It may be asked, What if an offending party appearing,1 profess repentance for their fault, &c. as hath been desired, and should yet refuse to give obedience to such things and in such manner as is thought fit to be done by the Church-officers for the removing of the offence? Answ. 1. It is not like that any who are serious in their profession of repentance, will stand on such a thing; and where that is, it is too probable-like an evidence of their dissembling, if some convincing reason cannot be given by them for swaying to that refusal. 2. Their disobedience is either in material things, or such as are but circumstantial. Again, it is either done with contempt, or with professed continued respect and a desire to satisfy. As for instance, some may refuse to receive a public rebuke where edification requireth it, or to acknowledge their offence to an offended party, or they may be willing to appear, and willing to acknowledge their offence, but differ as to the time, place, manner, &c. For the first, Though a Church-judicatory may wait for a time, yet can they not in some cases dispense with them, because otherwayes, they are not heard, nor is the end obtained; and therefore may process proceed, especially if that disobedience look contemptuous-like: For the second sort of disobedience, to wit, in the manner or circumstances of giving satisfaction, although in this also, those that are serious to have offences removed, will not readily stick, yet if it be, there is difference between this and the former, if there be no discernible evidences of contempt in it; and in this, no question, Church-judicatories have a greater latitude to do as may edify: wherein they are especially to take notice of these things, 1. That by too much rigidity in circumstances, they seem not unnecessarily to wrong them, or to lay too much weight of satisfaction upon such formalities. 2. That by too easy passing from such, they do not strengthen any to follow that example for ⟨p. 126⟩the time to come. And, 3. that even in circumstances there be an equality in reference to these same scandals in all persons. And if there be hazard in reference to any of these by condescending, to alter or forbear a circumstance in a public rebuke, we conceive it is safer to abstain from •hat forbearance, and not to yield it;
It may be asked, What if an offending party appearing,1 professe repentance for their fault, &c. as hath been desired, and should yet refuse to give obedience to such things and in such manner as is thought fit to be done by the Church-officers for the removing of the offence? Answ. 1. It is not like that any who are serious in their profession of rep•ntance, will stand on such a thing; and where that is, it is too probable-like an evidence of their dissembling, if some convincing reason cannot be given by them for swaying to that refusall. 2. Their disobedience is either in materiall things, or such as are but circumstantiall. Again, it is either done with contempt, or with professed continued •espect and a desire to satisfie. As for instance, some may refuse to receive a publick rebuke where edification requireth it, or to acknowledge their offence to an offended party, or they may be willing to appear, and willing to acknowledge their offence, but differ as to the time, place, manner, &c. For the first, Though a Church-judicatory may wait for a time, yet can they not in some cases dispense with them, because otherwayes, they are not heard, nor is the end obtained; and therefore may processe proceed, especially if that disobedience look contemptuous-like: For the second sort of disobedience, to wit, in the manner or circumstances of giving satisfaction, although in this also, those that are serious to have offences removed, will not readily stick, yet if it be, there is difference between this and the former, if there be no discernable evidences of contempt in it; and in this, no question, Church-judicatories have a greater latitude to do as may edifie: wherein they are especially to take notice of these things, 1. That by too much rigidity in circumstances, they seem not unnecessarily to wrong them, or to lay too much weight of satisfaction upon such formalities. 2. That by too easie passing from such, they do not strengthen any to follow that example for ⟨p. 126⟩the time to come. And, 3. that even in circumstances there be an equality in reference to these same scandals in all persons. And if there be hazard in reference to any of these by condescending, to alter or forbear a circumstance in a publick rebuke, we conceive it is safer to abstain from •hat forbearance, and not to yeeld it;
- 1What if a profane offending confessing party refuse to give satisfaction.
