on Delinquents against Gods Law as well as against the Kings Yea had there bin any other Censures Ecclefiasticall distinct from these temporall which ought by any Divine Right or institution to have bin then inflicted upon notorious scandalous offendors against Gods Law by the high Priest or any other Church Officers or Iudicatory no doubt this devcut King upon this occasion would have expresly commanded Ezra the Priest himselfe or those Church-Officers or Judicatories to have duly executed the same when he gave him this large Commission and extended so much extraordinary favour to him that he cryes out in the very next ensuing words v. 27. Blessed be the Lord God of our Fathers who hath put such a thing as this into the Kings heart c. Which as it expresly determines that this Commission and forecited direction was inspired into the Kings heart by God himselfe and so most consonant to his written word and Law so it insinuates that by the Law of God in those dayes all scandalous Offenders against Gods Law were to be punished only by the civill Majestrates and Judges with civill punishments not by any Ecclesiasticall Officers or Iudicatory with any Church-censures whatsoever This may be further evidenced by the Priests Prophets Peoples and Princes proceedings against Ieremiah Vriah who for preaching and prophecying falsly as was supposed were punished by the King and Princes upon the Priests Prophets peoples malicious accusation only by * Imprisonment Death alone not by Church-cenâ—res Church Iudicatories Yea Deuter. 13. 5. False Prophets are expresly enjoyned to be put to death by the Civill Majestâ—â—â—s not punished by the Ecclesiasticall powers with excommunications or suspentions And it is most cleare and undeniable by the 1 King 22. 26. 27. 2 Chron. 16. 10. c 18. 25. 26. Math. 14. 3. 4. 5. Luk. 22. 23. Acts 5. 18. 19. c. 8. 3. c. 12. 2. 3. 4. c. 16. 23. 24. c. 22 19. 20 to 30. c. 24 25 26 2 Cor. 6 5 Hebr. 11 36 37. That both in the old and new Testament False Prophets Teachers and broachers of Erronious Doctrins or such who were so reputed though true yea the Apostls Saints of Christ for preaching professing the Gospell and truth of God amongest the Jewes and others who reputed it * Heresie Scisme or false Doctrine contrary to what they had formerly received were usually convented before the civill Majestrates and punished with imprisonment stripes putting or stoning to death and the like but not with Excommunication or any Ecclesiasticall Censures of divine institution though now made matters of meere Ecclesiasticall Cognisance And if so whether the Temporall Christian Majestrates and civill Powers as such have not now the selfesame divine Authority to punish such sinnes and sinners under the Gospell only with temporall punishments without the interposition Examination or Censures of any Church-Officers or Presbyteries as the Godly temporall Majestrates Civill powers had then under the Law If not how the contrary can be evidenced by cleare Scriptures and by what texts in particular 2. Whether the texts of Deut. 17. 8. to 14. 2. Chron. 19. 8. to the end do warrant any Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction Congregationall or Classicall in Causes meerely Ecclesiasticall or any meere Church censures distinct from the Civill Majestracy and temporall Censures as some now pretend Whether the genuine scope and sence of these texts hold forth any more or other jurisdiction and power in the Priests Levites or High Priest himselfe then this That they joyntly with the temporall Iudges and chiefe of the Fathers of Israel not alone by themselves should resolve not ordinary plaine or undisputable but only all such doubtfull civill cases or controversies which the ordinary Iudges or Majestrats in their Cities held dubious or too hard for them to determine aright between not scandall and scandall â—or who should be excommunicated suspended from the Ordinances as scandalous ignorant or unfit and who not but between blood and blood plea and plea stroke and stroke being matters of civill controversie in their gates and between Law and Commandement Statutes and Iudgments to wit the Judiciall written Law of God upon whose exposition any civill doubts or controversies should arise which the people themselves could not resolve whose superior resolutions they should submit to and proceed accordingly to execution and he that would presumptuously disobey and not submit to their sentence was not to bee excommunicated or suspended * but put to death a meere civill censure to terrify others And if this only be the ful sence and meaning of these texts whether any episcopal Presbyteriall classical or congregational Iurisdiction to correct scandalls with meer Ecclesiasticall censures can be deduced from them Whether that speech of Iehoshaphat 2. Chron. 19. 11. And behold Amariah the Chiefe Priest is over you in all matters of the Lord not scandalous sinnes and Ecclesiasticall Offences committed by the Priests or people no matters of the Lord but sins of men detested by the Lord imply or necessarily enforce that he had any Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction in point of judicature to censure punish all or any sort of scandalous sinners with Church censures of which there is not one sillable in the text vested in him by any divine Authority And if so whether it makes not more for Papall and Archiepiscopall then Presbyteriall Classicall or Congregationall Authority this power or superintendent Iurisdiction over all matters of the Lord being vested in this High Priest alone and no other Or rather whether it be not clearly meant that as King Josiah himselfe did by his own Regal Authority appoint Iudges in the Land and in Jerusalem in the preceeding 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. verses to determin all controversies punish all Offences whatsoever according to the Lawes of God and that Kingdom so he did by the selfesame regall Authority appoint Amariah then chief Priest over the Priests Levites only implyed in the word You not over the people of the Land in all matters of the Lord that is to Order direct the Priests and Levites under him in their several courses and all matters what soever concerning the worship service Oblations and sacrifices of the Lord to be performed by them in the Temple at Ierusalem in the selfesame manner as he set Zebadiah the Ruler of the House of Judah over all the Kings matters in the very next ensuing words That is as all consent not over the people and Kingdome for to judge and governe them for that the Iudges forementioned were to do but over his househould Lands Revenews as his Lord Treasurer or Lord High Steward of the Revenewes of the Crowne as the comparing of it with â—â— Chron. 26. 30. 33. And of the Hibronises Hashabiah and his Brethren men of valour a thousand and seven hundred were Officers among them of Israel on this side Jordan westward IN ALL BVSINESSES OF THE LORD in the service of the King
c. And his Brethren men of Vallour were two thousand seven hundred chiefe Fathers whom King David Made Rulers over the Rubenites Gadites and the halfe Tribe of Manasseth for EVERY MATTER PERTAINING VNTO GOD and Officers of the King joyntly therefore Church Officers made only by the King and alterable at his pleasure not by any Divine institution of God himselfe and the paralelling it with these explanatory texts 1 Chron. 9. 10. to 35. c. 23. 24. 25. 26. 2 Chron. 5. 7. to 14. c. 8. 14. 15. c. 13. 9. 10. 11. 12. c. 26. 16. to 21. c. 29. 3. to 35. c. 30. 16. c. 31. 2. 3. 11. to 20. c. 35. 2. 12. Ezra 6. 17. 18. Neh. 12. 40. to 47. compared with Heb. 5. 1. 2. For every high Priest taken from among men is ordained for men IN THINGS PERTAINING To GOD that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sinnes c. insallibly demonstrate And if so then what Divine warrant is there from hence for any such Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction distinct from the Temporall as many now contend for from these two noted Texts or for any Priests Ministers of the Gospell or Church Officers distinct from the temporall Majestracy to examine correct any scandalous Ostences by a meere Ecclesiasticall power or to punish them with Church Censures disterent from civill punishments 3. Whether the Priests Iurisdiction to judge of (l) all causes of Leprosie no scandalous sin nor offence but a meer naturall infirmity and that only among the Jewes yea as well in Houses Garments Vessells no subjects of Ecclesiasticall censures as Persons or their proceedings in the case of (m) Jelousie by vertue of expresse speciall Leviticall or Judiciall Lawes the only cases wherein the Priests were appointed to be as Judges in the old Testament whose proper Office was (n) to offer sacrifices and make attonement for sinnes not to censure or punish them bee any infallible proofe of the Aaronicall Priests or Presbyteries Ecclesiasticall Iudicature or Jurisdiction to censure all spirituall Leprosies of the soule with Church censures Or of the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction of Presbyteries or Independent Congregations to judge or censure all causes of spirituall Leprosie or scandalous offences under the Gospell And whither wee may not as soundly argue from the Writ * De Leproso amovendo and the Statute of 1 Iac. chap. 31. as they from these Texts Majors Bayliffes of Townes Justices of Peace Constables and other Officers may lawfully remove Lepers and shut up persons infected with the Plague of Pestilence Ergo they may excommunicate and suspend from the Sacrament all such as are scandalously or notoriously infected with the Leprosie and plague of sin 4. Whither Deut. 13. 12 13 14 Josh. 22. 10. to 34. Iudg. 20. 1. to 18. 2 Chron. 19. 9. to 11. Ezra 10. 16 17. where we read of temporall Officers Princes sent and imployed Commissioners as well as Priests to inquire after Idolaters Idolatry rapes mariages with heathenish Wives and other Ecclesiasticall crimes compared together hee not a stronger Scripture evidence for proofe of the Parliaments and Lay. Commissioners Authority to enquire after yea punish Idolaters and scandalous sinners then any texts that can bee produced by the Presbyterians or Independents out of the Old Testament for probat of a divine right either in their Classes Presbyteries or Independent Congregations to censure scandalous sins and sinners with Ecclesiasticall censures And whither the Statutes of 26. Hen. 8. cap. 1. 31. Hen. 8. c. 10. appointing a Lay Vicegerent in all Ecclesiasticall matters 37 H. 8. c. 17. 1 E. 6. c. 2. 1. Eliz. c. 1. do not justifie such Commissioners to be legall as well as these texts warrant them to be in some sort divine 5ly Whether there bee any precept or president in all the Old Testament directly or punctually determining that there was by divine institution an unquestionable Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction vested by God Himselfe in Priests Levites or any Jewish Officers to examine witnesses upon Oath convent or censure any scandalous sinners by excommunication or suspention of them from the Tabernacle Temple publike Assemblies Synagougs Sacrifices solemne publike Festivalls or other sacred Ordinances for any scandalous fin whatsoever If so then what are these precepts presidents and scandalous sins in particular And whether it be probable they had any direct authority given them by God â—…imselfe to suspend or put backe any from the Sacraments of Circumcision or the Passeover which Baptisme and the Lords Supper now succeed since both of them originally were ordered to be performed in private by the (o) Parents or Masters of the Family not Priests or Levites and executed or eaten by them in their (p) severall private houses where the Priests and Levites had no Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction that we read of and were not present at these sacred actions unlesse onely at some few solemne generall Passeovers at Ierusalem where they were but Ministeriall to (q) helpe kill the Passeover and sprinkle the bloud not Magisteriall to keep any backe from eating thereof by any pretext of Ecclesiasticall Authority 6ly Whether Ministers or Presbyteries under the Gospell have any other or greater Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction then the Jewish High Priest Priests and Levites had under the Law And whither Christian Kings Magistrates have not as large an Ecclesiasticall power and Authority under the Gospell as any godly Kings or Magistrates exercised under the Law If you answer Negatively to the first and affirmatively to the latter of these demands then how can that Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction of Presbyteries or Congregations and their power of Church-censures distinct from the civill Magistracy be any way justified or maintained by the Scripture If affirmatively in the first and Negatively in the latter then shew us direct Scripture Authorities to convince our judgements of what you thus assert or else give over your pretence of Ius divinum It is confessed both by the Presbyterians or Independents and cleare by sundry * expresse texts that Christian Majestrates are Jure divinâ—… and have an undoubted divine Authority yea command to punish and cut off all scandalous sinners Psal. 100 5 7 8. Rom. 13. 1. to 8. Pro. 20. 26. Whether Presbyteries or Independent Congregations have any divine Ecclesiasticall right to punish them with Church censures is very disputable and denyed by many Therefore it is the safest readiest way to Unity and Reformation to remit the punishment of all scandalous offences to the civill Magistrate rather than to the pretended disputable questioned aâ—…hority of Presbyteries Classes or Indedependent Congregations 7ly whether there be any expresse texts in all the New Testament and what in particular which infallibly evince an Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction by divine right to be setled by Christ in all Christian Ministers Presbyteries or Congregations in which of them in particular to continue unalterably in all Churches of Christ to the end of the world for the excommunication or
them then certainly Christian Majestrates as such must either be Church Officâ—…rs as well as Ministers or Lay-Elders the rather because all Precepts given to Majestrates themselves in Scripture are given only to such * Godly or Christian Majestrates who beleive embrace the Scriptures and are Members of a visible Church or Christian state as such not to any infidells or Heathen Majestrates as heathenish or meere Majestrates out of the Church as some grosly mistake else they were not obliged by Gods Law to see Church censures executed obeyed submitted too if no Church officers 14ly Whether it be not more agreeable to the word of God the Rules of Justice and more conducing to the Churches Peace for the Civill Mâ—…jestrate juditially to examine punish all pretended scandalous persons with temporall cenâ—…ures and then if they still continue impenitent to certifie the proofs taken before him to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Congregation upon their request â—…or their conviction tâ—…ere to ground an â—…xcommunication or suspention upon if there bâ—…e cause then to â—…ive them immediatpower to examine all scandalls themselves upon Oath without first acquainting the Civill Majestâ—…ate with it or desiring his 〈◊〉 examination of the scandalls of purpose to subject them to Church censures Since wee read of no such Examinations upon Oath practised by Presbyteries Church-Officers or particular Congregations among the Jewes or Christians in Scripture which if taken in writing and recorded as they ought to be that so they may be produced scanned upon Appeales there must then be a particular examiner or Register at least appointed in every Presbyterie Classis and Provinciall Synod to record them for which they will expect a constant Fee from the Church or State or an answerable recompence from the parties accusing or accused which cannot be setled without Act or Ordinauce of Parliament being new Fees and Offices and so it will draw a very great unnecessary charge farre greater then that of Bishops and their Officialls upon the people which they wil very unwillingly beare In which regard it is fitest the civill Majestrates or Justices of Peace should only take the Examinations of scandalls as they do in cases of Felony and other crimes and certify them to the Presbyteries or Classis as there shall be need 15ly Whether it be not both unjust and unreasonable to presse the Parliament to settle any kinde of Church-government as prescribed Iure divino before it be clearely demonstrated or manifested to their Iudgements consciences to be so by perspicuous undenyable proofes from Scripture Or to importune them to grant any unlimited arbitrary power to Classes Presbiteries or Congregations to judge of unknowne contingent scandals never yet thus censured from Adams or Christs dayes til now before they can so much as conjecture what they are or where ever they will bee perpetrated in our Churches since offences always use to h preceed Laws made to punish them and ex malis moribus optimae oriuntur leges as all Polititians have resolved Whether the demanding of such an unlimited power to be now established be not as bad yea more unreasonable then the late Prelates c. Oath most justly damned declaimed against and savors not more of wilfullnes then Conscience of the spirit of i Diotrephes then of Christ of whose Kingdome some pretend it to bee a most necessary and inseperable Branch And whether any Prophet Apostle Godly Presbyter privat Congregation or Classis in the primitive Church ever sollicited their Princes or Parliaments for such an exorbitant unlimited power 16. Whether Christian Princes and Majestrates k indulging of over-much power Honour and Ecclesiasticall Authority in point of Iurisdiction Church Censures and Excommunication in former ages to the Clergy under this apprehention perswasion that they were most pious conscientious holy moderat just and humble persons who would exercise it for Gods Glory only and the Churches good hath not beene the true Originall cause of all that Antichristian Tyranny Persecution exorbitances of Popish Prelates and Clergymen which have over-spred corrupted infested the Church and people of God And whether former examples of this kinde may not justly lesson us to beware of the like Error for the present though our Ministers who claime this Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction now contested for by a Divine Right be never so Godly upright discreet humble conscientious since we know not what many of our Ministers Elders who must exercise it in the Country are for the present or what the best of them all or their successors at least may prove for the l future m ambition being mans first sinne and most pleasing to our corrupt Natures as we see by the example of [u] Christs owne Apostles and daily experiences every where especially when they have engrossed more Ecclesiasticall power into their hands by pretext of a Divine Right then ever the expresse Law of God or Christ Himselfe in his Gospell hath delegated to them It is very observable that while the o Popes claimed their Papacy and Superiority over other Churches by grants and donations from the Christian Emperors of Rome they were very humble loyall and obsequious to them But after the long enjoyment of their transcendent jurisdiction by imperiall donations had so far puffed them up with pride as by degrees to desert their true ancient claime and challenge both their Papacy and Supremacy by a divine Right from Christ Himselfe by wresting divers Scriptures to their purpose and some of those among others which our Divines now principally insist upon they presently cast off both their subjection Loyalty to the Emperours at once so prosecuted them with Excommunications Interdicts suspentions rebellions force of Armes and parties raysed against them in their owne Empires that at last they quite trampled them under their feete disposing of their Crownes at pleasure making them sweare solemne homage to them as their Vassalls and to hold their Imperiall Crownes from them alone who formetly did homage to and held their Bishoprickes with all the Papall Jurisdiction they enjoyed onely from them Yea if our Presbyteries Classes or Independent Congregations shall be admitted to hold and enjoy all the Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction they now pretend to by a Divine Right and the Parliament their power authority only by a meet humane Institution and not by as cleare a Divine Right as theirs the next consequence I feare will be and we see it already maintained in some (x) Presbyterians and more (y) Independents printed Bookes That our Parliaments Kings and temporall Majestrates must have nothing at all to do with Church Officers or Church Government by way of direction correction or appeale but meerly as their subordinate Ministers to ratifie their determinations and enforce obedience to their censures which if they neglect or refuse to doe or stop their proceedings by any Prohibitions or legall course for ought I know when their Divine pretended Authority is setled to their mindes the next thing
suspention of all kinds of scandalous persons from the Sacrament though they externally pretend and professe their sincere repentance in generall Or any certaine rules prescribed them in the Gospell and in what particular Texts foâ—… the due execution of this jurisdiction in * all cases or scandalls that may happen If not whether it can probably bee imagined that Christ in his wisdome would erect institute and vest an Ecclesiasticall Government in Church officers without prescribing them any certain rules wherby to manage it in all particulars and leave them to proceed in an arbitrary way according to their meeâ—… pleasurâ—… contrary to Mat. 28 19. 20. If yea then produce these texts to us for our satisfaction 8ly What rules or presidents are there in Scripture to relieve parties grieved by unjust Ecclesiasticall censures either by appeales or other wayes and to what superior Tribunals If no such rules or presidents appeaâ—…e therin admitting Presbyteries or Congregations Ecclesiasticall jurisdictions censures to be Jure divino then 〈◊〉 by Goâ—…s own Law wch proâ—…ides them no reâ—…iefe the parties injured must not remain remediles when most injuriously sentenced by any private Presbitery Classis congregation without any help or benefit of Appeale to Provinciall Nationall Synods Parliaments or the Civill Magistrà te And if so whether this wil not introduce as many absolute tyrannies and arbitrary Tribunals against which we have so much contested of late as there are Presbyteries or Congregations especially if we grant them a generall power of all things they themselves shall judge to be scandals without confining them to particulars or establish their jurisdictions by a divine right which no meer humane power or iâ—…stitution can controll Ninthly whither if Christ hath instituted or left any exact Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction discipline or power of censures to his Church distinct from the civill Magistracy and censures this pretended jurisdiction discipline or power be so absolute and sufficient of it self alone as to be fully able to correct redresse reforme all abuses scandalls corruptions and suppresse all Heresies Schismes Errors Vices arising in every Church If â—…ot then we may justly suspect it is no reall jurisdiction nor discipline instituted by Christ who would (r) institute and bequeath no incompleate nor imperfect jurisdiction judicatory or discipline to his best-Beloved Spouse the Church If yea whither is that jurisdiction now contended for by Presoyterians or Independents such If so then it is compleate and every way selfe-sufficient without the concurrence or assistance of the Christian Magistrate or any temporall authority to assist maintaine it or supply its defects But this none can truly assert nor affirme For First no Presâ—…ytery Classis or Independent Congregation hath yet challenged nor can claim by divine right any coercive power by way of attachment imprisonment or fine to bring any party or witnes sommoned so much as to appeare before them in case of wilfull neglect or refusall to appeare or bee examined to prepare any cause â—…or sentence Secondly In case any Ecclesiasticall Censure of Excommunication or Suspention be inflicted by them upon scandalous persons after full hearing if they absolutely contemne the same or refuse to conforme themselves or by open violence intrude into the Congregation Church or force the Minister to give the Sacrament to them though excommunicated or suspended Thirdly In case any Hereticke Schismaticke or prophane person shall wilsu'ly separate from our Congregations as thousands now doe refufing to communicate with us in any Ordinances proclaming us to bee no Churches and passe a schismaticall sentence of Non-Communion with us by reason of some unjust exceptions or pretences against our Orthodox Doctrine diâ—…cipline or forme of Government and thereupon refuse to appeare before our Presbyteries Congregations or to submit unto their jurisdictions or censures in all these and such like cases the pretended divine Ecclesiasticall power censures of Presbyteries Classes or Independent Congregations are at a Nonplus so defective invalid of themselves 〈◊〉 enforce obedience to such contumatious or reduce reclaime such hereâ—…icall schismaticall or prophane persons from their obstinacy Heresies Schismes and neglect of publike Ordinances that they are enforced to pray in ayde from the Civill Magistrate by Capias excommunicatums imprisonments fines or other such civill compulsory means the only effectuall course by way of censure used in all ages to suppresse reform (*) Heresies Schismes and the only way to suppresse redresse them now without which all their Ecclesiasticall censures are both contemptible ineffectuall and altogether insufficient to reforme abuses So that if the Magistrates be Infidels Hereticks or Schismaticks who will not or prophane negligent timorous or licentious persons who care not or dare not to assist the Presoyteries Classes or Congregations in forcing submission to their Church processes censures they are so defective and ineffectuall of themselves that none can justly call or infallibly prove them to be the Kingdome Scepter Government descipâ—…ine and censures of Christ whereby his Church must onely bee governed purged reformed as some now pretend them to be 10ly Whither Matth. 18. 15. 16 17. if meant of Christian Presbyteries or Church-officers as is pretended not of the civill Magistracy or Jewish Sanhedrim gives any authority to them to proceed ex officio against notorious scandalous sinnes as Idolatry Blasphemy swearing drunkennesse c. since it speakes not of any publike scandalous offences against God and the Church but only of private personall * trespasses between man and man to bee proceeded against only upon the voluntary complaint of the party offended after previous private admonitions and then reproofes before witnesses yea of such offences which upon private satisfaction we are to forgive 77. times without any publike complaint or censure Luke 17. 3. 4. Therefore not meant of meer publike scandalls which no private man can remit nor no Church or Presbyterie will grant that they ought to bee 77. times remitted one after another without the least suspension or excommunication upon meer externall shewes of Repentance And whether thou hast gained thy brother in this Text be meant properly of gaining him to God by true Repentance or only unto him who gaines him by way of reconciliation and renewing friendship as the phrase it selfe compared with Prov. 18. 19. intimates 11ly Whether Acts 15. 1. to 36. where a Synod of Apostles Elders and Brethren met together at Jerusalem to debate and resolve a dubious point of doctrine onely about circumcision without exercising any act of discipline or Ecclesiasticall censure on any scandalous perâ—…son be a sound divine Authority to evidence to any mans conscience the Divine Right of Presbyteries Classes or Independent Congregations to inflict Ecclesiasticall censures upon scandalous Delinquents or to examine witnesses upon Oath against them of which there is not one sillable in that Text 12ly Whether the precept of Paul 1 Cor. 5. 13. for putting away from among them the incestuous person written to this particular Church in
this one case of Incest onely against which heinous scandalous sinne being then under Heathen Magistrates they could not safely complaine to them of it without great scandall nor go to Law before them for ordinary just civil things without great offence as appeares by the very next words 1 Cor. 6. 1. to 9. when as by the Law of God had the Magistrates there beene Jewes or Christians this sinne of Incest was to bee punished by them not with excommunication or suspention from the Church but death it selfe Leviticus 18. 8. c. 20. 11. 12. Be any satisfactory or infallible argument for the continuance and exercise of Excommunication or Suspention from the Sacrament in all Churches of Christ in all succeeding ages in all other cases of sin or scandal though the Magistrates in them be christian and may yea ought to punish those sinnes with death or other temporall censures if complained of VVhether those that presse this text may not as well conclude from the very next words 1 Cor. 6. 1. to 9. that it is unlawfull for Christians to go to Law before any Christian Iudges now and that they must sue only before Presbiteries or Congregations for meer temporall matters because Paul then commanded the Corinthians not to goe to Law before heathen Iudges to prevent scandall but only in the Church before the Saints or such Iudges as the Church should appoint them As inferre that all Scandalous persons must be excommunicated and suspended from the Sacrament by Classes Presbyteryes and censured only by them now not by the Christian Majestrate because the incestuous Corinthian was then Ordered to be put away and punâ—…hed by the Church and Saints of Corinth for want of a Christian Majestrate to punish him with death or corporall censures Yea whether they may not as Logically and Theologically argue from the very next chapter 1 Cor. 7. 27. where Paul writes thus I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distresse or necessity for a man not to touch a Woman or marry Ergo it is lawfull yea necessary for Christian men or Women in all ages Churches of Christ to vow perpetuall Virginity and not to mary at all as the Papists thence inferre in defence of their Monks Nons and uâ—…married Clergy As reason from this text That Paul in regard of the Corinthians present distresse and necessity for want of Christian Majestrates to punish this incestuous person with death and civill Censures adviseth the Church of Corinth To put away from AMONG THEMSELVES that wicked person or thing as some read it Ergo all Ministers Presbyteries and particular congregations of Christ have a divine inherent Ecclesiasticall right and power in them to punish not only incestuous persons but all other scandalous sinners with Excommunication suspention from the Sacrament other Church-censures even when where there is no such necessity nor defect of Christian Magistrates but sufficient sâ—…ore of them both able and willing to punish such with civill punishments answerable to their crimes and scandalls This is all that can be extracted from this text whereon they most realy Which must needs bee a grosse inconsequent because no Apostolicall advice to any one particular Church upon a private extraordinary occasion and necessity onely can or ought to bee a generall binding Law or Institution of Christ to oblige all other Churches whatsoever in the like or any other cases where there is no such extraordinary occasion or necessity As is cleare by one pregnant evidence in the 16. chap. of this very Epistle c. 1. 2. concerning the Collection then advised to be made for the Saints by the Corinthians every first day of the weeke or weekely which being but a particular advice and direction to this Church for thaâ—… one Collection is * no binding Law or Rule to all other Churches of Christ strictly to imitate in all their ensuing Collections as is evident by Acts 13. 28 29 30. 2 Cor. 8. 1. to 21. c. 9. 1. to 15. Râ—…m 13. 25 26. Phil. 4. 14. to 20. Else no Church could since appoint any publike monethly Collections on weeke dayes but onely weekely Collections on the Lords-Day under paine of transgressing the institustitution of Christ and this Apostle which none dare averre However since the Apostle writes not here to any Classis Presbytery or Presbytâ—…r but to the whole Church at Corinth TO PUT AWAY FROM AMONG THEMSELVES that wicked person that is to seclude him wholly from their Congregation Church company and not so much as to eat with him at their Tables or keepe any company with him at all as is evident by ver. 7. 9. 11. not to suspend him onely from the Lords Supper of which there is not one syllable in this Chap. nor of any such suspention in the 10. 11 chap. where he purposely treates of this Sacrament we may very well question whether it makes not more against Presbyteries and Classes divine power of Excommunication and a bare suspention of scandalous persons from the Lords Supper only without secluding them from all other Ordinances and Church Assemblies as well as it then for them it being contrary to the very difinition practise of excommunication hitherto knowne and used in the Church to Excommunicate a notorious scandalous person from the Lord supper only once a Moneth a quarter a yeare for feare of infecting others and yet to admit him daily or weekly to joy ne with the Church in all other Ordinances but it alone when all a Schoolmen (b) Canonists resolve tâ—…at excommunication especially that they call Major Excommunication excludes men not only from the Sacrament but likewise from entring into the Church the society of men prayers of the faithfull and those who wittingly keepe company buy or sell with such are to be ipso facto excommunicated Whereas many now pretend it should seclude men from the Lords Supper only but not from any other Ordinance contrary to thiâ—… to c other Texts and all sound Antiquity 13ly Whether there be any ground or example at all in Scripture to enjoyne the Civill Christian Majestrate in cases of obstinacy contumacy against Church censures inflicted by Presbyteries or Congregations to become a meere servant and executioner to Presbyteries Congregations or Church-Officers as the Pope and Prelates anciently made them to enforce obedience to their censures by imprisonment or other coercive meanes without any particular examination of the merits of the cause or justice of the procedings Whether such Ministeriall executions of their censures if admitted do not necessarily subject the people to a double jurisdiction vexation for one the selfesame scandalous crime which may prove more intollerably oppressive to them then the most exoâ—…bitant country Committees or Prelats consistories if not exactly bounded subordinat the Majestracy to the Ministery Presbytery and particular Congregations in point of Authority which if obliged by any divine Law to see Church censures executed and enforce obedience to