As touching heretics, or heresy, the same censure, when they are convicted,
ought to pass against them; Heresy is commonly restrained to signify any
perverse opinion or error in a fundamental point of religion, as to deny
the being of God, or the deity of Christ, or his satisfaction, and justification
alone by his righteousness, or to deny the resurrection of the body, or
eternal judgment, or the like. Yet our annotators say, the Word signifies
the same thing with schism and divisions; which if so, such that are guilty
of schism or divisions in the church, ought to be excommunicated also. Heresies
are called damnable by the apostle Peter; without repentance such cannot
be saved, as bring in damnable heresies, denying the Lord that bought them.
Two things render a man an heretic according to the common signification
of the Word.
1. An error in matters of faith, fundamental or essential to salvation.
2. Stubbornness and contimacy in holding and maintaining it. A man that
is an heretic, after the first and second admonition reject. Now that this
rejection is all one with excommunication, appears by what Paul speaks,
1 Tim 1:20, Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander, whom I have delivered unto
Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. Their heresy, or blasphemy
was in saying the resurrection was past. Some would have none be counted
an heretic but he who is convicted and condemned so to be in his own conscience,
mistaking Paul's words, Knowing that he that is such, is subverted, being
condemned of himself, though not for his heresy, yet for his spending his
time about questions, and strife of words, to the disquieting the peace
of the church; or though not condemned of himself directly, yet indirectly;
according to the purport of his own notion, or what he grants about the
point in debate, etc. Else the apostle refers to some notable and notorious
self-condemned heretic. It is a great question, whether Hymaneus and Alexander
were condemned by their own consciences, about the heresy charged upon them,
and yet were delivered up to Satan. However the rule is plain, respecting
any that are subverted, and resolutely maintain any heretical notion, i.e.
after he hath been twice (or oftener) admonished, that is, after all due
means used, and pains taken with him, to convince him of his abominable
error, and yet if he remains obstinate, he must be delivered up to Satan;
that is, the righteous censure of the church must pass upon him, as in the
case of other notorious crimes. Heresy is a work of the flesh: and hence
some conceive such ought to be punished by the civil magistrate.