Justification of Separation from the Church of England, Treatise · Section 117
But to passe over all other things, the point vponupon which Mr B. insists, and which he would most gladly fasten vponupon the reader, is,Mr B. that the power of the censures, and of excommunication, termed by the name of discipline, howsoever it be a thing necessary for the wel being of the Church, yet is it no essentiall property, nor of such necessity, but that a true Church may be without it. And this (wanting scriptures, or reasons to confirm it) he affirms again, and again, and in the end, illustrates by a similtude taken from a man who is not therefore a false man, though he can neyther see, nor g…e, nor speak.
It is recorded of one THEODOTIVS, that having denied ChristAnsw. in persequution, to lessen his sin, he went about to lessen Christ, and taught that he was mere man, and not God: so many, in the case of Christs government, that their own and other mens sinne may seem lesser, in not vsing, or submitting vntounto it, do labour to extenuate, and make it lesse excellent, or vsefull then it is: and therevpon one telles vsus it is not a part of Gods worship, nor of religion; another that it is a thing indifferent, arbytrary, & changeable; a third that it is not simply necessary for the true Church: as Mr B: in this place. The vnsoundnes of whose affirmation, & illustration, I will by and by manifest, the Lord assisting me; in the mean while I do desire the reader to observe with me these two things in his writings about this point.
The former is, that, in labouring thus earnestly to perswade (as here he doth) that the power of excommunication is not of simple necessity, he in effect graunts that, which all men know to be true, namely, that the Churches in England do want this power▪ Now if here he answer, as he doth in his "2. book, that, thoughpag. 261. the power of excommunication …e not in every parish, yet it is in the Church of England in which is comprehended all pa…rishes, and all superiour power over these Parishes, in which is the power of Christ, I reply these particulars.
First that he might thus answer, though one Bishop alone had engrossed into his hands all this power; yea a Papist might answer thus for the Popes sole authority over all the Churches in the world, yea though he should communicate the same with no other person, or persons.
2. Let this mans shifting be well noted. When both in this, and the other book he pleads for the Ministery in the Church, he passes by the Nationall, Provinciall, and Diocesan Ministery, and speaks onelyonly of the Ministery in some parishes, where some honest zealous preachers are, but now comming to plead for the power of Christ in the Church, he takes the contrary course, and passing by the parishes, takes his flight to the Nationall, Provinciall, and Diocesan Ministery there to find comfort.
3. the quaestion here as he himself puts it, pag. 125. of this book is about particular congregations, which, he sayth, there are with them, having true matter, true form, and true properties. whereof excommunication is one. To this also adde, that in the end of his book he a…oucheth the Ministers affirmation, that this power is given to the particular pag. 180.congregations in the land.
4. & lastly, I hauehave formerly manifested, from Mat. 18. & 1 Cor. 5. that this power, and praerogative is given to a particular congregation, (besides which the new testament acknowledgeth none other visible Church:) and if that one particular *Math. 18 …. 20. 1 Cor. … 2. and …. 4. 5 6. 12. 13.Church, or congregation a… ▪ Corinth gathered together into the name of the Lord Iesus Christ, had the promise of his presence, and that he would be in the m…ddest of them, and were by this power of the Lord Iesus Christ, to deliver to Sat…n, purge out, iudge, and put away wicked men from among them (for fayling in which duety, they were reproved by the Apostle) then why not every other particular Church or congregation of Gods people, as well as that one? espetially since that, as all other scriptures, was written for our learning; and that there is but †Ephe. 4. 4. 5.one Church, or body, as there is but one Lord: one, that is, in matter, form, and essentiall properties.see pag. 267
The 2. thing I desire may be noted, is, that Mr B: doth if notpag. 126. deceiptfully, yet vnfitly comprehend the power of the censures vnderunder the care for the welfare of the Church: since this power may be full and intire, where the care is eyther very little, or not at all: as it came to passe in the Church of Corinth, which had this power1 Cor. 5. alwayes amongst them, but neglected the vse of it, and therein the care for the welfare of the Church which they should have had, & for which neglect they were reproved by the Apostle.
Now for the similitude, I do except against it in a double respect: first for that God doth oft times deprive a man of the naturall power of seing, going, and speaking, by naturall infirmities within, or bodily violence from without: but Christ never deprives his Church of this spirituall power of excommunication, neyther can it be impeached by any outward violence: onelyonly Antichrist exalting himself against all that is called God, and intruding himself into the throne of Christ, doth deprive the Church of God, and of Christ, of this liberty, and power; and so all those Churches, or congregations over whom he thus vsurpeth, receive his mark, & are in that respect subject to his judgement. 2. Mr B: as I have formerly observed, doth most vnaptly cōpare the power of casting out offenders to the faculty of seing, speaking, and the like: it is more fitly resembled to the want of power to void, and purge excrements, which is prodigious in nature; & so neyther the naturall, nor spirituall body so constituted can possibly consist, or live. And for the parts of the body, to which he here hath reference, and the like; they do more fitly resemble the officers of the Church, then the ordinance of excōmunication: the eyes, and mouth the Bishops, and Elders, which are to oversee, and teach the Church: the hands, the Deacons, who are to distribute her almes. And a… there may be a true (though an vnperfit) naturall body without these parts, so may there be a true visible Church, or body of Christ, without these officers, though vnperfect, and defective.
It now remayns I lay down some reasons to prove the power of the censures, & of excommunication, simply necessary vntounto the Church of Christ. The Reasons are,
First, bycause it is simply necessary for the being of a Church,I. that there be power for true members to joyn together, and so to receive others vntounto them: even so consequently must there be power to disioyn, and cut of false members.
2. Excommunication, and absolution are of the same natureII. with preaching the gospel: yea the very same, particularly applyed to persons obstinate, and repentant, which preaching is in the generall. The †Rom. 1. 16.preaching of the gospell is the power of God vntounto salvation to every one that beleeveth: excommunication is *1 Cor. 5. 4▪ 5.the power of the Lord Iesus Christ, for the destruction of the fl…sh, of him that is otherwise incorrigible, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Iesus. The preaching of the gospel makes the first, or major proposition thus; he that beleeves not, and repents not, is bound in heaven, and hath his sinn… vnremitted; but he that beleeves, and repents, his sinn… are pardoned, and he loosed in heaven. Now excommunication, and absolution applyed to a particular person, and occasion, do make the second, or minor proposition thus: thou beleevest not, or repentest not of this thy sinne, and therefore thou art bound in heaven, and thy sinnes vnpardoned: and so of absolution, or the loosing of sinns. Adde also vntounto these things, that the same Bishops, or Elders are to preach the gospel in way of doctrine, and to minister the censures in way of discipline, though in some divers order, as I hauehave formerly shewed. And these two being the two mayn duties of the Ministers, comprehended vnderunder this generall duety of “Act. 20. 28. 1 Pet. 5. 1. 2. … Tim. 5. 17feeding the stock, must needs be of the same nature: both of them mayn, and necessary parts of Gods vvorship, and of religion, and so to be performed vponupon the Lords day, as his work, and in the assembly of the saynts, as an exercise of their holy communion, howsoever with you, and others, they are made a consistory, and working day matter, to the great violation, and indignity of the kingdom of Christ, in the dispensation of it in his Church.
3. The want of excommunicating and censuring wicked menIII. †… Cor. 5. 6.levens the whole lump: and makes the whole particular congregation whereof they are, accessary to their sinne: and to purpose to continue in such a congregation, or Church, as hath not this power, is to purpose to continue in disobedience to the commandement of the Lord Iesus which he hath layd vponupon all his disciples to “Math. 18. 1. 15. 17tell the Church in the order by him prescribed.
4. Without the censures, the Church *Rev. 18. 2becomes of Syon, Babylon, IIII.even the habitation of Divels, and the hold of all …owl spirits, and a cage of every vnclean, and hatefull byrd. And so Mr B. in his forenamed †pag. 15. 16.catechis… teacheth that the holy, and right vse of discipline, and of excommunication serves to maint…yn the Church, and to over throw haeresy, that destroyes the foundation, and other mischiefs. And since haeresy destroyes the foundation, as Mr B. teacheth; and that “1 Cor. 1… 19.there must be haeresies in the Church, as Paul teacheth: and that the Church cannot possibly be purged of them, without excommunication; that must needs be absolutely necessary to the Church, without which the Church must absolutely necessarily come to naught.
To these I do adde, as a fifth, and last Reason, that as †Math. …. 16. 1 Pet. 2 12. and 3. 1 Rom. 2. 24.the glorie V.of God, & salvation of them without, are most furthered, and advantaged by the holy conversation of the members of the Church: and on the contrary most disadvantaged, and hindered, by their vnholy, and prophane courses: so is the power of excommunication, by which solemn ordinance alo…e, prophanenes & impiety are rooted out, of absolute necessity for the Churches of Christ. And of this point I desire the reader to take knowledge, not onelyonly as of a matter of truth, but of conscience also, and for practise.