A37205:127
The power of Congregational churches asserted and vindicated in answer to a treatise of…
The power of Congregational churches asserted and vindicated in answer to a treatise of Mr. J. Paget entitled The defence of church-government exercised in classes and synods / by John Davenport.The power of Congregational churches asserted and vindicated in answer to a treatise of Mr. J. Paget intituled The defence of church-government exercised in classes and synods / by John Davenport.
London: printed for Rich. Chiswell and to be sold by John Usher of Boston, 1672
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.
Reas. 2. Because, Christ here giveth the Keys only to those, to whom he giveth Official Warrant and Authority, for the actual exercise thereof, in opening and shutting, binding and loosing, i. e. only to Teachers and Elders.] Answ. 1. Though it is true, that Official Warrant and Authority is given only to Teachers & Elders, only Teaching and Ruling Elders have that formally; Yet, 2. The power of the Keys is far larger than Office-power, viz. to admit, reject, &c. 3. They have their Office from the Church, and their Office-power, by the Church, originally: Therefore there was power in the Church, before Office-power, which did communicate and convey Office-power to its Officers.
Reas. 2. Because, Christ here giveth the Keys only to those, to whom he giveth Official Warrant and Authority, for the actual exercise thereof, in opening and shutting, binding and loosing, i. e. only to Teachers and Elders.] Answ. 1. Though it is true, that Official Warrant and Authority is given only to Teachers & Elders, only Teaching and Ruling Elders have that formally; Yet, 2. The power of the Keys is far larger than Office-power, viz. to admit, reject, &c. 3. They have their Office from the Church, and their Office-power, by the Church, originally: Therefore there was power in the Church, before Office-power, which did communicate and conveigh Office-power to its Officers.
3. Reas. To bind and loose, are acts of the Office-power of Pastors, Rulers, Feeders by public and pastoral preaching, which doth not belong to Believers.]
3. Reas. To bind and loose, are acts of the Office-power of Pastors, Rulers, Feeders by publick and pastoral preaching, which doth not belong to Believers.]
Answ. Binding and loosing, taken in the largest sense, as in this Text, comprehend the exercise of all the acts of the Keys, or Church-power: and these acts are not only by public and pastoral preaching (for then, the Ruling-Elder should have no Key to bind or loose); but also by Admonitions, Excommunications, Admissions, which issue from a power of judging, not proper to the Pastors only, but common to the People with them. 2. Though the Keys be given to the Church; yet she may not exercise any act proper to Office-Power, without Officers, whom she doth and must call to that end, and submit to them in the due exercise thereof.