John 20:23

In the last place, Christ asserts their authority in the discharge of their Commission, and in governing his house, and remitting or retaining of sins, whether by the Key of knowledge or doctrine, in preaching; or of order and discipline; and he declareth, that what they act this way ministerially, according to their Commission, is ratified in heaven, as being but the declaration and intimation of the sentence already passed there. This power is elsewhere called the Keyes of the Kingdome of heaven, Matth. 16.19. and the power of binding and loosing, Matth. 18.18. Doct. 1. Christs house is not a den of confusion, but an house of order, wherein he hath a Camp of doctrine, whereby he doth doctrinally declare his minde concerning his subjects, and their duty, and a rod of discipline, whereby he judicially deals with them as their case requireth; for, so is here imported, that there is a power of remitting and retaining sins, both doctrinally and by judicial procedure. 2. This power in the house of God, is committed to Christs own Officers and Ministers sent by him unto his Church; so that, however private persons may declare the minde of God concerning the sin of others; yea, and reprove, exhort or comfort out of charity; yet his Ministers are to do it by office, and with authority; for, it is, ye (whom I send, v. 21.) who are to remit and retain sins. 3. This power in the house of God is committed equally and in common to all Ministers; so that one doth not share in it more then another; for, here it is given to the apostles in common, whose soever sins ye remit, &c. And thus the Keyes of the Kingdome are not given to Peter only, but here expressely to all. 4. All the members of the Church are subject to the order established by Christ in his house, and none ought to free themselves from his yoke; all are bound to submit to his doctrine in the mouths of his servants, and all also are under his rod of Government; for, their authority is universal, over whosoever need the exercise thereof. 5. The exercise of this Ministerial Authority over Church-members, is committed unto Christs servants, not in reference to the good which is in any crush it, but in reference to their sin, to deal with them because of it, according as their condition requireth; Their power in doctrine is exercised about all sin, as sin, were it never so secret and inward, and their power in discipline, about sin only as it is scandalous and infectious; for, their power here is about sins, and over persons because of this. 6. The exercise of Ministerial Authority about the sins of Church-members, consists in the remitting and retaining thereof, according to the due Order and Rules of the Word; And particularly, that such as are penitent, and feel the bonds of their sin, they do declaratively, and by Authority from Christ, absolve and lose them, and do also take off any censure judicially inflicted for their scandalous behaviour; And such as are impenitent, that they do by doctrine in Christs Name, declare their sins not to be remitted, but bound upon them, and that as need requires, they do by a judicial sentence tie them straiter, that so they may feel the bonds, and seek to be loosed; for, so is held out here, that they are ministerially to remit and retain sins. 7. This exercise of Ministerial Authority, however carnal hearts may contemn and sleight it, either in doctrine or discipline; yet being gone about according to the Rules of the Word, it is so effectual, as it is ratified in heaven, and the penitent or obstinate sinner will finde Gods minde toward them, to be according as is declared in his Name on earth; for, upon these termes is their authority asserted, Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them: and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. See Matth. 18.18, 20. And this may be matter of terrour to the obstinate, and of encouragement to the penitent, who are meet objects of the comfortable exercise of ministerial authority.