Confirmation and Restoration Necessary Means, Proposition 8
Prop. 8. Though it belong to the Paſtours Office to judge of the Profeſſion of ſuch expectants, yet are they bound up by the Laws of Chriſt, what Profeſſion to accept, and what to refuſe: and if by breaking theſe Laws they ſhall dangerouſly, or groſly wrong the Church: it belongeth to the Magiſtrate to correct them, and to the people to admoniſh them, and diſown their ſinne.
IN ſumme, as is aforeſaid, It is a credible Profeſſion of true Chriſtianity, which they muſt accept. And as that which ſeemeth not to be Underſtanding, and ſerious, and voluntary, and deliberate, is not credible; nor that which is Nullified by Verbal, or Actual Contradiction; nor that which is made by one that hath forfeited the credit of his word; ſo on the other ſide, a Credible mans Profeſſion is his Title-condition, in the Judgment of the Church, or that Evidence of the Condition that we muſt take up with: And if a man produce the Poſitive Evidence of his Title, we muſt be able to diſprove, and invalidate it, before we reject him: ſo that it is a Profeſſion of true Chriſtanity, which we cannot prove to be falſe, at leaſt by a Violent Preſumption, (as the Lawyers ſpeak) which we muſt accept.
By this it appears, 1. That a groſly ignorant perſon, that knoweth not the Eſſentials of Chriſtianity, is not to be taken for a Profeſſed Chriſtian. For tryal of ſuch, the Ordinance of Parliament, of October 20. 1645. doth give us ſatisfaction (recited in the form of Church Government, of March 29. 1648.) 2. Nor one that denieth any of the ſaid Eſſentials Heretically. 3. Nor one that ſpeaketh Ludicrouſly, and jeſtingly. 4. Nor one that ſpeaks in a Paſſion, not deliberatly. 5. Nor one that is manifeſtly forced and unwilling. 6. Nor one that ſaith and unſaith. 7. Nor one whoſe life doth prove his Profeſſion to be incredible. 8. Nor one that hath perfidiouſly been a breaker of Covenant with God already, till his reformed life ſhall recover the credit of his word. So that with a Credible perſon, his bare Profeſſion is Evidence fefore the Church of his Right; and we muſt prove him a Lyar, or falſe in his Profeſſion, before we can reject him. But a man that hath been wicked, after open Covenanting with God, or Profeſſion of Chriſtianity, hath forfeited his credit, and therefore muſt ſhew us a new life, as well as a verbal Profeſſion, before he is to be reſtored to his Priviledges. In the firſt caſe (with a Credible perſon) we muſt prove his Profeſſion falſe, before we reject him: but in the ſecond Caſe (with an incredible perſon) he muſt Evidence his Profeſſion to be true, by probable Evidences, that ſhall make it credible. If I thought that the very light and law of Nature, joyned with the known General Rules of Scripture, did not put this paſt Controverſie, with moſt judicious Chriſtians, I ſhould ſtand to prove all this by parts.
But on the other ſide, it is hence manifeſt, 1. That the Paſtours of the Church, muſt refuſe no man that hath the leaſt degree of Grace, or makes a credible Profeſſion of the leaſt. 2. And that we muſt nor require as a matter of Neceſſity, ſuch …ipe, or clear, and judicious expreſſions, from the ignorant, baſhful, or ſuch, as for want of uſe and good breeding, are unable to expreſs their minds, as we may from others. If a man, or woman be unable in good ſence to expreſs their Faith, in the very Eſſentials, or to reveale the Grace of God within them: yet if upon our Interrogations, and helping them, they can do it in any intelligible manner, ſo that we do but perceive that it is a ſound Profeſſion in the Eſſentials, which they Meane, though they cannot handſomly utter it, we may not reject any ſuch as theſe. 3. Note alſo, that defects in Knowledg muſt be indeed exceeding groſs., where the perſon is willing to be taught, and Ruled by Chriſt, and uſe his means, and thus ſeems to Love God, and Holineſs, before they will warrant us to reject them. Should the Judgments of ſuch perſons ſeem unacquainted with ſome fundamentals, about the Trinity, and the like myſteries, I ſhould ſearch them better, and I ſhould plainly tell them preſently of the truth, and if they received Information, I ſhould not reject a willing Soul. The very Apoſtles of Chriſt had the Sacrament adminiſtred to them by himſelf, when they did not underſtand and believe, the Death and Reſurrection of Chriſt. I know that this will not warrant us to give ſuch perſons the Euchariſt now; becauſe that thoſe great Truths were not then of ſuch great Neceſſity, as after Chriſts Death and Reſurrection they did become; as being not ſo fully revealed, nor the Actual belief of them ſo peremptorily impoſed. But yet it ſhews us this much, that even in perſons admitted to the Lords Supper, if there be but a Belief in God the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt, and the Points of Abſolute Neceſſity, (though in rude and unperfect conception) and a Love to Chriſt, and a willingneſs to Learn of him, and obey him, a great deale of lamentable ignorance may be born with, in thoſe that have wanted either Means of knowledg, and clear diſcoveries of the Truth, or natural ripeneſs of underſtanding to receive it. You ſee then that Paſtours are not Arbitrary, nor meerly left to their own wills.