The keys of the kingdom of heaven and power thereof according to the word…The keyes of the kingdom of heaven and power thereof according to the word…

Having thus (by the help of Christ) cleared this Text in Mat. 18.17. from variety of misconstructions, (which not the obscurity of the words, but the eminency of the gifts, and worth of Expositors hath made difficult) Let us add an argument or two more to the same purpose, to prove, that the Church of a particular Congregation, fully furnished with officers, and rightly walking in judgement and peace, is the first subject of all Church-authority, needful to be exercised within their own body.

Having thus (by the help of Christ) cleered this Text in Mat. 18.17. from variety of misconstructions, (which not the obscurity of the words, but the eminency of the gifts, and worth of Expositors hath made difficult) Let us adde an argument or two more to the same purpose, to prove, that the Church of a particular Congregation, fully furnished with officers, and rightly walking in judgement and peace, is the first subject of all Church-authority, needfull to be exercised within their own body.

3. A third argument to prove this, is usually and justly taken from the practice and example of the Church of Corinth, in the excommunication of the incestuous Corinthian, 1 Cor. 5.1. to 5.

Obj. 1. The excommunication of the incestuous Corinthian, was not an act of judicial authority in the church of Corinth, whether Elders or Brethren, but rather an act of subjection to the Apostle, publishing the sentence, which the Apostle had before decreed and judged: for (saith the Apostle) I though absent in body, yet present in spirit, have judged already, concerning him that hath done this deed, &c.