The nullity of church-censures: or A dispute written by that illustrious philosopher, expert physician, and pious divine Dr Thomas Erastus, publick professor in the University of Heidelbertge, and Basil. Wherein is proved by the holy Scriptures, and sound reason; that excommunication, and church-senates or members, exercising the same, are not of divine institution; but a meere humane invention.

XII.

Verily we do not read that any Person at any time amongst the Jews, was for the foresaid cause, forbid by the Priests, Levites, Prophets, Scribes, or Pharisees to come to the Sacrifices, Ceremo∣nies, or Sacraments. The High-Priests and Pha∣risees esteemed Christ and his Apostles to be most wicked Persons: But we do not find during Christs Life, or after his death, that ever they went about to debarre them of the Sacraments and Sacrifices instituted of God: yea neither did they chase any Publican Jew, or any other Cir∣cumcis'd Person that liv'd impurely, from the Temple or Ceremonies, for they were not igno∣rant, that the Law permitted them not to do it. They reprehended indeed Christ, Mat. 9. that he did eate and drinke with Publicans. But they did not in any place at any time upbraide him, that he Prayed in the Temple with them; that he was present with them at the Sacrifices and Rites: That with them and all others he went up to Je∣rusalem to Celebrate the Passover and other year∣ly

Solemnities. And for the same reason they were so farre from indeavouring to debarre these wicked Knaves and mostcruell Hereticks, the Saduces from their Ceremonies; That they per∣mitted them to ascend to the honour of the High-Priest-Hood. In the mean time, how much the one hated the other, is clear out of Josephus Histo∣ry, and the Acts of the Apostles. They would with stretched out armes have embraced this oc∣casion to be revenged on their enemies, if it had been lawfull.