A26862:803
Aphorisms of justification, with their explication annexed wherein also is opened the nature of…Aphorismes of justification, with their explication annexed wherein also is opened the nature of…
Aphorisms of justification, with their explication annexed wherein also is opened the nature of the covenants, satisfaction, righteousness, faith, works, &c. : published especially for the use of the church of Kidderminster in Worcestershire / by their unworthy teacher Ri. Baxter.Aphorismes of justification, with their explication annexed wherein also is opened the nature of the covenants, satisfaction, righteousnesse, faith, works, &c. : published especially for the use of the church of Kederminster in Worcestershire / by their unworthy teacher Ri. Baxter.
Hague: printed by Abraham Brown, 1655
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Thirdly, you may bring your Congregation to this, that the parties offended, may accuse them openly: (The Presbyterians deny not to the Congregation the audience and cognizance of the Fact, but only the power of judicial sentencing.) And here you may admonish them before all: Fourthly, if yet they prove obstinate, you may by your Ministerial Authority; 1. Pronounce against him by name what the Scripture pronounceth against such sinners: particularly, that he is unfit to be a Church-Member, as openly denying obedience to the known Laws of Christ, 2. You may charge the people from Scripture to avoid familiarity with him. 3. You may also acquaint the Magistrate with his duty, to thrust him out, if he violently intrude into Communion, or disturb the Ordinances. 4. You may forbear to deliver the Sacrament particularly to his hands. 5. You may enter and publish your ⟨p. 254⟩dissent and dislike, if he intrude, and take it himself. All this I could most easily and beyond doubt prove your duty as you are a Christian and a Minister. And if there be any more that a Classis may do, yet do you do this in the mean time: only be sure you try all means in private (if the fault be not in public) before you bring a man in public: And be sure you do it in tenderness and love▪ and rather with wary then passionate reproaches: And be sure that you do it only in case of undeniable sins, and not in doubtful disputable Cases: And be sure that the matter of Fact be undoubtedly proved: And that no man be suffered to traduce another publicly in a wrong way: Or if he do, that he be brought to acknowledgement. The word Excommunication compriseth several Acts: Those before mentioned belong to you as a Minister, and are part of your proper Preaching declarative power, which you may perform by your Nuntiative authority. The power of Classes and Synods (I think) doth differ only gradually, and not specifically from that of every minister. I am ashamed that I have contrary to my first purpose, said so much of this unpleasing controversy. But when you are next at leisure privately, I shall undertake to prove all this to you from Scripture; and that the Keys are put by Christ into the hands of every Minister ⟨p. 255⟩singly: and that with sobriety and wisdom you may thus name the offenders publicly, as all Scripture Ministers have been used to do.