The Communion of Saints, Chapter 23
CHAPTER XXIII.
How farr the Saincts may hold & walk in communion togither, if offences be not removed.
IT falleth often out, through the default and neglect of churches, that the foresayd law & power of Christ is not duly practised, but synners suffred and wincked at, yea sometimes justified and vpheld▪ by reason wherof, al kind of iniquitie wexeth & aboundeth, to the dishonour of God, the reproch and grief of men. The duties therfore of the Saincts, what then they are to doe themselves, & what to bear in others, is needful to be considered: for their covenant with the church, perswadeth them †Ephe. 4. 3.to peace and concord, and not to schisme or rent away from the fellowship; again their covenāt with God, bindeth thē to the obedience & keeping of Deut 8. …. Eph. 5. 7. 11 Prov. 4. 26. 27.al his cōmandements, with reproof of, and departure from al evil.
2. In this straight, regard is to be given, first vntounto the cause & thing it self, which is done or suffred amisse; secondly vntounto the handling therof, & dealing about the same. For the cause it self, that in questions and disputable controversies the Saincts bear one with anothers *Rom. 14. 1. 2. &c. & 15 1. Philip. 3. 15.infirmities & diversitie of judgement, especially for the present, til the truth be tried out, eyther among themselues, or by the help of other churches; which was the practise ‡Act 15. 1. 2. &c.in th' Apostles dayes; as also in Moses law, for hard and doubtful matters, the people dispersed through their cities & tribes had †Deut. 17. 8 9. 2 Chron. 19. 8.ayd of the Senate in Ierusalem. In this case therfore al Christiās should mind yt coūsel of Gods wisdome, Rom. 12. 16not to be wise in thēselves; †Philip, 3. 15if they be otherwise minded, God shal revele even the same vntounto them, they know not perfectly *1 Cor. 13. 9 10.but in part. Or if it be a personal controyersie, that as much as they may, they fulfil Christs law to Gal. 6. 2.bear their brothers burden, & procure their own glorie, Prov. 19. 11bypassing by an offence: rather to *… Cor, 6. 7.suffer wrong & susteyn harm, then by strife and contention to cause reproch; remembring his counsel which sayd, *Eccles. 7. 1… ▪be not iust overmuch. But if the doctrine be ‡1. Tim. 1. 3. 4. & 4. 1. 2. &c. Tit. …. 9 10. Iude. 3.erroneous, and pernitious for the infecting of mens sowles, and withdrawing them from the faith; if the practise be †1 Cor. 5. Col. 2. 18. 1 Cor. 10 6. … 8. 14.wicked, superstitious, or idolatrous, violating Gods covenant, injuring their brethren, or defiling themselves, to the slander of the Gospel; then al the Saincts must neyther suffer (so far as is in their power,) nor partake at al in any such evil. Yet before they make any breach or departure from the Church, they are to vse al meanes †Heb. 12. 14 Philip. 2. 3. 1 Cor. 16. 14 & 14. 40.in holy, meek, peaceable, and orderly manner, for their redresse, as is Chap. 22.before shewed.
3. That transgressions may not be suffred in churches, the reasons in the former chapter alleged, doe prove; and may further be confirmed by the reproof that Christ sent to the Angels and Churches of Pergamus & Thyatira, for †Rev. …. 14. …5. 20.having and suffring false teachers among thē, yt drew the people into syn; of this fault they were willed to *vers. 16.repent, or els he would fight against them with the sword of his mouth; and vers. 23.kil their children with death. And such as had kept themselves from these corruptions, were *vers. 24. 25 26.willed to hold first that which they had, vntounto the end▪ On the other hād, he p…vsus…d ye Ephesians, that they could not †vers. 2.bear with thē which wer evil, but had tried & found out false Apostles. And this m…rke Solomon set on them that keep the law, that ‖Prov. 28. 4they wil set themselves against the wicked.
4. And that the Saincts may not for fellowship with the church or any members therof, doe any evil thing, eyther in Gods worship or th'affayres of man; the verie form of the law given to them▪ al jon…y & severally sheweth; for God speaketh to every sowl apart, ”Exod. 20.Thou shalt have no other Gods before my face; and …o in al the other precepts. And least by the error of many, any should be withdrawen from this obedience; he gav another expresse law, †Exod. 23. ….Then shalt not follow a multitude to doe evil. After that, when corruption spred among the people, he sayd ‖Hos. 4. 15.though thou Israel play the harlot, yet let not Iudah syn. And so farr ought al to be from synning for company, as they should say with …aak…b, *Gen. 49. ….into their secret let not my sowl …me; my glory be not thou ioyned with their assemblie; and with David should ‡Psal. 26. …. 6.hate the assemblie of the evil, and not s…t with the wicked, but wash their hands in innocencie, & compasse the Lords altar; for howsoever men joyn togither in syn, yet …and in band ”Prov. 11. 2… ▪the wicked shal not be unpunished; the sowl that synneth †Ezek. 18. 4.it shal die; & whither it be ‖Deut. 29. 18 19. 20.… or womā or family or tribe, whi… shal turn their hart away from th… Lord, and so persist, blessing th… selves in their evil; he will not be mercifull to such a person, but p… out his name frō vnderunder heavē. A… the Lord when he taketh his … the hand, teacheth them *Isa. 8. 11. 13… walk in the way of such people, b… to sanctify and fear him. This then is the duty of every sowl, that they keep themselves pure, and refrayn from al wickednes, that so th… prayse of Iudah may come vponupon them, which ‡…os. 11. 12.yet …led with God … was faithful with the Saincts, when Ephraim compassed the Lord with lies, … the howse of Israel with deceyt. So also shall their reward be with those ”Rev. 3. 1. … ▪few names in Sardi (which church had a name that it lived, but was dead,) which had not defiled their garments, and should walk with Christ in whites, for they wer worthy.
5. Moreover the Saincts must hav a care of their communion in the church, that by reason of their brotherhood & corporation, they †1 Tim. 5. 2….partake not with other mens syns. True it is, that some hypocrites wil cary them selves so cunningly, that they can hardly be discovered or avoyded, howsoeuer in godly gealousie they may be suspected; such must be born with patience, til their synnes be ripe. And it appeareth, that the Apostles themselves were much troubled with such, whom they theifore caled ‖2 Cor. 11. 13. 14. 15.deceiptful workers, for that they could, (like Satan) transforme thēselves into the Apostles of Christ, and ministers of righteousnes; and these sought *vers. 12.occasion against the faithful servāts of God, & would impurely, ‡Philip. 1. 15 16.even of envy and strife; preach Christ, supposing to add more afflictiō to their band… neyther hath the church in any age bene without such tares; whose judgement is with the Lord not farr off, and their damnation sleepeth not. But if their wickednes be apparant, they must eyther be reclaymed frō their syn, or rejected: otherwise the whol church may be †1 Cor. 5. 6.levened, and in fault also, as before is proved. And when eyther in Gods worship, corruptions ar admitted; or the open wicked suffred vnamended: al the godly ought not onelyonly to reprove and witnesse against these evils, but refrayn frō partaking with the church in them. So did the prophets, and holy men of old themselves; & so they taught others. Whē false worship was set vp in the churches, they warned the people ‖Hos. 4. 15.not to come there; when false prophets taught, *Ier. 23. 16.not to hear them; yea though they were their own children, ‡Zech. 13. ….to thrust them through when they prophesied. And generally for al iniquity against God & men, they taught every one †Ezek 18. 10 11. 12. 13. 20.to refrayn as they loved their lives and salvation; to ‖Vers. 30. 31.turne themselves, and cause others to turn from al their transgressions; because they should be judged every one according to his wayes. Herevpon the godly when they could not reclaim their brethren, both *Ezek. 9. 4.mourned and cryed for al the abominations done amōg them, and also ‡Isa. 59. 15.refreyned from evil, wherby they made thēselves a prey to the wicked; who †Isa. 66. 5.hated them & cast them out for Gods name sake; yet they again were taught to ‖Ezek. 23. 45iudg them after the manner of harlots; to *Hos. 2. 2. 30 4.plead with their mother (the Church) that she was not the wife of the Lord, nor he her husbād, but for her adulteries she should be slain, & her children vnpittied, if she took not away her fornications out of her sight. And in Ieremies dayes the Lord asketh ‡Ior. 11. 15.what his beloved should tary in his howse, seeing it had cō mitted abomination with many? and the holy flesh, (that is the flesh ”Hag. 2. 13. 14. 15.of the sacrifices,) was gone away from them, (being defiled by ther impure actiōs, & therfore rather to be †Lev. 7. 19.burnt with fyre then eaten of any man;) for when they did evil, they reioyced; so that it wer better for every Godly one to separate, then communicate with that worship, where (as another *Isa. 66. 3.Prophet sayth,) the sacrificing of bulloks & sheep, was as if they had slayn a man, or cut off a doggs neck, or offred swines blood, and the memorie of incense, as if they blessed an Idol; they having chosen their own wayes, and their sowl delighting in their abominations. In like manner did Christ informe his Apostles, and they the churches; that they should not admitt of any erroneous doctrines, or partake in any evill act with the Scribes and Pharisees, but ”Mat. 15. 1….let them alone like blind guides, and ‡Act. 2. 40.save themselves from that froward generation; to †Eph. 5. 7.have no fellowship with the vnfruitful works of darknes; to *1 Tim. 6. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 5.separate, and turn away frō false teachers, & evil doers; to ‡1 Iohn. 4. 1.trie the spirits, & having tried al things, to keep only ”1 Thes. 5. 3…that which was good; to refuse all fellowship with false teachers, †2 Iohn. 10.not to receiv them to howse, nor bid them God speed; to hold such accursed as should preach *Gal. 1. 8. 9.otherwise then they had received of the Apostles; And generally not to ‡Rev. 18. 4.partake in the synns of others, that they receyved not of their plagues.
6. By which and many other like scriptures, we ar taught, not to keep cōmunion with people or church, in any open or knowen wickednes, against eyther table of Gods law; for that were to honour man morethen God. Our fellowship is in the †1 Ioh. 1. 6. 7light, not in darknes; neyther is it good walking to speak against faults in others, and our selves ‖Psal. 50. 16. 17. 18.doe the same with thē how should our reproofs or admonitions be regarded of men, when the *Mat. 7. 3. 4beam is in our own eye, and our works doe ‡Tit. 1. 16.more justifie, then our words can condemne them? The prophets of old, our saviour, and his Apostles, ar never found eyther to doe, or ioyn in the doing of any vnlawful thing, for which they blamed their peoples: in like weise must we walk; els shal we be inexcusable before God and men; for (as itis written,) †Rom. 2. 1.he that iudgeth another and doth the same things, condemneth himself.
7. And in our assemblies wher Gods ‖Psal. 19. 7.presēce is, ought our holines, fear, and obedience, most to shine; & al evil things most be shunned: wher by reasō of our near cōjunction, & cōmunion, the cōtagion of syn may spread over al. For there all ar one loaf, & one body, *1 Cor. 10. 17because we ar al partakers of one bread. And if the wicked partake with vsus, neyther we nor the holy things can sanctifie thē; but contrariwise they defile vsus and every thing they touch, as the law saith ‡Num. 19. 22.whatsoever the vnclean person toucheth shalbe vnclean, and the person that toucheth him, shalbe vnclean. And this touching, figured our fellowship togither in the Church, as the Apostle †2 Cor. 6. 14 15. 16. 17.sheweth; & by this, the prophet Haggai convinced the people of Israel to be ‖Hag. 2. 14. 15.vnclean in Gods sight, they and al their works and sacrifices. Wherfore streight *Levit. 22.lawes were given to that nation, as wel preists as people, evē vpō payn of ‡vers. … ▪death, that none in his vncleannes should ‡Levit. 22 3.touch the holy thinges of the church, for that was not onelyonly a defiling of the †vers. 15.things themselves, but of Gods ‖vers. 2, &. 52.name also. For avoiding wherof, the Priests were to *Ezek. 44. 23teach the people how to discerne between holy and profane, clean and vnclean Which if they did, and took away the precious frō the vile, then were they as ‡Ier. 15. 19.Gods mouth: otherwise, when they put no difference between holy and profane, they †Ezek. 22. 26broke Gods law, & defiled his holy things; for which cause, he powred out ‖vers. 31.his indignation vponupon them. And now that al Christians ar made *Rev. 1. 6.Priests vntounto God, even a ‡2 Pet. 2. 9.kingly priesthood to †Rev. 5. 10.reign vpō earth, & hav the ‖1 Cor. 5. 4.power of Christ, to judge al that are *vers 12.within the church, & ‡vers. 13.cast out the wicked from among them: they ought to †1 Cor. 7. 23. … 5. 1.reteyn and vse their power, to execute the Psal. 149. 9.judgement that is written; and as the priests of old, to ‖Ezek. 44. 24.keep Gods lawes and statutes in al his assemblies, or els to *Isa 52. 11.depart frō among them.
8. For if any church or people, violate Gods covenant, by synning against him, & one against another: and if their ears ‡Ier. 6. 10.be vncircumcised that they cannot harken to admonition, nor be †vers. 15.ashamed when they hav committed abomination; but despising the word, walk stubbornly with God, & wil not be reclaymed: thē they that were ”Mic. 2. 8.yesterday Gods people, ar risen vp for an enimy, & he wil walk *Levit. 26. 28stubbornly in anger against thē, & his ”vers. 30sowle wil abhorr them, he wil bring their †vers. 31.sanctuary to nought, and wil not smel the savour of their sweet odours; the incense of their prayers is ”Isa. 1. 13. Prov. 15. 8.an abominatiō vntounto him; he *Amos. 5. 2…hateth, he abhorreth their feast dayes, and wil not smel in their solemne assemblies; both ”Ier 7. 15.them and the howse which he had hallowed for his name, wil he †1 …ing. 9. 7.cast out of his sight, and Rev. 2. 5.remove the candlestick out of his place; the Lord of hosts *Ier. 11. 17.that planted thē, pronounceth a plague against them, he wil take Mat. 21 43his kingdome from them, & give it to a nation which shall bring forth the fruits therof, and their ”Mat. 23. 38.habitation shall be left vntounto them desolate. He will do vntounto them as he threatneth by his prophet, †Hos. 9. 15.For the wickednes of their inventions I wil cast them ou… of my honse, I wil love them no more; & againe vers, 17.my God will cast them away because they did not obey him. For *… Sam. 15. 23rebellion is as the syn of witch craft, and transgression is wickednes and idolatrie; seing they have cast away the word of the Lord, therfore he casteth away thē; the curse is ‡Da…. 9. 11.powred vponupon them, and the oth that is written in the Law. For God proclaymeth, ”I…r. 11. 3. 4.Cursed be the man, that obeyeth not the words of this covenant, which I cōmanded your fathers, saying, obey my voyce, and do according to all these things which I cōmand you, so shall ye be my people, and I wil be your God: And his servants answer and say, †vers. 5.Amen ô Lord. Thus the curse devoureth the land, of that Assemblie or people, and the inhabitants therof ar desolate, for that Isa. 24. 5. 6.they trāsgressed ye lawes, chāged the ordinances, & brake the everlasting covenāt; & then the Lord sweareth and sayth, ‖Amos. 6. 8.I abhorr the excellencie of Iaakob, and hate his pallaces.
9. Then they, that cried out against their abominations, ar †Ezek. 9. 4. 6marked and saved from destruction; a book of ‡Mal 3. 16.remembrance, is written before the Lord, for them that fear him, and think on his name, & they shalbe vntounto him ”vers. 17.for a flock, and he wil spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him; they †Mal. 3. 18.shal discern between the righteou… and the wicked; vntounto them shal ”Mal. 4. 2.the sun of righteousnes arise, with health vnderunder his wings, and they shall *Ger. 3.tread down the wicked as dust vnderunder the soles of their feet. Thus the redeemer wil come ‡Isa. 59. 20.vntounto thē that turn from iniquitie in Iaakob; & he wil leav in the mids of it, an ”Zeph. 3. 1…. …3.humble and poor people, and they shal trust in his name, and the remnant of Israel shall do no iniquitie nor speak lies: And over them will the Lord †Ger. 17.reioyce with joy, he wil quiet himself in his love, even with joy wil he rejoyce over them.
The Lord preserveth al them that love him▪ but he wil destroy al the wicked.
Psalm. 145. 20.