member, where were the body_? 1 Cor. xii. 17,19. So if in the family all
were masters, where were the household? where were the family
government? If in a city all were aldermen, where were the citizens?
where were the city government? If in a kingdom all were kings, where
were the subjects, the people, the commonalty, the commonwealth, or the
political government?

2. Hereby the community or whole body of the faithful, even to the
meanest member, are vested from Christ with full power and authority
actually to discharge and execute all acts of order and jurisdiction
without exception: e.g. To preach the word authoritatively, dispense the
sacraments, ordain their officers, admonish offenders, excommunicate the
obstinate and incorrigible, and absolve the penitent. For _the keys of
the kingdom of heaven_ comprehend all these acts jointly, Matt. xvi. 19,
and xviii. 18-20, with John xx. 21, 23: and to whom Christ in the New
Testament gives power to execute one of these acts, to them he gives
power to execute all; they are joined together, Matt, xviii. 19, (except
in such cases where himself gives a limitation of the power, as in the
case of the ruling elder, who is limited to ruling as contradistinct to
_laboring in the word and doctrine_, 1 Tim. v. 17.) Now what gross
absurdities ensue hereupon! For, 1. Then the weak as well as the strong,
the ignorant as well as the intelligent, the children as well as the
parents, yea, and the very women as well as the men, may preach,
dispense seals, ordain, admonish, excommunicate, absolve
authoritatively; (for they are all equally members of the body, one as
well as another, and therefore, as such, have all alike equal share in
the keys and exercise thereof:) viz. they that are not gifted for these
offices, shall discharge these offices; they that are not called nor
sent of God to officiate, (for God sends not all,) shall yet officiate
in the name of Christ without calling or sending, contrary to Rom. x.,
Heb. v. 4. They that want the common use of reason and discretion (as
children) shall have power to join in the highest acts of order and
jurisdiction: yea, they that are expressly prohibited _speaking in the
churches_, as the _women_, 1 Cor. xiv., 1 Tim. ii., shall yet have the
_keys of the kingdom of heaven_ hung at their girdles. 2. Then the
Church shall be the steward of Christ, and dispenser of the mysteries of
God authoritatively and properly. But if the whole Church be the
dis