send the promise of my Father upon you so as they may be parallel with this place Joh. 20.23 receive the Holy Ghost No doubt that promise of the Father was the Holy Ghost Joh. 15.26 and the I send upon you both as a verbum â—olenne I send i. e. I instate on you and that in the present I send not in the future I will send all one with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receive him and so the power from on high in the end of the verse clearly signifies that visible mission of the Holy Ghost which they were to expect as the means of compleating this donation and so 't is clear by comparing it with Act. 1.4 8. where the same phrase are used And therefore Joh. 20.21 immediately before the Receive the Holy Ghost he saith As my Father sent me so send I you intimating that as at his mission to his office he was anointed with the Holy Ghost Act. 10.38 viz. upon his Baptisme Luk. 3.23 whereupon 't is said that he by the Spirit cast out devils Mat. 12.18 which is clearly symbolical and parallel to his loosing or remission of sinnes so the Apostles at their mission or entrance on their power should be anointed also CAP. II. HAving proceeded thus far by way of generall precognition Sect. 1 that which is behind will I conceive be most intelligible if it be reduced to these few heads 1. On whom this power was bestowed 2. In what it consists 3. To what use 't is designed and to what sort of men it belongs objectivè or who are to be bound and loosed 4. What is the reall effect of it or what conjunction it hath with binding and loosing in Heaven For the first though to him that considereth the place of Sect. 2 Matth. 18. alone by it selfe which is an obscure place the matter be not so cleare to whom this power was given by Christ and though thereupon some mistakes have arisen and occasion of conceiting this power of binding c. to be instated by Christ on the whole aggregate of any particular Church yet surely the matter will be sufficiently clear if as it is most reasonable we first allow that obscure place leave to borrow light from the two other most evident ones and not obscure the more evident by that and secondly after we have brought that light to it observe what glimmerings of light we shall be able to discern by that help even in that obscure place it selfe which will as the weak light of the Moon with that treasure of light borrowed from the Sun added to it become by this meanes exceeding lightsome For although these three places are not parallel one to the other in respect of the times and occasions of delivering them and other circumstances yet there is no doubt but they belong all to the same generall matter the power of binding c. And that being as it is apparent even by that of Matth. 18.18 instated not on the whole world or community of men but determinated to some peculiar subject there is all reason to resolve that that subject though diversly exprest is yet the same in all those places unlesse some evidence of Scripture or authentick testimony of antient Church or practise shall demonstrate the contrary which that it doth not will as far as concerns the Scripture which deserves our first search be thus cleared by considering the severall places And first Matth. 16.19 which was occasioned thus Christ Sect. 3 examining his disciples what opinion they had of him is answered by Simon that he was the Christ the Messias the Sonne of the living God vers 16. upon which Christ pronounceth him a blessed person as having received the supernatural gift of faith from God himselfe which no humane means could have helpt him to and upon this changes his name from Simon Bar-Jona the only name he had vers 17. to Cephas in Syriack that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek or as Homer and other good Authors and which beares most affinitie with the dialect of this book the Author of the second book of Mac. cap. 4.31 used it in the masculine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a rock or stone to Intimate that he should be as a foundation or strong rocky stone in a building is a principall ingredient in the building and a meanes of the future stability of it Matth. 7.25 the storme and flouds and winds came upon it and it fell not because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was founded on such a firme rocky stone a principal part call it foundation or rocke or pillar of that Church of Christians which partly by this confession of his here recorded to all posterity and partly by his future teaching he should be a meanes to erect for Christs service and then being so glorious an Instument of converting so many Christ is pleased to give him the Keyes of this Kingdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl in Mat. 16. authoritatively he gave him the keyes as his Father had done the Revelation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as he goes on a power of binding and loosing c. so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pardoning and punishing of sinnes in a word is spirituall grace or power or jurisdiction over these future Converts of his as generally in the Apostles times and after he that converted any Country or chiefe City in his Apostleship was setled as their Bishop or Governour in spirituall matters and so continued all his life unlesse having setled them he thought good to commit that office and power to some body else that so he might be the more free to go and preach and convert more though not as yet because they were not by him as yet converted yet by way of promise in diem to be performed when time should serve I will give thee the keyes and whatsoever thou shalt bind c. the summe is Peter was to be an Apostle and to do wonders in converting whole Nations to Christ and among those whom he thus converted Christ promises that he should have a Jurisdiction a power to govern and discipline and censure as there should be occasion in those Churches This being thus promised to Peter as a chiefe Apostle and Sect. 4 Confessour of Christs not exclusivè by way of exclusion that none should have this power but he but honorificè by way of honour mentioned first to him by the priviledge of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of being as I conceive he was the first that was call'd but more peculiarly as a reward of his notable confession v. 16. is by Christ a little before his parting from the world after his resurrection Joh. 20.23 actually instated both on him and the rest of the Apostles who were to ioyne in the same office with him of begetting unto Christ and educating those which were so begotten of converting and preserving or governing and in order to that end were to have their severall Provinces assigned
OF THE POVVER OF THE KEYES OR OF BINDING and LOOSING 1 COR. 11.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivie-lane 1651. The Preface THat the prime Act of Power enstated by Christ on his Apostles as for the governing of the Church and exorcising or banishing all devils out of it so for the effectual performing that great act of Charity to mens souls reducing pertinacious sinners to repentance should be so either wholly dilapidated or piteously deformed as to continue in the Church only under one of these two notions either of an empty piece of formality or of an engine of State and secular contrivance the true Christian use of shaming sinners into reformation being well-nigh vanished out of Christendome might by an alien or an heathens much more by the pondering Christian be conceived very strange and unreasonable were it not a title clear that we are faln into those times of which it was foretold by two Apostles that in these last dayes there should come scoffers walking after their own lusts the Pride and contumacy which have almost become the Genius of this prophane polluted age heightning men to an Atheistical fearlesse scoffing and scorning of all that pretends to work any cures to lay any restraint on them to rob them of any degree of that licentiousnesse which is become the very religion and doctrine of some under the disguise of Christian Liberty and the Lord be merciful unto us the practise of most rankes of Christian Professors This is the more sad wounding a consideration because it was antiently resolved that Christianity where-ever it entered in its purity did plant all manner of exact and strict conscientious walking all humility meeknes purity peaceablenesse justice charity sobriety imaginable that wickednes and dissolution of manners was to be lookt on as the only heresie and therefore Simon Magus the Nicolaitans and Gnosticks with other their neerest followers that led the Van of hereticks in Epiphanius are notoriously known to have been persons of the most vitious debauched libidinous lives and good life revered as the only orthodox professor from whence as nothing can be more consequent so I shall designe to inferre no farther conclusion then onely this that they which live ill in the profession of a most holy faith or farther then so embrace and disseminate doctrines which tend to the dissolution of mens lives making the good spirit of God the author or cherisher of any of their unchristian enterprizes but especially they that discharge and banish out of the Church those means which might help to make the generality of Christians better have the spirit of Antichrist working in them even when they think themselves most zealously busied in the beating down his kingdom What those means are which might most effectually tend to the amending the lives of Christians I shal need no farther to interpose my judgement then 1. by submitting it to Christs who put the Keyes into the Apostles hands on purpose as a means to exemplifie the end of his coming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 18.11 to save that which was lost not to usurpe authority over the temporal power or sword and like an apoplectick palsie-â—it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to invade or smite or dissolve the sinews of civil government or peace t is a most sacred truth that the spiritual hand hath no manner of jurisdiction nor was ever believed to have for the first 1100 years over Princes in their temporals and the composition of the Anglican Church most perfectly I had almost said peculiarly acknowledges it nor again to give an office of splendor or grandeur to the Clergie an authority valuable onely from the ability of hurting others or magnifying our selves over them which where it is pretended to is indeed somewhat of the making of the heathen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lorded it over Gods heritage served themselves either their purses or their ambitions or their passions out of the subjects under them but as Christ saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to administer charitably to them in the matters of the highest alloy the divinest valuablest charity of not suffering sin upon the brother Levit. 19. And 2. by minding my self and others what the Apostles say of this power that it was given them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to build up the Church of Christ by it in general and in particular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to discipline them whom no fairer means would work on and teach them not to blaspheme in words or actions to work them off from all lees of speculative but especially of practical Atheisme That these are the not weak or carnal weapons of the Churches warfare but mighty to bring down every strong hold i. e. the most contumacious stout importunate sinner that doth but acknowledge the truth of the Gospel I shall anon have leisure to shew you In the mean the only design of this Praeloquium is to awaken if it be possible the drousie world and quicken them so far from the mortified putrified state of sinne and stupidity as to be willing but to hearken to Christ himself when he comes but on a message of mercy to them to redeem them from iniquity and purifie to himself a possessed purchased people or the people which he had purchased for that one end that they might be zealous of good works If this general proposal so pertinaciously decried by our actions might once be thought worth the hearing then sure Christs peculiar way and method of working this cure would be thought of some use and advantage also not lookt on as a meer engine or artifice of ambitious men as they cannot be blamed to conceive it who think it doth any way entrench on those regalities which are placed by God I most willingly professe to believe far above the reach of any humane authority solo Deo minores or else suppose it a tyrannizing or triumphing over the most inferiour offender he that can take any carnal or sensual pleasure in the exercise of those Keyes in the using that sharp engine of surgery or ever draw it but in meer necessary charity to edification and not to destruction is one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sonnes of blood not fit to be admitted on a common Iury much lesse advanced to be a spiritual Iudge but as a most soveraigne medicinal Recipe that which hath the inscription of Christ on it not as of a Lord but as a Iesus not as a Law-giver but as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saviour and a Physitian of souls And this peculiar way is the power of binding and loosing the subject of this ensuing Discourse which that it may be restored to its full vigor in this Church again and where ever sobriety shall advise by addition of penitential Canons be reformed or regulated and being put into the primative Channel may there be permiâ—ted to shew forth it self in the
native purity and brightnesse and so being ordered according to Gods designation obtain Gods blessing to make it effectual to its end the almost only piece of reformation which this Church of England as it hath been long and as yet stands established by Law may justly be thought to stand in need of shall be the prayer of him who professes to love and admire the beauty of this Fabrick even when it lyes polluted in its blood and to wish no greater blessing to its dearest Friends or for whom he daily prayes most implacable Enemies then that of old Baâ—timaeus for himself Lord that they may receive their sight that the scales may fall off from all our eyes that we may see and value what is so illustriously conspicuous and â—stimable in it self and not so blear our sight with the observation of the miscarriages in this kind as not to discern or value the designation which if the abuses and excesses and mistakes that have crept in in that matter were timely discerned and removed and that which is Christian and Apostolical revived and restored in prudence and sobriety might yet again shew the world the use of that Prelacy which is now so zealously contemned and recover at once the Order and the Estimation of it set more Saints on their knees in petitions for reducing and restoring then ever imployed their hands toward the suppressing of it I shall no longer need to detain the Reader in his entrance having no use of any popular topick to court or get advantage on his affections but desiring only to treat with his reason as that is elevated by Christ his more noble masculine faculty and 1. From the institution of Christ to shew him the benefit that will accrew to that better part of him by continuing within subjection to this government and 2. By the peculiarity of the Fabrick of this excellent yet establisht Church of England to challenge the most sharp-sighted opposition to shew where the due execution of this power according to Law can provoke him to any thing but charity and gratitude both to the Saviour that designed and to the Prelate that is his Angel in conveying this seasonable mercy to him and more generally where or in what point of conjunction or motion it can any way enterfere or disturbe the civil interest Which it would be hard to affirm of any other national Church in Europe which hath any power either of repressing hereticks or of reforming or but of shaming notorious offenders left in it The Lord grant us unprejudicate honest hearts to judge uprightly of it and every one of us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pretious ornament 1 Pet. 3.4 in stead of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that bravery of hell in Macarius that the proud is so well pleased with I mean that meeknesse and quietnesse of spirit to think some others may possibly discern betwixt good and evil as well as our selves and when that prayer is once heard I shal then suppose that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hath given Themistocles the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or preheminence over his fellows in the judgement of all posterity viz. that every man named him next after himself will certainly end the present Church-controversie of these sad times A moderate Episcopacy with a standing assistant Presbytery and every of those assigned his ful task and province of employment also being the onely fourth which as it will certainly satisfie the desires of those whose pretensions are regular and moderate having by their study of learning Christianity attained to some measure of that grace which Aristonymus of old recites among the benefits of Philosophy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 craving nothing more and in many things lesse then the standing Laws of the Land allow them so will it appear to be that which all other parties can best tolerate and which next himself both Presbyterian and Independent and Erastian will make no question to chuse and prefer before any of the other pretenders This I conceive is not by me magisterially dictated but already demonstrated à posteriori by the experience which the few last moneths have yeelded us since the pretensions of the Prelacy grew weaker and of the other three more flattering and hopeful one against the other Where in every turn of the trembling motion that which hath feared most to be supplanted by either of the other pretenders hath been content to acknowledge that their cost and industry in the eradication of Prelacy is not likely to be rewarded in this life but with sorer pressures or more dangerous loosnesse then that which formerly they had mourned under And for a demonstration à priori I suppose it sufficient if it be but calmely considered that the several excellencies of the other three by which they set themselves out amiable and desirable to admirerâ— or followers the Presbyterians sharpnesse and severity against all ignorance and sin the Independent zeale against mixt Congregations and the Erastians care that the civil power may not be entrencht on and that they that might receive benefit by the Word and Sacrament should by no means be interdicted the use of them may all and each of them be found at least as in mixture refracted compounded in this fourth Which to shew particularly would require a length beyond the bounds of this Preface and on that civility to the Reader it is now omitted as also that I may not seem to have mistaken the point of the present controversie which certainly among the quickest sharpest designers or managers of it is not what are the uses and excellencies of this power but what the properest seat who the fittest to be intrusted with it One thing yet more there is which in this matter will deserve to be considered viz. the Conscience of Our Sovereigne in order both to our common duty to Him and to an honourable and durable peace toward which how neer soever we conceive our selves advanced by providence we cannot reasonably expect the sure blessing of God to consummate and crown our hopes if we doe not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Apostles phrase i. e. use all the expedients that any ambitious man would employ to the attaining his worldly designe I mean all that prudence will suggest and sober Christian conscience not reject to the making up a happy compliance with him in a word if we do not by all moderate lawfull means love and follow peace and consider them who have the legal power over us O that wee would know at least in this our day the things belonging to our peace before that fatal voice go out But now are they hid from your eyes Of the Power of the Keyes OR Of Binding and Loosing FOr the clear stating of this point there is but one Method seasonable because but one asterisme that hath any powerful influence upon it the conjunction of the severall passages in the New Testament about the donation and exercise
honorem quo salvo salva pax est The Chief Priest who is the Bishop hath the power of giving baptisme after him the Presbyters and Deacons yet not without the authority of the Bishop for the honor of the Church which as long as it is preserved the peace of the Church will be preserved also So when the Scriptor anon quaest in V. Nov. Test which is thought to be Hilary saith In Alexandriâ per totum Aegyptum si desit Episcopus consecrat Presbyter that in Alexandria and Aegypt if there be no Bishop the Presbyter consecrates 't is clear by the mention of that liberty in the Presbyter as of a thing peculiar to Aegypt and that too only when there is no Bishop present that regularly this power belong'd to none but the Bishops and to those Presbyters to whom he gave it Where by the way will appear a great mistake of Blondel and I suppose out of him as his many other Notes in his apparatus against Bishops of Salmasius who in another place of Hilary in Eph. 4. cited by both of them apud Aegyptum Presbyteri consignant si praesens non sit Episcopus In Aegypt the Presbyters consigne if the Bishop be not present interpret consigning either to be confirmation or blessing I suppose absolving of penitents or ordination It being clear by the other place just now cited that consignatio signifies there consecrating of the Sacrament which is peculiarly call'd consecration that of giving orders being ordination not as he calls it ordinandorum consecratio which what it would grammatically signifie I know not unlesse some benediction of them that are after to be ordain'd and it seems Blondel himself p. 61. thinks it possible that consignatio may signifie the consecrating the Elements and by what follows I conceive him to use it in that sense saying quod antiquis per solam Episcoporum absentiam licuit omnibus nunc absolutè licet that which antiently was made lawful to all i. e. to Presbyters onely by the Bishops absence is now absolutely lawfull to all Which I suppose he must mean of consecrating the Sacrament and I am sure could not reasonably believe of ordination But this by the way in passage to confirm that assertion of Ignatius sufficiently that the Church was by the Apostles put into the hands of Bishops that ordinarily the consent of the Bishop was required to enable a Presbyter for any Ecclesiastical act the plenitude of power being by Christ delivered down to the Apostles and through them to their successor-bishops and by them dispenst out to others in that measure and those portions which they should think fit And if it be demanded here What it is which in our Church Sect. 14 is given to Presbyters in their Ordination as the full importance of the form then used Receive the Holy Ghost I answer not all that is at any time contained under that phrase when it is used in the consecration but only the particulars which are after mentioned and so distinctly not the power of ordaining which is not mentioned and which is a particular that never was regular for any Presbyter in the antient Church to assume to himself or to any number of that order without a Bishop over them and it would not be hard to give an account of all that hath been produced of late by Salmasius or any other from the origines Alexandrini or any other record of antiquity to the contrary but that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and would be too large a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place and if the practice of some few Protestant Churches in this last Century be opposed against it then 1. I shal conceive those very unfit to be confronted against the Vniversal for 1500 years and therefore secondly I shall not doubt to affirm that want is not only a defect but a corruption among them Thirdly it will be observable that even those that want it among them have formerly thought fit to excuse it by the case of necessity and to acknowledge it their infelicity but not their fault their superiors in the State not permitting them to have Bishops to ordain them and to give their judgements freely that where Episcopacy is it is to be preserv'd and where it is not it is to be wisht for which is a sufficient expression of their sense of it And if the improsperousnesse of the cause of late in this Kingdome hath moved some of them to change their style I suppose there is no greater reason to depend on their judgements who are mov'd or wrought on by such extrinsecal arguments then on his who lately made no scruple to confesse in giving his opinion of H. Grotius Ego non probo prudentiam minùs felicem He lik'd not the choice of that side which was not prosperous And then fourthly that this cannot be applicable by way of excuse to those who desire to cast out Bishops where they are on purpose that Presbyters may usurp the power which belongs to them Secondly not al power of binding and loosing retaining or remitting though those words are there added whose sins you do remit c. but so much as the Bishops or Governours are presumed to have thought fit to impart to them and what that is will appear by other acts of our Church especially by the Liturgy as 1. The declaring of absolution in the Church after the Confession of sins 2. The absolving them by way of prayer before the Sacrament in case the Bishop be not present and 3. in Baptismal washing and 4. upon speciall Confession on the sick-bed or any time else which may by analogy or reduction come under these same heads as in the case of private conference and confession at other times In all these the remitting of sins is allowed among us to a bare Presbyter not only by way of pronouncing or declaring of absolution but as a ministerial act actually absolving him by Christs authority committed to the Presbyters from all his sins Sect. 15 All which yet will not extend to the absolving from the band of Excommunication or proportionably to such power of binding any further at most then to confer the first power of it which if it be then given doth yet remain as the other power of Preaching and administring the Sacraments bound and restrained from being exercised till they be further loosed by the donation of a second power as Luke 24.49 when Christ sent them the Promise of his Father which was at the time of his breathing on them Joh. 20.22 and gave them a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a grace or first power of it he yet restrains the exercise of it till the actuall descent of the Holy Ghost but tarry you in Jerusalem till you be indued with power from above and that is not done in this Church as it stands established by Law in this particular of the Keys till he become a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a
ruling Elder whether by being made Bishop or otherwise by having Jurisdiction vested on him and thus much will serve turn for the first enquiry on whom the power of the Keyes was bestowed CAP. IV. I Come now to the second general enquiry in what this power Sect. 1 consists and shews it self which I shall make no stay or scruple to define in this proposition That the power of binding and loosing in these places of the Gospels is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spiritual gift or grace and belongs to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Theoph. in Mat. 16. the pardoning or punishing of faults the former to the Censures of the Church the Ecclesiastical punishments of Excommunication and the later the power of loosing to that of absolving from them This position I must vindicate from the contrary interpretations or objections which are thought to keep these Texts from concluding or countenaning any such Censures And of these though they are not all to one sense yet one interpretation I have chosen rather to insist on because it hath not yet been considered by others and because it seems to pretend to more antient grounds then the rest formerly have done I mean that which proceeds by interpreting the Phrases out of the writings of the Talmudists and from them concludes I shall Sect. 2 give it you in the learned writers own words that the power of binding and loosing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 facultas decernendi explicandi interpretandi declarandi de ligato soluto quod planè millies in Talmudicis ex vetustissimae Ecclesiae illius usu denotat quid vetitum ex lege sacrâ quid permissum quemadmodum Graecis scimus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod ligare est etiam interdicere sonare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est solvere etiam permittere seu obligationem sive auferre sive nondum inductam monstrare aut asserere adeóque ad docendi seu interpretandi seu Theologiae Praeceptivae munus solum ibi attinuit c. making it no more then the faculty of explicating or interpreting what is lawful what not c. in a word no more then the power of deciding cases of conscience seu sic de jure publicè respondendi illúdque dicendi c. The truth of which I shall with all due respect for a while take boldnesse to examine First by yeelding or for the present not denying that there was or might be an office or power among the Jews intrusted to some select Elders of the people of teaching and giving publique responses by way of deciding cases of Conscience though not by way of Judicature what was to be accounted lawful what not both by the Law of God and the Tradition of the Antients which yet being supposed and granted I must secondly interpose that it is not thereby proved that this is called in the Talmud or by any of those writers the power of binding and loosing or that the power of binding and loosing is by them so described but which is quite another thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a power of teaching or instructing c. what is lawful what forbidden Nor will it be a proof of any force to conclude that which we have no reason to believe without a proof or some kinde of affinity in the phrases viz. that this power of binding is that power of teaching and no more only because there was such a power of teaching among the Jews For if we will judge à pari experience proves the contrary in this Church of ours where though there be a power of binding and a munus docendi an office of teaching c. yet no man is bound from thence to acknowledge these two to be all one but we have long believed them to be two faculties or offices the one given the Apostles in the donation of the Keys the other in the mission to preach and though it were granted that we were mistaken in affirming them to be two such distinct faculties yet would not that hinder the truth of this assertion that in our books they are so distinguished the question being now of the fact not of the right and it being clear that in our practice our Preaching is one thing and our Excommunicating is another and secondly because 't is clear there were two distinct powers among the Jews one of declaring in foro as well as the other extra forum one judicial as well as the other doctrinal and sure it would be but a poore supersedeas or prohibition to keep the Sanhedrin among them from judging and punishing any offender brought before them by telling them that there was among the Jews a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a licence or faculty of declaring what was lawful without any power of punishing For they would be soon able to say that 't was by some other power and not by that of declaring that they undertook thus to judge and punish and let me add that although the power among the Jews were acknowledged only to be a civil power yet might Christ in his Church set up an Ecclesiastical power proportionable to that and imitate that in the sacred which they used onely in civil judicatures as anon we shall have occasion to demonstrate And thirdly the phrase of the Gospel from whence we pretend is not the facultas faculty or power of binding but the donation of Keyes and with that Christs Promise that whatsoever they shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and therefore I conceive this will not be a convincing way of inferring this conclusion We must therefore in the next place proceed to examine the Sect. 3 reasons or arguments produced to perswade us that the power of binding and loosing is no more then the power of declaring c. what is prohibited what is permitted the office of the Casuist only And these reasons I can finde to be but two 1. That ligatum solutum planè millies in Talmudicis ex vetustissimo Sect. 4 Ecclesiae illius usu denotat quid vetitum quid permissum 2. That in some places of Greek Authors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bind and loose are used also For the first of these I shall first say that if it were true that Sect. 5 the Idiom of the Talmudists were ex vetustissimo Ecclesiae illius usu out of the most antient use of that Church the Law of Moses and the Scriptures of the Old Testament being the Records of the most antient Church some footsteps of it might be expected there but I shall suppose there are no such to be found not onely because I have there sought them in vain but because I presume the Author would have conceived any Testimony from thence to be more Authentick then the Talmud and so would certainly have produced them if there had been any Secondly for the Talmudists acception of the phrases first I might say that we are no
which any man is bound to punishment if he obey it not In like manner as he that vows binds and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Num. 30.4 c. belongs peculiarly to that because in vowing he doth either by words of execration explicitly or else by intimation implicitly call punishment upon himself if he perform not his vow and so binds himself to that punishment And so still the word binding by denoting a decree in this kinde doth not at all vary from our present sense of binding by way of censure which now we contend for but rather confirm and concurre with it and so I conceive in those excerpta about excommunication which J. Coch hath set down in Latine out of Maimonides those words of Maimonides do import Quod totus Israel decrevit non observat Princeps c. What all Israel decreed the Prince observes not he speaks of inflicting anathema's and I shall grant that the word rendred decrevit is in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word for binding in reference to which it follows in the next words by him set down remittitur à laeso si ei satisfecerit c. The injur'd person remits if satisfaction be made him and from thence shall conclude that even when it is to be rendred decrevit it may yet note punishment particularly that of excommunication or decree ad excommunicandum sentence to punishment being a kinde of Legislation and all binding to that an act of Command or power Having thus considered the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall as freely grant Sect. 7 that the participles or nounes deduced from thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Rabbins or Talmudists signifie very often a thing forbidden prohibited unlawfull though in the Old Testament again the nouns there used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie not so but are taken in a regular sense and so rendred by the 72 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a band and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ordinance or decree and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bound or imprison'd and the like and not the thing unlawfull or prohibited which yet being granted and added to what was before granted of the Talmudical use of the Verb comes not home to prove the objecters conclusion which is this that the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies among the Talmudists decernere explicare interpretari declarare de ligato vel quid ligatum sit i. e. quid vetitum to decern explicat interpret declare concerning a thing bound or what is bound i. e. what is forbidden for to prove this sense of the verb that other supposed use of the participle is not sufficient any more then my confessing amatum to signifie a thing loved will conclude me to affirm that amo signifies to declare a thing to be loved which we know signifies formally to love and nothing else That the verb signifies to forbid or decree per modum legislationis Sect. 8 which is all that could be deduced from these premises though supposed true of ligatum in the Talmud signifying nothing but illicitum 't is acknowledged but that will not serve the turn thereby wholly to evacuate nullifie the power of the Keyes which is pretended to belong to the Church from these texts If the Apostles had this power to forbid or decree this were 1. more then to interpret or declare a thing to be unlawful the office of making laws is more then that of the Casuist or Counsellour or Preacher and beside secondly it would be but reason to suppose those decrees backt with some power of censures against resisters and so indeed the word imports to decree sub poenâ under penalty and not simply to decree But the thing for which this Talmudical interpretation contends and which we oppose is that this power of binding is onely a power of declaring and explaining a thing to be unlawful and for this from all that is pretended or offer'd to our view I have after all my search no temptation to suspect that even the Talmudists themselves do use the word The verb with them may signifie to prohibit and the nouns and participle a thing prohibited or unlawful and that is the utmost that Buxtorf could observe of the words among the Talmudists or that the author of the interpretation offers any proof for ligatum solutum i. e. millies in Talmudicis vetitum lege saâ—râ aut permissum and if these notions will be taken then the meaning of whatsoever yee shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven will be that whatsoever they shall by decree prohibit on earth shall be prohibited or unlawfull in heaven which were onely to exchange the power of Censures for the power of giving Laws which as it is more then that of the Casuist so I conceive is never to be found any where without power of punishing also Sect. 9 This I conceive to be answer sufficient to all that is produced or pretended even upon supposition that the Talmud were the umpire or the use of words there the best Nomenclature for the New Testament But then over and above we must again remember that this Talmudical observation will be but little conviction to us who finde that the writers of the New Testament have no sympathy with the Talmud in this matter but use variety of other words to expresse commanding or decreeing or forbidding such are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the like but never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or any of that making and in like manner have other phrases to expresse a thing unlawful or forbidden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the like but never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or any thing like it neither is it I conceive pretended that these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have any such sense in any other place of the New Testament but onely in these two which are parallel one to another and so in effect but one and that the matter of the present controversie and so a petitio principii when 't is made use of to confute him that concludes the Censures from thence Adde unto these yet farther that even in the Talmud it self Sect. 10 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which this observation is made signifies binding too and that not only in the obvious vulgar senses but in that also which we here contend for of binding by censures or binding over to punishment obstrinxit ad poenam as Schindler renders the Chaldee and as Elias Levita the Rabbinical word be bound over to punishment and so with great reason may be resolved even when it signifies to prohibite to belong only to such penal prohibitions or at least belonging at first to such only to have fallen after in common use which sure hath been observ'd to bend words from their primitive sense to signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all
loosing belongs to Censures and not only to stating of Cases of Conscience even if the Talmud were our judge for sure there is nothing more ordinary in that then to heare of loosing them who are excommunicate which must needs imply that they which were so excommunicate till they were loosed were supposed bound also Sect. 16 And therefore it may be observed in passing that the learned H. Grotius having in his Notes on Matth. 16.19 made this Talmudical observation that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to loose are by the Hebrewes attributed to the interpreters of the law which seems something agreeable to this observation conceiving the Keyes there spoken of to be the keyes of knowledge Luk. 11.52 doth yet on Matth. 16.19 interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 binding and loosing there by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 retaining and remitting Joh. 20.23 and in his notes on that third place acknowledges that thus the Apostles did remit either when by Baptisme they received into the Church those that professed the faith or when after the testimony of serious repentance they received into their communion those that had been lapst or fallen and applies to it that of the 2 Cor. 2.10 To whom ye forgive any thing I forgive also which belongs clearly to the excommunicate incestuous person in the former Epistle who was it seems by this Ecclesiastical course brought to a capacity of remission and absolution by that time and now absolved by St. Pâ—ul and for the conjunction of both these senses in the interpretation of that place he produces S. Cyprians authority Ep. 73. To which I shall only adde that in another part of his Notes upon the Gospels Luk. 6.22 this very Judicious man whose education might have given him as great prejudices against the Prelacie as any other hath given us a very excellent tract concerning this subject of Excommunication or Censures And at last resolves out of St. Cyprians Epistles Totum ferme Christianae disciplinae vigorem in istis judiciis constitisse c. that well nigh all the vigor of Christian discipline consisted in those judgments of the Church Quem morem qui ex Ecclesiâ sublatum volunt gravissimum infligunt vulnus disciplinae quam corruptis adeò Christianorum moribus ad veterem severitatem reduci maximum sit operae pretium tantùm abest ut ulla ejus pars reliqua laxari debeat c. Which custome they which would remove out of the church inflict a most grievous wound on discipline which now in this notable corruption of the manners of Christians it were most excellently worth any mans pains to have reduced to its antient severity so far is it from being fit that any remaining member or part of it should be loosed or put out of joynt and in another place Disciplinam morum ego non refugio ut modò pax coeat nulla futura sit tam severa cui non libenter me meosque sim subjecturus For the discipline in order to manners I would willingly subject my self and all that belong to me to the severest that could be brought into the Church But this by the way For the perfecting of this answer and satisfying all the contrary Sect. 17 appearances fully it must yet farther be observed that there is one thing presumed and not undertaken to be proved in this objection without which all the observations from the Talmud are utterly invalid and unconcluding and that one thing not at all to be granted by us being indeed as I conceive very far from truth It is this that by the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever ye shall bind c. is noted the thing and not the person for so that interpretation requires what thing soever ye shall declare to be unlawful c. whereas it 's no new thing in all languages and dialects to put the neuter for the masculine gender things for persons and that in the New Testament is not without example as Joh. 17.7 't is our Saviours dialect and it is the very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we have now in hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. whatsoever i. e. all those men v. 6. and so 1 Joh. 5.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expounded by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. v. 18. every thing i. e. every one that is born of God Thus when S. John Apoc. 21.27 speaketh of man and other the like inhabitants of the new Jerusalem he saith there shall not enter in there any thing that defileth or that worketh abomination or a lye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the neuter which is no doubt no unclean abominable person c. So 2 Thess 2.4 the Apostle speaking of Antichrist saith that he exalteth himself above all that is called God where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all in the neuter sure signifies in the mascâ—line every person that partakes of that name the King and Potentates of the Earth so Heb. 7.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the neuter for the lesser or inferior person v. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for no man and Ch. 12 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for him that is lame With which Examples the phrase in this text beaâ—â—s such proportion that it cannot be unjust to resolve that it is at least possible that the neuters here may in sense be masculine also which very possibility were enough to evacuate the Talmudical observation the accommodation of which to this place supposes the neutral sense of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be certainly there meant and is not reconcilable with the Masculine For to say Whomsoever you shall declare to be unlawful or prohibited c were not sense whereas on the other side the granting the neutral sense would not so necessarily destroy our pretensions this rendring of the words being proper enough and home to our turn whatsoever yee shall bind on earth i. e. whatever sins of any trespasser ye shall conclude under the Censures or again whatsoever punishment you shall bind on mens shoulders the speech being still limited to this one sort of punishments it shall be bound or ratified in heaven though the truth is the personal notion of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being so agreeable to other phrases of the Scripture I have no temptation to doubt but that it is the importance of the place whatsoever i. e. whomsoever you shall bind on earth by the power of the Keyes shut out of this lower kingdom of heaven conclude under the Ecclesiastical bands or censures c. shall be bound in heaven c. i. e. by God ratified there supposing that what they do they do according to the rule this is most commodious agreeable to the mention of the Keyes to which 't is annext Matt. 16. which certainly denote
power of receiving or excluding not some thing but some person to the trespassing brother supposed to become refractary to which 't is annext Matth. 18. who is still a person also to which I will onely add that in the beginning of that discourse Matth. 18.11 there is another manifest example of a neuter word in a masculine sense The Sonne of man came to save 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which was lost i. e. those little ones v. 10. of whom God would not that one should perish v. 14. Sect. 18 To this account of that first argument sufficient I conceive to prove that this interpretation hanging thus loose from the Talmudical use of the word is not in the rendring this text of the New Testament necessary to be received I shal yet farther add these two observations more 1. That the Talmudical sense cannot have place in the latter part of Christs speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be bound in heaven and therefore will be improbable in the former For sure the binding in heaven is somewhat more then Gods interpretation or declaration of the lawfulnesse of any thing and if the Church should be thought unfit to have any kind of power yet heaven is acknowledged capable of it besides the form and composure of the words will enforce that if that pretended Talmudical sense were admitted in both places Gods declaring any thing to be lawful or unlawful must be consequent to the Ministers declaration here which will be very unreasonable for though Gods Censures may by vertue of his promise follow the Censures of the Church yet Gods Laws for such are his declarations of what is law sure cannot or if they do this will be a great assurance that there is some power in the Church when it is so backt by God A second argument to this purpose may be taken from the Sect. 19 Analogy of Scripture or comparing the two places in Matth. of binding and loosing with that third in John of remitting and retaining which I conceive is proved to belong to the same matter whatsoever that should prove to be but then will not be so capable of the Talmudical interpretation for sure that will not be so clear from those writers also that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to retain hath that sense among the Talmudists which was imposed upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bind which for the present I shall take for granted till some proof be offer'd to the contrary and in that found the power of the Church supposing it were not deducible from S. Matthew and then by analogie of those places in S. Matthew with this in S. John apply it to those places also Now for the second proof which is offer'd by the same hand Sect. 20 against the received interpretation the places in Greek authors where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or binding is vouched to signifie forbidding onely though I might justly say that forbidding is much more then declaring or interpreting a thing to be forbidden that an act of power and not onely of doctrine of a Magistrate and not onely of a Casuist and secondly that we are not wont to require the dictions of the New Testament which have so much of the Old Testament Hebrew idiom in them to be tryed by Attical heathen Greek writers yâ—t shall I not now need to refuse that trial which is here offer'd Two onely places there are produced or in the margent appointed to be consulted with to purpose Eustathius and Didymus in Hom. II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Inscription Isidis ap Diod. Sic. l. 1. These two places I have with all attention considered and shall truly report what I have found in them Sect. 21 Eustathius brings several interpretations of these words in Hom. the first of which is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which that you may understand you must know the occasion of Homers speech it was this Patroclus was slain and Achilles knew not how to help him or avenge his death for which he hath very passionate sorrow even to wish he were dead himself because he could not avenge that death of his this he thus expresses in Homers language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I would or O that I might presently dye in that I was not able to avenge the death of my Companion He dyed far from his countrey and Mars or the Fate of war hath bound or hindred or restrained me from being avenger of his blood where it must be observed that Mars did not give any precept or interdict to Achilles not to avenge Patroclus or declare that it was unlawful but only that the fate of the war had not so far favour'd him as that he could find any means to do it which he calls binding or hindring him and therefore Didymus to whom we are referred renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hindred and explains the whole matter by this paraphrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fight having deprived me of my Arms would not suffer me to go out and help Patroclus and so it seems the forbidding by which they render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is only that of hindring or stopping which is a natural effect of the vulgar notion of the word as it signifies hinding he that is bound being hindred or stopt from his course or action not of prohibiting or interdicting But then moreover you must consider that the same Eustathius and Didymus observe in that last verse many different lections as for example one especially in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mars in the Nominative case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hurt or mischief in the Genitive which reading they reject not but accordingly explain the place and render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damni averruncatorem and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patroclus had need of me to avert that mischief from him and this saith Eustathius the antients thus paraphrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mars wanted my action or the help which might have come by me and Aristarchus somewhat to the same purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he wanted me to avert the danger of the warre and agreeably Didymus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which different lection thus explained by them takes off all colour or pretence of affirming that binding signifies prohibiting or interdicting in that place but onely standing in need of which is another sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so still 't is apparent that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie somewhat else in that place and if it doe signifie binding and that be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to forbid that yet it must not be taken in that sense that forbidding signifies preceptive interdiction especially not the bare pronouncing a thing unlawfull the sense which 't is brought to prove and which alone is against our pretensions but only forbidding as when the
matter forbids hindring or restraining or binding from a possibility of doing it and just so the Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which Philip de Aquin. renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 binding ordinarily signifies to hinder As for the other place referr'd to the Inscription of Isis thus Sect. 22 it lies in Diodorus Siculus l. 1. p. 16. of Stephanus's Edition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am Isis the Queen of the whole Region educated by or under Mercury and whatsoever I shall bind no body can loose What advantage can be taken at these words thus lying not restrained by either antecedents or consequents toward the justifying or approving of the foremention'd interpretation or acception of the phrase for declaring or pronouncing of the unlawfulnesse of a thing I do not fully discern for why may not the later words passe for an interpretation of the former and so the sense be that she being Queen of the whole region had all power in her hands to do or constitute not onely what lawes but what punishments she would and then that no body had power to undo whatsoever she thus did to rescind or loose or absolve what she so bound In as wide a sense as this I could produce many places in Greek Authors particularly a passage of Proclus out of Plato in his sixth Discourse about the Eternity of the world where to prove the world cannot be dissolv'd by the Creator of it and yet by none but the Creator he expresses it often in these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaning by binding the composing the whole compages of the world and by loosing the destroying or as we say the dissolution of it this I confesse is nothing to our sense of the words and as little to that other and yet very neer as much as the place now cited Being left to guesse what was the occasion of producing this place to that other purpose I shall think it possible that it was occasion'd by this that in the margent Stephanus hath set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which if it were conceived to be a Scholion might be taken to be a testimony that binding signifies making of lawes as far as that Scholiasts authority would reach For the present I shall suppose that this is it because I cannot think of any other way to help this medium to inferre the desired conclusion in any degree and yet make no question but there was some But then if that be it I must interpose 1. That that in the margent is not a Scholion but an emendation or various lection as the mark prefixed signifies and then seeing 't is assured that Diod. Sic. or the inscription it self which he sets down had not both these readings it will thence follow that either it was truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then there is no authority from thence for any signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or else that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then there is no appearance of proof that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this is sufficient to the matter in hand which part soever of the dilemma be accepted Sect. 23 But having said this I shall superadde ex abundanti my opinion of the importance of that inscription viz. that Isis the Queen of that region was taught or instructed by Mercury in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hidden philosophy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dark representations of truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the enigmatical wisdome which their theologie was full of mention'd by Plut. de Is Osir and that no body was able to reveale or expound her riddles or mysteries The ground of this my interpretation is an inscription of Isis's temple mention'd by Plutarch immediately upon his discourse of that enigmaticall theology in the place foremention'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The temple of Minerva which they take for Isis in Saos had such an inscription not literally this but such an one or to this purpose I am every thing that hath been and that is and that shall be and my vaile or what I shall think fit to conceale no mortall hath ever been able to discover This seems to be a paraphrase of that other inscription in Diodorus and then though the words differ which the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the very same but such an one intimates yet the sense of the one seems to be fully exprest by the other then the conclusion will be this that as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Diodorus signifying no more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reveale in Plutarch as to loose a riddle a secret is to reveal it to which the Key of Knowledge in the Scripture may also referre belongs not at all to the matter in hand or declaring a thing to be lawfull so the contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not applyable to that purpose of forbidding or declaring a thing to be forbidden and so much for that testimony also To all this which hath been said the Reader may farther add Sect. 24 that Suidas Hesychius and Phavorinus have no other notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then that of binding in bands and therefore render it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—nd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Onely in Hesychius in one place I find these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which words stand in need of some emendation as a very great part of that book doth may be thus set right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man bound by law i. e. a prisoner or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bound i. e. a prisoner of the law or else this seems to be the designe of them that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in a sense proportionable to that wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 law is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a band as indeed every law is a band to all those that are under it but then you may observe that this is a very distant sense of the word from that which was cited from the Talmudists where the thing bound is said to be forbidden for here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies bound or commanded and so this beside that it gives the Church a power from Christ of commanding and making laws to which in any probability the power of punishing would be consequent is little to our present disquisition Sect. 25 I cannot satisfie my self that I have vindicated my position sufficiently unlesse unto the consideration of the former objections I add also some few words in taking notice of what the Socinians have resolved to this matter which I shall transcribe out of Volkelius de ver cel l. 6. c. 4. Where having exprest the power of binding and loosing to be the power Alios quidem reatu peccatorum quodammodo constringendi alios verò ab illo absolvendi of binding some in some manner under the guilt of sins but of absolving
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remit is before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 retain And 3. because this is deliver'd to all the Apostles together whereas the two other were spoken one personally to Peter the other of the Church I in humility conceive that as before we shewed that this place in S. John belonged to the same persons to which the other two belonged to wit the Apostles and their succeeding rulers of the Church so it is perfectly parallel to them also in respect of the matter of the Commission and my reasons are these 1. Because the phrases though as the first reason pretends other in sound are yet directly synonyma's with the former in Scripture-stile I say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to remit is al one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to loose and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to retain with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bind And therefore Theophylact uses together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power of remitting and binding confounding the two places in S. John and S. Mat. together and rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to retain by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bind and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to loose by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to remit in Mat. 16.19 and so promiscuously in other Writers If there be the least difference it is onely this that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to bind and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bind and also to keep bound in which respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more proper here in S. John because the order is inverted and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 retaining put after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remitting and so the word which signifies also to keep bound or to not-remit is more perfectly critically agreeable then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bind would have been and yet when binding is mentioned first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as exact as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the other places But yet for all this light accidental difference I shall not retract saying the words are in use perfectly synonymous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remit and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loose especially as applyed to sin both signifie forgiving of it the first as sin is taken under the notion either of a debt or a thraldom for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the N. Test applyed to both to the one in the Lords Prayer to the other Luk. 4.18 and both directly opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second as of a band so in the Septuagints Translation of the Old Testament Gen. 4.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perhaps false copied for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My sin is greater then can be forgiven or more clearâ—y Exod. 32.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If thou wilt or O that thou wouldst forgive them that sin and in divers other places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remit taken for forgive and so in like manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to loose Job 42.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Translation of the words which are in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God accepted the person of Job praying for them he forgave them that sin by Job i. e. by his mediation There 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to loose is taken for to forgive So also for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bind and to hold or retain the Sect. 99 same Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred by the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 33.1 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 10.8 11.6 and so Act. 2.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being holden is set opposite to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loosing of bands and so must signifie keeping bound and in almost all other places it signifies to hold fast or take hold of Mat. 18.28.21.46.26.4 c. and is sometimes joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as holding fast is precedaneous and preparative to binding Mat. 14.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laying hold on him bound him and Apoc. 20.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 held and bound and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though rendred to retain is taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bind also or if there be any difference t is this that it signifies lesse then binding rather then more and so will not conclude any thing which the former places were not able to conclude And so you may observe in the Fathers viz. S. Basil speaking of the freedome of Christians in their bands he saith they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bound but not capable of binding and many the like Secondly because the inverting of the order of words is too light and casual a thing to be argumentative and therefore the second reason is of little force being taken onely from that change for which yet some reasonable account also may be given from the variety of the words which caused this inversion and consequently no more argument will be deducible from this change of order then from the change of words would be just to deduce If the change of the words would argue ought then I confess the inverting of the order caused by that would per moduÌ„ accumulatiònis do so too but that being once cleared to import no new thing this which is onely attendant on that caÌ„not be thought to do so so there will be no need of farther answer to that when the former hath bin sufficiently answer'd Sect. 100 Thirdly because the third ground of scruple is as unconvincing also the other two being delivered to all the Apostles also as well as this the first to all in S. Peters person as 't is ordinary for Donations made to Communities to be delivered to one of that number for the use of all as is acknowledg'd by all but those whose pretended interest in S. Peter hath bribed them to inflame his and lessen the other Disciples prerogative asmuch as they can And the second in plain words with a preface of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verily I say to you i. e. to the Disciples with whom the discourse had continued by way of mutual colloquie from the beginning of the Chap. This I am sure is the affirmation of the Greek Fathers particularly Theophylact on Mat. 13. where he affirms that promise of the power of binding and loosing to be fulfilled in those words of Christ in S. John Whose sins you do remit c. the place was formerly set down at large and need not be repeated and if you examine the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 throughout the N.T. you will have no temptation to doubt it Sect. 101 Having now declared out of the Scripture the foundation progresse of this power these censures and occasionally interweaved the interpretation of some places which I conceive to depend on this matter it were now a fit season to proceed to the writings of the ancient Church and draw down the history of this practice through the first purer times But that hath been so faithfully performed by many others particularly by Spalatensis that it
of this power For in matters of Christs institution which have no foundation in the Law of Nature it must needs be improper for reason to interpose and assert or define what that accounts most agreeable for that is to subject to our tribunal not the acts of his justice which God hath been willing to yeild us Isa 5.3 and Ezek. 18.25 and in them to appeal to our own reason but the acts of his wisdome for such are all his institutions which God will not allow us to judge or dispute Rom. 9.20 any farther then by discourse to conclude from the context and words of that institution what is most agreeable to the importance of those words and by way of advice to direct us to compare our conceipts with the doctrines of those who were nearest to the times of that institution and might probably know more of it and be more instrumental to us for the deciding any difficulty then those that being farther removed look on at that greater distance And therefore as in the businesse of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the surest course to compose the controversies and satisfie the scruples of men in that point were to reduce it to its principles and to resolve by consent to assert no more in that point as matter of faith at least then might be naturally and infallibly concluded from the places of Scripture concerning the institution use and nature of that Sacrament or the antient primitive understanding of those places and naturall deductions from them for the reducing of which operation to practice an attempt hath been made in another place so will it be the most probable towardly course I conceive least subject to any dangerous mistake to resolve and observe in this businesse CAP. I. Sect. 1 ANd then the first thing observeable will be that the three onely places to be met with in the Gospel concerning this institution Matth. 16.19 Matth. 18.18 Joh. 20.23 are no two of them fully parallel to one another or coincident I meane no two of them narrations of the same one speech of Christ but as by the occasion and circumstances of time and place it will appear each delivered by Christ at a severall time the first Matth. 16.19 was upon occasion of Peters confession a promise of what should be conferred afterwards upon him by way of reward and encouragement I will not yet de presenti I do but de futuro I will give thee the Keyes c. and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever thou shalt c. The second Matth. 18.18 was an exemplifying of that glorious truth ver 11. that Christ came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to save that that was lost upon the heeles of which bare assertion followes first a Parable ver 12.13.14 a speciall piece of Christs Logick and Rhetorick to prove popularly and so to perswade and then v. 15. the institution of a piece of discipline perpetually to continue in the Church of his plantation as most eminently instrumentall to that designe the reducing obstinate sinners to repentance The consideration of which one thing that these Keyes when Christ was gone were to continue imployed on that same great work or designe which brought Christ into the world the saving of such as were lost will be able to set a competent value on this Institution and rescue it from the contempts and scornes which the impious world is pleased to make its portion very agreeable to that greater stratagem of Satan who by complying with our wishes and our interests easily prevailes with vitious men to believe neither resurrection nor judgement to come and this as it is noted by the Fathers the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only beloved doctrine of the effeminate and voluptuous The third place Joh. 20.23 is apparently part of Christs speech to all his disciples after his resurrection and his having confirm'd them all but Thomas in the truth of it v. 20. and was a kind of farewell to his Church and an actuall inauguration or consecration of them from disciples into Apostles as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disciples v. 20. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent v. 21. put together do import and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that were with them Luke 24.33 doth not contradict for there is no mention of these words of Binding and Loosing in that Gospel and if there were it would not follow that the power of binding was delivered to that mixt company any more then the power from on high was promised to them v. 49. which surely belonged onely to the Apostles as will appear by the words immediately precedent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being rightly interpreted and be ye witnesses of these things i. e. of his death and resurrection which we know was peculiarly the office of the Apostles which being a solemne donation was set out by a speciall ceremony viz. that of Christs breathing upon them a significant one to expresse the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eternall breath or Spirit of God which he would suddenly poure on them and for it prepares them by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receive the holy Ghost which were the words annext to that ceremony the words of Consecration the same that we now retain in the Ordination of a Priest whose sins you do remit or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if you doe remit any mens sins they are remitted to them and if you do retain any they are retained From all which Three places thus compared the first generall Sect. 2 result is this that the power of binding and loosing is a solemn priviledge or Prerogative of the Church of Christ thrice insisted on by our Saviour 1. By way of Prediction that he would conferre it Matth. 16. then secondly by way of a more particular description of the manner and direction for the end and use of it Matth. 18. And thirdly by a preparatory â—ind of instating them in this power an initial investing them with this sacred ghostly authority Joh. 20. immediately before his final departure from the world which seemeth to have been throughly perfected and compleated when after his ascension the holy Ghost did visibly descend upon those to whom these words were by Christ then delivered Receive the Holy Ghost c. This formal compleat instating of this power of binding and loosing upon them and not only the giving of those gifts of tongues c. being a main branch and effect of this descending and their receiving of the Holy Ghost according to that of Isa 32. if you compare ver 1. of the King and Princes ruling in judgment prophetically intimating Christ and his Apostles with ver 15. 16. where the descent of the Spirit is mentioned as a preparative to the exercise of that judicative power And so Ephes 4. He gave gifts unto men v. 8. and gave some Apostles c. v. 11. And this I conceive will direct us to the importance of those words Luke 24.49 I
of God at Corinth is after explained by him in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Bishops and Deacons but if this will not be acknowledged then by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shal give you leave to understand any meeting or Congregation of pious men either a consessus Presbyterorum a Colledge of Presbyters which were ordinarily assistant to the Bishop in the antient Church or possibly the whole or any part of the people convened whose authority or consent may work somewhat upon the offender as St Paul conceives it were apt to doe when he commands Timothy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rebuke the offenders before all men i. e. in the presence of the community of the people 1 Tim. 5.20 and perhaps when he speaks of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2.6 the rebuke that was by or under the many though it be not certain whether that signifie the chastisement as our English reads punishment and censure inflicted by the Presbyterie or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under them those assisting or joyning in the censure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acts of Canonical severity which in case of sorrow and relenting of the offender upon rebuke or admonition before ejection out of the Church were wont to be thought sufficient without excommunication and after excommunication as in this place to the Corinthians if they were submitted to were sufficient though not presently to restore him to the communion yet to make him capable of being prayed for by the Church 1 Joh. 5.16 and to be delivered from the stripes of Satan the diseases that the delivering to Satan in the Apostles times brought upon them or whether as the words may be rendred it import the rebuke or reproof viz. the third admonition or the second given by the Bishop which was equivalent to that which was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under or in the presence of many viz. of the people or Congregation The former of these senses seems more agreeable to the place to the Cor. the latter rather to belong to that in the 1 Tim. and so that which even now in Musar was coram multis before many and in S. Paul if not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under many yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the presence of all men Christ may here expresse by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church This interpretation being admitted or not rejected it then follows commodiously and reasonably in the text of the Evangelist that after the matter is brought to them i. e. to those many or after this act of reproofe or rebuke before them upon continued refractarinesse to these last admonitions then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sure is the Apostles or Governors of the Church the Pastors which cannot be in any reason excluded from under the former word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church whatsoever it signifies and those already promised this power chap. 16. may or shall bind or excommunicate them And that is the summe of the 18. v. in reference to the 17. and then v. 19. Again I say unto you or as a very antient Manuscript and some printed copies read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again verily I say unto you that second verily noting the speech to be of a new matter that if two of you shall agree upon the earth or here below in reference to the second thing mention'd v. 16. take with you one or two concerning any thing which they shall aske it shall be done unto them of my Father c. For where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them which words are brought to give authority to the solemn admonitions of the second order addrest by the injur'd man accompanied with one or two assistants or witnesses to inforce them by telling them that as the consessus trium virorum the assize of three men among the Jewes had some power so shall any two or three Christians be considerable in this matter having the priviledge of Gods presence as in their prayers thus united so also in this act of united admonition for first God is to be thought to be in the midst of them as that fourth person added to the three children in the furnace and the face of that fourth like the Son of God to be present with them as it is 1 Cor. 5.4 in this his ordinance in this piece of Discipline apointed by him whereupon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the refractarinesse of the transgressor is become so much the greater in this case and besides secondly if upon admonition they shall be hearkned to it will be in their power to pray for the penitent trespasser as James 5.16 and that prayer of theirs joyned with the injured person is likely to be more effectuall then a single prayer and so in both these respects a greater weight is set on the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the taking of one or two with him Thus having returned to the second of the three in the second place and dispatched that the method would direct to go on to the first again in the third place but in stead of that St Peter it seems asks again about it how long a man is to forgive private injuries and the answer in the following words supplieth the place of having proceeded to that and serves for the conclusion of the whole matter The result then of this whole Chapter is this that of the Sect. 13 three places of the Gospel concerning the donation of the power of binding and loosing two of them at the first sight most clearly convince this power to be given to the Apostles as governors of the Church which will not be communicable to any but either to others that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also set apart to the office immediately by Christ or to their successours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in Mat. 18. and the third upon a thorough consideration doth the same also For this we have the plain testimony of Theophylact on that place Mat. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The power of binding and loosing was given to all the Apostles When why when he said Whose sins ye remit they are remitted c. i. e. in this place of St John and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I will give it signifies the future i. e. the time after the resurrection which is that in S. John also and again on Mat. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the binding in S. Mat. and the remitting in S. John are put together as belonging to the same matter and it is confirm'd by no mean authority that of S. Paul himself of himself 2 Cor. 13.10 where speaking of these censures noted there by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 using excision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is all one and which it seems he as an Apostle was to use among them he not the Congregation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will
others he resolves this to consist in this onely ut pro authoritate muneris quod tanquam Christi ligatus sustinebat aliis quidem nempe omnibus in Christum credentibus atque ex animo ei obtemperantibus remissionem peccatorum ipsius nomine offerret aliis verò poenas sempiternas denunciaret That by authority of that office which he sustains as an Embassador of Christ he should offer in his Name remission of sins to some to wit to all that believe in Christ and cordially obey him but denounce unto others eternall punishments So that in effect the power of binding and loosing should be onely the power of offering remission of sins to penitents that is preaching the Gospel and no more Sect. 26 This magisterial affirmation having no tender or offer of proof annext to it will need no long stay to consider it what ever is in it of poyson or danger will easily be dispell'd by an antidote which the very same shop in another box will yield us and that is another very distant interpretation of that power of binding and loosing c. 15. of that book how faln from the same pen of him that had before said in eo tantum fuisse constitutam ut remissionem offerret c. that it consisted onely in the offering of remission c. or by what means reconcilable with that sense I will not go about to conjecture where affirming the power of exterminating impious Christians to be intrusted to the Church he proves it 1. from the words of St. Paul about the excommunicating the incestuous Corinthian then from this that Christ speaking of the contumacious trespasser refusing to obey the Church and thereupon commanding him to be accounted as a heathen and a publican in coelo ratum esse dicit quicquid Ecclesia in terris ligat aut solvit affirms that to be ratified in heaven whatsoever it is the Church on earth bindes or looses i. e. quoscunque vel à fidelium commercio segregat vel in eorum numerum reponit whomsever the Church separates from the commerce of the faithfull or restores to the number of them where I conceive it apparent unlesse some very close sophisme lye hid under plain words that binding signifies disterminating excommunicating segregating from the commerce of the faithfull which I willingly embrace as the concession of that man and the sense of his fellows very fit to be confronted to his former negation especially being backt as it is with a conjecture of his which I have long thought to be most probable that St. Paul forbidding Timothy to lay hands suddenly on any man 1 Tim. 5.22 lest he partake of other mens sins refers to the reception of penitents that had been formerly excommunicate For such he truly saith were wont to be received into the Church again by imposition of hands Evidences of that custome he brings from the narrations of Sect. 27 Victor about the Vandalick persecution l. 2. Qui nobis poenitentiae manus collaturi sunt reconciliationis indulgentiam obstrictos peccato peccatorum vinculis soluturi Who confer on us the hands of penitence and favour of reconciliation loosing from the bands of sinnes those which are bound by sin Where the poenitentiae manus the hands of penitence and loosing from bands of sin belong to those which were bound but now are reconciled and the like from the 5th Canon of the Councell of Carthage dist 50. Presbyteris ac Diaconis si quando de gravi aliquâ culpâ convicti à ministerio remoti fuissent manus non imponerentur ut poenitentibus vel aliis ex fidelium laicis That Presbyters and Deacons when upon conviction of any grievous fault they are removed from the Ministry should not have imposition of hands as penitents c. and out of Fulgentius Ep. 1. de conjug Illâ aegrotâ acceptâ manus impositione poenitentiam secundum morem quem habet Christiana religio peregit she performed her penance by receiving imposition of hands according to the manner observed in the Christian Religion To these you may add that of Alcimus Ep. 24. Manus impositionem adhibete converso ab haeresi They that were recover'd from heresie were to have imposition of hands a signe of absolution Interdictâ nominis ejus in posterum si ex corde convertitur mentione and his name no longer to be mention'd in the bedrole of the hereticks And the Author contra Praedestin l. 3. Non ausi sunt Ecclesiarum Pontifices manum imponere poenitenti nisi confessionem voluntariam ostendenti The Bishops durst not impose hands on the penitent unlesse he exprest a voluntary confession and many the like And in the Chron. of Jo. Gerundens speaking of the Arrians Synod of Toledo congregated by Leovigildus one of the Canons is De Romanâ religione ad nostram Catholicam fidem venientes non debere baptizari sed tantummodo per manus impositionem communionis perceptionem ablui They which came over to them from that which they counted heresie should only have imposition of hands c. and not baptism anew and many other passages there are of that kind This is a very probable interpretation as antient as S. Cyprian and may by the way farther be attested not only by the analogy between absolution and healing diseases of which Imposition was the ceremony but also by the context it self where v. 19. is set down the proceeding by way of Censure against a Presbyter and the publike checking of sinners v. 20. a charge to do all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 21. without prejudging and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing by favour or inclination and then immediately follows lay hands on no man suddenly Absolution very properly annext to Censures and I conceive a caution that by knowing mens sinnes he be not brought to partake with them but that he keep himself unpolluted in the remainder of that verse upon which the 23. verse may follow pertinently though as in a parenthesis that Timothy may drink a little wine for his health and not incurre that danger of partaking of other mens sinnes and then v. 24. a rule of direction for that whole matter that as some mens sins are conspicuous before-hand and so bring them per modum meriti praecedentis by way of precedent merit to censure and in some other men the sins follow after censure also as when there is no reformation upon censures in which case there must be no absolution so in like manner also mens good works in case they do reform upon censure are or must be manifest before absolution and therefore the antient Canons require the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good works or almes-deeds in the penitent to prepare for absolution and those that are not so i. e. their not bringing forth such worthy fruits of repentance cannot be concealed and so by that means Timothy may discern who are fit to be absolved who not and so all the context clearly belongs to this matter
of the Church to humble them to salvation much lesse to invade any part of civil Judicature or loosen the bands thereof by these spiritual pretences but to leave the Government of the world just in the posture that it was before Christs coming or as it would be supposed to be if he had never left any Keyes in his Church And therefore when in an Annotation affixt to his last Edition he was pleased to extend his observation of the Doctrines that might disturb Government not only to that power which many attribute to the Pope of Rome in other mens dominions and to the liberty usurpt by the cives infimi under pretence of Religion but also to that which alicubi extra Ecclesiam Romanam Episcopi in civitate suâ sibi postulant I must hope that it was a mistake or which I rather think being perswaded of the uprightness of his affections to our establisht Government that his alicubi did not in any wise refer as I was apt to fear it did to the constitution of Episcopacy in this native Kingdome of his and mine For that this since it departed from the Roman Church hath been perfectly free from any degree of that guilt is that of which we are so far perswaded that we neither fear nor deprecate any Historians instance nor can imagine what one particle of the doctrine or constitution of our Church there is on which a rational man can by any consequence build such a charge Of which nothing can make Vs capable but leaving the non out of it and that makes me a little confident that either Episcopi in that place signifies not in the known vulgar Christian sense or that the alicubi lookt not on this Kingdome or Church of ours as it hath long stood establisht by Law which most cheerfully acknowledges the truth of his many other observations particularly that of Moses's not Aarons chair of Abiâ—thar the High-priest being no way exempt from the command of Solomon of his three axioms also concerning Excommunication that neither the Common-wealth nor the supreme Magistrate nor all the persons in any Common-wealth can be excommunicate and resolves that no man shall ever deprive her of this glorying that she is pure from the bloud of all men hath entertain'd no one principle or doctrine in any degree incompetible with the civil power or peace in the utmost extent in which the most loyal author haâ—h design'd to establish it And if it must be Arminianism as one hath lately confuted it under that title to teach that the Ecclesiastical power is subjected to the Civil Magistrate who in all causes over all persons is acknowledged by us supreme under Christ we must be content to lye down under that envie and not excuse or renounce that piece of Loyal Arminianism I have thus far proceeded in this matter for the removing of Sect. 51 prejudices and vindicating our proposition from three sorts of objecters 't is now time to advance a little toward the positive assertive part and to that end the knowledge of loosing depending wholly from the consideration of binding I shall in the first place examine what images of binding we have in the Scripture and those we shall refer to two heads first those that belong to the power and practise Apostolical in the time and persons of the Apostles secondly those that after the Apostles persons and ever since were to continue in the Church which we shall call Ecclesiastical Discipline as distant from Apostolical exercised the one as the other upon offenders either publick and scandalous or whose crimes otherwise came unto their cognizance and consisting either in separating and removing to some distance or in casting them totally out of the Church or Congregation of visible Professors here on earth answerable unto which loosing must consequently be a delivering from those censures the absolving of him who was formerly separated or excommunicated restoring him to the visible Church or any part thereof to the privileges of a Christian and the comforts of the Word and Services and Sacraments who was before legally cast ouâ— of it and deprived of them For the understanding of which and specially of the former the Apostolical power and practise or as it was discernable among the Apostles it will not be amisse to do these three things 1. To give you a view of the several sorts of Excommunication among the Jews to which some phrases in the New Testament refer because I see there is some controversie raised concerning them 2. To mention some of those places in the New Testament which seem to refer to these And then 3. to observe the phrases in the New Testament which are more purely Christian i. e. which more distinctly and peculiarly respect the use of these Censures among Christians Sect. 52 For the first I am sure 't will be no news to say that there were three degrees of Excommunication among the Jews the first called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remotion or separation the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Execration a more solemn Excommunication with curses out of Moses Law and execrations added to it a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which we have Act. 8.20 inflicted on him who after the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first for 30 dayes and then being allowed 30 dayes more which is doubling of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still continued in that contumacy for then say the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they anathematize him without defining any limited â—ime as before in Niddui they did The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kind of Proscription and delivering to desolation and destruction or to the coming of the Lord in judgement against him noted by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added to the anathema 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Oriental tongues signifying Dominus whence in Etruria the Kings are called Murani saith Servius in Aen. 12. and the Syrians now Maranitae because they call Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Lord Agreeable to which it is that in Epiphanius GOD is by the Gazari call'd Marnas and by the Cretians their virgins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ladies as among the Spaniards the form hath been used Sit anathema Marano excommunicatus or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him be excommunicate from the hope of the Lord and though he that loves not the Lord Jesus Christ be not 1 Cor. 16.22 appointed to be excommunicated by that phrase yet doth it referre to the use of the phrase among the Jews though there it be by way of accommodation set to signifie another matter that higher more direful sentence of Go you cursed c. Of these three species thus set down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I should not add much more but that again I see two things resolved on by a fore-mentioned learned Author contrary to what hath been generally received in this matter and the latter of them apt if
Christs own Logick convincing and demonstrative that he had power to forgive sins on earth for though in Mat. and Luke it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on earth either applyable to son of man or to the power of the son of man on earth as probably as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to forgive sins yet in the parallel place in Mar. 2.10 't is distinctly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to forgive sins on earth which is not subject to that ambiguity i. e. to absolve in the Church because those diseases being consequent to Gods delivering up to Satan which is the Idea of the Churches binding the sinner must be first loosed i. e. his sin forgiven before he could be cured and therefore the phrase was critically exact and proper of the woman with the spirit of infirmity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be loosed from her bond to expresse the cure of that disease So Jam. 5.15 which if it strictly belong not may yet commodiously be applied to this matter you find together the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saving or recovering the sick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remission of his sins also yea and it is observable what S. Cyprian saith so many yeares after that baptisme the seale of pardon of sin freed those from evil spirits that were before troubled with them Whence sure it was that the Catechists that prepared Converts for baptisme are in the Canons of the Councils called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exorcists and if after baptisme they relapsed to sinning the evil spirit returned again by which 't is manifest saith he that the Devil in baptisme is turn'd out by the faith of the believer and his faith failing returns again Sect. 85 I shall only adde two things to this matter 1. That this may possibly be the original and occasion if not the pâ—ime importance of that phrase 1 Joh. 5.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sin unto death in which the faithful are not bound to pray for him that is guilty of it or in which case there is no promise that their prayers shall be heard i. e. a sin of such a nature as to which the delivering up to Satan the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 belongs the committer of which though he might in general be pray'd for yet as long as he continued impenitent obdurate he was deprived of the prayers of the Church at least was fit to be excluded out of the Church where men prayed in common one for another as many as were present nay perhaps the Apostles having the power of discerning of spirits might possibly discern some man impenetrably obstinate and so irrecoverably gone and so give over all praying or interceding for him as on the other side 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if any man without that spirit of discerning see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask or pray c. nay on the contrary pray for his excision in some cases as the after-Church judging though with an humane and so possibly fallible judgment of Julian the Apostate banisht him out of their prayers and rather prayed for his cutting off to which yet I make no doubt they would have given him a return if they should have discerned any probability of his return unto the faith The second thing which I shal add hereby way of appendage Sect. 86 is that from hence will appear the meaning of anathema maranatha 1 Cor. 16.22 which is as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord comes the third sort of the Jewish censures compacted or put together into one perhaps not to signifie in that place any peculiar kinde of censure among Christians instituted as some would think in these words against those that have committed the sin against the holy Ghost For the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loveth not there will not properly signifie that sin nor indeed any other of which the Church can have cognizance loving or not loving being a secret of the heart til it break out into some actual virtue or sin then it puts off that title of the affection and is call'd by the name of the action but by way of accommodation to apply to the state of such a man the two last degrees of excommunication among the Jews the one noting total the other final irreversible excision and by that terrible representation as by a clap and a flash of thunder and lightning together to give a through sense of the danger of that state to set an amazing formidable mark or character upon those that love not the Lord Jesus whether they be hypocrites who whatsoever els they are are certainly no lovers of Christ at least not lovers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in sincerity Ep. 6.24 or whether haters of him as al vicious persons are and then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be is not alwayes a legal form of censure but either a Prophetick or Apostolical denunciation importing but this that the hypocrite or hater of Jesus Christ shall undoubtedly be damned By that which hath been said on occasion of this first phrase Sect. 87 of delivering to Satan wil appear distinctly wherein this power of binding in the first branch of it as peculiar to the Apostles from after ages consists peculiarly in the power of delivering up to corporal inflictions diseases c. The other phrases will express the matter as it is common to the Apostles times with all after ages the ecclesiasticall discipline not as it differs from but as 't is al one with the Apostolical devested only of that one consequent among them the corporal inflictions In this rank is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will not spare 2 Cor. 13.2 explained Sect. 88 v. 10. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abscision and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sublition taking away or turning out of the Church for I conceive the ver is thus to be paraphrased These things I now being absent write to you that when I come I may not be forc'd to use acts of severity according to the power which is given to me for edification which I rather desire to make use of and not according to the power which was given to me for destruction or excision So again the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 5.9 the Apostles command of not communicating or associating with such It hath much troubled some scrupulous enquirers where or when it was that S. Paul had thus written unto them phansying it necessary to resolve that he had written some other Epistle to the Corinthians before this First But sure the beginning of the Chapter will lay this scruple for to that and not to any other farther off the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have written in this Epistle that you should not company c. doth belong and that
committed sins absolution shall be given him for so that phrase will be most grammatically rendred not they shall be forgiven him for then it would be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor that God shall forgive him for then it would be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immediately precedent the Lord shall raise him but impersonally remittetur ei he shall have absolution Of which absolution 1. There is little question but that it is a very proper preparative to curing of his disease which is oft sent to awake some drowsie sinner and is not removed til it have done the work in some measure Ecclus. 38.9 10. therefore the ordinary preface to Christs cures is Son thy sins are forgiven thee as 2. Mac. 3. when Heliodorus had been so scourged for his sacrilegious enterprize and the high Priest offered sacrifice for his recovery verse 32. the Priest is said to have made an attonement and thereupon God granted him his life verse 33. and so Ecclus 2.11 before Gods delivering in time of tribulation there is first his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remitting of sins before releasing from the pressure and secondly that absolution as it is the Ministers act peculiarly and an act of benediction in him contrary to the execration in the cherem or anathema may well be thought in common reason to have benign influence on the Patient as the curses of Parents are generally believed to be fattal curses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Orpheus the curses of Parents are shrewd furies that haunt a man where ever he goes on the earth have an inauspitious influence on all his earthly prosperities devour and eat out his patrimony and so also by the rule of contraries the blessings of Parents Eccl. 3.9 may availe toward the removing of temporal calamities and so consequently the prayers and blessings and absolution of the Presbyter the spiritual father Thirdly there will be as little question who shal be the Minister of it when 't is considered that there is no supposition or presumption in that place of the presence of any but onely of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Presbyters of the Church and as little will there be of the fitnesse and exceeding expedience that the sins of which he is so peculiarly to receive absolution should be confessed and bewailed before him from whom the absolution is expected One thing only the context may perhaps farther import that this Presbyterial absolution may not be by force of that place so absolutely necessary to all sick persons but onely to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him that hath formerly so as upon examination of himself he may reasonably impute his sicknesse to it committed sins either as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes greater sins or as sins contrary to our duty towards God whose Minister the Presbyter is or as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to live indulgently in sin and so as it is not reconcilable with a regenerate estate as long as it continues For 't is worth observing what follows in that place James 5.16 Confesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your transgressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to one another one brother i. e. Christian to another the sick to them in health as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be ye all subject to one another 1 Pet. 5.5 i. e. all that are inferiours to all superiours Where whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie a trespasse peculiarly against our brethren or whether as 't is resolved by Grammarians lapses or lighter sins it seems to be here set in a distance from if not opposite to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greater sins or those against God and then as the confession of them to the Presbyter Gods officer will in any reason be most proper to obtain comfort on safe grounds and the benefit of absolution upon sincere repentance so in those sins of an inferiour rank confession to the wronged brother or to whatever fellow-Christian may possibly be sufficient and assuredly not unuseful or unnecessary if it be but for the obtaining of the brothers united prayers to help to remove the sicknesse if that be inflicted as oft sicknesses are as a punishment for any such trespasses In which case as the promise is there given of recovery to the sick upon those other mens prayers and not otherwise so there is little hope that God will accept thy private prayers for removing that punishment till thou go and reconcile thy selfe unto thy brother and desire and obtain his prayers for thee as Job's for his friends when thy injuring of him had cryed to haven and fetch 't down that infliction on thee Nay thirdly there will be little matter of doubt or controversie Sect. 104 but that private frequent spiritual conference betwixt fellow-Christians but especially and in matters of high concernment and difficulty between the Presbyter and those of his charge even in the time of health and peculiarly that part of it which is spent in the discussion of every mans special sins infirmities inclinations may prove very useful and advantageous in order to spiritual directions reproof and comfort to the making the Man of God perfect And to tel truth if the pride and self-conceit of some the wretchlesnes of others the bashfulnes of a third sort the nauseating and instant satiety of any good in a fourth the follies of men and artifices of Satan had not put this practice quite out of fashion among us there is no doubt but more good might be done by Ministers this way then is now done by any other means separated from the use of this particularly then by that of publick preaching which yet need not be neglected the more when this is used which hath now the fate to be cryed up and almost solely depended on it being the likelier way as Quintilian saith comparing publick and private teaching of youth to fill narrow-mouth'd bottles and such are the most of us by taking them single in the hand and pouring in water into each then by setting them altogether and throwing never so many buckets of water on them Sect. 105 I conceive I have now distinctly set down the ful importance of this power of binding loosing and how it belongs peculiarly to the publick censures of the Church the binding by way of excommunication or depriving of the common benefits of Christians together with that branch of corporal discipline or inflictions on mens bodies peculiar to the Apostles times and power and the loosing in restoring the excommunicate person upon repentance to the Assembly of the Saints And by this perhaps may be received some satisfaction to that question agitated sometimes Whether Absolution in the Church be onely declarative or moreover ministerially authoritative which question wil not now have so much place the matter being thus stated For the Churches absolution being not the actual eternal pardon of sins in Heaven which is left to be Gods
magno pondere ut apud certos de Dei conspectu Summumque futuri judicii praejudicium est si quis ita deliquerit ut à communicatione orationis conventus omnis sancti commercii relegetur c. 39. The judgements of the Church are exercised with great weight as being among them that are certainly resolved that they are in the sight of God And it is but a preparative pronouncing or passing of the future judgement if any man offend so highly that he be banish't from communication or partaking of prayer of Church-meetings and all holy commerce Sect. 3 But on the other side he that upon his repentance and approbation of that to be sincere is clave non errante still let into the Church again is ipso facto supposed to have right and by his absolution that right sealed to him visibly and Christs promise particular for it to heaven Sect. 4 Now if it be demanded Whether a true repentant sinner once bound by the Church be not presently loosed in heaven i. e. pardoned and forgiven at the first minute of his repentance without or before he receive absolution from the Church I answer that in case of publique or scandalous crimes the reformation must be publique and notorious also And to that purpose confession and satisfaction before the congregation and him that bound i. e. the Governour of the Church to repair the injury done to the former by the ill example and to testifie the sincerity of the repentance to the latter is necessarily requir'd to the approving of this repentance even to God without which non remittetur peccatum there is no more possibility of loosing in Heaven then hope of absolution on earth But on the sincere performance of this as there is no doubt but God will have mercy will loose in Heaven will justifie and pardon that such a penitent sinner so is the Church-ruler on earth bound to loose him here below to restore him to the Church also as soon as by his submission to his penance he approves himselfe to him to be such and though 't is possible he may be sincerely penitent in Gods sight before he appear so to the Church yet is he obliged to seek thus to approve himself to the Church if his case have come under her cognizance or in case he desire to have any of that assurance which is to be had from the Church or by title to the promise in those texts Sect. 5 And yet this exercise of the keyes is not to be conceived so absolutely necessary that none can be damned without that seal of damnation or binding or non-forgivenesse nor again that none can be saved or forgiven without the seal of remission For sure the neglect of the Bishop in the first case his not-performing his office of excision is no way able to rescue the impenitent from the eternal guilt and punishment of his sins but rather a means to leave him remedilesse unto it his binding being indeed such a remedy if it be made use of and the bare want of the remission or absolution so it be joyned with readiness to perform all that is preparative to it and an hearty desire to be partaker of it is in the merciful gracious court of Gods audience sure to be accepted when there is no space or room for more For the words of Christ whatsoever you shall bind c. though they be universal binding all in Heaven that are bound on earth yet are they not exclusive so as none shall be bound in Heaven but such as are bound on Earth or in the Church below Nor on the other side whatsoever you shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven 'T is Whatsoever ye that I but not Whatsoever not ye that I and consequently this double affirmation of Christ may be perfectly true Whosoever stands bound here stands bound there and whosoever are absolved here are absolved there and yet for all that are many bound in Heaven which are not bound in the Church loosed in Heaven which are not absolved by the Church And if the phrase used in Saint John whatsoever ye retained it is retained seem to any to have an exclusive sense thus that what we absolve not here we do retain and consequently that whom we absolve not God will not absolve I answer that this is a mistake arising from the equivocalnesse of the word retain which in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we shewed signifies no more in this place then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or binding in the other Gospels in which because that intimates not any exclusive power neither will it be reasonable that this shall And so much for the fourth particular also To which before we part from it it will not perhaps be unseasonable though I hope I shall not be obliged to justifie the truth of the relations to annex a passage or two out of the latter stories of the Greek Church believed generally by them mentioned on affirmation of particular knowledge by some which have come from them to this place lived amongst us which will acquaint us with the awe and signifie the opinion which it seems they have of the real efficacie of these censures of the Church It is related saith Crucius in Turco-graecia in the Constantinopolitan histories that the Sultan Mahomet among other things concerning the Christian Religion asked the Patriarch Maxims 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning Excommunication of which he had heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That if the high Priests and Priests of the Christians should excommunicate any person upon just cause the body of that man dissolves not into the earth but remains entire and whole and when the sepulchre of any such is opened they appear like drums or timbrels and black i. e. the body swell'd but whole and withal much discoloured And that upon absolution the body is dissolved to dust In the truth of which tradition the Sultan desired to be confirmed by the Patriarch who upon search made found saith he that a certain loose woman having defamed a former Patriarch Genadius Scholarius was by him excommunicate and so dyed Her Sepulchre Maximus caused to be opened and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the wonders of God saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She was found as she was at the time of her buriall only swellâ—a and black This saith he was certified to the Sultan who sent some of his Nobles to view it which they did with admiration and caused the corps to be sealed up in a Coffin with the Imperial Seal and returned at a set day Then the Patriarch opened it and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 officiated and read the prayer of absolution Whereupon the joynts of her hands and feet were immediately loosed They sealed it up again and returning after three dayes found all turn'd to dust This they reported to the Sultan who wondred and was astonished and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That this Religion
swell it to and therefore must recover so much constancy of minde as not to be thus passionately hurried out of my resolution but leave it till I have a louder call to it being ready to give any man an account of what I now say in this matter Sect. 50 It will be a more moderate excursion and more reconcileable with my designed brevity to mention one opinion or pretension more in this matter that of another Gentleman who though he strive not to take Excommunication out of the Church any more then Baptisme but moreover acknowledges also that it belongs to the future Pastors as well as to the then present Apostles yet having first resolved that Ecclesia civitas Christianorum are all one he then concludes that the cognizance and judgment of any fault whether it be such or no belongs to the Church in that notion of his i. e. to the City or Common-wealth which with him also signifies the civil Magistrate or as he saith judicem summum the supreme judge and that the power of binding and loosing as that also of baptizing which saith he is all one with it is no farther in the Pastor then that he eject those out of the Church whom the Church in his notion hath condemned and receive into it whom the Church judges worthy of absolution I shall not labour to multiply differences but at this time make my exceptions onely to one part of this Scheme viz. that the Church in his notion i. e. the judex summus the civil Magistrate hath the power of judging who are to be excommunicated who absolved The proofs that I can collect from him of that assertion are only two First that Mat. 18. Christ bids in case the trespasser hear not the two or three i. e. saith he either deny the fact or confessing it deny it to be a trespasse then dic Ecclesiae that it should be told the Church Quare autem Ecclesiae nisi ut ipsa judicet an peccatum sit necne Why should the Church be told it but that that may judge whether that be a sin or no and if he obeyed not then let him be to thee a Publican c. Non dicit Dic Apostolis It is not saith he Tell the Apostles to note that the sentence or judgement whether it be a sinne or no belongs not to them but to the Church and consequently that this power was no more then to bind those whom the Church had before judged impenitent His second argument is from the practise and words of St Paul who asks the Corinthians Do you not judge them that are within yet himself pronounces the fornicator excommunicate To the former of these I shall answer only this one thing that there are other reasons very prompt pertinent why the matter should be told the Church though the Church be taken in a notion wherein it is not supposed to judge of it as either 1. the densare inculcationibus in Tertullians phrase the fortifying the former successlesse reprehensions with this addition of authority from the number that as the two or three might be more likely to work upon the offender then the injur'd person alone so now the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the many or the Church in the loosest notion of it for any assembly or meeting of many Christians together supposing that it do not signifie the Governors of the Church as the Antients yet say it doth and is far more probable and asserted on stronger grounds then that it should signifie the Civitas or summus judex might probably be more effectuall or 2. The pudefacere coram multis formerly cited out of the Rabbins the making the offender ashamed when his fact is thus publisht and to do that is by us acknowledged the end of the admonitions and censures or 3. If there be need the using the multitude as a cloud of witnesses to convince him of the fact or sinfulnesse of it which the text refers to before that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established and in all reason may be a commodious sense here also this third being but the ascending to an higher and more probable convincing course when the former had miscarried Either of these three much more altogether will be a sufficient ground of Telling it to the Church and so from thence there is no necessity to conclude that the judgement is the act of the Church or Civil Magistrate in that place And indeed it will be hard to suppose that possible at that time when 't is clear the Civil Magistrate was not Christian and therefore unfit not only for the title of the Church but much more to be appealed to as the judge by Christians who 't is certain are bound by Christ to use all other means possible and telling it to the Church in our notion is one of those possibles to get satisfaction for trespasses before they proceed to any heathen tribunal to implead their fellow-Christian there Nor will it I conceive be reasonable to reply that Christs speech belongs to aftertimes when the Magistrate should be Christian For then 1. he must acknowledge that till then it was to be in the Church in our notion and consequently that the Ecclesiastical Governors were the Judge at that time and then by his own doctrine that data est potestas ligandi c. futuris pastoribus eodem modo quo praesentibus Apostolis it will still belong to the Ecclesiastical Superior And 2. though it may very justly be extended to that future state as what was said to the Apostles was not personal but belonged to their successors also yet there will be no probable argument that the Apostles then present should be themselves excluded For besides that this must lie on him to prove if he wil assert it against all antiquity it will also be a little unreasonable to affirm for that were for our Saviour to give all the power and direct all the speech to the Successors not to the Apostles as a Prophesie only or a prediction no Evangelical instating on these to whom he spake This I suppose a sufficient answer to this proof without proceeding to any deeper search or examination of that which in the argument is taken for granted viz. that the Church signifies the Summus judex which yet is as far from being formerly convincingly inferred as it is from the sound of the words or the notion wherein all the antient Church have uniformly taken it which will I hope be considerable in this matter for that Christ did not take upon him to be a Judge or introduce any change in civil Government as it is by us acknowledged most true so will it not belong to this of binding c. which is but a spiritual not civil punishment only a denying them that which Christ brought into the world and gave those Messengers of his the
sole power of disposing it and indow'd them with power from on high particularly for the exercise of it As for the second argument 't is certainly a mistake if it be thought to conclude that the Apostle did but pronounce the judgement of the Church in that matter of the incestuous or that the judgement of the civil state was preparative to his For sure the Apostle had before the using of those words of Do not you judge them that are within in the end of that Chapt. past his sentence definitive on that incestuous in the beginning of it ver 3. For I have already not ego autem but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as absent in body but present in spirit judg'd him that hath thus done this thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have judg'd this evil doer Judg'd I say and what is the sentence Why In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ you and my spirit being met together the Apostle and his Presbytery or he in the face of the Church with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such an one to Satan c. And this at a time when 't is clear the Church had not pass'd sentence on him for v. 2. They were puft up as he complains and through an opinion of their own deeper wisdome a leaven v. 6. i. e. a doctrine either of the heathen philosophers or of the Gnosticks among them took it for an indifferent thing and did not mourn for him that had done it The ceremony used by the Church when any was to be excommunicate and notes that they should have so joyn'd together in mourning in complaining to the Apostle and prayer to Christ that this censure might passe on such an one but that they did not do it nay it seems proceeded not so far as to fraternal correption which was infallibly their duty toward him As for the words cited Nonne vos judicatis they come in no another incidental occasion not directly to this first matter to make the distinction betwixt the dealing with the Christian and heathen fornicators the Apostle restraining his prescription of not conversing with fornicators v. 9. to the Christian fornicator whom saith he being within the Church 't is reasonable to conclude within the Churches censures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do you not judge them that are within not you emphatically or in opposition to the Apostle but you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a general title of Christians who use not to judge any but Christians all other being left to Gods judgement the Church having nothing to do with them It is clear enough that the context looketh wholly that wâ—y and consequently there will be little reason to extend these words any farther then this that the Church judgeth Christian not heathens and the Church in the notion only wherein 't is opposed to God not in which 't is opposed to St Paul but in which in any reason it includes the Apostle or Governor of it For sure he may judge them that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within the Church for so he doth v. 3. and no part of the context of that Ch. seems to say any thing to the contrary though them that are without he cannot which is the only thing the Apostle had in hand to say at that time Having briefly answered the reasons I shall by way of compounding the Controversie with this Gentleman most willingly acknowledge that somewhat the Church in his notion or more clearly the supreme Magistrate being supposed Christian may have to do in this businesse of Censures praecedaneous to the judgement of the Apostle or before the Pastor or Ecclesiastical Governor proceed to them As 1. in the choosing or nominating him to that office 2. In the setting of rules or laws by which he ought to proceed in hearing or judging No question this may and in Christian Common-wealths very reasonably ought to belong to the Civil Magistrate and truly this discouse doth not pretend to or desire any unlimited or arbitrary power in the Bishop but only that the rules being prudently set by those to whom the power of making laws belongs in every Common-wealth he should have the cognizance in such causes as regularly belong to his audience and according to that rule not otherwise give sentence on the offender and that only thus far that he shall be turn'd out of Christian society or received into it again which beside that this is and hath alwayes been taken for an institution of Christs which 't is reasonable we should obey and not dispute is also in it self simply considered far from any degree of unreasonable no man in ordinary reason being more fit to judge who is fit to enjoy the privileges of the Church who likely to be reformed by being deprived of them then he that hath studied that great skill of winning souls and is intrusted by Christ with the charge of them Again 3. it will be granted that the Church in the ordinary notion as it signifies the whole diffusive Christian Society in any place may so far be interessed in this matter as that these only shall be liable to these Censures who have offended others by their notorious sins and are by the Proxyes as it were of those others I mean by their chosen officers or by the publick fame the voyce again and interpreter of their sense delated or complain'd of to the Governours of the Church as those that have wrong'd the Church and defamed that Christian Profession to which they had given up their names and this is a kind of judging in large or loose speaking as to be infamous offenders signifies to be conceiv'd and judg'd such by the community among whom they live for otherwise they are not infamous but yet in strict propriety is only a preparative to the sentence of the Judge and an accusing or impleading rather and is not I suppose the thing for which this Author doth pretend or if it were would not to us be matter of contention with him The truth is the power of binding c. which we contend for as the office more then privilege of Bishops in the careful exercise of which they minister most charitably to the good of the souls intrusted to them is another manner of thing then what this Gentleman seems to have conceived it both here and especially when of it he concludes Vnusquisque si mentis compos sit obediat in omnibus simpliciter ei cujus arbitrio credit se salvandum aut damnandum esse God knows they pretend to no such arbitrium in the saving or damning of any man It is only an engine of Christs invention to make a battery and an impression on the obdurate sinner to win him to himself to blesse not to triumph over him which very thing he hath in one place excellently exprest The end of this discipline saith he is by depriving men for a time of the favour and spiritual privileges