3. When by some circumstances it proveth not edifying, but rather hurtful to the Church, or the Persons concerned; As 1. when the scandal is in such a matter as is not expressly determined in the Word, but is by consequence to be deduced from it; as suppose it be meant such a point of truth as has Divines, that are godly, dissentient in it, or in such a practise (suppose perjury) as is evil indeed in it self; but, by deduction and consequence (which is not so clear) to be applied; or it is in such things as affect not a natural Conscience, as Fornication, Drunkenness, and Adultery, &c. do; or in such things as contradict not expressly any Truth: And 2▪ When the scandal of these sins is by universality become little among men, or there is not easy access, in an edifying way, to decide in them, or censure them; there is still a right and a wrong in these which a Minister in Doctrine may reprove, yet he may forbear a judicial sentence in such cases, as it seemeth Paul did with the Corinthians, amongst whom there were several sorts of Offenders. 1. Incestuous Fornicators, or such as sinned against Nature's light; these 1 Cor. 5. 3, 4, 5, &c. he commandeth to be excluded or excommunicated. 2. Such as by corrupt Doctrine made Schisms, and mis-led the People in factions, to the prejudice of the Apostles Authority and Doctrine, chap. 3. v. 3. &c. Deceitful Workers, 2 Cor. 11. 13. these for a time, 2 Cor. 10▪ 6. he spareth for the Peoples sake. 2 Cor. 12. 19. 3. Some weakly and carnally mis-led into factions, 1 Cor. 13. 1, 2, 3, 4. these he endeavoureth to recover. 4. Some guilty of faults about the Sacrament, in their wrong manner of going about it, 1 Cor. 11. These he reproveth and laboureth to amend, yet alloweth them to go on and celebrate the Sacrament, but doth not debar for the time either factious Ministers, or people from it, as he had done the other; neither i• it likely, that the Communion was omitted, or they debarred, for he doth not reprove for not debarring them, as he doth. For wronging the Institution; the reason is, because that which warranteth debarring and censures of all sorts, is edification: and when that end cannot be gained to a people or person, such censures may be omitted; and except some bounds were to be fixed, here, the difficulty in abounding differences would prove inextricable:
3. When by some circumstances it proveth not edifying, but rather hurtful to the Church, or the Persons concerned; As 1. when the scandal is in such a matter as is not expresly determined in the Word, but is by consequence to be deduced from it; as suppose it be meant such a point of truth as has Divines, that are godly, dissentient in it, or in such a practise (suppose perjury) as is evil indeed in it self; but, by deduction and consequence (which is not so clear) to be applyed; or it is in such things as affect not a natural Conscience, as Fornication, Drunkenness, and Adultery, &c. do; or in such things as contradict not expressy any Truth: And 2▪ When the scandal of these sins is by universality become little among men, or there is not easie access, in an edifying way, to decide in them, or censure them; there is still a right and a wrong in these which a Minister in Doctrine may reprove, yet he may forbear a judicial sentence in such cases, as it seemeth Paul did with the Corinthians, amongst whom there were several sorts of Offenders. 1. Incestuous Fornicators, or such as sinned against Nature's light; these 1 Cor. 5. 3, 4, 5, &c. he commandeth to be excluded or excommunicated. 2. Such as by corrupt Doctrine made Schisms, and mis-led the People in factions, to the prejudice of the Apostles Authority and Doctrine, chap. 3. v. 3. &c. Deceitful Workers, 2 Cor. 11. 13. these for a time, 2 Cor. 10▪ 6. he spareth for the Peoples sake. 2 Cor. 12. 19. 3. Some weakly and carnally mis-led into factions, 1 Cor. 13. 1, 2, 3, 4. these he endeavoureth to recover. 4. Some guilty of faults about the Sacrament, in their wrong manner of going about it, 1 Cor. 11. These he reproveth and laboureth to amend, yet alloweth them to go on and celebrate the Sacrament, but doth not debar for the time either factious Ministers, or people from it, as he had done the other; neither i• it likely, that the Communion was omitted, or they debarred, for he doth not reprove for not debarring them, as he doth. For wronging the Institution; the reason is, because that which warranteth debarring and censures of all sorts, is edification: and when that end cannot be gained to a people or person, such censures may be omitted; and except some bounds were to be fixed, here, the difficulty in abounding differences would prove inextricable:
