(!9) of all Believers were obliged to fubmit thereunto, and to comply with it in a way of Obedience, was the Authority of Chrift hinfelf, aeted in them and by them. 2 Cor. r. 24. They everywhere difclaim any fucli Power char,, 4, s and Authority in themfelves. They pleaded that they were only Stetvarels and Minifters, not Lords of the Faith or Obedienceof the Church, but helpers of its joy; vea the Servants ofall the Churches for Chrift's fake. And hereon it follows, that what is recorded of their Practice, in their inftitution, ordering or difpofing ofany thing in the Church, that was to be of an abiding continuance, bath in it, the obliging Power of the Authority of Chrift himfel£ Wherefore if the diftin&ion that tome make concerning the Apoftles, namely, that theyare to be confidered as Apoflles, it as Church Governours,fhould beallowed,as it is liable to juft exceptions; yet would no Advantageaccrew thereby unto what is pretended from it: For as what they did, appoint ed, an.1 ordered in the Church for its confiant obfe'rvation, asApoflles, they did it by immediate Revelation fromChrift, and inhis Name and Authority; fowhat in diftinefionfrom hence, as Church'Governours, they did or ordered, they did it only by a due Application unto prefent occafions, of what they had received by Revelation. But as they were Apollles, Chrift- lent them , as his Father fent him, and he was fo fent of the Father , as that he did {land and feed in the Strength of the Lord, in the Majefly ofthe Name of the Lord his God ;. Micah g-. 4. So did theyfeed the Sheep ofChrift in his Strength and in the Authority or Majefty of his Name. '. Chriftthereforealone is the Author ofthe Gofpel-Church- State. And becaufe this is the only Foundation of our Faith andObedience, as unto all that we are to believe, do and pra&ife, by vertue of that Church State, or in Order there- unto, the Scripture doth not only plainly affirm it, but al- D z fo
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=