It remaineth now that we see, what Excommunication is. Excommunication is the banishing of a grievous transgressor, or an open, ungodly and obstinate person, from the fellowship of the faithful, by the judgement of the Elders, by the consent of the church, and by the authority of christ, and by the holy Scripture: When the Church therefore pronounceth of any, that they are not godly, they must be excommunicated, and not admitted unto the sacrament. And whosoever are excommunicated, they again professing & showing in their actions amendment, are altogether in like sort received into the church as they were exiled from it, namely by the judgement of the Elders, by the consent of the Church, & the authority of Christ and the Scripture. Furthermore the chief and principal part in excommunication, is denunciation, whereby is denounced, that he which denieth faith and repentance is no member of the church, as long as he continueth such, how ever he make boast of the name of christians; because the Scripture doth not acknowledge him for a christian, ⟨p. 800⟩who although he profess himself in word to be a christian, yet in deeds showeth the contrary. And this denunciation, whereby one is excommunicated, is not in the power of the minister of the Church, but in the power of the Church, and is done in the name of the Church, because this commandment was given by christ unto the church. For he saith expressly, tell the Church. And verily this commandment he gave unto the church, not for the destruction of the sinner which is to be excommunicated, but for his edification o• salvation. Neither ought this denunciation of the church to be used without effect, for, (as was before said) of whom the church denounceth that they are not godly, the church is bound to excommunicate them, and not admit them to the use of the Sacraments. Now who are to be excommunicated, is known sufficiently by that which hath been said before; namely such, as either deny some article of faith, or show that they will not repent, or submit not them-selves to the will of God, according to his commandments, neither make any doubt of persisting stubbornly in manifest wickedness. Al such are not to be admitted into the Church. or, if they have been admitted into the Church in Baptism, yet we must not go forward in offering them the Lords sacred Supper:
It remaineth now that we see, what Excommunication is. Excommunication is the banishing of a grieuous transgressour, or an open, vngodly and obstinate person, from the fellowshippe of the faithfull, by the iudgement of the Elders, by the consent of the church, and by the authoritie of christ, and by the holy Scripture: When the Church therefore pronounceth of any, that they are not godly, they must be excommunicated, and not admitted vnto the sacrament. And whosoeuer are excommunicated, they againe professing & shewing in their actions amendmēt, ar altogether in like sort receiued into the church as they were exiled frō it, namely by the iugedmēt of the Elders, by the consent of the Church, & the autority of Christ and the Scripture. Furthermore the chiefe and principall part in excommunication, is denunciation, whereby is denounced, that hee which denieth faith and repentance is no member of the church, as long as hee cotinueth such, how euer he make boast of the name of christians; because the Scripture dooth not acknowledge him for a christian, ⟨p. 800⟩who although he professe himself in word to be a christian, yet in deedes sheweth the contrary. And this denunciation, whereby one is excommunicated, is not in the power of the minister of the Church, but in the power of the Church, and is doone in the name of the Church, because this commandement was giuen by christ vnto the church. For hee saith expressely, tell the Church. And verily this commaundement hee gaue vnto the church, not for the destruction of the sinner which is to be excommunicated, but for his edification o• saluation. Neither ought this denunciation of the church to be vsed without effect, for, (as was before saide) of whome the church denounceth that they are not godly, the church is bound to excommunicate them, and not admitte them to the vse of the Sacramentes. Now who are to be excommunicated, is knowen sufficientlie by that which hath beene said before; namelie such, as either deny some article of faith, or shewe that they wil not repent, or submitte not them-selues to the will of God, according to his commandements, neither make any doubt of persisting stubbornly in manifest wickednesse. Al such are not to be admitted into the Church. or, if they haue beene admitted into the Church in Baptisme, yet we must not goe forwarde in offering them the Lordes sacred Supper:
