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.

XV.

This uncleanness indeed was a legall Ceremo∣ny, and not the impurity of life and manners, for he was not unclean that had committed any sin or perpetrated any villany: But he was unclean that had touched any dead Body, Excrements, bloody Issues, or such like. For this reason the Pharisees would not enter the Councell-house, when they delivered Christ to Pilate, to be put to death, least they should be hindred to eat the Passover. Certes, the Mosaicall uncleanness did not so figurate out sins, that as those that were de∣filed with them, were forbidden the Tabernacle, and converse of others; So they that were guilty of sin, should be chastis'd and punished by the de∣nying them the Sacraments, or throwing them

out of the visible Church: which is clearly held forth by the reasons following.

1. Transgressors were not punish'd with the same punishment that the unclean were, whilst that legall uncleanness was in force, and together therewith there were multitudes of wicked per∣sons. How then is it likely, that after these Cere∣monies are remov'd and abolished, they should have signified these wickednesses ought to be so punished?

2. Moses should have openly been opposite to himself, whilst he did really admit those persons to the Temple and Ceremonies, which by the le∣gall Ceremonies he signified should be debarred the same. For it is certain, that not any was for∣bidden the Temple and company of others, for the vitiousness of his manners. If he had not, ac∣cording to the appointment of the Law, touched a dead body, or defiled himself by any other such like meanes: Therefore he should have punish∣ed them that signified the wicked, and should have left the wicked themselves (as to this punish∣ment) unpunished: and so he should both deny and affirme the same thing.

3. Legall impurity was a certain quality and staine of the body, when as wickednesses are op∣perations and consist in action. For the cause and wet of wickedness is brought forth together with us, neither is it punished by man so long as it bringeth forth no fruits: Otherwise all men should be Excommunicated. For we will ne∣ver be freed from this impurity of soul, so long as we shall enjoy this mortall life. But the other

being only a blemish and uncleanness of body, is punished by secluding them from dyeting toge∣ther with others; although it produce no fruite; that is, although the legall unclean Person do not offend in any thing against the Law. The workes and transgressions of legall unclean per∣sons; If whilst they were unclean, they offend∣ed against the Law in any thing, were punish∣ed by the Magistrate, as other transgressions were.

4. Our Adversaries confess that all sorts of sins are not to be punish'd by Excommunication, whenas the Law commandeth every purity to be punish'd by excluding the Offender from the Tabernacle and publick Sacrifices; wherefore they did not prefigurate all offences.

5. Not any can be Excommunicate that sinneth unwillingly; when as men most frequently be∣came unclean against their wills, and without a∣ny fault in them; yea many times to their great grief. What guilt is to be thought in him, who against his will, and whilst he was sleeping lost his seed in the night? whose Wife became men∣struous before his expectation? whose Children, Wife, Parents, did die? or to whom any such thing did happen? But that these vices should be voluntary, for which men should be excluded from the Sacraments (as some are of opinion) needeth no probation.

6. There was a farre heavier punishment ap∣pointed for one that should kill a man against and besides his will; Then a few daies or weeks exclu∣sion from the Sacraments: which was almost

the greatest punishment was inflicted on unclean∣ness. Because then, an involuntary, and there∣fore the most easie sin was chastised with a severer punishment, then the most unclean legall impu∣rity, it easily appeareth that the punishment due to this is not to be transferr'd for the chastising of wickedness.

7. It frequently came to pass, that the most ho∣ly and upright person was made unclean, and was debarr'd from entring the Temple and use of the Sacrifices; whilst the most wicked person without any impediment was admitted to both. Wherefore if in the Church of God, the punish∣ment of both should be the same, this person should much more be debarr'd the use of them then the other.

8. It is clear, That God hath not at any time or in any place absolutely forbidden all legall im∣purity; for then without doubt he would not have had some to attend that were dying, or that were infected with some unclean disease: yea he would not have some to bury the dead, and cleanse the unclean, by whose meanes they themselves be∣came also defiled, Numb. 19. And whilst he willed this, he willed that all legall uncleanness should not be avoided. But God did forbid all sorts of wickedness to all persons at all times: neither did he permit them at any time, or in any place to do evill.

9. God commandeth that wickedness should be repress'd with fire, sword, strangling, stones, stripes, fines, imprisonment, and with other such like punishments: But he commanded the

unclean to be purified by water, and with other such like meanes to be purged.

10. He was not esteem'd a wicked and con∣demn'd person, who was according to the sen∣tence of the Law, made unclean, and even to the day of his death did remain such; as when Wo∣men in their courses, or Men sick of a Gonorrhaee or infected with a Leprosie did die. But he that liveth so, that even at the houre of his death, he shall be by good and upright men thought wor∣thy of Excommunication, he cannot but be e∣estem'd an unworthy and ungodly person.

11. Legall impurity had no place but amongst one people and for a certain time. But vices did spring every where amongst all Nations, in all places, and at all times. Wherefore seeing vi∣ces were punish'd and judged fit to be punish'd both by Gentiles and Jews, before ever the legall impurity was introduced, it certainly signified some other thing, then this punishment of wick∣ed persons, being much more light then that which would be satisfactory to the will of God.

12. Every man was purified in a certain space of time, or number of daies, by using certain Ce∣remonies, of what mind soever he was of, that is, whither he willingly, or against his will be∣came unclean. But no man is delivered from wickedness, except he be cordially sorry, and de∣sire truely and earnestly both to be, and be made better.

13. Every unclean person was purged accord∣ing to his own judgment, (The Leprose and some few others being excepted) neither had they

any need of Judges and Elders, who were to dis∣cern wither they were rightly purified or not. Our Adversaries hold another opinion concern∣ing Excommunicate Persons. For in this point they will have us to follow the judgement of their Elders: and not to accept of their Assertion, who declare that they are penitent for their sinnes.

14. He was to be declared sound and clean, who had the whole skin of his body of one colour, though from the crown of his head, to the sole of his feet he were Leprous: And on the other part he was esteemed unclean, who had his skin spot∣ted in one or more parts. In wicked persons the case is farre different: for he that is altogether cloathed with wickedness (as the Sow that hath weltred in the mire, is altogether durty) is not bet∣ter then he, who yet carrieth some shadow of ho∣nesty and godliness.

15. The Leprouse Persons are not commanded to do any thing for their own cure; but they are only commanded to shew themselves to the Priest; that he may declare whither they be, or be not purifi∣ed. But wicked persons are commanded to amend their lives, and that they declared the sorrow of their souls by their upright and holy conversation.

16. Many became unclean by touching those things, whereby others were purified, and whilst they were purifying others, Numb. 19. But not any deserve to be excommunicate for that, by which he goeth about to cure and cleanse those, that are defiled with sin and wirkedness Where∣fore if you assert the figure to corespond, it be∣hoveth you to concede, that all they, that by this

means go about to bring the stray into the way, are to be excommunicate.

17. Unclean Persons, according to the Law, were not debarr'd from all the Sacraments; for they were commanded to observe all the private rites of their Countrey, to observe the Sabboth and feast of expiation, which chiefly held forth the fruits of Christs works, and that under pain of death, Lev. 16, and 23. for (as we said before) they were not judged to be condemned and for∣lorne Persons. Now whither the condition of excommunicate Persons, according to our Adver∣saries opinion, be not far different from this, is not needfull further to be insisted on.

18. Unclean Persons did defile legally the cloaths, houses, places and people, with whom they hold any converse. But wicked men do not defile the Temple or any other thing, or Per∣sons except those that communicate with them in their vices. The Temple was not defiled so oft as Adulteresses were brought in thither, Numb. 5. and John 8. And the Publican did not defile the Temple when he went up thither toge∣ther with the Pharisee to pray, Luke 18. Certain∣ly the Pharisee who esteem'd him a wicked Per∣son in respect of himself, did not think himself defiled by his company. When Judas threw back the price of treason, we do not read that the Temple was defiled by him: neither do we find the Pharisees complained thereof, which never∣theless would not enter the Counsell-house, least they should be defiled. But if a woman sick of her flowers or any other Ishew, or that had a

care of a Buriall, or had touched a dead body though unwillingly, were seen in the Temple, then all things became unclean: neither was it lawfull to Sacrifice or use any other worship, till it was purified. After the same manner Judas did not defile the last Supper by his villanies: which nevertheless had come to pass, if either he or any other of the Disciples had touched any dead thing.

To conclude, Legall uncleanness was a figure of our crooked and corrupt nature, which cannot enter Heaven, unless it be washen and cleansed by the pure blood of Christ; for as the Taberna∣cle signified Heaven, and the exclusion from it, the keeping out from the Heavenly Jerusalem; so the purification by common or holy water, did prefigure the changing by the death of Christ. The quality then thereof was not a figure of a work, but of a quality, or of our corrupted Nature: nei∣their did it foreshew how offences were to be pu∣nished (for Moses had taught this in clear and plain words.) But what our condition was to be in the life to come, that is, in the Kingdome of Heaven, which the Land of Canaan did represent: which all are manifestly enough to be seen throughly from the 21. of the Revelation. Au∣gustine in his Writeing against the Donatists did believe it signified the excluding of Hereticks. From the many and great differences that are found betwixt both these impurities, yea a blind man may discern that the one could not so figure the other as our Adversaries averre.