B20736:337
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 5 › Section 4
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.
Answ. The multitude of the Church doth ordinarily execute all Discipline and Censures by the Presbyters, and the Presbyters by their Consent. The promise made to two or three (ver. 20.) respecteth not the Judges of the cause when it is brought to the Church; but the two or three Brethren who dealt in the Cause before it came to the Church: As in like sort, the promise of binding in heaven, what the Church bindeth in earth, (ver. 19.) pertaineth to the ratifying of the Censure of the whole Church, mentioned in the verse before, to wit, in vers. 17.
A second Reason why we allow such power to the people in Church-censures, is taken from the practice of the Church of Corinth, in the case of the incestuous person, and that according to the Apostles direction; For in the 1 Cor. 5.4, 5. he directeth the whole Church of Corinth, (to whom he writeth) That they in the name of the Lord Jesus, when (saith he) ye are gathered together, and my Spirit, with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such a one unto Satan. Where Paul saying in the verse foregoing, that he had judged already that so it should be done, doth not argue that now the Church was at hand, he took the power of judging the Cause wholly unto himself, and the publication and declaration of it only in the Church, but that he had seen already evident cause, to judge the party worthy to be cast out: but directed them to do it with all the power that is requisite to that action:
A second Reason why wee allow such power to the people in Church-censures, is taken from the practice of the Church of Corinth, in the case of the incestuous person, and that according to the Apostles direction; For in the 1 Cor. 5.4, 5. he directeth the whole Church of Corinth, (to whom he writeth) That they in the name of the Lord Jesus, when (saith he) yee are gathered together, and my Spirit, with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such a one unto Satan. Where Paul saying in the verse foregoing, that he had judged already that so it should be done, doth not argue that now the Church was at hand, he took the power of judging the Cause wholly unto himselfe, and the publication and declaration of it onely in the Church, but that he had seene already evident cause, to judge the partie worthy to be cast out: but directed them to doe it with all the power that is requisite to that action: