A Second Vindication of a Free Admission to the Lords Supper, Section 16
SECT. 16.
SEcondly then, for ſome foreign or condeſcenſion in the latter queſtion, that the excommunicate perſon may not be ſo turned out from all the Ordinances, (though he be turned out from them, and that alike too, from one as well as the other, in a ſort) but that he may have admittance to ſome of them, upon an account which may be juſtifiable, for the gaining of his ſoul and yet without the introducing of this leſſer cenſure of ſuſpenſion, into the diſcipline of man, which is not in the diſcipline of Chriſt, or the Scripture I have ſpoken more at large in my Rejoynd. part. 2. ſect. 1. See particularly p 87. & 149. Where having ſhewn that Church-cenſure or Excommunication does reſerre to Church-communion in general, and conſequently that a perſon excommunicate is caſt out from every part thereof, and ſo from all the Ordinances as well as the Sacrament, I do humbly offer this diſtinction, of a Real, and Relative excluſion. A real excluſion is an excluſion of a man from a thing, ſo that he cannot by any means participate of the thing; A relative excluſion, is the excluſion of a man from his relation to a thing, or his right of priviledge in it, whether he yet otherwiſe poſſeſſes the thing or not. Now that which we admit Heathen to, in receiving them into the Church, I think we caſt them out from, in excommunicating them; But we admit not perſons to an actual hearing the Word, or participating ſuch ordinances as they did, and might attend before; but we admit them into a ſtate and relation, whereby the ordinances belong to them, with a difference of priviledge from the world, and as they partook of them while they were without; They were then indeed admitted to the Word, and it may be Prayer, to bring them in, as they ought, yet neither one nor the other Ordinance did belong to them by way of advantage, Rom. 3.2. or propriety, as externally in covenant, in Chriſt, redeemed ſanctified, &c. as they doe, being members. Conſequently therefore, my thoughts are, that though Excommunication cuts off a perſon Relatively from all the Ordinances (from one alike as well as the other, in the ſenſe now ſpoken) and does cut off a man really from that Ordinance, the actual participation whereof is peculiar to that relation, as the Sacrament; Yet this Relative excluſion does not neceſſarily inferre a Real excluſion of a man from thoſe other Ordinances, as the Word and Prayer, which may be partaken of out of that relation. And ſo here will ariſe that, which may give contentment; to wit, that upon this it ſhall be left in the Churches hands by way of Mitigation, to admit the Excommunicate hereunto, whether one or more (or none) of them, as ſhe ſees it fit to uſe ſeverity or indulgence to bring the ſinner to repentance.
It is manifeſt, that the Primitive Chriſtian Church was wont to permit an Heathen, or thoſe that were without, to be preſent in their aſſemblies at the Word if not at Prayer and ſome other Ordinances, for their conviction, as appears, 1 Cor. 14. According to this preſident, it is my opinion then, in ſhort, that a perſon excommunicate may be admitted to an Ordinance, or Ordinances, as an Heathen (into which condition he is expreſly caſt, Mat. 18.) when yet he is cut off from all his priviledge and intereſt in them as a member. And this, I ſuppoſe, will even ſerve the turn of my very adverſaries, and yet be no diſhight or prejudice to that latitude of Excommunication which the truth dictates, and muſt be maintained, according to my opinion.
In fine, two things are objected againſt me by my Oppoſers, which methinks do even quite take off one another. In the former queſtion it is objected that my doctrine is looſe, in that it admits of every intelligent Church-member to the Sacrament, before cenſure; To which I anſwer, That doctrine about admiſſion that maintaines Excommunication, in point of offending, cannot be looſe towards the offender; and if a man have not offended, I mean ſo far as to deſerve cenſure, the Miniſter can but admoniſh and adviſe, he can go no further; and here how much I allow upon the ſcore of paſtoral diſcretion is declared, And why ſhould any more be deſired? In the ſecond queſtion it is objected, my doctrine is too ſevere, bloody, and cruel, in that thoſe perſons which it cuts off from the Sacrament, it cuts off from all other parts of Church-communion alſo; To this I anſwer, It is true, it does do thus indeed according to the Scripture; but let this be underſtood aright and candidly of this Relative excluſion, (here declared likewiſe) and then I hope all will be reconciled and ſatisfied.
And thus I have now finiſhed my purpoſe, endeavouring to keep in a way of moderation, that I might avoid the extremities of others. I have not in any thing, I ſuppoſe, departed from the Scripture as my Guide; and yet in every thing come up as near as I can to thoſe that are againſt me, to content them. I do not know how it may be taken, but it ſhall ſuffice me that I have in the ſincerity of my intention (ſo far as I can judg of my own heart) propoſed my thoughts, leaving others to their own. The Churches peace is the thing I have aimed at, without hindring (but happily furthering) her reformation. If I have done well, and as is fitting to the matter, it is that I deſired, if I have done but ſlenderly and meanly, it is what I could attain unto.
Deo gloria.
J. H.
FINIS.