Of the Power of the Keys, Chapter 5
CAP. V.
Sect. 1 FOr the third enquiry, the end or uſe to which this binding is deſigned, &c. there will not be ſo much occaſion to enlarge; 'tis ſpeedily ſtated by anſwering, that the whole end, aim, deſign in inflicting of publique Church-cenſures, may be reduced to theſe three heads; 1. foreign, for reformation of the offender: 2. foreign, the repairing, or making up the honour of the Church, which ſuffered by him: and 3. foreign, that others may be warned by the example of his puniſhment, and not corrupted by example of his ſin, but eſpecially to reform thoſe by theſe ſharper methods, which no other calmer means of admonitions will work on, to cut off that member that balſams will not cure, or keep from gangrening, according to that of the writer of the Anſwers Ad Orthodox: foreign, when by long-ſuffering offenders are not reformed, then exciſion to them which are not corrigible, is more uſeful then clemencie. For both thoſe diſtant wayes, 1. Of application of plaiſters; and 2. Of exciſion, are the ſame Phyſitians methods of preſerving the whole, and proportionably to them the miniſtration of the Word and Sacraments are the Churches firſt method, and when that fails to produce its effect, this other of cenſure is the ſecond, (and upon the good working of that, Abſolution) wherein the Governours of the Church are truly foreign, or co-workers with Chriſt, to bring back ſons unto God, as they are to beget them in the preaching of the Word.
Sect. 2 To which purpoſe you may ſee and obſerve what the Apoſtle conſtantly adds to his ſentences of binding, or excommunication, or delivering up to Satan, foreign, 1 Cor. 5.5. the deſtruction of the fleſh, that the ſpirit may be ſaved, &c. So of Hymenaeus and Alexander, 1 Tim. 1.20. I have delivered them up to Satan, foreign, that they may be diſciplined, inſtructed, taught not to blaſpheme, or reſiſt contumaciouſly; whence the word foreign (which we render taught) in a common notion, may perhaps be more critically taken in a notion peculiar to this purpoſe, by way of reference to the puniſhments amongſt the Jews. For of the four puniſhments put into Eſdra's hand by Artaxerxes, Eſd. 7.26. the ſecond (rendred by us baniſhment, but in Heb. eradication, i. e. ſaith Schindler, caſting out of his inheritance) is in the Septuagint foreign, and ſo vulgarly foreign for diſcipline or puniſhment, but there peculiarly for diſtermination, and ſo the fitter to expreſſe this turning out of the Church, this Church-baniſhment, or diſtermination, So 2 Theſ. 3.14. foreign, the end of Excommunication is again, that he may be aſhamed, that he may ſee himſelf alone, no company but the devil thought bad enough for him, and ſo be brought to ſenſe and ſhame of his own vileneſſe, which is the moſt neceſſary preparative to reformation; and therefore to ſignifie it an act of mercy and charity, of all other the greateſt, (though under the ſhew of ſeverity and wrath) it follows in that place, v. 15 foreign, Count him not an enemy, but admoniſh him as a brother; and therefore Mat. 18.18. the doctrine of binding, &c. is uſed as a means of exemplifying that great Evangelical truth, verſ. 11. that Chriſt came foreign to ſave, reſcue, deliver, reduce that which was loſt, i. e. impenitent ſinners, or thoſe, that the ſoft miniſtery of the Word would do no good on.
For there being (among others) two principal meanes of Sect. 3 continuing men in ſin. 1. In ſome an opinion; that Chriſtian profeſſion, or the bare being Chriſtians (however qualified, or demeaning themſelves) will ſtand them in ſtead, and prove ſufficient; or if not ſo, yet the creditableneſſe of an unchriſtian impious life, ſo long as they may be allowed but the Chriſtian name (mens generall deſign being to get the praiſe of men, not of God.) 2. In others a miſtaking ſorrow or attrition, or any the moſt ſlight wiſh that they were penitent, for that repentance which Chriſt cals for, and accepts and crowns: It follows hence, that unleſſe men may be driven out of theſe falſeholds, they will never ſet themſelves aright in the way to that great work: and therefore proportionable to theſe two heads, are the two exerciſes of the power of the keyes deſigned; the firſt to turn the Chriſtian profeſſor, that will go on in ſin, quite out of all ſociety of Chriſtianity, not allowing him the priviledges of his Chriſtianity, the Word, the Sacraments, &c. unleſſe he will walk worthy of ſo honourable a vocation, the ſecond to ſet him his task of repentance, to preſcribe him ſome foreign & probations, by which he ſhall be diſcerned whether he be in earneſt contrite and willing to make his peace with Heaven, to take any the moſt laborious courſe to approve himſelf to Chriſt. The former of theſe in the act of excommunication, the latter in impoſing the penance, upon which he ſhall be received again, & both together to bring ſinners to repentance.
Sect. 4 When ſinners by obſtinacy provoke God, 'tis his manner to withdraw his grace, to deliver them up to themſelves, (a worſe kind of devil or Satan) that by this means they may ſee their former forlorne condition, their vileneſſe firſt, and then their danger; & ſo he uſes to bring the ſecure, proud ſinner to humility, to the uſe of prayer, & wreſtling with God, to caiſe him out of this ſad eſtate. And ſo the Church in like manner by Chriſts direction withdraws the benefits and priviledges of Chriſtians, from thoſe whom it judges contumacious, delivers them up to plain barbarouſneſſe and heatheniſme, deals with them as God did with Nebuchad-nezzar, driving him from the Court into the Wilderneſſe, transforming him into the ſhape of a very beaſt; & all to this end, that his underſtanding might by that means return to him, the field teach him leſſons of piety, whom the palace could not. Agreeable to which is that of Pletho upon Zoroaſter, foreign. The revengefull devils or furies do gripe men to bring them off from ſin, and ſet them on vertue.
Sect. 5 And then as afflictions are one of Gods engines and ſtratagems to beſiege, enter, and take the ſoul, (when he flew them, they ſought him, ſaith the Pſalmiſt) So among the Apoſtles were thoſe corporal inflictions, diſeaſes, &c. ſuperadded on purpoſe to make the impreſſion more violent, and to work more effectually on their hearts.
Sect. 6 The effectualneſſe of which we may diſcern in one of the degrees of penitents in the ancient Church, namely foreign, whom we find weeping and howling in the Church-porch, not permitted to come in, lying without, for them that enter'd to tread on in their paſſage, which was certainly a means to make them prize thoſe benefits more dearly, which they ſaw themſelves interdicted, and others partakers of, and withal to read them a Lecture of their own unworthineſſe, ſeeing themſelves of the number of thoſe dogs, and evil workers that are without.
The ſecond end which I named, was the repairing the honour Sect. 7 and dignity of the Church, which conſiſting in the purity of the lives of Chriſtian profeſſors, is neceſſarily loſt both in the opinion of God, and men (eſpecially thoſe which are without) by the impieties and unchriſtian actions of any which are called by Chriſts Name, which is therefore by the Apoſtle ſaid to be blaſphemed or evil ſpoken of, when Chriſtians fall into any notorious ſins, and then there is no way to recover the reputation of the Church, and even of the Chriſtian Religion, and in a kinde, of Chriſt himſelf, but by expreſſing the wrath and diſpleaſure of the Church againſt thoſe who walk th…s inordinately, and ſo proclaiming unto all, that Chriſtianity is not a Doctrine (as Zozimus, and Celſus, and Julian miſtook it) of ſecurity or impunity to any ſort of impenitents, but of ſtrict, preciſe, exact purity, though ſome ungracious perſons walk contrary to thoſe preſcriptions: This is the only tabula poſt naufragium, plank or means of relief, when the ſame and good name of the Church is thus ſhip-wrackt, and ſo fit to be deſigned in the ſecond place.
A third gain and profit deſigned by theſe cenſures is the warning Sect. 8 and admoniſhing of others; not leſt they ſhould be polluted by preſence among the profane, as they that toucht the unclean thing were polluted under the Law, (any farther then by the ſpreading, leprous quality of their example) which is the comon errour of the proud faſtidious Phariſees of all ages, and is clearly confuted by St. Paul, 1 Cor. 5.10. where the foreign is not extended to heathen fornicators, which ſure would be able to pollute by ſociety, as much as Chriſtian ſinners) and by Clemens or that ancient Author under his name, Conſtit. Ap. l. 2. c. 14. who hath a notable place to fortifie againſt this miſtake, ſpeaking of thoſe which (foreign) unmercifully affirm that men ought not to pollute themſelves by accompanying with ſinners, nor converſe with them, (foreign foreign) For ſuch reaſonings ſavour of men that know not God and his providence, of unreaſonable judges, and untamed beaſts. For they obſerve not that the communion with ſinners that muſt be avoided, is not that of converſing with, but imitating of them, not ſpeaking, but doing with them.
Sect. 9 But the deſign is to ſet a brand upon ſuch ſins, which otherwiſe might haply be thought imitable, and inſenſibly grow into faſhion, and ſo infect, and pollute, were not men thus told of their uglineſſe, ſhew'd their deformity, and fore-warn'd of their danger, which is ſure another act of mercy to all eaſie, ſeducible ſpectators, to the Church it ſelfe, and to him whoſe ſcandalous ſins are by this means hindred from being damners of other men.
Sect. 10 And as the cenſures themſelves, ſo the inexorableneſſe, or at leaſt, difficulty of ſome Ages, (of Canons, of Councils, and practice of Churches) in granting of abſolution to penitents, that alſo hath been deſigned out of pure charity to help multiply their fruits of repentance, to ſet a value on Gods Ordinances, to quicken their zeal, to demonſtrate their ſincerity both to others, and to their own ſouls, each of which might perhaps be miſſing, if abſolution were over-eaſily obtainable.
Sect. 11 All which the more it is weighed, (how this inſtitution of Chriſts, (beſides that, as 'tis ſo, it ought not to be neglected) is an act of ſpecial Chriſtian charity in not ſuffering ſin upon thy neighbour, but in any wiſe rebuking him, Lev. 19.17.) the more reproachful wil it be to this age of ours, the more bitter Paſquin, and laſting foreign, when it ſhall be told in Gath and Askalon, that for ſome years the arts of ſome uncharitable men have ſo prevailed, that all exerciſe of this inſtitution of Chriſt hath been caſt and kept out of this Church of ours; the firſt, I think, that is recorded ſince Chriſts time to have continued any conſiderable ſpace without liberty of uſing that power of the keyes in excommunication, left unto the Church by Chriſt. The Lord be merciful to us in this matter.
Sect. 12 As for them who either look upon this in others (or uſe it themſelves) as a matter of ſecular advantage, or accruement either of power or gain to the rulers of the Church, and ſo as a carnal deſign or engine diſguiſed in the ſhape of a ſpiritual inſtitution, and on that ground either are willing by their calumnies to help rend it out of the hands of the Church, or being themſelves in place, either by paſſion, or miſtake, or ſloth betray it to the odium & cenſure of other men (whoſe ſhortnes of diſcourſe cannot ſeparate the order from the perſon, or the abuſe from the inſtitution) I ſhall ſuppoſe they will change their minds, & their practices, when I ſhal have given them one advertiſment, which I may hope to do more effectually, not onelyonly by putting them in mind of S. Chryſoſtoms judgment, who in this very matter having reſolv'd foreign, &c. that the ſacerdotal dignity in pardoning and retaining of ſins is very great, expreſſes that preſently by this only way of probation, that a Prieſt if he live never ſo well himſelf, if he be not accurately careful of other mens lives, foreign, he bears thoſe wicked men (which he reform'd not) company to hell; and often when he is not betrayed by his own, he periſhes by others mens ſins, if he have not done all things rightly, which may tend to their recovery, and in that, founds all the reſpect and obedience that St. Paul requires to be paid to the foreign, But alſo, and eſpecially if I preſent it to them in a breif paraphraſe of one place of Scripture, which by miſtake and raſh judgement, is wont to be produced againſt all exerciſe of power in Church-men, but being rightly weighed, as it doth not take away the power which we onelyonly plead for, that of exerciſing charity, of diſciplining, reforming, i. e. doing the greateſt good to thoſe that are placed under us ſo will it teach every man (to whom that power is entruſted to learn nothing but meekneſſe and diligence, and all kinde of Chriſtian temper from the condition and peculiarity of this honour, and authority of his.
The place is that known Text Mat. 20. I ſhal deduce it from Sect. 13 the beginning of the ſenſe, & lay it plain before you. V. 21. The mother of Zebedees children (having heard by her ſons of the promiſe made to the Diſciples by Chriſt, Mat. 19.28. that they ſhould have the dignity of ſo many foreign, which among the Jews, was a dignity next unto the Regal) petitions Chriſt in the behalf of her two ſons, whom ſhe conceived favoured by him above all the reſt, judging it by the expreſſions to them two, & S. Peter; and her petition was this; That (ſeeing in the equality of that dignity promiſed to all, there might be yet, nay if (it were according to the old Jewiſh pattern, where the foreign belonged to Judah and Joſeph) muſt be ſome kinde of inequality, at leaſt a precedence of ſome before others) her Sons that he had ſhewed ſuch a ſpeciall kindneſſe to, might have that favour by him confer'd on them. Jeſus repreſſes her demand by telling her, ſhe is miſtaken in the kinde of dignity, that ſhould be inſtated upon his diſciples, 'twas not ſuch a one as in any worldly reſpects would prove very deſirable, but as a place of great burthen, ſo ſubject to great perſecutions, and even death it ſelf, of which indeed her ſons ſhould undoubtedly taſte, as Hiſtories teſtifie they did. If this would not ſatisfie her, then let her know her importunity ſhould gain nothing; for *foreign. It is not mine to give, ſave to whom it is prepared, &c.the diſpoſing of any ſuch honours, was to be according as God the Father had determined it, and although all power were conferred upon the Son by the Father, yet there was ſmal hope that the Son ſhould thwart God …he Fathers deſtination in any ſuch act of dignifying any. This was fully ſatisfactory to the woman, and therefore ſhe (nor her ſons) reply not; But the reſt of the Diſciples upon advertiſement what had paſt, begin to mock the two brethren, and ſo there is another tempeſt raiſed which Chriſt muſt alſo calm; and therefore to this indignation of the Diſciples (not now to the ambitious requeſt of the mother, or brethren) he accommodates an anſwer; that they need not be offended at the ambition of thoſe brethren, for if they had had their deſires, they had been but ſmal gainers by i…; for in Chriſts Kingdome preeminence ſignified (or brought along with it) no great ſecular felicity, (ſuch as was to be among Heathen Emperours (the great ones) and Princes, that being under them, and over others, were ſerved and benefited by their ſubjects, which is meant by foreign v. 28. uſed their power in order to their own profits and pleaſures, and pride, foreign, behaving themſelves as lords and maſters over ſo many ſervants, like thoſe Nehem. 5.15. where the following word foreign is uſed) but quite contrary, an office of burthen, and pains, and humility, and doing of ſervice, (as S. Mark reads it more clearly, not foreign, but foreign, chap. 10.43. ſhall be your Miniſter) and he that will have that preeminence, muſt provide himſelf for that task, by the qualifications which are moſt agreeable to that, and count of that way both of acquiring and enjoying it, for otherwiſe it will not be had; (and upon theſe terms you need not envy them it) as you may gueſſe by Chriſt himſelf, whoſe kingdome in this world was of this nature, not adminiſtred in that way as might bring in ſplendour or profit to himſelf, but in acts of charity, miniſtring of all kinds of grace, enduring, and ſerving, and dying for his people, and not requiring that ſervice, thoſe offices from them, as other Kings have done.
This excludes not Diſciples of Chriſt from power, (for he Sect. 14 regulates them by his own example, and no farther, and he, we know, was not onelyonly as God, King of kings and Lord of lords, but as foreign, had all power given unto him in heaven and in earth, and in this his ſtate of condeſcenſion here, he was a Maſter over his Diſciples; and when he was called Good maſter, although he asked, why he called him good? yet the title of Maſter he diſclaims not, nay tels them clearly that they did well, who called him Maſter, and foreign, Lord, Joh. 13.13.) but ſhews the lot that was like to befal them, the ſame it did him, whoſe greatnes was expreſt in humility, and charity, and patience, and offices of ſervitude; and ſo the greater any of them ſhould be, the greater portion of theſe ſhould be expected from them, as the appendage of their greatneſſe; which conſideration fully makes up the foreign, or rational importance of the place, which was to be anſwer ſatisfactory, 1. to the ambition of the two brethren, by diſabuſing them; 2. to the envy or indignation of the reſt, by ſhewing, that preeminence was no fit object for any ones envy, but pity rather.
As for the uſe of foreign, 'twil be beſt rendred to lord it, Sect. 15 to play the lord, and the importance of that, diſcerned by the word foreign that follows v. 28. or if you wil by comparing it with 1 Pet. 5. v. 3. where 'tis explained by that which precedes in the ſame ſenſe, ver. 2. by feeding, or governing, (for ſo foreign ſignifies) foreign, by force or violence, foreign to make gain, filthy, unlawful gain, of the flock, which is all one with foreign, (as in the Goſpel, heathen Kings did over their people) and contrary to that, is ruling them by perſwaſion, foreign, and foreign, making them willing and ready to do, what they ought, and that by his own exemplary obedience, ſetting them patterns to tranſcribe, which certainly is the Clergy mans duty, (and beſt way of ruling, if it may poſſible prevaile) foreign, who muſt be no ſtriker, no covetous perſon, Titus 1.17. and to the ſame purpoſe, 1 Tim. 3.3, 4, 5. and ſo ſure 2 Cor. 1.24. foreign ſignifies imperious behaviour in any kinde, as there over mens faith, very contrary to meek, gentle perſwaſion, the method that S. Paul and all followers of him ought to uſe, and I ſhall never excuſe them if they doe not.
Sect. 16 All which I ſuppoſe not impertinent (as to juſtifie the authority ſo) to limit and regulate the uſe of that, and determine it to that one Chriſtian ſpiritual end, the reforming and winning, and ſaving of ſoules; a thing of all other, the moſt contrary to oppreſſing or violating, invading or tyrannizing over them, in brief (to them which have need of it) the onelyonly ſeaſonable Mercy and Charity in the World, thus in any wiſe to reprove, and not hate or ſuffer ſin upon my brother.
Sect. 17 For the other part of the 2. enquiry, who are the objects of theſe cenſures, ſubjected to the power of the keyes by Chriſt, I anſwer, 1. Negatively, that the ſupream Magiſtrate in every Kingdome is exempted from it, and not onelyonly à poſteriori, becauſe the offering him up to ſhame and contumely (which is the work of excommunication) would be a certain means to expoſe him to the contempt of his ſubjects, and ſo be in danger to diſſolve & ſhake the peace and ſetled Government of a Kingdom, (which I ſuppoſe to have been the deſign of that peſtilent Romiſh Heildebrandine or Gregorian Doctrine, that the Subjects of an excommunicate Prince were diſcharged from their allegiance, which was but a ſmal encreaſ of the former doctrin (if that were ſuppoſed true) of Chriſts placing a power in the hands of the Church to excommunicate Princes; for from the conceſſion of that, the other would generally follow of its own accord, and need no new doctrin to help it forward, the univerſal diſtemper of mens paſſions being a ſufficient encouragement to the many, to caſt off allegiance to thoſe perſons wch they conceive themſelves taught by Chriſt, and ſo by Chriſtianity appointed to deſpiſe;) but alſo à priori, becauſe Chriſt found the world diſpoſed by his Father, in a regular ſubjection of all men to the powers placed over them (and thoſe higher powers at the time of Chriſts birth, as far as ſtories will help us to diſcern, were all Regal or Monarchical through the whole world) and was ſo far from changing that courſe by any new law of his, that he laboured by all means poſſible, to ſettle and confirm it on that baſis, and not ſo much as to accept, when it was offered him, the exerciſe of any Sec…lar or civil power, but to ſubmit himſelf, and conſequently all his, and ſo all that can plead or pretend any title from him, (foreign, &c. ſay the Fathers) to the foreign, the ſupream power in any Kingdom. For the practice & opinion of the Church to this matter, through all times, infinite teſtimonies might be alleadged. I ſhall refer the reader to David Blondel in this book, de formulâ Regnante Chriſto, P. 187, 188, 189, &c.and not endeavour a further diſ…roving of that Doctrine which he thought more worthy of an exclamation in the language of Saint Athanaſius, ad Epiſt foreign; Who ever in the Church or among Chriſtians, heard or taught, or learnt that Gregorian Doctrine? What an hell was it which vomited it out? I ſhall adde no more to the negative part, which being ſuppoſed, and to be remembred in that which follows.
I anſwer,
In the ſecond place, poſitively, That the objects of this Sect. 18 Church-charity or Church-cenſures are, Every open, notorious offender, (whoſe crimes come to our cognizance, whether by complaint of others, by notoriety of the action, or by his own confeſſion) that lives, and indulges himſelf in any grievous crime, any wilfull ſin; Every ſuch I ſay is to be bound by the Church, when after admonition firſt leſſe, then more publique, he continues refractory, unreformed, and not till then. The more ſhame for the eaſie denouncers of that cenſure, that either inflict it on every trivial commiſſion, without conſideration whether repented of or no; or that uſe this ſoveraign recipe, this generoſ…m medicamentum, (that, ſay artiſts, muſt not be caſt away, either on the wanton or the deſperate patient, but onelyonly on thoſe whom we ſee to want it, and hope it may doe ſome good on) this ſtrong phyſick, this laſt and moſt generous medicament ſo *Hence Avitus Alcimus, Ep. 61. to Conſtantius the Biſhop, Illud monere praeſumo ne propter leves cauſas, & non ad Deum, ſed ſaeculum pertinentes, ne Laici quidem, non dicam Clerici, ſanctâ communione priventur, quia neſcit cujus dignitatis ſit ipſa communio, qui non eam omni animoſitate ſepoſitâ & cum magno dolore ſuſpendit, & cum maximâ festinatione reſtituit. vid. Can. 2. Concil. Aurel. 5. & Leon. magn. Ep. 89. taxing Hilary for that fault.unadviſedly and uncharitably, ſo for any other end, rather then reforming of prophane men.
Sect. 19 Then for looſing, who is capable of that, is agreed in general, the greateſt ſinners, upon approbation of their repentance: As for Novatus who denyed abſolution to the Lapſi, he himſelf was cenſur'd and puniſhed for that ſeverity, as you may ſee in the 8. Can. of the Nic. Council, on which ſaith Zonaras foreign, he was caſt out and anathematiz'd in a council at Rome, Cornelius being Pope, and Decius Emperour, foreign, Though he offended not in matter of faith, yet for his want of compaſſion and kindneſſe to the brethren.
But then, what degree of approbation will ſerve turn, what time of humiliation, what fruits and evidences of repentance may be thought ſufficient to give capacity of this looſing; the judgement of Councils and Churches have much varied in that particular, the *Vid. Gro. in Heb. p. 820.Roman being anciently milder then any other Churches; and how much theſe latter ages have been more favourable to the guiltieſt ſons of the Church, then the moſt mercifull of the firſt ages had learned to be, even thoſe very Councils that condemn'd the ſeverity of Novatus and the Cathari, are able to teſtifie; I will give you but an hint or two out of the Canons of the Council of Nice, (before quoted againſt Novatus) Can. 11. the Council ſpeaking of them that fell in the time of Licinius his Tyranny, foreign without any violence, or plundring, or danger of either, the cenſure is upon true and unfained repentance, foreign, Three years ſhall they continue among the Audients (i. e. ſaith Zonaras, foreign) ſtand without the Church in the Porch ſo long, and onelyonly partake in hearing the holy Scriptures. Then foreign (i. e. ſaith Zonaras, foreign, &c.) for the ſpace of ſeven years more they have leave to be admitted within the Church, but to be behind a pillar, near the doore, and go out with the Catechumeni. Ten years already, you ſee, and yet farther, foreign, Two years ſhall they joyn in prayer with the people, but without the oblation: i. e. ſaith Zonaras, they ſhall not yet be vouchſafed the participation of the holy things, till theſe two years be over. This approbation of their repentance coſt them, it ſeems, no leſſe then 12. years.
But then the ſame Council ſpeaking of others, that having Sect. 21 made ſome profeſſion of Chriſtian valour, like dogs returned to their vomit again, Can 12. reſolves, foreign, Af…er the three years in the porch among the audients, they muſt be ten years at the pillar; the ſeven years it ſeems are improved into ten, and tis probable the two years of communicating foreign ſtill behinde, and ſo the probation fifteen years long.
One…y the Biſhop had power left him of the remitting of this Sect. 22 ſeverity, if he ſaw them (foreign, by humility and tears, and patience, and almſdee…s, demonſtrate their converſion to be ſincere, not fained. And ſo Alcimus to Victorius the Biſhop, Authoritatis veſtrae eſt, errantium compunctione perſpectâ ſeveritatis ordinem temporare; 'Tis the part of your authority, when you perceive the compunction of thoſe that have ſinned, to temper the order of ſeverity, i. e. to receive him earlier into the Church, Epiſt. 16.
That which might be added in this point out of the ancient Sect. 23 Canons, would be endleſſe to relate, he that would ſee a particular deſcription of the ſeveral degrees of theſe penitents, may have it very clearly ſet down in Zozomens Hiſtory, l. 7. c. 17. and I ſhall not ſo much as enquire what grounds our latter ages have had to remit ſo much of the ancient diſcipline, till at length it be crumbled and moultred away into a nothing, or a meer formality: what is amiſſe in it, I beſeech God may be reform'd.
I ſhall only add to this Chapter, that there have beeen in the Sect. 24 practice of the Church, (I ſay not grounded in thoſe Texts of the Goſpel) two ſorts of binding; One temporary or penitential when the perſon confeſſes himſelf penitent, and deſires the Abſolution of the Church, at leaſt when there is hope of repentance, in which caſe the cuſtome hath been to impoſe for ſome ſet time the foreign, ſuch works as are agreeable to that repentance, and proportioned to the former ſin, & not to abſolve til what is impoſed be performed. This the Nicene Fathers expreſſe by this ſtyle, [foreign] for whoſe penance the time is defined, and the ſeaſon ſet, Zonaras by (foreign) the ſpace determined for the penance of thoſe that had faln: And Alcimus by propoſitis obſervationibus interim ab Eccleſiâ ſequeſtrari, to be appointed ſome obſervances, and in the mean time to be ſequeſtred from the Church: & notae excommunicationis indictio donec publicâ poenitentiae profeſſione deſueſcant, ſetting a mark (anſwerable to the foreign in Saint Paul) of excommunication upon him, till by publique profeſſion of repentance he diſuſe his former courſe, a kinde of Niddui, or temporary remotion; The ſecond abſolute, & ſine praefinito tempore, without any certain definition of time. When men are refractory, and give no hope of amendment, and that is a kind of Schammatha, Alcimus's irrevocable anathema, the binding over for ever, perennis excommunicatio, Turon. Concil. 2. c. 20. Pariſ. Conc. 3. can. 5. or uſque ad reformationem, for ever if they reform not. The former of theſe is ſometimes, but not alwayes, an excluſion, or abſciſſion from the Church, (but ſomtimes on the other ſide a command to frequent the prayers of the Church, or the Sacrament, every Lords day for ſuch a ſpace, hath been the penance or diſcipline) nor conſequently is it a binding that man ſo, that his ſin is not yet pardoned on earth, but tis deſigned for other uſes, for ſatisfaction to the Churches edification, &c. But they of the ſecond ſort are truly under that band, and cut off from the communion of the Church and by no means admitted to the ſervices of it.