Foure serious questions of grand importance, concerning excommunication and suspension from the Sacrament propounded to the Reverend Assembly and all moderate Christians to prevent schismes, and settle unity among us in these divided times / by a lover both of peace and truth. Prynne, William, 1600-1669. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A56165 of text R212447 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing P3959). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 14 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 3 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A56165 Wing P3959 ESTC R212447 12362205 ocm 12362205 60273 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A56165) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 60273) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 222:23 or 2176:13) Foure serious questions of grand importance, concerning excommunication and suspension from the Sacrament propounded to the Reverend Assembly and all moderate Christians to prevent schismes, and settle unity among us in these divided times / by a lover both of peace and truth. Prynne, William, 1600-1669. [4] p. s.n., [London : 1644?] Caption title. Attributed to William Prynne. Cf. BM. Imprint suggested by Wing. Item at reel 2176:13 incorrectly identified as Wing P3960. Reproductions of original in Harvard University Libraries. eng Excommunication -- Early works to 1800. A56165 R212447 (Wing P3959). civilwar no Foure serious questions of grand importance, concerning excommunication, and suspention from the Sacrament; propounded to the Reverend Assem Prynne, William 1645 2340 14 0 0 0 0 0 60 D The rate of 60 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the D category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2002-03 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2002-04 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2002-05 TCP Staff (Michigan) Sampled and proofread 2002-05 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-06 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion Foure serious Questions of Grand Importance , Concerning Excommunication , and Suspention from the Sacrament ; propounded to the Reverend Assembly , and all Moderate Christians , to prevent Schismes , and settle Unity among us , in these divided Times ; by a Lover both of Peace and Truth . THe businesse of Excommunication , and Sequestration from the Sacrament , now in publike Agitation , is a matter of great moment , much difficulty , and very circumspectly to be handled , established , to prevent Prophanation and Scandall on the one hand ; and Arbitrary , Tyranicall , Papall Domineering over the Consciences , the spirituall Priviledges of Christians , on the other ; which will necessarily follow , if it fall into indiscreet , over-severe , ambitious , passionate or revengefull hands , as we felt by wofull experience under the Papacy and Prelacy : ( Nam paucis res illa tutò committi potest : Mox solet subrepere Dominandi studium , & sub praetextu Pietatis suunt paenas ob privata odia , aut Dogmata , vel Talia ; as (*) Aretius well observes ; who debating this question ; An hodiè restitui possit Excommunicatio ? Resolves thus . Sunt qui disciplinam hanc etiam hodiè reducere velint , in eamque rem toti incumbant ; Alii in eo videntur desperare : Et quanquam despera●dum non putem , tamen perquam arduum judico , nec non impossibile praesentibus moribus , col●a submittere ejusmodi disciplinae : For which among other reasons , he renders this . Accedunt exempla corum , qui idem conati , cum risu destitêre , aut quibus pessimè cessit : magno studio in Germaniae quibusdam ecclesiijs instituta fuit ; sed cecidit in spongiam natus ridiculus mus : as some feare it nay now do among us , unles it be setled with great wisdome , caution , moderation , certainty , and as little as possible herein left to any mans discretion ; The serious consideration whereof hath induced me to propound these ensuing Questions to our Venerable Assembly , and all other moderate Christians , who ought in all things ( especially in this ) to avoyd Extreames , and the seeming affectation of any greater lording power over the Consciences or Priviledges of their Christian Brethren , then of right belongs unto them ; least they approve that in , or usurpe that to themselves , which they have so vehemently heretofore declaimed against in , denied to , and quite taken away from the Pope and Prelates . 1. Whether Mathew 18. 16. 17. Let him be to THEE , ( not to the whole Church , and all others ) as a Heathen , and a Publican , ( meant only of personall privat trespasses betweene man and man , not publique scandalous sins against the Congregation , as is cleare by v : 15. If thy Brother shall trespasse against THEE , &c. not the Church : and Lu. 17. 3. 4. ) Or 1. Cor. 5. 5. 11. 1. Tim. 1. 20. To deliver such a one to Satan , &c. with such a one no not to eat , &c. be properly meant of Excommunication , or suspention from the Sacrament only ? And what warrant there is in Scripture for Ministers or others to suspend men from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper only , and not from the Congregation and all other publique Ordinances , together with it ? since 1. Cor. 5 7. 9 13. Iohn 9. 22 32. 33 chap. 12 , 42 , chap. 16. 2. 2 Thes. 3 , 14. 2 Iohn 16. 11. 3 Iohn 10. Numb. 12. 14. Deut. 23 1 , 2 , 3 with all other Scriptures alleaaged for the proofe or practise of Excommunication ; speake only of putting , casting out , and excluding men wholly from the Congregation , Syragogue , and all publique Christian Communion ; but not one of them of excluding , or suspending men only from the Sacrament , and not from 〈◊〉 publique Ordinances , as Prayer , Preaching , and the like : And since in the primitive times , ( is is evident by Tertulians Apollogy : c. 39. De Paenitentia Lib. and others ) scandalous persons , were ever excommunicated and wholy cast out of the Church ( extra Gregem dati ) not barely sequ●stred from the Sacrament : Whence all the Canonists and Schoole-men determine : (b) Excommunicatus non possit interesse divinis Officiis in Ecclesia , vel extra cum aliis : and define Excommunication to be , An Ecclesiasticall censure , which deprives a man from the Communion of the Church , Sacraments , and all publike Ordinances : and A●etius defines it , to be , A●icuius professi Religionem nostram , à consortio fidelium , in sacris et prophanis rebus exclusio , &c. which excludes men totally from the Church , and all publique Ordinances , not from the Sacrament only . 2. By what Divine Authority or Scripture Text , can any Minister lawfully keepe backe any Christian from the Sacrament , ( not actually Excommunicated and cast out of the Church for some notorious scandall upon a legal Conviction ) who earnestly desires to receive it , though in his owne private judgment hee deemes him unfitting or unworthy ? since we read of no circumcised person in the old Testament , ever debarred from the Passeover by the Priests , that was willing or desirous to eat it , though perchance not altogether so prepared to ea●e it , as God requi●ed , Exod. 12. 3. 4. &c. 44 , to 58. 2 Chron. 30. 13. to 21. Since Christ himselfe admitted Iudas to it , though he knew him to bee a Devill , a Traitor ; Iohn 6. 70. 71. as is cleare by Math. 26 20. to 31 Mar : 14. 18. &c. Luke 22. 14 &c. Iohn 13. 31. And since Paul in the 1. cor. 11. 20. to 36 : usurped no other Authority to himselfe , nor gave any power to others , to keep unworthy receivers from the Sacrament , but only admonished them of the danger of unworthy receiving , and thereupon advised every Receiver , to examine HIM SELFE before hee came to receive ? And whether the Minister by admonishing his Flock , of the danger of unworthy receiving , and seriously dehorting such as hee deemes unworthy not to receive the Sacrament til they become more fit to participate , under paine of eating and drinking their owne damnation , and other judgments that will ensue thereon , hath not thereby discharged his full duty and conscience , as this text of the Corinths . Ezech. 33. 1. to 10. Acts 20. 26. 27. with the Liturgyes of our own and the French Churches , in their Exhortations before the Sacrament , both intimate and resolve ? 3. Whether the unprofitable , and unworthy hearing of the word , be not as great , as dangerous , as damning a sinne , as the unworthy receiving of the Sacrament , as Math. 10. 14. 15. Mar. 16 , 15 , 16 , Luk 8. 18 Heb 2 1 , 2 , 3. c. 3. 7 , 8 , 1● . c. 6. 6. 7. 8 : assert ? Whether Ministers upon the selfe same grounds and pretences ( of partaking of other mens sins , of being guilty of their damnations , of not giving holy things to Dogges and casting Pearles before Swine ; Math. 7. 6. meant principally of preaching the Gospell to such as shall contemne it , not of the Sacrament , as is cleare by Math : 10 , 14 , Mar. 16 , 15. 16. Acts 13 46 , 51 ) may not as well keepe their people from preaching of the word , and refuse to preach unto them , least it should not profit them for want of faith , Hebr. 4 2. but increase , or aggravate their sins , and become unto them the Savour of death unto death , 2 Cor 21 5. 16 Iohn 12 : 4● . as from the Sacrament ? And what substantial difference they can produce , warranted by Scripture , why they may not deny to preach the word to such Christ●ans whom they deeme unprofitable under , or unfit to heare it , as the Sacrament to those whom they judge unmeet to receive it ? 4. Whether , seeing God only knowes the Secrets of all mens hearts , and who are his , 2 Chron. 6. 30. 2 Tim. 2. 19. not Ministers ; who may oft times deeme those Worthy Communicants , who are not ( as close Hypocrites , &c. ) and those unworthy who are not , 1 Samuel 16. 5. to 14. S●eing hee can sodainly change notorious sinners hearts , lives , and bring them to repentance in a moment , before Ministers can take reall notice of it , Act. 9. 3. to 28. Seeing wee must not censoriously judge one another , because wee fall or stand to our owne Master , Matth. 7. 1. Luk. 6. 37. Rom. 14. 4. to 15. Seeing none must quench the smoking flax , nor breake the bruised Reed , nor discourage weake Christians by overmuch rigor , or indiscretion , Matth. 12 20. Rom 14. Seeing every Communicant is bound to examine HIMSELFE , which he best knowes , ( not others peremptorily to examine him ) 1 Cor. 11. 27. 28 , 29. 2 Cor. 13 5. Gal. 6. 4. 5. And every man is only to beare his owne sinne , not anothers , in which he is no partaker , Gal 6. 4. 5. Ezec. 33. 1. to 10. Ezec. 18 4 to 21. And seeing every Christian when he is invited to the Sacrament , is bound under paine of sin and contempt to receive it , 1 Cor. 11. Heb. 10. 29. Whether can any Minister in point of Conscience refuse any Christian , not actually excommunicated , the Sacrament , if he desires to receive it , in case hee professe his sincere repentance for his sins past , and promise newnesse of life for time to come , though in his own private opinion , he may chance to judge him a person unfit or unworthy to communicate ? If yea , let him shew his charter for it in Scripture : This I am certain hee cannot doe : If he alleage , hee cannot do it in point of Conscience , because hee should bee paraker of his sin , if he eate and drink damnation by unworthy receiving : The Apostle resolves the contrary ; that hee eates and drinkes damnation only to HIMSELFE , not to the Minister , or the other Communicants ; that he shall only beare his own burthen , and give an account of himselfe to God , Gal. 6. 4 , 5. Rom. 14. 12. And the administration being onely the Ministers act , which is a holy and divine institution , the unworthy participation the parties owne iniquity , ( as is his unworthy hearing , praying &c. ) not the Ministers ; it can no more involve the Minister in the guilt of it , then his unprofitable hearing ; of which no Minister holds himselfe guilty , who with care and conscience faithfully dispenceth the Word unto his Auditors , Eze. 33. 1. to 10. Acts 20. 26. 27 ; which (*) Lucas Osiander proves at large against the Anabaptists . Seeing therfore there is as much danger to peoples Soules in their unworthy , unprofitable hearing of the word , as receiving of the Sacraments ; and since Ministers are and may be unto God a Sweet savour of Christ , as well in them that perish , by unworthy receiving the Sacrament as in them that are saved , by worthy participation thereof ; as they are in the preaching of the Gospell , 2 Cor. 2. 14 , 15 , 16. I cannot discerne any shadow of reason , why any godly Ministers should over-earnestly contest for such a large or unlimited Ecclesiasticall power , to exclude their Christian Brethren from the Sacrament ( when not actually excommunicated from the Church and other Ordinances ) as some pretend to ; much lesse , why any of them should resolve to give over their Ministery to which Christ hath called them , in case they cannot obtaine such a power from the Parliament , as neither Christ , nor his Apostles , nor the Primitive Christians in the purest times did ever exercise ; or why any shold forwardly seperate from our Church , in case such an unlimited arbitrary power be not established in our new Presbiteries , as our very Lordly Prelats never durst to claime . Moderata durant . Wherefore my earnest request to all Ministers and people shall be , to rest fully satisfied with such a limited Iurisdiction in this kind , as our Honourable , Parliament upon serious debate , shall in their Piety and Wisdom thinke meete to settle , for the prevention of scandall , Prophanesse in the people , of Tyranny and oppression of mens consciences in the Presbytery ; the only desirable boundary betweene these two Extremities , which must be avoyded with all speciall care . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A56165e-30 (*) Theologiae Problemat , Locus , 112. De excommunicatione , p. 340. (b) 〈…〉 (*) E●chi●dian Contro . ver. ●um Anabap. De Ecclesia . c. 6. Quaest. 3.