noble Patron whose bountifull and liberall hand sustained him till he accomplished his studies He went for Italy and came to Bononia where he gave himself fully to the study of the subtilest Philosophy in which be farre advanced That he was not esteemed amongst the ordinary sort of that Profession From the walks of the Philosophers he betook himself to the Gardens of the Physicians Where he was of such industry that he was most acceptable to the ablest Medious and was judged worthy to be honoured with a publick testimony of his skill in that piece of Learning Amongst other Masters he had D. Lucas Ghynnst a good learned and experienced Man whom he doth very much praise in divers of his Writings it was he that wonderfully commended to him a receit made up of Thenack and Mithredate Camillus Franchin was his fellow in his studies at Bononia who afterwards became a famous Physician of that City and ever remained his most constant friend After he had spent nine years in the company of the most famous and expert Physicians of Italy he returned to his friends in his own Countrey and lived for a while in the Court of the Prince of Henneberge and forthwith his happiness and skill in the practice of Medicine was spred in favourable reports Frederick the third Prince Elector Palatine did upon honourable terms call him thence and committed to him the publick profession of Physick in his ancient Universitie then flourishing in Heidelberg and made him the chief Physician and Counseller by reason of his prudence and uprightness of Life Whilst he remained there the Controversie about the figure in the words of the Lords Supper again broke fresh out Erastus did assist the Trope yea by published writings and so was not only a Physitian to the body but soul also and afforded most worthy help to the rising and restoring of that Church In the year 64. Erastus the Physician was appointed by Frederick Prince Palatine to be also together with his Divins at that conference which was appointed betwixt the Palatinate and Wittenberg Theologues concerning Christs presence in the Lords Supper in the Monestery of Mouldrun After this he went from Heidenberg to Basill And in the last part of his Life did honour that Academy with teaching and disputing of which in the first and greenest years of his study he had been a Member He did wonderfully extoll Schoole Disputes in respect they did exercise invention and judgment and confirme the same And further be constantly professed that he never returned from any of those disputes but alwaies bettered At length in the year 1583. in the last of December he payed his debt unto Nature and was buried in St. Martins Church at Basill with his Monumentall Inscription Luminum Doctori Non Hermes hic Tris-megistus Sed Acutus Philosophus Elegans Medicus Syncerus Theologus Heidelbaergensis Academiae Columen Basiliensis Lumen Cui nutritia sua liberaliter Rependit Doctis piisque amabilis Et quod Ad Patriae splendorem Faciat Helvetius Bodensis Thomas Erastus conditur Sexagenarius An. Sal. MDXXCIII Prid. Kal. Jan. He was of an unblameable Life and was not ashamed even publickly to acknowledg any known error if the matter so required And was so desirous of Learning that he would willingly have died so that he could but have cleared those doubts of which he could not satisfie himself And allthough he thought he did not erre and that he had confirmed his own opinion very probably yet nevertheless he was ever ready to give place to them that offered better He was most diligent in making inquest into the virtues of medicaments and most gravely resolved that those Physicians must be deceived that trust without tryall Whence he was happy enough in his practice and by the help of Gods grace cured many that were heavily diseased of Dropsies Epilepsies Gouts and other Maladies accounted incurable Neither had he any mans authority in such esteem that it could move him to depart from what was evident to sense or agreeable to reason But he alwaies judged that truth was to be taken from the matter it self and not from authority He refuted judiciall Astrology in diverse Writings yet extant And refused Paracelsisme in a Treatise and other Disputations yet doth not condemne but commend lawfull Chymestry He hath also written concerning Witches and their power c. Against Mercenarius de putredine Comes Montanus A volume of Epistles and Disputations Of Aurum Potabile Of the occult power of Medicaments Dissertations concerning Comets And in Theologie he hath published a Treatise on the Lords Supper without his name against Schegkius of the one person and two natures of Christ Of Excommunication both Theses and defences published as is supposed by his widdow The names of the Books which he hath written and are not yet published are set down by John Gregory Schenckius in his Bibliotheca Medica And thus much is testified of his Life by Melchior Adamus a strict Protestant according to Calvins Tenets in his Book De vitis Germanorum Medicorum And a Roman-Catholick of no small note The illustrious James Augustus Thuanus President of the Parliament of Paris doth affoard him this true and handsome Testimony in the seaventy eight Book of his Histories in the year M. D. LXXXIII This year saith he was shut up with the death of Thomas Erastus born at Baden in Switzer-Land who canstantly walking in the solid trueth and not so much in the principles dilivered by ancients of both the Sciences was famous in this age for his knowledg of Philosophy and Physick Therefore with valide Arguments he refuted Astrology which from the position of the Stars judgeth of mens fortunes and likewise with sound reasons did refute and sharply prosecute the Paracelsian Medicine which either by its novelty or vanity had inticed so many wits in Germany and elsewhere At last having walked out of the humane Sciences he likewise handled Divinitie and did throughly treat of the Question concerning Discipline and Church-Censures against the opinion of them of his own party from whence arose heavy contentions in the Helvetian Churches Finally being above threescore years in this year in Basill where he had professed as he had done long before at Heidelberg he that had illustrated Nature by so many learned Monuments did pay his debt to Nature on the last of December and was buried in St. Martins Thus far he Wherefore seeing so famous Men both of his own and other professions have publickly acknowledged his Piety and Learning I think they must be cursedly distracted of their wits or of a very evill nature that will rather believe the Pedantick-Machivilian calumny of his enemies who only in these went beyond him than the honourable reports of such Illustrious and Grave personages AN EXPLICATION Of that most weighty QUESTION Whither Excommunication as it debarreth Men that know and imbrace Religion from the use of the Sacraments for their Delinquencies Be of Divine Institution OR
A Humane Invention The I. Position THe word Excommunication seemeth to be taken out of the tenth Chapter of the 1 Corinthians And to signifie a removall from that Commiunion which in that place is called the Body of Christ And indeed at this time Excommunication is defined by almost all to be An exclusion from the fellowship and Communion of Believers II. There is a twofold fellowship of Believers The one is internall and spirituall The other externall or visible and politick The third sort of which some of the late Romish-Catholicks do mention is neither fitly feigned nor belongeth at all to our present purpose III. And the difference betwixt these two is so great that he which is comprehended within either of them is not likewise necessarily included in the other For as that man may be a Member of Christ that is unjustly thrust out of a visible Congregation or is compelled to live and lurke amongst Infidels So all they that are of a visible Congregation are not also the lively Members of Christ whence it follows that these matters may be different which tye us to the one and not to the other and which divide us from the one and not from the other IV. And indeed we are made Members of Christ that is we are joyned to the internall and spirituall society of Christ and of the faithfull by Faith alone which worketh in Charity and we fall from this fellowship only by Infidelity Therefore none can ingraff us in or loppe us off from this except only he that can give us living Faith and can take again the same from us V. But we are made Consorts of the externall and visible Church by the profession of the same Faith by the consent we give to the same Doctrine and by the using of the same Sacraments In whatsomever Person these three are found he is so long as they are found in him accompted for a Member of the externall Congregation of Believers although he never attaine to the inward Communion of the spirit and mind VI. Therefore he that is thrown out of the externall Communion of the Church that is He that is excommunicated Is debarr'd either of all these three or of two of them or only of one But not any ought to be debar'd of the two former that is from professing of the Faith and approving the Doctrine under which the hearing of the Word or Doctrine is comprehended of Christians but rather all men are to be invited and by all meanes possible are to be induced thereto Wherefore it remaineth That he that is Excommunicated is debar'd from the sole of the foresaid three participation of the Sacrament we will consider afterwards whither the deniall of private converse doth inseperably adhere unto this or may be seperate therefro But this is certain that not any other punishment belongeth to the essence of Excommunication for the same may be inflicted upon Persons that are not excommunicate and may not be inflicted upon the Excommunicate VII Therefore Roman Catholicks have not rightly besides this Excommunication which they call the lesser and have most properly defined it to be only a deniall of the Sacrnments added moreover an other which they term the greater Excommunication and Anathema And have against the clear sense of Scripture defined it to be an interdiction of Churches private Commerce and all other lawfull converse because the Apostle in the 1 Corinth 14. openly sheweth that neither the Heathen nor any other Persons whatsomever were forbidden from the hearing of the Divine Word from the Readings Thanksgivings and Prayers of the Christians VIII It appeareth from what hath been said that Excommunication is nothing else then a solemne and publick interdiction of the Sacraments and chiefly of the Lords Supper which the Apostle especially calleth a Communion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as was said in the beginning The Elders taking notice and voycing the same before whereby they that sin may repent and again be admitted to the Sacraments IX Here then ariseth a Question Whither any man for committing of a sin or living in filthiness should be removed from the use and participation of the Sacraments he being desirous to receive the same with other Christians The Question here is moved concerning him that professeth the same Faith with us that hath entred the same Church by Baptism and doth not dissent therefrom in Doctrine as we laid it down in the fifth but erreth only in life and manners This then is demanded Whither in the holy Scriptures there is extant either any Precept or example whereby it is commanded or taught that such should be removed from the Sacraments X. Our Answer is that there is not any such extant But rather that contrary both Examples and Precepts are to be found every where in the Bible For we find it written by Moses Exod. 12.23 24. Numb 9. Deut. 16. That every Circumcis'd Male should appear thrice every year before the Lord To wit in the Feast of unleavened Bread in the Feast of Weeks and that of Tabernacles For that Law commandeth strangers also if they be Circumcis'd to celebrate the Passover together with the Jews And likewise it is commanded that the unclean and they that are travelling should upon the same day of the second Moneth and after the same manner eate the Passover with the Jews And it is moreover added that he shall be put to death that shall neglect the Celebration of the Passover viz. he that neither travelleth nor is unclean Wherefore God hath willed and commanded all the Circumcis'd to Celebrate the Passover Neither hath he excluded any from this Sacrament or from other Rites Ceremonies or Sacrifices except uncleane Persons XI In Leviticus there are diverse Sacrifices commanded for diverse sins whither they be committed by ignorance or error or willingly and wilfully by which these sins should be expiate by them that have committed them Likewise God commandeth Deut. 14. That all without excepting of the wicked should at Jerusalem eate their Tenths before the Lord and he addeth the cause that so they might learn to fear their Lord Jehovah all the daies of their lives Therefore the Sacraments were Incitements to Piety and therefore none were debarr'd therefrom but all so much the more invited thereto XII Verily we do not read that any Person at any time amongst the Jews was for the foresaid cause forbid by the Priests Levites Prophets Scribes or Pharisees to come to the Sacrifices Ceremonies or Sacraments The High-Priests and Pharisees esteemed Christ and his Apostles to be most wicked Persons But we do not find during Christs Life or after his death that ever they went about to debarre them of the Sacraments and Sacrifices instituted of God yea neither did they chase any Publican Jew or any other Circumcis'd Person that liv'd impurely from the Temple or Ceremonies for they were not ignorant that the Law permitted them not to do it They reprehended indeed Christ Mat. 9. that he did
by Moses to eate the Paschall without Leaven which St Paul interprets to be without corruptness of life 1 Gor. 5. It must then seem unto any man very agreeable That the Lords Supper which succeded unto the Paschall should be celebrated so that the wicked should be excluded XVII I answer first That indeed it is very unlikely that God should command any thing in clear words and yet at the same time should again forbid the same figuratively He commandeth clearly in a mandate sometimes repeated that every Male except these that were unclean and were on the way should celebrate the Passover He would not then by the figure of Leaven affright any others therefrom There were then enough of evill Men present that it was not needfull they should be figured by Leaven Neither did the wicked Men less appear to the senses then Leaven it self Wherefore seeing figures are not propos'd of those things that are present and that as fully represented themselves to the senses chiefly if the things figured be more known and frequent them the figures themselves a figure here is sought after in vain Again Moses doth not command him to be debarr'd the eating of the Paschall that had eate Leaven but commandeth him to be killed Wherefore wicked men are not to be debarr'd from the Supper but are to be put to death which consequence I shall not unfreely admit and I heartily wish it may be done for I desire nothing more then that a most severe Discipline concerning manners may be observed in the Church but I would wish it such as God hath appointed and not Man fained Thirdly It was lawfull for the Jews to eat Leaven all the year over except on these seaven daies of Unleavened-Bread which they begin with eating of the Passover If you do apply this unto the Lords Supper you must concede that men may live impurely all the year long only they must abstaine from wickedness in the time of celebration of the Lords Supper Fourthly Moses speaketh here only of the Paschall not of the other Sacraments Then wicked men should be debarred only from the Lords Supper but not from Baptism Fifthly The Apostle doth not compare the Feast of the Jews with the Supper of the Lord but with our whole life He saith we are Unleavened as being men which are throwly purged from all Leaven by the Blood of Christ Therefore he saith it is fitting that we should live in the Unleaven of truth and sincerity and not in the Leaven of malice There is a vast difference betwixt Leaven simply so termed and the Leaven of malice or verity for Leaven being so put or taken is known by all to be figuratively taken The Analogick or figurative sense as the School-Men affirm is not Argumentative Certainly whatsoever we shall understand by Leaven yet Excommunication cannot hence be held up and established against the clear command of God XVIII Nevertheless some may say that Paul maketh mention here of the Passover But what doth this concern our business as if indeed this word Passover were put in the new Testament for the Lords Supper Christ saith the Apostle is our Paschall Sacrificed for us not his Supper The meaning is That as the Jews beginning their Feast of Unleavened-Bread by the eating of the Lambe did after that thorow the whole Week eat Unleavened-Bread So likewise you which have begun to believe in Christ and who are purged and unleavened by His Blood you ought purely and chastely to spend all the rest of the Week that is all the rest of your life XIX Now that not any thing diverse to this is to be found in any other of the Volumes of the old Testament is clear from this alone that the Posterity were to live according to Moses's Laws and Constitutions And it was not lawfull to ordain any thing opposite to them concerning the worship of God Indeed the holy Judges Priests Prophets and Kings debarr'd none from the Sacrifices and Sacraments But rather by all meanes indeavoured to invite all men to the same The History of the holy King Josiah is known 2 Chron. 30. who did convocate all the Israelites which he knew newly had offered incense to strange Gods or Devils or besides them all those which by reason of the shortness of time could not be purified to the celebration of the Paschall From which place it is moreover cleared That the Sacraments are incitements or invitements to Piety And that men become better rather by their frequent use then by their privation If together with them they be fully and faithfully instructed XX. Wherefore excommunication cannot be defended out of the 1. of Isaiah Psalm 50. and many other such places in which it is said that God willeth not the Sacrifices and Oblations of the wicked for in all such places God reprehendeth that abuse that they thought they had most clearly satisfied the will of God if they did these externall things howsoever their hearts were affected Again He doth not command the Prophet or any other person by him to keep back the wicked from the Sacrifices or Ceremonies But declareth he will not hear them unless they amend their lives also The reason of the externall policie of the Church is other from that of the will of God towards us approving or disapproving of our actions Lastly From the same places after the same precise manner it shall be demonstrate that it is not lawfull for any wicked man to call on the name of the Lord yea neither to praise nor thanke him because the Ministers and Elders ought to interdict the sinfull of all these for God doth likewise turn his countenance from these in the wicked as is clear from the cited and all other like places Wherefore if this be absurd the other must be absurd likewise XXI Neither doth that make against us which we read in the 1. of Esdras and 10. Chapter for that matter was publick and belonged not to the Sacraments For the Magistrate not the Priest Esdras alone who nevertheless was one of the Magistracies for as Josephus witnesseth they were govern'd by States though they had a Chiestaine sent forth that decree that under pain of confiscation of their good and exclusion not from the Sacraments and Sacrifices but from the people which were returned from captivity all men within three daies should present themselves at Jerusalem We do not question in this place whither the Magistrate hath right to punish this or that way but whither the Priests could remove dissolute and filthy livers from the Sacrifices Esdras could not do this which was against the command of God Adde That Moses did not command Deut. 7. this punishment to wit to be removed from the Sacraments to be inflicted on them that had Married strange Wives And how Esdras was to punish the transgressours of the Law is set down in the 7. Chapter of the same Book by death banishment punishment of the body confiscating of their goods
and at last even by that most famous and holy forerunner of Christ John the Baptist himself XIV And indeed the Sacraments of the Antients and ours are the same in respect of the thing signified as Paul cleareth in the 1 Cor. 10. wherefore except it appear that the Law of Moses is either abolish'd or chang'd in this point it is not lawfull for any man to bring in the contrary XXV For as we use rightly against the Anabaptists this firme Argument because circumcision hath succeded to Baptisme and Christ hath not in any place forbid Infants Baptism therefore it is not less lawfull for us to Baptise our Infants then it was for the Jews to circumcise theirs So here likewise we can no less soundly reason after this manner The Lords Supper succeeded to the eating of the Passover But vices were not punish'd by the deniall of the Passover neither were any for these debarr'd it but rather all especially the Male were invited by the Law to the celebration thereof which seeing in no place we read to be antiquate and abolish'd neither are they indeed to be punish'd by the deniall of the Lords Supper nor upon this account ought any to be rejected We have said enough concerning the old Testament now it is convenient that we descend to Christ and his Apostles that is to the new Testament XXVI After the same manner we do not read that our Lord and Saviour Christ did forbid any the use of the Sacraments Yea moreover we do not find that his Apostles in any place commanded that such a thing should be done For Christ came not into this world to destroy the Law but to fulfill and perfit the same Wherefore seeing the Law commanded all except the unclean to celebrate the Passover he would not forbid any XXVII 'T is likewise apparent that Christ never reprehended any because they used the Sacraments and were frequently present in the Temple and at the Sacrifices But only admonish'd them that they should use them aright according to the will and Law of God He entred alwaies into the same Temple with the Pharisees Sadduces Publicans with all other evill together and with good persons he was present with them at the same Sacrifices and together with the whole people used the same Sacraments And he was Baptis'd likewise with the same Baptism of John wherewith those wicked persons now named were Baptized XXVIII For this same cause he did not keep back from the eating of the last Paschall Lamb his betrayer Judas but he did sit down together with the other eleven Disciples And albeit there are some who go about to prove that Judas was not present at the institution of the new Supper which will be very hard that I may not say impossible to shew clearly out of the holy Scriptures but that he went away before it was institute by Christ Notwithstandinging I believe none dare deny but that according to the Law he was admitted to the eating of the Passover Which being granted our Argument remaineth unmoved For whither he went out before the institution of the other Supper or went not out which is more probable and alwaies beleeved by more men This is ever clear that he was present at the first and was not commanded openly to abstaine from the second Yea moreover we do not read in any place that he was commanded by Christ to go out that he might not be present at the new Supper Wherefore if he went out he went out of himself neither went he out for that cause But we inquire what Christ did do not what Judas did It sufficeth us that Christ did not command him to abstain from his last Supper XXIX 'T is frivolous and light that is brought for excuse That the fault was not publick and that therefore he ought not to be removed For he had then agreed upon a price with the Pharisees And in the time of Supper it self Christ did open it up to his Disciples and had made it publick whereby the rather an example should have been made thereof Lastly That this be but something yet at least he was noted before that time for a Thief And although he was such nevertheless our Lord committed the Ministry to him and did honour him with the power of casting out Divels of healing the Sick and of working other miracles and to conclude all the years he was with Christ he admitted him together with the rest to the celebration of the Passover Is not this Argument enough that Christ would not that wicked men should be punish'd by the deniall of the Sacrament Certainly it is a greater matter to admit a wicked man into the Ministry then to admit any such an one to the Supper We see that Christ let both these fall to Judas XXX That is also to be observ'd that the Disciples at the first Supper begun to contend amongst themselves about the eminency and dignity nevertheless none of them were removed for that cause But moreover he commanded and willed that all should drinke of the Cup in relation to this matter the reason of the Cup and Bread is the same witness Matth. 26. which Marke doth testifie was done what other thing can be believ'd Christ willed by these words then to confirm those things which God had of old commanded by Moses viz. that no Baptiz'd Person should be excluded from that publick and solemne Thanksgiving who desire to be present thereat By which it appeareth that not any ought to be remov'd from the Table of the Lord which embraceth the Doctrine of Christ and suffereth himself to be taught of Christ XXXI Christ will not have his Kingdome I speak of the externall on this earth Circumscrib'd within narrower boundings amongst Christians then in old times he would have it contain'd and defin'd amongst the Jews Therefore as God commanded all the circumcis'd externally to be partakers of the same Sacraments and Ceremonies and commanded Offenders to be coerc'd and punish'd with the Sword and other punishments So here Christ will have all them that are Baptiz'd or are Christians and have right and true belief concerning Religion to use the same externall Ceremonies and Sacraments But will have those that are flagitious to be chastis'd by the Magistrate with death banishment imprisonment and other punishments hitherto as it seemeth belongeth these Parables of the net marriage and of the tares XXXII In the Apostles especially in the Apostle Paul we find no fewer and no less plain and pithy Arguments The first is this That the Apostles are not found any where either to have taught or exercis'd the Excommunication Which Argument seeming in itself invalide become unanswerable if we consider that they were even unto their deaths most strict keepers of Moses's Laws which Christ had not abolish'd as every man may know even by the 21. and last Chapter of the Acts. Wherefore they never tried or would try to repell any man which profess'd himself a Christian
whither and when at least he shall persevere in that holy Resolution It is our part alwaies to hope well of all men albeit we will oft be deceived and moreover from our hearts to beseech God that he will confirme them and us together in good In the mean time he that doth evill is to be reproved and admonisht that he should prove himself lest he eat and drink damnation as the apposite teacheth XXXVIII To conclude Are the Sacraments either in authority or dignity more excellent then the Word or more necessary by use not any where save without the Word but no man doubteth but many both are and may be sav'd without the Sacraments chiefly without the Lords Supper if they contemn them not It seems the Apostle thought no otherwise when he writes that he was not sent to Baptize but to Preach the Word Do not most men call them the visible words and that they propose that thing to the eyes which the Word doth to the ears Why then do we study to keep men from the Word but to keep some from the Sacraments and chiefly from the Lords Supper and that against or at least without the express command of God because say they the Word was given to all the Sacraments were only institute for those that were converted I know this neither do I speak of Turks and of the unconverted but I speak of them that are cal'd by God into his Church that are insert threin and approve of the Doctrine thereof and that are desirous at least externally to use the Sacraments rightlier XXXIX I have shewn hitherto that there is no example nor word extant neither of Christ nor of his Apostles of this chastisment or rather coercement of the ungodly Wherefore seeing neither the Old nor New Testament have commanded this forme of punishment but the contrary doth occurre very oft in both we deservedly believe that Excommunication in so farre as it keepeth men from the use of the Sacraments for the wickedness of their life and manners is rather a humane invention then any divine Law Therefore it seemeth now consequent that we should view those things which they that think contrary to this bring for themselves and demonstrate that they have no strength in themselves XL. The command say they is extant in the 18 of Matthew and in the Epistles of Saint Paul but the example is found 1 Cor. 5. Chapter also the 1 of Timothy and 1. Chapter Of these we will speak in order And first of that place which is in Matthew XLI Christs purpose in this Chapter was not to institute a new government or a forme of exercising Excommunication but to instruct his Disciples how they should avoid offence in repelling of private injuries For because these that immediately pursued the right before the Magistrate chiefly before a Heathen and prophane Magistrate to which then the Jews were subject did oft-times offend the weak first he exhorteth them that they should rather forgive injuries then in every cause to run to the Magistrate In this part he doth no other thing then call into memory that command of Moses in the 19. of Exod. which Syracides in his 19. Chap. likewise doth more largely handle Then he commandeth that if they should perchance be compelled to bring their Cause before the Magistrate that they should not accuse their Brethren the Jews before the Romans before first they had desired the asistance of their own Magistrate in vain If indeed they would avoid scandall the Apostle delivers the same command to the Corinthians the 1.6 Chap. which place is as it were an Exposition upon this viz. that the Christians should not rashly go to Law together before the Gentiles Therefore the genuine sense of this place and Chapter is this when thy Brother that is when a Jew doth unto thee an injury study how by thy self alone to reconcile him to thee if thou alone cannot prevaile take two or three with thee and try it again if neither so thou can deliver thy self from the wrong tell it to the Synedrium that is tell it to the Magistrate of thy People and Religion But if he will not hear him then you may proceed against him without the offence of any as you will proceed against the Publicans and Heathens who will not suffer themselves to be brought to any other Tribunall but that of the Romans that should wrong you XLII That this is the proper and legitimate interpretation of this place is manifestly shewn by all the circumstances and whole series of the discourse but chiefly by the conclusion First Christ doth not discourse in this place of the weighty and publick sins that belonged to his Countrey Religon and rites the punishing of which belonged to the Synedrium but he speaketh of private injuries the power of remitting of which belonged to every man this proveth evidently that which I have said that the whole contexture of the discourse is in the singular number If thy Brother oeffnd against thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reprove him betwixt thee and himself alone tell the Church if he will not hear thee c. After the same manner also he speaketh Luke 17. if thy Brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin against thee and immediately if thy Brother sin seaven times in one day against thee and return to thee and shall say that he is sory forgive him We cannot interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the Church for seeing he saies afterwards tell the Church the sense will be O Church tell the Church Neither can it signifie the same that thou being conscious for neither the nature nor circumstances of the word or speeches will suffer this for presently after is added betwixt thee and himself alone How then if he sin I being conscious to it and did not sin against me only and alone am I alone compelled to admonish him alone am I not rather commanded to reprove him together with them against whom he hath properly sinned but Christ doth not concede that I should first go to him with others therefore he speaketh of an injury done by my Brother against me only As likewise how shall the words of Luke agree with this interpretation when he saith if thy Brother shall return to thee forgive him shall we likewise say here that to thee is put for thou knowing it but what then will forgive him signifie Must we also say here that it is be thou conscious to his forgiveness did the prodigall Luke 15. sinning against Heaven sin Heaven being conscious there to how we shall sin against our Brethren by doing evil is clear 1 Cor. 8. but the nature of this place is different Truly the speech and words do not suffer us to take them of any other but for private injuries which you your self may remit to the penitent but if he will not of himself repent you must use all meanes that he may repent Secondly The same is proved because the Apostles did
admonish that it will never come to pass that it can be shewn in the holy Scriptures that to bind is put for that which is to keep back believers from receiving of the Sacraments and to loose signifies the same that is again to admit him to the Sacraments which for his wickedness was debarred thereof and by this means to be insert again as it were into the Church LVI So then it is firmely and truly proved that Christ in the 18. of Mat. did not discourse of excluding men from the Sacraments but of the private transaction and composing of private injuries Other men likewise have seen this as Angustin in his 16. Sermon upon the words of the Lord upon Matthew And Theophylact that compilator of Chrysostome which no man doubteth to have had this opinion as he hath allmost all other things from Chrysostome Amongst the late Divines Mr. John Brentius hath written many things in his Exposition on this Chapter which are very agreeable to our purpose LVII Now the matter requireth that we come to that fact of the Apostle Paul set down in the 1 Cor. and 5. and that we demonstrate that it belongeth not to this Excommunication First It is known that the Apostle was a strict observer of Moses's Law And to have done nothing against the same as he witnesseth of himself Acts 25. Yea it appeareth Acts 18. and 21. that he together with the rest of the Apostles did observe some Ceremonies also of the Law and therefore to have been evill reported of by the Jews not that he had taught unto the Gentiles that observation of the Law was not necessary but that he went about to perswade this to the Jews when all the faithfull in Judea did observe the Law nevertheless But who knows not that Christ did not change the Law of Mâ—ses concerning the celebration of the Passover in that part in which it is commanded that all the circumcised should be present thereat Therefore he neither commanded this man that had committed incest neither any other that desire to be accounted amongst the Christians to be debarred from the Lords Supper Of the Jews it is certain because they would not suffer any thing to be done against the Law or against their own inveterate custome and who would believe that the Gentiles in this business were in a worse condition LVIII If to deliver over to Satan was no other thing then to interdict him the Sacraments till he repented why with such study and with such exquisite words did the Apostle Paul excuse himself to the Corinthians and as it were deprecate them in the 2. and 7. Chapter of the last Epistle Then why should the Corinthians be taken with so much sadness seeing they now know that this way of restraining the wicked was to remaine and ought to be exercised in the Church they ought rather to have rejoyced for the example that was given to them which they afterwards ought to follow If it was no other thing then an invitation to Repentance and a wholesome remedy against damnation why were they made sad and did not rather rejoyce Christ saith that the Angels of Heaven rejoyce more at the conversion of one sinner then for ninety nine just from whom it followeth that the Corinthians were not indued with the Spirit of Christ that they saw the Apostle do that one and sole thing which would recall an erring Brother unto the way and save him that was in danger who doth not clearly see that it was another thing that the Apostle was framing Thirdly What needed the Apostle to write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I repent not though I did repent or how could he repent any way of this fact if he would have the same observed every where and in all Churches And if it was nothing else then a removing from the Sacraments for a time or only untill his Repentance Fourthly What need was there that the Corinthians should intercede with the Apostle with so much diligence for that miserable person which they knew would be received again immediately unto their society so soon as he had repented now that they intreated seriously for him is evident by these words of the Apostle to whom ye forgive I forgive also for if I forgive any thing I forgave him for your sakes in the sight of Christ Fifthly We read in the 2. Chapter that he excuseth himself thus that he would take a triall of their obedience and the 7. Chapter that so he would make manifest their good will towards him how could he have said these words or written them except he had commanded some greater matter then to keep back that wicked person from the Sacraments Sixtly By what means will we shew that these words agree to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For ye sorrowed to God so that in nothing ye were hurt by us He saith that they received no loss by their sadnes because they obtained by their sorrow forgiveness to that unhappy and miserable person If this had not been done they would have suffered loss to wit they would have left him if he had only been to have been kept from the Sacrament till he had repented what less pray you could they have suffered Seaventhly Paul doth not there speak of the Supper but of the whole Christian life Therefore he will not have him excluded from the Supper but he will have him taken out of the middle of them least a little Leaven should Leaven the whole lump This agrees with the Apostles words and with the figure of Leaven Excommunication can neither be easily fitted to the Apostles words nor those of Moses Eightly It is to be marked that he doth not simply write that they being gathered together should deliver him to Satan in the name of the Lord or according to the Commandment of Christ or that they should keep him back from the Sacraments but saith he I absent in body but present in spirit have decreed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ you being gathered together in my spirit and in the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver this man to Satan c. Manifestly declaring that the power of our Lord Jesus Christ was needfull to this business and therefore that it was a greater matter then to be removed for a while from the Sacraments Adde this That he writes that he hath decreed to do this albeit he resolved not to do it without them because perchance he was absent but he doth not command it to the Church that it alone should do this as if this power had not been the power of the Church but of the Apostle Lastly We do not read in any place that the Apostle gave command either to one or more that whither he was dead or alive they should deliver any to Satan for the destruction of the flesh because he knew this was proper to the Apostolick power and that it agreed in Noun else for as they had the gift of healing
private Tables men discourse of any thing whatsomever neither is he not only corrected that hath sineed if he thinke that he is also dear unto all after his sin as before but likewise others are more easily corrupted But if he see himself to be avoided and fled he cannot but think for what that is done and resolve to live a new life lest he should be desparaged by those who loved him before Therefore as the deniall of private commerce doth fright us from uncleanness and vices so familiar living together doth cherish and nurse the same in us But the receiving and denying of the Sacraments is a thing of a far different nature from this for the frequent receiving of them doth not at all so confirme and nurse vice as private familiarity for in the Temples where they are administred there is no conferences of private and vain things but the Word of the Lord is Preached Therefore when men hear that Christ hath died for them and that he requireth for that benefit publick thanksgiving and that he is not a worthy guest that hath not tried himself rightly but that they all have judgment to themselves that unworthily eat thereof Then he that hath resolved with himself to come unto the Lords Table whatsomever a man he was before will be compeld to thinke with himself what God would have done and how afterwards he may so lead his life that it may be acceptable unto God He that is deprived of this invitation becomes alwaies worse but never becomes better for which cause nevertheless it seems that God appointed and commanded so many Sacrifices Ceremonies and Oblations Truly the Apostle never commanded those men to be debard of the Sacraments with whom good men were not suffered to live familiarly And when in another place he desireth that such men should be signified to him by an Epistle he doth not lay this upon the Elders that they should Excommunicate them or keep them back from the Sacraments all which do manifestly prove that they are in a grosse mistake that do think the Apostle doth either appoint or approve of Excommunication in this place LXVII But nevertheless say they the Church ought not to be polluted with communion of evill men therefore it is needfull that good men should be without dissimulation separate from evill men Ianswer this That evill men cannot defile good men in the use of these Ceremonies that are appointed by God so long as they do not follow their nature and manners For neither the Prophets nor the holy Kings and Judges nor John the Baptist nor Christ himself nor his Apostles afterwards were defiled when in the Temple they were present at the same Sacrifices with men of most wicked lives and did receive with them the same Sacraments That generation of Vipers did not defile Christ when together with them he was Baptized with the same Baptisme by John and Judas presence at the last Supper did not defile either Christ or his Apostles albeit he was both a Thief and thinking how to betray Christ and had received money therefore The Apostle Paul doth not command us that the celebration and usurpation of the Sacraments we should one examine another and that we should look about if there be any there present that can defile us but he commandeth thus that every man should examine himself and not others LXVIII Hitherto it hath been proved by me effectually and truly that no Circumcised Person before Christ were forbidden to come to the Ceremonies and Sacraments instituted of God by Moses for the offences of the life and manners and together with this I shew that it was not lawfull for any even to do the same Afterwards it was demonstrate by reasons and the evident Testimonies of the holy Scriptures that neither Christ nor his Apostles did teach or do any otherwise Moreover I thought this also that what was brought by these of another judgment could not at all patronize their opinion wherefore now I see nothing that can further hinder me that I should not rightly and truly conclude that this Excommunication which debarreth Christians from the Sacraments only because of the uncleanness of their lives was not commanded by God but was invented and feigned by men For it is so far from truth that it can be shewn that it is founded in the Holy Scriptures that rather the contrary of it can be proved LXIX Therefore some men will say Will you then condemn so many holy Bishops which immediately after the Apostles times began to Excommunicate vile persons I answer It is one thing to improve the Doctrine and another thing to improve the man Many learned and godly men of our age have pondred and confuted the Catholick errors as I may call them of the Ancients as limbum patrum in Hell the fire of Purgatory the intercession of Saints Exorcisme and Baptism the single life of Priests unction in Baptism and death Prayers for the dead and in this present cause satisfactions Notwithstanding I do not remember that any of them have been accused therefore because they condemn the Ancients If they would have had this Excommunication thrust upon the Churches as a Law published by God I do not praise it Albeit I do much praise and approve of their study and good will in the mean while For by this meanes they studied seeing they could meet with no other better meanes hereby to bridle the wantonness of wicked men And most part also as we see to be done even this day did follow that publick custome received by all neither came it ever in their mind to inquire whither it was a thing agreeing to Scriptures or no. LXX Concerning the originall of this Excommunication I can bring nothing now that is certain except the 200. years after Christ that I find some such thing first to have been asseyed and done for more then 100 and 50. years I find not any to have been excluded from the Sacraments for the uncleanness of their life These that are versed in reading of the Fathers and in History perchance can affirme something more certain He that will attentively read those things which are left written by Socrates in the 5. Book and 19. Chapter of this Ecclesiastick History will I believe suffer themselves easily to be perswaded that this custome of Excommunication was introduced into the Church about Novatus time Notwithstanding Sozomenus in his 7. Book and 16. Chap. relateth another cause of the institution hereof But we also read that Victor Bishop of Rome about the 200. year of our Lord forbid them the use of the Supper that would not forgive injuries I have observed that before this time the communion was denied only to Hereticks and to such as was averse from Religion but however this be yet that is certainly known that excommunication was therefore brought into the Church that there might be in it some bridle to and punishment of vice Afterwards when the Church now had gotten
some to attend that were dying or that were infected with some unclean disease yea he would not have some to bury the dead and cleanse the unclean by whose meanes they themselves became also defiled Numb 19. And whilst he willed this he willed that all legall uncleanness should not be avoided But God did forbid all sorts of wickedness to all persons at all times neither did he permit them at any time or in any place to do evill 9. God commandeth that wickedness should be repress'd with fire sword strangling stones stripes fines imprisonment and with other such like punishments But he commanded the unclean to be purified by water and with other such like meanes to be purged 10. He was not esteem'd a wicked and condemn'd person who was according to the sentence of the Law made unclean and even to the day of his death did remain such as when Women in their courses or Men sick of a Gonorrhaee or infected with a Leprosie did die But he that liveth so that even at the houre of his death he shall be by good and upright men thought worthy of Excommunication he cannot but be eestem'd an unworthy and ungodly person 11. Legall impurity had no place but amongst one people and for a certain time But vices did spring every where amongst all Nations in all places and at all times Wherefore seeing vices were punish'd and judged fit to be punish'd both by Gentiles and Jews before ever the legall impurity was introduced it certainly signified some other thing then this punishment of wicked persons being much more light then that which would be satisfactory to the will of God 12. Every man was purified in a certain space of time or number of daies by using certain Ceremonies of what mind soever he was of that is whither he willingly or against his will became unclean But no man is delivered from wickedness except he be cordially sorry and desire truely and earnestly both to be and be made better 13. Every unclean person was purged according to his own judgment The Leprose and some few others being excepted neither had they any need of Judges and Elders who were to discern wither they were rightly purified or not Our Adversaries hold another opinion concerning Excommunicate Persons For in this point they will have us to follow the judgement of their Elders and not to accept of their Assertion who declare that they are penitent for their sinnes 14. He was to be declared sound and clean who had the whole skin of his body of one colour though from the crown of his head to the sole of his feet he were Leprous And on the other part he was esteemed unclean who had his skin spotted in one or more parts In wicked persons the case is farre different for he that is altogether cloathed with wickedness as the Sow that hath weltred in the mire is altogether durty is not better then he who yet carrieth some shadow of honesty and godliness 15. The Leprouse Persons are not commanded to do any thing for their own cure but they are only commanded to shew themselves to the Priest that he may declare whither they be or be not purified But wicked persons are commanded to amend their lives and that they declared the sorrow of their souls by their upright and holy conversation 16. Many became unclean by touching those things whereby others were purified and whilst they were purifying others Numb 19. But not any deserve to be excommunicate for that by which he goeth about to cure and cleanse those that are defiled with sin and wirkedness Wherefore if you assert the figure to corespond it behoveth you to concede that all they that by this means go about to bring the stray into the way are to be excommunicate 17. Unclean Persons according to the Law were not debarr'd from all the Sacraments for they were commanded to observe all the private rites of their Countrey to observe the Sabboth and feast of expiation which chiefly held forth the fruits of Christs works and that under pain of death Lev. 16 and 23. for as we said before they were not judged to be condemned and forlorne Persons Now whither the condition of excommunicate Persons according to our Adversaries opinion be not far different from this is not needfull further to be insisted on 18. Unclean Persons did defile legally the cloaths houses places and people with whom they hold any converse But wicked men do not defile the Temple or any other thing or Persons except those that communicate with them in their vices The Temple was not defiled so oft as Adulteresses were brought in thither Numb 5. and John 8. And the Publican did not defile the Temple when he went up thither together with the Pharisee to pray Luke 18. Certainly the Pharisee who esteem'd him a wicked Person in respect of himself did not think himself defiled by his company When Judas threw back the price of treason we do not read that the Temple was defiled by him neither do we find the Pharisees complained thereof which nevertheless would not enter the Counsell-house least they should be defiled But if a woman sick of her flowers or any other Ishew or that had a care of a Buriall or had touched a dead body though unwillingly were seen in the Temple then all things became unclean neither was it lawfull to Sacrifice or use any other worship till it was purified After the same manner Judas did not defile the last Supper by his villanies which nevertheless had come to pass if either he or any other of the Disciples had touched any dead thing To conclude Legall uncleanness was a figure of our crooked and corrupt nature which cannot enter Heaven unless it be washen and cleansed by the pure blood of Christ for as the Tabernacle signified Heaven and the exclusion from it the keeping out from the Heavenly Jerusalem so the purification by common or holy water did prefigure the changing by the death of Christ The quality then thereof was not a figure of a work but of a quality or of our corrupted Nature neitheir did it foreshew how offences were to be punished for Moses had taught this in clear and plain words But what our condition was to be in the life to come that is in the Kingdome of Heaven which the Land of Canaan did represent which all are manifestly enough to be seen throughly from the 21. of the Revelation Augustine in his Writeing against the Donatists did believe it signified the excluding of Hereticks From the many and great differences that are found betwixt both these impurities yea a blind man may discern that the one could not so figure the other as our Adversaries averre XVI Although Moses lay down no other exception except that which we have spoken of notwithstanding I will answer to another Objection which may be gathered from Moses words For may be after this manner some will reason The Jews were commanded