saith Gerhard(1084)), or they who teach, cannot
represent the church, since hearers also pertain to the definition
thereof, but the presbytery can represent the church, whereunto not only
they pertain who labour in the word, but also elders or governors put in
authority for expeding of ecclesiastical matters in name of the whole
church:" we grant, then, that by the church, Christ meaneth that company
of church governors whereby a certain particular church is
represented;(1085) but forasmuch as the church consisteth of two integrant
parts, viz., pastors and sheep, teachers and hearers, we therefore deny
that the representative church whereof Christ speaketh, can be any other
than that ecclesiastical consistory whereof we have spoken.

Moreover, albeit the Apostle wrote to the whole church of Corinth to
deliver the incestuous man to Satan, because the matter could not be
otherwise done, but only in the name and with the consent of that whole
church; yet he never meant that the common promiscuous multitude should,
by their suffrages and voices, examine and judge that cause. But, saith
Calvin,(1086) "Because the multitude, unless it be governed by council,
never doth anything moderately nor gravely, there was ordained in the
ancient church (meaning the apostolic church) a presbytery; that is, a
company of elders which, by the consent of all, had the first judgment and
examination of things; from it the matter was carried to the people, but
being already determined before." Again, when the Apostle writeth to them
in his second epistle that they should forgive him, because he hath
repented, thus he reasoneth: "Sufficient to such a man is this censure
which was inflicted of many," 2 Cor. ii. 6. Which words, that we may the
better understand, it is worthy of observation (which not Calvin
only,(1087) but Saravia also noteth(1088)), that it appeareth from this
place, he was not to excommunicate, but, by sharp rebukes, timeously win
to repentance, whereby the Apostle showeth it to be needless, yea, most
inconvenient, to proceed against him to the extremity of discipline. The
word {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}, there used by the Apostle, signifieth rebuke, reprehension,
or chiding, saith Dr Fulk;(1089) and so Scapula taketh it to be