B20736:119
The way of the churches of Christ in New-England, or, The way of churches…The vvay of the churches of Christ in New-England, or, The vvay of churches…
The way of the churches of Christ in New-England, or, The way of churches walking in brotherly equality, or co-ordination, without subjection of one church to another measured and examined bight golden reed of the sanctuary, containing a full declaration of the church-way in all particulars / by Mr. J. Cotton ...The vvay of the churches of Christ in New-England, or, The vvay of churches walking in brotherly equalitie, or co-ordination, without subjection of one church to another measured and examined bythe golden reed of the sanctuary, containing a full declaration of the church-way in all particulars / by Mr. J. Cotton ...
London: printed by Matthew Simmons, 1645
THE Way of the Churches of Christ in NEW-ENGLAND, Measured by the G… › Chapter 2 › Section 2
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.
To Instance then in the particular duties of the Ruling Elders Office: The Ruling Elders having received the keys of Christs House, as his Stewards; it doth belong to their Power.
1. To open and shut the doors of Christs House or Church; that is, to admit and receive all members and Officers into place in the Church, (with the consent of the Church) and to keep out the unworthy: Hence Ministers are said to be ordained and admitted into office by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery, 1 Tim. 4.14. And if Ministers be admitted through their hands into office in the Church, how much more private members after due trial.
1. To open and shut the doores of Christs House or Church; that is, to admit and receive all members and Officers into place in the Church, (with the consent of the Church) and to keepe out the unworthy: Hence Ministers are said to be ordained and admitted into office by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery, 1 Tim. 4.14. And if Ministers be admitted through their hands into office in the Church, how much more private members after due tryall.
2. If they have power to open the doors of the Church, by admitting officers and other members into the Church, and keeping out the unworthy, (shutting the doors against them) Then they have also power (with the consent of the Church, and their fellow-Elders, as in the former) to cast out of the Church by Excommunication such as fall into scandalous offences within the Church, and do persist therein; For Ejusdem porestatis est destituere, cujus est instituere, The same keys that have power to open the doors, have power to shut it.