Of the Power of the Keys, Chapter 7
CAP. VII.
Sect. 1 ANd now by way of concluſion of this whole diſcourſe, I ſhall add ſomewhat of the utility of this peice of diſcipline, if with another preparatory to it, it might by the Governours of every Church be carefully exerciſed: That other preparative which I mean, is that, if not Apoſtolical, yet Eccleſiaſtical inſtitution of Confirmation. The intention of which, and deſign of our Church in it, every man ſufficiently knows (although it have been much and with very ill conſequence of late neglected) and therefore I ſhall not here inſiſt on it; and beſides it hath been ſet down at large in *Vindic. of Lit.another Diſcourſe. This whole office of Confirmation, and the neceſſary preparatives of it, that of the Miniſters Catechiſing (and throughly inſtructing all the youth of both ſexes, and of all ſorts within his cure, and explaining to the underſtanding of each, and laying home to his heart all the duties undertaken in his Baptiſme) being ſolemnly premiſed, according to the rules and intention of our Church, and all duties perform'd and obſerved by the Curate, the Child, and the Biſhop (and none permitted to come to the Lords Table that hath not laudably paſt through this courſe) would (in the opinion of a goldy and learned man, who did much ſtudy the wayes of advancing piety and learning) tend moſt probably to the keeping men at leaſt within bounds of Chriſtian civility, from falling into enormous ſins, which they had in their own perſons ſo ſolemnly foreign againſt. And therefore the uſe of that diſcipline, were extreamly to be wiſh't for, that it were revived in each Chriſtian Common-wealth: And if it ſhould be objected, that having been ſo long neglected in this, it cannot now poſſibly be recovered again, becauſe of the vaſt number of thoſe that have been either not at all, or elſe but formally, and perfunctorily, or without precedent preparation confirm'd: I anſwer, that that argument proves not the impoſſibility, but only difficulty of doing it, or if the difficulty be ſo great, as to advance into a kinde of moral impoſſibility, yet ought it not therefore to be left unattempted, (we are required to endeavour the doing of things which appear morally impoſſible to be done; becauſe God may enable us to do that, which, till we try, we conceive impoſſible; and though the not performing may not be damning, yet the not endeavouring may) or if ſtill the difficulty of an univerſal reformation in this kind, diſcourage even from attempting it, yet may it be reaſonable and feacible for every Paſtour, now to begin with all the youth of his Pariſh, which have not yet come to the Lords Supper, and keep them to this probation; and ſo for ever hereafter conſtantly to continue; and then, though the elder ſort of this preſent age come not under this method, nor conſequently this means of reformation; yet perhaps the example of, and inſtructions beſtowed on thoſe under them, may work ſomewhat on them: and howſoever the ſtock of the ſucceeding age will now be wrought on, and ſo Poſterity be mended, though the preſent age cannot, which to every good Chriſtian will be worth conſidering. This courſe being thus taken for the planting, and rooting all good reſolutions, and obtaining the bleſſing of God, upon the young and tender, (by the prayers of the Church, and the purport of Chriſts promiſe of habenti dabitur) together with the uſe of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, and attention to reading, and preaching of the Word, might very probably hope to be ſucceſſefull; but then becauſe poſſibly it may not, (ſome Chriſtians will be perjur'd and impudent, rather then be chaſte and conſcientious, after all this) therefore comes in the uſe and utility of the cenſures of the Church, as a Tabula poſt naufragium, a means of bringing him to repentance, that by the former means could not be kept innocent; of reducing him by the rod, that the crook could not keep from ſtraying. And if 'twere thus uſed, if every one that fel after confirmation, were firſt admoniſht by one, then if it ſerved not, by two or three, and then upon refractarineſſe, or indulgence in ſin, delivered up to Sathan, turn'd out of all Chriſtian Communion without any partiality, or reſpect of perſons, this would be as propable a means as the wit of man could invent, either by the fear and expectation of this cenſure to deter them, and prevent thoſe enormities that are now ſo ordinary among Chriſtians, or elſe by ſhame, and other conſequent inconveniences, as by Cauſticks to work the cure. For it cannot but be obſerved, what force ſhame, and credit have on the minds of men. A ſin that is gotten into ſome countenance or reputation, though it be deſtitute of all other lovelineſſe or ability to tempt any, doth yet carry all before it without reſiſtance; the fear of ſhame makes men vicious, that otherwiſe are not inclined to it, and certainly the ſame means would be able to commend virtue to us: there is not that infinite natural averſation againſt all goodnes in the minds of men (unleſſe as that word ſignifies the paſſions, or carnal affections) as that men would be very wicked to loſe by it; afflictio dabit intellectum, and ſuch afflictions as theſe that fall upon the fame, are not the moſt eaſily ſupportable, and therefore may poſſibly help even a ſenſual man to ſome underſtanding; and though the certain truth of this obſervation cannot otherwiſe be proved, but by our reſolution to make experience of it; yet ſeems it to me to have the Authority and Teſtimony of Saint Paul himſelf in theſe words, (though uſually, by thoſe that are led by the ſound of them, otherwiſe applyed) 2 Cor. 10.4. the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, (or to God, or (by an hebraiſme very ordinary) very or exceeding mighty) to the pulling down of ſtrong holds, &c. which words that they belong to the point in hand, will 1. be probable by the Context, where the Apoſtle ſpeaks of proceeding againſt offenders, which he cals foreign, being bold towards them, v. 1.2. and foreign, to revenge or puniſh diſobedience, v. 6. and this according to the foreign or authority which the Lord had given him for edification or inſtruction, and not for deſtruction (which before I ſhewed you belong'd unto the power of cenſure) & then he adds a caution to remove a prejudice, that unreformed ſinners had againſt him, his letters were ſevere, and ſo he, when he was abſent; but far from all ſuch ſeverity, when he came amongſt them, foreign; vile or tame, or unconſiderable, when he was among them, i. e. that he threatned to excommunicate, but when he came would not do it, which he cals foreign, terrifying by letters, v. 9. and foreign, weighty or powerful letters, v. 10. i. e. ſevere and terrifying, which yet he threatens ſhall be equalled by his actions, when he comes among them, ver. 11. and ſo all along you ſee the buſineſſe is about cenſures. And then 2. this ſenſe of the words will be more then probable, by weighing the words themſelves, wherein foreign ſignifies confeſtly the Apoſtles Miniſtery, as it doth ſo in the onelyonly other place, where 'tis uſed in the New Teſtament, 1 Tim. 1.18. That thou mighteſt war a good warfare, i. e. diſcharge the duty of thy Miniſtery, as thou oughteſt, according to the importance of the Hebrew foreign, which is ſometimes rendred foreign, warfare, ſometimes foreign Miniſtery [then foreign, the weapons of that warfare] are the means to diſcharge that duty in the Miniſtery, of which nature though there be many more, preaching, catechizing, adminiſtration of Sacraments confirmation, &c. yet the context, or antecedents, and conſequents of this place belonging, as was ſhew'd to the buſineſſe of cenſures, will reſtrain it in this place peculiarly to thoſe. Then, that theſe are not [foreign, carnal] ſignifies that they are not weak, for ſo foreign at every turn in theſe Epiſtles ſignifies weakneſſe, (and from thence oftentimes the law, becauſe it was ſo weak, ſo unable to give ſtrength to any diſciple of Moſes to perform it, as in the Epiſtles to the Romans and Galatians 'tis inſiſted on) and ſo to omit more places of Teſtimony, in the next precedent verſe, though we walk in the fleſh, i. e. though we are weak, as men, and have no power over you, yet as Miniſters, we are not, our Miniſtery is with power, and therefore it follows, as a explication of [foreign, not carnal] but foreign, mighty, or powerful, through, or to God, or exceeding powerful. And wherein doth this mightineſſe or power expreſſe it ſelf? Why, foreign, we render it, pulling down of ſtrong holds, & ſo it may literally be rendred, as the end of excommunication, pulling down of all fortreſſes, that maintain or ſecure a man in ſin; but more critically, the word foreign ſignifies excommunication it ſelf, both ver. 8. and Chap. 13.10. and generally in the Canons of the Councils, and then foreign, ſtrong holds, may ſignifie all impenitent obdurate ſinners, that will not otherwiſe be wrought upon, and are called, ver. 15. Every high thing, that exalteth it ſelf againſt the knowledge of God, i. e. againſt piety or Chriſtianity; and ſo the words being thus interpreted in the retaile, and then put together again in the groſſe, will run thus: [The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of ſtrong holds:] i. e. the cenſures of the Church are exceeding powerful, and that power conſiſts in excommunicating pertinacious offenders. The truth of which obſervation, if not interpretation, will be undoubted to him that doth but remember, what this diſcourſe hath ſo oft inculcated, that excommunication was delivering a man to Satan, and a conſequent of that in thoſe firſt times, corporal inflictions, diſeaſes, (and ſometime death it ſelf) which, if any humane thing, would moſt probably work upon one. OnelyOnly it may be objected, that that conſequent was peculiar to the Apoſtles times, and is not now in uſe, and conſequently that a great part of the power of Eccleſiaſtical cenſures is now loſt, and ſo now the weapons of our warfare may be carnal, our cenſures unſufficient to perform their task, to reduce impenitents, though theirs were not. To which I anſwer, by confeſſing the objection, that indeed it is ſo; and very reaſonable it ſhould, Chriſtian Princes having now taken the tuition of the Church into their hands, and ſo thoſe keen weapons in the ſpiritual hand not ſo neceſſary; as you know the Manna ceaſed to be rain'd from heaven, when the people were come into the promiſed land, flowing with milk and honey. OnelyOnly I ſhall then reply, that therefore it is more then fit, that ſome means ſhould be uſed, in caſe of any diſcernable defect, to interpoſe by way of ſupply, and adde the more then moral perſwaſive power of ſome other fit engine beſide that of the cenſures of the Church, eſpecially in caſes of enormous, infamous crimes, which may be done by the Secular arm, in ſuch caſes (when the Eccleſiaſtical cenſures perſwade not) the impreſſion of inflicting penalties, ſevere enough, as may be found expedient, uſque ad reformationem, untill they make themſelves capable (by teſtimonies of amendment) to receive releaſe both from God and man; that ſo by that means, as God ſupplyed the want of humane aid, by his extraordinary from heaven; and when the Secular Magiſtrates diſcharged not their duty, exerciſed not the power given them to the purging of the Church from rotten, vicious, prophane, incorrigible members, God gave this power to the Apoſtles of inflicting diſeaſes on Malefactors; ſo now that extraordinary power being withdrawn from the Church, the Magiſtrate ſhould think himſelf moſt ſtrictly obliged to perform his duty, for which if it ſhould be required, that we produce the expreſſe commands or directions of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, or Primitive preſidents; I anſwer, That will be unjuſt to require of us, 1. Becauſe in Scripture times, there were other means to ſupply that want, the Devils corporal inflictions on them that were delivered to him, and ſo any other might be ſpared: 2. Becauſe this duty naturally belongs to the Magiſtrate, who alone hath ordinarily foreign, compulſive juriſdiction, which as it was practiſed by the Kings in the Old Teſtament, ſo was it not interdicted by Chriſt in the New, but all left in that matter by him as he found it; which being granted, it may be ſaid, that as Chriſt or the Apoſtles give no directions for this, ſo they needed not to give any. 3. Becauſe both then, and in the Primitive Church, the Secular power was not Chriſtian, and therefore the aſſiſtance could not be expected from them, which now moſt reaſonably may, to awake, and hazen, and drive thoſe that will not be allured and drawn, that ſo even in this world, there may be no peace, quiet reſt, tranquility; or ſecurity to the wicked.
Iſa. 1.15, 16, 17, 18.
Waſh yee, make you clean, &c.
THE END.
End of the text · Henry Hammond, Of the Power of the Keys (1651)