The Dying Mans Testament to the Church of Scotland, Part 3 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. What is to be accounted a satisfying and successefull admonition.
IF it be asked, What is to be accounted a satisfying and successefull admonition? And how men are to judge of, and walk in reference to, the same? Answ. We would distinguish satisfaction or successe as to an admonition, which may be either full satisfaction or only partiall. Full satisfaction is, When the person is so fully convinced of his ill, as not only to forbear the venting thereof, and to give no offence for the time to come, but also fully to abandon the same as being grieved therefore, and willing to edifie others, by a suitable acknowledgement.Some usefull Distinctions of satisfaction.
Again, we call that a partial satisfaction or successe, when though there is not a fully satisfying length obtained; yet can it not be said to be altogether fruitlesse. As suppose, 1. a person should not be brought wholly to disclaim his errours, yet should professe a conviction of the ill of venting them, and troubling the Church with them, and afterward should engage to abstain from offending in that kind. 2. Suppose one should be convinced of the more grosse errours, and be content to disclaim these, yet should stick at some others, professing scruple in them.
We would also distinguish these that give partiall satisfaction. 1. Either they are such as appear to be sincere in the length they come, and in the professions they make, as also to be docile and ready to be informed; or, they are such who discover the want of ingenuity in their proceeding, and themselves but to be lying at the wait to return to their vomit.
Now to apply this, We say, 1. When this satisfaction is full, there is no question; for, thereby not only all further processe is to be sisted, but the person is to be admitted to have communion in Churchpriviledges.
2. Where this partiall successe is of the first sort, We conceive it may be sufficient to sist processe for a time; and to continue the persons under means within the Church, so long as they contradict not their profession; yet it is not sufficient to give them free accesse to all Church-priviledges, as if the scandal were fully removed.
3. Where that satisfaction is but of the last kind, that is, mocking and dissembled, We say, that though it may put a Church-judicatory to try the evidences of this dissimulation, and during that time possibly to stop a little their proceeding; yet ought it not to mar the drawing forth of the Sentence, lest there be an accession to the hurt which is intended to the Church by that dissembler: And here we are to apply both the reasons against, and characters of, dissimulation, which were spoken to on practicall offences.
4. If there be no seeming satisfaction at all, then after admonitions given, the person despising the same is to be rejected, as one that is infectious and unfit to have communion in the Church, or the benefit of any Church-priviledge and Ordinance: And, in a word, to be, for his scandal, and obstinacy against Christs Ordinances, declared to be Excommunicate, and casten out of His visible Kingdom, as an out-law to the same; Which is to be done with such gravity, weightinesse, sympathy and authority, as it may look like the Ordinance of Christ, and have an impression of His dread and Majesty upon all that are witnesses thereof.
If it be asked, Whether any further duty be requiredWhether any thing be required of Ministers towards heretick that are rejected from a Minister towards such a person after the Sentence is past? Answ. He is not then properly under pastorall charge since he is no member of Christs visible Church, at least, in that respect, as members fall under common and ordinary actuall inspection. Yet we conceive, 1. That the Minister is to continue to deal with God for him (at least in private) if so be he may be recovered out of this snare, because he is under the last cure, which will either prove life or death; Gods blessing therefore to it▪ is to be sought; and it becometh well the naturall care of a kindly Minister, that is thirsting for the blessing, to deal with God for it. 2. Although there be not actuall accesse to any thing; yet ought there to be a lying at the wait to observe any opportunity which may be for his good, and when it offereth, it would be carefully improven. And therefore, 3. for that end, whatever indignation beshown against a mans wayes or errours, to make these loathsome to others, yet still there would be evidence of tender respect to the persons, and, if need be, means used to supply them, especially if they come to any strait, although in all this they would keep such a distance as may keep up the weight of the Sentence, both to them and others: But, by this way, their suspicious mistakes of Ministers, carnalnesse against their persons, are best removed, and accesse is thereby made to be edifying unto them, Some examples whereof are recorded in the life of Musculus▪ as to his tendernesse to most desperately deluded persons, when they were in affliction, and discountenanced exceedingly by Magistrates, which God blessed in the end for their recovery; this is suitable, severity in Magistrates, and tendernesse in Ministers. And amongst other ills and snares that that cruell indulgencie (which is indeed cruell to the poor souls, to whom it becometh a snare) hath following it, this is one▪ That the Magistrate is accounted mercifull, and the zealous Minister cruell, whereby they are put in an incapacity to be edified by the one, and in a capacity, as it were, to miscarry as they will, by the indulgence of the other.