B20736:356
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.
3. In case of offence given by any Elder, or by the whole Eldership together, the Church hath authority to require satisfaction of them, and if they do not give due satisfaction, to proceed to censure according to the quality of the offence. For we see when some of the Church of Jerusalem took offence against Peter, for communicating with the Gentiles, and contended with him about it; Peter condescended to give ample and due account of his actions to the satisfaction of them all, Acts 11.2. to 8.
3. In case of offence given by any Elder, or by the whole Eldership together, the Church hath authority to require satisfaction of them, and if they do not give due satisfaction, to proceed to censure according to the qualitie of the offence. For wee see when some of the Church of Jerusalem tooke offence against Peter, for communicating with the Gentiles, and contended with him about it; Peter condescended to give ample and due account of his actions to the fatisfaction of them all, Acts 11.2. to 8.
If admonition, and (in some cases) excommunication be ordinances of God sanctified for the healing of the souls of Gods people gone astray; it were a sacrilegious injury to the Elders, to deprive them of the benefit of such wholesome medicines, when the estate of their souls should come to stand in need thereof: and it being a ruled case, Cujus est instituere ejus est destituere; If Plebs obsequens praeceptis Dominicis & ipsa (as Cyprian saith, lib. 1. Ep. 4.) maximè potestatem habet dignos Sacerdotes eligendi, then, as he saith there also, potestatem etiam babet Sacerdotes indignos recusandi, & abdicandi.
If admonition, and (in some cases) excommunication be ordinances of God sanctified for the healing of the soules of Gods people gone astray; it were a sacrilegious injury to the Elders, to deprive them of the benefit of such wholsome medicines, when the estate of their soules should come to stand in need thereof: and it being a ruled case, Cujus est instituere ejus est destituere; If Plebs obsequens praeceptis Dominicis & ipsa (as Cyprian saith, lib. 1. Ep. 4.) maximè potestatem habet dignos Sacerdotes eligendi, then, as hee saith there also, potestatem etiam babet Sacerdotes indignos recusandi, & abdicandi.