3. Christ hath delivered the power of binding and loosing, to every particular Church or Congregation, collectively taken, which thus we demonstrat. If our brother who trespasseth against us, will neither be reclaimed by private admonition, nor yet by a rebuke given him before some moe witnesses: then qsaith Christ, Tell it unto the Church: but if he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican. Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth, shall be bound in Heaven, & whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven. Where he showeth, that in the Christian Church (which he was to plant by the Ministry of his Apostles) Excommunication was to be used, as the last remedy for curing of the most deadly & desperate evils: which Excommunication he setteth forth, by allusion unto the order and custom of the Jews in his time, among whom they who were cast out, and excommunicate from the Synagogue, were accounted as Heathens and Publicans. And so when he saith, Let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican, he presupposeth, that the Church hath Excommunicate him for his contumacy which he hath added to his disobedience. For as rPareus saith, If by me, and thee, and every one, he is to be accounted for such a man, it must needs be, that the judgement of the Church be by public declaration made known to me, and thee; & every one. And this meaning is throughly drawn out of the following verse. For whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth, &c. Therefore the Church ought first to bind him, before he ought to be accounted by me or thee for one bound, that is, Excommunicate. Now what meaneth Christ by the Church, to which he giveth the power of binding and loosing? Not the Church universal, sure: for I can not tell the Church universal (whether it be understood collectivé, or repraesentativè) whensoever my brother trespasseth against me, and will not be reformed. He meaneth therefore the particular Church, whereof for the time it sha•l happen one to be a Member. The power of the Keys (saith sPerkins, •is given to all Ministers, Churches, & Congregations. ⟨image 152⟩Neither could there otherwise an ordinary, perpetual, & ready course be had, for the correcting of all public contumacy and scandal, by the means of Ecclesiastical Discipline.
3. Christ hath delivered the power of binding and loosing, to every particular Church or Congregation, collectively taken, which thus we demonstrat. If our brother who trespasseth against us, will neither be reclaimed by privat admonition, nor yet by a rebuke given him before some moe witnesses: then qsaith Christ, Tell it unto the Church: but if he neglect to heare the Church, let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican. Verely I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth, shall be bound in Heaven, & whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven. Where he sheweth, that in the Christian Church (which hee was to plant by the Ministery of his Apostles) Excommunication was to be used, as the last remedy for curing of the most deadly & desperat evills: which Excommunication he setteth forth, by allusion unto the order and custome of the Iewes in his time, among whom they who were cast out, and excommunicat from the Synagogue, were accounted as Heathens and Publicans. And so when he saith, Let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican, he presupposeth, that the Church hath Excommunicat him for his contumacie which he hath added to his disobedience. For as rPareus saith, If by me, and thee, and every one, he is to be accounted for such a man, it must needs be, that the judgement of the Church be by publike declaration made knowen to me, and thee; & every one. And this meaning is throughly drawen out of the following verse. For whatsoever ye shall binde on Earth, &c. Therefore the Church ought first to binde him, before he ought to be accounted by me or thee for one bound, that is, Excommunicat. Now what meaneth Christ by the Church, to which he giveth the power of binding and loosing? Not the Church universall, sure: for I can not tell the Church universall (whether it be understood collectivé, or repraesentativè) whensoever my brother trespasseth against me, and will not be reformed. He meaneth therefore the particular Church, whereof for the time it sha•l happen one to be a Member. The power of the Keyes (saith sPerkins, •is given to all Ministers, Churches, & Congregations. ⟨image 152⟩Neither could there otherwise an ordinary, perpetuall, & ready course be had, for the correcting of all publike contumacie and scandall, by the meanes of Ecclesiasticall Discipline.
- qMath. 18. 17. 18.
- rIn Math. 18. 17.
- son Jude vers. 3.on Iude vers. 3.
