Discourse of Right to Church-Communion, Preface
THE PREFACE.
WHat was Praiſe-worthy in thoſe Primitive Chriſtians, to whom the Apoſtle Paul writes, 1. Cor. 11.2. Can be no Blemiſh, but really a Duty in other Chriſtians, in after times, to imitate; his words are, I praiſe you, Brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the Ordinances as I delivered them to you: our Tranſlation of the *foreign.Greek Word (rendring it Ordinances) is excepted againſt by ſome Papiſts, eſpecially GregoryMartin, reputed a great Linguiſt in the Rhemiſh Seminary, who would have it Tranſlated (Traditions) to countenance the Romiſh Opinion; to which ſhall be oppoſed that the Greek Word ſignifies indeed Tradition, that is in Engliſh, a Delivery, viz. of Doctrines, Ordinances, Inſtructions, or Inſtitutions, 2. Theſſ. 2.15. by thoſe Evangelical Preachers to their Auditors, which is nothing elſe but the Doctrine of the Goſpel firſt Preached, (which is of the greateſt and higheſt Authority,) and afterwards committed to writing by the Evangeliſts and Apoſtles, as ſtanding Records to future Ages; ſo that any Traditions, beſides what is written, are juſtly to be excepted againſt, and (in matters relating to Divine Worſhip) to be eſteem'd Apocryphal. Becauſe a Delivery of Tranſactions or Doctrines by Anceſtors to Poſterity by word of Mouth, is liable to many miſtakes and uncertainties, by reaſon of the different conſtitutions and circumſtances of men, who frequently introduce that Authority to colour their Inventions, or the product of their imaginary Fancies, with reſpect to Divine Matters. Though it is very apparent that ſuch a Rule is not at all ſelf-evidencing, for it cannot prove it ſelf; noris it Demonſtrative, for it has no certain Medium to Convince; nor Univerſally True in all times and places, becauſe Reports vary every where; neither is it Unerring, being no where ſtampt with that Character; and laſtly not Plain, for no doubting perſon can poſſibly examine all Traditions. Now theſe are ſome of the properties of a General Rule to try Controverſies by, which being wanting in Oral Traditions, the word cannot here be underſtood otherwiſe than by Ordinances or Inſtitutions of the Goſpel *So the S…ack, Verſion, & Vatablus, render it.Recorded in the Scriptures, which were given for our Inſtruction, 2 Tim. 3.16. written by the immediate Dictates of the Spirit; preſerved by the gracious Providence of God in the Church, from the injuries of Time, Ignorance, and Fraud, through all Ages; they have been kept with much greater care, than any other Books, Tranſlated into all Languages, retained both by Orthodox and Hereticks, diligently obſerving and watching each other, ſo that there could not poſſibly hapen any remarkable variation or alteration in them, but that preſently the whole world would have exclaimed againſt it.
Mans Nature is very prone to be medling with things beyond his Commiſſion, whichhas prov'd the very peſt and bane of Chriſtianity; for notwithſtanding that dreadful prohibition, Rev. 22.18,19. of adding to, or taking from his word, is not Europe full of pernicious Additions and Subtractions in the Worſhip of God, which are impoſed as Magiſterially as if enſtampt with a Divine Character, though in themſelves no other than (as Chriſt himſelf calls them) the Traditions of men! Matth. 15.3. It is a ſuperlative and deſperate piece of audacity for men to preſume to mend any thing in the Worſhip of God; for it ſuppoſes the All-wiſe Law giver capable of error, and the attempterwiſer than his Maker. And if Soveraign Princes and Worldly States be ſo jealous of their Prerogatives and reſpective Rights, that they will (to the utmoſt hazard) repel any Invader: If men be diſpleaſed to have their Laws undervalued by the private Judgments of thoſe who rather Interpret than obey them: Chryſoſt. in Rom. Hom. 2.If the Conqueſt of an Enemy againſt the Command of his General, coſt a Roman Gentleman his life, though his own Father were the Judge: Briſton, de Reg. Perſ. lib. 1.If the killing of a Lion contrary to the Laws of the Kings Hunting (though to reſcue the King himſelf) coſt a poor Perſian his Head: If the Architect that brought not the ſame (but as he judged a fitter) piece of Timber than he was commanded, to a Roman Conſul, was rewarded with a bundle of Rods. If *Levit. 10.1,2.Nadab and Abihu came to a Tragical end for their prohibited ſervice, in offering not the ſame that was commanded, but ſtrange fire before the Lord; what ſhall we ſay to ſuch as mix their Inventions with the Sacred Inſtitutions and Preſcripts of the Great unerring Soveraign? When the ſame perſon who is to perform the Obedience, ſhall dare to appoint the Laws? Implying a peremptory purpoſe of no further obſervance than may conſiſtwith the allowance of his own Judgment? Whereas true Obedience muſt be grounded on the Majeſty of that Power that Commands, not on the Judgment of the Subject, or benefit of the Preſcript propoſed; not ſo much from the Quality of the things Commanded, as from the Authority of him that Inſtitutes. Is not ſuch a Practice an Invaſion upon Chriſts Prerogative? Do not ſuch men make themſelves (as it were) Joynt Authors of his Ordinances? And may it not be truly ſaid that whoever Practices any Inſtitution otherwiſe than as was appointed by the Supreme Law-giver, does not Honour the Ordinance, but an Idol of his own making? Mixtures are uſeful for two purpoſes; viz. Either to ſlaken and abate ſome thing that is exceſſive, or to ſupply ſomething that is deficient: and ſo all Heterogeneous mixtures do plainly intimate, either a Viciouſneſs to be Corrected, or a Defect to be Supplyed. Now it is no leſs than Blaſphemy to charge either of theſe upon the Pure and Perfect Word of God, and any Gloſſes that take away or diminiſh the force of it, or human Traditions that argue any defect, are equally dangerous and impious. To ſtamp any thing of a humane Original with aDivine Character, and father it upon God, is one of the higheſt and moſt daring Preſumptions the Pride of man can aſpire unto, and is provided againſt by ſpecial prohibitions and threatning, Deut. 12.32. and 18.20. Jer. 26.2. Prov. 30.6.
When that queſtion ſhall be askt, Who hath required this at your hands? I doubt it will be no ſufficient plea to ſay, That if we have erred in any Punctilio's of Divine Truth, it was for Peace and Unions ſake, &c. For, No motions of Peace are to be made or received with the loſs of Truth: Nor may the Laws, Orders, and Preſcriptions of Chriſt be altered,or varyed, in any tittle, upon any pretence whatſoever, God having never given any ſuch Prerogative to mankind, as to be Arbitrators how he may be beſt and moſt decently Worſhiped.
It is not to be queſtioned but all Proteſtants, or any ſober impartial Perſons, that bear any Reverence to the Divine Majeſty and his holy Word, will readily own theſe General Theories, which are ſo ſelf-evidencing, that if any gainſay them, he does at the ſame time ſtrike at the Majeſty, Wiſdom, and Authority of GOD, the moſt daring and deſperate Enterprize in the World.
Now this being (as it muſt be) granted, viz. That no part of Gods Law, or Worſhip, whether we reſpect the Manner or Form, or the Matter and Subſtance thereof, is to be altered without the expreſs Order and Direction of GOD Himſelf; It will lead us to a Sober Enquiry, Whether the Opinion here examined, be grounded upon the Law and Word of God. To do which, for Methods ſake,
Chap. 1. We will ſtate the Queſtion.
Chap. 2. We will propoſe ſome Reaſons why Unbaptiſed Perſons may not be admitted to the Lords Supper.
Chap. 3. We will produce ſome Scripture-Demonſtrations to evidence that ſuch a Practice (viz. ſo to admit them) is not Evangelical.
Chap. 4. We will ſhew that it is againſt the Practice and Judgment of all Chriſtians that have owned Ordinances, for above Sixteen hundred Years.
Chap. 5. We will Anſwer Objections.
In the proſecution of which Heads, we ſhall labour to ſift out Truth Impartially, propoſe our own Judgment candidly and plainly, without the leaſt Reflection upon, or Prejudice to our Chriſtian Brethren thatdiſſent from us in this Point, with whom and with all that can own the Name of the Lord Jeſus according to his Goſpel, we deſire to live in Brotherly Love and Chriſtian Society, and if we find our Brethren entertain any unſound Notion with reſpect to Goſpel Truths, we look upon it as our duty to endeavour to inform them of it, in a meek and ſober way; and if we fail of ſucceſs, then to leave them to the Lord, who in his own due Seaſon will uncloud thoſe Sacred Myſteries, which yet are hidden to a great many.
We are not willing to be Cenſorious, nor arrogate that wiſdom to our ſelves, as tothink that we are wiſer than others, yet in all Modeſty we may be bold to affirm, that in the point here handled, we have the Scriptures, and the concurrence of *See Ch. 4. following.all Chriſtians from the beginning, to this Age, on our ſide; whereas the oppoſite Opinion can chalenge but a few Favourites, and is of a very late Original: which is not the main Reaſon brought here to oppoſe it, but only ſerves for a Collateral Evidence, to illuſtrate the Arguments propoſed from Scripture, and to ſhew that the eminent Profeſſors of, and Sufferers for Chriſtianity have owned it, which is no ſlight Circumſtance to ſober and conſidering Chriſtians.