The Tabernacle of God with Men, Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Diſcipline is an Ordinance of Chriſt, for ordering the viſible Church in her ſeverall Congregations.
WE ſhall now briefly, (but yet ſo as to omit none that ſeem to have any weight in them,) endeavour the anſwer of Objections.
1. Such as are generall; as
1. That there were ſo many wicked among the Jewes, and yet that Church was not to be forſaken;
Anſw. 1. That miniſtration was more carnall, and therefore a more carnal might then paſſe, Heb. 9 10. As the Goſpell miniſtration is more ſpirituall, Heb. 8.10, 11. ſo that the Goſpell people may appear to be the people of that miniſtration, they muſt in appearance be more ſpirituall.
2. Nor otherwhere for that time could Church-communion be enjoyed, God having confined it to that nation, to that Prieſthood, and that Temple; and therefore though their Prieſts and People generally proved as great Idolaters and Perſecutors as the Church of Rome this day, yet the faithfull among them muſt there remaine, to offer ſacrifice and worſhip God; but in the times of the Goſpel, where any Church turnes idolatrous and Perſecutors of the truth, there is liberty otherwhere to ſettle Church-Communion purely.
3. That People were holy in their admiſſion. 1. In Abrahams family, Gen. 18.18, 19. 2. In their nationall planting, Judg. 2.6, 7, 10. hence that Teſtimony given of them, that they were planted a noble vine, wholly a right ſeed, Jer. 2.21.
4. It was by rule provided for among them, that none externally wicked ſhould enjoy Church-Communion; the mixture, that was beſide the rule, and therefore no plea at all. 1. None were circumciſed but ſuch as were externally holy; their infants by deſcent from Abraham, being borne Church-members within the miniſtration of the Covenant, the fleſh of Abraham entitling that nation to the Covenant, and there was their claim to circumciſion, that they were that ſeed of Abraham, whatever their immediate Parents were; and they in their infancy had done nothing to make void that claime.
The Proſelites that they might be circumciſed, muſt give evidence of Abrahams faith, and walk in his ſteps, and then they being Abrahams adopted ſeed, their children had the ſame title to circumciſion, as the children of the Jews.
In the Goſpel Churches there muſt be a viſible deſcent from Abraham according to the faith, for right unto baptiſme, whether for our ſelves or ſeed, baptiſme being the Seale of that Covenant which bleſſeth all the nations of the earth in the ſeed of Abraham by faith.
Thus they were holy in their circumciſion. 2. For other peculiar Ordinances, there was a threefold barre to ſuch as were openly wicked.
1. Ceremoniall; divers caſes of Ceremoniall uncleannes which debarred Communion in the peculiar Ordinances; and they that were moſt careleſſe of the holy things of God, would ofteneſt be taken in theſe Ceremoniall ſnares.
2. Judiciall; the ſame Covenant that entitled them to the Church, entitled them likewiſe to that land, whence divers ſorts of wicked perſons were to be cut off from life; not only blaſphemers, but idolaters; nor only murthers, but adulterers; nor only traitors, but diſobedient to Parents, &c. hence the whole nation enjoyned, (as in Aſa's time,) to ſwear a ſolemne Covenant for ſeeking the Lord God of their fathers, with all their heart and all their ſoule, and to performe it under penalty of death, whether great or ſmall, whether man or woman, Chron. 2.15, 12, 13. Now had the judiciall law been executed according to divine rule, partly ſo many wicked ones had been coct off; and partly the reſt had been ſo formidably warned, that here had been a great prevention of that mixture in their Church-Communion.
3. Eccleſiaſtical; Ezek. 22.26. difference to be made by Eccleſiaſtical power, as well betwixt the holy and prophane, (and thoſe are morall termes,) as betwixt the clean and unclean, (which are ceremoniall termes) A generall rule for this, underſtood by the learned of Eccleſiaſticall cutting off Numb. 15.30, 31. the ſtranger there the Proſelyte of the Covenant; further Teſtimony to this rule, that the openly wicked were eccleſiaſtically to be cut off, is the ordinance of excommunication among them, in the three degrees of it; Niddui Cherem, and Maran-atha. A thorow diſcourſe about this, for further ſatisfaction, ſee in Gillaſpies Aarons Rod bloſſoming.
Thus much for this Objection, which is wont much to be ſtood upon; but how ſandy a foundation it is, fit for ſo rotten a building, as many endeavour to ſet upon it, I hope by this time appears.
Obiect. 2. The Parable of the tares, Matth. 13.24. to the 31. and 37 to the 44 verſe.
Anſw. 1. The field is the world, v. 38. the good ſeed are the children of the Kingdome, the tares are the children of the wicked one. ibid. theſe make the viſible Church in the world according to the minde of the parable; both theſe are to grow together untill the harveſt, v. 30. what will hence follow? that Perſons apparantly wicked, muſt be received into, and retained in the viſible Church? this puts the parable upon the rack, and forceth it to ſpeak what it intends not. 1. It warrants not the receiving wicked Perſons into the Church. v. 25. 1. The husbandmmen were not ſo watchfull as they ſhould have been, when the enemy ſowed theſe tares; and it is the enemy not the Lord of the field that ſowes them. 2. Nor the retaining them; then ſhould our Saviour here be againſt himſelfe otherwhere, where he hath appointed the Ordinance of Church cenſure for caſting out ſuch, and that under ſo great a penalty, as formerly we have ſeene, Matth. 18. 1 Corinth. 5. Revel. 2. &c.
1. If then the gathering up theſe tares, deſired by the ſervants, v. 28. and forbidden by the maſter, v. 29. be meant of Eccleſiaſtical caſting out; theſe cares muſt not be the openly wicked, but cloſe hypocrites; yet by ſome of the ſervants of more piercing judgements then others diſcerned; the reaſon given may ſeem to favour this, v. 29. They were ſuch as were ſo hardly diſcerned from the wheat, that there was danger of rooting up the wheat, if theſe tares ſhould be gathered up; to this purpoſe Jerome witneſſeth, that in thoſe countryes there are certain tares, ſo like to wheat in their firſt ſpringing, as hardly to be diſcerned from it; thus Cyprian underſtands it; taxing the inſolency of Novatian, who would not receive the lapſed againe into the Church, though they expreſt never ſo much repentance; How great arrogance is this (ſaith he) that he ſhould think he can do that which our Saviour granted not to the Apoſtles, that he ſhould diſcerne the tares from the wheat?—If he will make himſelfe the ſearcher and the judge of the heart and reins, &c. Cypr. Epiſt. 52. but in caſting out the openly wicked, there is no danger of this.
2. Some think it not to be meant of Eccleſiaſticall caſting out; and therfore let the tares be granted for the openly wicked, this parable gives them no place in the viſible Church. 1. This gathering up the tares is their rooting up, (for that expreſſion concludes no leſſe, leſt ye root up alſo the wheat with them, v. 29.) and therefore the final deſtruction of theſe wicked Perſons; but Church cenſure is not for deſtruction, (except of the fleſh) but for ſalvation of the Perſon. 2. This gathering up deſired here by the ſervants and by the maſter for the preſent denied, is that which ſhall be at the end of the world, the finall deſtruction of the wicked, v. 40, 41, 42. they ſhall not then for the preſent gather them up, that is, not knowing of what ſpirit they are, call for fire from heaven againſt them. The like interpretation is made of the drawnet and the ſeparation of the good from the bad, gathered together by it, v. 47. &c.
Object. 3. Judas received the Supper, at leaſt the Paſſeover which was a Sacrament; and the Sacraments belong only to thoſe of the Church.
Anſw. 1. If we ſhall hence conclude that the openly wicked have right to the Sacraments, and ſo are the true matter of the viſible Church. 1. We muſt deny any ſuch Ordinance as diſcipline. 2. By the ſame reaſon we muſt affirme that a miniſter of the Church, openly knowne to be ſuch an one, as hath his heart ſet to overthrow the Goſpel, and betray the Lord for money, is to be retained in the miniſtery, nay, that ſuch an one ſo knowne before-hand is to be choſen into the miniſtery; for all this Chriſt knew of Judas, therefore 3. Judas his wickedneſſe was knowne to Chriſt as God, but not as man; but for caſting out of the Church, the offence muſt be knowne to the Church, in a Church way, that is by experience and proof.
Object. 4. The Apoſtles received ſuch as offered themſelves ſuddenly, among the reſt Simon Magus.
Anſw. But yet upon ſuch evidence, as amounted in the judgement of rationall charity, to the evidence of regeneration; for this, 1. Conſider upon what ground they offered themſelves, the Word powerfully preached, and mightily by miracles declared the Word of God. 2. What was the ſtate of thoſe times. 1. They were times wherein according to former Prophecies the ſpirit was plentifully powred out, by the miniſtery of the Apoſtles. 2. They were times of great Perſecution of the Chriſtian faith; nothing of outward advantage to move, but all to the contrary; to preach the Goſpel then among the Jewes, was as it would be now to preach the truth among the Papiſts; to preach it then in the other nations, was as it would be now to preach it among the Turks. If upon the powerfull preaching the truth in the maine points of religion, contrary to the maine Popiſhand Turkiſh tenets, whereof they are moſt zealous, ſuch and ſuch in the midſt of the Popiſh and Turkiſh dominions, ſhould againſt manifeſt and great temptations openly embrace and profeſſe the truth, ſuch a Profeſſion would amount to another kinde of evidence, then is generally pleaded for from thoſe examples among us. 3. God for vindicating his name againſt ſcandalous Profeſſion, put forth his revenging judgements againſt the deceitfull and hollow, as in Ananias and Saphira's caſe, whence many were much deterred from joyning with the Church; Acts 5.13. thus for the ſtate of thoſe times. Then thirdly conſider what a faire profeſſion Simon Magus made, and for ſome time continued in, which argues ſeemingly no ſmall change, Acts 8.13. it is ſaid he beleeved, he continued with Philip; he was taken with admiration, &c. ſo Ananias and Saphira made a faire Profeſſion to ſell their Poſſeſſion for reliefe of the Church. 4. When Simon diſcovers his rottenneſſe, then, not till then, Peter perceived the wickedneſſe of his heart, v. 23. and when he perceives it, he profeſſeth he hath no lot among them, becauſe his heart is not right, v. 21. yet was not Peter without hope but he might repent, v. 22, and ſomething hopefull ſtill doth Simon appeare; v. 24. And now the anſwer to this inſtance may cleare all other of the like nature. There is a fifth,
Object. 5. The ſcandalous mentioned in ſome of the Epiſtles, as in the Church of Corinth; but this hath been anſwered before in the eighth Argument; and theſe are all the objections I know that have any colour in them or at the leaſt in the anſwers to theſe, the grounds are laid for anſwering the reſt. We come now
2. To peculiar Objections, reſpecting the generality of our people in this kingdome.
Object. 1. We are all of the Church by baptiſme already.
Anſw. 1. From the beginning it was not ſo, that all ſhould be ſo promiſcuouſly received; therefore it behoves us to returne to the firſt patterne; what right have they to baptiſme for their ſeed, themſelves having been baptized, who had none for themſelves, were they unbaptized? 2. Iſhmael and Eſau were circumciſed, yet afterward unchurched; ſo were the Shechemites circumciſed; Many Heathens in America baptized by the Spaniard, yet none of theſe ever of the Church.
3. To receive to baptiſme for themſelves or ſeed groſſe ignorants, who underſtand not the ground, nature, and end of that Ordinance, is 1. To make the ſervice of God in ſo maine an Ordinance an unreaſonable ſervice. 2. To make up the viſible Church in her ſeveral congregations by an implicit faith. 4. To admit the ſcandalous in like manner for themſelves or ſeed, is not to ſet the Seale to the Covenant, but to paſſe it againſt the Covenant. 5. The Reformed Churches receive not to the Lords Supper and other priviledges of Church-Communion, ſuch as were baptized in their infancy, but upon tryall of their knowledge and Chriſtian converſation; which, when approved, they ſolemnely admit them; underſtanding Impoſition of hands, Heb. 6. to point at the ſolemne admiſſion of ſuch. So Calvin upon the place, pleading thence for infant-baptiſme. Reply. But children may have right by former Anceſtors. Anſw. 1. Viſible adminiſtration muſt have viſible grounds; it muſt therefore upon particular evidence appeare to the Church, that ſuch Anceſtors they had; in whoſe name they may have right. 2. How farre may we go back, and where muſt we ſtop? 3. Offer ſuch reaſoning to thy Prince, will it paſſe for currant, if thou ſhouldeſt claime the Armes and Honour of ſome noble family, meerly upon this ſuppoſition, that it may be ſome of thine Anceſtors were poſſeſſed thereof? 4. Such as could not finde their regiſter for the line of the Prieſthood, were as polluted, put from their office, Ezra 1.62. 5. This will prevent the diſtinction betwixt the Church and the world, and keep off for ever the baptiſme of growne men. 6. As for the children of wicked Parents circumciſed among the Jewes, this ſtone hath been removed before, they had by Abraham viſible right under whom they fell.
Object. 2. But all ſorts among us have likewiſe received the Supper.
Anſw. 1. But the greateſt part beſides the rule, as is evident upon the ſame grounds now pleaded againſt promiſcuous baptiſme. 2. In the Reformed Churches, when any member of one Congregation tranſplants to another, notwithſtanding he hath received the Supper formerly in the Church whence he came, yet doth the Church to which he is come, examine and approve him for knowledge and converſation, before they receive him to the Supper.
3. How or by what right have the Sacraments been ordinarily adminiſtred in diverſe of our Congregations, where the word hath not been ordinarily preached?
From the doctrine of the matter of the Church, we may lay downe ſome further Practicall Concluſions.
1. The Saints are to ſeparate from the wicked, into Church-Communion. 1. Otherwiſe the Church cannot be made up only of its due matter; God cannot have his Temple. 2. The Command is expreſſe for it; as we have ſeen in the ſixth Argument, the Saints as expreſſely called to this, as Abraham out of Caldea, as the people of God out of Babylon. 3. To this ſeparate Communion belongs far greater bleſſings, then to beleevers in promiſcuous ſtanding, 2 Cor. 6.17, 18. generally whatever bleſſings belong to the viſible Church, may be clearlyeſt expected, and are moſt fully beſtowed upon the Church, when moſt truly and purely ſetled in her Congregations; the preſence of Chriſt, Rev. 2.1. his Protection and Defence and Comforts, Iſa. 4.5. the power of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 5.4. When we have ſpoken to the diſcipline, we ſhall have further evidences of this Concluſion.
2. No Perſon habitually ſcandalous is to be received to the Sacrament, though he humbles himſelfe before the Church, till ſome time of tryall.
He is not true matter of the Church, who is not habitually in the Churches eye righteous. But the Sacraments are peculiar Church-Ordinances.
Object. He that hears not the Church, is to be refuſed; but he that hears her, is to be received; now he that humbles himſelf before the Church upon her admonition, hears her.
Anſw. 1. That rule If he hear not the Church, is concerning a brother, one within, Matth. 18.15. 1 Cor. 5.12. but no Perſon habitually ſcandalous is a brother, as the doctrine of the matter of the Church hath evinced.
2. For a brother fallen into ſome ſcandalous ſinne, and humbling himſelfe; it follows not, that he is not to be caſt out, therefore he is ſuddenly to be received: he is neither to be ſuddenly caſt out, nor ſuddenly received to the Sacrament, but to ſtand under further tryall; otherwiſe 1. Church-admonitions will be turned into a meer mockery, execution of cenſure againſt the moſt impudent for ever prevented, who will quickly in appearance humble themſelves if that may ſerve the turne; ſuch a courſe of diſcipline will in ſtead of humbling, harden, like the Papiſts abſolution, upon their formal auricular confeſſion and indulgences. 2. For him in ſuch a caſe to deſire ſudden receiving, is ſcandalous, an evidence that he is not humbled; which if he were, he himſelfe would not venture ſo ſoone upon his own heart.
Object. Matth. 18.21, 22. with Luk. 17.3, 4.
Anſw. It is a Precept againſt revenge; it is Perſonal, not Eccleſiaſtical forgiveneſſe here commanded; forgiveneſſe of the heart, not of the Court; of an injury againſt me, not of a ſinne againſt God, and even betwixt man and man; this forbids not but a man may proſecute the law againſt the treſpaſſer in diverſe caſes, and yet from the heart forgive him and pray for him.
3. Concluſ. Hence the vanity of that argument, uſed by ſome who refuſe to joyne apart from the ſcandalous in a true way of Church-Communion and diſcipline; To the pure all things are pure; therefore the wickedneſſe of others defiles not me, receiving the Sacrament with them.
Anſw. Thy ſin defiles thee, and it is thy ſin to keep off from the true way of the viſible Church.
Suppoſe in a ſetled Church, a Perſon juſtly excommunicate; thou ſhouldſt defile thy ſelfe, if thou ſhouldeſt receive with him, becauſe thou violateſt the order of the Goſpel; ſo here.