1 94 7he HISTORy of the PuRITA-NS. Vor.. n. K. Charles I. But the fierceil: contention between the affembly and parliament, aro(e ~upon the power of the keys, which the former bad voted to be in the ei– Of the p'werder(hip or preJbytery in thefe words; "The keys of the kingdom of hea– of the keys_;,,, ven were committed to the officers of the church, by virtue whereof :~;;;~JUm- " they have power refpeCl:ively to retain and remit fins, to fbut the kingYid. App. " dom of heaven againft the impenitent both by word and cenfures, and N° Ill. " to open it to the penitent by abfolution, and to prevent the profanation Chapte(J;;ofb " of the ho!y facrament by notorious and obil:inate offenders, the faid of– '&~g. 0 em ·" ficers are to proceed by admonition, fufpenfion from the facrament of · " the Lord1s fupper for a feafon , and by excommunication from the " church, according to the nature of the crime and demerit of the per-. " fan;'~ all which power they claimed,. not by the laws of the land,_ '17N inde– pendents o– pinion; but JURE nrvrNo, or by divine appointment. The independents claimed a like power for the brotherhoodqf ever par.;. ticular congregation, but without any civil fanCl:ions or penalties annexed; the eraflians were for laying the communion open, and referring all crimes , to the civil magi!lrate. When the queflion therefore came under conli– AildSelden's deration in the houfe of commons, the learned Mr. Se/den delivered his Rulhw, P· opinion again!l all fufpenfions and excommunications to this effeCl:; "that 2.o3., " for four thoufand years there was no law to fufpend perfons from reli- " ·gious exercifes. Strangers, indeed, were kept from the paffover, but " they were pagans, and not of the jewijh religion. The queil:ion is '' not now for keeping away pagans in times of chriftianity, but protef– " tants from protefi:ant worl11ip. No divife can {hew, that there is any " fuch command as this to fufpend from the facrament. No man is kept " from the facrament eo nomine, becaufe he is guilty of any fin, by the " conil:itution of the reformed churches, or becaufe he has not made fa– " tisfaction. Every man is a finner, the difference is only, that one is in " private, and the other in public. Die ecclejice in St. Matthew, were " the courts if law which then fat at Jerz!falem. No man can lbew any " excommunica~ion till the popes ViClor and Zephorinus (two hundred "years after Cbri!l) fir!l began to ufe them upon private q\larrels, where– cc by it appears, that excommunication is an human invention, taken from-. " the heathens." Mr. Whitlock fpoke on the fame fide of the quefiion, obferving that the-· " affembly of divines h ad petitioned and advifed this houfe, that in eve– " ry prejbytery, or prejb)'terian congregation, the pajlors and ruling elders " may have the power if excommunication, and offiljfendingfucb as they jball "judge ignorant or ftandalous. By pqflors, I fuppofe, they mean them– "' felves, and others who are or may be preachers, and would be bilhops ·'' or overfeers of their congregations. By ruling elders they mean a feleCl: " number of fuch i11 every congrega~on as fball be chofen for the execu- ;1, · · · · ' -- · ." ~io~
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