N01685:53
The presence of Christ with the ministers of the Gospel, opened & applied in…The presence of Christ with the ministers of the Gospel, opened & applyed in…
The presence of Christ with the ministers of the Gospel, opened & applied in a sermon preached at Swampfield, January 1st. 1717[/]18. Being the day of the gathering of the church, and the ordination of the Reverend Joseph Willard their pastor. / By Solomon Stoddard, A.M. & Pastor of Northampton.The presence of Christ with the ministers of the Gospel, opened & applyed in a sermon preached at Swampfield, January 1st. 1717[/]18. Being the day of the gathering of the church, and the ordination of the Reverend Joseph Willard their pastor. / By Solomon Stoddard, A.M. & Pastor of Northampton.
printed by B. Green, 1718
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
I shall not show how this Scripture has been abused by those of the Church of Rome, for the Establishing of Papal power; But mind you how it hath been darkened by a violent interpretation among out selves, viz. That the Keys were given to Peter partly as an Apostle, partly as a Minister, partly as a Believer. This interpretation has more of fancy than truth: If this interpretation were given by inspired Men, it ought to be received, but there is not a tittle in the Text that looks that way.
I shall not shew how this Scripture has been abused by those of the Church of Rome, for the Establishing of Papal power; But mind you how it hath been darkned by a violent interpretation among out selves, viz. That the Keys were given to Peter partly as an Apostle, partly as a Minister, partly as a Believer. This interpretation has more of fancy than truth: If this interpretation were given by inspired Men, it ought to be received, but there is not a tittle in the Text that looks that way.
If Christ had said, That He gave unto the Church the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, the Apostles, and Pastors, and Believers, might have put in their several pleas for their shares of Ecclesiastical power; but he doth not promise to give power to the Church, but to give power to Peter; and it would be very strange if he should give power to Peter to judge an ⟨p. 6⟩Offender as he was a Pastor, and yet further power to him as a Believer to give his Suffrage in the same case among the Brethren.
The plain meaning of the Place is this, That as a reward of his hearty confession of Christ, Christ would bestow on him the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven by making him an Officer in the Christian Church. And its absurd & ridiculous to ask whether he is made an Officer as an Officer, or as a Believer. It is all one as if we should ask whether the Staff be given to a Captain as a Captain, or as a common Soldier: or to ask whether the Office of a Governor be given to him as a Governor, or as a Freeman. The giving the Keys to Peter gives Office power to him; they are given unto him as one chosen to such an Office.