The Church of England's Wish for the Restoring of Primitive Discipline; Considered, in Order to Its Being Brought to Effect.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1703. Excerpt: ... have said before, lest Satan should take advantage otherwise to drive him to despair, or tempthim to despise theAuthorisy of the Church either of which must frustrate the Church's Censure, as to its doing any good Upon theOffender, towards the faving of his Soul: This first therefore-intimateth to us that the design of the Church's Censure, which had pasted for the delivery ossuch a one to Satan, was, as hath been faid before, that his being delivered to Satan might make way for his escape out of the Snare, and which S. Chrysostom taking notice of, observes upon the Place as I remember, somewhere to this purpose, That the Person was not said to be given to Satan, but only delivered; a distinction, that if it have not ground in the Words, it has in the Thing, in the nature of -.the Sentence, and the End declared by the Apostlebefore, when he faith it was for the saving os the Soul in the Day of the LordJesus, (which could not be if the delivering to Satan had been the giving into his Power to hold and keep): which end the Apostle sheweth himself-to have always sought in this, that he presseth the Church to take off the Censure, lest Satan should otherwise get advantage; whose getting advantage over the Person excluded, he would not clear from the Power of the Devil; r.have beea solicitous to prevent, had he been before delivered to Satan for the purpose of his having advantage over him, and taking him into his Power and Possession. This moreover intimateth what should be the Church's aim in all times in its ministration of Discipline, as well when it putteth under Censure as when it released! from such Censures, namely, the prevention of Satan's getting advantage to Ruin those Souls which the Church is concerned to seek to Save. This Aim being pursued, .