bound or excluded from any Church priviledge by that offence (because offence giveth ground to exclude, if contempt follow, but doth not actually exclude of it self) neither doth the rebuke bind and exclude any if no further Censure follow and be added thereunto, but is intended to prevent both, And therefore, I say, that a person meerly rebuked for such an offence, and not continuing in, or renuing the same, hath right to all Church-priviledges, seing he is by no Ordinance of Christ excluded; and that way of publick rebuking, is appointed to prevent the falling of others, by that occasion.
A third sort of offences are such as of their nature are grosse, and in their evidence clear, suppose drunk∣ennesse, fornication, grosse swearing, corrupt er∣rours, &c. and the person offending, after much pains, doth yet continue obstinate, refusing to hear the Church; in that case the rule is clear to proceed with the Sentence of cutting off, If no accidentall thing call for the suspending thereof, for respect to the Churches good.
If it be asked, when a person is to be accounted ob∣stinate and guilty of not hearing the Church? We answer, It may be in these four cases, 1. When the persons do contemptuously refuse, or decline ap∣pearance, that is, either to hear private admonition, or to answer for removing of their offences before the publick Judicatory. This indeed is not to be astricted to once or twice refusing, even when no reasonable excuse can be given: for, sometimes offenders are ticklish for a time, while their distemper continueth; and Church-officers would be favourable in admit∣ting of excuses, and in their condescending to them, (as edification may be most furthered) as Mothers and Nurses will do to children: which similitudes the Scripture sometimes useth.
2. It is contempt, supposing a person to appear, and yet either to justifie his offence, as if it were no