appropriated to
select persons.) Not the power of order; for the whole multitude, and
everyone therein, neither can nor ought to intermeddle with any branches
of that power. 1. Not with preaching; all are not _apt to teach_, 1 Tim.
iii. 2, nor able to exhort and convince gainsayers, Tit. i. 9; all are
not gifted and duly qualified. Some are expressly prohibited _speaking
in the church_, 1 Cor. xiv. 34, 35, 1 Tim. ii. 12, Rev. ii. 20, and none
are _to preach, unless they be sent_, Rom. x. 15, nor _to take such
honor unto themselves unless they be called_, &c., Heb. v. 4, 5. Are all
and every one of the multitude of the faithful able to teach, exhort,
and convince? are they all sent to preach? are they all called of God?
&c. Nay, hath not Christ laid this task of authoritative preaching only
upon his own officers? Matt, xxviii. 18, 19. 2. Not with administration
of the sacraments; this and preaching are by one and the same commission
given to officers only, Matt, xxviii. 18-20; 1 Cor. xi. 23. 3. Nor to
ordain presbyters, or other officers. They may choose; but extraordinary
officers, or the presbytery of ordinary officers, ordain. Acts vi. 3, 5,
6: "Look ye out men--whom we may appoint." Compare also Acts xiv. 23; 1
Tim. iv. 14, and v. 22; Tit. iii. 5. So that the people's bare election
and approbation is no sufficient Scripture ordination of officers. Nor
is there one often thousand among the people that is in all points able
to try and judge of the sufficiency of preaching presbyters, for
tongues, arts, and soundness of judgment in divinity. Nor is the power
of jurisdiction in public admonition, excommunication, and absolution,
&c., allowed to the multitude. For all and every one of the multitude of
the faithful, 1. Never had any such power given to them from Christ;
this key as well as the key of knowledge being given to the officers of
the Church only, Matt. xvi. 19, and xviii. 18-20. _Tell the church_,
there, must needs be meant of the ruling church only.[38] 2 Cor. viii.
10; John xx. 21-23. 2. Never acted or executed any such power, that we
can find in Scripture. As for that which is primarily urged of the
church of Corinth, that the whole church did excommunicate the
_incestuous person_, 1 Cor. v. 4, &c., many things may be answered to
evince the contrary. 1st, The whole multitude could not do it; for
children could not judge, and women must not speak in the Church. 2d, It
is not said, _Sufficient to such an one is