The Cry of a Stone, Section 4
What Ordinances of God may be uſed in the Pariſh aſſemblies, and what not.
YEt ſo long as life laſteth there may be ſome hope of recovery, neither are we to deſpaire of any, though never ſo vile, but SECT. 4.that they may be converted and turned to God; And therefore were are ſtill as with patience to ſuffer the evill men, ſo to prove alwayes, if at any time they may be brought out of the ſnare of the Divell; and for this end it is very neceſſary that the preaching of the 2 Tim. 2. 24. 25. The Word may be preached to evill men.Word be amongſt them both publikely and privately, if they will but be brought to it, and have the patience to heare themſelves reproved and convinced by it; for as wee know it to be the onelyonly ordinary meanes for their converſion; ſo alſo wee ſee that many are daily by it converted and brought home unto God, and ſo farre I Rom. 10. 14.am from diſliking the preaching of the Word to them, as that I would have them heare it where it is moſt purely and powerfully taught, and wiſh, that where there is one ſuch Preacher, there were a hundred.
But untill they doe convert and turne▪ none of the ſeales muſt in any eaſe be adminiſtred to them or their ſeed, neither are they to be admi…ed as members into the Church & fellowſhip of the Saints, nor Acts 9. 26. 27. Pſal. 50. 1…, 17. Iſai. 1. 13. 14.… to …each any thing to others▪ nor take up the name of God, … …blations or ſacrifices to him▪ untill they have cleanſed … …ntance much leſſe are the faithfull to partake with …s …ophaning of the Sacraments. But if by … his ſtrength they have gotten a cuſtome T…… ſacred …inances and b…eſ… to their cuſtomes, nor have ought to doe with them in their taking the Name and Ordinances of God in vaine; for the proper ends of the ſeals are to confirm and comfort the faithfull, and ſuch as groan under their ſinnes; but how can the ſeale be ſet, or the aſſurance given to Mat. 11. 28.them that have not faith, neither are wearied with their ſinnes, but love and delight in them. And how can any godly man conſent in, or ſay Amen to ſuch an holy action, when it is joyntly done by ſuch as for the moſt part are Gods enemies; for the ſpirituall ſupper of the Lord is not like other civill banquets wherein civill fellowſhip and 1 Cor. 12. 13.naturall refreſhing is properly aimed at, but the fellowſhip therein is ſpirituall, and they that feaſt at it, muſt be united to Chriſt by one ſpirit, but now carnall men have not the ſpirit, and ſo can be no gueſts at that banquet.
This banquet is even the neereſt fellowſhip that the Saints can have in this world, and moſt reſembleth heaven; and it is not onelyonly a ſure pledge of their fellowſhip with Chriſt, but alſo a demonſtration of their unity together, as the Apoſtle teacheth. But what a many 1 Cor. 10. 17.lying ſignes and deceiveable demonſtrations doe ſuch Chriſtians make, that communicate they care not where, nor with whom, but thinke if they examine themſelves, it is enough, forgetting that it is an act of communion, and ſo called by the Apoſtle, and though the Verſe 16▪terme of a holy thing be given to it, yet if wee ſever the word Sacrament from communion, wee put out Gods termes, and place in our owne.
Many diſlike that the godly ſhould be civilly familiar with vaine and irreligious perſons, but to be ſtrict in that, and allow them to banquet with all manner of perſons at the heavenly ſupper of the Lord, is even as current counſell, as theirs who ſaid, it was nothing to ſweare Mat. 23. 16, 17.by the Temple, but to ſweare by the gold of the Temple was a treſpaſſe; for if there be any act in this world that declares Chriſtian ami…y, peace and ſweet friendſhip in the grace of the Goſpell, this doth it, when wee ſit and feaſt together with Chriſt at his Table, and eate his fleſh, and drinke his blood.
As Chriſt therefore preached the Goſpel to all ſorts of men good and bad, but when he adminiſtred the ſupper, hee drew out ſuch as were apparantly faithfull and godly. So now, the Word may be preached Luke 22. 11. 14. Ioh. 13. 30.and heard amongſt the worſt miſcreants that are, but when wee goe to ſit with Chriſt at his Table, let us know (as farre as wee can by outward appearance) what gueſts goe with us.
Neither may theſe wicked men have any cenſure of excommunication executed upon them, much leſſe execute it upon one another: The power of excommunication belongs not to the pariſh multitudes.for, they were never in covenant with Chriſt, and ſo have b…oke …o covenant, nor can be puniſhed for any breach of covenant, but were ever as they are, naught from the wombe, and downeright unbeliever… ſtill▪ Secondly, what have they to doe to cenſure others, when they are as ill themſelves? May one adulterer or drunkard or ſwearer, caſt Ioh. …. 7.a ſtone at another, when hee is as bad himſelfe as the worſt? Thirdly, if they ſhould ſo doe were it any more then a mockery: as if the thieves at Gods hill ſhould hold a ſeſſion to hang the cut-purſes, which were an onelyonly way to make ſinne to be counted a trifle, and a jeſt, rather then to be feared and trembled at: it is onelyonly the Saints that may binde them that are mighty in evill, and none other have this Pſal. 149. 8, 9.honour.
Fourthly, ſeeing excommunication is for the deſtruction of the fleſh 1 Cor. 5. 5.(ſuppoſing the perſon to have the ſpirit, though overwhelmed by the corruption of nature, how can it be exerciſed on them which ſtill were and are▪ altogether fleſh? For if their fleſh be deſtroyed, the whole man is deſtroyed.