measure executes it self So that Excommunication ipso facto is Excommunication ab ipso jure sive sententiae a jure latae and is so call'd in Contradistinction to Excommunication ab Homine sive Judice where the definitive Sentence must be waited for and pronounced before the Excommunication can take effect From what hath been said it is evident that the guilty Person in this Case is immediately in the state of Excommunication so that he ought not to thrust himself into the Communion of the Ch. it being a thing which belongs not to him and to which he hath no Right and from which he can receive no Benefit but ought to put himself into the state of a Penitent to bewail his Fault and make what Satisfaction he is able and to endeavour his Reconciliation to the Church upon such Terms and Conditions as the proper Judge in that case shall think fit for that end and purpose of which a true and hearty Repentance so far as Man can discern is always one But then whether all Persons are bound to treat this Person as an Excommunicate is another Question Indeed if he as he ought confess his Fault declare his Condition and bewail it there can be no doubt but that others though they may pity him yet ought to treat him as an Excommunicate till he be restored by due course but then it too often happens that the Fact is hid and secret or if the Fact be known yet the Criminal is not or if both Fact and Criminal be known yet it may not be known or but to few that there is any Canon or Law which ipso facto puts such a Person under Excommunication yea after all though Fact Criminal and Canon be known yet it may be a doubtful and controverted case whether the Crime be within the Verge and Censure of such Canon Now in such a case I humbly conceive that no Man is strictly bound to treat such a Person as an Excommunicate until a declaratory Sentence of a proper Judge have passed on the thing though a definitive one be needless that is that the Judge having true notice of the Crime do declare that it is the same against which the Canon pronounces an Excommunication ipso facto and this published shall be sufficient to oblige others to treat the Person so declared against as under a state of Excommunication But then again there are Cases wherein so much as a declaratory Sentence is needless and Persons may be bound to look on the Criminals as Excommunicates without any such Sentence as when the Fact Criminals and Canon passing Sentence thereon are notoriously known in such case the Church requires all persons without more adoe to take notice of the Offenders and to treat them as persons under the Sentence of the Canon tho' the Judge hath given no Sentence in the case and commends them for so doing tho' in other cases it allows them not the Judgment This Mr. Hody doubtless would have told us if it had been for his turn but thanks to more fair and ingenuous Persons the Canon now speaks plain for itself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But if any shall separate themselves from Communion with their Superiour for any Heresie condemned by the H. Synods and Fathers he publickly preaching the same Heresie to the People and teaching it barefac'd in the Church such shall not onely be free from Canonical Censure for separating from Communion with the Bishop so called before synodical Condemnation but they shall be thought worthy of the Honour that is due to the Orthodox because they have not condemned a Bishop but a false Bishop and a false Teacher and have not divided the Vnity of the Church by Schism but have studiously endeavoured to preserve the Church from Schisms and Divisions Thus in cases manifest and notorious Christians followed the Censure of precedent Canons without staying for particular Sentence the onely Question then is whether there be such notoriety in our particular case And truly I think that there scarce ever appeared in the World a more notorious and manifest case the Matter of Fact is evident to all there being scarce a Child of five years old in the Kingdom who doth not know how the Authority of K. James is trampled on despised and denied if he be not taught to do it himself and as for the Persons they are as well known the Laymen glorying in it in all places and the Clergy roaring it out before whole Congregations and then the Canon which censures them as excommunicate ipso facto for so doing is or ought to be as well known for it is commanded with the rest once every year to be read in all Churches which I think is fair notice and if they will not take it affected Ignorance will rather aggravate than excuse their Fault from all which it is plain that these Offenders ought to be treated as excommunicate ipso facto upon the Authority of the Canon without waiting for the declaratory Sentence of a living Judge Having considered the nature of an Excommunication ipso facto I shall next enquire into the state and condition of an excommunicated Person which is very sad and dreadfull as to any Man but when it falls to be a Clergyman's Lot it makes fatal Work For 1. It divests him of the Power of Exercising any Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and if nevertheless he will take upon him to exercise it it renders all his Acts invalid and null And I think it will be worth some Mens pains to enquire whether this may not affect all the Ecclesiastical Courts in England for I doubt it will not be sufficient to say that many things are done in those Courts which were committed to them by the Civil Power as things that seemed most fitting to be done by Ecclesiastical Persons tho' they might be done by others for though this tacitly acknowledges a Nuâ—…ity or what proceeds from their Spiritual Authority yet I see not what Service it can do them as to what is intrusted to them by Secular Authority for if it were intrusted in them as Ecclesiastical Persons and as Ecclesiastical Persons thâ—y stâ—nd excommunicate I cannot see how they continue capable of exercising such Eccâ—esiastical Jurisdiction But let those Persons look after that who have or shaâ—l have any Suits there or have occasion to prove any Wills wherein they are intâ—â—estâ—d or the like for if ever things should come to Rights again which I hope is no hurt to wish if such Matters were not confirmed by a lawful Authority perhaps some who at present are proud of their Rebellion and the Effects of it may live to curse the time that ever the Mob made Kings or a Dutch man Archbishops 2. Excommunication renders a Clergyman so long as he continues in that state unâ—apable of any Ecclesiastical Benesice or Promotion and if he attempt to take any all means used to conser it upon him become ineffectual a Presentation of such
a one cannot be accepted or if it be his Institution is void They may chew the Cud upon this who have accepted any Preferments under these Schismatical Bishops for the obtaining of which they have taken Oaths whereby they denied their lawful King and consequently then incurred an Excommunication ipso facto 3. It makes the whole Administration of his Ministerial Office ineffectual You can expect no Return of Prayers made with him with whom you ought not to communicate the B. Sacrament consers no Benesit received from his Hands he cannot authoritatively bless the People of God who is himself under a Curse and excluded from being a part of them And here I think all those who have joined themselves to such Persons to be highly concerned to lay their Hands on their Hearts and consider well what they have done in communicating with them hitherto and whether they can think it safe to continue therein for in communicating with them as they are Schismaticks they make themselves Schismaticks and in communicating with them as they are Excommunicates not only all their Labour is lost but they get a Curse instead of a Blessing The matter were not altogether so bad if this Censure extended only to Clergy-men but that a thorough Provision might be made to secure the Subject in Obedience it spares none and therefore I shall consider how Excommunication affects Persons in general whether Lay-men or Clergy-men 1st Then no excommunicated Person ought to be sussered to be present at the Service of the Church and if the Minister who officiates can no other ways get rid of him he ought rather to break off and desist than to susser such a Person to join in Communion with his Flock 'T is indeed true that he may be allowed to be present when the Sermon is made as supposed to make for his Information or Conviction but even then he ought not to be intermingled with others but to stand alone and plainly distinguished from the rest of the Congregation But to the Prayers such Persons never were nor ought to be admitted 2dly Every excommunicated Person is especially debarred from being a Partaker of the Lord's Supper and antiently if any Priest did administer the Sacrament to such an one bâ—â—ore he was Canonically reconciled to the Church which originally was done by the Bishop or by Authority deputed from him he himself became liable to be deposed and no longer intrusted in the Ministry 3dly Whosoâ—ver stands excommunicated non â—rrante clave he is dismembred and cut off from the Church and consequently deprived of those Supplies and Succours which the Mâ—â—bers receive by being united together in one Body and by means thereof to Christ their Head they are like Branches cut off from the Vine there is no way or means left whereby any gratious Succours can be conveyed unto them unless there be a Reinsition and they be received and grafted in again 4ly Every excommunicate Person is under a heavy Curse the Devil has a peculiar Power over him so that his Condition is very deplorable and desperate whilsâ— he remains under that Sentence Hence the Scripture styles it a delivering unto Satan 1 Cor. 5. 5. and 1 Tim. 1. 20. and Tertullian calls it summum futuri Judicii Praejudicium the highest Presumption of what shall be his Sentence in the day of Judgment God will ratiâ—ie in Heaven the Sentence of his Church on Earth when she proceeds against Offenders in vindication of his Laws and Ordinances That Saying of our Saviour to his Apostles is enough to strike any Man with Horrour who justly incurrs the Censure of the Officers of the Church Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven Mat. 18. 18. 5ly An excommunicated Person is or ought to be debarred from most of the Benesits and Comforts of civil Conversation he is like a blown Dear every one in the Herd even for his own Safety will push him from him or like a Man that has the Plague every one that would escape the Infection avoids him But of this more presently in its due place The State and Condition of a Person under the Sentence of Excommunication being thus briefly explain'd I think it may be sufficiently dreadful to any who have any sense of Christianity or apprehensions of the Wrath of God and if this be the state of the Revolutionists they have no great cause to brag of their Bargain and if others did carry themselves towards them as they ought to do towards Men in such a State I am apt to think they would quickly hang their Heads and if their Hearts were not as hardened as Pharaoh's very Shame would work in them remorse and bring them to Repentance But tho' I have little hopes of this both Priests and People being so generally infected yet to discharge my own part I shall proceed in my Method before propounded and shall now examine what ought to be the Behaviour and Carriage of other persons towards a person that is under Excommunication and 1. All persons ought to stand upon their Guard against him and not onely keep him from the publick Service and drive him out of their Churches as a Profaner of their Communion and one who has no Right to it and as one who is infectious and injurious to them and makes their Communion ineffectual but farther they ought to take care that they join not in any private Devotions with him nor admit him to Prayers with them tho' in their own Houses I do not say but they may pray for instruct admonish and endeavour what they can to reclaim such a one but they must not pray with him nor join in any other Act of Christian Communion with him Procul ite profani was proclaimed at the Celebration of the Heathen Mysteries and do not the Christian Mysteries deserve much more Reverence and Awâ— Ought we not as nigh as we can to have a care that we admit none of his Enemies none that have notoriously provoked him and not attoned their Crime when we perform those Acts and Offices wherein we have Access to and Communion with the great God of Heaven and Earth I confess that particular Persons ought not to take upon them by their own Authority to exclude any from Communion but iâ— they know any person to be guilty of a notorious Crime or live in a scandalous Way they ought to complain to proper Judges but when the Church has pass'd her Consure upon them they have a kind of Cain's Brand and are marked out for all Men to avoid it is our B. Saviour's own Direction to us concerning every such person that he be unto us as a Heathen Man and a Publican Mat. 18. 17. and such tho' they had been Emperours the primitive Christians were so far from admitting to their Communion that they would not so much as allow them to be bare Spectators not
excommunicated ipso facto by the Canon by consequence they cannot be the Church of England they have incurred her Censures are cut off from her Communion her sound Members ought not to communicate with them And the Anti-Revolutionists how few soever are the only Church of England I have stated this Reasoning but very briefly you may easily examine it more fully and if it holds I have my purpose For when it is enquired into and found solid it may deserve its proper place in some Book or other that may after this be written on the Controversie Besides it may be useful for obviaâ—ing that popular Plea against the Separation That the Original Question is only of Civil Coâ—cern and ought not to affect the Interests of the Church For from these Grounds it appears that in the Opinion of the Church of England which made the Canons it was of such concern as to have the highest Censures of the Church interested in it and to be made a fundamental term of her Communion If after it is examined by Men of better Judgment and better skill'd in the concerns of the Church of England it shall c. The Canon to which the Author of the Letter resers WHosoever shall hereafter affirm that the King's Majesty hath not the same Authority in Causes Ecclesiastical that the Godly Kings had amongst the Jews and Christian Emperors in the Primitive Church or impeach in any part his Regal Supremacy in the said Causes restored to the Crown and by the Laws of the Realm therein established Let him be excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but only by the Arch-Bishop after his Repentance and publick Revocation of those his wicked Errors Before I come to explain the intent and force of this Canon I think it convenient to set down a Position in the first Canon which all Persons having â—ure of Souls and all other Preachers and Readers of Divinity are obliged to the uttermost of their Wit Knowledg and Learning purely and sincerely without any Colour or Dissimulation to teach manifest open and declare four times every Year at the least And whether this hath been done or if done with what Sincerity by the greatest part let the World judge by their present and late Actings And it may be farther observed that this Position is levelled as well against all Civil as Ecclesiastical Foreign Powers as may appear not only from the Words in it but from our Laws and Statutes which shall hereafter be produced which this was designed to strengthen and confirm That the Spiritual Sword might afford what assistance it could to the Secular and both Powers concur to secure the Lawful Supream Governour upon whose Safety and Welfare the Well-being of both so much depended The Position in the first Canon That all Usurped and Foreign Power forasmuch as the same hath no establishment nor ground by the Law of God is for most just Causes taken away and abolished and that therefore no manner of Obedience or Subjâ—ction within his Majesty's Realms and Dominions is due unto any such Foreign Power But that the King's Power within his Realms of England Scotland and Ireland and all other his Dominions and Countries is the highest Power under God to whom all Men as well Inhabitants as born within the same do by God's Laws owe most Loyalty and Obedience afore and above all other Powers and Potentates in Earth I do not deny but that the Usurpations of the Court of Rome were the â—ccasion of laying down this Position but then though the occasions of Laws or Canons are particular yet the Law or Canon it self is general â—gainst all Mischiefs whatsoever of the like kind If the occasion of the first Law against Murder had been the cutting a Man's Throat no State whatâ—oeâ—â—â— would be so weak as to make a Law only against cutting of Throats â—nd leave bloudy Men free to use all other ways but their Law would be â—ade general to prevent the killing any Man either with Knife Sword Pistol 〈◊〉 or any other way or means whatsoever otherwise at this rate we must have a particular Law for every particular Fact It were a ridiculous â—hing to make a Fence against the Encroachments and Usurpations of the â—oman Court and to leave open a wide Gap for all others to enter in at pleasure For though we may justly have particular Apprehensions of the Alâ—-assuming Man at Rome yet we have the same reason against all Usurpatâ—â—ns as being equally pernicious to us from what Quarter soever they â—â—me But that we may come nearer to the Business both this Position and 〈◊〉 fore-cited Canon are equally acknowledged by both Parties engaged in 〈◊〉 present Controversie both Non-Jurors and Jurors assert themselves to 〈◊〉 the Church of England and lay claim to the Canon as a Canon of theiâ— Church if therefore the Canon be violated there can be no Cotroversie betwixt either Party but that the Penalty mentioned in the Canon belongs to the Violators so that if either Party appear guilty the Penalty must be fixed by consent Now for both Parties to get quit of it is impossible this Thunderbolt must unavoidably fall upon the one or the other For iâ— King James be our true and lawful Sovereign then the Regal Authority is his and consequently the Supremacy which is the choicest and top Branch of that Authority and if so then the Jurors who not only deny King James's Supremacy but have to their Power divested him of all Authority must inevitably stand excommunicated ipso facto by vertue of this Canon the force of which themselves acknowledg On the other hand it is not to be doubted but the Jurors will not be wanting to themselves in charging the Non-Jurors with the same Guilt for not worshipping the Idol which they have set up and which hath been more chargeable than ever was Nebuchadnezzar's Golden Image Now the Mighty Dr. Sherlock tells us That we cannot have two Kings at once and though I am not satisfied that the Doctor 's Proposition is universally true for David caused Solomon to be anointed and proclaimed King in his Life-time without divesting himself and the like did our King Henry II. to his no small Trouble yet in this Case where the two Titles clash and mutually destroy each other so that if the former be Rightful King the latter must be an Usurper if the latter have acquired a Right the former must have lost his there it is most certain that we cannot have two Kings at once Now for their New-fashion'd King they may take the best care of him they can that which lies on us is to prove the Right in King James which even Dr. Sherlock acknowledgeth and that very thing makes his de facto King to be but another Name for an Usurper For a bare de facto King is no more a King than a Possessor malae sidei is the true Proprietor of an Estate which he hath unlawfully and unjustly thrust himself into
13. 1. Let every Soul be subject unto the Higher Powers To Titus 3. 1. Put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates And St. Peter as if he had a mind to confirm the very terms of our Canon and contradict his pretended Successor the Pope gives this Charge Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King as Supream c. 1 Pet. 2. 13. The loose Answers which have been devised to take off the force of these Scriptures and encourage eternal Confusions have been of late so shamefully bassled by many learned Pens that I need not concern my self farther with them only I think it fit they should know what Penalty God's Word hath assigned to Offenders in this kind which being no less than Damnation I cannot but as a Christian wish them Repentance that if possible they may escape it though I cannot without deploring their Condition think of the Observation That Rebellion in this is as the Sin of Witchcraft that both Sins do so bewitch Men and carry away their very Hearts and Souls that they rarely if ever think on Repentaâ—ce on this side Hell and then I fear it will stand them in little stead notwithstanding the comfortable Doctrine which their new High-Priest hath broach'd for the benefit of the damned and to encourage the Living to run the hazard of Damnation If I should examine how the Church in succeeding Times trod in these steps of our Saviour and his Apostles it would be a tedious work and therefore I shall only subjoin some few Citations as a Specimen And I hope I shall be pardoned if I take the liberty to translate since I write only for the Instruction of the Ignorant not for the Information of those who are wiser than my self And in that early Collection of Canons commonly known by the name of the Apostle's Canons we find this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If any Man against Right do Wrong to the King or Governour let him be severely punished if he be a Clergy man let him be deposed if a Lay man let him be excommunicated Can. 84. In the Fourth Council of Toledo we find both a neat Preamble and smart Canon to this purpose thus Multarum quippe gentium tanta extat perfidia c. So false say they and perfidious are the Minds of many Men that they will not keep that Faith which by Oath they have promised to their King but whilst with their Mouths they profess to swear in their Hearts retain Treachery for they swear Fidelity to their Kings but break their Oaths not regarding the Judgment of God denounced Jer. 7. 8 c. against those who swear by the Name of the Lord falsly What hope can such have in War with their Enemies What other Nations will trust such in Peace What League at this rate can hold them What Pledg or Assurance can they give that they will keep their Faith with their Enemies when they break that Faith which they have sworn to their own Kings Then follows the Canon Whosoever henceforth either of us any of the Spanish People by any Machination or Contrivance shall violate that Oath of Fidelity which he hath sworn for the Safety of his Countrey the State of the Gothick Nation or the Security of his Prince or shall murder his King or divest him of his Authority or by Tyrannical Presumption shall usurp the Throne let him be Anathema in the sight of the Holy Ghost and the Martyrs of Christ and let him be ejected out of the Catholick Church which he hath profaned by his Perjury and let him be debarr'd from all Christian Communion nor let him have any share with the Righteous but let him be condemned to eternal Punishment with the Devil and his Angels And then the whole Clergy and People give their Consent in these Words Whosoever shall go contrary to this Decree let him be Anathema Maranatha i. e. let him receive Sentence of Damnation at the Coming of our Lord Jesus and both he and his Associates have their Portion with Judas Iscariot Amen Certainly Christians had no light Opinion of the Sins of Rebellion and Usurpation when they denounce such a dreadful Sentence against it and I think Christianity is still the same it ever was however the Professors of it may be altered In the Seventh Council of Toledo cap. 1. we have a Constitution to our purpose in these Words Sed quia plerosque Clericos tantae levitatis interdum pravitatis praesumptive ita elevat c. But because many Clergy-men are so pussed up with Vanity and Wickedness that unmindful of the gravity of their Order and their Faith promised by Oath they through a rash Levity consent to the setting up another King their lawful King being living it is sit that such licentiousness should be altogether taken away and utterly extirpated out of our Communion So that if any Lay-man within the bounds of the Countrey of the Goths shall ambiâ—iously attempt the Crown and shall receive any favour or assistance from Clergy-mâ—n and by successâ—ul Wickedness shall prevail in his ambitious Attempt from the time that any Bishop or Clergyman of what Order soever shall have involved himself in such Crime it 〈◊〉 him to remain excommunicate for ever I think here is ipso facto Excommunication with a Witness But if by the prevailing Wickedness of that Prince with whom â—e unjustly agreed the Bishop shall not be able actually to suspend him from Communion yet if he over live the said Prince whosoever shall admit him to Communion unless at the very Hour of Death and upon sufficient proof of his true Repentance let that Person be liable to the aforesaid Sentence Here you may see that the Church would not suffer even prosperous Villany to rescue Offenders out of her Hands but obliged her Members upon the sâ—verâ—st Penalty upon all Opportunities to make them know themselves What Leâ—iâ—y may for several reasons be used sometimes in such cases belongs not to me to determine only if any think they may be concerned herein I wish they may so think as seriously to repent that they may find both God's and his Church's Mercy From the Concilium Calcuthense I shall cite only part of a Canon though the whole is pertinent enough Let no Man dare to be privy to the murder of a King because he iâ— the Lord 's Anointâ—d and if any Man join in such Wickedness if he be a Bishop or any of the Sacerdâ—tal Order let him be degraded and removed from the Clergy as Judas was from the Apostolick Order and whoever else shall be consenting to such a Sacrilegious Fact he shall perish under the â—ternal bond of an Anathema and coupled with the Traitor Judas shall be burnt in everlasting Fire as it is written not only they who doe but those who consent to the doing such Things shall not escape the Judgment of God It
deep Sense how scandalously the Christian Religion was injured hereby she not only severely censures such Offenders but also clogs their Restoration with great Difficulties and makes it a reserved Case I am not ignorant that the Bishop of Rome who grasps at and claims no less than all has made Reservations till he has reserved away in a manner the whole Authority of all the Bishops in his Communion but the best things may be abused or usurped upon For in the first Ages of the Church we find Cases reserved but then it was by Canons made in Council where it was thought necessary for the benefit of the Church to restrain the exercise of Jurisdiction of single Bishops in some special Case hence it was decreed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing of moment should be done without the Bishop of the Prime See whom we now call a Metropolitan or Arch-bishop and herein our Church hath trod in the Steps of the Primitive Fathers For she leaves the Bishops their just Authority and yet reserves some matters of more universal Influence and concern to the Metropolitan and that she hath done it in this and some other cases perhaps there are weighty Reasons As 1st To preserve and secure the Discipline of the Church in matters of great importance and publick concern Favour Affection Interest or Importunity of Friends might perhaps be apt to sway sometimes with the particular Bishop either to overlook the thing or too easily to reconcile the Persons whereas the Metropolitan is less obnoxious to such Motives Besides if he should neglect to do his part the Suffragan Bishop would have just cause to complain and desire the exercise of his Jurisdiction in that particular to be restored if the other answer not the end of the Reservation and thus they are made a mutual Spur to and Watch upon each other 2dly For more publick Satisfaction the Crime may be notorious and the Offence given to a whole Nation or more and if the Person should be reconciled by his Ordinary it might be known to few and consequently the Scandal remain but being done by the Metropolitan it must necessarily be more notorious the Party's Repentance will be more publick and a more ample Satisfaction made for the Dishonour done to the Laws of God and his Church 3dly For a particular Brand upon the Crime and to testifie the Judgment of the Church as to her high detestation of it For every one must think that she hath a singular Abhorrence of that Crime which she declares she will not forgive but upon such severe conditions 4thly For the more effectual punishing and reclaiming the Offender he is by this means more surely held and his Trouble and Pains much greater to get out of the Snare he hath run into He must be more thoroughly mortified before he will submit to such open Penance and Recantation and when it is over it s very being so well known will in all probability be a means to prevent his relapsing Lastly The more powerfully to deter others that they may not dare to run in that Wickedness which intangles Men with such great Difficulties and brings them to such open Shame Now as big and scornfully as our Adversaries look upon us I think I have proved that these are the Circumstances they are under and having done my endeavour to convince them of their Sin and Danger I know not what I can now do more or better for them than to pray to God to give them Repentance they have not only brought a Flourishing Church into a most miserable condition but have razed the very Foundations and set her on no Bottom she is not only lest at the discretion of the Secular Power but prostituted to the frantick Will and Humour of every Usurper which is little better than putting God's Church under the Devil's Protection The Breach of Promises and Oaths the renouncing our natural Allegiance and Canonical Obedience are made no Sins if the adhering to them should chance to bring us under any Inconvenience And thus the Doctrine of the Cross so particularly entailed on Christianity is huff'd and scoff'd out of Doors Men may join with the Devil to delude themselves and others but certainly God will visit for such Sins as these and sooner or later make such Sinners know themselves May God in Mercy give them a sight and sense of their Sins that they may repent and return and God's Judgments averted and our Breaches healed tho' I abominate the Crimes yet I have no ill-will to their Persons and wish them reconciled but as for the methodus reconciliandi I leave it to my Superiors the proper Judges who doubtless will faithfully assist and advise their Metropolitan how the Canon may be satisfied And provided that some sort of Reparation were made for the Dishonour done to God and his Church and the Wrongs done to the Lawful King I should very readily acquiesce in almost any Terms and rejoice to see an end oâ— the sad Thoughts of Heart caused by the Divisions of Reuben I had here concluded but that as I was penning these few Considerations News was brought me that after so long consulting and caballing Stillingfleet-Hody was come abroad laying about him like Goliah knocking down no less than 6 or 7 at once and making bolder Challenges than ever did that mighty Philistine I did think my self as to my present Subject out of his reach but not knowing what a Mad-man who lays about him at all Adventures might hit upon I procured the Book Now tho' his Principles well improved will vindicate any Villany or destroy any thing honest or true yet not finding my present Subject particularly affected I shall dismiss him and his Book with only some few Observations which may serve a little to stay honest Men's Stomachs till they can have a full Meal The Jackdaw in the Fable set out with the Peacock's Plumes did never strut and bristle at half the rate as doth this Vain-glorious Fellow and if every Bird should seize his own Feather he might be left as naked and ridiculous as was his Emblem The very Title is insolent and amazing For what honest or modest Man would discourse and set up for Sâ—es Vacant by an unjust or uncanonical Deprivation For if the Deprivation be uncanonical the Persons are not by Canon deprived if it be unjust the Law and I hope there may be some Law left tho' we have so little benefit of it affords every Man a Remedy against Injustice and will help him to recover his right against it and the very Plea which the Law assigns in this case is Ecclesia plena just opposite to his Vacancy But right or wrong if it be done by a Power irresistible there must be a Submission Now I would know what he means by irresistible for properly speaking perhaps only God is so but if by it he means a Power by any wicked means and in any wicked courses become Superior to us
only the Honour but the very Being of the Church cannot be long upheld if People will admit a mingle of such pâ—rsons in divine Offices and therefore heretofore if the Church Censures were not taken notice of she excommunicated those who received her Excommunicates and till her Discipline can be revived her Doctrine cannot be secured I desire all those seriously to consider this who slock to the Parish Churches where they not only joyn in Communion with Excommunicateâ— but the very persons who perform all the Ministerial Offices lie under the censure of Excommunication by virtue of the forecited Canon what mad Men would turn their very Prayers their Sacraments and all their Christian Offices into sin For thus they do who take this course noâ— do I value their upbraiding me with thâ—ir numbers for certainly we had never been forewarned not to run with a multitude to do evil if numbers could excuse us Christ calls his Flock little and I had rather be of it when at the least than of the Devil 's monstrous Herd even then when he boasted of a power to dispose of all the Kingdoms of the World The very nature of Christian Religion requires that the excommunicated Party be excluded from Christian Communion but then farther that they might make such weary of their sin and shame them out of it they would not afford them the benefit of civil conversation Charity advising them by that means if possible to pull them out of the fire Hence St. Paul bids us Note such a Man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed 2 Thess 3 14. Upon this account Christians were wont as far as possible to avoid all conversation with such they would not willingly live with them under the same Roof they would not eat with them at the same Table and indeed the Scripture requires no less charging us with such an one no not to eat 1 Cor. 5 11. they would not promiscuously use with them even those things which made for Health as St. John would not wash with Cerinthus in the same Bath They would not give them the common Complement or Salutation in the street they would have no Traffick or Commerce with them and many other things which both for memory and warning sake are briefly comprehended in this odd â—erse Os Orare Vale Communio Mensa negato And as their behaviour was thus towards them living so if they persevered in their sin they refased to allow them Christian Burial when dead And indeed he that will obstinâ—tely persist in his evil course and regard neither the Admonition nor the Censures of the Church to his very death deserves no better than the Burial of an Ass But that I may not seem to encourage Christians to outrun their Duty I must not only acquaint them with what they may withold from such but also what they may or ought to allow them Excommâ—â—catiion doth by no means dissolve relative Duties as that between Parentâ— and Children Husband and Wife King and Subjects but these Duties ought to be paid if possible more careâ—ully than ever that no offence be given to the excommunicate person nor aâ—y encouregement to continue in his sin but rather all lawfull means used to win and draw him off from it if Contracts or Bargains have been made with him they must be performed if Debts be owing to him they must be paid if either his or others Spiritual or even Temporal good may be signally advanced by a cautious temporary converse with him it ought not to be neglected for no Man's lying under Excommunication can warrant another to be either unjust or uncharitable So likewise necessities of life as Meat Drink Raiment and the like either for himself or his Family ought to be sold him for his Money or otherwise ministred to him if through extreme poverty he be not able to buy nor can I see reason to condemn him who hath any commerce with an excommunicate person if he be ignorant of his Crime or the Law that condemns it under that penalty The Duties and Allowances in this case have been generally comprized in much such a Verse as the former Vtile lex Humilis Res ignorata necesse In short whatsoever Duties we owe them must be duly paid and in case of necessity so far as the necessity constrains civil Conâ—ersation or Traffick may be allowed but then even these things must be done with mourning over them letting them see that you do not countenance their sin and using all honest and sitting mean to convince and reclaim them but then no pretended necessity can excuse you in such a compliance as to joyn with them in the Acts oâ— Christian Worship and Communion â—or let the case be never so hard there can be no necessity of sinning and such commuâ—icating will be a very great sin on many accouâ—ts as admitting them to those Office and Ordinances whereâ—n they ought to have no share as entitling them to those Benefits and Blessing to which they have no right as being a downright contempt of the Authority of God's Church and consequently the ready means to destroy all Order and Discipline and thereby to introduce Confusion and in the end to oveâ—throw and utterly root out the Church it self As the Sentence is dreadful and heavy in this case upon the guilty Persons so their Condition is still the worse upon the score of the difficulty they lie under of being reconciled For the Canon saith peremptorily that no such Person shall be restored but only by the Archâ—bishop after his Repentance and publick Revocation of those his wicked Errours Here are a gradation of Difficulties all which they must pass through and even those Men who love the Sin commonly hate the Shame and will use all the shuffling Tricks imaginable to shift it off tho' it naturally follow them but here they are obliged to give God the Glory and take the Shame to themselves they must not only repent but recant and this must be done openly and solemnly that the World may see and take warning to avoid the same Wickedness This is no small piece of Mortification to proud rebeâ—lious Spirits who for the most part as we see by sad Experience will rather chuse to run the hazâ—rd of their eternal Damnation than to seem to lessen their Esteem and Râ—putation by acknowledging their Errors or Crimes and yet when all this is done there is a Difficulty stiâ—l remaining For they cannot be restored but only by the Arch-bishop So great a care hath our Church taken that Christians might be good Subjects and so highly did she think her self concerned what in her lay to make them so she did not think it her Business only to stand still and look on and cry it was a matter meerly of Civil Concern whilst Subjects rose up in Rebellion and dethroned or so much as opposed or denied the true Rights and Authority of their lawful King but to shew her