Discourse of Right to Church-Communion, Title page – Errata
A Sober Diſcourſe OF RIGHT TO Church-Communion. Wherein is proved by Scripture, the Example of the Primitive Times, and the Practice of All that have Profeſſed the Chriſtian Religion: That no Ʋnbaptized perſon may be Regularly admitted to the Lords Supper.
By W. Kiffin a lover of Truth and Peace
Act. 2.41.
Then they that gladly received his Word were Baptized: and the ſame day there were added to them about three thouſand Souls.
Deut. 5.32.
Ye ſhall obſerve to do therefore as the Lord your God hath Commanded you, you ſhal not turn aſide to the right hand or to the left.
Col. 2.5.
Joying and beholding your order and the ſtedfaſtneſs of your Faith in Chriſt.
London, Printed by Geo. Larkin, for Enoch Proſſer, at the Roſe and Crown in Sweethings-Alley, at the Eaſt End of the Royal Exchange, 1681.
TO THE Chriſtian READER.
WHen it pleaſed God of his free Grace to cauſe me to make a ſerious inquiry after Jeſus Chriſt, and to give me ſome taſt of his pardoning Love, the ſence of which did ingage my heart with deſires to be obedient to his will in all things. I uſed all indeavers both by Converſe with ſuch as were able, and alſo by diligently ſearching the Scriptures, with earneſt deſires of God, that I might be directed in a right way of Worſhip; and after ſome time concluded that the ſafeſt way was to follow the Footſteps of the Flock (namely) that Order laid down by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, and Practiſed by the Primitive Chriſtians in their times, which I found to be; that after Converſion they were Baptiſed, added to the Church, and Continued in the Apoſtles Doctrine, Fellowſhip, Breaking of Bread, and Prayer; according to which I thought my ſelf bound to be Conformable, and having continued in the Profeſſion of the ſame for theſe forty years, although through many Weakneſſes, and Fears, Temptations, and Sufferings, yet not without ſome Witneſs from God of his gracious Acceptance and Strength to this very day: The ſence I have of my own Weakneſs and Inability, would have been a Bar to me to appear in this Publick way, did I not ſee a neceſſity lying upon me for the Truths-ſake, and the ſakes of many, by reaſon of ſome that have lately riſen up to weaken, if not make void that great Ordinance of Baptiſm, by indeavouring to maintain, that all perſons that Believe, although they neverdid, nor do Practice the ſame, may partake of the Ordinance of the Lords Supper, and all other Goſpel inſtituted Duties. A Notion, not only Contrary to the Primitive Pattern, but the Conſtant Practice of all that ever profeſſed the Chriſtian Religion, or that own the Scriptures to be the Rule of Faith and Practiſe; and it would be a happineſs to the Chriſtian Religion, if all that Profeſs the ſame, did in other things agree as they do in this, namely, that none ought to be Partakers of the Lords Supper, but ſuch as have been Baptiſed thoſe that differ; in this matter from them, would be found to be as few in Number as they are Weak in Argument, and although I am well ſatisfied that the performance of all Duties and Ordinances, will be of no value to any man, further than Chriſt is injoyed in them: the very Goſpel it ſelf Severed from Chriſt, will prove the Adminiſtration of Death, 2 Cor. 1.21. The Powerfuleſt Preaching, and the cleareſt Diſcourſe of the free Grace of God hath no Life in it, unleſs the ſoul be led by the Spirit to Chriſt, who is the Life of all Duties. Knowledge of the Truth, and Obedience to it in outward performances, will as little ſave a mans ſoul as the Covenant of Works. Yet every man that hath an intereſt in Chriſt, is bound by the Word of God to be obedient to all his Commands. It was the great Commendation of Zacharias and Elizabeth, That they walked in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameleſs, the Ordinance of Baptiſm is none of the leaſt, the very Foundation of Religion being comprehended in the Form thereof, as appeareth at large by the Worthy and Learned Dr. Owen, in his Book of the Divine Nature and Perſonality of the Holy Spirit, pag. 50. viz. All things neceſſary to this purpoſe, are compriſed in the ſolemn formof our Initiation into Covenant with God, Matth. 28.19. Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt Commands his Apoſtles to Diſciple all Nations, Baptiſing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt, this is the Foundation we lay of our Obedience and Profeſſion, which are to be regulated by this Initial ingagement pag. 51. No ſence can be afixed unto theſe words but what doth unavoidably include his Perſonality, we are alike Baptiſed into their Name, equally ſubmiting to their Authority, and equally taking the Profeſſion of their Name upon us. Again, By being Baptiſed into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt, we are Sacredly Initiated, and Conſecrated, or Dedicated unto the Service and Worſhip of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt; this we take upon us in our Baptiſm: herein lies the Foundation of all our Faith and Profeſſion with that ingagement of our ſelves unto God, which Conſtitutes our Chriſtianity; this is the pledge of our entrance into Covenant with God, and of our giving up our ſelves unto him in the ſolemn Bond of Religion. And concludes in pag. 52. If the Doctrineof a Trinity of Perſons ſubſiſting in the ſame undivided Eſſence, be not taught and declar in theſe words, we may juſtly deſpair of ever having any Divine Myſtery manifeſted unto us, I leave the Reader to peruſe it at large.
If this Ordinance of Baptiſm be the Pledge of our Entrance into Covenant with God, and of the giving up our ſelves unto him in the ſolemn Bond of Religion, and we are hereby Dedicated unto the ſervice of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, then muſt it of neceſſity be the Firſt Ordinance, before that of the Lords Supper. We may as well conclude a man may go into a Houſe before he Enters, and a man may be paid for his Goods, and afterwards receive Earneſt, as any may lawfully partake of the Lords Supper before he is Baptized. And if we are ſacredly Initiated and Conſecrated, or Dedicated unto the Worſhip of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, as that Text Matth. 28,19. ſheweth we are, and take this upon us in our Baptiſm, and thereby owning the Spirit to be God, equal with the Father, and the Son, as that Faith which is to be exerciſed by us in all other Ordinances, than the admit…ing of perſonsto the Lords Supper, and other Inſtituted Duties, before they are Baptiſed, doth greatly weaken this main Argument of the Spirits being God, at leaſt in the Practice of theſe Goſpel Duties, for from what Scripture will it be made appear, that he is ſo to be owned in them, if ye partake of them before, or without being Baptiſed? if this be laid as the Foundation of all our Faith, and Profeſſion, which are to be built upon in all our Profeſſion, if it be omited, the ſtructure muſt needs be weak, we had need rather to have our Faith ſtrengthened in the belief of ſo great and eſſential a Truth as the Divine Eſſence of the Spirit is, by the uſe of all means appointed to that end.
Mr. Francis Cheynel in his Learned Treatiſe, of the Divine Trinity, Printed 1650. pag. 258. quotes it as the Judgment of Iraeneus, Tertullian, Athanaſius, Baſil, and others of the Ancients, That the Principal Fundamentals of the Chriſtian Faith is Contained in the Form of Baptiſm, and founded on Matt. 28.19. And in page 185. tells us, If any man in Athanaſius's time asked, how many perſons Subſiſt in the Godhead, they were wont to ſend him to Jordan, and there you may hear and ſee the bleſſed Trinity. Matt. 3.16. in pag. 381. God the Holy Ghoſt is to be obey'd, we are devoted to his Service in Baptiſm. And pag. 430. In Baptiſm we Chriſtians are devoted and Conſecrated to the Belief, Worſhip, and Service of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghoſt. By which we may ſee, what Eſteem the Antients had of that Ordinance, and great Reaſon there is for every Chriſtian to be found in the Practice thereof, ſeeing they are thereby Baptized into Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, as the firſt Foundation of our viſible Profeſſion of Chriſt; for as Repentance is the Viſible initiating grace; ſo Baptiſm is called the Baptiſm of Repentance as the firſt initiating Ordinance.
I have for the ſatisfaction of All, indeavoured in the following Eſſay to clear this truth both from Scripture and Example, as alſo to produce the Judgment of the Learned in all Ages. As for our Modern Divines, you have their own words ſet down faithfully by me, and as for thoſe who are more Ancient, I have requeſted a Friend to Tranſlate the ſame, which I doubt not but is done Impartially. And although I may expect to meet with Cenſures from ſome who will be ready to chargethe Truth herein with Ʋncharitableneſs and to be of a dividing Nature; yet I can with comfort and ſincerity of heart in the Preſence of God declare, I have no other deſign, but the preſerving the Ordinances of Chriſt, in their purity and Order as they are left unto us in the holy Scriptures of Truth; and to warn the Churches To keep cloſe to the Rule, leaſt they being found not to Worſhip the Lord according to his preſcrib'd Order he make a Breach amongſt them, neither are you preſented with any new Opinion, but that which hath been the Judgment of all that have Profeſſed the Chriſtian Religion in all times; ſo that what Cenſure any ſhall make upon it, reſpects not us only, but the ſervants of God of all Perſwaſions in all Ages, and for my ſelf, as I have a witneſs in my own Conſcience, ſo I doubt not but I have the ſame alſo with thoſe that know me, that I have made it a great part of my Duty, as I have had opportunity, to perſuade all Chriſtians to Love and Peace, to avoid judging, and reproching each other under their differing Perſwaſions, to turn their Heats and Paſſions, which hath greatly abounded in our days one againſt another, into Prayer, and Supplication … for another, that although they differ in their Light, it may not make any breach in their Love; He that knows moſt of the mind of God, knows but in part, for who art thou that judgeſt another mans ſervant? I ſhall trouble you no farther, but leave the peruſal of this ſmall Eſſay to thy ſerious conſideration.
Thine in the Service of Chriſt, W. K.
ERRATA.
PAge 7. line 23. read Waldenſes. p. 13. margent for ſupra r. fruſtra, p. 18. l. 8. r. practiſers. p. 35. l. 20. r. diſpenſed. p. 47. l. 19. dele of. l. 24. for at r. until. p. 57. l. 5. r. The Rule. p. 70. l. 11. r. principles. p. 75. margent l. 4. r. that they. p. 83. l. 14. r. Suſpiciens. p. 85. l. 15. r. Catechumens. p, 86. l. 11. r. Yet the. l. 23. r. except. p. 89. r. Baptiſm. for p. 89. r. 87. for 92. r. 90. for 93. r. 91. for 96. r. 94. for 97. r. 95. where line 9. r. But. l. 11. r. Baptizing. p. 97. l. 11. r. Initiation. p. 108. l. 1. r. Judgment. p. 109. l. 23. r. of Chriſt Commonly. p. 110. l. 18. r. conſequence. for p. 211. r. 112. where l. 24. r. to joy in beholding. laſt l. r. none. p. 118. l. 16. dele others, p. 132. l. 11. for firſt r. later. p. 136. l. 19. dele to p. 140. l. 21. r. choice of. l. 22. r. inforce. p. 148. l. 10 for ſheet r. ſtreet. p. 153. l. 12. r. by the. p. 158. margent l. 9. dele one Law. p. 144. laſt l. for But r. By. Litteral eſcapes and miſpointings are left to the Candor of the Reader, to Correct or Pardon.