(-197) ment, bat muof themwill make a Minifler fuch work, whowill but call them to credible repentance for their crimes,and will renew thofe crimes fò oft till lie beexcommunicated, and will fohatethofe that exconìnxrni- cate, as will tell you what can bedone,when all latch are forced unwillingly into the Church. Of thisI have fpoke at large in my Bookof Confirmation.. 17. It tendeth greatlyto harden the tanners in the Church in their im- penitence, totheir damnation : when they (hall fee, that let one fwear and curie and be drunk every day in the week, if hewill but fay, I repent, ra thee than lie in Jayl,he (hall beabfolved by theChancellour in the Bil'hbps name, and have a. fealed pardon delivered him in the Sacrament, by the Minifler who knoweth his wicked life. How rafle a way to Heaven. (which leadeth to Hell)do fuch good,- naturcd(cruel)Churchesmatemen ? Obj. The Miner is to refarfe thefcandalous. 4nj Not when he is abfolved by the Chancellour.. Obj. But if hefin again, he may refufe him again, Anfi How far that is true, I (hewed before. But not when he israbfolvéd a gain. And bemaybe abfolved toties quoties, if he had; but rather fay, I re- pent] than lie in Jayle. 18. Let but the ancient Canons be perufed, and how contrary to them will this courfe appear ? The ancient, chinches would admit none to ab-. folution and communion after divers greater crimes, till they hadwaited (as is aforefaid) in begging and tears, and that for fo long a term and with fuch penitential expreffions,.as fatished the Church of the truth' of their repentance. It would be tedious to recite the Canons. How great a part of Cjprians Epifiles to the Churches of Carthage andRome, are on this fubjed ? reprehending the Confeffors and Presbyters for taking' lapfed perlons into Church Communion before they had fulflled their penitential courfe? And what a reproach do they call upon allthefe Bi~' lhops, ;Churches and difcipline, who fay, That ftnners "meeJl be taken into Communion, if theywill prefer it before a Jayle, Though they lovea TYhore- boufe, an Ale-but, a Play-hoof, a Gaming heuree, yea, a Steine-Stie better than the Church;yet if they do not love a Pyle with beggery bétter, they fhall bereceived. 19. Even when Chiifiian Emperours had advanced Prelates, and giv- en them.( though not the fword yet) theaid of it in theMagillrates hand to fecon4 them, they never ufed it to forceany to the Communion of the Church;but only to defend them, and. to. reprefs' theiradverfaries, Yea when Prelates themfelves began .to ufe the fword;or to delire the Magi Eirates to.ferve themby it, it was not at all to force men to fay : They p pent and fo tobt abfolved and communicate But only to keep hereticks from- their own affemblings,and from publilhing their own doctrines or main= twining them,or from being.Palters of the Churches. Ard yetnowmen will force them tobe Abfolved and communicate. And how great mifchiefsdid even fo much ufe of the fword inmatters of Religion aswas the pteniflament of Hereticks then being(though 'they . Cc 3 des.
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