s only
committed to the ministers of the gospel, and which they, as ministers,
may execute, in virtue of their office. This is called by some the key
of doctrine, or key of knowledge; by others, the power of order, or of
special office. See Matt, xxviii. 18-20; Rom. x. 15; 1 Tim. v. 17. 2.
More general and common to the office of all church governors, as the
power of censures, &c., wherein ruling elders act with ministers,
admonishing the unruly, excommunicating the incorrigible, remitting and
receiving again of the penitent into church communion. Compare Matt,
xviii. 17, 18; 1 Cor. v. 2, 4, 5, 7, 11-13; 2 Cor. ii. 6-12, with Rom.
xii. 8; 1 Cor. xii. 28; and 1 Tim. v. 17. This is called the key of
discipline, or power of jurisdiction.

CHAPTER IV.

_Of the special difference of Church Government from other Governments.
And first of the Special Rule of Church Government, viz. the Holy
Scriptures._

Touching the special difference, whereby church government is in this
description distinguished from all other governments whatsoever, it
consists of many branches, which will require more large explication and
confirmation; and shall be handled, not according to that order, as they
are first named in the description, but according to the order of
nature, as they most conduce to the clearing of one another, every
branch being distinctly laid down, as followeth:

The rule or standard of church government is only the holy Scriptures.
Thus in the description, church government is styled a power or
authority revealed in the holy Scriptures. For clearing hereof, take
this proposition, viz:

Jesus Christ our Mediator hath laid down in his word a perfect and
sufficient rule for the government of his visible Church under the New
Testament, which all the members of his Church ought to observe and
submit unto until the end of the world. For clearing this, weigh these
considerations:

1. The government of the visible Church under the New Testament is as
needful as ever it was under the Old Testament. What necessity of
government could be pleaded then, which may not as strongly be pleaded
now? Is not the visible Church of Christ a mixed body of sound and
unsound members, of fruitful and barren branches, of tares and wheat, of
good and bad, of sincere believers and hypocrites, of sheep and goats,
&c., now as well as it was then? Is there not as great cause to separate
and distinguish by church power, between the precious an