Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typ...os. Excerpt from book: THE PENITENTIAL DISCIPLINE OF THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH. CHAPTER I. THE FOUNDATION WHEREUPON THE CHURCH BUILDS HER CLAIM TO THE POWER HERE ASSERTED. This foundation is threefold. For 1. Somewhat there is of this kind founded in common reason. 2. She hath an express charter to bear her out in it. And 3. Her construction of the sense wherein she understands the words of that charter, is derived to her from general and current practice, as well before as after the delivery of these powers to her by Christ, her Founder. Section I. Somewhat there is of this kind, which is founded in common reason, that the Church, as a society, should have the powers belonging to her, which are necessary to her support and preservation. Now, there can be no society without government; and there can be no government, without a power to encourage the orderly and obedient, and to discountenance gainsayers, and such as "walk disorderly." 2Thess.3.6, But then, as our Saviour's " Kingdom was not of this johi'i world," it was none of His purpose to interfere with the Chap. rulers of it, nor to invest the governors of His Church with any other powers than what should be purely spiritual. Some outward and visible form of government was however necessary to the Church, for her external polity; and as there was an outward admission to the privileges of Church- membership, so it was expedient to the honour of the Spouse of Christ, and from the design of her founder requisite, that she should retain no scandalous followers in communion with her; and therefore, as they were admitted into fellowship with her by one solemn ceremony (viz. that of Baptism), it was very proper that they should be cut off from her by another (viz. that of judicial censure). Again, that upon their humble des...Detailed info »« Brief info