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…

A fourth and last Argument to prove the Proposition, that every Church so furnished with officers (as hath been said) and so carried on in truth and peace, hath all Church power needful to be exercised within themselves, is taken from the guilt of offence, which lieth upon every Church, when any offence committed by their members lieth uncensured and unremoved. Christ hath something against the Church of Pergamus, for suffering Balaam and the Nicolaitans, Revel. 2.14, 15. and something against the Church of Thyatira, for suffering Jezebel. Now if these Churches had not either of them sufficient power to purge out their own offenders, why are they blamed for toleration of them? yea, why are not the neighbour Churches blamed for the sins of these Churches? But we see, neither is Pergamus blamed for tolerating Jezebel, nor Thyatira for tolerating Balaam, nor Smyrna for tolerating either. Indeed what Christ writeth to any one Church, his Spirit calleth all the Churches to hearken unto, and so he doth our Churches also at this day: not because he blamed them for the toleration of sins in other Churches, but because he would have them beware of the like remissness in tolerating the like offences amongst themselves: and also would provoke them to observe notorious offences amongst their Sister-Churches, and with brotherly love and faithfulness to admonish them thereof.

A fourth and last Argument to prove the Proposition, that every Church so furnished with officers (as hath been said) and so carried on in truth and peace, hath all Church power needfull to be exercised within themselves, is taken from the guilt of offence, which lieth upon every Church, when any offence committed by their members lyeth uncensured and unremoved. Christ hath something against the Church of Pergamus, for suffering Balaam and the Nicolaitans, Revel. 2.14, 15. and something against the Church of Thyatira, for suffering Jezabel. Now if these Churches had not either of them sufficient power to purge out their own offenders, why are they blamed for toleration of them? yea, why are not the neighbour Churches blamed for the sins of these Churches? But we see, neither is Pergamus blamed for tolerating Jezabel, nor Thyatira for tolerating Balaam, nor Smyrna for tolerating either. Indeed what Christ writeth to any one Church, his Spirit calleth all the Churches to hearken unto, and so he doth our Churches also at this day: not because he blamed them for the toleration of sins in other Churches, but because he would have them beware of the like remissenesse in tolerating the like offences amongst themselves: and also would provoke them to observe notorious offences amongst their Sister-Churches, and with brotherly love and faithfulnesse to admonish them thereof.