If an Angel, an Interpreter come to a man 1and declare unto him his righteousness, then (mark the connection) then will GOD have mercy on him, and will say, Deliver him, &c. Whence comes this blessing? from this promise of God. If therefore other callings will challenge ordinarily the same blessing, then must they have the same promise. Besides, other ⟨p. 47⟩Christians being private men, though they 2be sanctified, & have a good measure of knowledge, yet have they not the same spirit of discerning that godly Ministers have: nor can so fully & truly judge, when a man hath repented, when not; and therefore cannot so truly pronounce the sentence of the law or Gospel, nor have they ability ordinarily by their good conference, and Christian counsel, to convert a soul, but to confirm one converted: but that power ordinarily belongs to the public ministry of the word, therefore it followeth, that ordinarily they have not the power to pronounce the sentence of binding or loosing upon any man: I confess, in times or places, where no minister can be 3had, God blesseth the labours of private men, that have knowledge, sometimes even for the converting of a man to God, & for comforting him at the hour of death, and gives a virtue and power to that sentence which they shall pronounce one upon another's repentance: but as this is extraordinary, and in the want of ordinary Ministers, so in that case a private man of knowledge and Godliness, ⟨p. 48⟩is made a Minister for that time to himself, or to another, even as a private man in cases of extreme danger, when no magistrate is present, is made a magistrate himself to defend his own life. So then as in want of a Magistrate, the sword of the magistracy is put into the hand of a private man: so in the want of Ministers, the keys of the Ministry are committed, and put into the hands of private men, (as in the days of persecution) that then they may with comfort admonish & advise: and with power pronounce mercy and forgiveness one unto another, upon their true repentance. Yet always remember that in so doing, a private man is as a minister for that time, & in that case: but ordinarily (and always in settled Churches) this power pertaineth to the Ministry, & is theirs alone by ordination;
If an Angell, an Interpreter come to a man 1and declare vnto him his righteousnesss, then (marke the conexion) then will GOD haue mercy on him, and will say, Deliuer him, &c. Whence comes this blessing? from this promise of God. If therfore other callings wil challenge ordinarily the same blessing, then must they haue the same prosmise. Besides, other ⟨p. 47⟩Christiās being priuate men, though they 2be sanctified, & haue a good measure of knowledge, yet haue they not the same spirit of discerning that godly Ministers haue: nor can so fully & truly iudge, when a man hath repented, when not; and therefore cannot so truly pronounce the sentence of the law or Gospel, nor haue they abilitie ordinarily by their good conference, and Christian counsell, to conuert a soule, but to confirme one conuerted: but that power ordinarily belongs to the publike ministery of the word, therefore it followeth, that ordinarily they haue not the power to pronounce the sentence of binding or loosing vppon any man: I confesse, in times or places, where no minister can be 3had, God blesseth the labours of priuate men, that haue knowledge, sometimes euen for the conuerting of a man to God, & for comforting him at the houre of death, and giues a vertue and power to that sentence which they shal pronounce one vpon anothers repentance: but as this is extraordinary, and in the want of ordinary Ministers, so in that case a priuate man of knowledge and Godlinesse, ⟨p. 48⟩is made a Minister for that time to himselfe, or to another, euen as a priuate man in cases of extreame danger, whē no magistrate is present, is made a magistrate himselfe to defend his own life. So then as in want of a Magistrate, the sword of the magistracie is put into the hand of a priuate man: so in the want of Ministers, the keyes of the Ministerie are committed, and put into the hands of priuate men, (as in ye dayes of persecution) that then they may with comfort admonish & aduise: and with power pronounce mercy and forgiuenesse one vnto another, vpon their true repentance. Yet alwaies remember that in so doing, a priuate man is as a minister for that time, & in that case: but ordinarily (and alwaies in setled Churches) this power pertaineth to the Ministerie, & is theirs alone by ordination;
- 1• For they have not the same promise.• For they haue not the same promise.
- 22 They have not the same power to discern.2 They haue not the same power to discerne.
- 3In extraordinary times and in want of ministers they may.
