Abridgment of Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 4 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Of the diſcipline of the church, whoſe principall vſe is, in cenſures and excommunication.
1 FVRTHERMORE,The diuiſion. that we may the more eaſily vnderſtand Eccleſiaſtical diſcipline, which dependeth vponupon the power of the keyes, and ſpirituall iuriſdiction, let vsus deuide the churche into the cleargie and the common people. Let vsus ſpeak firſt of common diſcipline, vnderunder which all men muſt be: then we will come to the cleargie, which hauehave their proper diſcipline.
2 The firſt foundation of the church, is, that priuate admonitions doe take place: that is, if any man doe not his duetie willinglie, that he ſuffer himſelfe to be admoniſhed:The degrees of comō diſcipline. Priuate admonition. and that euerie one ſtudie to admoniſh his brother when need is. Eſpeciallie let the Paſtors be diligēt herein, whoſe dutie it is to preach to the people, and to exhort through eueryevery houſe*. If any man refuſe admonitions, and deſpiſe two or three witneſſes:Act. 20.20. and if hee continue ſtubborne, let him be baniſhed out of the companie of the faithfull*,Mat. 18.15.17. as a contemner of the church.
Excommunication.3 But becauſe he intreateth there of ſecret faults wee muſt put this diuiſion, that ſome ſinnes are priuate, and ſome publike. Chriſt ſpeaketh of the former,Deuiſion of ſinnes. Mat. 18.15. 1 Tim. 5.20. Gal. 2.14. Reproue him betweene him and thee alone*. Paul ſaith concerning open ſinnes, Reproue him in preſence of all men*: that the reſt may feare. Hee himſelfe followed this laſt in Peter*. Therefore in ſecrete ſinnes let vsus proceede according to the degrees which Chriſt ſetteth down:Another deſtinction of ſinnes. in manifeſt ſinnes, let vsus ſtraight way proceed vntounto the ſolemne rebuking of the church.
4 Let this be alſo another diſtinction. Of ſinnes ſome are defaults, ſome hainous offences: for theſe latter Paul vſeth a more ſharpe remedie in the inceſtuous perſon of Corinthus*: becauſe he doth not only in wordes chaſten, but with excommunication puniſh him.
5 And there be three ends whereto the church hath reſpect in ſuch corrections,Endes of correction. and in excommunication. The firſt is that they may not bee named among chriſtians which lead a wicked life, as if the holy church were a conſpiracy of wicked men*.Col. 1.24. The ſecond that good men may not bee corrupted with the continuall companie of the wicked*.1 Cor. 5 6.11. The third is, that thoſe men themſelues, beeing confounded with ſhame,2 Theſſ. 3.14. may begin to repent of their filthines*.
6 Theſe ends being ſet downe, it remaineth that we ſee how, and after what ſort the church doth execute this point of diſcipline,The diuiſion of ſinnes. Publike. Priuate Stubborneſſe. Haynous offences. Defaultes which conſiſteth in iuriſdiction. Firſt of all let vsus retaine that diuiſion of ſinnes, that ſome are publike and ſome priuate. The former kinde doth not require theſe degrees which Chriſt reckoneth vp. In the ſecond ſort, they come not to the church, vntill ſtubbornnes come. When it is once come to knowledge, then muſt we obſerue the other diuiſion between hainous offences & defaults. In lighter offences there muſt a light and fatherlie chaſtiſement be vſed. But hainous offences muſt be chaſtiſed with a more ſharp remedie:1 Cor. 5.5. as by depriuing of the ſupper, vntill the ſinner doe teſtifie his repentance*. This order did the olde and better church obſerue, whē lawful gouernmēt was in force.Let Princes ſubmit themſelues to diſcipline.
7 So far of was it that anie was exempted from this diſcipline, that the Princes did ſubmit thēſelues together with the common people, to abide & beare it. And it is meet that the ſcepters of all princes bee made ſubiect to Chriſtes crowne. So Theodoſius was depriued by Ambroſe of the right of the communion*.Am. lib. 1. Epiſt. 3. in orat. funeb. Theo. This is a lawefull proceeding in excommunicating of a man, if not the elders alone do that apart, but the Church knowing and approuing the ſame.
8 And ſuch ſharpneſſe becommeth the church as is ioyned with the ſpirite of meekneſſe, that he may not be ſwallowed vp of ſorrow which is puniſhed*.2 Cor. 2.7. For by this meanes a remedie ſhould bee turned to deſtruction.A caueat. Sharpneſſe of the men of old. For when as they enioyned a ſinner penance to endure for 7. 4. 3. yeres, or during his whole life: what could followe thereupon, but either great hypocriſie, or great deſperation?
9 All thinges muſt be tempered with louelove and curteſie.All things muſt be temperat with courteſie. Neither is it for vsus to blot out of the number of the elect excommunicate perſons, or bee out of hope of them as if they were alreadie damned. Wee may indeed count them ſtraungers from the Churche, and therefore from Chriſte: but yet onlie during that time wherein they continue diuorſed.
The difference betwene excō munication and curſing.10 For there is this difference between excommunication and accurſing that accurſing doth giuegive ouer a man to eternall deſtruction, taking away all pardon: this that is excōmunicatiō doth rather puniſh maners. There is either rare or none vſe of accurſing. Though the Churche doe not ſuffer vsus to keepe companie with excommunicate perſons, yet we muſt ſtriue, and labour to bring them to better fruit,2 Theſſ. 3.15. that they may returne to the fellowſhip of the Church*: leaſt wee fall ſtraightway from diſcipline to butcherie.
To depart from the church. Lib. 2. cont parm cap. 1.11 This is alſo eſpeciallie required to the moderating of diſcipline, which Auguſtine diſputeth againſt the Donatiſts*, that neither priuate men, if they ſee vices not diligently corrected by the councell of Elders, depart from the Church, or that the Paſtours themſelues, if they cannot purge all things which need redreſſing,What paſtour is free from the curſe. doe not therefore caſt from them their miniſterie, or diſturbe the whole church with vnaccuſtomed ſharpeneſſe. For whoſoeuer doth either by rebuking amend what he can: or excludeth that which hee cannot amende, ſauing the bond of peace: or doth diſalow with equity, and ſupport with ſtedfaſtneſſe that which hee cannot exclude: hee is quit and free from the curſe.
12 And this doth hee ſay, becauſe of the Donatiſts, which when they ſawe vices in the churches, which the Biſhops did reproue with wordes, but not puniſh with excommunication, they did cruellie inueigh againſt the Biſhops,We muſt not make any ſchiſme. The ſchiſme of the Anabap. and did deuide themſelues from the flocke of Chriſte with a wicked Schiſme. So at this day the Anabaptiſtes.
13 Auguſtine doth principallie commende that one thing, if the infection of ſinne inuade the multitude, then the ſharpe merciemercy of liuelie diſcipline is neceſſarie. For ſaith he,Epiſt. 64. Note. euen purpoſes of ſeperation are vaine, pernitious, ſacrilegious: becauſe they are wicked and proude: and doe more trouble the good weake ones, then amend the ſtout euill ones.
14 The other part of diſcipline,The ſecond part of Diſcipline concerning faſting. conſiſteth therin, that as times ſhall require, the paſtours exhort either to faſting, or ſolemne praier, or to other exerciſes of humilitie, repentance and faith, for which there is neither time, nor maner, nor forme preſcribed in the worde of God, but it is left to the iudgement of the church: the obſeruation of this point alſo, as it is profitable,Ioel 2.16. Act. 13.3. ſo it was vſed in the olde churche in the time of the Prophetes and Apoſtles*.
15 Let lawfull faſting hauehave three endes. For wee vſe the ſame either to bring downe the fleſh:The ends of faſtinge. or that we may be better prepared to praiers, or that it may be a teſtimony of our humility before God. The firſt end is fitter for priuate faſting. The ſecond is common to both, and the third likewiſe.When a faſt muſt be biddē.
16 Therefore ſo often as we muſt make prayer to God for any great matter, it were expedient to proclaime a faſt when wee bid praier. So when the men of Antioch did lay handes on Paul & Barnabas, they ioyne faſting with praier*Luk. 2 37..Act. 13 3. Such was the faſt of Anna the Propheteſſe, of Nehemias*Nehem. 1.4., and others,
17 Againe, if either peſtilence, or famine, or war begin to raunge, or if any calamitie hang ouer anie countrie, it is the dutie of the Paſtour to exhort the church to faſt,Ioel. 2.15. Ioh. 3.5. that it may humbly beſeech the Lord to turne away his wrath. Wee may readilie gather out of the wordes of Ioel, that the people of Iſrael did that*.
Obiect. It is an outward ceremonie, which together with the reſt had an end in Chriſt.
An. Yea it is euen at this day alſo an excellent help for the faithfull.Mat. 9.15. Therefore when Chriſt excuſeth his Apoſtles*, becauſe they did not faſt, he ſaith not that faſting was abrogated, but he aſſigneth the ſame to times of calamitie, and he ioyneth the ſame with mourning.
Sobrietie is moſt fitte for Chriſtians. Faſting conſiſteth in three thinges.18 It is well knowen that the life of the godlie muſt be tempered with thriftineſſe & ſobrietie: but there is beſides that another temporall faſt, when we diminiſh ſomewhat of our accuſtomed maner of liuing: this conſiſteth in three things, in the time, that we come to praier faſting: in qualitie, that beeing content with ſmall fare wee auoid dainties: in quantitie that we eate more ſparinglie then we are wont.
19 But we muſt alwaies beware that there creep in no ſuperſtition.Thinges to be auoyded in faſting. Therfore let vsus firſt remēber that we muſt rent our hearts & not our garments*. Secondlie we muſt take heed that wee count it not a meritorious worke. Such was the doting of the Manichees*.Lib. 2. de Mor. Laſtlie, that it muſt not be ſtrictlie required as neceſſarie. For that is to giuegive an occaſion to tyrannie.Manich. cap. 13. & lib. 30. cont. Fauſtum.
20 Wherein the men of old did erre, and thoſe which brought in the ſuperſtitious Lent, and other ceremonies.
Obiect. Chriſt faſted fortie daies.
An. Hee faſted not therefore that he might preſcribe others an example:What manner faſting Chriſts was. but that by a myracle he might confirm the preaching af the goſpel. Neither did he faſt oftē, nor after the maner of men: becauſe he eat no meat for the ſpace of 40. daies.Exod. 24.18 & 34.28. But as Moſes to eſtabliſh the authoritie of the law*. So Chriſt to begin the goſpel. So Elias, to the ende the people might know him to be a reſtorer of the law,1 Kin. 19.8. ſpent 40 daies without meat*. There was alſo a great diuerſitie in that ſuperſtitious imitation, which is in deed a wrongfull zeale.
21 Afterward followed far worſe times, and vntounto the diſordered ſtudy of the common people was added both the ignorance and alſo the rudenes of the Biſhops, & alſo luſt to reigne & tyrannous rigor.
22 There followeth another part of diſcipline which appertaineth properlie to the cleargie.The ſecond part of Diſcipline touching the cleargie. That is cōtained in Canons, which the olde Biſhops laid vponupon themſelues & their order, of which ſort theſe are, that no clark ſhould giuegive himſelf to hunting, dicing, or banquetting. To theſe were added the puniſhments alſo, where by the verie authoritie of the Canons was eſtabliſhed. To this ende eueryevery Biſhop had the gouernment of his cleargie committed to him. Therfore were prouinciall Synodes inſtituted, that thoſe which wer negligēt,Prouinciall ſynods. The Emperour alone did gather a generall councell. might be made to do their duetie. For it was in the Emperors power onlie to call a generall councell. So long as this ſharpneſſe did laſt, the clarks required no more in worde at the peoples hands, then they themſelues did performe in example. Foraſmuch as they were ſtraighter to thēſelues then to the people. Al that is ſo growen out of vſe, that nothing can at this day be inuēted to be more vnbridled & diſſolute thē the clergie: & it is growē to ſuch licentiouſnes, that almoſt all the world crieth out. Antiquitie is buried, onelie the ſhadowes thereof remaine.
Mariage forbidden.23 They are therein ſtraigth, and vnintreatable, that Prieſtes be forbidden to marrie: though that be done through wicked tyrannie & againſt the word. Becauſe God hath expreſlie prouided that this libertie might not be infringed *.1 Tim. 3.2. Tit. 1.6. Paul foreſawe that ſuch doctrine of diuels would be broched*.
Montanus. Talianes. Eucratites.Obiect. Montanus, the Tatianes, and Eucratites did condemne matrimonie, not we: but we do onelyonly exclude the Eccleſiaſticall order from it.
An. The Propheſie agreeth as well to the Papiſtes, as to the Tatianes, becauſe it is all one thing.
24 Obiect. The Prieſt muſt be diſtinguiſhed from the common people by ſome marke.
An. As the Lorde did not foreſee that alſo, in what ornaments the Prieſts ought to excell:1 Tim. 3.2. Siritius called mariage polution. Ad Epiſ. Hiſpantarum.. notwithſtanding hee hath placed marriage among the reſt of the gifts*, which Siritius the Pope called the defiling of the fleſh*.
25 Obiect. The Leuiticall Prieſtes, ſo often as their courſes came to miniſter, muſt hauehave laine frō their wiues, that beeing cleane they might handle holie things.
The difference betwene the miniſtery of the Goſpell and he Leuiticall.An. There is not like reaſon or conſideration of the miniſterie of the goſpel, as was of the Leuiticall miniſterie. For they as figures did repreſent the holineſſe of Chriſt the Mediatour, and did ſhadow it with certaine groſſe draughtes. The Eccleſiaſticall Paſtours do not at this day beare this perſon. Wherefore the Apoſtle without exception pronounceth that marriage is honourable among all men*.Heb 13.4. Which thing the Apoſtles did approue by their owne examples.1 Cor. 9.5.
26 Neither did the old fathers onlie tollerate mariage in the order of Biſhops, but alſo it was pronounced in the Nicene Synode,Hiſt. tripart. lib. 2. ca. 14. that lying with a mans owne wife was chaſtitie*.
27 After this followed the times wherin too ſuperſtitious louelove of ſingle life got the vpper hand: & the praiſes of virginitie were ſong without meaſure.
Obiect. Prieſtes were manie times forbidden to marrie.
An. This liberty continued both vnderunder the apoſtles, and alſo certaine ages afterward,Single lyfe. Biſhops were longe tyme married. that Biſhops might marie: ſhall we thinke that vnlawfull and vnſeemelie at this day, which was vſed and receiued then with praiſe?
28 Let vsus conclude that there muſt be no neceſſitie laid, where the thing is of it ſelfe free, and doth depend vponupon the profite of the Church.