The divine right of church-government and excommunication

Ans. The Leaven of the Passover, signified so impurity, as we are to put out the person that leaveneth the Church, out of the Church, as they were to put leaven out of the house; and not only simply, not to eat it; so are we not only, not to eat and drink with a scandalous man, but he is to be reputed no member of the Church, but a leavening and contagious man; and therefore Paul doth not here, as Erastus dreameth, show what way every one in his own personal practise and duty, as a single Christian is to do, that he may save his own soul; and therefore every one was to celebrate a Christian Passover in his own soul, laying aside the leaven of malice: Though I grant, That Paul, ver. 8. doth infer and draw a conclusion of a personal purging out of the leaven of malice and hypocrisy out of every mans heart: But Paul doth expressly command the Corinthians as a convened Church, to put out from amongst them another man, for the saving of that other mans soul: And what they should do in a Church society toward the man, [Greek or Hebrew], Who hath done this, to wit, down right they should Judge him, Cast him out, purge him out as a leavening piece. And the world cannot give any other meaning of the words, then that, as the Jews were to put all leaven from amongst them, when they were to celebrate their Passover: So the Corinthians were to exercise the like work, upon this incestuous man, and to put him out from amongst them, as one delivered to Satan, as a lump of sour leaven; and we seek no more for Excommunication. 2. Leaven signifieth Matth. 13. good, the Kingdom of God is compared to leaven: But here it is corruption of contagious scandal in this incestuous man; and such leaven as is to be cast out, and purged away. Now, I hope, we must not purge out, and cast away the Kingdom of heaven: and Matth. 16. 6. The leaven of the corrupt and false Doctrine of Pharisees and Sadducees, that corrupteth the hearts of men, is meant, and of this leaven we are to beware: But why doth Erastus strive to bring the reader in a good opinion of leaven, which Paul would have us to detest? I know not a reason, but because the place is so evident for the casting out of an incestuous man from amongst the Corinthians, lest he should infect the flock, and that by the Church convened together in the name and power of Christ, that his soul may be saved;

Ans. The Leaven of the Passeover, signified so impurity, as we are to put out the person that leaveneth the Church, out of the Church, as they were to put leaven out of the house; and not only simply, not to eat it; so are we not only, not to eat and drink with a scandalous man, but he is to be reputed no member of the Church, but a leavening and contagious man; and therefore Paul doth not here, as Erastus dreameth, show what way every one in his own personall practise and duty, as a single Christian is to do, that he may save his own soul; and therefore every one was to celebrate a Christian Passeover in his own soul, laying aside the leaven of malice: Though I grant, That Paul, ver. 8. doth infer and draw a conclusion of a personall purging out of the leaven of malice and hypocrisie out of every mans heart: But Paul doth expresly command the Corinthians as a convened Church, to put out from amongst them another man, for the saving of that other mans soul: And what they should do in a Church society toward the man, , Who hath done this, to wit, down right they should Iudge him, Cast him out, purge him out as a leavening peece. And the world cannot give any other meaning of the words, then that, as the Iews were to put all leaven from amongst them, when they were to celebrate their Passeover: So the Corinthians were to exercise the like work, upon this incestuous man, and to put him out from amongst them, as one delivered to Satan, as a lump of sowre leaven; and we seek no more for Excommunication. 2. Leaven signifieth