Aarons Rod Blossoming, Book 3 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Of the power of binding and loosing Matth. 18. 18.
THey that doe not understand Matth. 18. 17. of Excommunication, are extreamely difficulted and scarce know what to make of that binding and loosing which is mentioned in the words immediately following v. 18. verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven. Erastus and Grotius understand it of a private brother, or the party offended his binding or loosing of the offender. Bishop Bilson understands it of a civill binding or loosing by the Magistrate, whom he conceives to be meant by the Church vers. 17. These doe acknowledge a coherence and dependance between vers. 17. and 18. Mr Prynne differing from them, doth not acknowledge this coherence, and expounds the binding and loosing to be ministeriall indeed, but onelyonly Doctrinall. Some others dissenting from all these, doe referre this binding and loosing not to a person, but to a thing or Doctrine, whatsoever ye shall bind, that is, whatsoever ye shall declare to be false, erroneous, impious, &c. Sutlivius though he differ much from us in the Interpretation of vers. 15, 16, 17. yet he differeth as much (if not more) from the Erastians in the Interpretation of vers. 18. for he will have the binding and loosing, to be Ecclesiasticall and spirituall, not civill, to be Juridicall, not Doctrinall onelyonly, to be Acts of Government committed to Apostles, Bishops and Pastors: he alloweth no share to ruling Elders, yet he alloweth as little of the power of binding and loosing, either to the Magistrate, or to the party offended. See him de Presbyteri… Cap. 9. & 10. So that they can neither satisfie themselves nor others, concerning the meaning and the context.
For the confutation of all those Glosses, and for the vindication of the true scope and sence of the Text, I shall first of all observe, whence this phrase of binding and loosing appeareth to have been borrowed, namely, both from the Hebrewes and from the Graecians. The Hebrews did ascribe to the Interpreters of the Law, Power, authority foreign to bind, and foreign to loose. So Grotius tells us on Mat. 16. 19. The Hebrews had their loosing of an Excommunicated person, which they called foreign See Buxtorf. Lexic. Chald. Talm. Rabbin. pag. 1410. The Grecians also had a binding and loosing which was judiciall. Budaeus and Stephanus on the word foreign cite out of Aeschines foreign, Quum primo suffragio non absolutus fuerit reus foreign was the stone by which the Senators did give their suffrage in judgement, It was either a blacke stone, by which they did bind the sinner and retaine his sinne, and that stone was called foreign: or it was a white stone, by which they did loose remit and absolve: and that stone was called foreign: which was the thing that Tully calleth Solvere crimine. So where it is said, her iniquity is pardoned Isa. 40. 2. the 70 read foreign, her iniquity is loosed. And because there is usually some kind of expiation before a loosing and remitting of sinnes, which expiation being performed the loosing follows, therefore the Graecians called such necessary and r…quisit expiation by the name of foreign that is, loosing: and they had their foreign, they expiatory Gods, who did chiefly take care of those expiations.
That in Scripture the power of binding, is judiciall and authoritative, is cleared by my Reverend and Learned Colleague Ma…er Rutherford in The Divine right of Church Government pag. 234. 235 I adde, that the word foreign unto which Grotius sends …s, is …sed for that binding or incarceration which is an act of … authority, as Gen. 40. 3. Gen. 42. 16. 19. 24. Num. 15. 34 Levit. 24. 12. 2 Kings. 17. 4. Isa. 42. 7. Jer. 40. 1. Ezek. 3. 25. It is also used for an authoritative prohibition Num. 11. 28. my Lord Moses forbid them. Thence foreign interdictum, a decree forbidding somewhat Dan. 6, 7, 8, 9.
As binding and loosing are Acts of authority and power, such as doth not belong to any single person or brother offended, so the binding and loosing mentioned Matth. 18. 18. are Acts of Ecclesiasticall and spirituall authority, belonging to the Kingdom and Government of Christ in his Church, but not belonging to the civill Magistrate. And as the authority is Ecclesiasticall and spirituall, so it is more than Doctrinall, it is a power of inflicting or taking off Church Censures. These two things I will endeavour to prove. 1. That this power of binding and loosing belongeth neither to private Christians nor to civill Magistrates, but to Church Officers. 2. That this power is juridicall or forensicall, and not Doctrinall onelyonly; that is, that Church-Officers are here authorised to bind with censures, or to loose from censures, as there shall be cause. In both which we have Antiquity for us. Which I doe the rather observe because Erastus and Grotius alledge some of the Antients, for their exposition of Math. 18. 18. that this binding or loosing is by the offended brother. That which Augustine, Origen, and Theophylact say of one brother his binding or loosing, is but spoken tropologically, and not as the literall sence of the Text, yea, Theophylact in that passage cited by Erastus and Grotius, doth distinguish between the Ministeriall or Ecclesiasticall binding and loosing, and the party offended his binding and loosing. Non enim solùm quae solvunt sacerdotes sunt soluta, sed quaecunque & nos &c. Theophylact doth also find excommunication in that Text Illam autem (Ecclesiam) si non audierit, tunc abjiciatar, ne suae maliti… participes faciat alios. I further appeal to Augustine himself Epist. 75. where speaking of Excommunication and Anathema he distinguisheth it from corporall punishment, and after he hath spoken of the temporall sword he addeth, Spiritualis autem paena, qua fit quod scriptum est, Quae ligaveris in terra, erunt ligata & in caelo, animas obligat. But the spirituall punishment, by which that thing is done which is written, What thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, doth bind soul…. Againe in his sixth Tome lib. 1. contra adversarium legis & prophetarum …ap. 17.yIgnoscendi autem misericors mansuetudo, &c. non ad hoc valet ut sit iniquitas impunita, aut torpens & dormiens disciplina, quod potius obsit quam dil g ns vigilansque vindicta. Claves quippe …egni caelorum sic dedit Christus Ecclesiae, ut non solùm diceret Quae solveritis super terram, c…unt solu a & in caelis: ubi apertissim è bonum, non malum pro malo reddit Ecclesia: verùm & adjungeret: Quae ligaveritis in terra erunt ligata & in caelo. quia bon… est & vindicandi justitia. Illud enim quod ait, Si nec Ecclesiam audi…rit, sit tibi tanquam ethn…cus & publicanus, g…avius est quam si gladio soriretur, si flammis absumeret…r, si feris subrigeretur. Nam ibi quoque subjunxit, Amen dico vobis quae ligaveritis super te…tam erunt ligata & in caelis: ut intelligeretur quanto gravius sit punitus qui velut relictus est impunitus. he doth most plainly interpret Math. 18. 18. of Church discipline and binding by Censure.
zHior. in Matth. 18. 19, Quia dixerat, Si autem Ecclesiam non audierit, sit tibi sicut ethnicus & publicanus, & poter…t contemptoris fratris haec occulta esse responsio vel tacita cogitatio: si me despicis & ego te despicio: si tu me condemnas & meâ sententiâ condemnaberis: potestatem tribuit Apostolis, ut sciant qui à talibus condemnantur, humanam sententiam divina sententia roborari, & quodcunque ligatum sucrit in terra, lig…ri pariter & in caelo. Hier. Epist. 1. ad Heliod. Absit ut de his quicquam sinist um loquar, qui apostolico gradui succedentos, Christi corpus sacro ore conficiunt, per quos & nos Christiani sumus. Qui claves regni caelorum habentes, quodammodo ante Judic…i d…em judicant, &c, Mihi ante Presbyterum (legendum fortasse Presbyterium) sedere non licet: illi si peccavero, li…et tradere me Satanae in interitum catuis, ut spiritus salvus fit. Et in veteri quidem lege, quicunque sacerdotibus non obtemperasset, aut extra castra positus, lapidabatur à populo, aut gladio cervice subjecta, contemptum expiabat c…uore: Nunc ve…ò inobediens, spirituali mucrone truncatur, aut ejectus de Ecclesia, …abido daemonum ore discerp…tur.Hierome both in his Commentary upon Matth. 18. and in his Epistle to Heliodorus, speaketh of this power of binding as a judiciall forensicall power belonging to the Ministers or Officers of the Church, by which they judge and censure offenders.
But to save my self the labour of more citations, I take help from Bishop Bilson, of the perpetuall Government of Christs Church cap. 4. where though he expound the binding and loosing Matth. 18. 18. to be Acts of the Magistrate, yet he acknowledgeth hat the Antient writers leane vere much another way, and understand that Text of the ministeriall and spirituall power of Excommunication, for which he citeth Chrysost. de sacerdotio lib. 3. Ambros. de paenitent. lib. 1. c. 2. Hierom. in Matth. cap. 18. Hilar. in Mat. can. 18. VntoUnto these I also adde Isidorus Polusiota in the third Book of his Epistles, Epist. 260. where he applieth this Text Matth. 18, 19. to this sence, that impenitent finners are to be bound, and penitent sinners loosed, and thence argueth against the absolving of a perjured person who had not declared himself penitent, but had purchased his absolution by a gift. Nor can I passe Chrysostome upon this very Text, where he tells that Christ will have such a one to be punished foreign, both with a present Chastisement and with a future punishment, or both in earth and in heaven; and would have the offender to fear foreign, casting out of the Church. He addeth foreign, he cuts not off immediately, but after admonitions.
I will now proceed to a further confirmation of the two propositions afore mentioned. Touching the first, That this binding and loosing Matth. 18. 18. belongeth nei her to private Christians, nor to civill Magistrates, but to Church Officers, I clear it thus. There are two things by which (as Schoolemen observe) mens soules and consciences are bound, 1. They are bound by their sinnes. Prov. 5. 22. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, & he shall be holden with the cords of his sins, Act. 8. 23. thou art in the bond of iniquity. 2. Men are bound by precepts Matth. 23. 4. They bind heavy burthens and grievous to be born, and lay them on mens shoulders. This binding by precept or law, some take to be meant Ezech. 3. 25. O Sonne of man behold they shal put bands upon thee, & shall bind thee with them, that is, thou shalt in vision see thy self bound with bands upon thee, to signifie that I have forbidden thee to be a reprover to the rebellius house. So the Chaldee paraphrase. But thou a Sonne of man, behold I have put my word upon thee, as a band of cords with which they bind, and thou shalt not goe forth into the midst of them. Now in both these respects the Scripture elsewhere doth ascribe to Church-Officers a power of binding and loosing. 1 In respect of sinne Io. 20. 23. Whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them, and whosesoever sin s ye retaine they are retained. It is spoken to the Apostles and their successors in the Ministery of the Gospell. Matth. 16. 19. I will give unto thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of heaven: and whatsoever thou shal… bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Where the power of binding and loosing is given to the Apostles, & Grotius upon the place cleareth it from 2. Cor. 5. 19. 20. God hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are Ambassadours for Christ. So that we find in Scripture Church Officers inabled and authorised ex officio as the Heraulds and Ambassadours of the King of Zion, to loose from the bands of sinne all repenting and beleiving sinners, and to bind over to eternall justice and wrath the impenitent and unbeleevers. 2 They are also authorised, dogmatically and authoritatively to declare and impose the will of Christ, and to bind his precepts upon the shoulders of his peeple Matth. 28. 20. as likewise to loose them and pronounce them free from such burthens, as men would impose upon them contrary or beside the word of God 1 Cor. 7. 23. An example of both we have Act. 15. 28. The Synod of the Apostles and Elders bindeth upon the Churches such Burthens, as were necessary by the Law of love for the avoiding of scandall, but did pronounce the Churches to be free and loosed from other burthens which the Judaizing Teachers would have bound upon them. Now therefore if we will expound Matth. 18. 18. by other Scriptures (it being the onelyonly surest way to expound Scripture by Scripture) it is manifest and undeniable, that Church-Officers are by other Scriptures inabled and authorised to bind & loose in both those respects afore-mentioned. But we no where find in Scripture, that Christ hath given either to all private Christians, or to the civill Magistrate, a Commission and Authority to bind or loose sinners; I know a private Christian may and ought to convince an impenitent brother, and to comfort a repenting brother, ex charitate Christiana: But the Scripture doth not say, that God hath committed to every private Christian the word of reconciliation, and that all Christians are Ambassadours for Christ, nor is there a promise to ratifie in heaven the convictions or comforts given by a private Christian: No more then a King doth ingage himself in verbo principis to pardon such as any of his good Subjects shall pardon, or to condemne such as any of his good Subjects shall condemne: but a King ingageth himself to ratifie what his Ambassadours, Commissioners or Ministers shall doe in his name and according to the Commission which he hath given them to pardon or condemne. Besides all this, if Christ had meant here of the brother to whom the injury was don, his private binding or loosing, not condemning or forgiving, then he had kept the phrase in the singular number, which Erastus observeth diligently all along the Text vers. 15, 16, 17. But he might have also observed, that vers. 18. carries the power of binding and loosing to a plurality, VVhatsoever ye bind, &c. As for the Magistrate, it belongeth to him to bind with the cords of corporall or civill punishments, or to loose and liberat from the same, as he shall see cause according to law and justice. But this doth n t belong to the spirituall Kingdome of Jesus Christ; for his Kingdome is not of this world, neither are the weapons thereof carnall but spirituall. And beside the Magistrate may lawfully and sometime doth bind on punishment, when the soule is loosed in Heaven, and the sinne remitted. Again, the Magistrate may lawfully, and sometime doth loose and absolve from punishment, when a mans soule is impenitent, and sinne is still bound upon his conscience. There is no such promise that God will forgive whom the Magistrate forgiveth, or condemne whom the Magistrate condemneth. Neither hath God any where in Scripture committed to the Magistrate the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven, or the word of reconciliation, as to the Ambassadours of Christ.
Binding and loosing in the other sence by a dogmaticall authoritative declaration of the will of Christ, is not so principally or directy intended Matth. 18. 18. as that other binding and loosing in respect of sinne. Howbeit it is not to be excluded, because the words preceding Vers. 17. mention not onelyonly the execution of Excommunication, Let him be to thee as an Heathen man and a Publican; but also the Churches judgement, and determination of the case, if he neglect to heare the Church, which words implie, that the Church hath declared the will of Christ in such a case, and required the offender to doe accordingly, but he shewing himselfe unwilling and contumacious, as it were saying in his heart, I will breake their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from me, thereupon the promise reacheth to this also, that what the Church hath determined or imposed according to the will of Christ shall be ratified and approved in Heaven. aSutlivius de presbyt. cap. 14. p. 107. Apostoli religionis & fidei à Christo cognitionem acceperunt: haec enim pars est maxima clavium quas ille Apostolis suis commisit.Now Christ hath no where given a Commission either to every particular Christian, or to the Magistrate, to teach his people to observe all things which he hath commanded them, and authoritatively to determine controversies of faith, or cases of conscience. As in the old Testament, the Priests lips did preserve knowledge, and they were to seeke the law at his mouth, Mal. 2. 7. so in the new Testament the Ministers of Christ have the Commission to make known the counsell of God.
My second proposition that the power of binding and loosing Matth. 18. 18. is juridicall or forensicall, and meant of inflicting or taking off Ecclesiasticall Censures; this I will make good in the next place against Mr Prynne, who to elude the argument for Excommunication from Matth. 18. answereth two things concerning the binding and loosing there spoken of. 1. That these words have no coherence with, or dependence upon the former. 2. That this binding and loosing is meant onelyonly of preaching the Gospell. Touching the first of these, I confesse if by the Church, vers. 17. be meant a civill Court of Justice; and by those words, Let him be unto thee as an Heathen, &c. be meant no more but keepe no civill fellowship with him (which is his sence of the Text) I cannot marvell that he could finde no coherence between vers. 17. and vers. 18. yet if there be no coherence between these verses, the generality of Interpreters have gone upon a great mistake of the Text, conceiving that Christ doth here anticipate a great objection, and adde a great encouragement in point of Church discipline; for when the offender is excommunicated, (that is all the Church can doe to humble and reduce him) put the case he or others despise the censures of the Church, What will your censure doe? saith Mr Hussey: To that very thing Christ answereth, It shall be ratified in Heaven, and it shall doe more then the binding of the offenders in fetters of Iron could doe. But let us heare what Mr Prynne saith against the coherence of Text: because (saith he) that of binding and loosing is spoken onelyonly to and of Christs disciples, as is evident by the parallel Text of Joh. 20. 23. not of the Jewish Church.
It maketh the more against him (I am sure) that its spoken to and of Christs Disciples, for this proveth that the Church vers. 17. is not the Jewish Sanhedrin, but the Christian Presbytery, then instituted, and afterwards erected: and that the thing which makes one as an Heathen and a Publican, is binding of his sinnes upon him. And for the context, immediatly after Christ had said, If he neglect to heare the Church, let him be unto thee, &c. he addeth, Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, &c. The dependency is very cleare. A Christian having first admonished his brother in private, then having taken two or three witnesses, after this having brought it to the publique cognizance of the Ecclesiasticall Consistory, and after all that, the offender being for his obstinacy excommunicate; here is the last step, no further progresse. Now might one thinke, what of all this? what shall follow upon it? Nay, saith Christ, it shall not be in vaine, it shall be ratisied in Heaven. And as the purpose cohereth, so that forme of words, Verily I say unto you, is ordinarily used by Christ to signifie his continuing and pressing home the same purpose which he had last mentioned, as Matth. 5. 26. Matth. 6. 2. Matth. 8. 10. Matth. 10. 15. Matth. 11. 11. Matth. 18. 3. Matth. 19. 23, 28. Matth. 21. 31. Matth. 23. 36. Matth. 26. 13. Matth. 24. 34, 47. Marke 10. 15. & 12. 43. & 13. 30. Luke 12. 37. and many the like passages. To my best observation, I have found no place where Christs Verily I say unto you, begins a new purpose which hath no coherence with nor dependency upon the former.
This coherence of the Text and the dependency of vers. 18. upon that which went before (which dependency is acknowledged by Erastus, who perceiving that he could not deny the dependency, fancieth that the binding and loosing is meant of the offended brothers pardoning or not pardoning of the offender, Confirm. Thes. pag. 157.) doth also quite overthrow Master Prynnes other answer, that this binding and loosing is onelyonly meant of preaching the Gospell, and of denouncing remission of sinnes to the penitent, and wrath to the impenitent.
Nay, That potestas clavium conoionalis is instituted in other places: but here its potestas cl…vium disciplinalis, as is evident: First, by the coherence of the Text, and by the taking of two or three more, and then telling of the thing to the Church; all which intimateth a rising as from one or two or three more, so from them to the Church, which cannot be meant of one man, as hath been argued against both Pope and Prelate, for no one man can be called a Church: neither hath one man the power of jurisdiction; but one man hath the power of preaching.
Secondly, the Apostles, and those who succeed them in the worke of the Ministery have the same power of the Keys committed from Christ to them ministerially, which Christ hath committed from the father to him (as Mediator) authoritatively. For in the parallel place, Ioh. 20. v. 21, 23. where he gives them power of remitting or retaining sinnes, he saith, As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. But the Father gave Christ such a power of the Keyes, as comprehends a power of Government, and not meerely doctrinall, Isa. 22. 21, 22. I will commit the government into his hand, &c. And the Keyes of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder.
Thirdly, It may be proved also by that which immediately followeth, vers. 19. Againe I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth &c. which cannot be meant of the power of preaching; for neither the efficacy of preaching, nor the ratification of it in Heaven, nor the fruit of it on Earth, doth depend upon this, that two preachers must needs agree in the same thing. But it agreeth well to the power of Discipline, concerning which it answereth these two objections. First, it might be said, the Apostles and other Church-governours may fall to be very few in this or that Church where the offence riseth; shall we in that case execute any Church-discipline? Yes, saith Christ, if there were but two Church-officers in a Church (where no more can be had) they are to exercise Discipline, and it shall not be in vaine. Againe, it might be objected, be they two or three, or more, what if they doe not agree among themselves? To that he answereth, there must be an agreement of two Church-officers at least, otherwise the sentence shall be null; we can not say the like of the doctrinall power of binding or loosing, that it is of no force nor validity unlesse two at least agree in the same doctrine, as hath been said; two must agree in that sentence or censure, which is desired to be ratified in Heaven, and then they binding on Earth, and unanimously calling upon God to ratifie it in Heaven, it shall be done.
Fourthly, this binding and loosing can not goe without the Church, it is applicable to none but a Church member or a Brother. So the threed of the Text goes along from vers. 15. If thy Brother trespasse against thee, and vers. 16. thou hast gained thy Brother. And when it is said, Tell the Church, it is supposed that the offender is a member of the Church, over whom the Church hath authority, and of whom there is hope that he will heare the Church. And when it is said, Let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican, it is supposed that formerly he was not unto us as an Heathen man and a Publican. For these and the like reasons Tostatus in Matth. 18. quaest. 91. and divers others hold that this rule of Christ is not applicable to those who are without the Church. But if the binding and loosing be meant onelyonly of preaching the Gospell, as Master Prynne would have it, then it were applicable to those that are not yet baptised nor made Church members, for unto such the Gospell hath been and may be preached. The binding and loosing which is proper to a Brother or to a Church member, must be a juridicall power of censures, of which the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 5. 12. What have I to doe to judge them also that are without? Doe not ye judge them that are within? Therefore Chrysostome Hom. 61. in Matth. (according to the Greeke Hom. 60.) doth parallel Matth. 18. with 1 Cor. 5. proving that this rule of Christ is not applicable to one that is without, but onelyonly to a brother. Which Paul also saith in these words, What have I to doe to judge them also that are without? But he commandeth us to convince and reduce brethren, foreign and to cut off the disobedient: this he (Christ) doth also in this place. Theophylact also on Matth. 18. noteth the same restriction of this rule of Christ to a Christian Brother.
Fifthly, this binding power is not to be made use of, till all other meanes have been essayed, ante tentanda omnia saith Munsterus, first a private admonition, then before witnesses, then the matter is brought to the Church, the Church declareth and judgeth, the offender neglecteth to heare the Church, then after all this commeth the binding, which must needs be a binding with censures; for that binding which Master Prynne speakes of, the denouncing of the wrath of God against the impenitent, by the preaching of the Gospell, is not, neither ought to be suspended or delayed upon such degrees of proceeding.
Sixthly, this binding and loosing is not without two or three witnesses, vers. 16. But that of two or three witnesses relateth to a forensicall or judiciall proceeding, as Mr Prynne himselfe tels us. These witnesses may be brought before the Ecclesiasticall court, either to prove the offenders contumacy being admonished, or to prove the scandalous fact it selfe, which was from the beginning knowne to two or three witnesses, according to the sence of Schoolmen, expressed in the precedent Chapter.
Seventhly, this phrase of binding and loosing is taken both from the Hebrews, and from the Grecians. But both the Hebrews and the Grecians used these words in a juridicall sence, as I observed in the beginning.
Eighthly, that the binding and loosing Matth. 18. 18. is juridicall, not doctrinall, belonging to the power of jurisdiction, not of order, is the sence of the ancients above cited, as likewise of Scotus lib. 4. Sent. Dist. 19. Quaest. 1. art. 5. Tostatus in Matth. 18. Quest. 113. yea the current both of Schoolmen and of Interpreters, as well Protestant, as Popish, runneth that way. It were too long to cite all. Yea further Salmasius in appar. ad lib. de primatu p…p. 296. understands the binding and loosing Matth. 16. 19. Ioh. 20. 23. of Discipline. So Walaeus Tom. 1. pag. 92. So divers others. From the same places Aretius Theol. probl. loc. 133. de excom. draws Excommunication as an Ordinance of Christ. From the same two Texts Ioh. 20. 23. and Matth. 16. 19. Dionysius Areop agita de Ecclesiastica Hierarchia cap. 7. sect. 7. doth prove that Christ hath committed unto the Ministers of the Church foreign. His ancient Scholiast Maximus upon that place tels us, that he speaks foreign of excommunications and separations, or (as he there further explaineth) the judging and separating between the righteous and the wicked. Salmeron upon Matth. 16. 19. thinks that the latter part of that verse, And whatsoever thou shalt binde on Earth, &c. doth belong to the power of jurisdiction and censure: Hugo de S. Victore de Sacramentis lib. 1. cap. 26. doth also expound Matth. 16. 19. of the forensicall power of Excommunication. Now if in these places binding and loosing, remitting and retaining sinnes comprehend a juridicall power of laying on or taking off Church censures; how much more must this Juridicall power be comprehended Matth. 18. 18. where the context and circumstances will much more enforce this sence, then in the other two places? this binding and loosing being also in the plurall number, Whatsoever ye bind, &c. not in the singular, as the phrase is Matth. 16. 19. Whatsoever thou shalt bind &c. One Minister may bind doctrinally, but one alone can not bind juridically.
Ninthly, the very doctrinall or concionall binding which is yeelded by Mr Prynne, is voyded and contradicted by the admission of known scandalous impenitent sinners to the Sacrament: for he that is admitted to the Sacrament is loosed, not bound; remission, not condemnation is supposed to be sealed up to him, as is manifest by the words of the Institution, Matth. 26. 27, 28. Drinke ye all of it, for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes. So that without a power of binding by censures, and namely by suspension from the Sacrament, one and the same scandalous impenitent person shall be bound by the word, and loosed by the Sacrament. Surely he that is to be bound by the word, ought also to be bound by suspension from the Sacrament, unlesse we make one publique Ordinance to contradict another.
Tenthly, doth Mr Prynne believe that Jesus Christ hath any where given to Church-officers a forensicall or juridicall power of binding by Excommunication, and loosing by Absolution or receiving againe into the communion of the Church? If he doth believe it, then I aske where hath Christ committed that power unto them, if not Matth. 18? If he doth not believe that Christ hath given any such power, then why doth he hold Excommunication to be lawfull and warrantable by the Word of God▪ Most certaine it is, that neither King, nor Parliament, nor Eldership, nor Synod, nor any power on earth, may or ought to prohibite or keepe backe from the Sacrament such as Christ hath not commanded to be kept backe, or to bind sinners by Excommunication, if Christ hath given no such commission to bind in that kind.
Eleventhly, it may give us some light in this present Question, to compare the phrase of binding and loosing Matth. 18. 19. with Psalm 149. 6, 7, 8, 9. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged Sword in their hand, to execute vengeance upon the Heathen and pnnishments upon the people. To bind their Kings with chaines, and their Nobles with fetters of Iron, To execute upon them the judgement written: This honour have all his Saints. Which both Jewish and Christian Interpreters referre to the Kingdome of Christ, out of whose mouth proceedeth a twoedged Sword, Revel. 1. 16. & 2. 12. foreign, the phrase used in the Greeke version of Psalm 149. If it should be understood of temporall or externall victories and conquests of the Nations and their Kings, so it was not fulfilled to the Jews in the old Testament; and the Jewes doe now but in vaine flatter themselves with the expectation of such a thing to come. There are but two expositions which are most received and confirmed. The first is, that the Saints shall judge the world together with Christ 1 Cor. 6. 2. and then vengeance shall be executed on the wicked, and all they who would not have Christ to reigne over them shall be bound hand and foot and cast into utter darknesse. This is the sence of Arnobius upon the place, and the Jesuits of Doway, Emmanuel Sa, Jansenius, Lorinus, Menochius goe that way. The other Exposition holds an accomplishment of the thing in this same world, and this in a Spirituall sence, concerning the Kingdome of Christ in this world, is holden by Calvin, Bucer, VVestmeherus, Heshusius, Gesuerus, Fabritius, and others. So the Dutch Annotations, Augustine and Hierome, both of them upon the place, take the sword, and the chaine, and fetters to be meant of the word of God conquering and overcomming aliens, and Hereticks, and the mightiest enemies; which others cleare from Isa. 45. 14. Men of stature shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine, they shall come after thee, in chaines they shall come over. But because the Psalmist maketh mention of a corrective or punitive judiciary power, therefore others▪ adde for making the sence more full, the power of excommunication; for which Lorinus citeth Bruno, and Hugo Victorinus. Of the Protestant Interpreters upon the place, Gesnerus, applieth it to the power of the Keyes, to be made use of according to that which is written Math. 18. Fabritius conceiveth the Text to comprehend castigationes spirituales, and he citeth Math. 16. 19. Math. 18. 18. Io. 20. 23. Heshusius cleareth it by the Instance of Theodosius excommunicated by Ambrose, Master Cotton in his Keyes of the Kingdom of heaven pag. 53. applyeth it to the Ecclesiasticall power of the Keyes. Bartholomaeus Coppen understands it of the spirituall rule and Kingdom of Christ, and makes it paralell to 2 Cor. 10. 4. the weapons of our warrefare are not carnall but mighty through God, to the pulling downe of strong holds, vers. 6. and having in readinesse to revenge all disobedience. This judiciary Ecclesiasticall power is to be executed upon all such of the nations as fall under the Government of the Church according to the rule of Christ. And this honour have all his Saints, that their Ministers are armed with a power. They that follow this latter exposition will be easily induced to beleive that the binding and loosing Mat. 18. 19. is also judiciall or juridicall: They that follow the former exposition, will also observe that the phrase of binding in Scripture, even where it is ascribed to the Church or Saints, is used in a judiciary sence, and therefore it is most sutable to the Scripture phrase to understand Mat. 18, 19. in that sence.
As touching that other Exposition of the binding and loosing, that the object it is exercised about, is not a person, but a thing or Doctrine, for it is not said Whomsoever but whatsoever ye bind: It is sufficiently confuted by ▪much of that which hath been said already, proving a forensicall binding and loosing even of persons. OnelyOnly I shall adde these further considerations. First, the binding and loosing are Acts of the power of the Keyes, and are exercised about the same object, about which the power of the Keyes is exercised Math. 16. 19. Now the power of the Keyes is exercised about persons, for the Kingdom of heaven is opened or shut to persons, not to Doctrines. If it be said that the Keyes are for opening and shutting, not for binding and loosing, to this I answer with Alexr. Alensis part 4. Quaest. 20. Membr. 5. that these Keyes are as well for binding and loosing as for shutting and opening; but the Act of binding and loosing doth agree to the Keyes immediately and in respect of the subject; but the act of opening in reference to the last end. Ibid. Membr. 2. He had given this reason why the power of the Keyes is called the power of binding and loosing, because although to open and shut be the more proper Acts of the Keyes themselves, yet neverthelesse to loose and bind are the more proper Acts in reference to those who are to enter into the Kingdome, or to be excluded from the same; for the persons themselves which doe repent, are the subject of loosing: and they that repent not, of binding. Which is not so of opening and shutting; for although the opening be to those that are loosed, and the shutting to those that are bound; yet those that are loosed are not the subject of opening (as to the manner of speaking) nor those that are bound, the Subject of shutting. So then antecedently binding and loosing are Acts of the power of the Keyes, because a man is bound before he be shut up, and loosed before the door be opened to him.
Secondly, that Glosse which now I despute against, doth suppose one of these two things: either that binding and loosing cannot be exercised upon the same object at different times, and that the binding is such as can never be loosed againe; or otherwise that one and the same doctrine may be condemned at one time, and approved at another time. Both which are absurd, and contrary to the generality of Divines.
Thirdly, seeing the Scripture speaketh of binding and loosing in reference to persons, as corporally, so spiritually, which I have before proved. Why then, shall persons be excepted from being the object of binding and loosing Matth. 18?
Fourthly, that of binding and loosing Mat. 18. 18. doth cohere with and is added by occasion of that which went before, as is also before proved. If this concerning the context be acknowledged, it will carry it to persons; for it was an offending brother, not a false Doctrine, which was spoken of in the verses preceding.
Fifthly, binding and loosing here doth at least reach as farre as retaining or remitting of sinnes Io. 20. 23. but there it is Whosoever sinnes ye remit, &c. They whose sinnes are retained, are bound.
Wherefore foreign whatsoever Mat. 18. 18. is put for foreign whomsoever, by an Hypallage generis, many examples whereof may be given in Scripture: so foreign Io. 1. 11. is expounded by foreign: and all things that offend Mat. 13. 41. expounded by them that doe iniquity. Vnlesse you please to understand foreign, whatsoever sinnes ye bind upon men or loose from off them, they shall be bound upon them or loosed from off them in heaven.