The Dying Mans Testament to the Church of Scotland, Part 3 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. What further duty is required of private Professors towards Hereticks that are cut off.
IF it be asked, What duty further is called-for from private persons towards a person cut off?
Answ. I suppose these things are called-for,
1. Abstinence from unnecessary civil fellowship, as, not to frequent their company, to visit them, to dine or sup with them, or to have them dining or supping with us, or to use such familiarity in such things, as useth to be with others, or possibly hath been with them: So it is, 1 Cor. 5. and it is no lesse the peoples duty to carry so, that it may be a mean for their edification, than proportionally it is the Ministers duty to instruct, passe Sentence, &c.
2. Their would be an abstinence from Christian fellowship, that is, we would not pray with them, read or confer of spirituall purposes, (purposly at least) nor do any such thing that belongeth to Christian-communion, that is, to reject him in that sense from Christian fellowship, and to account him as an heathen man or publican. In this respect, we cannot walk with an excommunicate man, as we may walk with other Christians; And, in the first respect, we cannot walk with them, as we may walk with other heathens, that, it may be, are guilty of as grosse sins upon the matter; for, the Word of the Lord, putteth this differeece expresly between them and these who are simply heathens, 1 Cor. 5.
3. Yet even then prayer may be made for them; for, excommunication is no evidence, that a person hath sinned the sin against the holy Ghost; or, that their sin is a sin unto death, and their necessities, if they be in want, may and should be supplied, because they are men, and it is naturall to supply such; they may be helped also against unjust violence, or from any personall hazard, if they fall in it; and as occasion offereth, folks may give a weighty serious word of admonition unto them, and such like, because by such means, the end of the Sentence and its weight are furthered, and not weakened.
4. These that are in naturall relations, ought to walk in the duties of them, as Husbands and Wives, Parents and Children, Masters and Servants, Magistrates and Subjects, &c. for, what nature bindeth, the Church doth not loose.
5. Men may follow civil businesse, as paying or exacting payment of debts, buying or selling, and may walk in such things as are requisit for humane fellowship and society, because, though Church Censures be to humble and shame men, by bearing in on them their sinfulnesse, yet it is not to undo them, and simply to take away a being from them.
6. Yet all these things would be done with them in such a manner, As, 1. the persons may shew their indignation at their way, even when they expresse tendernesse to their persons. 2. It would be done in a different manner from what useth to be with others, not under such a Sentence, that so they may bear out their respect to the Sentence, even when they shew respect to them. Therefore, there would not be such frequencie in medling with such persons, nor would it be with familiarity or many words, and long discourses to other purposes, nor with laughing, and with such chearfulnesse, intimacie or complacencie, as is used with others. But, in a word, the businesse would be done, and other things abstained from. 3. When, what is necessary is past, except it be on necessity, folks would not eat or drink with them at the time of doing their businesse, or after the closing of the same; because that doth not necessarily belong to them as men, and by so doing, the due distance would not be keeped; and this is the great practick, so to carry to them as the weight of the Sentence be not lessened, nor they prejudged of what otherwayes is necessary to their being, but that so every opportunity may be taken, whereby their edification may be advanced.
If what is before said, be considered, We suppose there will be no great need to add arguments to provoke either Ministers or others to be zealous in prosecuting their respective duties; Yet these few considerations may be taken notice of, and pondered to this purpose,Some Considerations to provoke Ministers and others to the faithful discharge of their duty in all the forementioned particulars.
1. That scarcely hath delusion, though never so grosse, ever broken in into a Church, and for a time been forborn, but it hath carried away many therewith, and hath proven exceedingly inductive to much sin, offence, reproach, division, bitternesse and ills of all sorts into the Church of Christ: Very little acquaintance with the History of the Church, will put this out of question.
2. Consider that this spirit of delusion, is in a special manner fore-prophesied of, to have a great reviving and strength in the latter dayes; it is said, 1 Tim. 4. 1. That the Spirit speaketh expresly, That in the last times, some shall depart from the faith: And why is that expresly added, but to give warning the more clearly, that men may be at their duty? Again, 2 Tim. 3. 1. This know, that in the last dayes, perillous times shall come. It is the observation of a holy and learned man, that in this place, it is the last dayes; in the former, the last times, as if this did relate to a time nearer the end of the world: and so the first looketh to the Popish superstitions and abominations, (and indeed, the nature of the Doctrines there reproved, doth seem to favour this) and this last place doth relate to the grosse delusions, that under the pretext of the form of godlinesse, were to succeed to these; And therefore men, according to their places, ought in these times to be so much the more watchfull and zealous, s…ing the Trumpet hath given so distinct a sound.
3. The dreadfull effects which such ills necessarily bring with them, may be considered; it is not ruine to bodies or estates, but to souls; it is not simply to sin, and to permit that, but its rebellion; and which is more, It is to teach rebellion, and to carry on the same with a high hand against God; and what will stir zeal for God, or what will waken love to, and sympathie with, the souls of others, if this do not?
4. It would be considered, how often zeal, diligence and faithfulnesse of men in their several places (as hath been laid down) have proved exceeding helpfull for preventing and restraining the growth of such evils, so that thereby such a …loud hath been dryed up, as it is Rev. 12. which otherwayes might have drowned the Woman and her seed; and, Matth. 13. it is marked, that such tares are sown and spring up, not while men are watchfull and diligent, but while they sleep and are defective in their duty, ver. 25. for, diligence in the use of means, hath the blessing promised which others cannot expect; and if wrath be come to such an height, as the Lord will not be intreated in that matter, yet the person that is diligent may look for his own soul for a prey, and to be kept on his feet in the midst of tentations.
5. It may be a provocation to humility and watchfulnesse, to consider how great men have been carried away with the most vile delusions: the Church of Corinth did abound in most eminent gifts, yet corrupt teachers wanted not influence upon them. The Church of Galatia hath been most singularly zealous and tender, yet what an height delusion came to amongst them, is evident, so that they were bewitched therewith, Galat. 3. 1. In Church-history also it is evident, that most eminent men have been carried away with the vainest delusions: that great Light, Tertullian, became tainted exceedingly with the delusions of the Montanists: and after-times have letten us see, that the eminentest of men are capable of defection; and even Stars are often made to fall from heaven by such storms.
6. It is dreadfull also to consider how difficultly men are recovered from these delusions. It's a rare thing to find in Scripture, or in History, any observable recovery of a person that hath slipped in this kind. Sometimes indeed persons, that through fear have been brought to deny Christ, or to countenance Idolatry in a particular act, are marked with much tendernesse and satisfaction to acknowledge their failing, and to abandon it; for, often such a failing is the fruit of some surprizal, and is of infirmity; but the recovery of a person, who hath with a kind of deliberation drunken-in errour and rejected convictions, is a most rare thing, and hath a peradventure added thereto, 2 Tim. 2. 23. (as was formerly marked) which will not readily be found in any other case; yea, often such persons do wax worse and worse, and one delusion draweth-on another till it come to the greatest height of absurdity.