Keys of the Kingdom - 7

A fitting summary and conclusion to John Cotton's treatise on Congregational church government. Here we see that, 1) Jesus Christ is the first and supreme subject of all "power of the keys". 2) The local church, has the ministerial power of the keys. 3) The Apostles were a unique, temporary office of ministerial power. 4) Church power is jointly held by the elders and the members. 5) The joint exercise of elders and the congregation is the complete expression of church power. 6) Ordination is valid within a local church alone. 7) The local church's censures, disciplines, are binding in heaven. 8) When a particular church falls into error or scandal, and a faction maintains it, an assembly of churches is to judge and correct it. 9) A church's spiritual authority is independent of the civil sword, but it must submit to civil government in things that concern civil peace—such as property, justice, taxes, and social order. 10) Independent churches ought to voluntarily associate in covenant and communion with other churches.