On the Keys of Christ’s Kingdom

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Subsections

How Church Rulings Bind or Not
“Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven?”
Errant Court Rulings
Valid Discipline by Unregenerate Officers

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Order of Contents

Articles  8
Latin  1

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Articles

1500’s

Zwingli, Ulrich – ‘The Keys’  in Commentary on True & False Religion  eds. Jackson & Heller  (1525; Labyrinth Press, 1981), pp. 157-76

Bullinger, Henry – 4th Sermon, ‘Of Calling unto the Ministry of the Word of God; what manner of men and after what fashion ministers of the Word must be ordained in the Church; of the Keys of the Church…’  in The Decades  ed. Thomas Harding  (Cambridge: Parker Society, 1850), vol. 4, 5th Decade, pp. 128-63

Melanchthon, Philip – 28. ‘Of the Power of the Church, or of the Keys’  in Melanchthon on Christian Doctrine, Loci Communes, 1555  tr. Clyde L. Manschreck  (1555; NY: Oxford Univ. Press, 1965), pp. 255-66

de Brès, Guy – ‘Of the Power to Bind & Unbind, or Loose’  in The Staff of Christian Faith…  for to Know the Antiquity of our Holy Faith…  gathered out of the Works of the Ancient Doctors of the Church…  (London, 1577), pp. 46-50

de Bres (1522-1567) was a Walloon pastor, Protestant reformer and theologian, a student of Calvin and Beza in Geneva.

Viret, Pierre – A Christian Instruction…  (London: Veale, 1573)

The Sum of the Principal Points of the Christian Faith

46. Of the Power of Ministers of the Church to Pardon or Retain Sins  47-48

A Familiar Exposition of the Principal Points of the Catechism, 21st Dialogue

Of the Force of Lawful Excommunication & of the Power of the Keys given to the Church

Ursinus, Zachary – The Sum of Christian Religion: Delivered…  in his Lectures upon the Catechism…  tr. Henrie Parrie  (Oxford, 1587)

Of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven & Of Excommunication

1. What the Power of the Keys given unto the Church is
2. Unto whom the power of the keys is committed
3. Why the power of the keys is necessary
4. How the power of the keys differs from the civil power
5. What order is to be observed in exercising the power of the keys

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1600’s

Bucanus, William – 43. ‘Of the Power & Authority of the Church’  in Institutions of Christian Religion...  (London: Snowdon, 1606), pp. 570

Is there any power of the Church?
By what name is it called?
What is the ecclesiastical power?
Whence or from whom is this power?
Does this ecclesiastical authority differ from the civil authority?
Of how many sorts is the ecclesiastical authority or government?
What is the power of ministry?
What is the first part of these keys?
How many keys are there?
Whereon depends this power?
To whom are these keys given?
Which is the other part of ecclesiastical power?
What is the power of the Church concerning doctrine?

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1700’s

à Brakel, Wilhelmus – ch. 29, ‘Ecclesiastical Authority & the Use of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven’  in The Christian’s Reasonable Service, vol. 2  ed. Joel Beeke, tr. Bartel Elshout  (1700; RHB, 1992/1999), pp. 157-91

a Brakel (1635-1711) was a contemporary of Voet and Witsius and a major representative of the Dutch Further Reformation.

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Latin Articles

1600’s

Voet, Gisbert – Ecclesiastical Politics  (Amsterdam: Waesberge, 1663), vol. 4, pt. 3, bk. 4, Of Ecclesiastical Discipline, Tract 2, Of the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven

1. Of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven  841
2. Of the Key of Discipline, [with] a Handling [Tractatio] of Homonymous and Synonymous Terms  843
3. The Definition of Discipline is Premitted, and of whether it is [whether it exists]?  or, of the Necessity of it, is Investigated in Detail.  844
4. Of the Object of Ecclesiastical Discipline  848
5. Of the Concept and Examination of Sin  852
6. Of Ecclesiastical Admonition  855
7. Of Ecclesiastical Correction  857
8. Of Simple Abstention  859
9. Of Citation, Suspension, etc.  861
10. Of the Causes of Discipline: Impulsive or Meritorious  863
11. Of Distributing or Administering Causes of Discipline  865
12. Of Suspension  865
13. Of the Mode of the Administration of Discipline  869
14. Of the Ends or Effects of Discipline  872
15. A Consequence out of the Doctrine on the Effects of Discipline is Deduced  875
16. On the Division of Discipline  879
17. On that which Follows upon Discipline  881

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Mere Will or Determination of Authorities: Insufficient Ground of Faith & Obedience

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