church have a true lordlike power in regard of her ministers. For,
as he that will derive authority to the church, maketh himself lord of
the church, so, if the church derive authority to the ministers of
Christ, she maketh herself lady or mistress over them, in the exercise
of that lordlike authority; for, as all men know, it is the property of
the lord and master to impart authority. Did the church give power to
the pastors and teachers, she might make the sacrament and preaching
which one doth in order, no sacrament, no preaching; for it is the order
instituted of God that giveth being and efficacy to these ordinances;
and if the power of ruling, feeding, and dispensing the holy things of
God do reside in the faithful, the word and sacrament, in respect of
dispensation and efficacy, shall depend upon the order and institution
of the society. If the power of the keys be derived from the community
of the faithful, then are all officers immediately and formally servants
to the church, and must do every thing in the name of the church, rule,
feed, bind, loose, remit, and retain sins, preach and administer the
sacraments; then they must perform their office a