Sharply rebuking their Clergy's negligence, 3 himself absent excommunicateth that public incestuous person: 6 commanding that hereafter no Christian be so tolerated in any open crime, but excommunicated.Sharply rebuking their Clergies negligence, 3 him self absent excommunicateth that publike incestuous person: 6 commaunding that hereafter no Christian be so tolerated in any open crime, but excommunicated.
The second part of the Epistle: of the incestuous fornicator: & lawing before Infidels.
There is plainly heard fornication among you, and such fornication, as the like is not among the heathen, so that one hath his father's wife.THERE is plainely heard fornication among you, and such fornication, as the like is not among the heathen, so that one hath his * fathers vvife.Omnino auditur inter vos fornicatio, et talis fornicatio, qualis nec inter gentes, ita ut uxorem patris sui aliquis habeat.
2And you are puffed up: and have not mourned rather, that he might be taken away from among you, that hath done this deed.And you are puffed vp: and haue not mourned rather, that he might be taken away from amōg you, that hath done this deede.¶Et vos inflati estis : et non magis luctum habuistis ut tollatur de medio vestrum qui hoc opus fecit.
3I indeed absent in body, but present in spirit, have already judged, as present, him that hath so done,I in deede absent in body, but present in spirit, haue already iudged, as present, him that hath so done,Ego quidem absens corpore, præsens autem spiritu, jam judicavi ut præsens eum, qui sic operatus est,
4in the name of our Lord JESUS Christ, you being gathered together and my spirit, with the virtue of our Lord JESUSin the name of our Lord IESVS Christ, you being gathered together and my spirit, vvith the vertue of our Lord IESVS¶in nomine Domini nostri Jesu Christi, congregatis vobis et meo spiritu, cum virtute Domini nostri Jesu,
5to deliver such an one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord JESUS Christ.to deliuer such an one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saued in the day of our Lord IESVS Christ.¶tradere hujusmodi Satanæ in interitum carnis, ut spiritus salvus sit in die Domini nostri Jesu Christi.
6Your glorying is not good. Know you not that a little leaven corrupteth the whole massam: kneaded dough, the lump of meal?Your glorying is not good. Knovv you not that a litle leauen corrupteth the vvhole paste?Non est bona gloriatio vestra. Nescitis quia modicum fermentum totam massam corrumpit ?
7Purge the old leaven, that you may be a new paste, as you are azymi: unleavened loaves, bread made without leaven. For our Pascha: the Passover, the paschal lamb, Christ, is immolatus: offered up in sacrifice, not merely killed.Purge the old leauen, that you may be a nevv paste, as you are azymes. For our Pasche, Christ, is immolated.Expurgate vetus fermentum, ut sitis nova conspersio, sicut estis azymi. Etenim Pascha nostrum immolatus est Christus.
8Therefore let us feast, not in the old leaven, nor in the leaven of malice and wickedness, but in the azymes of sincerity and verity.Therfore let vs feast, not in the old leauen, nor in the leauen of malice and vvickednes, but in the azymes of sinceritie and veritie. ‖¶Itaque epulemur : non in fermento veteri, neque in fermento malitiæ et nequitiæ : sed in azymis sinceritatis et veritatis.
9I wrote to you in an epistle, Not to keep company with fornicators.I vvrote to you in c an epistle, Not to keepe companie vvith fornicatours.Scripsi vobis in epistola : Ne commisceamini fornicariis :
10I mean not the fornicators of this world, or the covetous, or the extortioners, or servers of idols: otherwise you should have gone out of this world.I meane not the fornicatours of this vvorld, or the couetous, or the extorsioners, or seruers of Idols: othervvise you should haue gone out of this vvorld.non utique fornicariis hujus mundi, aut avaris, aut rapacibus, aut idolis servientibus : alioquin debueratis de hoc mundo exiisse.
11But now I wrote to you, not to keep company, if he that is named a brother, be a fornicator, or a covetous person, or a server of idols, or a maledicus: a reviler, one who abuses with foul speech, or a drunkard, or an extortioner: with such an one not so much as to take meat.But novv I vvrote to you, not to keepe companie, if he that is named a brother, be a fornicatour, or a couetous person, or c a seruer of Idols, or a railer, or a drunkarde, or an extorsioner: vvith such an one not so much as to take meate.¶Nunc autem scripsi vobis non commisceri : si is qui frater nominatur, est fornicator, aut avarus, aut idolis serviens, aut maledicus, aut ebriosus, aut rapax, cum ejusmodi nec cibum sumere.
12For what is it to me to judge of them that are without? Do not you judge of them that are within?For vvhat is it to me to iudge of them that are vvithout? Do not you iudge of them that are vvithin?Quid enim mihi de iis qui foris sunt, judicare ? nonne de iis qui intus sunt, vos judicatis ?
13for them that are without, God will judge. Take away the evil-malum: the wicked man, the offender to be cut off from among yourselves.for them that are vvithout, God vvil iudge. Take away the euil-one from among your selues.¶nam eos qui foris sunt, Deus judicabit. Auferte malum ex vobis ipsis.
Annotations
2I indeed absent. St. Paul here useth his Apostolic power, of binding this incestuous person, excommunicating him by his letters and Mandates, though absent.I in deede absent. S. Paul here vseth his Apostolike povver, of binding this incestuous person, excommunicating him by his letters and Mandates, though absent.
4You being gathered. Though he commanded the act should be done in the face of the Church, as such sentences and censures be at this day executed also, yet the judgement and authority of giving sentence was in himself, and not in the whole multitude, as the Protestants and the popular Sectaries affirm. for the power of binding and loosing was not given to the whole Church, but as in the persons of the Prelates, and to them for the benefit of the whole. Whereupon St. Chrysostom upon those words, Dic Ecclesiae, Tell the Church. Matt. 18: Complain to the Church, that is, saith he, to the Prelates and Presidents thereof.You being gathered. Though he commaunded the acte should be done in the face of the Church, as such sentences and censures be at this day executed also, yet the iudgement and authoritie of giuing sentence vvas in him self, and not in the vvhole multitude, as the Protestants and the popular Sectaries affirme. for the povver of binding and loosing vvas not giuen to the vvhole Church, but as in the persons of the Prelats, & to them for the benefite of the vvhole. Vvhervpon S. Chrysostome vpon those vvordes, Dic Ecclesiae, Tel the Church. Mat. 18: Complaine to the Church, that is, saith he, to the Prelats and Presidents thereof.
4With the virtue. All such great power over sinners, is holden and exercised in the name and virtue of CHRIST JESUS. And whosoever setteth light by it, despiseth our Lord's name and power.With the vertue. Al such great povver ouer sinners, is holden and exercised in the name and vertue of CHRIST IESVS. And vvhosoeuer setteth light by it, despiseth our Lordes name and povver.
5To Satan. To assure us that all excommunicate persons be in the power and possession of the Devil, and quite out of Christ's protection as soon as they be separated by the Church's sentence, from her body and the Sacraments and fellowship of Christian Catholic men: it pleased God to give power to the Apostles and Prelates in the primitive Church, (The terrible sentence of excommunication.) to cause the Devil straight upon their sentence of excommunication, to invade the body of the excommunicate, and to torment him corporally. so Christ excommunicated Judas, and the Devil entered into him, and he went forth of the happy fellowship of the Apostles. John 13, 27. so this Apostle excommunicated Alexander and Hymenaeus, (Acts 5.) and Satan straight took them: 1 Tim. 1. Yet it is thought that St. Peter excommunicated Ananias and Sapphira, and for sign of his power and terror of the sentence, struck them both stark dead. De mirabil. S. Scriptura li. 3 c. 16 apud D. Augustine. Which miraculous power though it be not joined now to that sentence, yet as far as concerneth the punishment spiritual, which it specially appertaineth unto, it is as before, and is by the judgement of the holy Doctors (Cypr. ep. 62. nu. 3. Chrys. in 1 Tim. 1. ho. 5. Ambros. in 1 Tim. 1. Hiero. ep. ad Heliod. c. 7. August. de cor. & gra. c. 15.) the terriblest and greatest punishment in the world, yea far passing all earthly pain and torment of this life, and being a very resemblance of damnation, and so often called by the Fathers, (locis [illegible].) namely by St. Augustine. And by this spiritual sword (saith St. Cyprian) all must die in their souls, that obey not the Priests of Christ in the new law, as they that were disobedient to the judges of the old law, were slain with the corporal sword. Would God the world knew what a marvelous punishment Christ hath appointed the Priests to execute upon the offenders of his laws, and specially upon the disobedient, as Heretics namely.To Satan. To assure vs that al excommunicate persons be in the povver and possession of the Diuel, and quite out of Christes protection as soone as they be separated by the Churches sentence, from her body and the Sacraments and felovvship of Christian Catholike men: it pleased God to giue povver to the Apostles and Prelates in the primitiue Church, to cause the Diuel straight vpon their sentence of excommunication, to inuade the body of the excommunicate, and to torment him corporally. so Christ excommunicated Iudas, and the Diuel entered into him, and he vvent forth of the happie felovvship of the Apostles. Io. 13, 27. so this Apostle excommunicated Alexander and Hymenaeus, and Satan straight tooke them: 1 Tim. 1. Yet it is thought that S. Peter excommunicated Ananias and Sapphira, and for signe of his povver and terrour of the sentence, strooke them both starke dead. De mirabil. S. Scriptura li. 3 c. 16 apud D. August. Vvhich miraculous povver though it be not ioyned novv to that sentence, yet as far as concerneth the punishment spiritual, vvhich it specially appartaineth vnto, it is as before, and is by the iudgement of the holy Doctors (Cypr. ep. 62. nu. 3. Chrys. in 1 Tim. 1. ho. 5. Ambros. in 1 Tim. 1. Hiero. ep. ad Heliod. c. 7. August. de cor. & gra. c. 15.) the terriblest and greatest punishment in the vvorld, yea far passing al earthly paine and torment of this life, and being a very resemblance of damnation, and so often called by the Fathers, namely by S. Augustine. And by this spiritual svvord (saith S. Cyprian) al must die in their soules, that obey not the Priests of Christ in the nevv lavv, as they that vvere disobedient to the iudges of the old lavv, vvere slaine vvith the corporal svvord. Vvould God the vvorld knevv vvhat a maruelous punishment Christ hath appointed the Priests to execute vpon the offenders of his lavves, and specially vpon the disobedient, as Heretikes namely.
8Let us feast. The Paschal lamb, which was the most express figure of Christ every way, (Purity in receiving the B. Sacrament.) was first sacrificed and afterward eaten with azymes or unleavened bread. (Exod. 12, 5.) so Christ our Paschal, being then newly sacrificed on the Cross, is recommended to them as to be eaten with all purity and sincerity, in the holy Sacrament. Which mystery the holy Church in these words commendeth to the faithful every year at the feast of Easter.Let vs feast. The Paschal lambe, vvhich vvas the most expresse figure of Christ euery vvay, vvas first sacrificed and aftervvard eaten vvith azymes or vnleauened bread. so Christ our Paschal, being then nevvly sacrificed on the Crosse, is recommended to them as to be eaten vvith al puritie and sinceritie, in the holy Sacrament. Vvhich mysterie the holy Church in these vvordes commendeth to the faithful euery yere at the feast of Easter.
11Not to take meat. It is not meant that we should separate ourselves corporally from all sinners, or that we might refuse to live in one Church or fellowship of Sacraments with them, which was the error and occasion of the Donatists' great schism: nor that every man is straight after he hath committed any deadly sin, excommunicated, as some Lutherans hold: but that we should avoid them when the Church hath excommunicated them for such. though in mind, and condemnation of their faults, every one ought to be always far from them. As for the Heathen and Pagans, which be not under the Church's discipline, and at that time in external worldly affairs dealt with Christians and lived amongst them whether they would or no, the Apostle did not forbid Christians their company.Not to take meate. It is not meant that vve should separate our selues corporally from al sinners, or that vve might refuse to liue in one Church or felovvship of Sacraments vvith them, vvhich vvas the errour and occasion of the Donatistes great schisme: nor that euery man is straight after he hath committed any deadly sinne, excommunicated, as some Lutherans hold: but that vve should auoid them vvhen the Church hath excommunicated them for such. though in minde, and condemnation of their faults, euery one ought to be alvvaies far from them. As for the Heathen and Pagans, vvhich be not vnder the Churches discipline, and at that time in external vvorldly affaires dealt vvith Christians and liued amongest them vvhether they vvould or no, the Apostle did not forbid Christians their companie.
13The evil one. He concludeth that though they cannot, nor himself neither, cut off the Heathen, that be public offenders, yet the ill person by him excommunicated being one of their own body, they may cut off, as is aforesaid, and avoid his company. Upon which commandment of the Apostle, we see that we are bound by God's word to avoid all company and conversation with the excommunicate, except in cases of necessity, and the spiritual profit of the person excommunicated.The euil one. He concludeth that though they can not, nor him self neither, cut of the Heathen, that be publike offenders, yet the il person by him excommunicated being one of their ovvne body, they may cut of, as is aforesaid, and auoid his company. Vpon vvhich commaundement of the Apostle, vve see that vve are bound by Gods vvord to auoid al companie and conuersation vvith the excommunicate, except in cases of necessitie, and the spiritual profite of the person excommunicated.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition. Facsimile available in two scans.