A child of light walking in darknessA childe of light vvalking in darknesse

The proper inward effect that accompanies that ordinance, (which casts men out of the Church) being inward affliction, and distress of conscience by Satan (wch of all afflictions is the greatest punishment as the Apostle calls it,¹ 2 Cor. 2. 6.) thereby to bring a man ⟨p. 50⟩to repentance: Even as on the contrary, the special work of baptism (which admits into the Church) to such as were fideles adulti, and believers already, was by joy in the holy Ghost to seal up their adoption and regeneration unto them: as to the Eunuch, Acts 8. 39. This we may see in the excommunication of the incestuous Corinthian; whose excommunication is therefore expressed, to be a delivering him up unto Satan in the name of the Lord Jesus: 1 Cor. 5. 9. (that is) he was to be cast out by a commission from Christ, which going forth in his name; when they published it on earth, he signed it in heaven. Upon which rightly administered doth ensue, first, that as the Church doth cut them off from communion with them; so God cuts them off from communion with himself, and hides, and withdraws the light of his countenance, the witness of his Spirit, & his comfortable presence; and not only so, but delivereth them up to satan; that being the consequent of it: which therefore, because it implies the former, is put to express the whole proceeding; which delivery of him unto Satan, was not a giving him a commission to carry him on to more sin: for the end propounded by the Apostle was to destroy the flesh, that is, corruption & the body of sin, and that the spirit might be saved, ver. 5. that is, that contrary principle of grace which yet remained, but was ready to die, (as it is Rev. 3. 2.) might be saved and kept from death and destruction; (though that often be indeed the effect of it in hypocrites, as in Alexander, 1 Tim. 1. 19.) but it was to terrify and afflict his conscience, and to stir up in him the guilt of his sin with terrors for it; which