A Friendly Trial of the Grounds Tending to Separation, Chapter 10
CHAP. X. It is lawfull to communicate in a mixt congregation where ignorant and prophane perſons be admitted to the ſacrament.
THis is made an exception againſt communicating in our aſſemblies, that we are a mixt congregation, and that ignorant and prophane perſons are admitted unto the Lords table. To trie the weight of this reaſon the better, we muſt remember that ſinners which may come into queſtion, are either ſecret, that is, not of publick note, though one or other, perhaps the miniſter himſelf, may know them in their courſe ſcandalous, or elſe notorious, ſuch as are commonly defamed and known for evil, by evidence of fact and courſe, if not juridicé. The firſt ſort ſin in coming prophanely unto the Lords ordinances, and they pollute the holy things of God unto their own deſtruction, if they come without repentance and purpoſe of amendment:Deut. 19. 15. Epiphan. in Ancorato. But they are not to be repelled, if they offer themſelves, becauſe though one know them to have ſinned thus and thus,Nihil ſine duobus tribuſve teſtibus get… poteſt, Joſeph. Antiq l. 4 c. 8. it is unknown to others, and ſo the ſin is private and not openly known. Chriſt knew Judas his fetches, yet he ſuffered him: and though his treaſon was hidden and there were no witneſſes of his intendment, yet his theft was acted, and not purpoſed onelyonly. De ſecretis non judicat eccleſia: Et privata ſcelera non habent vindictam. When it is not notorious and manifeſt that ſuch a man hath loſt his right to the ſacrament,See Aquin. Summ. 3. qu. 81. art. 2.: & qu. 80. art. 6. Hieron. lib. 2. contra Ruff. Uni teſti, nè Catoni quidem, eſt creditum. it ought not to be denied unto him in the face of the congregation: otherwiſe liberty ſhould be granted to wicked miniſters to puniſh with this puniſhment whomſoever they pleaſe. The law of God in all eccleſiaſticall and civil puniſhments requireth either confeſſion by the party of the fault which is committed, or elſe proof by witneſſes. Auguſtine, tom. 9. lib. De medicin. poen. cap. 3. is clear of this opinion, Nos à communione quenquam prohibere non poſſumus, niſi aut ſpontè confeſſum, aut in aliquo judicio eccleſiaſtico vel ſeculari nominatum atque convictum; as he is cited by the gloſſe ad 1. Cor. 5. and by Aquinas in the place above mentioned.Justinian. Novell. 123. c. 11. Omnibus autem Epiſcopis & Presbyteris interdicere aliquem à ſacra communione, antequam cauſa monſtretur, &c. It is requiſite for the common good and convenient order both of church and common-wealth, that all common favours which are publickly to be diſpoſed and diſtributed according to the dignity of private perſons, ſhould be diſpenſed by publick miniſters deſigned thereunto, not according to the private knowledge of this or that man, neither of that miniſter, but according to a publick and notorious cogniſcance. And whoſoever doth by his offenſe againſt God loſe his right and intereſt to the holy things of God, he muſt loſe it in the face of the church before it can be denied him in the face of the congregation: And he is to be judged (as in all other caſes) not by any mans nor by any miniſters private knowledge, but according to proofs and allegations. For the common good neceſſarily requireth, that ſuch publick actions of this nature ſhould be regulated by a kind of publick and not private knowledge, which once admitted into judicature, would ſoon fill up the church and ſtate with a world of ſcandals, injuries, and inconveniences. Groſſe, notorious, ſcandalous ſinners ſhould be excluded from the ſacrament, but yet according to the order and appointment of the Lord.Matth. 7. 6. Caſt not pearls before ſwine: give not holy things to dogs. Therefore the primitive church about to adminiſter, the Deacon cryed out againſt flagitious perſons, foreign, with which the charge in our Liturgie well ſuteth. Amongſt the heathen ſome were accounted foreign, and foreign, who were admitted into the entrance, but not into the temple: Whence among the Latines they are called*q. porrò à fano, Macrob. Saturn. l. 3. cap. 3. Trebatius profanum id pro priè dici ait, quod ex religioſo vel ſacro in hominum uſum proprietatémque converſum eſt. Capta ab hoſtibus loca, ſacra vel religroſa eſſe deſinunt. profane, becauſe they ſtood before but might not enter the temple. Hence alſo was that queſtion amongſt the Heathen in their ſervices, foreign; that is, Who is here? to which it was anſwered of the aſſembly, foreign, that is, Many and good. Hence that of Callimachus in hymnis, foreign, which Virgil expreſſeth thus,
—Procul ô procul eſte profani,Aeneid. 6.
Conclamat vates.
And amongſt the Grecians foreign are thought to have their name foreign,Claudian. De rapt. Proſerp. Greſſus removete, profani. Ovid. Met. 7. Procul hinc jubet ire miniſtros. Haec autem ſacra dicebantur foreign; Plinio, Operanea. that is, becauſe they did reſtrain ar drive the profane from them. And if the heathen had ſuch care of their idolatrous ſervices that they ſhould not be prophaned, what conſcience ſhould Chriſtians make, neither to prophane themſelves, nor ſuffer, ſo farre as lyeth in them, the ſupper of the Lord to be prophaned? It was a worthy ſaying of Chryſoſtome, Animam priùs tradam meam, Chryſoſt. in Matth. Hom. 83.quàm Dominicum corpus alicui indigno: ſanguinémque meum effundi potiùs patiar, quàm ſacratiſſimum illum ſanguinem praeterquam digno concedam. Nevertheleſſe it perteineth not to every man to debarre the impenitent from the Lords table, but it muſt be done by them, and in ſuch manner as the Lord hath appointed. For private Chriſtians may not uſurp the authority of the church, nor the church execute her authority in undue manner. That is neceſſary to them that have received commiſſion from God which is unlawfull to them that want authority. In the common-wealth the execution of juſtice is neceſſary: but private perſons muſt not challenge the ſword of the magiſtrate. In a corporation no one muſt take that upon himſelf which belongeth to the common councel. Holy things muſt not be given to prophane perſons: but every one at his pleaſure muſt not deny holy things to unholy perſons; but unholy perſons muſt be debarred from holy things in ſuch order as God hath preſcribed. It is a thing illegall altogether and unreaſonable, that a Chriſtian man laying open claim to his right in the ſacrament, ſhould by the mere diſcretion of a miniſter or private Chriſtian be debarred from it. Men would be loth to put their lands, nay their goods and cattels, and ſhall we think the Lord hath put their intereſt in the body and bloud of Chriſt to a private diſcretion. So ſhould it fare ill with the deſerving members of the church, and ſuch as moſt deſerved ſhould leaſt feel the ſeverity of this cenſure. The precept then of debarring ſcandalous offenders bindeth them to whom God hath given this power, and them onelyonly ſo farre as God hath put it in their power.Galvin. epiſt. 178. Ut unus, altis in conſilium non adhibitis, quiequam tentes, autor eſſe non audeo. Adde, quòd nunquam utile putavi, jus excommunicandi permitti ſingulis paſtoribus. But God regularly doth not leave that power in the hand of one ſingular ſteward, or ſome few private Chriſtians, to diſcommon one from the Lords table by publick cenſure: And therefore the ſteward may not by any means keep back the fat ones of the earth from his maſters table, but warn them fairly of the danger enſuing, as Gratian noteth out of Auguſtine. And if one or few private Chriſtians cannot debarre the unworthy from the Lords table, it is manifeſt the ordinance of God is not defiled to them by the preſence of the wicked,Grat. part. 3. De conſecrat. diſt. 2. c. 67. whom they deſire to reform or expell, but cannot, becauſe power is not in their hand to do it lawfully.
For if it be lawfull for the faithfull to hold ſpirituall communion together in the ordinances of worſhip,Argum. 1. where the wicked and ungodly are tolerated as outward members of that ſociety, and have externall ſociety with them in thoſe ordinances, then the preſence of ſcandalous men doth not defile the ſacrament to the worthy receiver. The conſequence is evident from the reaſon given to diſſwade communion in the ſacrament, ſc. becauſe they that partake are one body. Now if the ſame communion for ſubſtance be in other ordinances, and yet it is lawfull for the faithfull, notwithſtanding the wicked be permitted, to hold communion in thoſe ordinances, then it is lawfull to partake at the Lords table though the ſcandalous and prophane be received: But it is lawfull for the faithfull to hold ſpirituall communion and fellowſhip together in the ordinances of worſhip where the wicked and ungodly are ſuffered as outward members. For Moſes calleth Iſrael a choſen people, Deut. 14. 2, 3. & 29. 10, 11, 12. & 7. 6, 7.an holy nation, the peculiar people of God; whom he calleth a ſtiff-necked people, fooliſh, Deut. 32. 5, 6.and unwiſe. The Lord proteſteth that Iſrael did rebell againſt him, Iſai. 1, 2, 3, 4, 10.that they did not underſtand, Lam. 4. 6, 22.but were a moſt ſinfull nation, Ezek. 16. 46, 47.yea, as Sodom and Gomorrah; and yet he calleth them his children and people: yea, paſſing Sodom in iniquity, and yet the daughter of his people, Iſa. 5. 1, 2, 3, 5.and daughter of Sion, his pleaſant plant, Jer. 2. 21.and a noble vine. Iſrael then was the true church of God, and the people true members of that ſociety, and yet many of them not truly ſanctified nor true Saints. And if the prieſts and Levites were ſet over a people unconverted for the truth of ſanctification, though holy by externall covenant, which they for their parts had broken by their iniquities, but on Gods part was undiſſolved, and the faithfull had ſpirituall communion together in the ordinances of worſhip, when the unwiſe, fooliſh, perverſe, uncircumciſed in heart and life, ſinfull and laden with iniquity were admitted as members of the ſame body or ſociety, then the faithfull are not defiled with the preſence of the ungodly at the ſacrament, though they that communicate together make one body in externall communion. As the common-wealth of Iſrael conſiſting of men uncircumciſed in heart, perverſe, rebellious, obſtinate, as well as faithfull and obedient, was ſeparated into covenant, and ſo one body in externall communion, and might lawfully have fellowſhip together in the ordinances; ſo the faithfull and ſcandalous received into covenant, and living in ſociety, do partake in the ſame ordinances without tincture or infection to the better part. As the rebellious and perverſe in Judah, ſo the ſcandalous in the church are ſeparated into covenant: and though in courſe of life they be dogs, yet in publick eſteem they are not to be reputed dogs, nor uſed as dogs, till the church have ſo pronounced of them. Peter calleth the Jews that had crucified Chriſt,Acts 2. 29. & 3. 17, 18, 19, 25. Brethren; not according to the fleſh, becauſe his kinſmen, but as children of the prophets and of the covenant. And if the Apoſtles might hold ſpirituall brotherhood with them who were impenitent, perverſe, rebellious, yea murderers of the Lord of life; why ſhould it be unlawfull to hold externall communion in the participation of the ſacraments with perſons ſcandalous and offenſive in courſe of life?
The common-wealth of Iſrael was a religious politie,Object. 1. and God eſtabliſhed them a people unto himſelf by covenant without exception;Robinſ. Againſt. Bern. pag. 101. & 82. and ſo long as the covenant ſtood undiſſolved on Gods part, though broken on theirs by their iniquity, they might hold communion one with another.
Religion ever ſince the fall of Adam is one and the ſame for ſubſtance,Anſw. though different in the manner of diſpenſation: the church from the beginning one and the ſame in common nature and eſſence, though different in the manner of government and meaſure of gifts fitted to ſeverall ages thereof.Robinſ Aga…ſt …. pag. 284. The myſteries are varied according to the times; but the faith whereby we live is in every age invariable. As God is unchangeable, ſo is his covenant one and the ſame, that excepted which was peculiar to the manner of diſpenſation; the confederates or members of the church by Gods approbation one and the ſame; and ſo the common nature and eſſentiall conſtitution of all true churches, from the beginning of the world to the end thereof.Robinſ. Againſt Bern. pag. 114, & 211. In all ages of the church the members of the church ought to be ſaints and holy; muſt be ſuch as they ought to be in ſome meaſure, or they ſhall not be approved of God. They are ſaints, Pſal. 50. 5. verſ 1….who have made a covenant with God by ſacrifice: But as for the wicked, they have nothing to do with the covenant. The end of the calling of the church is holineſſe to the glory of God,Luke 20. 26. at all times:Gen. 4. 26. and it is true in one age as well as another,Matth. 5. 16. that they who are utterly unanſwerable or1. Pet. 2. 12. clean contrary affected to the ends of the trueActs 2. 47. church, which are holineſſe and the glory of God, they are not called into covenant or communion with God. If in one age of the church the ſcriptures aſſcribe not holineſſe to a people for ſome fews ſake,Lev. 14. 46, 47. & 15. 4, 11, 12. if the reſt be unholy and profane, it aſſcribeth it to them in no age.Hagg. 2. 12, 13, 14. If in one ſtate of the church unclean perſons and things do pollute and unhallow clean perſons and things;1. Cor. 5. 6, 7. and a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump; it muſt hold true in every age in its proportion. And therefore if ignorant, unwiſe, impenitent, uncircumciſed in heart and life, rebellious and obſtinate in courſe and converſation, might be in externall covenant with God, and in that reſpect a ſeparated, holy and choſen people, with whom the faithfull might hold communion externall in the ordinances of worſhip, then it is lawfull for Chriſtians to partake in the ordinances of Gods worſhip though ſcandalous livers be admitted, with whom in partaking we muſt have externall communion. For if the ſcandalous were in covenant then, they may be ſo now: If communion with the wicked defile now, it defiled then: If the godly might then communicate becauſe they could not caſt out the ungodly, the ſame reaſon is good at this day: If the faithfull be bound to reprove their delinquent brother,Lev. 19. 17. and not ſuffer ſin to reſt upon him, the ſame duty did concern them in former times: If the ſacraments be now available and of uſe,Ger. 17. 7. 26. 4. according to the covenant of promiſe which God hath made to the faithfull and their ſeed, and none otherwiſe; as the ſacraments are one in their common nature, ſo in their uſe, available onelyonly to the children of the covenant at all times: If it be contrary to the main ends for which the Lord gathereth and preſerveth his church upon earth, that wicked and ungodly men ſhould be received into covenant, or permitted to continue in the ſociety of the faithfull, it was unlawfull in the Jewiſh as well as in the Chriſtian churches. And therefore if the church of the Jews, all this notwithſtanding, continued the true church of God, when it was corrupted in doctrine and manners, in officers and ordinances of worſhip;Jer 5. 31. when the teachers were dumb dogs and blind guides,Jer 9. 2, 3. the prophets propheſied lies, and the prieſts received gifts, and the people rebellious, adulterous, oppreſſours, an aſſembly of rebells;John 2. 16. when the prieſthood was bought and ſold,Matth. 15. 7, 8. 9. the temple defiled and made an houſe of merchandiſe, the law corrupted with falſe gloſſes,Iſa. 57. 3. & 1. 4. and made void with falſe and ſinfull traditions;Jer. 11. 14. when errour, hereſie, idolatry, oppreſſion, rebellion,Iſa. 50. 1. ſtubbornneſſe,Jer. 3▪ 11. & 13. 11. and all manner of ſin was exceeding rife among them: If when all theſe things were amiſſe and greatly out of order, they yet continued the ſheep of the Lords viſible flock, and the Lord was pleaſed to own them for his people, his flock, his inheritance; if they reteined ſtill the holy law of God and the ſeal of his covenant, and the prophets and faithfull ſervants of God held lawfull communion with the church in the ordinances of God: then the covenant of God is not diſannulled with his people becauſe ignorant and prophane perſons are tolerated in the aſſembly, nor the godly defiled becauſe ſcandalous perſons are ſuffered to communicate.
The word may be preached to heathen and infidels for their converſion.Object. 2. Paul preached the word to the ſcoffing Athenians and to the blaſphemous Jews,Acts 17. 22, 23. 32. and yet had no externall communion with them as with members of the ſame body.Acts 19. 8, 9.
The word may be preached to them that are without,Anſw. for their converſion to the faith; to them that be within the church by baptiſme and externall profeſſion, for their found converſion unto God, converſion from particular ſinnes, and building forward in grace and holineſſe. The word is preached to heathens and in…idels, but no communion with them is had thereby, becauſe they are not of the Chriſtian ſociety: But to ſcandalous perſons, firſt received into the church by baptiſme, and not caſt out by publick cenſure, the word is preached as unto members, and not as unto bare hearers; and they are admitted to the prayers of the congregation as well as to the hearing of the word, and that as members in outward covenant. Therefore it is an act of communion in ſome mens opinions.Robinſ. Against Bern. pag 79. To uſe one ordinance and not another, is to make a ſchiſme in the church: And as the preaching of the word, not the bare tender of the word, but the giving of it to dwell and abide with a people, is a note of a true church; ſo is the hearing of the word an act of communion with the church.
If the preſence of the wicked doth not defile Gods ordinance to the worthy receiver,Argum. 2. then it is lawfull to receive the ſacrament in a mixt congregation where ſcandalous perſons are admitted: (For what but pollution or defilement can warrant voluntary Separation and departure from the Lords ordinance?) But the preſence of the wicked doth not defile Gods ordinance to the worthy receiver.One of the church committeth ſome notable ſinne known to me alone, which (being dealt with by me) he denieth, & without two or three witneſſes the church may not proceed againſt him: I muſt therefore ſtill communicate with the church, & ſo with him as a member of it, Robinſ. The ſimple preſence doth not defile: For then the preſence of cloſe hypocrites and ſecret diſſemblers, who are in truth unworthy though they appear not ſo to us, ſhould pollute and defile. Not his knowledge of their unworthineſſe: For then Judas his preſence had ſtained the ordinance of God to our Saviour himſelf, to whom the unworthineſſe of Judas was well known: then one man ſhould be bound in conſcience to excommunicate another, or himſelf rather, before the matter be brought to the church; yea, for that which in conſcience cannot be brought unto the church. Not the notorious knowledge of their unworthineſſe; ſeeing he hath no power to repell them, nor leave from Chriſt to withdraw or ſeparate himſelf from the ſociety.Treat. &c. pag. 437. It is the duty of a godly man to withdraw himſelf from all private familiarity with the wicked,Eph. 2. 15, 16. and by no voluntary friendſhip to enſnare himſelf with them:Heb. 10. 25. But it is one thing to avoid the private ſociety of wicked men;Jude 19. verſe Phil. 2. 4. another, for the hatred of the wicked to renounce the publick communion of the church,See Lanch. De Eccl. pag. 129. and ſo of Chriſt, who is preſent with his people. The duties which I ow to a brother in this courſe I muſt perform; but privately excommunicate him, or ſeparate my ſelf from the congregation for his ſake, I muſt not, becauſe I have no charge from God no pattern from the godly ſo to do. My communion with the ſcandalous in that caſe is not free and voluntary upon mine owne head, but neceſſary in reſpect of duty enjoyned of God, through the enforcing law of meeting the Lord in his holy ordinances, and preſerving the unitie of the ſpirit in the bond of peace and love. If therefore the life be corrupt, not from corrupt doctrine, but contrary to the doctrine received, we muſt do as the prophets and holy ſervants of God did in thoſe corrupt times, pray, mourn, exhort, reprove, threaten, give good example, but we muſt not depart or ſeparate from the ſociety where Chriſt is preſent by his grace and holy ordinances. If becauſe ſome members of the body be broken, lame or diſeaſed, the reſt that are ſound ſhould forſake the unitie of the body, that were to deſtroy the whole and not to ſtrengthen it, utterly to overthrow, not to ſeek its recovery: One contagious ſinner let alone, not puniſhed, not reclaimed, may infect the whole congregation: and therefore every member muſt look warily to his own ſoul that he take no harm by ſuch bad example, and do his endeavour that ſuch incorrigible perſons be caſt out of the aſſembly: But the ordinances of grace are not defiled to the worthy receiver by the preſence of ſuch as ſhould be cenſured, nor muſt he withdraw himſelf from the holy things of God becauſe ſuch as ought not are ſuffered to partake, ſo long as Chriſt is pleaſed to bear with their manners, and to continue amongſt them for their refreſhing who in truth of heart draw nigh unto him.
If a brother be a fornicatour, Object. 1.the Apoſtle exhorteth us not to eat with him: 1. Cor. 5. 11.Which place doth not onelyonly forbid private and voluntary familiarity but religious alſo,Robinſ. Againſt Bern. pag. 258. and that both publick and private. Neither is there any reaſon, whether we reſpect the glory of God, or our own ſafety, or the avoiding of offenſe in others, or the ſhaming of the parties, why we ſhould avoid civil cōmunion with any and yet hold religious communion with them. Neither is voluntary ſociety to be oppoſed to religious: for no ſociety is ſo voluntary as that which is religious
All civil and private ſociety or commerce with a delinquent brother is not forbidden,Anſw. but familiar onelyonly. The Apoſtle teacheth not Chriſtians to be uncivil, but to abſtein from familiarity with ſuch, that they might be aſhamed.Epheſ. 5. 6, 7, 11. For to eat bread together is a token of love and friendſhip in phraſe of ſcripture:Pſal. 41. 9. not to partake of, or be ſhut from the table, a ſigne of familiaritie broken off. But there is not the ſame reaſon of breaking off private familiarity with an offender, and ſeparating from the Lords ordinances if he be admitted, whether reſpect be had to the glory of God, our owne ſafety, the avoiding of offenſe, or the good of the party fallen. For in coming to Gods ordinance we have communion with Chriſt principally, who hath called us thither, is there preſent by his grace and Spirit to bleſſe his ordinance; and with the faithfull, who are there met together at Gods commandment, in the name and by the authority of Jeſus Chriſt: With the wicked we have no communion, unleſſe it be externall and by accident, becauſe they are not or cannot be caſt out. Internall and eſſentiall communion we have with Chriſt and the faithfull onelyonly, externall with the wicked. Our communion with Chriſt and his faithfull people is not free and voluntary, but neceſſary; enjoyned by God, not left to our will or pleaſure: Our communion with the wicked in the ordinances is unwilling on our part, ſuffered not affected, if we knew how to hinder it lawfully. God requireth our attendance upon him in his holy ordinances, and to joyn with his voluntaries aſſembled, where he is preſent in the midſt among them: if we cannot appear before him, as duty bindeth, but we muſt have outward communion with the wicked, which ſhould be expelled,Our Saviour commandeth us to let the Phariſees alone, Matth. 15. 16. and yet to heare them, and do as they ſay, while they teach the truth but cannot be kept back by us, in this caſe our communion with God is free and voluntary, but our communion with the wicked is ſuffered onelyonly, or held in reſpect of the will and commandment of God, who requireth that ſervice at our hands. And if civil commerce with the wicked be not unlawfull when it is neceſſary, why ſhould externall communion in matters of religion defile,Matth. 23. 1, 2. when it cannot be avoyded but the worſhip of the moſt High muſt be neglected?Rainold, Conſ. with Hart, ch. 7. div. 4. God is not diſhonoured on our part when we obey his commandments:It is an offenſe taken and not given; ſeeing the thing is in it ſelf good, and in its kind commanded by God, and in that particular by men in authoritie, and directly tending to mine edification, Robinſ. Treat. pag. 20. the godly cannot juſtly be offended with that communion which God hath eſtabliſhed, and ratifieth with his own ſpeciall preſence: there is no danger in ſpirituall communion with Chriſt and his faithfull people, if we come to the ordinances in affiance, fear, humbleneſſe of mind, &c. as we ought: And as for the wicked, they can take no encouragement, if according to our place and office we exhort, admoniſh, rebuke and tell them plainly of the danger of their ſin; or if any be hardned thereby, his bloud ſhall be upon his own head. We have received commandment from God to exhort, admoniſh, rebuke, watch over one another according to our place and calling: but to excommunicate our ſelves becauſe ſuch as ſhould be cut off are ſuffered, or to withdraw our ſelves from the ordinances and to depart from Chriſt becauſe ſuch as hate to be reformed take the covenant into their mouthes, or to uſurp power to cenſure and excommunicate, which God hath not put into our hands; theſe things are neither commanded nor allowed of God. The wicked uſurp in that they intrude unto the Lords table: and the faithfull uſurp, if without authoritie they take upon them to expell the wicked, or depart themſelves: And if we ſearch the ſcripture, and move onelyonly as the Lord is pleaſed to go before us, we ſhall not find that a few private Chriſtians have authority in this caſe to do either. And hence appeareth an apparent difference betwixt externall communion with wicked men in the exerciſes of religion, and private familiaritie: For familiarity is merely arbitrary, not enjoyned but forbidden; affected, not admitted onelyonly in caſe of neceſſity or neceſſary attendance; nor ſuffered onelyonly that we might have fellowſhip with Chriſt and his Saints in his ordinances of worſhip; nor by accident onelyonly, as we cannot expell them, or withdraw our ſelves by the Lords leave and approbation. Draw this argument then into form, and it runneth thus; It is not lawfull to have private, needleſſe, arbitrary familiarity with ungodly men, who are called brethren: therefore it is not lawfull to repair to the ordinances of grace when the Lord calleth, nor there to have communion with Chriſt and his faithfull people, becauſe the wicked are permitted to be preſent, when yet we have neither power to repell them, nor leave of Chriſt to depart our ſelves. How looſe this conſequence is who doth not ſee?
A little leaven leaveneth the vvhole lump: Object. 2.One ſcandalous ſinner not reclaimed or caſt out polluteth the whole congregation:1. Cor. 5. 6. And men muſt not be blamed if they dare not dip in their meal,Robinſ. Againſt Bern. pag. 16. leſt they be ſowred with their leaven.
The compariſon of the leaven uſed by the Apoſtle is to be underſtood in likeneſſe of nature,Anſw. not in their equality of effecting:Gal. 5. 9. For leaven ſowreth naturally, and cannot but ſowre the meal: the godly may be hurt by the wicked, but it is not neceſſary. Therefore every member muſt look warily to himſelf, and do his endeavour to reclaim other, or that he may be caſt out, if notorious and incorrigible, but not withdraw himſelf from the ordinances of grace. The doctrine of the Goſpel is compared to leaven in reſpect of its efficacy:Matth. 13. 33. but all that heare it are not ſeaſoned by it, though it be a good means of ſeaſoning. The corrupt doctrine of the Phariſees is compared to old leaven:Matth, 16. 6, 12. but every one that heard it was not neceſſarily tainted with it. It is true, if the whole church ſhall bear with ſcandalous, notorious offenders, and do not their endeavour to bring them to repentance, or to have them caſt out, they are polluted and ſtained by their remiſſeneſſe & indulgence: and this is that which the Apoſtle preſſeth upon the Corinthians, that they ſhould give all diligence to clear themſelves,If the church ſee not that to be ſin vvhichwhich I ſee to be a ſin, I having informed the church thereof according to my place, I have diſcharged my duty, and the ſinne lieth upon the church, if it be a ſin, and not upon me, Robinſ. Treatiſ. Of the lawſ. &c. and prevent the danger which might come by their negligence. But if the church be remiſſe or ſlack, the private men who mourn for what they cannot amend, and labour conſcionably to diſcharge their duties, may not ſeparate from the communion or withdraw themſelves from the Lords table. For the Apoſtle, who blameth the Corinthians becauſe they ſuffered the inceſtuous perſon, doth never blame the faithfull for communicating with him before he was cut off, nor intimate unto them, that unleſſe he did amend they muſt abſent themſelves from their aſſemblies and holy exerciſes, or depart away being come together. They that have authority to debarre men from the ſacrament,The printers to the Chriſtian Readers. ſin, if wittingly or negligently they allow ſuch to approch as worthy gueſts to the Lords table who are known unto them notoriouſly to be unworthy: but if authoritie be wanting, if we have done the office of private Chriſtians, or publick miniſters, to communicate with the wicked outwardly in the worſhip of God is none offenſe.I partake not in the …ins of any, how great or manifeſt ſoever the ſins be, or how near unto me ſoever the perſons be, except the ſame ſins either be committed or remain unreformed by my fault. Othervviſe Chriſt our Lord had been inwrapped in the guilt of a world of ſins in the Jewiſh church, with which church he communicated in Gods ordinances, living and dying a member thereof, Robinſ. Treat. pag. 18. I anſwer to the examples of Chriſt and his Apoſtles; who as they abſtained from corruptions in the Jewiſh church, ſo were they quite ſeparated from all falſe churches, as the Samaritanes and others, Ainſworth, Conſid. exam. pag. 8. And thus the miniſter may reach the ſacrament to an unworthy communicant, and yet be innocent. For he doth not ſo much give it him, as ſuffer his communion, becauſe he hath not power or authority to put him back: He reacheth him the ſignes, as that which he cannot withhold, becauſe he is held in by the moſt prevailing power, without which he cannot be debarred. In this caſe the miniſter is neither actour nor conſenter in his admiſſion, becauſe he doth it not in his own name, but according to the order eſtabliſhed by God, who will not have any member of the congregation publickly denied his intereſt and right to the holy things of God by the knowledge will and pleaſure of one ſingular miniſter. If a miniſter know a man to be unworthy, he muſt yet receive him, becauſe he cannot manifeſt it to the church: And for the ſame reaſon, if his unworthineſſe be notorious, if it be not ſo judged by them that have authority, he muſt adminiſter the ſacramentall ſignes unto him, not as unto one worthy or unworthy, but as unto one as yet undivided from them.
A man is not onelyonly bound in his place to do his beſt for the reclaiming of his brother,Object. 3. but to ſee his place be ſuch as wherein he may orderly diſcharge the duties of admonition:Robinſ. Againſt Bern. pag. 246. otherwiſe both his practice and place are unlawfull. This is not ſufficient, that we labour by the beſt means to have manifeſt evils amended, except our places be ſuch, and we in ſuch churches, as wherein we may uſe the ordinary means Chriſt hath left for the amendment of things:Idem, pag. 16. otherwiſe our places and ſtandings themſelves are unwarrantable and muſt be forſaken.
If all places and ſtandings be unwarrantable wherein we may not uſe the ordinary means God hath left for the amendment of things,Anſw. then all places are unlawfull, wherein the greateſt part of the church at leaſt do not conſcionably diſcharge their duties, and of them which have greateſt authority: Then the Levites might not abide in their ſtandings when the prieſts neglected their office; nor the prophets when the prieſts and Levites had corrupted their wayes:1. Sam. 2. 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Then the people might not ſacrifice nor receive ſpirituall bleſſings by their hands when Eli's ſons had notoriouſly corrupted their wayes,Our Saviour provided beforehand, that we ſhould not refuſe good doctrine becauſe it was delivered by wicked men, nor the faithfull remain in ſociety when the prieſt and people both had corcupted the law, worſhip, offices, and manners. To ſpeak no more of abuſes; if this rule hold, no place or ſtanding in the church is lawfull, wherein three or more private perſons, who can make Peters confeſſion of faith, have not power of the keyes to receive into and ſhut out of the church,Aug. Epi. 165. & Tract. in Joan. 46. & De doctr. Christ. l. 4. cap. 27. to cenſure and determine authoritatively. And ſo it may well be queſtioned (to ſay no more) whether ever there was any lawfull ſtanding in a conſtituted church: Since the death of the Apoſtles, if they be put unto it, according to this poſition,The followers of Mr Robinſon complaining of ſome foure or five who left their ſociety, write thus; Which proceeding of theirs if it were approved of and followed, no church could long continue together in peace: For what theſe foure or five men have done, that may any other man do, ſo that if any man do conceive any of his brethren to walk in any ſuch ſin which he judgeth doth deſerve excommunication, if the church will not thereunto conſent, he may rent himſelf from the ſame, Robinſ. Treat. Of the lawfulneſſe &c. The printers to the Chriſtian readers. they muſt confeſſe there was never any. And conſidering the ignorance, infirmities, diverſities of opinions that be amongſt the godly, paſſions, diſtempers and corruptions, how is it poſſible but that the church muſt fall into as many ſchiſmes almoſt as there be men, if each man muſt renounce others ſtanding as unlawfull, wherein he conceiteth he is reſtrained of ſome power or hindred of ſome ordinary means which Chriſt hath left for the amendment of things.
No church in the world now hath that abſolute promiſe of the Lords viſible preſence which the church then had till the coming of Chriſt.Object. 4. It was ſimply neceſſary,Robinſ. Against Bern. pag. 248. that Meſſiah ſhould be born in the true church, wherein he might have communion and fulfill the law. The Lord did afford the Jews, even in their deepeſt apoſtaſie, ſome or other viſible ſignes of his preſence, and thoſe extraordinary when ordinary failed; thereby ſtill declaring himſelf to remember his promiſe. There was that onelyonly viſible church upon the face of the earth, tyed to one temple, altar, ſacrifice, prieſt hood, in one place;Idem, pag. 250 and no man could abſolutely ſeparate from that church but he muſt ſeparate from the viſible preſence and from all ſolemn worſhip of God. Moreover, the Jewiſh church had not that diſtinct eccleſiaſticall ordinance of excommunication which we now have; but that the obſtinate or preſumptuous offender was by bodily death to be cut off from the Lords people; the ſame perſons, namely the whole nation, being both church and common-wealth according to that ſpeciall diſpenſation.
Theſe obſervations rightly applyed do manifeſtly overthrow what hath been and is by others objected againſt communion with us in the worſhip of God.Anſw. For if it was abſolutely neceſſary that the Meſſias ſhould be born in the true church, wherein he might have communion, then a church corrupted in officers and offices, doctrine, worſhip and manners, may be a true church, wherewith the faithfull may hold communion without ſin; or at leaſt the faithfull may lie hid in ſuch a corrupt ſociety, and hold communion with them in the exerciſes of religion without ſin. And if the Jews had not power to caſt out an offender, the materiall part of that church was not viſible Saints, whom God was pleaſed to take into covenant, but the whole body of the Jewiſh nation, ignorant; impenitent, prophane, obſtinate, even all that were not cut off by bodily death; the ſacraments muſt not be diſpenſed according to the promiſe made to the faithfull and their ſeed, but promiſcuouſly to all that came of the loins of Jacob according to the fleſh; the faithfull might and ought to have communion, as one body, with the wicked and prophane, who remain in unbelief, and both revile and perſecute the truth; Then a company of impenitent ſinners might and did remain the true church, being to the judgement of men irrecoverable, then ſuch as are altogether averſe to the end of their holy calling, may be received into covenant; and though the ſociety be never ſo much ſowred with the unclean converſation of the ungodly, yet the faithfull may dip in their meal, and live in that ſociety without fear of pollution, diſhonour to God, encouragement to the wicked, or ſcandal to the brethren. And what then is become of the heaps of quotations whereby they would prove that the members of the church muſt be holy, viſible ſaints, a people converted, in covenant, ſeparated to the Lord, and that the church is onelyonly true whiles it continueth ſuch, and falſe when it degenerateth from this diſpoſition? and of their confident arguing, That if it were the will of God that perſons notoriouſly wicked ſhould be admitted into the church, then ſhould he directly croſse himſelf and his own ends, and ſhould receive into the viſible covenant of grace ſuch as were out of the viſible ſtate of grace, and ſhould plant ſuch in his church for the glory of his name as ſerved for none other uſe then to cauſe his name to be blaſphemed? That all true churches, from the beginning to the end of the world, are one in nature and eſſentiall conſtitution, and the firſt the rule of the reſt: and if it was not lawfull for the godly to contract with the wicked in the civil covenant of marriage, how much more in the religious covenant of the church? That God gave unto Abraham and to his family the covenant of circumciſion, which the Apoſtle calleth the ſeal of the righteouſneſſe of faith. And to affirm that the Lord would ſeal up with the viſible ſeal of the righteouſneſſe of faith any viſible unrighteous and faithleſſe perſon, were a bold challenge of the moſt High for the prophanation of his own ordinances? Theſe and many the like are broken to pieces by this obſervation, That the whole nation of the Jews, ſinfull, laden with iniquity, corruptours, revolters in courſe of life, were Gods ſeparated people by covenant, and might lay claim unto and could not be debarred from the viſible ſeals of the righteouſneſſe of faith, though in themſelves faithleſſe and unrighteous. And if it was no pollution to the Jews, to ſuffer notorious wicked ones amongſt them, ſo they diſcharged ſuch other duties as were enjoyned them by the Lord, becauſe they had not power to caſt them out; it is no pollution for private and particular Chriſtians, who have not the power of excommunication in their hand given unto them by Chriſt, to ſuffer ſuch as be ignorant and ſcandalous to communicate in the ordinances of grace with them, if they perform all other duties which God requireth at their hands. Moreover, if the Jews had not power to caſt out a wicked perſon, they had power to cut off the preſumptuous; and the neglect of the one is as inexcuſable as of the other: And ſo the whole controverſie turneth upon this one hinge, Whether one or two or ſome few private Chriſtians have power to caſt out and excommunicate whole ſocieties & churches for ſome remiſſeneſſe or abuſe in bearing with or admitting ſcandalous offenders in the ſocieties, ſo long as the doctrine of grace is purely taught, the ſacraments rightly adminiſtred for ſubſtance, Chriſt is pleaſed to tolerate and bear with their manners, continueth the viſible ſignes of his preſence among them, and is preſent by ſpeciall grace to bleſſe his ordinances to the worthy receiver. A few words one would think might ſuffice in this matter: but ſeeing the ſtrength of the cauſe lieth therein, in the chapters following it ſhall be handled more at large.
In the church of Corinth there were diviſions,Argum. 3. fects,1. Cor. 3. 3. emulations, contentions, and quarrels, and going to law one with another for every trifle,1. Cor. 6. 1, 2. and that under the infidels; Pauls name and credit was deſpitefully called in queſtion there,2. Cor. 10. 10. whom they ſhould have honoured as a father;1. Cor. 15. 12. the reſurrection of the dead (which is the life of Chriſtianity) was denied;1. Cor. 5. 1. that wickedneſſe was winked at there which is execrable to the very heathen;1. Cor. 11. 19, 20. the Lords ſupper was horribly profaned,2. Cor. 12. 20, 21. in that ſome came to it drunken; there was fornication and ſuch like ſins not repented of; things indifferent were uſed with manifeſt offenſe, and idolatry committed in eating at the tables of idoles meats ſacrificed to devils: Notwithſtanding all which abuſes that ſocietie is called and was the church of God, 1. Cor. 1. 2, 4▪ 9. & …. 23.and the faithfull did and might communicate with others without pollution. The Galatians had ſo farre adulterated the Goſpel of Chriſt that the Apoſtle telleth them they were removed to another Goſpel, pronounceth that they were bewitched,Gal. 1. 6. & 3. 1▪ & 5. 4. and if they ſtill perſiſted to joyn circumciſion and the works of the law with Chriſt, they were fallen from grace,Gal. 1. 2. and Chriſt could not profit them: and yet they are called churches of Galatia. Epheſus was extremely decayed in her firſt love;Revel. 1. 4. ſhe was not onelyonly cooled a little,Revel. 2. 14, 15▪ but had left it: In Pergamus there were ſome that held the doctrine of Balaam, and of the Nicolaitanes:Revel. 2. 20. In Thyatira the woman Jezebel was ſuffered to teach and ſeduce the ſervants of Chriſt:Revel. 3. 1, 2. Of Sardis the holy Ghoſt ſaith, ſhe had a name to live, Revel. 3. 20, 21 & 4.but was dead; her works were not perfect before God; there were but a few there who had not defiled their garments: Of Laodicea it is recorded that ſhe was neither hot nor cold, and then it is not hard to conceive how ſhe was overgrown with diſorders; and yet Chriſt was preſent with her by his grace, and the faithfull are exhorted to repent, or beware of her ſinne, and not to forſake her ſociety.Col. 2. 11, 16, 18. Of the abuſes in the church of Rome ſomething hath been noted before: Of corruptions and diſorders in other churches the ſcriptures give plentifull teſtimony:3. John 9, 10. But you ſhall never find that the faithfull are warned to ſeparate from the worſhip of God in theſe aſſemblies,Jam. 2. 1, 2. & 3. 1, 2. & 4. 1, 2, 3. but to keep themſelves pure and undefiled,Jude 12, 13. and labour the reformation of others by all means lawfull. In the primitive church after the apoſtles, the diſcipline of the church was in ſome caſes very ſevere, partly to prevent the abuſe of Gods ordinances, partly to maintein the dignitie and authority of the cenſures: nevertheleſſe the godly were compelled to tolerate many diſorders, which they could not redreſſe, not in doctrine and worſhip, but in manners and converſation.Iuſ…b. Hiſt. lib. 8. cap. 1. Cypr. De lapſ. §. 4. For as ſoon as Chriſtians began a little to breathe from the fear of bloudy perſecution, they fell into diſſolute idleneſſe, and began to nouriſh debate,Quia traditam nobis Divinitus diſciplinam pa… longa corruperat, jacentem fidem & penè dixe…m dormientem cenſura coeleſtis erexit. ſtrife, hatred, emulation, pride, &c. to heap ſinne upon ſinne, as might be proved at large by the complaints of the Fathers made of the ſinnes of the times, in all ſorts, miniſters and people, men and women. But it was and ever hath been the judgement of them who did ſo grievouſly complain of the ſinnes of their times, that the godly did not communicate with others in their ſinnes although they did continue with them in the communion of the ſacraments.Cypr. De lapſ. ſtudebant augendo patrimonio ſinguli, &c. Cypr. Epiſt. 51. ad Maxim. Etſi videntur in Eccleſia eſſe zizania, non tamen impediri dedet aut fides aut charitas noſtra, ut quoniam zizania eſſe in Eccleſia cerni…, ipſi de Eccleſia recedamus. And Epiſt. 52. Nobis autem ſecundùm fidem noſtram & Divinae praedicationis datam formam competit ratio verſicatis, unumquemque in peccato ſuo ipſum teneri, nec poſſe alterum pro altero reum fieri, cùm Dominus praemoneae. & dicat, Juſtitia juſti ſuper eum erit, et ſcelus ſcelerati ſuper eum erit. Aug. lib. 2. Contr. Creſcon. Gram. cap. 32. Non eſt Eccleſia deſerenda, tanquam frumenta propter paleam vel zizania, ſicut nec domus magna propter va… in honorata. & cap. …7. Auguſt. Contr. Donatiſt. cap. 20. Toleramus quae nolumus, ut perveniamus quò volumus, …tentes cautelâ praecepti Dominici, &c. Auguſt. lib. De fide & oper. Pernicioſa eſt audacia, ſtultáque praeſumtio, ſe ab Eccleſia ſeparate ob exempla quorundam malè moratorum, &c. And lib. 3. Contr. Par. cap. 2. Si contagio peccandi multitudinem invaſerit, non eſt illa excommunicanda, ſed Dei correctio exſpectati debet. Nam ſeparationis conſilia ſunt inania, pernicioſa, ſacrilega, impia, ſuperba, plùs pertûrbant infirmos bonos quàm corrigunt animoſos mal…s. See whit…k. De Eccl. qu. 1. cap. 10, 11. See Auguſt. Brevicul. Collat. And Aug. lib. 3. Cont. lit. Parmen. cap. 1. AUFERTE, inquit, MALUM EX VOBIS; ut ſi fortè non poſſent auferre malos à congregatione ſua auferendo, malum ex ſeipſis, id eſt, non cum ipſis peccando, nec iis ad peccandum conſentiendo aut favendo, integerrimi inter eos & incorruptiſſimi verſarentur.
If a church depart from the Lord by any tranſgreſſion,Object. 1. and therein remain irrepentant after due conviction, and will not be reclaimed, it manifeſteth unto us, that God alſo hath left it, and that as the church by her ſinne hath ſeparated from and broken covenant with God, ſo God by leaving her in hardneſſe of heart without repentance, hath on his part broken and diſſolved the covenant alſo. The Lord Jeſus threatneth the churches for leaving their firſt love and for their lukewarmneſſe,Robinſ. Against Bern. pag. 248. that he will come againſt them ſpeedily, and remove their candleſtick, that is, diſchurch them, except they repent, and ſpue them as lothſome out of his mouth.
It is true,Anſw. the Apoſtles mention corruptions in the churches with utter diſlike,Rom. 16. 17. ſevere reproof, and ſtrait charge of reformation:1. Cor. 5. 1, 4, 5. and the Lord Jeſus threatneth the churches for lukewarmneſſe and leaving their firſt love:1. Theſſ. 5. 14. But neither Chriſt nor his Apoſtles did ever blame the faithfull for holding communion in thoſe churches in the ordinances of worſhip,2. Theſſ. 3. 6. or give them charge to depart if diſorders and abuſes were not forthwith corrected and amended.1. Tim. 6. 5. Not to enquire what is due conviction,Rev. 2. 14, 16, 20. Not to enquire what is due conviction, or when a church is to be deemed obſtinately impenitent, it is moſt untrue, that the toleration of diſorders or maintenance of corruptions of ſome kind by ſome, yea by many in the church, is to us a manifeſt token that God hath left it. The hiſtory of the church from the very firſt plantation thereof unto this very day doth evidence, that many and foul abuſes, diſorders and corruptions have continued in the churches of God; when yet the Lord did not utterly take from them all tokens of his viſible preſence. This is confeſſed of the church of the Jews: And if they continued the church of God when they had broken covenant for their part, ſo long as the Lord continued the ſignes of his viſible preſence among them; how dare any man think or ſay that God hath utterly left or forſaken that people amongſt whom he dwelleth plentifully by the means of grace, and unto whom he imparteth the graces of his Spirit, though for their ſinnes they deſerve to be caſt off? The Lord is God and not man, therefore the ſonnes of Jacob are not confounded. The Jews at firſt were choſen to be the people of God, not for their righteouſneſſe, but of the rich grace and mercy of God: They continue to be his church, not for their righteouſneſſe, but according to his free and gracious promiſe: And ſo long as Chriſt doth of his mere grace and love bear with the manners of his church, and giveth her not a bill of divorce, it is not for men to ſay or judge that he hath utterly left and forſaken her. And ſeeing the faithfull muſt follow Chriſt, dwell with Chriſt and abide with him, ſo long as Chriſt doth dwell in the aſſembly by his preſence and plentifull means of grace it is not lawfull for them voluntarily to depart and break off communion.