3. By those primitive, fundamental, imperial acts of power, and supreme authority in the government of the Church, which are peculiarly ascribed to Jesus Christ our Mediator, as appropriate to him alone, above all creatures, e.g. 1. The giving of laws to his Church. "The law of Christ," Gal. vi. 2. "Gave commandments to the apostles," Acts i. 2. "There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy," James iv. 12. "The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver," (or statute-maker,) "the Lord is our king," Isa. xxxiii. 22. 2. The constituting of ordinances, whereby his Church shall be edified: as _preaching the word_, Matt. x. 7; 1 Cor. i. 17; Matt, xxviii. 18-20; Mark xvi. 15. _Administering of the sacraments. Baptism_, John i. 33, with Matt. iii. 13, &c., and xxviii. 18, 19. _The Lord's supper_, 1 Cor. xi. 20, 23, &c.; Matt. xxvi. 26, &c.; Mark xiv. 22, &c.; Luke xxii. 19, 20. _Dispensing of censures_, Matt. xvi. 10, with xviii. 15-18, &c. 3. The ordaining and appointing of his own church officers, by whom his ordinances shall be dispensed and managed in his Church. "He gave gifts to men; and he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers," Eph. iv. 7, 8, 11; compare 1 Cor. xii. 28; 1 Thess. v. 12; Acts xx. 28. 4. The dispensing of Christ's ordinances, not in the name of magistrates, ministers, churches, councils, &c., but in Christ's own name. The apostles did "speak and teach in the name of Jesus," Acts iv. 17, 18. "Whatsoever ye ask in my name," John xiv. 13, 14, and xvi. 23. "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son," Matt, xxviii. 18, 19. "They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus," Acts xix. 5. "In the name--with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such a one to Satan," 1 Cor. v. 4. Yea, assemblies of the Church are to be in Christ's name: "Where two or three are gathered together in my name," Matt, xviii. 20. CHAPTER VI. _Of the Special Kind, or Peculiar Nature of this Power and Authority._ Having viewed what is the rule of this authority, viz. the holy Scriptures, and what is the fountain of this authority, viz. Jesus Christ our Mediator; now consider the special kind or peculiar nature of this authority, which the description lays down in two several expressions, viz: 1. It is a spiritual power or authority. 2. It is a derived power, &c.