multitude of the faithful, as an heathen and publican, until he be openly reconciled by penance, and received into the church by a judge that hath authority thereunto.

that walketh thus disorderly, to note that man, and to have no company with him, that he may be ashamed." 2 Thess. iii. 6. 14. But if he repent, he is to be restored again to communion with the church. But in the mean time it is to be observed, that princes and subjects, husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and servants, notwithstanding any sentence of excommunication, ought to perform their respective duties to each other; since these are natural obligations which have no dependence on the religion of the persons to whom they are to be performed.

c 1 Cor. v. 11. 13. "But now I have written unto you, not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one, no not to eat. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person." And, Matt. xviii. 17." If he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man, and a publican." 2 John, ver. 10. "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine (of Christ), receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed.

Penance is an ecclesiastical punishment, used in the discipline of the church, which doth affect the body of the penitent; by which he is obliged to give a public satisfaction to the church for the scandal he hath given by his evil example. So in the primitive times they were to give testimonies of their reformation, before they were re-admitted to partake of the mysteries of the church.

2 Cor. ii. 6,7. "Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such an one should be swallowed up of overmuch sorrow."

e That is, by a bishop, or at least by a person to whom this episcopal power is rightly delegated.

discretion, as they shall judge the same to serve better to godliness.b

as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas ?" And, 1 Tim. iii. 11. "Even so must their wives be grave," &c. And, Heb. xii. 4. "Marriage is honourable in

all."

ARTICLE XXXIII.

Of Excommunicate Persons, how they are to be avoided.a

THAT person which by open denunciation of the church is rightly cut off from the unity of the church, and excommunicated, ought to be taken of the whole

a Excommunication was practised in the early times of the church for certain offences; and excommunicated persons were, upon repentance, again restored to communion. There were two kinds of excommunication, the less and the greater: by the former, men were excluded from partaking of the eucharist, but they were allowed to attend the other parts of divine service; by the latter, they were entirely expelled from the church: the former was temporary, but the latter was perpetual, unless the delinquent gave full proof of his repentance.

EXCOMMUNICATION ENJOINED IN SCRIPTURE.

b Since the church is a society of holy persons subject to Christ, what can be more equitable, than that such an one as rebels against Christ, and by his notorious crimes is become a scandal to the Christian name, should be driven out from the communion of the church, and be looked upon as a heathen, since he lives such a heathenish life? It is the duty of all good Christians "to withdraw themselves from every brother

multitude of the faithful, as an heathen and publican, until he be openly reconciled by penance,a and received into the church by a judge that hath authority thereunto.

that walketh thus disorderly, to note that man, and to have no company with him, that he may be ashamed." 2 Thess. iii. 6. 14. But if he repent, he is to be restored again to communion with the church. But in the mean time it is to be observed, that princes and subjects, husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and servants, notwithstanding any sentence of excommunication, ought to perform their respective duties to each other; since these are natural obligations which have no dependence on the religion of the persons to whom they are to be performed.

1 Cor. v. 11. 13. "But now I have written unto you, not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one, no not to eat. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person." And, Matt. xviii. 17. "If he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man, and a publican." 2 John, ver. 10. "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine (of Christ), receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed.'

Penance is an ecclesiastical punishment, used in the discipline of the church, which doth affect the body of the penitent; by which he is obliged to give a public satisfaction to the church for the scandal he hath given by his evil example. So in the primitive times they were to give testimonies of their reformation, before they were re-admitted to partake of the mysteries of the church.

2 Cor. ii. 6,7. "Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such an one should be swallowed up of overmuch sorrow." 99

e That is, by a bishop, or at least by a person to whom this episcopal power is rightly delegated.

ARTICLE XXXIV.

Of the Traditions of the Church.a

It is not necessary that traditions and ceremonies be in all places one, or utterly like; for at all times they have been divers, and may be changed according to the diversities of countries, times, men's manners, and so that nothing be ordained against God's word."

a The word "traditions" is not here used in the same sense in which it was used in the explanation of the sixth article. It there signified unwritten articles of faith, asserted to be derived from Christ and his apostles; in this article it means customs or practices relative to the external worship of God, which have been delivered down from former times: that is, in the sixth article, traditions meant traditional doctrines of pretended divine authority; and in this it means traditional practices acknowledged to be of human institution; the same, as is expressed immediately by the word "ceremonies,” which is only explanatory; and which the church afterwards calls rites," supposing them the same with ceremonies.

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RULERS OF THE CHURCH AUTHORIZED BY SCRIPTURE TO REGULATE CEREMONIES.

b Rites and ceremonies are matters indifferent in themselves; but when they are established by the authority of the church, they ought to be observed by all, upon the account of the reverence due to that authority, which is derived from God; who hath commanded us to "obey them that have the rule over us, and to submit ourselves." Heb. xiii. 17.

1 Pet. ii. 13. "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake,"

Whosoever, through his private judgment, willingly and purposely doth openly break the traditions and ceremonies of the church, which be not repugnant to the word of God, and be ordained and approved of common authority, ought to be rebuked openly, (that other may fear to do the like,) as he that offendeth against the common order of the church, and hurteth the authority of the magistrate, and woundeth the consciences of weak brethren."

It is scarcely necessary to add, that if every individual were at liberty to use his own private judgment in opposition to the orders and decisions of the church, uniformity of worship would be instantly destroyed, and the dissolution of the church itself would quickly follow.

AND INVESTED WITH POWER TO REBUKE.

c 1 Tim. v. 20. "Them that sin, rebuke before all, that others also may fear." 1 Thess. v. 14. "Warn them that are unruly," (margin, disorderly.) 1 Cor. xi. 16. "If any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God." And, 1 Cor. xiv. 40. "Let all things be done decently, and in order."

d Col. ii. 5. "For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order." 2 Thess. iii. 6. "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother which walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which ye received of us."

e By leading them into sin by the force of example, into practices which they themselves condemn; by raising prejudices and scruples in their minds, and by making them dissatisfied with the establishment under which we live, and when ye sin so against the brethren and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 1 Cor. viii. 12.