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is judged to be a sinne； the other； （when the Party condemned
does acquiesce； and obey the sentence； that is to say； Repents）
the remission of the sinne； or； （if he repent not） the Retention：
The first of these； that is to say； the Judging whether it be a
sinne or not； belongs to the Interpreter of the Law； that is； the
Soveraign Judge； the second； namely Remission； or retention of
the sinne； to the Pastor； and it is that concerning which the
power of binding and loosing is conversant。 And that this was the
true meaning of our Saviour Christ in the institution of the same
power； is apparent in the 18 of Mat。 vers。 15； 16； 17； 18。 thus；
He there speaking to his Disciples； sayes； If thy Brother sinne
against thee； goe； and tell him his fault betweene thee and him
alone； （where we must observe by the way； that if thy Brother
sinne against thee； is the same with； if he doe thee injury； and
therefore Christ spake of those matters which belonged to the
civill Tribunall） he addes； if he heare thee not （that is to say；
if he deny that he hath done it； or if having confest the fact；
he denies it to be unjustly done） take with thee yet one or two；
and if he refuse to heare them； tell it the Church。 But why to
the Church； except that she might judge whether it were a sinne
or not？ But if he refuses to hear the Church； that is； if he doe
not submit to the Churches sentence； but shall maintain that to
be no sin； which She Judges to be a sinne； that is to say； if he
repent not （for certain it is that no man repents himselfe of
that action which She conceives not to be a sinne） he saith not；
Tell it to the Apostles； that we might know that the definitive
sentence in the question； whether it were a sin or not； was not
left unto them； but to the Church； but let him be unto thee
（sayes he） as an Heathen； or Publican； that is； as one out of the
Church； as one that is not baptized； that is to say； as one whose
sinnes are retained。 For all Christians were baptized into
remission of sinnes。 But because it might have been demanded who
it was that had so great a power； as that of withholding the
benefit of Baptisme from the impenitent； Christ shewes that the
same Persons to whom he had given authority to baptize the
penitent into the remission of sinns； and to make them of heathen
men； Christians； had also authority to retain their sins who by
the Church should be adjudged to be impenitent； and to make them
of Christian men Heathens； and therefore presently subjoynes；
Verily I say unto you； Whose soever sinnes yee shall binde upon
Earth； they shall bee bound also in Heaven； and whose soever sins
yee shall loose upon Earth； they shall be loosed also in Heaven。
Whence we may understand； that the power of binding； and loosing；
or of remitting； and retaining of sinnes； which is called in
another place； the power of the keyes； is not different from the
power given in another place in these words； Goe； and teach all
Nations； Baptizing them in the Name of the Father； and of the
Sonne； and of the Holy Ghost； Mat。 28。 ver。 19。 And even as the
Pastours cannot refuse to Baptize him whom the Church judges
worthy； so neither can they retaine his sinnes whom the Church
holds fitting to be absolv'd； nor yet remit his sinnes whom the
Church pronounceth disobedient。 And it is the Churches part to
judge of the sinne； the Pastours； to cast out； or to receive into
the Church those that are judg'd。 Thus Saint Paul to the Church
of Corinth； Do not ye judge； saith he； of those that are within？
Yet he himself pronounc't the sentence of Excommunication against
the incestuous Person； I indeed （saith he） as absent in body； but
present in Spirit； &c。
XXVI。 The act of retaining sinnes is that which is called by
the Church Excommunication； and by Saint Paul； delivering over to
Satan。 The word Excommunication； sounding the same with
aposunagogon poiein； casting out of the Synagogue； seems to be
borrowed from the Mosaicall Law； wherein they who were by the
Priest adjudged leprous； were commanded to be kept apart out of
the Camp； untill by the judgement of the Priest they were againe
pronounc't cleane； and by certaine rights （among which the
washing of the body was one） were purified； Levit。 13。 ver。 46。
From hence in processe of time it became a custome of the Jewes；
not to receive those who passed from Gentilisme to Judaisme；
（supposing them to be uncleane） unlesse they were first washed；
and those who dissented from the Doctrine of the Synagogue； they
cast out of the Synagogue。 By resemblance of this custome； those
that came to Christianity； （whether they were Jewes； or Gentiles）
were not receiv'd into the Church without Baptisme； and those
that dissented from the Church were depriv'd of the Churches
Communion。 Now； they were therefore said to be deliver'd over to
Satan； because all that was out of the Church； was comprehended
within his Kingdome。 The end of this kind of Discipline was； that
being destitute for a time of the grace and spirituall
priviledges of the Church； they might be humbled to salvation。
But the effect in regard to secular matters； that being
excommunicated； they should not onely be prohibited all
Congregations； or Churches； and the participation of the
mysteries； but as being contagious they should be avoided by all
other Christians； even more then Heathen： for the Apostle allowed
to accompany with Heathen； but with these not so much as to eate；
1 Cor。 5。 ver。 10；
II。 Seeing then the effect of Excommunication is such； it is
manifest in the first place； that a Christian city cannot be
excommunicated。 For a Christian City is a Christian Church； as
hath been declar'd above in the 21。 Art。 and of the same
extension。 But a Church cannot be excommunicated； For either she
must excommunicate her selfe； which is impossible； or she must be
excommunicated by some other Church； and this； either universall；
or particular。 But seeing an Universall Church is no Person； （as
hath been prov'd in the 22。 Artic。） and therefore neither acts；
nor does any thing； it cannot excommunicate any man。 And a
particular church by excommunicating another Church doth nothing；
for where there is not one common Congregation； there cannot be
any Excommunication。 Neither if some one Church （suppose that of
Jerusalem） should have excommunicated an other （suppose that of
Rome） would it any more have excommunicated this； then her selfe：
for he that deprives another of his Communion； deprives himselfe
also of the Communion of that other。 Secondly； No man can
excommunicate the subjects of any absolute government all at
once； or forbid them the use of their Temples； or their publique
worship of God。 For they cannot be excommunicated by a Church
which themselves doe constitute； for if they could； there would
not onely not remain a Church； but not so much as a common…weale；
and they would be dissolved of themselves； and this were not to
be excommunicated； or prohibited。 But if they be excommunicated
by some other Church； that church is to esteem them as Heathen。
But no christian Church by the doctrine of Christ； can forbid the
Heathen to gather together； and Communicate among themselves；