A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded upon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded vpon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…

And who were those, but the Consistory of Pastors and Elders, which represented the whole Church, and were set in authority for judging and managing of things pertaining to Ecclesiastical Discipline? They (no doubt) being met together, called the man before them, and did most sharply rebuke him and chide with him, and threatened that they would not only debar him from the Lords Table, (which is called lesser Excommunication, but more properly, a step or degree tending next to Excommunication:) but also wholly cast him out of the Church, and deliver him to Satan. Whereupon the man being made to see the grievousness of his sin, and the terrible punishment which was to follow upon it, becometh most sorrowful, humble and penitent. And this moved the Apostle to say, Sufficient to such a man, &c. as if he would say: what needeth him now to be excommunicate, and so to be corrected and put to shame by you all, when every one of you shall deny to him your Christian communion, as one wholly cast out of the Church? Is it not enough, that many among you, even your whole Presbytery, hath put him to such public shame by their sharp reprehensions, and to so great fear by their dreadful threatenings? and since, through the blessing of God upon these means, he is already w•nne to repentance, why ⟨image 156⟩would you have him yet more publicly corrected and rejected by all and every one?

And who were those, but the Consistory of Pastors and Elders, which represented the whole Church, and were set in auctority for judging and managing of things pertaining to Ecclesiasticall Discipline? They (no doubt) beeing met together, called the man before them, and did most sharpely rebuke him and chide with him, and threatned that they would not onely debarre him from the Lords Table, (which is called lesser Excommunication, but more properly, a step or degree tending next to Excommunication:) but also wholly cast him out of the Church, and deliver him to Satan. Whereupon the man beeing made to see the grievousnesse of his sinne, and the terrible punishment which was to follow upon it, becommeth most sorrowfull, humble and penitent. And this moved the Apostle to say, Sufficient to such a man, &c. as if he would say: what needeth him now to be excommunicate, and so to be corrected and put to shame by you all, when every one of you shall denie to him your Christian communion, as one wholly cast out of the Church? Is it not enough, that many among you, even your whole Presbitery, hath put him to such publike shame by their sharpe reprehensions, and to so great feare by their dreadfull threatnings? and since, through the blessing of God upon these meanes, he is already wnne to repentance, why