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 according to the direction of the church, more or less, seldom or frequent, remiss or diligent; for from whom are they to receive direction how to carry themselves in their offices, but from him or them of whom they receive their office, whose work they are to do, and from whom they must expect reward?  If their office and power be of God immediately, they must do the duties of their place according to his designment, and unto him they must give account; but if their power and function be from the church, the church must give account to God, and the officers to the church, whom she doth take to be her helpers, &c.  Mr. John Ball, in his Trial of the grounds tending to separation, chap. xii. pages 252, 253, &c.]

[Footnote 43:  See Vindiciae Clavium, judiciously unmasking these new notions.]

[Footnote 44:  Here understand by this phrase, (over you in the Lord,) viz:  Not only in the fear of the Lord, nor only in those things that appertain to God’s worship, but also according to the will, and by the authority of the Lord Christ derived to them.]

[Footnote 45:  See the Apologetical narration by the five Independents, page 8; and Mr. Jo.  Cotton, at large, asserts the divine institution of the ruling elder.  Way of the Churches of Christ, &c., chap. 2, sect. 2, page 13-35.]

[Footnote 46:  Calvin, Beza, Pareus, Pagnin.]

[Footnote 47:  Arias Montan.]

[Footnote 48:  Tremel. out of the Syriac; so the old Geneva translation, and our new translation.]

[Footnote 49:  Field, of the Church, book 5, chap. 26.]

[Footnote 50:  Sutlive, who afterwards declared, that he was sorry with all his heart, that ever he put pen to paper to write against Beza as he had done, in behalf of the proud domineering prelates; and he spoke this with great indignation.]

[Footnote 51:  Mat.  Sutliv. de Presbyterio, cap. 12, p. 87, edit. 1591.]

[Footnote 52:  Ibid. pages 72 and 87, edit. 1591.]

[Footnote 53:  Bilson’s perpetual Government of Christ’s Church, c. 10, p. 136, 137, 138, printed in Ann. 1610.]

[Footnote 54:  That the magistrate cannot be here meant, see fully evidenced in Mr. Gillespie’s Aaron’s Rod, &c., book ii. chap. 6, pages 218-224, and also chap. 9, p. 284.]