Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	heathen_a	let_v	publican_n	2,742	5	10.9981	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64560	An apology for the Church of England in point of separation from it by ... William Lord Bishop of St. Davids.	Thomas, William, 1613-1689.	1679 (1679)	Wing T975; ESTC R33829	87,104	244

Levit. 10. 9 10. 2 Chron. 23. 19. Matth. 18. 16 17. Wicked persons are called dogs Matth. 7. 6. Compare this with 2 Pet. 2. 20. 22. They are apostatized or degenerated persons 1 Cor. 5. 7 13. 2 Thess. 3. 6. 14. 2 Tim. 3. 5. They are such as have a Profession and no more The ANSWER Your proofs hitherto have extended only to Pagans and Jews for the persons to be separated from whom you cannot gild with the title of Professors and Brethren the things or motives to be separated for you state to be Offences or scandals But all scandals are not sufficient inducements of separation not passive scandals taken but active scandals given nay not active scandals till they are legally convicted doomed Your first refuge is to the Jewish Sanctuary But the Sanctuary being abrogated your argument is dissolv'd The two first Citations are of the same Judaical batch Lev. 10. 9 10. Do not drink wine nor strong drink thou nor thy sons with thee when you go into the tabernacle of the congregation lest you die it shall be a statute for ever through your generations And that you put difference between the holy and the unholy and between the unclean and clean 2 Chron. 23. 19. And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the Lord that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in The occasion of the Prohibition urged out of Levit. 10. is apprehended to be Nadab and Abihus strange fire It seems they were distempered when they sacrificed and were not qualified to distinguish betwixt clean and unclean For the Priests were obliged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to examine the Sacrifices which could not well be effected when they were debauched Quid hoc ad Rhombum The Historical Narrative pleaded 2 Chron. 23. was Jehojadas act the high Priest who set the Porters This may serve as a flourish for Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction for Excommunication by Authority not as the least varnish for separation of themselves of any under Authority To take a fuller survey of this double Testimony The first of Levit. is expounded of holy and prophane days of clean and unclean Beasts and Sacrifices St. Austin is sceptical hovering in suspence whether to understand the Persons or Oblations the Officers or the Offerings Grant the persons to he unclean according to the second Testimony out of the Chronicles yet this was only a Mosaical Ceremonial pollution for the Jew which will not conclude a Moral Evangelical pollution for the Christian to be separated from Origen who is titled the Allegorizing Father is very shy and useth a solemn Apology for that Allegorical plication of this legal pollution Perhaps you will object that these outward defilements were Types of Inward Moral Habitual However these are but shadows of proofs empty conjectural resemblances not solid substantial arguments But I shall gratifie you so far as to examine the typical force of your Testimonies Three sorts of Judaical eminent pollutions there were by the Dead by Issue by Leprosie and three different Separations or Purgations chalked out Out of the Camp of God of the Priests of Israel These were by Jewish Doctors reputed Types of their gradual Excommunications Nidui Caerem Samatha in the Syriack Maran-atha Figures of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek Church of the Abstenti Excommunicati Anathematizati in the Western Church This typical force being displayed in its brightest colours its fullest dimensions will countenance a Separation after Excommunication not before it Your next Quotation is Matth. 18. 16. 17. But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be establish'd And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it to the Church But if he neglect to hear the Church let him be to thee as a heathen and a publican This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The apple of debate the Helena contended for espoused by each party I conceive with submission to more learned mature Judgements that though this Testimony like a well drawn Picture may seem to fix an Aspect on every Spectator that looks on it yet it appears design'd for a special direction in point of particular personal offences betwixt the Jews This sort of scandal being discernible like a vein through the whole body of the Chapter If thy brother shall trespass against thee in verse 15. How oft shall my brother sin against me in verse 21. These Queries sound particular offences betwixt the Jews because of the last result Let him be to thee as a heathen and a publican An expression that suits with no other Nation but the Jew who being then left destitute of redress in case of injury by any that waved the Jewish Mosaical for the Caesarean Roman Government and Tribunal our Saviour chalks out a gradual vindicative progress First a brotherly solitary admonition tell him his fault betwixt him and thee alone Secondly a friendly private reprehension a glympse of neighbourly arbitration then take with thee one or two more Thirdly a publick judiciary convention tell it to the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Assembly 't is so interpreted Act. 19. 32 39. 41. This was the Jewish Sanedrim in the opinion of Calvin and Beza Lastly if he be refractory to the Authority of the Sanedrim then take liberty of Caesars reparation of being righted by the Roman jurisdiction Let him be to thee as a heathen and a publican The main exception against this Comment will be that this undermines the foundation of Church Discipline whereas this is elsewhere abundantly supported The next words of binding and loosing do not absolutely control this sense for as there may be a binding of obduration by God of Excommunication by the Church so of reprehension by a particular person whose reproof binds fetters in guilt when it reclaims not as also it untwists the cords loosens the manacles when it effectually reforms I dare not press with confidence any Exposition that is eccentrical to the Orb of the Church that hath the least apparence of novelty of singularity I only tender this sense of the Text alledged as probable without a literal wrench which if admitted renders the Testimony an impertinency as to your drift But suppose the words in the most indulgent acception to your advantage Because a heinous notorious offender after reiterated fruitless reproofs having disregarded the Charity of a Brother and the Authority of his Mother the Church is to be proceeded against or reputed rejected as a heathen and a publican as an alien to Religion will you hence argue that without these Methods of varied addresses without admonition ratified with conviction you a private person may separate from the Church whereof you were a Member a Son and in effect explode the Church it self as if it were a heathen and a publican There is no Engine of Logick or Divinity will conclude it This Text stands at

enmity with your opinion For if a man trespassing were not to be accounted as Ethnicus or Publicanus till there preceded a Dic Ecclesiae not to be branded or deserted till that Authority be disesteemed then 't is unquestionable none can separate and judge a Christian to be a Heathen any man to be a Publican at his own pleasure Authority of the Church must be appealed to and disobeyed or else no separation can be confirmed by this Testimony You charge afresh wicked persons are called dogs Matth. 7. 6. The title of a dog is a branding obloquy a name of reproach in all Languages as Criticks observe Though the description the comparison of the holy Ghost is not to be scrupled at yet your application may as to Parochial Members They may be sheep in Gods estimate who are dogs in yours These dogs may be permitted to pick up the crumbs under the Table Thus the Turks in a zeal of Mahumetanism debar Christians from their Moschos reviling them to be dogs because they do not ordinarily use Bathes The Donatists who deemed and termed the Orthodox Christians in the Primitive Church dogs in a haughty contempt and contumely flung the Sacred Elements of the Eucharist to dogs in a literal sense which dogs enraged flew upon the Donatists and tore them in pieces for to revenge so horrid an impiety and indignity To return to your Argument The Text you urge forbids that which is holy to be given to dogs That which is holy is there unvailed by the best Commentators to be the Evangelical Doctrine This debats Sermons as well as Sacraments to Parochial Members which you allow to those whom you account dogs St. Chrysostom and Euthymius understood these dogs to be Infidels In this Notion it is not fit to take the childrens bread and to cast it to dogs who will not regard but revile it St. Paul and Barnabas exasperated by this snarling reception deserted the Jews and applied themselves to the Gentiles You reinforce your assault 2 Pet. 2. 20 22. to fix the aspersion of dogs on Parochial Members being apostatized degenerated persons Without further discussing of the Texts I confess as Infidels are compared to dogs for barking and tearing so are Apostates for a recidivation of trangression like dogs licking up what they disgorge But since a reiterated offence doth plead no absolute incapacity of repentance that was the condemned Novatian disconsolate Heresie A lapsed relapsed sinner if allowed to be a penitent is not restrained but in capacity to be a communicant Our blessed Saviour prescribes remission to St. Peter seventy times seven times Origen understood it literally but the rest of the Fathers expound it siguratively A definite number for an indefinite for an infinite This is the duty of an earthly Brother which is much exceeded by the transcendent mercy of an Heavenly Father His Candor is the perfect Pattern ours the imperfect Copy Be you merciful as your Father is merciful As for similitude though not for equality As no less in an extensive than intensive consideration no less for frequency than sincerity Your next Citation 1 Cor. 5. 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven verse 13. Put away from among you the wicked person prima facie at the first blush hath the apparence of an Ecclesiastical Censure and is generally so interpreted by Commentators that the doom which was determined pronounced by the Apostles should be executed by the Corinthians This proves that an incestuous person and such scandalous offenders are to be excommunicated and separated from being excommunicated but not before If Separation be precedent Excommunication needs not be consequent It were a superfluity of severity Stat magni nominis umbra I pray observe that the incestuous person was a member of the particular Church of Corinth till he was excommunicated otherwise he could not be ejected out of it As Heinsius rationally observes For to be excluded undeniably presupposeth to be interested The consequence is the same for every heinous sinner who is a profest Believer till sentence to be excommunicated Your double succeeding Testimony 2 Thess. 3. 6. That you withdraw your selves from every brother that walketh disorderly verse 14. Note that man and have no company with him amounts to the same single force of Excommunication if most Commentators rightly understand it Here note saith Aquinas the sentence is inflicted for disobedience Zanchy raiseth as a doctrinal observation whom the Church should excommunicate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Military Metaphor for disorder'd disbanded Soldiers There is an Admonition precedent Warn them that are unruly A second Admonition We command and exhort you by the Lord Jesus Aquinas collects conviction and manifestation from the charge 'T is no ordinary mark not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set as it were a mark on the forehead It is a note of Excommunication saith Beza Some few Expositors understand a Prohibition of familiar conversation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to be mingled incorporated It denotes the entire conjunction of Wedlock or Friendship Junius and Tremelius link both Expositions The familiarity of the excommunicated is to be eschewed Your last Citation 2 Tim. 3. 5. Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away Whence you collect they are such then as have but a profession and no more This is indeed the Character of a Hypocrite who is like a Swan that hath white Feathers but a black Skin The Hypocrite must be unmask'd as the Swan unfeather'd he must be convicted before separated from Till then the semblance of innocence the form of godliness ranks him in the visible Church Lyra glosseth this formal Piety to be a sacramental society of pure and impure profest Christians I need not add more weight to this Position since your passages of your Letter admit the Hypocrite Take the close of your Quotation From such turn away in its largest capacity as relating to the black Catalogue in the former verses 2 3 4. It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 avoid according to the Remists but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Turn away not affording the least countenance or connivance This denotes a high disgust a resentment of their vitious courses a distance for a defiance an aversation for a detestation not of the men but of their corrupt manners Grant this to be applied to the persons that acted the abominations from such turn away or according to the Syriack Remove such far from thee This discards a private carnal conversing in the Chamber not a publick spiritual communicating in the Church That we receive not those into our houses into our bosoms that we entertain them not for our intimate Friends who proclaim themselves to be Gods obdurate Enemies In this sence the Apostles caveat tends to prevent the insensible catching infection of a pestilent ungratious conversation Uvaque contactu livorem ducit ab uva This Caution