The Unreasonableness of Separation, Part 3 · Section 17
Sect. 17. And supposing all persons left to the judgment of their own Consciences, as to their own fitness for the Holy Communion, we may observe these things; which may serve towards the vindication of our Parochial Churches.
(1.) That the greatest Offenders do generally excommunicate themselves; not daring to venture upon so hazardous a thing, as they account the holy Communion to be, for fear of the damnation following unworthy receiving. So that, the most constant Communicants, are the most pious and sober and devout Christians.
(2.) That if any such do voluntarily come, it is upon some great awakenings of Conscience; some fresh resolutions they have made of amendment of life; after some dangerous sickness, or under some great affliction; when they are best inclined, and have strong convictions, and hope for greater strength of Grace against the power of Temptations. So that whether this Sacrament be a converting Ordinance or not, by God's Institution, yet the preparation and disposition of men's minds before it, puts them into the fittest capacity for Divine Grace; if they be not looked on as the effects of it.
(3.) That it is no prejudice to the benefit of this holy Sacrament to those who are well prepared, if those who are not, do come to it; any more than in joyning in Prayer or Thanksgiving with them. And if the presence of such persons who deserve excommunication and are not excommunicated, do overthrow the being of a Church; then Christ and his Disciples did not make a Church, when Iudas was present with them; as in probability he was, at his last Supper. At least, if this kind of Discipline had been so necessary, it would never have been left so doubtfull, as it is by the Evangelists; since it had been necessary for the information of the Christian Church, to have set it down expresly; not onelyonly that he was not present, but that he ought not to be; and therefore was cast out before.
(4.) That several Presbyterian Churches for many years had no Discipline at all among them; nor so much as the Lord's Supper administred. And were these true Churches all that while, and are not ours so now?Plea for Peace, p. 243. Nay Mr. Baxter saith, That some Non-conformists have these seventeen or eighteen years forborn to Baptize, Answ. 10 Serm.or administer the Lord's Supper, or to be Pastours of any Churches. Now I would fain know, what Churches these men are of? Some or other they must own, if they be Christians; New Churches they have not, they say; either then they must own our Churches to be true, notwithstanding the defect of Discipline, or they must be of no Church at all.
(5.) That our Church is but in the same condition, the Church of Constantinople and other Churches were in, when Nectarius changed the Discipline of it, or rather took it quite away. For, the Poenitentiary, whom he removed for the scandal given, was the Person whose business it was to look after the Discipline of the Church, and to see that all known Offenders performed the Penance enjoyned them, for satisfaction of the Church. And, the consequence of it Socrates saith was,Socr. l. 5. c. 19. That every one was left to the judgment of his own Conscience, as to the participation of the holy Mysteries. And this Socrates saith, he had from Eudaemon himself, who gave the Counsel to Nectarius to take that Office away; which was accordingly done;Soz. l. 7. c. 16. and no more restored, saith Sozomen: the consequence whereof was, saith he, that every one went to the Lord's Table, foreign, as his Conscience gave him leave, and as he was assured in his own mind. And this example of Nectarius was soon followed in other Churches, saith Sozomen; and so the Discipline of the Church decayed. But I hope all those Churches did not lose their being, by the loss of Discipline. And so much in vindication of our Diocesan Church Government.