A discourse of Christian religion, in sundry points preached at the merchants lecture in Broadstreet / by Thomas Cole ...

CHAP. II.

The Preacher's Power of binding and loosing.

I Have one thing more about a Gospel Ministry, which I would mind you of, and bring into practice; I see a necessity of it, to awaken Professors in this declining Age, where Religion seems to have lost its Primitive Glory, and that powerful Influ∣ence that formerly it had upon the minds of men, who stood more in awe of their Religion, than we do now; gave another-gates account of it to their own Consci∣ence, than I fear many now-a-days can do.

I conceive it belongs to the Office of a Gospel Minister, not only to declare the way of Salvation by Christ, and shew how remission of sin is to be had; but also to bind or loose their Hearers, as they do ei∣ther come up to the Word, or reject it; and this done Authoritatively in the Name of Christ, according to Scripture-rule, is a real discharge, or a real Condemnation of that person who falls under such a Sen∣tence.

I don't speak of binding and loosing, as 'tis an Act of Church-Discipline, in casting Offenders out of the Church, and recei∣ving

them into it again upon their Repen∣tance; for so it is in use among us, and in that sense only we generally take it.

But I conceive there is a binding and loo∣sing mentioned in Scripture, distinct from all Church-Censures in a way of Discipline, and is always to follow the Preaching of the Doctrine of the Gospel, loosing those from their sins, who do believe it, and binding their sins upon them who believe it not; and this I take to be an essential part of a Gospel Ministry. Where Ministers do per∣ceive in any of their Hearers, a visible con∣tempt of the grace that is offered in the Gos∣pel, they ought to be is readiness to avenge all such Disobedience, 2 Cor. 10. 6. by bind∣ing their sins upon them, pronouncing such persons to abide under the wrath of God, 'till they do by Faith embrace a Promise of Par∣don. Those two places, viz. Mat. 16. 19. Joh. 20. 23. relate to the Doctrine of the Gos∣pel, shewing what follows upon it, and al∣so do confirm the Authority of it, for the comfort of those who believe it, and for the terror of those who reject it. That place, Mat. 18. 18. relates to the Disci∣pline of the Church, in all publick Cen∣sures pass'd upon impenitent Offenders: So that he who acknowledges his Fault, and repents of it, being admonish'd by the Church, is absolved, not only by man, but

by God, and taken into the Communion of the Church again. The Church of Rome admits of binding and loosing in the latter sense, but they engross it all to them∣selves, and apply it wholly to their Sacra∣ment of Penance.

The Council of Trent Anathematizes those who allow the power of binding and loosing in any sense to the ordinary Prea∣chers of the Gospel; but Calvin is expresly against them; Non separanda est, says he, haec potestas remittendi Peccata, à docendi officio, i. e. The power of binding and loo∣sing must not be separated from the office of an ordinary Gospel Minister. There be other Scriptures to confirm this, as 2 Cor. 5. 19. Luk. 4. 18. The sum of the Gospel is, to preach deliverance to captives. So Luk. 24. 47. and Luk. 10. 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12. vide.

I am not for Popish Absolutions, but I think it the Duty of Ministers to tell their People whom God will save, and whom he will not; whose sins are, and whose are not remitted to them; and to do this Authori∣tatively, by a particular Application, that may reach the persons themselves whom they most suspect, ay, and privately to tell them by name, that they are the persons they meant, warning them to consider their

danger, lest sudden Destruction from the Lord do come upon them.

'Tis evident that general Preaching does little good without this; men shift it off, and distinguish themselves out of the power of Religion, think their Profession secures them from all that is threatned in the word, and denounced against the Prophane and Ungodly; Doctrines and Exhortations won't do, without this particular Application of the blessing to whom it belongs, and of the curse of God to them over whose Heads it certainly hangs; we must do our Duty herein; there be some weak ones, who can't speak peace to themselves, we must speak it to them in the Name of the Lord; there be others who won't speak Terror to them∣selves, but go on in their wickedness, and bless themselves; I say it is out Duty to curse them in the Name of the Lord, and plainly tell them, that they who do such things, shall not inherit the kingdom of God, Gal. 5. 21. 1 Cor. 6. 9. Eph. 5. 5.

There are too too many now-a days who count hearing the word a very indif∣ferent thing. They can come to it, and they can forbear; 'tis all one to them which they do, they are not much concerned ei∣ther way; when they come, they think hearing the word, if it does them no good, 'twill do them no harm. But there is a

great mistake here, let me tell you; there is a blessing or a curse at the end of every Sermon you hear, and one or 'tother will certainly light upon you; Scoffers may puff at the Judgments of God, and say, that Mi∣nisters take too much upon them, in pas∣sing such a peremptory Sentence on them; what care they what men say; ay, but know who ever thou art, so Sermon-proof in your own opinion, that the Minister shall never take hold of thee; I say, thou art by those very words, those binding words pronoun∣ced against thee in the Name of the Lord by a Minister of the Gospel, as surely Con∣demned already, as if thou were already in Hell; the wrath of God will certainly come upon you, unless you repent, and so I leave you, think of it at leisure.

If we do not our Duty, who have these Keys committed to us, we shall be questio∣ned at the last day for not shutting this man or that woman out of the Kingdom of Heaven, whom we saw walking so disor∣derly under so visible a neglect of their own Salvation.

Obj. This way of Preaching may grieve the Saints.

Ans. What! to hear that impenitent un∣believing Sinners remaining so, shall never

enter into Heaven; if this grieve them, they must be grieved, we can't help it; better they grieved, than others eternally Damn'd for want of such an awakening word. Am I your enemy because I tell you the truth; if so, I desire never to be friends with you upon other terms.

Brethren! What we do of this kind, er∣rante clave, affects no man's Conscience: But if you find that you are the persons to whom God intends Comfort, you ought to receive it; if the persons to whom the Curse belongs, you ought to apply it to your selves, and to tremble under it; for what is bound on Earth, is bound in Heaven: The Curse will certainly come upon you, if you repent not; you may reverse the Sentence we pass, by a speedy turning to God before you dye; else 'twill be confirmed against you at the last Day, to your eternal Destruction, by an irreversi∣ble Sentence. You will frequently find, it may be not presently, that as you are bound or loosed by the Preachers of the Gospel, so suitable impressions of God's Love, or Anger, are made upon your Souls, even in this World. God does this to keep up the Authority of his Ministers, that they may effectually comfort Believers, and as effectually terrifie Unbelievers; therefore if we are bold against some, 2 Cor. 10. 2.

and do use sharpness according to the power which the Lord Jesus has given us for your edification, 2 Cor. 13. 10. For that we aim at in all these denunciations of God's wrath against the impenitent, 1 Cor. 5. 5. I say, if we come with a Rod, and seem not so kind and gentle to you, as you would have us, 1 Cor. 4. 21. If at any time we are found unto you such as ye would not, 'tis because we do not find you such as we would, 2 Cor. 12. 20.

The Sum of All.

This Phrase of giving the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, is Metaphorical, from one who has the Supreme Power in a House, or City; so Eliakim as Chief Go∣vernour of the King's Houshold, had the keys of the house laid upon his shoulder, Isa. 22. 22. Prefiguring the Kingdom of Christ, who gives the Keys, i. e. the Power of binding and loosing here on Earth, to his Ministers.

Q. How can the power of Remitting Sin, which belongs to God only, Mark. 2. 7. be ascribed to men?

A. Christ in Commanding the Apostles, and in them all Ministers, to remit Sin; does

not transfer upon them that which is his own peculiar Prerogative, i. e. he does not resign to them his Power of forgiving Sin, but only Commands them in his Name to testifie to their hearers, that the Sins of all those who Believe in Jesus, are Pardoned, and to pronounce them Pardoned by God: So that Ministers are not the Authors of Forgiveness, but only God's witnesses, testifying his Grace towards Repenting Be∣lieving Sinners. Nothing makes more for our comfort, than to know that our Sins are Pardoned; and to this end God hath ap∣pointed his Ministers in his Name to tell Believers so; and to declare unto all, that they who Believe shall be Saved, and have all their Sins remitted to them for Christ's sake.

Thus I have shewed you what is implied in this Text: And till men are wrought up by the Preaching of the Gospel, to a real conviction of these Truths, viz.

• 1. That all men are Sinners by Nature, and under Condemnation by Law.
• 2. That there is no Salvation to be ex∣pected or hoped for, without a full and free Remission of all their Sins.
• 3. That this Remission of Sin can never be obtained, till full satisfaction be first given to the Law and Justice of

• God, for all our Offences and Tres∣passes against him.
• 4. That none but Christ is able to make this satisfaction for Sin.
• 5. That in order hereunto, i. e. for the effecting and compleating this satis∣faction, the Son of God took our flesh upon him, and Dyed in that Flesh for us; shed his Blood for the Remission of our Sins.
• 6. That all who come unto this Jesus, casting themselves by Faith upon him, shall certainly find Mercy, shall have all their sins Pardoned, and shall be Eternally Saved.

Till we can prevail with our hearers to own and acknowledge these Generals, 'tis impossible they should Believe in the Lord Jesus, to the saving of their Souls. That Faith that is saving, does necessarily pre∣suppose and include in it a real assent unto, and full conviction of all the foremention∣ned Truths.

Possibly some will say, We know all this already; have heard these things over and over; it may be so, but pray hear them over once more, and consider them well in the light of this Text, that tells you plain∣ly there is no other way of Salvation. Sometimes it pleases God by one Text set

home by the Spirit upon our hearts, to lead us into a more serious consideration of ma∣ny other Truths relating to it, which we formerly gathered out of the letter of the Word, without any application of the mat∣ter contained in them to our selves. We who are Ministers, must insist upon these things; we have nothing else to say to Sin∣ners, till they are convinced of these truths; this is the first opening of the Gospel; we cannot proceed one step farther, till some credit be given to these first Principles of the Christian Religion. I hope you who are here present, and do frequent this As∣sembly, do attend upon the Ministry of the Word, under a real conviction of these truths: Therefore give me leave to put One question to you, to every one of you, to your Consciences I put it, viz. Whe∣ther you have answered this Conviction, by your personal Coming to Christ, and actu∣al casting your selves upon him for the Par∣don of all your Sins? If this be not yet done, I am sure you cannot Answer it to God, nor your own Consciences. Pray consult your convictions, and shew your selves men: To say no more.

Two things I shall speak to from this Text, viz.

• 1. What Remission of Sin is.
• 2. How Salvation consists in the Re∣mission of Sin.