Excommunication.
THat place they bring for Excom∣munication [put away from a∣mong your selves that wicked Person, 1 Cor. 5. Cha. 13. Verse.] is corrupted in the Greek for it should be, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, put away that Evil from among you, not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that Evil Person, besides, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is the Devil in Scripture, and it may be so taken there; and there is a new Edition of Theodoret come out, that has it right 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ’Tis true the Christians before the Civil State became Christian, did by Covenant and Agreement set down how they should live, and he that did not observe what they agreed upon, should come no more amongst them, that is, be Excommunicated. Such Men are spoken of by the Apostle [Romans 1. 31.] whom he calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Vulgar has it, Incomposit, & sine faedre, the last Word is pretty well, but the first not at all; Origen in his Book against Celsus, speaks of the Christians, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: the Translation renders it Conventus, as it signifies a Meeting, when it is plain it signifies a Covenant, and the English Bi∣ble turned the other Word well, Cove∣nant-breakers. Pliny tells us, the Chri∣stians took an Oath amongst themselves to live thus, and thus.
The other place [Dic Ecclesiae] tell the Church, is but a weak Ground to raise Excommunication upon, especially from the Sacrament, the lesser Excommu∣nication, since when that was spoken, the Sacrament was instituted. The Jews Ec∣clesia was their Sanhedrim; their Court: so that the meaning is, if after once or twice Admonition, this Brother will not be reclaim’d, bring him thither.
The first Excommunication was 180 Years after Christ, and that by Victor, Bi∣shop of Rome: But that was no more than this, that they should Communicate and receive the Sacrament amongst themselves, not with those of the other Opinion: The Controversie (as I take it) being about the Feast of Easter. Men do not care for Excommunication, because they are shut out of the Church, or delivered up to Satan, but because the Law of the King∣dom takes hold of them, after so many Days a Man cannot Sue, no not for his Wife, if you take her from him; and there may be as much reason, to grant it for a small Fault, if there be contuma∣cy, as for a great one. In Wectminster-Hall you may Out-law a Man for forty Shillings, which is their Excommunicati∣on, and you can do no more for Forty Thousand Pound.
When Constantine became Christian, he so fell in love with the Clergy, that he let them be Judges of all things; but that continued not above three or four Years, by reason they were to be Judges of Matters they understood not, and then they were allowed to meddle with no∣thing but Religion; all Jurisdiction be∣longed to him, and he scanted them out as much as he pleas’d, and so things have since continued. They Excommunicate for three or four Things, Matters con∣cerning Adultery, Tythes, Wills, &c. which is the civil Punishment the State allows for such Faults. If a Bishop Ex∣communicate a Man for what he ought not, the Judge has Power to absolve and punish the Bishop: if they had that Juris∣diction from God, why does not the Church Excommunicate for Murder, for Theft? If the Civil Power might take away all but three Things, why may they not take them away too? If this Excom∣munication were taken away, the Presby∣ters would be quiet; ’tis that they have a mind to, ’tis that they would fain be at. Like the Wench that was to be Married; she ask’d her Mother when ’twas done, if she should go to Bed presently: no, says her Mother, you must dine first, and then to Bed Mother? no you must dance after Dinner, and then to Bed Mother? no, you must go to Sup∣per, and then to Bed Mother, &c.