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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80157	Provocator provocatus. Or, An answer made to an open challenge made by one M. Boatman in Peters Parish in Norwich, the 13th of December, 1654. in a sermon preached there at a fast, in which answer these questions are spoke to. 1. Whether juridicall suspension of some persons from the Lords Supper be deducible from Scripture; the affirmative is proved. : 2. Whether ministeriall or privative suspension be justifiable; the affirmative also is maintained. : 3. Whether the suspension of the ignorant and scandalous be a pharisaicall invention; a thing which wiser ages never thought of, as Mr Boatman falsly affirmed. In opposition to which is proved, that it hath been the judgment and practice of the eminent saints and servants of Christ, in all ages, of all other reformed churches in all times ... / By John Collings ...	Collinges, John, 1623-1690.; Boatman, Mr.	1654 (1654)	Wing C5329A; ESTC R232871	174,209	280

negative argument Christ did not forbid any nor doe we find that he left his disciples any such order nor ever reproved any that they did come to the Sacrament all which comes short of this that Christ did command the administration to all thesi 30. and it is too weake that Erastus hath thesi 30. that Christ said drink ye all of it for those all were all visible saints though Judas was there which shall never be proved yet Judas was not discovered to the communicants It is worth the observing that Christ did not so much as call up the Jewes in the same house which he would have done probably if he had intended for all Erastus saith Christ inviteth all to repentance Ergo to the Sacrament page 249. If the syllogisme be put in forme saith Mr Rutherford the major is blasphemy Ruth divine right page 362. for by the same argument might be proved that God invites Pagans to the Sacrament See more in him Erastus hath another Argument If the Apostle did here forbid these scandalous sinners the Sacrament he had contradicted himselfe But he doth not contradict himselfe The major lies upon the Doctor to prove His loose lines must be thus formed Hee that should here forbid scandalous persons the Sacrament Etenim paulo post licentius viventibus non interdicit ●ec interdieere jubet Sacramentorum usum sed judicium Dei proponit Erast conf●rm thes p. 249 and a little after cap. 11. not forbid loose livers the Sacrament onely set before them their danger contradicts himselfe I will go no further here 's enough to be denyed Is it a contradiction I wonder if I should write a letter to my friends and in the beginning of it say I will not have you come in such a gamesters company a little after in the same Letter tell my friends I heare some of them have been in gamesters company and God will be revenged of them if they follow such courses I have not eyes to see it if it be This is the very case here must Paul needs forbid that cap. 11. that which he forbids cap. 5. or doth he contradict himselfe This is all that Erastus hath to say for it which is to little purpose That learned and worthy Gentleman whom I am loth to name in this cause pretends to give three reasons why the Sacramentall eating is not here meant First because there is not a word of receiving the Lords Supper in this Chapter Vind. p. 9. 10. and in the 10 and 11. Chapters he saith no such thing though he professedly treats of it His Learned Adversary sufficiently answers him 1. Gillespies Aarons rod. l. 3. c. 7 Desiring him to prove that the 7.8 verse of this Chapter is not meant of the Lords Supper 2. Telling him that in the 24 page of his book himselfe confesseth from this Chapter that the Passeover and the Lords Supper are the same for substance and that Ar●tius so expounds it Ar●t prob loc 80. To that I have spoke already Mr Prinn objects that 1 Cor. 10.16 17. the Apostle saies they were all partakers of one bread yet in he Church of Corinth were some scandalous some druntards that came so to the Table c. Mr Gillespy answers him That the word all can be of no larger extent then visible Saints such as were those to whom the Epistle was directed and surely visible workers of iniquity cannot be visible Saints Saith Mr Gillespy he shall never prove that those that were drunk at the Sacrament in the Church of Corinth came thither such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or were drunk the night before or knowne drunkards if they were drunk it was there which the Apostle could not know before they came where by the way I desire my Reader to take notice of the invalidity of this plea of Mr Boatman's for the admitting such as are knowne before hand to be scandalous sinners I add further Plus satis bibit Grotius ad loc Quanquam ego non existimarem de eâ sermonem fieri qua homines alienati a sensu mente susi jacent sed potius de larga compotatione ita ut liberalius bibendo plus aequo exhilarati essent P. Mart. ad loc that he shall never be able to prove they were drunk the word there used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth not alwaies signifie to drink drunke but often to drink liberally and well So Io. 2.10 The sence is onely this you come to the Table of the Lord in parties disorderly first one company comes and they drink liberally more then they need then the others come and they have none to drink Nor is this a new notion I find it in Peter Martyr Grotins Estius ad loc Beza in Io. 2.10 translateth this word affatim bibere and why he might not have done so here if it had pleased him I cannot tell This Dr Drake hinted Mr Humfry of and Mr Humfry in his late vindication is so ingenious as to allow it So I hope now it may passe currant and wee shall heare this pleaded no more by Mr Humfry or Mr Boatman that drunkards were admitted to the Sacrament in the Church of Corinth 4. Especially considering what Mr Gillespy hath already said that although it could be proved that there were drunkards and other scandalous sinners there yet it can never be proved that they were admitted to the Sacrament 5. I will add one thing more the Apostle doth not say 1 Cor. 10.16 17. you are all partakers of one bread which if he had it would have been something more to have proved that the scandalous sinners in the Church of Corinth were admitted to this Ordinance but he saith no such thing he saith we are all partakers of one bread that is while we who are Saints wait upon God in that Ordinancé we partake of one bread and are one body yea and that he saith they were one body he plainly proves that the scandalous sinners did not partake of that one Bread But of that more anon 6. Lastly suppose this were true that some of the Corinthians were notoriously scandalous 2. That these were admitted to the Lords Supper that St Paul doth not in so many words command their suspension how doth this yet prove that scandalous sinners ought to be admitted till Mr Humfry or Mr Boatman have proved 1. That the Church of Corinth did nothing amisse 2. That because the Apostle did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in so many words say drunkards keep away therefore he did allow them to come any more then it will prove women ought to keep away because Paul no where saith expresly you beleeving women come as well as men So that this reason which is purely negative though urged by Erastus Mr Prin Mr Humphry and Mr Boatman will never inferre that it is lawfull to administer the Sacrament to all much lesse prove that Sacramentall eating is

Policy should now and then divide and we humbly submit to God and desire rather to be faithfull Stewards for him then providers for our selves and ours Surely there is so much ingenuity at least in some of the godly Ministers of England as would intitle them to a desire of the love of all and so much earthinesse in all their hearts as exposeth them to some temptations to use all endeavours for a comfortable subsistence in this life If any of them neglects both that and this and chuse rather to venture the begging of their own bread then to throw the childrens bread to dogs rather to prostitute their owne names and lose their interest in the hearts of some people then to prostitute the Lords sacred Ordinance and give his name to a reproach as in this they come short of Chrysostome who professeth he would rather give his owne bloud to the prophane then the body and bloud of Christ and of Ambrose who ventured the losse of his head as well as the love of Theodosius so it will not need much of thy charity to interpret their actions conscientious pieces of self-deniall for the interest of their deare and blessed Saviour yea and of their soules too who are kept away it being certaine if Iudas were at the Sacrament which can never be proved the next worke he did was to hang himselfe through horror of conscience and for that sinne of unworthy receiving in the Church of Corinth Many saith the Apostle were sick and weak and many fallen asleep How unjustly therefore we are raged against who durst not give the bloud of Christ to those to drinke who are in a burning feaver of open lusts and so dangerous a knife into the hands of those whom we see distracted with sinne and in a spirituall Delirium We hope any equitable standers by will judge and measure our actions by the duly and orderly practise of Physitians in bodily tempers considering we are ready as to such Patients to allow them what they will drinke of the Barley water of Repentance which we conceive more proper for them and are ready to restore their knives to them when they shall by any moderate account given us let us know that God hath restored them so much of his Image in spirituall wisdome that they will not murther their precious soules with them And we doubt not but if ever the Lord shall give them an heart to repent and restore their desperately distempered soules to health in that day it shall be no more griefe of heart to them that they have been kept away then it is to the recovered Patient that his Physitian denyed him flesh and wine in his feaver or a knife in his distraction and at that time we shall expect their thanks in the meane time we shall beare their rage and reproach with paience knowing it is for the Lord we suffer it For the Lord who suffered more in the shedding of his bloud for us then we can doe in the vindication of it and preserving it from being prophaned by unhallowed mouths If it pleaseth the Lord they dye in their spirituall distempers and go raging to their graves we must be content to expect our thanks from our Lord and Master at the great day and our vindication there except Reader thou wilt shew thy selfe so ingenuous and judicious as in thy thoughts to acquit us As to the subject of this Tract the truth is so much hath been said in the defence of what I plead for of old by all the Schoolmen and since by Calvin Vrsin Zanchy and by Reverend Beza and Master Rutherford in answer to Erastus and by learned and Reverend Gillespy in answer to Master Prynne besides what hath been spoken by Master Philip Goodwin in his excellent Book called the Evangelicall Communicant and by many others that were it not for the importunate clamours of those who would get that by their importunity and clamorous tongues and pens which the justice of their Cause and strength of their Arguments will not allow to them nor gaine for them both my selfe and others might have had an eternall supersedeas for this Worke. I scarce find any thing in Erastus and Beza but what I meet with in the Schoolmen nor any thing in Master Prynne or Master Humfry considerable but what I find in Erastus That if our Brethren of the contrary perswasion would not have troubled the world with their opinions without answering first what had been said against them we had long ere this time had our Quietus est for I durst undertake to yeeld him the cause who sufficiently answers but one Book wrote upon this subject viz. Master Gillespies Aarons Rod blossoming so that the truth is the advantage our opposites have of us in this point is mostly upon such as have not knowledge of what hath been said against their opinions or are not supplyed with money to buy the Books nor able to gaine ti●e to read them or upon such whose particular engagements and over-much love to the whimzies of their owne braines or malice or prejudice at least to the truth or love to their cursed lusts which yet they would keep and have the Sacrament too and be thought unworthy of no Gospell-priviledge hath outlawed their Reason and so stopt their eares that they are made incapable of a boaring with the sharpest and most convincing Arguments that Scripture and Reason can afford and thus they only captivate those who are first led captive by their owne lusts Possibly thou wilt be inquisitive to know what hath made me write if I have judged enough already said I must crave a little of thy patience to satisfie thee as to this I have often thought that it would be a rare expedient in order to the ending of all controversies of these times relating to the order of the Church if some judicious man would out of all the considerable Books wrote upon each Controversie within these twelve or thirteen yeares candidly state each Controversie and transcribe the Arguments relating to them with the Exceptions and Answers given to any digesting them in a due method and it might please the civill power then to Enact That no one should write more upon any of those Questions but should be engaged either to bring New Arguments on the part he would defend or vindicate those brought on the part he would defend from the various Answers given to them Were this taske but imposed upon new Scriblers the world would be lesse full of impertinent Discourses and Disputes would not run as they doe in infinitum I doe not pretend a specimen of such a Worke I have neither purse nor Library nor time fit for it But the truth is as I find in Mr Humfry and heare from Mr Boatman nothing more then Erastus long since said and hath been more then once already answered so I have not studied for a new Argument but out of severall Authors have rallyed up an old

then But he walks by another rule for he professeth here That except the profane be first admonished then excommunicated which he knowes now they cannot be except by Elderships which his judgement is not for belike no power on the earth hath the least seeming or semblable Authority to keep any from the Sacrament yea and this is his Say notwithstanding all the Learning of ab the Ministers on earth yea and he tels us so againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For Suspension it is a dreame of the Pharisees who invented it yea a Pharisaicall invention How a dream a Pharisaicall dream a thing not to be maintained by the Learning of all the Ministers on earth No Authority for it neither seeming nor semblable Bona verba quaeso Surely lesse Learning will be enough to deal with so yong a Rabbi and to maintaine so ancient so divine so rationall an institution at least against such an adversary Softer words would have been better for one that had no harder Arguments for his opinion Nay more he desires nay he challengeth with as much humility as we can thinke he hath after he hath so boldly charged all the Churches of God as Dreamers Pharisaicall Dreamers c. any to shew him the least footsteps for it from the Word of God This challenge he shall see anon is accepted We will try what a combatant our Goliath is he tels us he speaks not besides his Book I know not what is in his Book but I shall prove anon he speaks besides Gods Booke and besides his Book too if it were the Bible he had in the Pulpit but possibly it was Master Humphria's Rejoinder But he tels us he hath Reasons anon shall come forth yea and those terrible ones too such as shall amaze our consciences Let us see what they are Sect. 4 Trace the footsteps and they are very rare in Scripture too that Christ hath laid downs in such a case as this and till you have searched them beleeve that a great deale of pride and more uncharitablenesse and worse then both hath been the cause of suspending so great an Ordinance so long and making such a breach in the Church of God I find but once in the Booke of God that it speaks directly in it and then it speaks of no other remedy for all exorbitances committed in the Church but Let a man examine himselfe c. If you find any shew them It is a meere Dreame and Invention of men which they pretend to implode the Scriptures and lay a burden on our shoulders and an intollerable yoke I say a Pharisaicall invention and I speake plainly and home When the Aprstle had taken a survey of the great enormities of some he speaks Not a Word more and that upon a fault which I beleeve not any man was guilty of in the English Church viz. They were drunke at the Sacrament and we doe not sind that he did suspend them cast them out or excommunicate them only the Apostle fatherly and Apostolically adviseth them to take a better care for the time to come 2. Secondly admit what some pretend that there is just reason to suspend some from the Sacrament whom it would never trouble the wisest heads in this Age for it never entred into the heads of former Ages to tell what distinct crimes they are for which any are to be suspended You are mistaken if you thinke for every whimzy-gimcra●ke or trifle that comes in a mans head a man must be kept fram the Sacrament The Apostle indeed adviseth the Corinthians to excommunicate the incestuous person but the businesse was so highly aggravated that the sinne was not so much as named amongst the Heathen It is not every trifle because a man is not of such a mans opinion in point of State-affaires though I hope you are all of a mind now therefore he must be kept from the Sacrament not because such or such a Pharisee saith a man keeps company with Publicanes and sinners and so one himselfe but not so though called so therefore he must be debarred from the Sacrament What is all this from God I dare safe●ier say from the Devill What out of a private and particular prejudice and he that hath taken it hath a little power that way and interest in Admission therefore the Party must be kept from the Sacrament Quis talia fando I had almost spoken something that had been a Solecisme Did ever the Lord Jesus Christ thinke on earth this should have been done in his Church and I tell you the Holy Ghosts straine No either he must be convicted and adjudged or I dare pronounce of him that denies it him on any other score That he is a bold intruder on Christs Authority Are those the amazing reasons we heard of I wonder Here 's amazing language and boldnesse and confidence here 's nothing looks like a Reason but only that the Gentleman doth not read that the Apostle in 1 Cor. 11. that the Apostle gave no other order but Let a man examine himselfe But what if Christ himselfe gave other order Mat. 7.6 and by his owne example admitting none but his Disciples and the Apostles Acts 2 admitting none but such as were prickt at the heart c. And what needed the Apostle in the eleventh Chapter give order further when in the fifth Chapter he had plainly forbidden them to keep the Feast with old Leaven viz. scandalous sinners as ver 6. and to eat with any call'd brethren that should be fornicators covetous idolaters railers drunkards extortioners for the Corinthians being drunke at the Sacrament There is nothing but our Translation serves Master B and we translate the same word otherwise John 2.10 of that more afterwards But he tels It will pose the wisest heads to find out for what sinnes any should be kept away that is another dispute We are now disputing whether any should or no according to Master B's Doctrine if a man had sinned the sinne against the Holy Ghost he should not this is all that looks like Reason and here 's a poore pittance of it but besides this Reader 1. Here 's an impudent falshood affirmed in a Pulpit That it never entred into the heads of former Ages to suspend any thou wilt find I have proved it the constant practice of the Churches of God in all former Ages 2. Here is a bold expression of Suspension He tels us againe that it is a meere Dreame an Invention of men a Pharisaicall invention 3. Here is an impudent aspersion cast not only upon the eminent servants of God in former times and Churches and Councels but upon the generality of godly Ministers in this Age whose judgment practice hath been to suspend the ignorant and scandalous from the Lords Table Master Boatman tels the people that They goe about to implode the Scriptures to lay a burthen and an intollerable yoke so all Christs Ordinances are to men captivated by their lusts on their shoulders That

do partly because the ignorance of some may judge it one of their superstitious practices and partly because their Schoolemen have spoken enough to let us know their minds to which Salmeron may be added who hath spoken enough to prove it in a place I have before quoted Salmeron t 5. tract 50. For the opinion of the Churches of the Switzers it is not considerable in the cause because most of their Churches have no Excommunication at all and so could not hold Suspension as distinct from it yet I observe that none of them plead for admission of any to the Lords Table but such as make a profession of their faith and repentance so Brentius Bullinger Gualther c. Philip Melancthon who was one of the first Reformers in Germany hath said enough as it is recorded by Christophorus Pezelius Pezelii pars oct argum resp theol contexta ex scriptis Melanct. de Excom p. 409. In veteribus Canonibus duo gradus sunt poenarum separatio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excommunicatio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Separatio est poena qua homo per sententiam Ecclesiae cogitur aliquantisper omittere officium publicum usum Sacramentorum ut exploretur ejus obedientia an volens statim emendaturus sit veniam petiturus Melancth in Eth. 287. an vero contumaciter defensurus errorem c. Altera poena ultima summa in Ecclesia est Excommunicatio c. This is plaine enough for our purpose The next which I shall name of those holy and learned men whom Mr Boatman hath called Dreamers c. amongst the rest is holy Bucer Bucer in Comment in Ephes cap. 4. Et Cavendum est Ecclesiis ne cui causam praebeant sumendi sibi judicium in sumendo Sacramento salutis quod faciunt quicunque absque verâ peccatorum suorum Poenitentiâ Sacramentis Domini communicant Quamobrem siqui in gravius aliquod peccatum incidissent in manifestum flagitium ut Corint hius ille incestus inciderat eos priscae Ecclesiae quae Christi disciplinam adhuc rectè tenebant ligabant certo tempore ad agendam hoc est demonstrandum poenitentiam per opera fructus veros poenitentiae etiamsi illos jam tum peccati sui poenitere appareret id enim erat consentaneum verae poenitentiae de tetriore lapsu quae ut dictum si vera sit aliquandiu haeret tum utile ad cavendum peccatum tam ipse qui ligabatur quam totae reliquae Ecclesiae Atque hinc est quod Divus Cyprianus tantopere urgebat lapsis inpersecutionibus non ilico dandam esse veniam sed diu ac justo tempore eos agere poenitentiam de quov Epist ejus 2. 3. lib. 1. lib. 3. ab Ep. 14. ad 20. in Sermone de lapsis Item exemplum Ambrosii inlegatione Theodosii apud Theod. l. 3. c. 18. apud Sozom. l. 7. c. 24. Porro licet abstinendi sint ad tempus qui gravioribus peccatis Ecclesiam funestarunt tamen severior debet esse Excommunicatio eorum qui Ecclesiam non audiunt c. In the next place let us heare what our Reverend Calvin saith Calv. institut l. 4 cap. 12. sect 5 6. and he speakes plaine enough In his fifth Paragraph having spoken before of Church-Censures he treats of the three ends which the Church aimes at in such Censures 1. The glory of God 2. The preservation of the Churches purity 3. The amendment of the offender In his sixth Paragraph he comes to shew the method and order of the Churches proceedings in Church-Censures that he doth by making use of a former distinction he had laid down between publike and more private sins By private sins he tels us he doth not mean such as none know of such as are the sins of hypocrites but such whose nature is not so scandalous c. For open grosse publike sins he tells us the Church need not proceed so gradually 1. By private admonition 2. Then by admonition more publike c. For lesser sins the Church takes no cognisance of them till private admonition be refused when it comes to them if the offence be lighter sufficit verborum castigatio saith he it is enough for the Church at first to admonish and that saith he must be levis paterna quae non exasperet peccatorem nec confundat sed reducat ad seipsum ut magis gaudeat se correctum quam tristetur But if the offences be of an higher nature they must be corrected by a sharper remedy for saith he it is not enough if one hath committed a scandalous sin and grievously offended the Church should be reproved by words but for a time he ought to be deprived ef the Communion of the Lords Supper Ibid. Sect. 7 8 9.10 11 12. till he hath given evidence of his repentance And this saith he was the way of the ancient and better Church c. But for Excommunciation he determines that must be done after a great deale of waiting and with a great deale of wisdome and caution c. thou maiest read him at large whose discourse is too large indeed to be transcribed This is enough to shew thee that he is one of Mr Boatmans Pharisees and Dreamers too we shall have good company I hope anon In this sixteenth Century were so many eminent men that it were endlesse to transcribe all their testimonies to this truth thou hast Reader already heard what Melancthon and Bucer and Calvin have spoke who were all three within this Century I shall not trouble thee with many more Zach. Ursinus in doct Christ 2. p de Coenâ dom q. 8. What Reverend Vrsine thought may be read at large in his eighth Question de Coenâ Domini where he speakes to these two Questions 1. Quiad coenam accedere debent who ought to come to the Lords Table 2. Qui debeant admitti who ought to be admitted to it In answer to the latter he determines Those are to be admitted by the Church who by words and deeds professe true repentance and who by the actions of their life expresse their profession of faith and repentance but they are saith he not to be admitted who barely say they beleeve all things for he who saith he beleeveth and sheweth it not by his works is a liar and doth in deeds deny what in words he affirmeth For this he gives reasons and answers objections largely in that Chapter which the Reader may see in Latine or English And that he thought this Suspension ought to precede Excommunication is plaine for in the same Book in his fifth Question de Clavibus He determines that Excommunication must be used as the last remedy to correct those who are found impenitent And in the preceding Question he proves by fourteen Arguments that scandalous persons ought to be kept from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper which I wish those who are so zealous

for the profanation of that Ordinance would seriously weigh possibly they might amaze their consciences if they have any more than Mr Boatman's startling reason scares us I confesse in this Century I find severall of the Germane Divines pleading for promiscuous Communion especially Wolfangus Musculus but they are not so considerable in this cause because their Judgements are also against all Church Discipline where there is a Christian Magistrate The Lord hath made their names upon other accounts exceeding famous though in point of Church Discipline they have no name in the Church God shall reveale this also to those Churches as we hope What was Peter Martyrs opinion is plaine from his common places Pet. Mart. loc com Clas 4. c. 5. sect 7. where he tells us in what order the Churches of God formerly proceeded to the solemne sentence of Excommunication he indeed tels us that their severall degrees of Catechumeni of which some were Audientes some Competentes and of their Poenitentes of which they had foure sorts all of which were kept in the Primitive Church from the Lords Table at least all but their fourth degree of Penitents cannot be proved from Scripture But in his fifteenth Section moving this Question what should be done in reference to scandalous sinners if the community refused to consent to their Excommunication He answers Saltem id curandum esse ut damnatis atque convictis de publicis manifestis criminibus pastor Sacramenta non distribuat Care at least must be taken that the Pastor doth not administer the Sacrament to such as are convicted of grosse sins from whence it is plaine that he judged some that might be kept from the Supper of the Lord who were not Excommunicated And that Reverend mans judgement is not so clearely to be judged from his common places which were collected out of his works by others and by them published as by the Book called Reformatio legum Ecclesiasticarum of which more anon In the next place let us heare what Polanus thought Polan Syntag. Theol l. 7. c. 18. Abstentio publica usurpatur cum coram Ecclesia jubetur abstinere Sacrae Coenae usu is qui contra privatum interdictum aliis ad mensam domini accedentibus se ingerit c. whose judgement the Reader shall find in the second part of his Syntagma l. 7. c. 18. Where he tels us that the Publike Censures of the Church are three 1. Admonitio 2. Abstentio 3. Excommunicatio Admonition Suspension and Excommunication Publike Suspension saith he is when in the Jace of the Church he is commanded to abstaine from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper who either against a private prohibition intrudes or whose sin is so scandalous that the Pastor of the Church cannot without scandall to the faithfull administer the Sacrament to him So Ambrose suspended the great Emperour Theodosius Come we now to learned and Reverend Zanchy who hath a large discourse upon this point in his first Book of Epistles Zanch. in epist l. 1. in ep ad Fred tert At quorum peccata sunt omnibus nota quorum etiam pertinacia ●emini est ignota hos ex verbo Dei cum totâ vetustate doctissimis quibusque nostri saeculi contendimus ad Coenam Domini minimè esse admittendos ib. in an Epistle to Fredericus tertius where he determines that Excommunication is to proceed only in case of contumacy But confirmes the keeping away of scandalous and impenitent sinners by thirteen Arguments and saies they are egregiously charitable who would have none kept away and determines the admission of the profane to be against piety and charity and answers the trite Objections of Judas his receiving and from that place Let a man examine himselfe Ergo none else may examine him and determines the admission of the profane 1. Against the will of God 2. A profanation of the Sacrament 2. A scandall to the Church In short saith he For those whose sins and whose obstinacy in sinning is known to all we contend both in the behalfe of Gods word and according to all Antiquity and all the Learned of our Age that they are not to be admitted to the Lords Table He produceth the authority of Justin Martyr Chrysostome in severall places Cyprian c. In the next place let us heare the judgement of Reverend Danaeus Lambert Daneus in Isagoge Christ p. 3 c. 59. p 4. l. 5. c. 53. and that may be read plaine enough in the third part of his Isagoge Christiana cap. 59. where he distinguisheth the publike censures of the Church into Admonition Suspension from the Lords Table and Excommunication and in his fourth part and fifth book cap. 53. he sufficiently proves that the Ignorant and Scandalous are to be kept away from the Lords Table for which he gives reasons and answers objections Of the same mind is Learned and Reverend Zepperus as may appeare at large from his Tract of the Sacraments in genere specie l. 4. de sacrâ Domini coenâ cap. 5. where he handles this question for whom Christ instituted the Sacrament of his Supper and determines it was only for his Disciples who these are he explaines from Joh. 8.31 Mat. 16.24 Zepperus in tract de sacram l. 4. de sacra Coenâ cap. 5. Joh. 13.35 And determines that the scandalous and obstinate ought not to be admitted because they are none of Christs Disciples because holy things are not to be given to dogs because it hath been the constant practice of the Church to keep them away this he proves not only from the practice of the Jewish Church in reference to the Passeover but from the Writings of Tertullian Cyprian Chrysostome c. and answers the objection of Judas his supposed receiving I have a Book wrote in Latine Ecclesiasticae disciplinae Anglicanae Ecclesiae ab ill â aberrationis plena dilucidatio p. 127 128 129 130. anno 1574. by some pious learned man who I know not I am informed it was Mr Dudly Fenners it is called Ecclesiasticae Disciplinae Anglicanae Ecclesiae ab illâ aberrationis plena è verbo Dei dilucida explicatio where Suspension distinct from Excommunication is maintained and proved from Scripture and Antiquity What was Bucanus his Judgement is evident enough from his Institutions in his 44. common place he propounds this as his tenth question Quot sunt partes sive gradus Ecclesiasticae correctionis How many degrees are there of Ecclesiasticall Censure He answer three 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admonition 2. Exclusio seu abstentio c. Suspension from the Lords Supper for a time Bucan instit theol loc 44. q. 10 c. 3. Excommunication of which see more there So that it is plaine he also thought there was such a thing as Suspension distinct from Excommunication viz. absolute Excommunication Reverend and Learned Beza's judgement is so known that I

proves strongly it was Voluntary not imposed as a Church-Censure But yet there is one question to be spoken to before we dismisse this particular viz. whether all these were not first Excommunicated and so these degrees of penance enjoyned them as testifications of their repentance before they were admitted againe into the Church To this I answer I will not deny but if any persons were Excommunicated they might have their way in their returne to the Church lie through these foure doores But it will easily be made appeare that some were adjudged to this penance who yet were not absolutely cut off and cast out of the Church 1. He who was excommunicated was not only denied the liberty of praying with the Church but none might pray with him in a private house all despised and avoided him as a putrid member Albaspin Obs l. 1 Obs 1. l. 2 Obs 4. Synt. Antioch 1. Can. 2. Concil Carth. 4. Can. 73. Concil Arel 2. Can. 15 16 18. only he was to be admonished as a Brother but they might not kindly salute him nor bid him God-speed nor trade nor eate nor drinke with them But we read of no such injunction concerning any of those who were Penitents Can. Apost 10. a man was to be suspended if he joyned in prayer with an excommunicated person They might by no meanes eate or drinke with them nor talke with them as any one may read in a multitude of the Canons of the first Councils 2. Besides there are many instances may be produced both from the Councils and out of Basils three Canonicall Epistles Concil Tol. 1. Can. 3. where the time of the penitence was limited to three or foure or five or sixe or seven yeares according to the Nature of the sin but it was never known that a Church limited a time in Excommunication how long the party should so stand 3. Those who were Excommunicate were not censured and adjudged ad agendam poenitentiam Albaspin Obs l. 2. Obs 4. but did pet ere poenitentiam as a favour of the Church There were some in the Church that were adjudged ad perpetuam poenitentiam for some scandalous sin to their death never to be received to Communion in the Lords Supper with the Church but never was any adjudged to a perpetuall Excommunication 5. Many who were adjudged to some kind of penance for some sin yet were admitted to the Laick Communion as they call it as Albaspinaeus proves out of very many Canons in l. 1. Obser Obser 4. what that Lai●k Communion was I shall not determine Baronius V. Pamelii annot 3● in Cypr. ep 52. Pamelius and Durantus contend that it was to receive the Eucharist on the other side of the Railes c. others thinke it was receiving the Sacramentall bread only Albaspinaeus confutes them both and sufficiently proves it was the fellowship of those Christians who were of the Laity But those who were Excommunicated had no such priviledge allowed them By all this it evidently appeares 1. That although those who were excommunicated did sometimes petere poenitentiam crave the favour of the Church in order to their restoring that they might be admitted to stand as penitents and approve themselves againe to the Church 2. Or possibly when they desired restauration might by order of the Church be enjoyned to come in by those steps yet those frequent Canons of the Church wherein for severall sins men were adjudged to stand as penitents for shorter or longer time cannot be understood to concerne excommunicated persons but such sinners as were guilty of those sins and yet the Church did not think fit wholly to cut them off but according to the rule Cuncta prius tentanda appointed them to be deprived of a partiall communion with the Church for some time that they might see whether they were pertinacious or whether God would give them an heart to repent that they might be againe restored and the time of their Suspension was set longer or shorter according to the nature of the sins which they committed V. Concil Binii V. Basil Canon ep Those who had been guilty of sins against Nature were suspended all their life time in Tertullian's times afterwards in the Councill of Ancyra they had time of repentance prefixed so in Basils times for man-slaughter Theodosius the Emperour was suspended eight months the Council of Ancyra gave them only the liberty of the Sacrament sub exitum vitae when they were neare their death Basil as I remember determines them fifteene or twenty yeares suspension Adulterers before Cyprians time were suspended to their dying day afterwards they had a shorter time set for to testifie their repentance 3. Now we have seen what the practice of the Church was let us consider how ancient this practice was That it was very ancient is out of all doubt but how ancient cannot easily be resolved Tertullian was the first who wrote concerning it who in his booke de poenitentia gives us hints of it and as Albaspinaeus proves hints the severall degrees of it Helvicus reckons him within the second Century Thaumaturgus who lived in the next Century in his Canonicall Epistle reckons up all the degrees but that Epistle is suspected Magdeb. Cent. 2. cap. 6. The Magdeburgenses tels us that in the second Century there was a Custome of setting sinners a time of publike repentance But in the third Century is evident enough about the yeare 210. O●ig in Jos h●m 7. Hom. 2. in 37. Psal and so forward Origen in his seventh Homily on Joshua tells us they excommunicated none but those who were thrice admonished and refused repentance and in his second Homily on the 37. Psal gives us some account of their order in publike penance Cypr. de lap sis Ser. 3. Te●t in lib. de poenitentia Tertullian and Cyprian do it abundantly Gregorius Thaumaturgus if the Canonicall Epistle be his doth not only tell us the severall degrees but tells us what places were assig●ed for them in the Church in their severall degrees Qui verò excommunicati Centur. l. 3. c. 6. aut non excommunicati gravit●r aut idolis sacrificando aut haereticos deficiendo lapsi essent non nisi post publicam poenitentiam confessionem debitè peractam recipiebantur say the learned Centuriators in this Century In this Century the time of their poenitence was appointed according to the nature of the offence we learne out of Cyprian Cypr. l. 4. ep 2. that those Christians who had eagerly professed the Christian Faith and in the time of persecution fell away had three yeares set them all which time they were suspended when the time set them was expired if the Church judged they had duly manifested repentan●e they took their names and enrolled them giving them a Ticket to this purpose Admit this man to the Communion Ib. l. 3. ep 15 16. Cypr. ep 52. who having formerly fallen hath shewen sufficient signes of