N00779:48
The order of the Gospel, professed and practised by the churches of Christ in…
The order of the Gospel, professed and practised by the churches of Christ in New England, justified, by the Scripture, and by the writings of many learned men, both ancient and modern divines; in answer to several questions, relating to church discipline / by Increase Mather, president of Harvard College in Cambridge, and teacher of a church at Boston in New England. ; [Five lines of Scripture texts]The order of the Gospel, professed and practised by the churches of Christ in New England, justified, by the Scripture, and by the writings of many learned men, both ancient and modern divines; in answer to several questions, relating to church discipline / by Increase Mather, president of Harvard Colledge in Cambridge, and teacher of a church at Boston in New England. ; [Five lines of Scripture texts]
Boston: printed by B. Green for Benjamin Eliot, 1700
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.
1. They that have power in Admission have power to Judge whether the persons to be Admitted are duly qualified for Admission. But this is true of the Fraternity as well as of the Presbytery. No one can be Admitted ⟨p. 24⟩into the Church by the Elders without the Consent of the Brethren. The Community is concerned in who are Admitted, and therefore should concur therein. Its a received maxim, Quod tangit omnes, debet ab omnibus approbari. And reason says, They that have power to Admit have power to Judge whether the persons who desire it, are fit for that Admittance.
1. They that have power in Admission have power to Judge whether the persons to be Admitted are duely qualified for Admission. But this is true of the Fraternity as well as of the Presbytery. No one can be Admitted ⟨p. 24⟩into the Church by the Elders without the Consent of the Brethren. The Community is concerned in who are Admitted, and therefore should concur therein. Its a received maxim, Quod tangit omnes, debet ab omnibus approbari. And reason sayes, They that have power to Admit have power to Judge whether the persons who desire it, are fit for that Admittance.
2. They that have power to Judge whether a person is fit to be cast out of Communion, have power to Judge whether he is fit to be received into Communion. The Ke• [the power] of Opening and Shutting belongs to the same persons. But it is clear from the Scripture, that the Brethren and not the Elders only have power to Judge whether an Offender is fit to be Excommunicated. Matth. 18.17. 1 Cor· 5.12. All Orthodox Divine• agree that Church Discipline should be Exercised, Consentiente plebe. So amongst the Ancients, Cyprian, Ambrose, Austin, Jerome, Chrysostom, Nazianzene, Theodoret, Theophylact. And amongst our Modern Divines, Calvin, Beza, Bullinger, Melancton, Junius, Pareus, Rivet, Trelcatius If their consent is necessary, than they have power to Judge whether they ought to consent or no.