Aarons Rod Blossoming, Book 3 · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. Antiquity for the suspension of all scandalous persons from the Sacrament, even such as were admitted to other publik Ordinances.
MR. Prynn in his first Quaere would have us beleeve that in the primitive times scandalous sinners were ever excommunicated and wholy cast out of the Church, and sequestred from all other Ordinances, as well as from the Sacrament; And since (saith he) in the primitive times (as is evident by Tertullians Apologie cap. 39. De poenitentia lib. and others) scandalous persons were ever excommunicated and wholy cast out of the Church (extra gregem dati) not barely sequestred from the Sacrament. But for further clearing of the ancient discipline concerning suspension, I have thought good here to take notice of the particulars following.
First, That great Antiquary sObservat. lib. 1. cap. 1. Nam eorum in lapsos Judicium ad Eucharistiam referri nequit, quibus post aliquod tempus omnia cum … fratribus volunt esse communia, praeter Eucharistiam, cui enim cum fidelibus supplicationes facere & orare liceret, is ad omnia quae eram in societate Christiana, una excepta Eucharistia, jus habere censebatur.Albaspinaeus, proving that Church communion or fellowship was anciently larger than partaking of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; he proves it by this Argument, because many of those who had scandalously fallen, were admitted to communion with the Church in prayer and all other Ordinances, the Eucharist onelyonly excepted.
Next, It is well known to the searchers of Antiquity, that there were four degrees of publike declaration of repentance, foreign: Which the Latines call fl…us, auditio, substratio, consistentia: After all which followed foreign, the participation of the Sacrament, which they were at last admitted unto, and is therefore mentioned by some as the fifth degree, though (to speak properly) it was not poenal, nor any degree of censure as the other four were. First, The penitent was kept weeping at the Church door, beseeching those that went in to pray for him: thereafter he was admitted to hear the Word afar off among the Catechumens: In the third place there was a preparatory reconciliation or reception into the Church, with prayer and imposition of hands, which being done, the man was in some sort admitted into Christian fellowship, and acknowledged for a brother, yet after the Word and Prayer. he went forth with the Catechumens before the Sacrament. But there was a fourth degree after all this; he might stay in the Church, and see and hear in the celebration of the Sacrament, after the Catechumens and the three first sort of penitents were dismissed, yet still he was suspended from partaking of the Sacrament, for a certain time after he was brought to this fourth and last step: tAlbaspinaeus Observ. lib. 2. Observ. 25. Quod si quaeratur quam ob rem antiqui quartum illum gradum posuerint &c. Nulla potest c…ngruentior commodio… que … ratio, quam quae ex reverentia ac Religiene petitur, qua adversus, sanctam Eucha…istiam fe…ebantur: detetestabile q…ippe Deo & hominilus, non solum existurabant hominem, vel levissima macula inquindium, aut maculae nebula …ffusum, ad E…haristiam accedere, sed etiam periculosum absolutes poeni…entes eam tangere & a…ectare, quo… …on satis sancti & sanctificati censebantur, quibus tanta res committeretur.So cautious were those Ancients in admitting of men to the Sacrament, till they perceived lasting, continuing, clear, and real evidences of true repentance. Three of the degrees above-mentioned are found in the Canons of the Councel of Ancyra. and of the Councel of Nice, namely the three last. The first which did not admit a man so much as into the Church to the hearing of the Word, as it was afterwards added, so it is not so justisicable as the other three. But here is the point I desire may be well observed, that of old in the fourth and fifth, yea in the third Century, uCausabon Exerc. 1…. pag. 397. edit. Francof. 1615. foreign igitur c mysteriis Genti…m vox accepta, appellabatur statio inter fideles: ibi poenitentes duos persape annos agebant; quod ad caetera ejusdem conditionis cum fidelibus; neque jam cum Catechumenis exibant; sola participatione mysteriorum caeteris fra…ribus inferiores.men were admitted not only to the hearing of the Word, but to prayer with the Church, who yet were not admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.
xConc. Ancyr. Can. 16 De his qui irrationabiliter versati sunt sive versantur. Quotquot ante vicesimum ae…atis suae annum, tale crimen commiserint, quindecim annis exactis in poenitentia, communionem mereantur orati…num. Deinde quinquennio in hac communione durantes, tunc dentum oblationis Sacramenta contingant. Discutiatur autem vita eorum, quales tempore poenitudinis extiterint. &c.The Councel of Ancyra held about the year 308. Can. 16. appointeth some scandalous persons to shew publike signes of repentance for 15. years, before they be admitted to fellowship with the Church in prayer: and for 5. years thereafter to be kept off from the Sacrament.
yConc. Nicaen. can. 11 Duobus autem annis iidem sine oblatione in oratione sola participent populo.The Councel of Nice doth plainly intimate the same thing, That some were admitted to Prayer, but not to the Sacrament. The different steps of the reception of those that had fallon may be likewise proved from zConc. Arelat. 2. Can. 11. Si qui vero dolore victi & pondere persecutionis negate & sacrificare compulsi sunt, duobus annis inter Catechumenos: triennio inter poenitentes habeantur a communione suspensi. Of these Poenitentes we read also in Codice Canonum Ecclesiae Africanae Can. 43. & Can 102. And it is certain they were admitted to the Word, and some to Prayer, but not to the Sacrament, till the Church was abundantly satisfied with the signes and proofs of their true repentance.the Councel of Arles.
I. Mich. Dilherrus Lib. 2. Electorum Cap. 1. After the mention of those foreign doth observe that as Antiquity did goe too far, so the later times have fallen too short. And this is a chief cause why Christian Religion doth hear very ill among many, because Ecclesiastical Discipline hath waxed cold *Et causa non est postrema cur apud multos pessime audiat Christianismus: quod disciplina Ecclesiastica refrixerit.So much by the way.
This of the several degrees of Penitents. I shall yet further insist upon, because this alone will prove that we have Antiquity for us. aVide apud Theod. Balsam. Can. Greg. Thaumat. Can. 11. Fletus seu luctus est … p…rtam …: ubi peccato…em stantem opo…tet fideles ingredientes orare ut pro se precentur. Auditio est intra portam in porticu, uhi oportet eum qui peccavit stare, usque a… Catechumenos, & illinc egredi. audiens enim, inquit, scriptaras, & doctrinam, ejiciatur, & precatione indignus censeatur. Subjectio autem seu substiatio est, ut intra Templi portam stans cum Catechumenis egrediatur. Congrega…o seu consistentia est, ut cum fidelibus consistat, & cum Catechumenis non egrediatur: …ostremo est participatio Sacramentorum.Gregorius Thaumaturgus in his Canonical Epistle concerning those who in the time of the incursion of the Barbarians, had eaten things sacrificed to Idols, and had committed other scandalous sins; doth plainly distinguish these five things thus. foreign, The weeping is without the gate of the Church, where the sinner must stand, beseeching the faithfull that come in to pray for him. foreign, The hearing is within the Gate in the Porch, where the sinner may come no nearer then the Catechumens, and thence go out again. &c. foreign, The substration is that standing within the Church door, he go forth with the Catechumens. foreign, The consistency is that he stand still together with the faithful, and do not go forth with the Catechumens. foreign, In the last place the participation of the holy Mysteries or Sacrament. He that will read the Epistles of Basilius magnus to Amphilochius will find these five degrees more particularly distinguished, applyed to several cases, and bounded by distinct intervalls of time. It were too long to transcribe all: bVide apud Theod. Balsam. Canonic. Epist. Basilii ad Amphil. Can. 4. Oportet autem non eos (Trigamo…) omnino arcere ab Ecclesia, sed dignari auditione duobus vel tribus annis: & postea permitti quidem consistere, seu in fidelium esse Congregatione, a boni tamen communione abstinere, & sic postquam poenitentiae fructum ullum ostender…nt, communionis loco restituere. Ibid. Can. 61. foreign, anno a sola Sacramentorum commun…one arcebitur. Ibid. Can. 82. Qui autem sine necessitate suam fidem …. cum duobus annis defleverint, & duobus annis audiverint, & in quinio in substratione fuerint, & in duobus aliis foreign sine oblatione in orationis communionem suscepti extiterint, ita tandem condigna scilicet poenitentia ostensa, in corpo…is Christi communionem recipientur. The like see Can. 56. Can. 64. Can. 66. Can. 80.I shall onelyonly give you some most plain passages to prove that there was in Basils time a suspension from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper alone, or that a man was suspended from the Sacrament, when he was not suspended from hearing and praying among the faithful.
For further confirmation of the same thing, read Conc. Ancyr. Can. 4. Can. 5. Can. 6. Can. 7. Can. 8. Can. 9. Co…t. Nican. Can. 11. Can. 12. Can. 13. Can. 14. I do not mean to approve the too great severity of this ancient Discipline, nor do I hold it agreeable to the Will of Christ, that such as give good signes of true Repentance, and do humbly confesse and really forsake their sin, having also made publike declaration of their Repentance to the Church for removing the publike scandal, ought notwithstanding of all this, to be suspended from the Sacrament when they desire to receiv… it. For the Word doth not warrant the suspending of scandalous sinners from the Sacrament, until such a set determinate time be expired, but onelyonly till they give sufficient evidence of Repentance. But setting aside this and such like circumstances, the thing it self, the suspending of a scandalous person from the Sacrament, who is not nor ought not to be suspended from assembling, hearing, and praying with the Church, is the Will of Christ, as I have proved, and was the commendable practice of the Ancient Church, which is the point I now prove against Mr. Prynne.
The Councel of Ancyra Can. 5. 16. doth also appoint the time of suspension from the Sacrament to be made shorter or longer, according as the signes of true Repentance should sooner or later, more or lesse appear in the offender. So doth the Councel of Nice Can. 12. And the Councel of Carthage held under Honorius and Theodosius the lesser. Can. 46.
If any man shall obj…ct against me and say; Peradventure the Penitents before spoken of, were onelyonly such as did manifest their repentance after excommunication, and these several degrees afore-mentioned, were but the degrees of their reception or admission into the Church, so that all this shall not prove the suspension from the Sacrament of persons not excommunicated. I answer, he that will think so, will be found in a great mistake: and my Argument from Antiquity will yet stand good, for suspending from the Sacrament persons not excommunicated. For first, neither do the Canons of the Councels of Ancyra, and Nice, nor of Gregorius Thaumaturgus and Basilius magnus, nor yet the Commentators Zonaras and Balsamon, apply these five degrees above mentioned to persons who had been excommunicated, but they speak generally of persons who had committed scandalous sins, and afterward were converted and appeared penitent: for instance, those who did backslide and fall in time of persecution, as multitudes did under Licinius and other persecuters, when they converted and professed repentance, they were received again into the Church by certain steps and degrees, some more, some fewer, according to the quality of their offence; No man that hath searched antiquity will say that all who did fall in time of persecution were excommunicated for that offence, nor yet that they were all put to the foreign, to the weeping at the Church door, but yet all of them, even those whose offence was least (as the Libellatici who had taken Writs of protection from the Enemy or Persecuter) were put to the foreign or consistentia, which was a suspension or abstention from the Sacrament, even when the person was admitted to hear and pray with the Church. Wherefore the degrees afore-mentioned were degrees of receiving into the Communion of the Church scandalous persons professing repentance.
Secondly, The 61. Canon of Basil to Amphilochius speaketh thus. He that hath stolen, if repenting of his own accord he accuse himself, shall be for a year restrained from the Communion of the holy Mysteries onelyonly. But if he be convict, the space of two yeers shall be divided to him unto substration and consistency: then let him be thought worthy of the Communion. Will any man imagine that a penitent theef accusing himself, was excommunicated? It is more then manifest that here was a suspension of an offender not excommunicated. For assoon as the offence was known by the offenders accusing of himself, he was suspended from the Sacrament alone for a year, and then admitted to the Sacrament. Yea he that was convict of theft, was not by this Canon excommunicated, nor yet put either to the foreign, or to the foreign, but onelyonly to the third and fourth degrees.
Thirdly, By the 13th. Canon of Basil to Amphilochius, he that had killed another though in a lawful war, was (for the greater reverence to the Sacrament) suspended for three yeers; and by the 55. Canon, he also that killed a Robber was suspended from the Sacrament. I do not justifie these Canons, but only I cite them to prove, that by the Ancient Discipline Persons not excommunicated were suspended from the Sacrament: for no man can imagine that a Souldier shedding blood in a lawful war, or a man killing a Robber on the high way was therefor excommunicated.
Fourthly, The eighth general Councel called Synodus prima & secunds, held about the yeer 869. in the thirteenth Canon, speaking of certain turbulent Schismaticks (not being of the Clergie as the Canon speaketh, but Laicks or Monks) appointeth this censure, foreign, Let them be totally or altogether separated from the Church. Which intimateth that there was a lesser degree of being separated or suspended from communion with the Church. Zonaras upon that Canon doth so understand it, and distinguisheth a double foreign cforeign.For it is also a separation (saith he) to be excluded or restrained from the receiving of the Divine Mysteries onelyonly. But there is another separation, which is to be cast out of the Church, which the Canon calleth a total separation, as being the heavier or greater Censure. Which is the very same distinction with that which was afterward expressed under the terms of major & minor, the greater and lesser excommunication. For which also I shall give you another proof as clear and older too, taken from the 61. Canon of the sixth general Councel, where it is decreed that those who resort to Magicians, Charmers, Fortune-tellers, and such others who professe curious and unlawful arts, shall fall under the Canon of six years separation. But as for those who per…ist in such things, and do not turn away nor flee from these pernicious and Heathenish studies, foreign, We appoint them to be altogether cast out of the Church. Mark the gradation in the Canon, and the foreign. And hear Balsamon his explanation upon it. Note from this present Canon (saith he) that he who sinneth and converteth, obtaineth favour, foreign, and is punished in a lesser measure; But he who persevereth in the evil, and is not willingly reduced to that which is better, foreign, is greatly punished. For here also he that commeth and confesseth the sin, is to be punished with six yeers segregation: but he that persevereth in the evil foreign, is to be east out or expelled from the Church: adde what he had said before, foreign, and shall not thenceforth converse with the Orthodox. Which intimateth as plainly as any thing can be, that there was an foreign a segregation or sequestration used in the ancient Church, which was a lesser censure than casting out of the Church and from the company of Church-members. Zonaras seemeth to understand the Canon otherwise. (for he saith nothing of the offenders converting and confessing his sin before the six years segregation; but that for the offence it self (committed, not confessed) a man was segregated six years, and afterward if he did not repent but continue in the offence, that then he was to be cut off, and cast out of the Church: wherein as I take it, he did explain the mind of the Councel, better then Balsamon. However in that point which I now prove, they are most harmonious, namely concerning a greater and lesser excommunication. Wherefore also the Fathers of this Synod (saith Zonaras) did ordain those who do such a thing, foreign, to be segregated for six years, &c. foreign, but if they continue therein, to be also cut off from the Church.
Fifthly, To suppose that there were no Poenitentes in the Ancient Church but such as were Excommunicati, were a greater error then that it should need any Confutation. Yea there were some poenitents who did of their own accord confesse their offences which could not have been otherwise known but by such voluntary confession: and those saith Zonaras Annot. in Conc. Carth. Can. 46. were most properly called Poenitents, I hope no man will imagine that such were excommunicated. But so it was that all the Poenitents (even such as had neither been excommunicated nor yet forensically convict by proof of scandal, but did voluntarily confesse and convert) were for some season kept back from the Sacrament, as is manifest by that instance given out of Basilius magnus, of theft voluntarily confessed, for which notwithstanding the offender was for a year suspended from the Sacrament.
Sixthly, It is manifest that there were several degrees of censure upon Bishops and Presbyters. They were sometime suspended from giving the Sacrament, and as it were sequestred from the exercise of their Ministery, which suspension or sequestration is sometimes called foreign, to be separate, sometimes foreign, to be sequestred from communion, to wit in the exercise of the Ministery, or foreign, not to minister There was a higher censure then this, which was deposition or degradation, called foreign, the honour or degree of Presbytership to be taken away; Basils phrase is foreign, they are deposed from their degree. These two censures, a suspension or sequestration from the Ministery, and a total deposition from the Ministery are distinguished by the eighteenth Canon of the Councel of Ancyra, and the sixteenth Canon of the Councel of Nic…, compared with the fifteenth Canon of those called the Apostles, (which certainly were not the Apostles, yet are ancient) See also Zonaras in Can. 11. Apost. Likewise both him and Balsamon in Conc. Nic. Can. 16. Again there was somthing beyond all this, which was excommunication or to be wholy cast out of the Church, a censure sometime not inflicted when the former were: For a Minister might be suspended, yea deposed from his Ministery, yet permitted to communicate or receive the Sacrament among the people, as is plainly determined Can. 15. Apost. and Can. 32▪ Basilii ad Amphil. If there were such degrees of censure appointed for Bishops and Presbyters, how shall we suppose that there was no lesse censure for Church-members then excommunication? For foreign to a Minister, and foreign to one of the people, were paralel. Whence it is that you will often find in the ancient Canons, and namely of the sixth general Councel, He that committeth such a fault, if he be one of the laity, let him be segregated, if one of the Clergie, let him be deposed. As therefore a further censure after foreign might fall upon a minister; so a further censure after that foreign might be inflicted upon one of the people.
I have now made it to appear that the Practice, Discipline, and Canons of the ancient Church, are for us in this present controversie about suspension from the Sacrament. In the next place I will produce particular Testimonies of Fathers. I shall take them as they fall to my hand without any curious order. I begin with Isidorus P…lusiota who flourished about the year 431. or (as others say) 440. In the first Book of his Epistles, Epist. 143, to Thalel…us he disswadeth from giving the Sacrament to three sort of persons. 1. To Jews. 2. To Hereticks, of both which he saith that they had once received the doctrine of truth, but did after return with the dog to the vomit. 3. To persons of a prophane and swinish conversation. dMargaritas item ne ante porcos projiciamus, divino interdict… prohibemur, hoc est ante e…s qui in vitiosis affectibus volutantur, ac porcinum vitae genus sequuntur: ne forte conculcent eas pedibus, nimirum in sceleratis suis studiis divino nomini contumeliam inferentes: & conversi disrumptant vos.Unto all or any of these he holds it unlawful to give the Sacrament, and that because of a divine prohibition, Give not holy things to dogs, neither cast ye pearls before swine. And he concludeth thus, foreign. For saith he the giving of the mysteries to such persons, is unto those who contemptuously give them, a breach out of which they are not awaked.
Dionysius Areopagita (whom I do not take to be that Areopagite converted by Paul▪ Act. 17. But certainly he is an Ancient Writer as is manifest by the Scholia upon him, written by Maximus who flourished about the year 657. He is also cited by the sixth general Councel, and by some ancient writers) de Ecclesiastica Hierarchia cap. 3. part. 3. Sect. 6. 7. having spoken of the exclusion of the Catechumens, Energumens, and Penitents from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, though all these heard the word read and preached, he addeth that unclean, carnal, prophane persons in whom Sathan reigneth by sin, are worse, and ought much lesse to be admitted to the Sacrament, then those who were bodily possessed of the divel. These therefore (unclean and profane persons) as the first, and much rather then those (Energumens) let them be suspended or sequestrate by the judicial or discriminating voice of the Minister: for it is not permitted unto them to partake of any other holy thing, but the Ministery of the Word, by which they may be converted. For if this heavenly celebration of the divine Mysteries, refuse or repel, even penitents themselves (although they were sometime partakers thereof) foreign, not admitting him who is not altogether most holy, &c. (for that most pure voice doth also restrain those who cannot be joyned and knit together with such as do worthily communicate in those divine mysteries) surely the multitude of those in whom vile lusts and passions do reigne, is much more prophane, and hath much lesse to do with the fight and communion of these holy things. The old Scholiast Maximus upon that place saith thus, Note that he reckoneth together with the Energumens those that continue without repentance in the allurements of bodily pleasures, as fornicators, lovers and frequenters of unlawful plaies, such as the divine Apostle having mentioned, doth subjoyn with such a one no not to eat. Where Mr. Prynn may also note by the way how anciently 1 Cor. 5. 11. was applied, so as might furnish an argument against the admission of scandalous persons to the Sacrament. Let us also hear the Paraphrast Pachimeres upon the place. For if the celebration of the divine mysteries refuse even those who are in the very course of repentance, not admitting such, because they are not throughly or wholy purified and sanctified, as it were proclaiming it self invisible and incommunicable unto all who are not worthy to communicate, foreign, much more they who are yet impenitent are to be restrained from it.
If you please to search further, take but one passage of eCypr. lib. 3. Ep. 14. Na… cum in mi…oribus peccatis agant peccatores poenitentiam justo tempore, & secundum disciplinae ordinem a l exomologesin veniant, & per manus impositionem Episcopi & Cleri jus communicationis accipiant; Nunc …udo tempore, persecutione adhuc perseverante, nondum restituta Ecclesiae ipsius pace, ad communicationem admittuntur, & … nomen …orum, & nondum poenitentia acta, nondum exomologest facta, nondum manu eis ab Episcopo & Clero imposita, Eucharistia illis datur, cum scriptum sit, Qui ederit l'anem aut biber…t Calicem Domini indigne, reus erit Corporis & sanguinis Domini.Cyprian, which speaks plainly to me for suspension from the Sacrament, for he sharply reproves the receiving to the Sacrament such persons as were not excommunicate (for if they had, most certainly he had mentioned that as the most aggravating circumstance) but having committed smaller offences, had not made out the course of publike manifesting their repentance according to the discipline of the Church.
If we shall require more, we have a most plain Testimony of Iustine Martyr, telling us that at that time they admitted none to the Lords Supper except those onelyonly who had these three qualifications. 1. They must receive and beleeve the Doctrine preached and professed in the Church. 2. They must be washed or baptized unto the remission of sins and regeneration. 3. They must be such as live according to the rule of Christ.
Just. Marty… Apol. 2. foreign.His words are these. This food is with us called the Eucharist, which is lawful for none other to partake of, but to him that beleeveth those things to be true which are taught by us, and is washed in the laver for remission of sins and for Regeneration, and liveth so as Christ hath delivered or commanded.
g Walasridus Strabo (a diligent searcher of the Ancients(c) De rebus Eccles. cap. 17. Unde etiam criminum foeditate capitalium, a membris Christi deviantes, ab ipsis Sacramentis Ecclesiastico suspenduntur judicio. Et infra. Sciendum enim a sanctis Patribus ob hoc vel maxime constitutum, ut mortaliter peccantes a Sacramentis Dominicis arceantur, ne indigne ea percipientes, vel majore reatu involvantur, ut Judas, &c. Vel ne (quod Apostolus de Corinthiis dicit) infirmitatem corporis & imbecillitatem, ipsamque mortem praesumptores incurrant. Et ut a communione susperst, terrore ejus exclusionis, & quodam condemnationis Anathemate compellantur, studiosius poenitentiae medicamentum appete…e, & avidius recuperandae salutis desideriis inhiare. which were before him, and of the old Ecclesiastical Rites) who died about the year 849. mentioneth this suspension from the Sacrament, as an Ecclesiastical censure received from the Ancient Fathers: and he gives three reasons for it, to prove that it is for the sinners own good to be thus suspended. 1. That he may not involve himself in greater guiltinesse. 2. That he may not be chastened of the Lord with sicknesse and such other afflictions as the profanation of that Sacrament brought upon the Corinthians. 3. That being terrified and humbled, he may think the more earnestly of repenting and recovering himself.
It was truly said that this discipline was received from the Ancient Fathers, which as it appeareth from what hath been already said, so the Testimony of Chrysostome must not be forgotten. He in his tenth Homily upon Matthew expounding those words Matth. 3. 6. And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins: noteth that the time of confession belongeth to two sorts of persons: to the prophane not yet initiated; and to the baptized: to the one that upon their repentance they might get leave to partake in the holy Mysteries: to the other that being washed in Baptism from their filthinesse they might come with a clean Conscience to the Lords Table. His meaning is, That neither the unbaptized nor scandalous livers though they were baptized, might be admitted to the Lords Table, whereupon he concludeth: Let us therefore abstain from this l…ud and dissolute life. hTempus quidem confessionis, aeque & lotis baptismate, & illotis prophanisque incumbit: illis quidem ut post patentia criminum vulnera poenitentia inter veniente curentur, & ad sacra Mysteria redire mereantur: his vero ut ablutis in Baptisino maculis, ad Dominicam mensam munda jam Conscientia accedant.The Latin Translation rendring the sence rather then the words, speaketh more plainly. But there is a most full and plain passage of Chrysostome in his 83. Homily upon Matthew, neer the end thereof, where he saith of the Lords Supper, Let no cruel one, no unmerciful one, none any way impure, come unto it. I speak these things both to you that do receive, and also to you that do administer. Even to you this is necessary to be told, that with great care and heedfulnes you distribute these gifts. There doth no small punishment abide you, if you permit any whose wickednesse you know, to partake of this Table: for his blood shall be required at your hands. If therefore any Captain, if the Consul, if he himself that wears the Crown come unworthily, restrain him, which to do thou hast more authority then he hath. And after. But if you say how shall I know this man and that man? I do not speak of those that are unknown, but of those that are known. I tel you a horrible thing, it is not so ill to have among you those that are bodily possessed of the Divel, as these sinners which I speak of, &c. iforeign.Let us therefore put back not onelyonly such as are possessed, but ALL WITHOUT DISTINCTION WHOM WE SEE TO COME UNWORTHILY, &c. But if thou thy self darest not put him back, bring the matter to me, I will permit no such thing to be done. I will sooner give up my life, than I will give the body of the Lord unworthily; and sooner suffer my blood to be poured out, than give the Lords blood unworthily, and contrary to my duty (foreign) to such as are horribly scandalous. He concludeth that this discipline is medicinal and profitable in the Church, and that the keeping back of the scandalous, is the way to make many worthy Communicants.
Can any man imagine that all such unworthy persons were excommunicate and wholy cast out of the Church? Do not all Chrysostomes Arguments militate against the admission of any scandalous and unworthy person known to be such? saith he not, that all simply or without distinction whom they perceived to come unworthily were to be put back? If onelyonly excommunicate persons were kept back from the Sacrament, what needed all this exhortation to those that did administer the Sacrament to be so careful, cautious, and heedful, whom they would admit? And if none were to be excluded from the Sacrament but those that were branded with the publike infamy of excommunication, what needed this objection to be moved, how shall I know such?
Moreover, Both Cyprian and kAmbros. lib. 2. de offic. cap. 27. cui titulus: De be▪ nignitate & quod excommunicatio tardius sit exerenda; saith thus Sic Episcopi affectus boni est ut … sanare infirmo…, serpentia auserre ulcera, ADURERE ALIQUA NON ABSCINDERE: postremo quod sanari non potest, cum dolore abscindere.Ambrose do most plainly and undeniably hold forth different degrees of Church censures, and lCypr. lib. 1. Epist. 1… or according to Pamelius his Edition Epist. 62. Quod si poenitentiam hujus illiciti concubitus sui egerint, & a se invicem recesserint, inspiciantur interim Virgines ab obstetricibus diligenter, & si Virgines inventae fuerint, accepta communicatione ad Ecclesiam admittantur, hac tamen interminatione ut si ad eosdem masculos postmodum reversae suerint, aut si cum eisdem in una domo & sub eodem tecto simul habitaverint, GRAVIORE CENSURA ejiciantur, nec in Ecclesiam postmodum facile recipiantur. Si autem de eis aliqua corrupta fuerit deprehensa, AGAT POENITENTIAM PLENAM.Cyprian is most full and clear concerning a suspension from the Sacrament of persons not excommunicated nor cast out of the Church. For answering a case of Conscience put to him concerning certain young women whose conversation and behaviour with men had been scandalous and vile, he resolveth that so many of them as did professe repentance, and forsake such scandalous conversing and companying together, if they were still Virgins, were to be again received to communicate with the Church (namely in the Sacrament from which they had been kept back) with premonition given to them, that if they should after relapse into the like offence, they should be cast out of the Church graviore censura with a heavier censure: but that if they were found to have lost their Virginity, they should make out the whole course of publike Declaration of repentance, and so not be so soon admitted to, but longer susspended from the Sacrament.
Adde hereunto a passage in mAug. lib. contra Donatist. post collationem cap. 4. Ita sane ut nec emendationis vigilantia quiescat, corripiendo, degradando, excommunicando, cae…erisque coe citionibus licitis atque concessis, quae salva unitatis pace in Ecclesia quotidie fiunt, secundum praeceptum Apostolicum charitate se… vata, qui dixit, Si quis autem non obaudit verbo nostro. &c.Augustine plainly intimating that at that time, beside reprehension, degradation, and excommunication, there were other censures daily used in the Church according to the Apostles commandement, 1 Thess. 3. 14. 15. He is speaking of the mixture of good and bad in the Church, and that wicked men may be in some sort suffered in the Church, provided (saith he) that the discipline of Excommunication, and the other usual censures in the Church be not neglected, but duly executed where it is possible. But what were those other censures, if not the suspension of scandalous and prophane persons (not excommunicated) from the Sacraments: I appeal for further proof hereof to one passage more of Augustine de fide & operibus cap. 18. nMeretrices & hist…iones & quilibet alii publicae turpitu dinis professores, nist solutis out di…uptis talibus vinculis, ad Christi Sacramenta non permittun…ur accedere: qui utique secundum istorum sententiam omnes admitterentur, nisi antiquum & robustum morem sancta Ecclesia retineret ex illa scilicet liquidissima verita…e venientem, qua cer…um habet, quoniam qui talia agunt, Regnum Dei non p…ssidebunt.Whores, Stage-players, and others whosoever they be that are Professors of publike filthinesse, except such bonds (of Wickednesse) be loosed and broken, are not permitted to come unto the Sacraments of Christ: which forsooth according to their judgment (that is such as would have profane persons baptized as well as others) should be all admitted, unlesse the holy Church should retain the ancient and vigorous custom, which commeth from the most clear truth, by which she hath it for certain, that they who do such things, shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Whence it will certainly follow, that all who were excluded from the Lords Table were not excommunicated persons: For first, The Church did keep back such scandalous persons upon this ground, because those who are known to live without repentance in any of those sins, of which the Apostle saith that they who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, are not fit to be admittrd unto the Sacrament (for this were to give the Seals of salvation to those whom the Word pronounceth to be in a state of damnation.) Secondly, Augustine is there confuting the opinion of some (whom he calls Fratres qui aliter sapiunt, Brethren who otherwise understood themselves well) whose Principles did admit to the Sacraments all uncleane and scandalous persons: which cannot be meant of excommunicated persons; For there was never any such opinion maintained in the Church, that all excommunicated persons ought or may be received to the Sacrament. Lastly, Lest his meaning should be restricted to the Sacrament of Baptisme onelyonly, (of which principally and purposely he treateth in that Book) he speaketh in the plural of the Sacraments of Christ.
Observe also these passages of Gregory called the great, Epist. Lib. 2. Cap. 65. Sicut exigente culpâ, quis à Sacramento communionis dignè suspenditur, ita insontibus nullo modo talis debet irrogari vinaicta. Ibid. Cap. 66. Et si in vestra cognitione cujusquam …um facinorosi criminis reum esse patuerit, tunc ex nostra auctoritate non solum Dominici Corporis & Sanguinis communione privatu… fit, verum…tiam in Monasterium ubi poenitentiam agere debeat, retrudatur. And so much for Antiquity in this Question.