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…

Name: The keys of the kingdom of heaven and power thereof according to the word…
Author: John Cotton

The keys of the kingdom of heaven and power thereof according to the word of God / by Mr. John Cotton ...The keyes of the kingdom of heaven and power thereof according to the word of God / by Mr. Iohn Cotton ...

John Cotton 1584–1652London: printed by M. Simmons for Henry Overton, 1644

[12], 59 p. · 31k words · Wing C6437

Title page typeset from the transcription.

Of the Keys of the Kingdom of HEAVEN, and the Power thereof; accor… › Chapter 4: Of the subject to whom the key of Church privilege, power, or Liberty is given.Of the Keys of the Kingdome of HEAVEN, and the Power thereof; accor… › Chapter 4: Of the subject to whom the key of Church priviledge, power, or Liberty is given.

Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.

[ Earlier:89–104 of 271

:89p. 14

The answer is ready, Great is the difference: for though the Jury have given up their judgement and verdict, yet the malefactor is not thereupon legally condemned, much less executed, but upon the sentence of the Judge: In like sort here, though the Brethren of the Church do with one accord give up their vote and judgement for the censure of an offender, yet he is not thereby censured, till upon the sentence of the Presbytery.

The answer is ready, Great is the difference: for though the Jury have given up their judgement and verdict, yet the malefactor is not thereupon legally condemned, much lesse executed, but upon the sentence of the Judge: In like sort here, though the Brethren of the Church do with one accord give up their vote and judgement for the censure of an offender, yet he is not thereby censured, till upon the sentence of the Presbytery.

:90p. 14

If it be said again; Yea, but it is an act of authority to bind and loose, and the power to bind and loose, Christ gave to the whole Church, Mat. 18.18.

If it be said again; Yea, but it is an act of authority to binde and loose, and the power to bind and loose, Christ gave to the whole Church, Mat. 18.18.

:91p. 14–15

Answ. The whole Church may be said to bind and loose, in that the Brethren consent, and concur with the Elders, both before the Censure in discerning it to be just and equal, and in declaring their discernment, by lifting up of their hands, or by silence: and after the censure, in rejecting the offender censured from their wonted Communion. And yet their discerning or approving of the justice of the censure before-hand, is not a preventing of the Elders in their work. For the Elders before that have not only privately examined the offender and his offence, and the proofs thereof, to prepare the matter and ripen it for the Churches cognizance: but do also publicly revise the heads of all the material passages thereof before the

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