2. Wherever there are "two or three" of these believers (the small- est number), right or power is granted unto them actuall}' to meet together in the name of Christ for their mutual edification; where- unto he hath promised his presence among them. Matt, xviii. 19, 20. To meet and to do any thing in the name of Christ, as to exhort, instruct, and admonish one another, or to pray together, as verse 19, there is an especial right or power required thereunto. This is granted by Jesus Christ unto the least number of consenting be- lievers. And this is a second preparation unto the communication of church-power. Unto the former faith only is required; unto this, profession, with nmtual consent unto and agreement in the evan- gelical duties mentioned, are to be added.
3. Where the number of believers is increased so as that they are sufficient, as unto their number, to observe and perform all church- duties in the way and manner prescribed for their performance, thoy have right and power granted unto them to make a joint solemn confession of their faith, especially as unto the person of Christ and his n^ediation. Matt. xvi. lG-18; as also to give up themselves unto him and to one another, in a holy agreement or confederation to do
OF THE POLITY, ETC., OF THE CHURCH IN GENERAL. 3 7
and observe all things whatever that he hath commanded. Hereon, by virtue of his laws in his institutions and commands, he gives them power to do all things in their order which he grants unto his church, and instates them in all the rights and privileges thereof. These be- lievers, I say, thus congregated into a church-state, have imme- diately, by virtue thereof, power to take care that all things be done among them as by the Lord Christ they are commanded to be done in and by his church.
This, therefore, is the church essential and homogeneal, unto which the Lord Christ hath granted all that church-power which we inquire after, made it the seat of all ordinances of his worship, and the taber- nacle wherein he Avill dwell; nor, since the ceasing of extraordinary officers, is there any other way possible for the congregating of any church than what doth virtually include the things we have mentioned.
4. But yet this church-state is not complete, nor are the ends of its institution attainable in this state, for the Lord Christ hath appointed such things in and unto it which in this state it cannot observe; for he hath given authority unto his church, to be exer- cised both in its rule and in the administration of his solemn ordi- nances of worship. The things before mentioned are all of them acts of right and power, but not of authority.
5. Wherefore the Lord Christ hath ordained offices^ and appointed officersjtojbe established in the church, Eph. iv. 11-15. Unto these is all church authority granted ; for all authority is an act of office- power, Avhich is that which gives unto what is performed by the officers]of the church the formal nature_of authority.
6. Therefore unto the church, in the state before described, right and power is granted by Christ to call, choose, appoint, and set apart, persons made meet for the work of the offices appointed by him, in the ways and by the means appointed by him. Nor is there any other way whereby ordinary officers may be fixed in the church, as we have proved before, and shall farther confirm afterward.
That which hereon we must inquire into is, How, or by what means, or by what acts of his sovereign power, the Lord Christ doth commu- nicate office-power, and therewith the office itself, unto any persons, whereon their authority is directly from him ; and what are the acts or duties of the church in the collation of this authority.
The acts of Christ herein may be reduced unto these heads : — 1. He hath iiistituted and_ap£ointed the offices themselves, and made a grant of them unto the church, for its edification ; as also, he hath determined and limited the powers^nd duties of the officers. It is not in the power of any, or of all the churches in the world, to ap- point any office or officer in the church that Christ hath not appointed ; and where there are any such, they can have no church-authorit}'-,
38 TRUE NATURE OF A GOSPEL CHURCH.
properly so called, for that entirely ariseth from, and is resolved into, the institution of the office by Christ himself And heace, in the firjt place, all the authority of of&cers in the church proceeds from the authority of Christ in the institution of the office itself; for that which gives being unto any thing gives it also its essential properties.
2. By virtue of his relation imto the church as its head, of his kingly power overit and care of it, whereon the continuation and edification of the church in this world do depend, wherever he hath a church called, he furnisheth some persons with such gifts, abilities, and endow- ments as are necessary to the discharge of such offices, in the powers, works, and duties of them ; for it is most unquestionably evident, both in the nature of the thing itself and in his institution, that there are some especial abilities and qualifications required to the discharge of every church-office. Wherefore, where the Lord Christ doth not communicate of these abilities in such a measure as by virtue of them church-order may be observed, church-power exercised, and all church- ordinances administered according to his mind, unto the edification of the church, it is no more in the power of men to constitute officers than to erect and create an office in the church, Eph.iv. 11-15; iCor. xii. 4-10, etc.; Rom. xii. 6-8.