A42763:154
CXI propositions concerning the ministry and government of the ChurchCXI propositions concerning the ministerie and government of the Church
Edinburgh: printed by Evan Tyler, 1647
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
74.
But the proper effect of the Ecclesiastical power, or keys of the Kingdom of heaven is wholly spiritual; for the act of binding and loosing, of retaining and remitting sins, doth reach to the soul and conscience it self (which cannot be said of the act of the civill power:) And as unjust Excommunication is void, So Ecclesiastical censure being inflicted by the Ministers of Christ and his Stewards according to his will, is ratified in heaven, Matth. 18. 18. and therefore ought to be esteemed and acknowledged in like manner as inflicted by Christ himself.
But the proper effect of the Ecclesiasticall power, or keyes of the Kingdome of heaven is wholly spirituall; for the act of binding and loosing, of retaining and remitting sins, doth reach to the soul and conscience it self (which cannot be said of the act of the civill power:) And as unjust Excommunication is void, So Ecclesiasticall censure being inflicted by the Ministers of Christ and his Stewards according to his will, is ratified in heaven, Matth. 18. 18. and therefore ought to be esteemed and acknowledged in like manner as inflicted by Christ himself.