Paragraph 33.1

1. The person that is rightly by the Church excommunicate, is of all the faithfull to be taken for an Heathen, and Publican.

2. An excommunicate person, trulie repenting, is to be receaued, into the Church againe.

The proofe from Gods word.

The most seuere, and vttermost punishment, that the visible Church can inflict vpon the wicked, and vngodly of this world, is Excommunication: which is a part of discipline to be exercised, and that vpon vrgent occasions, and it is commended vnto the Church, euen by God himselfe, who in his word hath prescribed.

1. Who are to excommunicate, namely such as haue authoritie in the Church.^a

2. Who are to be excommunicate, euen two sorts of men, whereof the one peruert the sound doctrine of the truth,^b as did Hymeneus, and Alexander: the other be defiled with notorious wickednes, as that incestuous person as Corinth, was.^c

3. The manner of proceeding in Excommunication, namely first by gentle admonition, and that once, or twice giuen,^d with the spirit of meekenesse,^e euen as to a brother,^f if the fault be not notoriously knowne: and next, by open reprehension,^g afterward by the publique sentence of the Church, to put him from the companie of the faithfull,^h to deliuer him vnto Sathan,^i* and to denounce him an Heathen, and a Publican,^j if none admonitions will serue, and the crime, and person be very offensiue.

A man so cut off from the Congregation, and Excommunicated, is of euery godly professor to be auoyded:^k and not to be eaten with all,^l not to be companied with all,^m† nor to be receaued into houseⁿ

This censure is had in great reuerence, & estimation among the faithfull seruants of God.^‡

Errors, & adversaries vnto this truth.

1. Aduersaries vnto this doctrine be they,

Who vtterly condemne all censures ecclesiasticall, and so Excommunication, saying how the wicked are not excommunicable, so did the Paulicians.⁴

Haeretickes, holding other points of religion soundly, for their priuate, and singular opinions, are not to be excommunicate: so the Pelagians.⁵

Christians, cleauing vnto the foundation, which is Christ, are not by excommunication to bee thrust out of the Church for any other errors, or misdemeanors whatsoeuer. Of which opinion be sundrie Diuines, of good regard.⁶

2. Which allowe the censure of Excommunication, so it be done.

Not (as with vs it is) by Commissaries, Chancelars,⁷ or Bishopes:⁸ but in euerie Parrish,⁹ and that either

By the whole Congregation;¹⁰ or by the Eldership, and the whole Church;¹¹ or by euerie Minister,¹² yea euery member¹³ of the Church; or finally if not by, yet not without the consent of his Pastor, who is to be excommunicate.¹⁴

3. Which rightly vse not, but abuse the censure of Excommunication, drawing the same foorth.

Against what they list, euen against dead bodies, dumbe Fishes, Flies, and Vermie, when they haue auoyded them. For this the Papistes are famous, or infamous rather. The dead bodies of Wicliefe, Bucer, P. Fagius, were excomunicated after they were dead, and buried,.¹⁵

The Bishop of Can••••on anno D. 1593. verie Catholickely accursed the mute Fishes.¹⁶

S. Bernard denounced the sentence of Excommunication against Flies.¹⁷

And against whom they please: so the Apostolikes excommunicated all that were married, only for that they were married:¹⁸ Diotrephes thrust the Brethren out of the Church:^o The Brownists excōmunicate whol citties, & churches:¹⁹ the Papists excōmunicate euē Kings, & Emperors. Queene Elizabeth, of blessed memorie, was excommunicate by three Popes, Pius quintus; Gregorie the 13, and sixtus quintus. The Puritanes mislike, and find great fault that excommunication is not exercised against Kings, and Princes:²⁰ Barrowe saith that a Prince contemning the censures of the Church, is to be disfranchised out of the Church, and deliuered ouer vnto Satan.²¹

Also for what thinges they list, euen for May-games, and Robbin-hoode matters; as sometime it was denounced in Scotland by the newe Presbyterie:²² and for all crimes, which by Gods lawe deserue death; and for all things that to Gods people be scandalous; yea not only for all matters criminall, but also for the very suspition of auarice, Pride &c..²³

4. Lastly, which fauour the right, and true excommunication, but exercise it not, being bound thereunto.

The proofe from Gods word.

Sundrie be the reasons, and ends, why Excommunication is vsed, as

That a wicked liuer, to the reproach of the Gospell, be not suffered among the godly, and Christian professors of true religion;

That manie good men bee not euill spoken of, for a fewe bad;

That good and virtuous persons may not bee infected through the continuall,^p or much familiaritie of the wicked. For, as S. Paule saith, a little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe.^q

And that he which hath fallen, through shame of the world, may at the length Learne to blaspheme no more;^r & through repentance be saued.^s

Among all other causes therefore of Excommunication, one is, and not the least, that the person Excommunicate may not be condemned vtterly, but returne vnto the Lord by repentance, and so be receaued againe into the visible Church, as S. Paule willed the Incestuous man should be.²⁴

The Adversaries vnto this truth.

Contrariwise the Montanistes,²⁵ and the Nouatians²⁶ are of opinion that so many as after Baptisme doe fall into sinne, bee vtterly damned of God, and therefore bee not to find fauour at the Churches hands.