of all Schismes in the Church to be quod Sacerdoti Dei non obtemperatur that the Bishop is not obeyed Nec unus in Ecclesia ad tempus Sacerdos ad tempus Judex vice Christi cogitatur and that 't is not considered that the one Priest i. e. Bishop and Judge is for the time in the Church in Christs stead which is yet more clear by his making Sacerdotum Collegium The Colledge of Priests all one with Coepiscoporum consensus The consent of Fellow-bishops and presently adding that he that sets himselfe above this unus Sacerdos one Priest se non Episcopi sed Dei Judicem faceret makes himself Judge not of the Bishop but of God And therefore 't is a strange proofe of Blondels that Episcopacy and Presbytery is all one from that speech of Pontius Diaconus concerning this Cyprian Quod ad officium Sacerdotii Episcopatus gradum novellus electus est having before said Presbyterium Sacerdotium statim accepisse Whereas the equipollence of the word Sacerdos and Episcopus being observed and the difference of Presbyter from them doth clearly infer the contrary and that is apparent by the very place Multa sunt quae jam Presbyter fecit ad probationem bonorum operum satis est quod ad officium Sacerdotii Episcopatus gradum adhuc novellus electus est He was it seems a Presbyter first and did many things in that state and a proof that he did so was his election to the office of Sacerdos or Bishop when he was a novice then presently or soon after his conversion where the difference of his being a Presbyter and a Bishop is most manifest So when St Hilarius Pictav saith Aarone Sacerdotes significari non ambiguum in Levi ministros ostendi the same Blondel concludes Sacerdotes sive praepositos seniores to be all one not knowing or observing again that that Sacerdos signifies Bishop who is there set parallel to Aaron in lege primus Sacerdos the first Priest in the law Sect. 9 Many other evidences might be produced out of those and after times as in the Councel of Taurinum speaking of Palladius A Triferio sacerdote fuerat mulctatus he was punished by Triferius who that he was a Bishop if it were doubted would appear by the acts of that Councel and particularly by his excommunicating Exuperantius a Presbyter Can. 4. which sure none but a Summus Sacerdos a High Priest or Bishop could doe Sect. 10 But there can be no need of more proofs in this matter and if there were now any more doubt that the Bishops were the confest successors of the Apostles in this Priviledge or Prerogative that one Canon of the Apostles might satisfie it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Let not the Presbyters or Deacons do any thing without the consent of the Bishop for he hath the people of the Lord intrusted to him and shall one day be required an account of their souls which besides that it is evidenced to belong to this power of the Keyes by the usefulnesse of that to the discharging the trust about souls appears further by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prohibiting of Presbyters to do any thing without him Sect. 11 A saying which whatsoever is thought of it is the voice of the first Antiquity Ignatius must begin the number in Epist ad Trall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is necessary that whatever ye do ye do nothing without the Bishop And if because it follows immediately 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obey the Presbyters as the Apostles it be conceived that that precept belongs to the people onely and not to the Presbyters it will then be easily replyed that to the whole matter the same Ignatius in Epist ad Magn. hath given it in a latitude which had prevented this scruple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As the Lord Christ doth nothing without the Father so you also without the Bishop You whether Presbyter or Deacon or Laick Once more in Epist ad Smyrn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no man without the Bishop do any of those things which belong unto the Church And the Councel of Laodicea hath almost in Ignatius's words commanded the same Can. 56. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Presbyters must do nothing without the consent of the Bishop and many more acts and Canons might be produced to the same purpose And if against all these this exception be made that by the Sect. 12 force of such Rules not only the power of the Keyes but also all other power belonging to the Church is appropriated to Bishops to this the Answer as it will be easie so it will tend much to the clearing and serve for the shutting up of this whole matter That indeed there is great truth in the objection that all power in all matters Ecclesiastical did primarily belong to the Bishop and no others even Presbyters themselves but as it was by the Bishop communicated to them not only by that first act of Ordination in giving them the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or first power but also by a second act necessary to give them that other power to use or exercise that power when they have it This is the plain sense of the Canon of the Councel of Arles Sect. 13 Can. 19. nec Presbyteris civitatis sine Episcopi praecepto amplius aliquid imperare vel sine authoritate literarum ejus in unaquaque Parochia aliquid agere The Presbyters of any City must not command any thing without the precept of the Bishop nor do any thing in any Parish without authority of the Bishops letters licensing them to do it Thus I say it is not only for the power of the Keyes but even for the Ignatius's saying last produced in Epist ad Smyrn is by him thus in larged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let that Eucharist be reputed firm or rightly celebrated which is done by the Bishop or by him to whom he shall give leave and for Baptisme and that together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not lawfull without the Bishop i. e. without his leave either to baptize or administer the Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but when he shall think fit according to Gods pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all that you do may be safe and firme It seems the consent of the Bishop was thought necessary to make it safe for any Presbyter to doe any Ecclesiastical act or to give validity to it when 't was done by him So Tertull. de cor mil. Non de aliorum quà m de praesidentium manu Eucharistiam sumimus We receive the Eucharist from none but the Presidents or Governors They are all one with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Just Mart. Apol. 2. to whom that whole businesse is there remitted So again Tertul. de bapt Dandi baptismum jus habet Summus Sacerdos qui est Episcopus dehinc Presbyteri Diaconi non tamen sine Episcopi authoritate propter Ecclesiae
honorem quo salvo salva pax est The Chief Priest who is the Bishop hath the power of giving baptisme after him the Presbyters and Deacons yet not without the authority of the Bishop for the honor of the Church which as long as it is preserved the peace of the Church will be preserved also So when the Scriptor anon quaest in V. Nov. Test which is thought to be Hilary saith In Alexandriâ per totum Aegyptum si desit Episcopus consecrat Presbyter that in Alexandria and Aegypt if there be no Bishop the Presbyter consecrates 't is clear by the mention of that liberty in the Presbyter as of a thing peculiar to Aegypt and that too only when there is no Bishop present that regularly this power belong'd to none but the Bishops and to those Presbyters to whom he gave it Where by the way will appear a great mistake of Blondel and I suppose out of him as his many other Notes in his apparatus against Bishops of Salmasius who in another place of Hilary in Eph. 4. cited by both of them apud Aegyptum Presbyteri consignant si praesens non sit Episcopus In Aegypt the Presbyters consigne if the Bishop be not present interpret consigning either to be confirmation or blessing I suppose absolving of penitents or ordination It being clear by the other place just now cited that consignatio signifies there consecrating of the Sacrament which is peculiarly call'd consecration that of giving orders being ordination not as he calls it ordinandorum consecratio which what it would grammatically signifie I know not unlesse some benediction of them that are after to be ordain'd and it seems Blondel himself p. 61. thinks it possible that consignatio may signifie the consecrating the Elements and by what follows I conceive him to use it in that sense saying quod antiquis per solam Episcoporum absentiam licuit omnibus nunc absolutè licet that which antiently was made lawful to all i. e. to Presbyters onely by the Bishops absence is now absolutely lawfull to all Which I suppose he must mean of consecrating the Sacrament and I am sure could not reasonably believe of ordination But this by the way in passage to confirm that assertion of Ignatius sufficiently that the Church was by the Apostles put into the hands of Bishops that ordinarily the consent of the Bishop was required to enable a Presbyter for any Ecclesiastical act the plenitude of power being by Christ delivered down to the Apostles and through them to their successor-successor-bishops and by them dispenst out to others in that measure and those portions which they should think fit And if it be demanded here What it is which in our Church Sect. 14 is given to Presbyters in their Ordination as the full importance of the form then used Receive the Holy Ghost I answer not all that is at any time contained under that phrase when it is used in the consecration but only the particulars which are after mentioned and so distinctly not the power of ordaining which is not mentioned and which is a particular that never was regular for any Presbyter in the antient Church to assume to himself or to any number of that order without a Bishop over them and it would not be hard to give an account of all that hath been produced of late by Salmasius or any other from the origines Alexandrini or any other record of antiquity to the contrary but that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and would be too large a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place and if the practice of some few Protestant Churches in this last Century be opposed against it then 1. I shal conceive those very unfit to be confronted against the Vniversal for 1500 years and therefore secondly I shall not doubt to affirm that want is not only a defect but a corruption among them Thirdly it will be observable that even those that want it among them have formerly thought fit to excuse it by the case of necessity and to acknowledge it their infelicity but not their fault their superiors in the State not permitting them to have Bishops to ordain them and to give their judgements freely that where Episcopacy is it is to be preserv'd and where it is not it is to be wisht for which is a sufficient expression of their sense of it And if the improsperousnesse of the cause of late in this Kingdome hath moved some of them to change their style I suppose there is no greater reason to depend on their judgements who are mov'd or wrought on by such extrinsecal arguments then on his who lately made no scruple to confesse in giving his opinion of H. Grotius Ego non probo prudentiam minùs felicem He lik'd not the choice of that side which was not prosperous And then fourthly that this cannot be applicable by way of excuse to those who desire to cast out Bishops where they are on purpose that Presbyters may usurp the power which belongs to them Secondly not al power of binding and loosing retaining or remitting though those words are there added whose sins you do remit c. but so much as the Bishops or Governours are presumed to have thought fit to impart to them and what that is will appear by other acts of our Church especially by the Liturgy as 1. The declaring of absolution in the Church after the Confession of sins 2. The absolving them by way of prayer before the Sacrament in case the Bishop be not present and 3. in Baptismal washing and 4. upon speciall Confession on the sick-bed or any time else which may by analogy or reduction come under these same heads as in the case of private conference and confession at other times In all these the remitting of sins is allowed among us to a bare Presbyter not only by way of pronouncing or declaring of absolution but as a ministerial act actually absolving him by Christs authority committed to the Presbyters from all his sins Sect. 15 All which yet will not extend to the absolving from the band of Excommunication or proportionably to such power of binding any further at most then to confer the first power of it which if it be then given doth yet remain as the other power of Preaching and administring the Sacraments bound and restrained from being exercised till they be further loosed by the donation of a second power as Luke 24.49 when Christ sent them the Promise of his Father which was at the time of his breathing on them Joh. 20.22 and gave them a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a grace or first power of it he yet restrains the exercise of it till the actuall descent of the Holy Ghost but tarry you in Jerusalem till you be indued with power from above and that is not done in this Church as it stands established by Law in this particular of the Keys till he become a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a
semper quotidie fallunt How many things have alwayes deceived and daily do deceive men that are not suspicious nor upon their guard And if all the Fathers of the Church beginning from those that were nearest Ignatius's time must be involved in the number of these incautious cheatable men I shall be afraid to mention the consequences that will too readily be deducible from hence I shal only say May not this liberty or licence rather be soon extended very inordinately to the invasion of the sacred Canon of Scripture Nay when the same current and consent of Fathers which delivers down all the books which make up our Canon of Scripture for Canonicall and Theopneust shall be found at the same time to deliver down and make use of these Epistles of Ignatius onely with the distinction of Apocryphal and mean by that not supposititious books or books which are under suspition that they are not their off-spring whom they call Father but only books of inferior authority as Apocryphal is opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the books of divine Scripture legi Domini to the Law or word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to those that are put in the Canon and in a word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as you may see in the end of Nicephorus's Chronography and in others inter scripta novi Testamenti novi apocrypha numbred among the apocryphal books not of Ignatius but of the New Testament and appointed to be read by pious men though not allowed that same authority and dignity in which the books of Sacred Scripture have been justly estated when I say the same hands of the antient Church shall deliver both the Epistles of St Peter for Divine Scripture and these Epistles of Ignatius for the Epistles of Ignatius though not for Divine Scripture who can say that Salmasius when he had thus confidently thrown off these Epistles from being written by Ignatius did not consequently and agreeably to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in throwing off one of St Peters Epistles also And who can think it reasonable that our warinesse and censoriousnes shall enable us at 1500 years distance to judge more truly of a matter of fact which none but they that are near be they never so wary and suspicious can discern any thing of then they that lived in those times which were nearest to the scene of action Nay how much more rational is that of the same Salmasius who in the controversie about the parts of the Crosse i. e. when he conceiv'd antiquity to be favourable to that opinion which he defended hath made this argumentative against his adversaries An credibile est Gregorium qui vixit tanto tempore postquam crucis supplicio nemo amplius afficebatur certiorem esse testem de habitu crucis totius c. quà m eos authores qui scripsere cùm adhuc passim in usu esset communissimo nocentum crucifixio Is it credible that he that lived so long after the use of that kind of death was left off should be a surer witnesse of any thing that belongs to it then those Authors that wrote when it was in use De Cruce p. 255. And again if Blondel may say without proof that the Fathers were incautious in general and thence conclude that they were actually deceived in this particular Why may not I as reasonably affirm having given my reasons when he hath not that Blondel is too censorious and partial and willing to bring all to the cause he hath espoused and thence conclude knowing how contrary these Epistles are to his interests that he hath actually exprest his passion and injustice in this causlesse censure of these Epistles I have done with this learned mans observations in this matter and when I shall hear of any other argument which can seem of force against these Epistles I shall be glad to consider it professing my self to conceive that as long as that one Author stands in the Church in his just value the cause of Prelacy and Hierarchy cannot want supports every page almost of those Epistles being sufficient which the adversaries acknowledge in saying he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in season and out of season at all turns assert Episcopacy to interpret the obscurer vestigia in the New Testament and to assure us what was the practise and doctrine of the Apostles and Primitive Churches in that point and that is the reason I have insisted so long on a thing which may seem so extrinsecall to my first undertaking and shall not think my self out of my way if I be content to return to this controversie again as having such an immediate influence on the cause in hand whensoever I shall be call'd to it In the mean I shall content my self with this view of that matter and for the present as I cannot but conceive it rashnesse to cast an Epistle of St Peter upon a bare affirmation in a Parenthesis quae sola planè genuina est so will it be in a lower degree but in like manner to deal with a most antient Apostolical-spirited volume upon such unproved censures as these and it is observable that the first writer that ever undertook to be thus severe against that whole volume of Epistles did with as much confidence and as little pretention to argument cast off one of the books of Canonical Scripture This I thought not amisse here to insert to vindicate the writings of that antient Martyr though it may be taken for a parergon in this place Supposing then this writer to stand in the same repute in Sect. 5 the Church of God in which he did before he was observed to be unreconcileable with the designs of the new Reformers I shall proceed to make use of his testimony He commands obedience to be paid to Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to the Apostles to the Presbyters as to the Seventy to the Deacons as to the Deacons in the Acts. The passage is known and although in another place he makes the Presbyters parallel to the Apostles and the Bishops to Christ yet these places are easily reconciled it being clear that that latter place considers the Apostles at the time when Christ was here on earth at which time they were indeed but a second rank and in that respect it is that Origen saith Tr. in Mat. 24. Propriè Episcopus Dominus Jesus est Presbyteri Apostoli Christ is properly the Bishop and the Apostles Presbyters but the former place considering that after Christs departure is that which more properly belongs to this matter this power though promised before being not yet instated on them till after his resurrection immediately before his leaving of this world or indeed till the coming of the Holy Ghost at which time they were left the Governors of the Church as Christ had been before and the Bishops their successors ever since To which purpose St Cyprian Ep. 65. Apostolos i. e. Episcopos Praepositos Dominus
elegit the Lord chose Apostles i. e. Bishops and Governors So Judas's Apostolical function is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishoprick Act. 1.29 so Theodoret thinks Epaphroditus was Bishop of the Philipians because he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apostle and on 1 Tim. 3. saith thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that are now call'd Bishops they then call'd Apostles so Titus saith he and so Apollos and so saith Remig. on 1 Cor. 4. Sosthenes also Thus St Hilary frequently calls St Paul Episcopum Bishop And Hilarius Sardus in Eph. Apostoli Episcopi sunt the Apostles are Bishops So the Scriptor qu. in vet nov Test qu. 27. Nemo ignorat Episcopos Servatorem Ecclesâ—is instituisse ipse enim priusquà m in coelos ascenderet imponens manum Apostolis ordinavit eos Episcopos No man is ignorant that our Saviour instituted Bishops over the Churches For he himself before he ascended to heaven laying his hand on the Apostles ordained them Bishops So saith Rabanus Maur. in 1 Tim. 4.14 of the Apostles times Episcopi provincias integras regebant Apostolorum nomine nun cupati The Bishops were call'd Apostles So doth Blondel himself confesse not only out of Gildas that St Matthew Episcopatum sortitus est was Bishop but acknowledges it of St James the brother of the Lord as the voice of all antiquity that he was Bishop of Jerusalem Jacobum Hierosol Ecclesiae Episcopatum constanter asserunt veteres omnes Apol. pro Sent. Hieron p. 50. And if it be said that he meant by the word Episcopus Bishop no more then a Presbyter one of many I shall only then put him or the Reader in minde what the same Blondel in his censure of the Pontif. Epistles when they say he was not so severe against Bishops hath put together of St James Hierosol Ecclesiam rexisse statuunt veteres à Christo Episcopale munus accepisse ait Hegesippus apud Hieron in Cat. Epiphan haer 78. Hieron in Gal. c. 1. Greg. Turon l. 1. c. 17. Nic. Methon de pane consecr à Christo Apostolis Eus l. f. 7. c. 19. Constit l. 8. c. 35. Ab Apostolis Constit l. 7. c. 48. l. 8. c. ult Clem. Alexand. apud Euseb l. 2. c. 1. Athanas in Synop. Euseb l. 2. c. 2. Hieronymus de Script Eccl. Beda de 6. aetat Martyrl ad Cal. Maii. Chron. Gr. anon Scriptor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acknowledging all that as Bishop he governed that Church as a single person saâ—e in the see or throne all the difference between the Antients being whether by Christ or the Apostles or both or by St Peter only he was ordained Bishop Thus saith S. Chrys did Christ invest the Apostles with this Sect. 6 power of retaining and remitting sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as when a King sends Governors over Provinces he gives them power of imprisoning and releasing intimating the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Rulers of the Church to be the men that are here represented by the Apostles and so in L. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of the weighty office of Bishops to excuse himself who had fled from it he principally insists on the power which is intrusted to them and in that respect applies to them the style of the faithfull and wise Servant whom God makes Ruler over his household So Theophylact on Matth. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that after the manner of St Peter are vouchsafed the honor of being Bishops have the power of binding and loosing So again appears by the forecited Testimonies of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presidents in St Chrys and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praefects of the Church in Theophylact. And so in the name and sense of the Greek Church Gabriel of Philadelphia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his second difference betwixt the Greek and the Roman Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The chief Priests i. e. Bishops are the successors of the Apostles and in plain words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that 't is manifest that the Apostles were Bishops and applies to them that of the Psalmist Psal 45.16 of Gods constituting them rulers over all the earth and names the severall Churches wherein the several Apostles ordain'd Bishops St John in Asia St Andrew in Achaia St Thomas in India c. Thus also among the Latines St Jerome who was not very Sect. 7 favourable to Bishops saith expresly that they were the Apostles successors Episcopi omnes Apostolorum successores sunt Ep. 83. ad Evagrium So St Ambrose Claves illas regni coelorum in beato Petro Apostolo cuncti suscepimus sacerdotes All we that are stiled Sacerdotes in the blessed Apostle St Peter received the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven And what Sacerdos signifies among the Writers of that time and particularly in St Ambrose the observation of any diligent Reader will instruct him viz. that which the suscepimus applyed to St Ambrose's person will inforce he being Bishop of Millain at that time and this is agreeable even to the heathens acception of the phrase who use Sacerdos and Pontifex promiscuously witnesse Servius in Aen. 3. So de dignitate Sacerd. c. 2. he shews out of Scripture that the sheep are delivered Sacerdotibus I shall render it to Bishops because it follows and so must be subject to those Rulers So in St Chrys in the fore-cited 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which together with Pastor in Latine is ordinarily the Bishops Title in order to the Shepherds office of ruling and governing as well as feeding the flock and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacerdos are promiscuously taken and the latter by the Interpreter there rendred Episcopus Bishop And to the same purpose most clearly St Cyprian Ep. 12. Sect. 8 speaking of the Lapsi those who having fallen were under the censures of the Church and how the Presbyters had presumed to reconcile or absolve them he concludes that they did not Reservare Episcopo honorem Sacerdotii sui Cathedrae reserve to the Bishop the honour of his Priesthood and chaire shewing the indifferent use of those words Episcopus and Sacerdos at that time and that in opposition to Presbytery appropriating to the one the Power of the Keyes exclusively to the other This he had set down more plainly before Epist 10. shewing and aggravating the greatnesse of the fault of those Presbyters that had taken upon them to use the Keyes in that case Praepositum sibi Episcopum non cogitantes not thinking that there was a Bishop set over them quod nunquam omnino sub antecessoribus factum est resolving that it was a fact without any precedent in the Church and again L. 1. Epist 3. having proved the Episcopal power to be immediately from God he expresseth it in these words Sacerdotalis authoritas potestas divinâ dignatione firmatur The Sacerdotall power is setled by divine dignation and addes the occasion
the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have now written vers 11. will enforce for so in 3 4 and 5. verses we read I verily as absent in body but present in spirit have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath done this deed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when you and my spirit are gathered together with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such an one unto Satan c. The Apostle though absent yet having an Apostolick ruling power or jurisdiction over them passeth censure as formally as if he had been amongst them upon that fornicator or incestuous person and by that spirit or power of his whereby he was present in their Assemblies doth therein pronounce this censure of excommunication or delivering up to Satan against him that by this means he may reduce that notorious offender that is the importance of those 3. verses and that others be not tainted by his example verse 6. c. And then verse 9. having a little digrest v. 7 8. he resumes his matter again and saith it over briefly in another phrase with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. this then was it I wrote to you in or by Epistle because I was not present that you should not company with such By which it appears that the delivering a man to Satan and the commanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are all one or one but a light addition to or variation from the other all other men being so far concern'd in such a ones being so delivered as not to company with him yet that not so much as men now a daies think lest they should be polluted by him i. e. by that act of communion with him as under the Law by touching an unclean thing as to help discipline him that the insensate sinner may see himself left alone to no society but Satans avoided abandoned by all and so be brought to a sense of his detestable dangerous condition and others kept from thinking his actions exemplary or fit to be imitated by them And therefore though this discipline be not used upon sinners cut of the Church ver 12. for they will not be wrought on by the Christians abandoning their company yet saith St. Paul vers 11. with a professor of Christianity one that lives in the Church and yet is guilty of this sin or the like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so I conceive the words must be joyned all betwixt being in a Parenthesis neither to company nor eat with him in stead of which 2 Thes 3.14 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simply onely with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which it seems is a preparative to it set a mark or brand upon him and doe not company with him which in either place whether it belong onely to exclusion from communion in sacris or be to be extended to interdiction of ordinary civil society I professe my self not over-confident For the former onely this may be said 1 That although the sound of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially as we render it no not to eat seem to contain the latter also yet perhaps the aequipollence of that other phrase delivering to Satan may restrain it to the former 2. Because the interdiction of conversing or eating with Christian offenders might now at least make it necessary for a man to go out of the world as wâ—ll as the interdict of heathen-fornicators company would have done then 3. Because the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the close of the Chapter is set to expresse the former censure is by the Canons of the Councels solemnly applyed to these Ecclesiasticall censures suspension either from the Church or from office in it And yet on the other side the Jews were so severe to some Sect. 89 as to deem it unlawfull either to eat or familiarly to converse with them as Samaritans Publicans heathens and sinners so call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. notorious sinners and a notable evidence and example of that practice of theirs we have in the 3. book of Maccabees where speaking of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deserters or those that fell off to any notorious breach of their law the author saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they did expresse a detestation of them judging them as enemies of the Nation and denyed them the civility of common converse or good usage al friendly entertainments c. and the same is called after in that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a separating from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it be read corruptly and without sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aversation and exprest by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they appeared enemies to them and even the Jewish nidui or first degree of excommunication being a remotion ad 4. passus not suffering any man to come within four paces of him that was so censured was an interdiction of familiar conversation or eating with him And therfore perhaps some of that their discipline may be here imitated and retained but then again for the former opinion Christ by his contrary practice seemed to dislike that custome of theirs and though he brought excommunication into the Church or in sacris 't is not necessary he should continue that other that extended to civil commerce and therefore still perhaps may not Sect. 90 The best decision perhaps wil be that this censure ordinarily belongs only to society in Sacris but yet sometimes the state of affairs so requiring and when some other defect may be so supplyed The Governours may proceed to the second interdict that no man shal talk familiarly or entertain or eat with them that all men shall avoid their company discountenance them and not so much as say God speed allow them ordinary Christian civility by this means to besiege and starve them up and so if possible humble and reduce them To which purpose it is observable what the learned and judicious Hugo Grotius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath noted concerning this matter that in a Christian Church where either through the recentnesse of their plantation communes conventus non sunt there are no constant common assemblies of the Christians in it or wherupon the same occasion there is no settled Government in the hands of a Bishop and assistent Presbyters or where the Church is torn asunder by Schismes as in Corinth when this first Epistle was written chap. 11.18 whence it follows v. 31. That judgments or censures were neglected and upon that neglect diseases and deaths among them I would I could not say among us also whereas at the writing of the second Epistle the discipline together with a quiet judicature was restored 2 Cor. 2.6 there in stead of exclusion from communion in sacris that other interdict of private commerce or avoyding of private familiarity hath been thought useful by the Apostle To this you may apply Rom. 16.17 where the Apostle beseeches them to mark and
OF THE POVVER OF THE KEYES OR OF BINDING and LOOSING 1 COR. 11.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivie-lane 1651. The Preface THat the prime Act of Power enstated by Christ on his Apostles as for the governing of the Church and exorcising or banishing all devils out of it so for the effectual performing that great act of Charity to mens souls reducing pertinacious sinners to repentance should be so either wholly dilapidated or piteously deformed as to continue in the Church only under one of these two notions either of an empty piece of formality or of an engine of State and secular contrivance the true Christian use of shaming sinners into reformation being well-nigh vanished out of Christendome might by an alien or an heathens much more by the pondering Christian be conceived very strange and unreasonable were it not a title clear that we are faln into those times of which it was foretold by two Apostles that in these last dayes there should come scoffers walking after their own lusts the Pride and contumacy which have almost become the Genius of this prophane polluted age heightning men to an Atheistical fearlesse scoffing and scorning of all that pretends to work any cures to lay any restraint on them to rob them of any degree of that licentiousnesse which is become the very religion and doctrine of some under the disguise of Christian Liberty and the Lord be merciful unto us the practise of most rankes of Christian Professors This is the more sad wounding a consideration because it was antiently resolved that Christianity where-ever it entered in its purity did plant all manner of exact and strict conscientious walking all humility meeknes purity peaceablenesse justice charity sobriety imaginable that wickednes and dissolution of manners was to be lookt on as the only heresie and therefore Simon Magus the Nicolaitans and Gnosticks with other their neerest followers that led the Van of hereticks in Epiphanius are notoriously known to have been persons of the most vitious debauched libidinous lives and good life revered as the only orthodox professor from whence as nothing can be more consequent so I shall designe to inferre no farther conclusion then onely this that they which live ill in the profession of a most holy faith or farther then so embrace and disseminate doctrines which tend to the dissolution of mens lives making the good spirit of God the author or cherisher of any of their unchristian enterprizes but especially they that discharge and banish out of the Church those means which might help to make the generality of Christians better have the spirit of Antichrist working in them even when they think themselves most zealously busied in the beating down his kingdom What those means are which might most effectually tend to the amending the lives of Christians I shal need no farther to interpose my judgement then 1. by submitting it to Christs who put the Keyes into the Apostles hands on purpose as a means to exemplifie the end of his coming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 18.11 to save that which was lost not to usurpe authority over the temporal power or sword and like an apoplectick palsie-â—it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to invade or smite or dissolve the sinews of civil government or peace t is a most sacred truth that the spiritual hand hath no manner of jurisdiction nor was ever believed to have for the first 1100 years over Princes in their temporals and the composition of the Anglican Church most perfectly I had almost said peculiarly acknowledges it nor again to give an office of splendor or grandeur to the Clergie an authority valuable onely from the ability of hurting others or magnifying our selves over them which where it is pretended to is indeed somewhat of the making of the heathen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lorded it over Gods heritage served themselves either their purses or their ambitions or their passions out of the subjects under them but as Christ saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to administer charitably to them in the matters of the highest alloy the divinest valuablest charity of not suffering sin upon the brother Levit. 19. And 2. by minding my self and others what the Apostles say of this power that it was given them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to build up the Church of Christ by it in general and in particular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to discipline them whom no fairer means would work on and teach them not to blaspheme in words or actions to work them off from all lees of speculative but especially of practical Atheisme That these are the not weak or carnal weapons of the Churches warfare but mighty to bring down every strong hold i. e. the most contumacious stout importunate sinner that doth but acknowledge the truth of the Gospel I shall anon have leisure to shew you In the mean the only design of this Praeloquium is to awaken if it be possible the drousie world and quicken them so far from the mortified putrified state of sinne and stupidity as to be willing but to hearken to Christ himself when he comes but on a message of mercy to them to redeem them from iniquity and purifie to himself a possessed purchased people or the people which he had purchased for that one end that they might be zealous of good works If this general proposal so pertinaciously decried by our actions might once be thought worth the hearing then sure Christs peculiar way and method of working this cure would be thought of some use and advantage also not lookt on as a meer engine or artifice of ambitious men as they cannot be blamed to conceive it who think it doth any way entrench on those regalities which are placed by God I most willingly professe to believe far above the reach of any humane authority solo Deo minores or else suppose it a tyrannizing or triumphing over the most inferiour offender he that can take any carnal or sensual pleasure in the exercise of those Keyes in the using that sharp engine of surgery or ever draw it but in meer necessary charity to edification and not to destruction is one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sonnes of blood not fit to be admitted on a common Iury much lesse advanced to be a spiritual Iudge but as a most soveraigne medicinal Recipe that which hath the inscription of Christ on it not as of a Lord but as a Iesus not as a Law-giver but as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saviour and a Physitian of souls And this peculiar way is the power of binding and loosing the subject of this ensuing Discourse which that it may be restored to its full vigor in this Church again and where ever sobriety shall advise by addition of penitential Canons be reformed or regulated and being put into the primative Channel may there be permiâ—ted to shew forth it self in the
of God at Corinth is after explained by him in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Bishops and Deacons but if this will not be acknowledged then by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shal give you leave to understand any meeting or Congregation of pious men either a consessus Presbyterorum a Colledge of Presbyters which were ordinarily assistant to the Bishop in the antient Church or possibly the whole or any part of the people convened whose authority or consent may work somewhat upon the offender as St Paul conceives it were apt to doe when he commands Timothy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rebuke the offenders before all men i. e. in the presence of the community of the people 1 Tim. 5.20 and perhaps when he speaks of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2.6 the rebuke that was by or under the many though it be not certain whether that signifie the chastisement as our English reads punishment and censure inflicted by the Presbyterie or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under them those assisting or joyning in the censure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acts of Canonical severity which in case of sorrow and relenting of the offender upon rebuke or admonition before ejection out of the Church were wont to be thought sufficient without excommunication and after excommunication as in this place to the Corinthians if they were submitted to were sufficient though not presently to restore him to the communion yet to make him capable of being prayed for by the Church 1 Joh. 5.16 and to be delivered from the stripes of Satan the diseases that the delivering to Satan in the Apostles times brought upon them or whether as the words may be rendred it import the rebuke or reproof viz. the third admonition or the second given by the Bishop which was equivalent to that which was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under or in the presence of many viz. of the people or Congregation The former of these senses seems more agreeable to the place to the Cor. the latter rather to belong to that in the 1 Tim. and so that which even now in Musar was coram multis before many and in S. Paul if not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under many yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the presence of all men Christ may here expresse by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church This interpretation being admitted or not rejected it then follows commodiously and reasonably in the text of the Evangelist that after the matter is brought to them i. e. to those many or after this act of reproofe or rebuke before them upon continued refractarinesse to these last admonitions then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sure is the Apostles or Governors of the Church the Pastors which cannot be in any reason excluded from under the former word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church whatsoever it signifies and those already promised this power chap. 16. may or shall bind or excommunicate them And that is the summe of the 18. v. in reference to the 17. and then v. 19. Again I say unto you or as a very antient Manuscript and some printed copies read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again verily I say unto you that second verily noting the speech to be of a new matter that if two of you shall agree upon the earth or here below in reference to the second thing mention'd v. 16. take with you one or two concerning any thing which they shall aske it shall be done unto them of my Father c. For where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them which words are brought to give authority to the solemn admonitions of the second order addrest by the injur'd man accompanied with one or two assistants or witnesses to inforce them by telling them that as the consessus trium virorum the assize of three men among the Jewes had some power so shall any two or three Christians be considerable in this matter having the priviledge of Gods presence as in their prayers thus united so also in this act of united admonition for first God is to be thought to be in the midst of them as that fourth person added to the three children in the furnace and the face of that fourth like the Son of God to be present with them as it is 1 Cor. 5.4 in this his ordinance in this piece of Discipline apointed by him whereupon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the refractarinesse of the transgressor is become so much the greater in this case and besides secondly if upon admonition they shall be hearkned to it will be in their power to pray for the penitent trespasser as James 5.16 and that prayer of theirs joyned with the injured person is likely to be more effectuall then a single prayer and so in both these respects a greater weight is set on the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the taking of one or two with him Thus having returned to the second of the three in the second place and dispatched that the method would direct to go on to the first again in the third place but in stead of that St Peter it seems asks again about it how long a man is to forgive private injuries and the answer in the following words supplieth the place of having proceeded to that and serves for the conclusion of the whole matter The result then of this whole Chapter is this that of the Sect. 13 three places of the Gospel concerning the donation of the power of binding and loosing two of them at the first sight most clearly convince this power to be given to the Apostles as governors of the Church which will not be communicable to any but either to others that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also set apart to the office immediately by Christ or to their successours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in Mat. 18. and the third upon a thorough consideration doth the same also For this we have the plain testimony of Theophylact on that place Mat. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The power of binding and loosing was given to all the Apostles When why when he said Whose sins ye remit they are remitted c. i. e. in this place of St John and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I will give it signifies the future i. e. the time after the resurrection which is that in S. John also and again on Mat. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the binding in S. Mat. and the remitting in S. John are put together as belonging to the same matter and it is confirm'd by no mean authority that of S. Paul himself of himself 2 Cor. 13.10 where speaking of these censures noted there by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 using excision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is all one and which it seems he as an Apostle was to use among them he not the Congregation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will
not spare he addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the power that Christ hath given me which sure was not peculiar to him but common to the rest of the Apostles which had it before him and in a more ordinary way and ver 3. he distinctly calls it Christ speaking in him a high expression making every such act of judicature in him an act of Christ CAP. III. Sect. 1 THe only difficulty remaining in the point will be who are the Apostles successors in that power and when the question is asked of that power I must be understood of the power of governing the Church peculiarly of which the power of the Keyes was and is a principal branch for it must again be remembred that the Apostles are to be considered under a double notion 1. As Planters then as Governors of the Church The title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its literall notation of Missus sent Embassadour or Messenger belongs peculiarly to the former of these and so though it have some extraordinary privileges annext to it necessary to the work of planting as the gift of tongues the power of working miracles which ennobles it beyond the order of Governours in the Churches since their plantation yet in the persons of the Apostles it was but a precedaneous power preparatory to that other of ruling or governing which no doubt is the reason that Chrysost calls Ignatius the martyr both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Apostle and Bishop and perhaps is the meaning of that saying of an Anonymus writer in Photius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Apostle Timothy was by St Paul ordained and enthronized or seated Bishop of the Metropolis of the Ephesians i. e. that he that had helped to plant Churches and so was an Apostle sent out to that purpose was at length ordained Bishop to govern that of Ephesus being planted Which distinction being premised ' the question will now more easily be satisfied being proposed in these terms Who were the Apostles successors in that power which concerned the governing these Churches which they had planted And 1. I answer that it being a matter of fact or story later then that the Scripture can universally reach to it cannot be fully satisfied or answered from thence any further then the persons of Timothy or Titus c. and the severall Angels of the Churches in the Apocalypse who are acknowledged by all the Antients to be single persons that had power over all others in those Churches but will in the full latitude through the universal Church in those times be made clear from the next evidences that we have viz. from the consent of the Greek and Latine Fathers who generally resolve that Bishops are those successors This I shall not be so unreasonable as to attempt to prove at large through the writings of those Fathers but content my self with one or two of the first of them Of this number I conceive the testimony of Clemens Romanus Sect. 2 in his Epistle to the Corinth which hath been so often of late produced might to any disinteressed person be allowed to have some force in it where speaking of the Apostles he saith that they foreseeing that there would be contention and emulation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about the name or as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may denote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dignity of Bishops or Episcopacy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for I doubt not but that is the reading and the sense there they set down a list or continuation of successors as when Hesychius and out of him Varinus renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perhaps it may be a false print as there be many in the edition of that book for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but howsoever the Analogy from thence will extend to this also that as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inheritance or succession that when any dyed such a certain person should succeed him To which affirmation of Clemens when I have added that which all Ecclesiasticall Stories have made familiar to us that there were preserved in several Churches such rols and catalogues of Bishops beginning from the Apostles in each See I shall conceive that that of Clemens was a pertinent testimony to this purpose especially when the voice of antiquity is so clear that Clemens himself was one of those Bishops an Adjutor of the Apostles in their life time and after the departure of Linus and Cletus the onely one that retained the name of Bishop in Rome all others being stiled Presbyters only that Vedelius at Geneva hath at large acknowledged it Exercit. in Ignat. Ignat. Epist ad Mar. Cassabol c. 3. Sect. 3 After Clemens an assertor at once and example of this truth I must next appeal to the Martyr Ignatius himself also Bishop of Antioch that lived in the Apostles age and is by the enemies of Episcopacy discerned to be so full a treasure of this truth and of others in this kind in so many notable passages that there hath been no way imaginable by those who resolve to have it otherwise to resist the plainnesse of his authorities but first by scoffes and defamations Secondly by confident rejecting of our whole volume of his Epistles as spurious and of a latter birth and thirdly by some very slender shewes of proof that they are so One special of this sort which I see lately made use of by Salmasius and for which it now appears he was beholding to a sight of Blundels book not then printed I shall mention to remove prejudices and it is this that in the Epistle to the Magnesians he distinctly calls Episcopacy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saith that learned Grammarian signifies it to be a new Order and he attempts to prove it because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he cannot be referred to the age and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agreeable whereunto he interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2.22 to be novae or novarum rerum cupiditates new desires or of new things The dealing of this learned Grammarian in this businesse will Sect. 4 be sufficiently strange to him that considers the whole matter I shall only in passing give some few hints of judging it by telling you first that the generality of Copies read not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the youth of the Bishop and no one of the Greek editions hath so much as mention'd any various lection in that place till now the Florentine or Laurentian copy hath given us that variety Secondly that the whole context of the Epistle drives to this of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as even this Author confesses by saying that he perswades them to receive their Bishop and give him honour quamvis aetate juniori though he were younger then they and
by the Disciplinarians had a great temptation to write against their Excommunication though no ground of assurance that all which he should say against that subject would therefore prove true because that one doctrine of those which asserted it was so far from being such Mr Hooker hath given a very good judgement of his enterprise that Beza and he divided the truth betwixt them neither of them saying all truth nor all falshood each of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disguising and allaying and drowning a little of wholesome doctrine with a great deal of the contrary And let me say to conclude this point that both in the taking up his opinion and in maintaining it Erastus hath more to impute to Beza's and the Genevan's errors and innovations and excesses and extravagances which upon inquiry into the antient Church records he truly saith he could not find avowed or authorized then to his own grounds or arguments against Excommunication The last motive which he confesses perfected the work and Sect. 35 put him upon the Presse was the contempts and affronts of his friends i. e. in effect the opinions and good advises of all men that saw his Theses and could by no means like them but this hath been occasionally mentioned already and only gives the Reader occasion to admire and bewail the infelicity of passionate men who cannot receive any benefit by their friends are in the unluckiest condition of all men living beyond which no enemy can wish them a greater curse sure to be the worse for that which God meant us for the most inestimable blessing I mean th◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their telling us truth and out of desire of doing us good admonishing us of our miscarriages which he that cannot make any other use of then to interpret those hugest obligations for affronts those friendships for rudenesses and therefore resolves to publish his conceits because all his friends to whom he communicates them advise him by all means to suppresse them may well be allowed to write a volume against all kind of Excommunication being already it appears so far from being able to bear such strong Physick that the most private prudent first or second admonition of single persons or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the joynt act of a College of friends and Physitians do but make him more incurable I come now to my third undertaking i. e. to view his Theses Sect. 36 of Excommunication and follow him step by step till we have sprang the point of the difficulty between us and I think that part of the progresse will sufficiently discover the weaknesse of his fabrick at least how little appearance of advantage he hath against us that are not for the Geneva-Presbytery how well soever ad homines he may be thought to have disputed His first Thesis layes the ground of his discourse and of his Sect. 37 mistake The word Excommunication he will have taken from 1 Cor. 10. which is false and not endeavored to be proved and upon the back of that errour another falsity viz. that Communion is there call'd Corpus Christi The body of Christ all that is there said toward that matter is that the wine is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Communication not Communion of the bloud of Christ the bestowing his bloud upon us a means or a pledge of making us partakers of that rich mercy that bloud that was shed for us That that is the right rendring of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is undertaken in another discourse upon the Sacrament and needs no further to be repeated here the notion of the word Excommunication being most clear and uncontroverted that it is the sequestring of an offender from the Communion i. e. the visible Society of Christians without ever thinking to cut him off but on the contrary desiring to engraffe him the more firmly into the invisible and then also again into the Church the visible but mystical body of Christ And therefore Sect. 38 For the distinction of that Communion in the second Thesis into internall and externall visible and invisible we say that one onely member of the distinction belongs to the point in hand according to our stating of it And if the adversary of Geneva did presse the other we do not defend him in it viz. the externall and visible Society of Beleevers or Christian Professors from which onely we affirm any man to be cut off by the act of Excommunication and if he that is so cut off from that be also finally cut off from the other this is but accidentall and very extrinsecall to that act and distant from the design and end of it being the effect onely of his sin which before he was excommunicated for it is supposed to have concluded him under the wrath of God and of his Contumacy which will not permit this most fatherly punishment of the Church to work any good upon him to which though it be consequent indeed that this censure obtaining not the desired effect shall tend to his greater condemnation yet will this consequent no more be chargeable on that censure then on any other the methods of mercy or chastisement by God used on purpose for his Reformation In the third Thesis it is by us acknowledged true that internall Sect. 39 and externall society go not alwayes together and the consequents which Erastus builds on that are true and acknowledged in an unjust Excommunication but these belong nothing at all to a just nor consequently infer any thing against the institution which giving rules that it may and commands that it should be alwaies exercised justly may be permitted to suppose it is so or if by error or miscarriage it be not it doth not exclude him from that inward Communion that was not before excluded supposing that he behave himself meekly and Christianly under that unjust censure and if there be as indeed there is great difficulty to judge whether the person thus to be excommunicated be first excluded from the inward communion or no yet will not this conclude the censures unlawfull because if he be not quite out before this puts him not out nor is occasion of doing so any more then chastisement from God which may possibly work impatience and blasphemy in the person but is not of necessity or in any propriety of causation to do so but rather is a means of keeping him in of setting him upon his guard of awaking or rescuing him from the danger of falling out of it and then abundans cautela non nocet he that is awake already will be never the worse for calling and withall of exercising some Christian virtues in him which might possibly lye uselesse by him if they were not thus imploy'd and call'd out to practise To the fourth Thesis we say that No man thinks or according Sect. 40 to our principles hath any need to think that any but God can joyn any to that internal Communion of
Christ and the faithful i. e. beget faith in any nor consequently cut off any from it unlesse ministerially as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 workers under and with Christ and so only by power dâ—rived from him we pretend to do what in the censures is done toward it Sect. 41 To the fifth Thesis we answer that there is a mistake for we are made consortes externae visibilis Ecclesiae Partakers of the external and visible Church not onely by those three as they are the acts of the man who is so partaker but to those three must be added a second notion of the third of these which seems not here to be taken notice of though also the words are so set that 't is not excluded and that is the act of the Church first according to Christ's commission to the Apostles in receiving them into the Church by Baptisme and when for lapses and returns into sin they are excommunicate restoring them by absolution and at all fit times allowing them the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in charity supposing them as long as they are in the Church such members as ought not to be denied that priviledge and if they be not unworthy effectually sealing to them the benefits of Christianity From whence 't is clear that such the usurpatio Sacramentorum may be viz. if he receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper that is not baptized or that is justly excommunicate that 't will be perfectly an usurpation and not sufficient to give him right to be reckon'd inter membra externi fidelium coetus among the members of a visible Church Sect. 42 Th. 6. In the first part there is need of a distinction for the Confession of Faith and approbation of Christian Doctrine may be 1. Either Cordial or Hypocritical 2. Either Private or Publike If it be Cordial then 1. it makes me partaker of the inward Communion with Christ and his members and supposes a man to be in that state in which he that is ought not to be Excommunicate and so 't is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it belongs not to this matter If it be Hypocritical as it will appear if he that acknowledges Christ approves his doctrine with his mouth denies it with his actions then is it fit to bring the censure upon him which he most hates and fears to cast him out of the Church which is onely his disguise and vizard or turn him out of that hypocriticall confession of Christ to display and lay open his hypocrisie that he may be asham'd and think good to reform and to that end to deny him the publick hearing of the Word which it seems hath wrought so little good upon him and to assure him that he shall not be accounted a Christian unlesse his actions accord with his profession All which you may mark is so far from deterring him from the cordiall Profession that 't is the most probable means to invite him to it So again for private confession and approbation which belongs more to the internall communion again then to the externall we drive no man from that by Excommunicatioâ— but onely from publick performance of it in the Congregation under which and which only the publick hearing of the Word read or preach'd is contained And by so doing we separate him from that visible Church on that charitable one purpose that he may see how he hath abused that benefit and timely learn to make better use of it though again we do not invite him to that bare empty oral publick or private confession or that oral approbation which his hands i. e. his actions confute or that unprofitable hearing which will onely heap judgement on him yet on the other side are fâ—r from deterring him from the real publick confession c. but by thus dealing with him we shew him the necessity of it and so by beating him out of his false holds which will do him no good drive which is more then inviting him to the true refuge or Sanctuary the reall confession the effectuall approbation profitable hearing To which head I must add that I much wonder why all this while in the number of the constitutives of external communion publick prayer is not mentioned not so much as reductively as here hearing of the Word is This ought to have been added and then I shall add of it that though that be a duty that men would be invited to as vehemently as to any yet 't is lawfull to exclude any from this benefit in publick when that exclusion may be a means most probable to awake a lethargick sinner By this it appears how groundlesse the last part of the sixt Sect. 43 Th. is That excommunication is only excluding from the Sacrament for 't is also from prayer and hearing viz. in publike as well as from the Sacrament when that is thought expedient to reform any Thus Tertul. mentions exclusion à communicatione orationis conventus omnis sancti commercii Apol. c. 39. from partaking of Prayer and all sacred commerce and generally the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 antiently was from all though the manner of receiving in penitents being first by admitting them to hearing and then to partaking in the prayers which were before those that are joyn'd with the communion and after to those prayers also and in time to the Communion it self it was after thought fit that some of the censures should not be totall to the excluding from all but only setting them inter audientes or Catechumenos which were not yet admitted to the Sacrament of which only the practise which he sets himself against seems to be an imitation What follows therefore in the conclusion of that Thesis that quod aliae poenae non pertinent ad substantiam excommunicationis certum est 'T is certain that other penalties belong not to the substance of excommunication is very false and proceeds from an ignorance or willingnesse to deceive as if the word Excommunication denoted only the keeping from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to which end it now seems it was that the first Thesis was designed and against whatsoever it is argumentative 't will not be against us whereas it denotes the excision from all or any degree of Communion in sacris and is a generical word of which there be different species according to the several kinds of holy things the Word the Prayers the Sacraments from which one may be excommunicate And that of exclusion from the Sacrament is one degree of exclusion and the exclusion from either or both of the other also is an addition to that never inflicted upon any but those to whom the Sacrament was denied So far from truth is that which is added that those other punishments possunt non excommunicatis infligi may be inflicted upon those that are not excommunicate in his sense of excommunicatus for one excluded from the Sacrament for no man was
denyed prayers and hearing that was admitted to the Sacrament nor is it rationall that one should for sure he that is thought worthy of the highest dignity and benefit in a Church must be wronged iâ— he be denied and thought uncapable of the lowest though the other part upon this reason be confest to be true that these punishments of exclusion from prayers hearing may sometimes excommunicatis non infligi be not inflicted upon them that are excommunicate as he that is thought unworthy the Priests office may yet be allowed to be one of the Nethinim or door-keepers as in the antient Church he that was suspended from the sacerdotal function was yet suffer'd to communicate ut Laicus as a Laick By which the answer is clear to the next Thesis as far as Sect. 44 concerns the interdictio templorum exclusion out of the Church and for the other two that of the private commerce actus cujusvis liciti of doing any lawful act we interpose not i. e. from all the parts of the publick service which that it was brought into the Church by the Pontificians or that it is contra apertam Scripturam against manifest Scripture is certainly so very far from truth that no man that hath read any part of antiquity can doubt of this practise and usage before the tyranny of Popery is affirm'd by any to have come into the world and for the second what that aperta Scriptura is I shall not divine but resolve that if it be that which is named in the end of the Thesis 1 Cor. 14. there is nothing at all concâ—uding from thence The verse that seems to be referred to for we are left to divine is v. 23. or 24. where the speaking in the Church praying or prophecying c. in an unknown tongue is by St Paul proved to be improper and not to tend to edification because prophesying i. e. explaining of Scripture praying singing of Psalmes c. being designed for the use of the beleevers and no others are in any reason to be in a known tongue that they may understand and joyn in them v. 16. the unknown tongues being designed either only as a sign v. 22. i. e. a miracle to convert unbeleevers to the faith when they sâ—e illiterate men all Jews speak all kinds of languages or as a means of preaching to men of every country in their own language from whence saith the Apostle 't is consequent that if unknown tongues were used in a congregation of beleevers unlearned men that understand not those tongues or unbelievers that have no reverence to the Congregation do not at all discern any miracle in their speaking with divers tongues but look only upon the ridiculousnesse of the action as of a gabbling of that which no man understands wil resolve that this is a direct madnesse thus to do Whereas on the other side that of Prophesying interpreting of the doctrine of Christ intelligibly and the other parts of the Church-Service in a known language will be apt to convince or instruct those unbeleevers or ignorants This and no more but this is the direct rationall importance of those verses wherein though there be mention of unbeleevers coming in yet that being only by way of supposition if they come in c. I might justly say that that is no plain affirmation of Scripture that heathens alii quilibet any others that will are not prohibited the hearing of Gods word c. For 1. 't is an old rule that suppositio non ponit the supposing if they do doth not suppose they do much lesse that lawfully they may and 2. that text names only ethnicks and ignorants and belongs not at all to the alii quivis any other that will as that contains the impenitent Christians which are the only persons to which our Excommunication belongs and of them the Apostle is far from affirming or supposing that they might not be so excluded and if they should by way of reduction be forced into that verse the Apostles reasons would be spoiled for they being supposeable to understand that unknown tongue as they may do for all their impenitence at least to know what belongs to the gift of tongues and to what use they were designed would not think them mad presently that used it which being said I may further add that those heathens coming into the Church or the not prohibiting them to enter is a very distinct thing from the admission of the impenitent Christians when they are by Church censures prohibited because the Apostle himself which prohibits Communion with the brother that is the Christian which is a fornicator doth yet not prohibit it with an heathen or fornicator of this world and the end of Excommunication being only on design of charity to make the Christian offender by that means ashamed and reformable would be utterly cast away upon an heathen who would rather be made obdurate by that means and indeed 't were ridiculous to turn out them who are not so forward to come in and are not by St Paul here supposed so unlesse tanquam exploratores to see how Christians behave themselves there and if they can finde any such madnesse amongst them as he there mentions would be likely to charge it home upon them though on the other side if they finde such a regular frame and beauty of all things there they may possibly be convinced and wrought on by that admirable order doctrine as St Austin was by St Ambroses Sermon though he came thither on a quite dâ—stant arrant And so sure all this while this is a feeble text to be relyed on as the only argument to conclude Apostolicall practise to be contrary to the excluding of any à Verbi Divini auditione c. from prayer or from hearing the Word in publick the place being quite extrinsecal to this matter and saying nothing at all to it That which hath been said sufficiently arms us against the Sect. 45 concludency of that which Th. 8. is inferr'd from the premises and therefore there is no need of saying more to it save onely this that in this Thesis there are some little mistakes committed which I shall only name 1. that which is to the matter in hand and on which his conclusion stands or falls and had been mentioned and is by us answered before in the 1. Th. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 10. signifies Communion whereas I say it signifies indeed from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communico communicatio and so belongs there quite to another matter then that to which it is here applyed only to the affirming the wine c. in the Sacrament to be the communication or the making us partakers of the bloud of Christ not to our Communion one with another in sacris which is the thing from which excommunication cuts us off as is noted by that definition of it which Thes 1. is by the author produced that 't
swell it to and therefore must recover so much constancy of minde as not to be thus passionately hurried out of my resolution but leave it till I have a louder call to it being ready to give any man an account of what I now say in this matter Sect. 50 It will be a more moderate excursion and more reconcileable with my designed brevity to mention one opinion or pretension more in this matter that of another Gentleman who though he strive not to take Excommunication out of the Church any more then Baptisme but moreover acknowledges also that it belongs to the future Pastors as well as to the then present Apostles yet having first resolved that Ecclesia civitas Christianorum are all one he then concludes that the cognizance and judgment of any fault whether it be such or no belongs to the Church in that notion of his i. e. to the City or Common-wealth which with him also signifies the civil Magistrate or as he saith judicem summum the supreme judge and that the power of binding and loosing as that also of baptizing which saith he is all one with it is no farther in the Pastor then that he eject those out of the Church whom the Church in his notion hath condemned and receive into it whom the Church judges worthy of absolution I shall not labour to multiply differences but at this time make my exceptions onely to one part of this Scheme viz. that the Church in his notion i. e. the judex summus the civil Magistrate hath the power of judging who are to be excommunicated who absolved The proofs that I can collect from him of that assertion are only two First that Mat. 18. Christ bids in case the trespasser hear not the two or three i. e. saith he either deny the fact or confessing it deny it to be a trespasse then dic Ecclesiae that it should be told the Church Quare autem Ecclesiae nisi ut ipsa judicet an peccatum sit necne Why should the Church be told it but that that may judge whether that be a sin or no and if he obeyed not then let him be to thee a Publican c. Non dicit Dic Apostolis It is not saith he Tell the Apostles to note that the sentence or judgement whether it be a sinne or no belongs not to them but to the Church and consequently that this power was no more then to bind those whom the Church had before judged impenitent His second argument is from the practise and words of St Paul who asks the Corinthians Do you not judge them that are within yet himself pronounces the fornicator excommunicate To the former of these I shall answer only this one thing that there are other reasons very prompt pertinent why the matter should be told the Church though the Church be taken in a notion wherein it is not supposed to judge of it as either 1. the densare inculcationibus in Tertullians phrase the fortifying the former successlesse reprehensions with this addition of authority from the number that as the two or three might be more likely to work upon the offender then the injur'd person alone so now the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the many or the Church in the loosest notion of it for any assembly or meeting of many Christians together supposing that it do not signifie the Governors of the Church as the Antients yet say it doth and is far more probable and asserted on stronger grounds then that it should signifie the Civitas or summus judex might probably be more effectuall or 2. The pudefacere coram multis formerly cited out of the Rabbins the making the offender ashamed when his fact is thus publisht and to do that is by us acknowledged the end of the admonitions and censures or 3. If there be need the using the multitude as a cloud of witnesses to convince him of the fact or sinfulnesse of it which the text refers to before that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established and in all reason may be a commodious sense here also this third being but the ascending to an higher and more probable convincing course when the former had miscarried Either of these three much more altogether will be a sufficient ground of Telling it to the Church and so from thence there is no necessity to conclude that the judgement is the act of the Church or Civil Magistrate in that place And indeed it will be hard to suppose that possible at that time when 't is clear the Civil Magistrate was not Christian and therefore unfit not only for the title of the Church but much more to be appealed to as the judge by Christians who 't is certain are bound by Christ to use all other means possible and telling it to the Church in our notion is one of those possibles to get satisfaction for trespasses before they proceed to any heathen tribunal to implead their fellow-Christian there Nor will it I conceive be reasonable to reply that Christs speech belongs to aftertimes when the Magistrate should be Christian For then 1. he must acknowledge that till then it was to be in the Church in our notion and consequently that the Ecclesiastical Governors were the Judge at that time and then by his own doctrine that data est potestas ligandi c. futuris pastoribus eodem modo quo praesentibus Apostolis it will still belong to the Ecclesiastical Superior And 2. though it may very justly be extended to that future state as what was said to the Apostles was not personal but belonged to their successors also yet there will be no probable argument that the Apostles then present should be themselves excluded For besides that this must lie on him to prove if he wil assert it against all antiquity it will also be a little unreasonable to affirm for that were for our Saviour to give all the power and direct all the speech to the Successors not to the Apostles as a Prophesie only or a prediction no Evangelical instating on these to whom he spake This I suppose a sufficient answer to this proof without proceeding to any deeper search or examination of that which in the argument is taken for granted viz. that the Church signifies the Summus judex which yet is as far from being formerly convincingly inferred as it is from the sound of the words or the notion wherein all the antient Church have uniformly taken it which will I hope be considerable in this matter for that Christ did not take upon him to be a Judge or introduce any change in civil Government as it is by us acknowledged most true so will it not belong to this of binding c. which is but a spiritual not civil punishment only a denying them that which Christ brought into the world and gave those Messengers of his the
other sense among Christians then that of a meeting together in a Town hall upon no other way of probation but that the Hebrew words answerable to that are by the Talmudists yea even in the Scripture of the Old Testament taken in this sense this would be a little strange the matter of fact being most evident to the contrary and it being most prompt and proper that words used either among the Greeks or Hebrewes in forinsecal senses may be bent by Christian Writers to a sacred Sect. 67 So in like manner the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is acknowledged is answerable to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Jewes and that word denoted among them some offices which if they may in any respect be counted Ecclesiastical are yet very distant from the Christian use of it such was that of the Messengers sent out to demand and bring in the dues to the Temple which cannot without the helpe of accommodation be applyed to the Christian acception of the word and such againe was the proxy in contracting or marrying two persons for he was call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Apostolus also an intercessor or internunce betwixt them which as a sponsor undertook for one to the other the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as Samson had Judg. 14.20 i. e. in Varinus his definition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whom he saith that when the Bridegroome himselfe must not goe into the Fathers house viz. in a second marriage such as that was of God with the Gentiles who had before espoused the Jewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee sends one of his friends To which mâ—tion of the word according to one punctation of the place the Apostle may seem to referre 2 Cor. 11.2 when he expresses his Apostleship by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have espoused you to one husband according to that sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acknowledged by Julius Pollux 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 making the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sponsor all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie the interceding or mediating a marriage all one with that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there used by St. Paul agreeable to which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by Pollux further extended to the mediators of any kinde of league 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then according to that notion also is the Apostles pacifick office praying and beseeching us in Christs stead to be reconciled to God all which are very convenient accommodations but farre from requiring the Christian word to the very kinde of sense that the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did import So againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops in the Christian Church doe in Sect. 68 respect of their office particularly that of imposition of hands peculiar to them above the Presbyters even in St. Jeromes confession referre to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Princeps Synedrii who imposed hands upon those that were elected into the Sanhedrim but in respect of the name they referre to the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Jewes and accordingly the very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is both 1 Mac. 1.53 and in Josephus set to signifie them that are set over any publike businesse the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that set men a worke and require an account of the performance and yet are by way of accommodation brought both in the New Testament and in all Sacred Writers since to signifie an office parallel to this but purely Ecclesiastick So the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though in the Old Testament Sect. 69 it belong properly to the Elders of the people either in a common notion or as members of their Sanhedrim not any body or single persons peculiarly Ecclesiasticke though by the way 't is most cleare that the high Priests were not onely of that number part of their Sanhedrim or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also the chiefe of them and therefore in the New Testament the mention of the high Priests and Elders comes oft together in point of judicature and the businesse of that Court being all kinde of affaires Civil as well as Ecclesiasticke it was most reasonable that some persons of both conditions should be intrusted with them and there being so no wonder that there was no other Court or Tribunal meerly Ecclesiastical yet doth it unquestionably belong both in many places of the New Testament and in the constant acception of primitive and after-writers to an order of Ecclesiasticks as is most apparent both by Clemens and Ignatius and is confest by them which assert the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Bishops and Presbyters which makes it not very reasonable to consent to the way of arguing twice used by that learned Writer who from the Talmudical writings of the Creation of the Jewish Elders would conclude how little or how nothing there is in the Creation of a Presbyter among Christians more then of a Doctor of Law c. But this by the way Sect. 70 Lastly so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deacons in the Christian Church are directly parallel to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under the Synagogue called by Epiphanius by a light inflexion or change of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or treasurers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Josephus which I wonder a learned man should carpe at onely upon this exception because it was not proved they were in synagogis praefecti ut ministrarent mensis when 't is cleare that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Acts noting first the ministring to them in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that common table for the poore and rich doth in universum signifie providing for the poore and that is as clearly parallel to the office of those treasurers among the Jewes as if they had literally in the Synagogue served tables Sect. 71 I should now proceed to my third proposal the phrases which are purely Christian but that I conceive it not unfit to take notice of one difficulty which wee have not yet mentioned nor shall have occasion to mention among the phrases purely Christian and to give some account of that in this place And it is to examine what was the condition 1. Of Heathens 2. Of Samaritans 3. Of those that are called Sinners 4. Of Publicans among the Jewes being tempted to that if it be an extravagance by another Parenthesis in a learned Authour before mentioned For Gentiles they were of three sorts either 1. Proselytes Sect. 72 of justice who were circumcised and undertook their whole law and these were allowed to live among them to enjoy all liberty and priviledges that any Jew did differing from them in nothing but their Gentile-birth Secondly Proselytes of the Gates which were converted so far by them as to receive the precepts of the sonnes
presence to which refers the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bread of faces or shewbread in the Temple shewing or signifying the presence of God there and I shal be a fugitive and vagabond and then finally it shal come to passe saith he that every one that findeth me shall stay me there is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excision from which though God freed him v. 15. yet the other he lay under as appears by v. 16. Cain went out from the presence of the Lord went out i. e. was turned out as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 25.46 is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. 8.12 of the presence of the Lord i. e. out of the Church or visible congregation of Gods servants the place where God is pleased peculiarly to exhibite himself i. e. out of Adams family or the place where he dwelt for it follows Cain dwelt in the land of Nod on the East of Eden but this onely as an image or accommodation One thing I desire here to interpose as in a Parenthesis Sect. 82 which hath been touched on in other Papers but wil be here seasonably set down more at large as peculiarly pertinent to the matter now in hand of delivering to Satan and 't is this that this act of the Church in delivering up to Satan is but an Image of Gods real dealing who is wont upon occasion tradere Satanae to deliver men unto Satan The ground of this affirmation you may discern by compounding these Scripture Truths together 1. That Satan is our adversary before God and therefore call'd Satan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies so and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enemy and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set against us c. Secondly that one main act of his Satanship is exprest in accusing us before God Rev. 12.11 and thence he is call'd peculiarly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. an opposite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in court of judicature 1 Pet. 5.8 and that either 1. upon some false suggestion no real crime as particularly that of unsincerity or serving God only as long as God used him wel allowed him the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the case of Job Chap. 1. vers 9.11 in which respect he is peculiarly call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a calumniator and 't is observable that the 72. doe most what render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by that word noting this act of calumniaâ—ing Gods servants to their Master to be a special piece of his being our adversary Or else secondly upon the real commission of some sin which advantage he will be sure not to omit when he can take it for sure he that will accuse falsly will not spare to accuse when he hath true matter of accusation allowed him To which purpose he is stiled observator calcanei an observer of the heel in the vulgar Latine Gen. 3.15 agreeable to the Septuagints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unless which I easily believe that be a fals print for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an observer of the heel of Christ i. e. of Christians or one that goeth up and down to and fro in the earth Job 1.7 to finde out matter of accusation and in this sense he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. an accuser as that differs critically from a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or calumniator of the brethren i. e. Christians or believers when they fal into a fault An example of this I conceive we have in the case of S. Peter Luk. 22.31 where Satans desiring to have Peter seems to be founded upon some previous or precedent accusation of him for some criminal commission perhaps that of striving with the other Disciples for superiority immediately preceding v. 24. as his successor at Rome hath done ever since or for some other sin which Satan saw though we do not at this distance Sect. 83 And upon this putting in of accusations against any follows in the third place his expetivit ut cribraret Luk. 22.31 his desiring to winnow his solemne petition to God that he that hath so offended may be delivered unto him parallel to which our English Bibles make that other place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 which is there plainly attributed to him as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a plaintiff or adversary in a Court impleading or accusing or delivering to the Judge Matt. 5.25 that so he may deliver him back again as to a tormentor and then if this Satanical course or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prevaile if this accusation be received this petition be granted as it was though with limitation Job 1.12 the result is a man delivered up to Satan to have as Job had so many assayes of his malice practised upon him To which purpose you may please to observe what Psellus hath given us in his Scholia on the Chaldean Oracles on that text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the devils have the power of binding men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These punitive envious devils do bind and even strangle the soules of good and as we say regenerate men and from thence it follows saith he that we oft see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many of pure and holy conversations falling into unexpected calamities according to that of the Apostle For this cause are many sick and weak among you c. And perhaps it may on this ground be farther observable that when men are thus by God delivered up into Satans hand and he by that permission designs them any mischief he is able to foretell it to his instruments and so somtimes doth foretell such future events to get a reputation in the world of fore-knowing all things Now this being the condition of the Apostolical censure or delivering Sect. 84 to satan that who were thus delivered satan corporally tormented them brought them to deaths doore and sometimes killed them it must follow on the other side 1. That the Apostles by the power of the Keys must be enabled together both to cast out devils and to heal diseases and so they were Mat. 16.17 In my name they shall cast out devils and 18. They shal lay their hands upon the sick and they shall recover 2. That whom the Apostles absolve from the Censure of excommunication they might and should also cure of diseases the consequents of that censure then though not alwayes now and therefore perhaps only the first power belongs to the Governours of the Church now to wit that of absolving not of curing and so every where in the Gospel we read forgivenesse of sins and healing of diseases or casting out devils joyned together as Mat. 9.2 Christ saith to the sick of the palsie Son be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee and then v. 6. Arise take up thy bed and walk the stile and ceremony of Christs cure and the curing of that disease an argument in
avoid such as cause divisions and offences among them and so 2 Thessal 3.14 just now mentioned if any man obey not our word by this Epistle note that man and have no company with him c. And if in this respect Mat. 18.17 may be extended to this sense also 't will no way contradict or prejudice our present pretensions it being very reasonable for private Christians to constrain themselves toward those who have exprest such a contradiction to all fraternal methods of charity and by outward behaviour to shew a dislike of their contumacie and obduration especially when an Apostle at a distance shal pass that judgment on any particular man the present state of the Church leaves no place for expectation of formal censures the law of the heathen Charondas being not unreasonable in this case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That no man converse with a wicked man or woman or bring a reproach on himself as if he were like him Another phrase to expresse this censure is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sect. 91 Tit. 3.10 After a first and second admonition avoid him which that it belongs to the method directed to by Christ Mat. 18.15 16 17. 't is clear at the first sight but seeing there be three admonitions before censure Mat. 18. the first of the injured person alone the second of the two or three the third of the Church the difficulty will be which 2. of those 3. are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first second here my opinion of it with submission is that the first second here are the very same with the first second in S. Mat. 1. that of one alone and then of that one with one or two more with him And if it be objected that then the excommunication must not follow immediatly upon that second I answer that those words being spoken to Titus Bish of Creet by S. Paul telling him what he should do must needs make a difference froÌ„ what it would be if 't were a private man It appeared probable before that the admonition of the Church signified that of the rulers of the Church therfore when they have admonished there is no place for appeal to the Church nor consequently for that third admonition and therefore in this case where the Governour who is representatively the Church it self a publique no private person after a first and second admonition and the second with one or two perhaps with some or all of the College of Presbyters joyned with him comes to be despised the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 follows or proceeding to censure without any third admonition interposing Which will appear to be the practice if you look 2 Cor. 13.2 where immediately after the second admonition in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 characterized v. 11. by in the mouth of two or three c. he tels the offenders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will not spare i. e. I will proceed to censure and ver 10. he tels them that this admonition is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I may not proceed to excision or cutting off for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render sharpnesse signifies which is there called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taking away in the end of the verse the very word which is so ordinary in the ancient Canons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tollatur for the censure of excommunication Sect. 92 And the reason is there rendred because you may know that such an one that holds out against those admonitions of the Church or rulers thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a perverse wilful sinner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being self-condemned i. e. I conceive by that non-submission to the Churches admonitions he withdraweth and divideth himself from that commâ—nion and so inflicteth that punishment upon himself which the censures of the Church are wont to do on malefactors for that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 13.10 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cutâ—ing off from the Church which he being an heretick doth voluntarily without the judges sentence his verv 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heresie being a willing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or excision So saith S. Jerome whereas fornicators c. are turn'd out of the Church the heretiâ—k inflicts this on himself suo arbitrio ab ecclesiâ recedens going of his own choice from the Church which departing propriae conscientiae videtur esse damnatio seems to be the censure of ones own conscience So in the Council of Laodicea Can. 40. after an order that no Bishop shal disobey a citation when he is called to a Coâ—nâ—el 't is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he contemn he shal be conceived to accâ—se himself which is the next degree to self-condemnation So in the 22. Can. of the African Codex or in Justellus his Account the 19. the words are clear of a Bishop that being accused before a Council appears not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall be judged to have pronounced sentence of condemnation against himself and so even in Philostratus l. 7. c. 7. it is a saying of Apollonius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that shall decline a judicature how shall he avoid the being thought to have condemned himself So in the 12. Tables Praesenti litem addicito i. e. that he that absents himself be alwayes cast and so the Franks have alwayes observed it ut absens causâ caderet ni Sonnia nuntiasset that the absent should be alwayes condemned unlesse he gave a just excuse of his absence And the Regulae ab Abbate Floriacensi constitutae adde Qui non comparuerit tanquam convictus judicabitur he that appeareth not shall be judged as convict i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If you would see this Interpretation more fully confirmed I must refer you to Marculsi formul l. 1. c. 37. and Bignonius on them to Stephan Fornerius rerum quotid l. 6. c. 21. and out of him Justellus in the Notes on Cod. Ecclesiae universae p. 38. But enough of this I shall take in no more places to examine for this point Sect. 93 of the nature of this power save only those in the Gospel with which this discourse began which as we have once gone over in relation to the first enquiry so we shall now again in order to the second First then Mat. 16.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sect. 94 I will give you the keys of the kingdome of heaven where 't wil be no news to him that is vers'd in the New Testament if I tell him that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the kingdome of heaven signifies the Church of Christ here below Militant being not a disparate body but a fellow-member of Christ with the other triumphant in heaven I could weary my Reader with places to this purpose ready at every turn to justifie this interpretation as when 't is said of St. John the Baptist Matt. 11.11 that though from the beginning there had
or attrition or any the most slight wish that they were penitent for that repentance which Christ cals for and accepts and crowns It follows hence that unlesse men may be driven out of these falseholds they will never set themselves aright in the way to that great work and therefore proportionable to these two heads are the two exercises of the power of the keyes designed the first to turn the Christian professor that will go on in sin quite out of all society of Christianity not allowing him the priviledges of his Christianity the Word the Sacraments c. unlesse he will walk worthy of so honourable a vocation the second to set him his task of repentance to prescribe him some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 probations by which he shall be discerned whether he be in earnest contrite and willing to make his peace with Heaven to take any the most laborious course to approve himself to Christ The former of these in the act of excommunication the latter in imposing the penance upon which he shall be received again both together to bring sinners to repentance Sect. 4 When sinners by obstinacy provoke God 't is his manner to withdraw his grace to deliver them up to themselves a worse kind of devil or Satan that by this means they may see their former forlorne condition their vilenesse first and then their danger so he uses to bring the secure proud sinner to humility to the use of prayer wrestling with God to caise him out of this sad estate And so the Church in like manner by Christs direction withdraws the benefits and priviledges of Christians from those whom it judges contumacious delivers them up to plain barbarousnesse and heathenisme deals with them as God did with Nebuchad-nezzar driving him from the Court into the Wildernesse transforming him into the shape of a very beast all to this end that his understanding might by that means return to him the field teach him lessons of piety whom the palace could not Agreeable to which is that of Pletho upon Zoroaster 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The revengefull devils or furies do gripe men to bring them off from sin and set them on vertue Sect. 5 And then as afflictions are one of Gods engines and stratagems to besiege enter and take the soul when he flew them they sought him saith the Psalmist So among the Apostles were those corporal inflictions diseases c. superadded on purpose to make the impression more violent and to work more effectually on their hearts Sect. 6 The effectualnesse of which we may discern in one of the degrees of penitents in the ancient Church namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom we find weeping and howling in the Church-porch not permitted to come in lying without for them that enter'd to tread on in their passage which was certainly a means to make them prize those benefits more dearly which they saw themselves interdicted and others partakers of and withal to read them a Lecture of their own unworthinesse seeing themselves of the number of those dogs and evil workers that are without The second end which I named was the repairing the honour Sect. 7 and dignity of the Church which consisting in the purity of the lives of Christian professors is necessarily lost both in the opinion of God and men especially those which are without by the impieties and unchristian actions of any which are called by Christs Name which is therefore by the Apostle said to be blasphemed or evil spoken of when Christians fall into any notorious sins and then there is no way to recover the reputation of the Church and even of the Christian Religion and in a kinde of Christ himself but by expressing the wrath and displeasure of the Church against those who walk thâ—s inordinately and so proclaiming unto all that Christianity is not a Doctrine as Zozimus and Celsus and Julian mistook it of security or impunity to any sort of impenitents but of strict precise exact purity though some ungracious persons walk contrary to those prescriptions This is the only tabula post naufragium plank or means of relief when the same and good name of the Church is thus ship-wrackt and so fit to be designed in the second place A third gain and profit designed by these censures is the warning Sect. 8 and admonishing of others not lest they should be polluted by presence among the profane as they that toucht the unclean thing were polluted under the Law any farther then by the spreading leprous quality of their example which is the comon errour of the proud fastidious Pharisees of all ages and is clearly confuted by St. Paul 1 Cor. 5.10 where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not extended to heathen fornicators which sure would be able to pollute by society as much as Christian sinners and by Clemens or that ancient Author under his name Constit Ap. l. 2. c. 14. who hath a notable place to fortifie against this mistake speaking of those which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unmercifully affirm that men ought not to pollute themselves by accompanying with sinners nor converse with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For such reasonings savour of men that know not God and his providence of unreasonable judges and untamed beasts For they observe not that the communion with sinners that must be avoided is not that of conversing with but imitating of them not speaking but doing with them Sect. 9 But the design is to set a brand upon such sins which otherwise might haply be thought imitable and insensibly grow into fashion and so infect and pollute were not men thus told of their uglinesse shew'd their deformity and fore-warn'd of their danger which is sure another act of mercy to all easie seducible spectators to the Church it selfe and to him whose scandalous sins are by this means hindred from being damners of other men Sect. 10 And as the censures themselves so the inexorablenesse or at least difficulty of some Ages of Canons of Councils and practice of Churches in granting of absolution to penitents that also hath been designed out of pure charity to help multiply their fruits of repentance to set a value on Gods Ordinances to quicken their zeal to demonstrate their sincerity both to others and to their own souls each of which might perhaps be missing if absolution were over-easily obtainable Sect. 11 All which the more it is weighed how this institution of Christs besides that as 't is so it ought not to be neglected is an act of special Christian charity in not suffering sin upon thy neighbour but in any wise rebuking him Lev. 19.17 the more reproachful wil it be to this age of ours the more bitter Pasquin and lasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it shall be told in Gath and Askalon that for some years the arts of some uncharitable men have so prevailed that all exercise of this institution of Christ