The Septuagint agreeth with Matthew, 1[Greek or Hebrew]. So Arias Montanus, Tremell, Beza, Pareus, Musc•lus, Lyra, Hug. Cardinalis, Caieta•, Aquinas: It is not much matter that Castalio turneth (Tell the Assembly of the Commons) Augustine, Cyprian, Jerome, and all are against him. The scope of these words, is not,2 as many believe, that our Saviour setteth down a way how to remove private offences done betwixt brother and brother only. 1. Because the words then should not prove the lawfulness of excommunicating for public and scandalous sins. 2. The scope is as large, as binding and loosing on earth, and proportionally in heaven. But our Saviours aim is, to establish a Church consistory, for removing all scandals and offences out of the Church, private and public, betwixt brother and brother, and betwixt Church and Church. Neither is there ground for the foresaid scope, because he saith (If thy brother offend) in the singular number; for what if three, six, ten brethren offend, is not this course of our Saviours to be taken, ⟨p. 86⟩if six offend six? Hence it followeth that the Church here signifieth not only the Eldership of a particular Congregation, but it signifieth respectively all Presbyteries, and Synods, Provincial, National, and Oecomenicke; for seeing Excommunication and Ecclesiastical binding and loosing is Christs remedy, against all scandals private or public in Christs kingdom, then by a brother, by a Synecdoche is meant all that offendeth; then if a sister-Church offend a sister-Church, or a Provincial, or National Church offend a neighbour sister-Church, Christs remedies being Catholic and universal, as far as our diseases go, the course must be to (Tell the Church) I purpose then first, to show this interpretation to be agreeable to the mind of all Doctors, acknowledging one Church of Elders here,3 and next to prove our interpretation. Chrysostom Tell the Overseers, Augustine Tell the Watchmen, Hieron. We must tell many. So Cyprian, so the Council of Ancyra. 4So Ambrose, Ball saith: The Ethiopic Interpreter saith, Tell the house of Christians. 5Boderian, Tell the house of Judgements. All our Divines say this, Calvin, 6Beza, Pareus, Chemnitius, Aretius, Erasmus, Polunus, 7Hemmigius, Hyperius, Musculus, Junius, Piscator, Bucanus, Rivetus, Cartwright, Marlorat, Dan. Tossun, Bu•er, The harmony of confess.
The Septuagint agreeth with Matthew, 1〈non-Latin alphabet〉. So Arias Montanus, Tremell, Beza, Pareus, Musc•lus, Lyra, Hug. Cardinalis, Caieta•, Aquinas: It is not much matter that Castalio turneth (Tell the Assembly of the Commons) Augustine, Cyprian, Hyeronim, and all are against him. The scope of these words, is not,2 as many beleeve, that our Saviour setteth downe a way how to remove private offences done betwixt brother and brother onely. 1. Because the words then should not prove the lawfulnesse of excommunicating for publike and scandalous sinnes. 2. The scope is as large, as binding and loosing on earth, and proportionally in heaven. But our Saviours ayme is, to establish a Church consistory, for removing all scandals and offences out of the Church, private and publike, betwixt brother and brother, and betwixt Church and Church. Neither is there ground for the foresaid scope, because he saith (If thy brother offend) in the singular number; for what if three, sixe, tenne brethren offend, is not this course of our Saviours to be taken, ⟨p. 86⟩if sixe offend sixe? Hence it followeth that the Church here signifieth not onely the Eldership of a particular Congregation, but it signifieth respectively all Presbyteries, and Synods, Provinciall, Nationall, and Oecomenicke; for seeing Excommunication and Ecclesiasticall binding and loosing is Christs remedy, against all scandals private or publike in Christs kingdome, then by a brother, by a Synechdoche is meant all that offendeth; then if a sister-Church offend a sister-Church, or a Provinciall, or Nationall Church offend a neighbour sister-Church, Christs remedies being Catholike and universall, as farre as our diseases goe, the course must be to (Tell the Church) I purpose then first, to shew this interpretation to be agreeable to the mind of all Doctors, acknowledging one Church of Elders here,3 and next to prove our interpretation. Chrysostome Tell the Overseers, Augustine Tell the Watchmen, Hieron. We must tell many. So Cyprian, so the Councell of Ancyra. 4So Ambrose, Ball saith: The Aethiopicke Interpreter saith, Tell the house of Christians. 5
- 1Septuagi•ta turn• it out of Syriac. Arians. Mont. Tremel. Beza. Pare•, Mus•ul••. Lyra. Hug. Card. Caieta•. Aquinas. Casta. dicito R•ipub.Septuagi•ta turn• it out of Syriacke. Aria•s. Mont. Tremel. Beza. Pare•, Mus•ul••. Lyra. Hug. Card. Caieta•. Aquinas. Casta. dicito R•ipub.
- 2August. Cypr. Hier•n.
- 3Chrys. Dic Presul. Aug. dic. Episc. Hier dicendum multis.
- 4Cypr. l 3 Ep. 14. Concil. Anchy. c. 18
- 5Ambran 2 Tim. 5. Ball•ryall of separa. c. 12. p. •70.
- 6Ethiop. Interp. domo Ch•istiano•ii. Boderian domo Judiciorum▪Aethiop. Interp. domo Ch•istiano•ii. Boderian domo Iudiciorum▪
- 7Calvin come. Mat 18.Calvin com.
