A53732:703
The true nature of a Gospel church and its government
The true nature of a Gospel church and its government ... by the late pious and learned minister of the Gospel, John Owen ...
London: printed for William Marshall, 1689
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Chapter 10: Of EXCOMMUNICATION.Chapter 10: Of EXCOMMVNICATION.
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.
4. IT becomes not the Wisdom and Order of any Society entrusted with Authority for its own preservation, as the Church is by Christ himself; to suffer Persons obnoxious unto Censure by the fundamental Rules of that Society, to cast off all respect unto it, to break their Order and Relation, without Animadverting thereon, according to the Authority wherewith they are entrusted. To do otherwise is to expose their Order unto contempt, and Proclaim a Diffidence in their own Authority, for the Spiritual punishment of Offenders.
4. IT becomes not the Wisdom and Order of any Society entrusted with Authority for its own preservation, as the Church is by Christ himself; to suffer Persons obnoxious unto Censure by the fundamental Rules of that Society, to cast off all respect unto it, to break their Order and Relation, without Animadverting thereon, according to the Authority wherewith they are intrusted. To do otherwise is to expose their Order unto contempt, and Proclaim a Diffidence in their own Authority, for the Spiritual punishment of Offenders.
5. ONE end of the Appointment of the Power and Sentence of Excommunication in the Church, is to give Testimony unto the future final judgment of Christ against impenitent Sinners, which none of them can run away from, nor escape.
III. A THIRD Enquiry may be, Whether in case of any great and scandalous Sin, the Church may proceed unto Excommunication, without any previous Admonition.