But the Pastors in some of the Churches, have now espoused another Notion of the Traditio Satanae mentioned by the Apostle to the Corinthians, as being a Prerogative Apostolical and Extraordinary. The Sovereign GOD sometimes gave to His Prophets the Power of inflicting Diseases, or Distresses, on the Bodies of ungodly Men, and of pronouncing upon them those Bodily Mischiefs, whereof he has made Satan or the Angel of Death, to be the Executioner; Of such a Power, Moses and Elijah in the Old Testament, and Peter and Paul in the New, have given us Tremendous Examples. And this Power may seem to have been that Virga Apostolica whereof the Apostle speaks, 1 Cor. IV. 21. Shall I come unto you with a Rod? On which the Author of the Ancient Commentary falsely ascribed unto Jerome has this true Gloss, Quali Virga? Quali Petrus venit ad Ananiam et Sapphiram, et Paulus ad Magum; such a Rod as Peter used on Ananias and Sapphira, and such as Paul used on Elymas the Sorcerer. And what Paul did on Hymenaeus and Philetus may be a further Instance of it. When the Apostle decreed the Destruction of the Flesh, unto the Offender whom he delivered unto Satan, the Opposition of the Spirit in the next Clause makes it evident that the Body is intended; He decreed then, that the Body of Offender should be left unto Satanical Impressions and Afflictions, by the Terrors whereof his poor Soul might be awakened unto a Saving Repentance. Chrysostom accordingly, who understood Greek, expounds the ΟΛΕΘΡΟΝ ΣΑΡΚΟΣ as ⟨p. 153⟩exemplified in the Vexations of Job; and adds, That he may Scourge him with an evil Ulcer, or some other Disease. Ambrose in like sort expounds it thus; Nempe sicut Dominus in Animam Sancti Job Potestatem non dedit, sed in Carnem ejus permisit Licentiam, ita his traditur Satanae. Jerome thus expounds it, Praecepit eum tradi Paenitentiae in Interitum et Vexationem Carnis, per Jejunia et Egrotationes, ut Spiritus Salvus fiat. Thus Pacianus also, in one of his Epistles to Sempronianus, by this Destruction of the Flesh, understands, Carnis Angustias, et Detrimenta Membrorum. There seems a plain Distinction to be made, [1 Cor. V. 5.13.] The Censure upon the Incestuous Corinthian is directed by the Apostle in these Words, Put away from your selves that wicked Person; The ordinary Ministry of the Church was to do this, with the Consent of the Brethren.
But the Pastors in some of the Churches, have now espoused another Notion of the Traditio Satanae mentioned by the Apostle to the Corinthiaus, as being a Prerogative Apostolical and Extraordinary. The Sovereign GOD sometimes gave to His Prophets the Power of inflicting Diseases, or Distresses, on the Bodies of ungodly Men, and of pronouncing upon them those Bodily Mischiefs, whereof he has made Satan or the Angel of Death, to be the Executioner; Of such a Power, Moses and Elijah in the Old Testament, and Peter and Paul in the New, have given us Tremendous Examples. And this Power may seem to have been that Virga Apostolica whereof the Apostle speaks, 1 Cor. IV. 21. Shall I come unto you with a Rod? On which the Author of the Ancient Commentary falsely ascribed unto Jerom has this true Gloss, Quali Virga? Quali Petrus venit ad Ananiam et Sapphiram, et Paulus ad Magum; such a Rod as Peter used on Ananias and Sapphira, and such as Paul used on Elymas the Sorcerer. And what Paul did on Hymenaeus and Philetus may be a further Instance of it. When the Apostle decreed the Destruction of the Flesh, unto the Offender whom he delivered unto Satan, the Opposition of the Spirit in the next Clause makes it evident that the Body is intended; He decreed then, that the Body of Offender should be left unto Satanical Impressions and Afflictions, by the Terrors whereof his poor Soul might be awakened unto a Saving Repentance. Chrysostom accordingly, who understood Greek, expounds the ΟΛΕΘΡΟΝ ΣΑΡΚΟΣ as ⟨p. 153⟩exemplified in the Vexations of Job; and adds, That he may Scourge him with an evil Ulcer, or some other Disease. Ambrose in like sort expounds it thus; Nempe sicut Dominus in Animam Sancti Job Potestatem non dedit, sed in Carnem ejus permisit Licentiam, ita his traditur Satanae. Jerom thus expounds it, Praecepit eum tradi Paenitentiae in Interitum et Vexationem Carnis, per Jejunia et Egrotationes, ut Spiritus Salvus fiat. Thus Pacianus also, in one of his Epistles to Sempronianus, by this Destruction of the Flesh, understands, Carnis Angustias, et Detrimenta Membrorum. There seems a plain Distinction to be made, [1 Cor. V. 5.13.] The Censure upon the Incestuous Corinthian is directed by the Apostle in these Words, Put away from your selves that wicked Person; The ordinary Ministry of the Church was to do this, with the Consent of the Brethren.
