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A77758 The ordinance of excommunication rightly stated and vindicated from severall false opinions concerning it. By a lover of truth and peace. Feb. 17. 1645. Imprimatur. John Downame. Bakewell, Thomas, b. 1618 or 19. 1646 (1646) Wing B535; Thomason E325_9; ESTC R200624 8,442 8

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to thee then this could not be a civill Court of Judicatorie for they had more power in their hands then to admonish him by words although the offence was private they might imprison fine or correct him for his private offence in regard he would be neither sorrie for his wrong nor make satisfaction see Luk. 12.58 29. Mat. 5.25 26. but the Eldership could only admonish for a private offence although they might cast him out for a publike scandall having the consent of the Church then Excommunication is not a humane Ordinance to be executed by the Civill Magistrate then this doth directly suit with the Presbyteriall way of Government who referre matters to the Eldership as the Kingdom doth to the Parliament and that Government in this point more agrees with the Word of God then anie of the other The next thing in the definition is that they ought to be legally excommunicated if a man go on in a way of error so that he undermines the truth of Doctrine or Discipline or by prophannesse trample it under foot then the Minister ought not of himselfe to keep back such a man from anie publike Ordinance of Christ for if this power were in one mans brest it were as bad as the Pope or any Prelate in his Diocesse it must be inflicted by many 2 Cor. 2.6 then the people must not urge their Minister no do it nor be offended with him if he do it not for he hath no power to keep them back from anie Ordinance nor to keep the Ordinance from them for necessity is laid upon them and wee be unto them if they preach not the Gospell 1 Cor. 9.16 and this necessity lies upon them to dispence all the Ordinances of Christ to all in the Church till they be legally cast out Now the legall way of Excommunication is this First there must be a lawfull conviction of the party that is to be cast out by witnesses before the Eldership how this man by errour undermines the truth of the Gospell or by prophanenesse tramples it under foot then the Eldership must admonish him to leave that wicked course of life this it may be will make him at least promise amendment or Reformation then they must wait a while upon tryall and it may be he may leave his errour or prophane life but if not they must call him before them againe and urge him of his promise and tell him also if he do not reforme they must proceed to cast him out this it may be will make him promise more seriously to leave that sinfull course then they ought to forbeare and try him again to shew themselves loth to cut off a member if it be possible to heale it But if he have passed the first and second admonition without Reformation they must proceed against him and conclude that he deserves to be cast out as Paul saith A man that is an heretike alter the first and second admonition reject Tit. 3.10 yet although they have passed their private censure among themselves that he deserves to be cast out rather then the Ordinance of Christ should be polluted as Paul did and it is likely there was more with him when he said I have judged already though absent that he who hath done this deed may be taken from among you 1 Cor. 5.2 3. yet he was not to be actually and solemnly cast out till they were gathered together in the Name of Christ and with the power of the Lord Iesus Christ Vers 4. and to keep the unitie of the Church they must informe them how they have proceeded against this man by way of admonition and still hee goes on in his scandalous life either undermining or trampling the Ordinances of Christ under feet and if the Church be willing they shall proceed to censure and cast him out but in case there be more in the Church against it then for it then for the peace of the Church they must forbeare and try him againe by admonition and if he go on still make it again known to the whole Church and it may be they will consent to have him cast out but if they will not the Eldership must forbeare upon further tryall by admonition lest they make a breach in the Church and so the remedie will be worse then the disease Thus using the meanes of admonition no doubt in time the man will either be reclaimed or the Church will give consent to cast him out and the peace of it still preserved The next thing in the Definition is to shew who must be excommunicated I answer Only scandalous persons and they are of two sorts either such as by the leaven of false doctrine undermine the truths of the Gospell Or secondly such as by the leaven of a prophane life trample the Gospell under foot both these must be kept out of the Christian Church or they will be the mine of it First if any man shall broach and maintaine any errour or heresie against the truths of Chirst and by that meanes seek to destroy the doctrine or discipline of the Christian Religion this is the leaven of the Pharisies and Sadduces Matth. 16.10 11. and so long as they hold such errours John would not admit them into the Christian Church because like Vipers they would have eaten out the bewels of the Christian Church See Mat. 3 7. And for such errors saith Paul they must becast out for a little of this leaven will leaven the whole lump therefore saith he I have confidence in you in the Lord Jesus Christ that you will be none otherwise minded but he that troubleth you shall have his judgement whose ever he be Galat. 5.9 10. If any cause griefe to the Church sufficient to such a man is this punishment which was inflicted of many 2 Cor. 2.6 Secondly this divine censure must be inflicted upon such as have the leaven of a prophane life else they will make the Lords people abhor the offerings of the Lord 1 Sam. 2.17 22 24. And Paul hearing of the incestuous man judgeth him worthy to be cast out and saith Do not yee judge those that are within purge out therefore the old leaven that you may be a new lump and if that man will not repent refraine his company and if that will not reclaime him cast out from among your selves that wicked person 1 Cor. 5. For as the leaven of errour will eat out both the truth of Doctrine and Discipline like a canker as did the words of Himineus and Phile●us 2 Tim. 3.17 so prophanenesse casts filth upon Religion and the Professours of it and makes both to be despised But some would have ignorance to be a sufficient cause of casting out or at least to keep them from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper but I can find no such Text for all came to the Passover without exception unlesse they were legally uncleane and so cast out and all those young Converts came to the Lords Supper