The Right Administration and Receiving of the Lords Supper, Treatise · Chapter 17

The Right Administration and Receiving of the Lords Supper · Treatise · Chapter 17

p. 178CHAP. XVII. Of worthy and unworthy Receiving of the Lords Supper.

1 COR. 11. 27.

Wherefore, whoſoever ſhall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, ſhall be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord.

THis verſe hath a mark in it's fore-head (the word foreign, Wherefore) whereby at firſt ſight it looks like an inference or collection from that which went before, where the Apoſtle having laid down the Inſtitution of this Sacrament in the Uſe thereof, gathers from thence, That whoſoever eats this bread, &c. unworthily, he ſhall be guilty of the body and bloud of Chriſt.

§. 1 The ſinne of receiving unworthily is largely inſiſted on in the following part of this Chapter, where the aggravation of this ſinne is ſhown by the ſpecial guilt that attends it, and that is a guiltineſſe of the Lords body, by the particular caUſe of this guiltineſſe, p. 179Not diſcerning the Lords body, by the judgement that follows upon it, damnation or puniſhment, by the way of prevention of the ſinne, the guilt and judgement, and that is ſelf-examination, and ſelfjudging, ſelf-examination for the prevention of the ſin, ſelf-judging for prevention of the puniſhment inflicted by God.

So that for a particular ſinne properly incident to the abUſe or miſcarriage of men in this Ordinance, there is very much ſaid to ſhew the nature and danger of it, becaUſe the diſtempers reigning amongſt the Corinthians, did herein ſhew themſelves, which the Apoſtle ſtudies to diſcover and to heal, and we by ſo ill an occaſion gain ſuch a piece of Doctrine as is not ſo fully delivered on this ſubject in any other place of Scripture, for the better guidance and ſteerage to ſtand off from thoſe rocks which the Corinthians fell foul upon.

§. 2 I muſt firſt explain the words [Worthily and unworthily] He that knows one, knows both; as he that knows a right line, knows a crooked; The right interpretation of them is the hinge on which hangs the true underſtanding of all that is to be ſaid hereafter, and yet they have been cloudily and confUſedly ſenſed by many that expound by fancy, and at random, becaUſe they do not firſt ſet down the right rule of expoſition, and ſo are themſelves, and leave alſo their hearers in a miſt.

We Uſe to denominate the Communicant worthy or unworthy, not at all intending any merit or meritorious condignity, for ſuch a worthineſſe is the greateſt unworthineſſe, but a meetneſſe and congruity of the action to the rule of the action, and therefore the p. 180Apoſtle applies worthineſſe or unworthineſſe to the manner of communicating, He that eateth and drinketh unworthily. In all Ordinances, either preaching, prayer, Sacraments, the eye of God is much upon the manner, how they are performed, which I might make my firſt point, but that I will not ſhoot my arrow at ſo great a compaſſe.

Worthineſs is relative, and refers to the rule of the action, which here is the inſtitution, the Nature, Uſe and End of this Sacrament: for to eat and drink worthily, is to do it anſwerably and ſuitably to the Ordinance, when the Communicant hath, and ſo exerciſes ſuch graces, qualifications and deportment, inward and outward, as this Sacrament doth require, beſpeak and call for; And the contrary is unworthineſſe, when the manner of communicating, or the Communicant is not ſuitable or anſwerable to the Ordinance, either becaUſe he hath not, or exerciſeth not the qualifications, that the Sacrament requires in a worthy receiver, or brings a contrary diſpoſition to it, and this interpretation is eaſie, natural and convincing; for the Apoſtle layes down the inſtitution firſt, and then infers what receiving unworthily is, as a ſtrait Rule diſcovers a crooked line by the incompliance of it to the Rule; and thus the Scripture, which advances not the merit, but the meetneſſe of actions and perſons, Uſeth to ſpeak, as Epheſ. 4. 1. Walk (foreign,) worthily of your calling, Phil. 1. 2…. (foreign ▪ As becomes the Goſpel, Rom. 16. 2. Worthy of Saints, or as it becomes worthy of the Lord, Col. 1. 10. that is, as becomes people that are the Lords, Worthy of God, 1 Theſſ. 2. 1…. in all which places it is required, that we walk or live anſwerable p. 181to ſuch condition, calling or relation, or engagement, and ſo to eat and drink worthily, is as 'tis meet and anſwerable, as becomes ſuch an Ordinance.

And if any ſhould object, as well they may, Why the Apoſtle doth not firſt tell us, what it is, or how we may receive worthily, for the abUſe is not known but by the right Uſe, the privation by the habit, the deviation by the rule, the crooked line by the ſtraight.

I anſwer, the Apoſtle inſiſts upon the unworthy receiving, becaUſe that was the caſe before him, but he did not forget himſelf, as if he had not ſhown what it is to receive worthily; for though he name not the word, but as implied in the word unworthily, yet he had enough declared the thing by his laying down the Inſtitution of this Sacrament, which is the rule of worthineſſe. It being nothing elſe but the anſwerableneſſe of the Communicant to the Ordinance, which every man that once knows the Ordinance muſt alſo know, if he apply the rule and his action together, and ſo I am confident you have the meaning of worthily and unworthily.

§. 3 After the explication of the words. Let us form the point of Doctrine.

Doct. This Bread and this Cup of the Lord may be received worthily, and they may be received unworthily. I mean de facto unworthily. If any doubt of the collection of this point the very expreſſion foreign, Whoſoever ſhall eat and drink unworthily, implies the one, and plainly expreſſes the other part of the point. The Communicant may come and eat ſuitably to the Ordinance or Inſtitution, and then he receives worthily, p. 182and he may come and eat unſuitably to the exigence of the Ordinance, and then he receives unworthily: So that the point is an undoubted truth, except any can demonſtrate, that no Communicant can eat and drink worthily, and then to what purpoſe is the Inſtitution, but to bring damnation or judgement on all that partake of it, but I wave the proof. The point is clear in its own light; onelyonly let me acquaint you, that my intention is to weave all I have to ſay into this one main point. For herein I will ſhew the qualifications of a worthy, and the defaults of an unworthy Communicant, then the ſpecial guilt that aggravates the ſinne of unworthy receiving, He ſhall be guilty of the body, &c. then the particular caUſe of unworthineſſe aſsigned, and that is not diſcerning the Lords body; Then the fearfull danger of this ſinne, whereby a man is ſaid to eat and drink judgement to himſelf, then the way of prevention of this ſinne, that we fall not into it, Let a man examine himſelf. Then the prevention of the judgement in caſe we fall into the ſinne, If we would judge our ſelves, &c.

§. 4. That the Lords Supper is not common for all, but a bar'd Ordinance to ſome.

§. 4 Queſt. There may ariſe a Queſtion thus, Worthily and unworthily are words that belong to the manner of communicating, and cannot be applied to any but Communicants, but is there not a third ſort of perſons, viz. non-Communicants, ſuch as may not come to this Table, or eat and drink here? And were it not requiſite to know whether there be any, and who be ſuch, as well as to know who comes worthily, who unworthily? This p. 183indeed is a Queſtion the more material, becaUſe it is in our dayes of great agitation, and therefore I intend to diſpatch it firſt, that I may have to deal onelyonly with Communicants worthy or unworthy. And for anſwer to it, I firſt make and lay down this general Poſition.

That as it's ſaid of ſome Havens, they are barred, Theſis. I.ſo is this Ordinance of the Lords Supper a barred Ordinance, a ſeverall not a common field, a recept for a ſelect company, not a common Inne or Ordinary▪ It's a Table in this reſpect like yours, which is not ſpread for every one to runne unto, and ſit down that will, but for your children, your gueſts, your friends; or if you think I have ſpoken too low, It's like the Table of a common Hall, which is not yet common to all the world, but to ſuch a Corporation or Fraternity. And it may be ſaid without hyperbole, that there is ſcarce a Chriſtian Church in the world this day, nor hath been in any Age ſince Chriſt, who have not incloſed, made ſeveral and impaled this Ordinance of the Supper: And if I could but lead your eye into the Primitive Churches, you would wonder at the fortifications they made about it, There you ſhould ſee the Catechumeni that were in the ſchool of Catechiſm, learners of the Doctrine of Chriſtianity, admitted indeed to hear the Sermon, (Tertullian cals them Audientes) but never grumbling at the Ite miſſa eſt, Go you are diſmiſt▪ When the Fideles or Communicants went to this ſervice; And there you ſhould ſee the Lapſi or Poenitentes, Chriſtians that had fallen into open and manifeſt ſcandals, ſtanding a long time upon the four ſtairs or degrees of publique repentance, weeping for admiſſion, and bewailing their p. 184ſin and ſuſpenſion from the Lords board, which rigour of Diſcipline, though full of ſharpneſſe and aſperity, yet the reverence of this Ordinance, the Heathens among whom they lived, that watched for their haltings, and the great temptations to Idolatry and Apoſtaſie, by fear of perſecutions and continual Alarms, may plead ſome excUſe of that ſeverity: In ſhort, though ſome have made the gate wider than others, yet all have impaled the Ordinance, and taken it from the common; The Word indeed preached or read lies open to all: the high wayes and hedges may be compell'd in to fill up the place where it ſounds, and Baptiſm may be adminiſtred at the entrance, for imitation and liſting of ſouldiers under Chriſts colours: but the Lords Supper ever was intra Cancellos, within the mound, for it is the inmoſt Ordinance that we have, for Church-members, Diſciples, not lying open to the ſtreets, but as an inner room within a room, an Ordinance for fellowſhip of Saints and Chriſtians, that are paſt the Font; All have not right to it, and ſome that have had right, may for the time have forfeited and loſt their capacity.

This is my general poſition, which (as in the ſequel will be clear to you) may be proved by a threefold evidence:

1. By evidence of fact, the univerſal ſenſe and conſent of all Chriſtian Churches, and thereby it will appear that it is no new Doctrine.

2. By evidence of Scripture, by which it will appear to be no falſe Doctrine, for it's paſt all doubt, that the Paſſeover in the old Church was a barred Ordinance, ſhut up from the uncircumciſed and the unclean, p. 185and the Supper in the New Teſtament is ſo too: In the 28 verſe, Let a man examine himſelf, and ſo; the word And ſo, is a limitation and a proviſo, and contains in it, otherwiſe not. When men have traverſed the Point to the utmoſt, this little word foreign, and ſo, as it opens the door to ſuch as are ſo qualified, ſo it is a barre, and ſhuts it againſt them that are not: And it is Chryſoſtom his note upon the man that came in without his wedding garment, Matth. 22. 12. that the King ſaid not, foreign, but foreign, that is, he ſaid not, Why didſt thou ſit down and eat? but, How camest thou in hither?

3. By evidence of Reaſon; for thoſe that have no right or no capacity, may not communicate, nor thoſe that having had a right or capacity, have loſt it for preſent by ſome grievous ſinne, and the cenſure of the Church, which I ſhall purſue more particularly and diſtinctly: In the mean time, I thus conclude my generall Poſition; We have warrant and may call all men, Turks and Jews, unto the Word of the Goſpel: The Word cals them all to faith in Chriſt and repentance: If they enter not into Covenant, the ſeals of the Covenant are not for them: If they do enter Covenant, then the Sacraments or Seals follow, for the Covenant doth not follow the Seal, but the Seal the Covenant, I hope to rationall men this appears Reaſon; to me it appears above contradiction.

So much for the generall Poſition or Theſis▪ Now I will proceed to confirm it particularly according to the three fold evidence.

p. 186§. 5. The evidence of Fact.

§. 5 The firſt is the evidence of Fact, the univerſall and concurrent ſenſe and conſent of the Ancient Churches of Chriſt, to the intent it may appear to be no new Doctrine, and ſo the odium caſt upon it, as upon an upſtart, or one of the new devices of this age, by ſuch as are too tender to their luſts and ſinfull liberties, may be taken off: and though I reverence the gray hairs, and deſpiſe not the cuſtom of the Churches of God, as S^t Paul ſaith, ver. 16. yet I make them not Dictators but Conſuls only, and that teſtimony they give ſhall be but in matter of Fact, their own practice, which thoſe in our daies that ſet open too wide a gate to this Ordinance, ſeem to take very little notice of: And I begin with Juſtin Martyr, who ſeems (ſaith Bellar.) to be the firſt of De Script. Eccl.thoſe, after the Apoſtles times, whoſe writings are come to our hand. He in his ſecond Apology ſaith, That it's lawfull for no other perſon to partake of the Euchariſt, viz. this Sacrament, but ſuch an one as beleeves the Doctrines taught in the Goſpel to be true, that is baptized for remiſsion of ſins, that ſo lives as Chriſt hath delivered; where you finde the three requiſites of partaking in this Ordinance, are Faith, Baptiſm, and good Converſation. This is the moſt ancient Teſtimony of the cuſtom of the Chriſtian Church in his time, and for that age fully ſtops the mouth of all contradiction.

For the Ages after this Authour, both thoſe that paſſed under the Heathen, and under Chriſtian Emperours, I ſhall not cloy the Reader with citing the p. 187Teſtimonies of the Ancients by retale, becaUſe there Cypr. Paſſe. Tertullian de Panit.was a form of Diſcipline or Government, which obtained in all Churches, Greek, African, Roman, which with great conſent prohibited acceſs to this Sacrament, unto two ſorts principally. 1. Thoſe that were yet in the School of learning the grounds of Chriſtianity. 2. Thoſe that having been reckoned among the fideles, were for ſome great ſinne put into the School of correction; and theſe two ſorts do anſwer thoſe ſo much ſpoken of now adaies, the ignorant and the ſcandalous. I ſay, there was a form of Diſcipline that took place, as appears by that of Origen in his third Book againſt Celſus, ſo much magnified and inſiſted on by Blondell, and it is this, De Jureplebis, pag. 94.That among the Chriſtians there were appointed certain men to enquire into foreign the lives and converſations of thoſe that came to this Table, that they might prohibit them who had committed finne forbidden from acceſs to this publique Convention: A clear place againſt them that will have none ſeQueſtred for a time from participation of the Lords Table.

1. The firſt ſort of which were ſuch as having a minde to relinquiſh Heatheniſm and Idolatry, yielded up themſelves to learn the Doctrine and rule of Chriſtianity, and theſe were called Catechumenoi, or hearers, who were inſtructed and trained up to learn untill they had attained cum al quo profectu convenienti, Aug. de Fide & Operibus.ſome convenient proficiency to become competontes, that is, to give up their names to be baptized, till which they were alwaies diſmiſt, with Ite miſſa eſt, when the faithfull went on to the Lords Table, and the Officers thereto pertaining.

p. 1882. The ſecond ſort were ſuch as having been Communicants, ſtyled Fideles in oppoſition to the Catechumeni; and Stantes in oppoſition to the Lapſi, did afterwards lapſe or fall into Heatheniſh Idolatry, by offering to Idols, and theſe were thurificati, renegates, or elſe they gave money to be excUſed from that abhorred act, profeſſing themſelves Chriſtians, but they would buy it out, and theſe were called Libellatici, or they were traditores, ſuch as in Diocleſian's Forbes 649, &c. & 646.cruell time delivered up their Bibles to the fire, or they fell into ſome atrocious and notorious ſinne, Hereſie, Whoredom, Drunkenneſs, Murder, &c. and theſe were ſeQueſtred from the Lords Table, and put to the School of repentance, called foreign, by Balſamon, the ſtairs or degrees of correction, which were four, through which they paſſed with weeping and ſorrow, ſome longer, ſome ſhorter time, till they were reconciled to the Church, and ſo re-admitted to the Table, Cyp. Epiſt. 28, 38, 39, 52. Cypr. de Orat. Dominica: Yea and after the date and danger was out of being compel'd to offer to Idols, in the times of Chriſtian Emperours, Chryſoſtom charges the Miniſters under him, that if they knew a man to offer himſelf to the Table that is a groſs and open ſinner, they ſhould prohibit him, foreign, &c. though he be a Lord Generall, though a great Commander, though he wear a Diadem, as Ambroſe forbad and interdicted Theodoſius, And if you ſay (ſaith he) I dare not do it, then tell me of him, Homil. 83. in Matth.and I for my part, foreign, &c. will part with my life, before I will allow him the Lords Board, foreign, let us ſtave off all notorious perſons abſolutely. Was this a copy of his particular zeal, or p. 189rather a teſtimony of the ancient Diſcipline, the vigour of which being drowned in the dead ſea of Popery, yet even therein the rubbiſh or skeleton thereof is ſeen, by the Doctrine of their Schoolmen, and by the Council of Trent, which requires of neceſſity to a man in mortall ſinne, that he that will come to the Concil. Trid. do praparat. ad Euch. cap. 7. can. 11.Maſs, muſt premiſe Auricular or Sacramentall confeſſion and pennance; for they alſo have their preparation to the Sacrament, ſuch as it is: As for the Lutheran Churches they have an exploration of all, what they underſtand of this Sacrament, and before the Communion, a certain confeſſion of ſinne, which Chemnitius cals paenam inſtitutam. And as for Chem. Exa. de praparat. ad Euchar.the Churches of our Confeſſion, you may reade their Confeſſions and Books of Diſcipline, and be ſatisfied: I will inſtance only The Church of England, Engliſh Liturgy Rubrick before Commun. and after Confirmation.by rule whereof no notorious and Obſtinate offendour might be admitted, nor none that had not their Catechiſm perfect, which are the two points of ignorance and ſcandall. If this rule had been followed, and this Law put in execution, the practice would have been no new thing in England, as even the old rule is now by ſome accounted. I conclude with that which one argues, as out of the common rule of the Church in Auſtin's Epiſtle ad Januarium, Austin Epiſt. 118.Epiſt. 118. That if there be ſuch a courſe or force of ſin in any man, he is to be removed from the Lords board, by the authority of the chief, and put into the School of penitence, till he be reconciled to the Church.

And ſo much be ſaid of the evidence of Fact, as appears in the rules of the Churches, both ancient and later, both corrupter and purer; not that I or that I wiſh any elſe to be abſolutely ſwayed by this p. 190Authority, for there may be errour in the practice of the Church, yea errour univerſally received, as in that of giving this Sacrament to infants, upon that ground, Jeh. 6. 53. Except ye eat the fleſh, &c. ye have no life in you; and yet it was the practice of the Church ſo to do, both in Cyprians and Auſtin's time, but I prove the evidence of Fact by this Argument, otherwiſe not to be proved at all: and I do not expect that any ſhould condemn ſo ancient a practice, nor think they do, but rather do conceive that the bottom of the buſineſs is the diſrelliſh of that Authority by which it is to be done. Bucephalus will be ridden by none but Alexander, and it was the ſaying of Cardinall Matheo Langi concerning Luther, That the Church of Rome, the Maſs, the Court, the lives of Prieſts and Friers, ſtood in need to be Reformed, but that a poor raſcall Monk (meaning Luther) Heilin. Geog. in Bavaria.ſhould begin all, that he deemed intollerable, and not to be endured.

§. 6. The evidence of Scripture.

§. 6 The ſecond evidence is that of Scripture, which is firſt in dignity, but I put it ſecond, becaUſe it juſtifies the Fact for the ſubſtance thereof; and here it is confeſt that no Turk, Jew, Infidell, is debarred by Reaſon of his Nation, for Scythian and Barbarian, bond and free are all one, We are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles bond or free, 1 Cor. 12. 13. and have been made to drink into one Spirit: and therefore the word of the Goſpel lies open to all Nations and people, without partition wall, ſuch as between the Jews and others of old p. 191time; but the barre lies in point of Religion, for if they lie in their Idolatry and Infidelity, though they may come to the Word, yet not to the Table of the Lord.

Who are to be kept from the Sacrament.

1. The Jews that ſerve the Tabernacle, and ſtick to the old Service under the Legall ſhadows, are excepted: We have an Altar, or rather a Sacrifice, Jeſus Chriſt our ſin-offering, whereof they have no right to eat, Heb. 13. 10. that is, no right of Communion with us, or Chriſt: The place is difficult, but eaſily cleared by Levit. 6. 30. for as the Prieſts that ſerved at the Altar, had no right to eat of the fleſh of the ſin-offering, whoſe blood was brought into the Sanctuary, but burnt it muſt be without the Camp, ſo the Jews that hold to the Legall ſervice, have no right of eating the fleſh of Chriſt, whoſe blood was brought into the Holy place of heaven (virtually) and his body ſuffered without the gates of earthly Jeruſalem, thereby ſignifying that they were diſcommended, that hold to the Legall ſervice.

2. Heathens and Infidels are excluded from this Table, becaUſe they are extraneous and without, ſo they are called, 1 Cor. 5. 12. What have I to do to judge, or cenſure, them that are without; they are without the gates of the Church, not obnoxious to the Government, nor allowed the priviledges of it; and they that are without the gate, cannot be admitted to the Table, untill they come in and be members of the family.

3. All unbaptized perſons are excepted by the order of our Sacraments, whereof Baptiſm is firſt for p. 192inſition and implantation into the Body of Chriſt, and the Lords Table, for further coalition and growth; this order is confirmed by the Uſe or buſineſs of the Sacraments, the one being of Regeneration, and ſo firſt, the other of Communion, and ſo the ſecond: See 1 Cor. 12. 13. By one ſpirit are we baptized into one Body, and have been all made to drink into one ſpirit; firſt baptized, and then made to drink, which order the Church of Chriſt hath held from the beginning, as it's ſaid by Juſtin, foreign, Apol. 2.After the new Convert is thus waſhed, we bring him to our meetings where the Euchariſt is.

4. Thoſe that are under a preſent incapacity of performing ſuch antecedaneous acts of preparation, or which are to be exerciſed in the act of communicating, provided that this incapacity be viſible, as I may ſay, or manifeſt unto us, as in infants, ideots, ſtupid ignorants, bruits in the ſhape of men, who though baptized, yet are not capable of diſcerning the Lords Body, or of examining themſelves, who ſeem to be excepted, ver. 28. Let a man examine himſelf, and ſo let him eat and drink. And ſo, I know a mad man may have lucid intervals, and a poor ignorant ſoul may be brought to know the letters, and ſpell the firſt ſyllables of Chriſtianity, againſt either of which I would not ſhut the door; but if the ignorant cannot be gotten beyond ſottiſhneſs and ſtupidity, nor got out of his Obſtinacy in blindneſs, I ſhould be very unwilling to let him runne blinofold down the precipice, or leave the door open for him to fall into condemnation; not that I envy him a benefit, but pity his downfall, which I ought to hinder, or at leaſt not to help forward: and I may p. 193ſay of ſuch an one, as the Apoſtle of the Law, Rom. 7. 13. Shall that which is good be made death unto him? God forbid: Eſpecially conſidering that the Apoſtle having ſaid, Let a man examine himſelf, and ſo let him eat, doth in the next words come on again, ver. 29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himſelf, not diſcerning the Lords Body.

As for infants, though the Churches of ancient time admitted them after Baptiſm to partake of the P Martyr in Muſculus de caena.Lords Supper, for ſome hundreds of years, and one or two of our Reforming Divines ſpeak ſomewhat favourably of it; yet the ground they went upon, Joh. 6. 53. that otherwiſe they had not ſalvation, is diſclaimed by all, both becaUſe that Chapter ſpeaks nothing of Sacramentall or Symbolicall eating the fleſh of Chriſt, and drinking his blood; and alſo was delivered by Chriſt a year or two before this Sacrament was born into the world, and becaUſe there is ſo much activity and exerciſe required in a Communicant, as viz. to remember the Lords death, to ſhew it forth, to diſcern the Lords body, to examine ones ſelf, to judge ones ſelf; therefore is that ancient practiſe Obſolete, and as by tacite conſent deſerted, and in room thereof we admit now, not by their years, for a man of threeſcore may be a childe in underſtanding, and a childe in years may be a man, but by their diſcretion and knowledge in the myſtery of Chriſt: and if the Parents or Paſtors care, the bloſſoming of grace, and pregnancy in the childe, were anſwerable to my deſires, I ſhould, as I am, for great reaſons, be for eatly admiſſions of them, as namely, that the benefit and refreſhing of this Ordinance might p. 194curb the over-growth of the ſins and luſts of youth, and help forward the growth of their graces to an early maturity.

Thoſe that are profeſſed Chriſtians, baptized-Church-members, whether they live in open practice, or fall under the guilt of ſome groſs and ſcandalous ſinne, are for that time as they be impenitent, to be ſecluded from, or not admitted unto this Communion; and this is an adjudged caſe in Scripture, 1 Cor 5. where one for terrible inceſt, notoriouſly manifeſt, deteſted by very Heathens, remained in the Communion of the Church, through neglect of their duty, which the Apoſtle reproves; and having ſhown what power they had of judging ſuch as were within, members of their Church, enjoyns them to purge out the leaven, and to caſt out from themſelves that wicked perſon: and leaſt any perverſe gainſayer ſhould reſtrain this power to this one ſin, the Apoſtle ſaith, ver. 11. If any that is called a brother be a fornicatour, a covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or extortioner, the Church hath power to judge them that are within; But what is this to the Sacrament? enough verily, for he that is caſt out of the hoUſe, is certainly caſt out from the houſhold table; and the abſtention from Communion, ſo much named in Cyprian, or foreign, or ſecluſion Forbes 631.mentioned in the Canons, and whatſoever word is Uſed for this caſting one out of Church-communion, here if any where it operates and works, in forbidding the Uſe of the Table, where the foreign of Church ſociety and communion is; as for inſtance, Divorce though it extend further, yet ſignifies nothing at all, is no Divorce, if not a thoro or menſa, p. 195from bed or board, ſo this reſtention is nothing, it works nothing, (I ſpeak not of a private avoidance of familiarity with wicked perſons, which lies on private perſons) if not to this ſecluſion from the Table: I ſhall not further urge the example of the old Teſtament, which debarres the uncircumciſed and the unclean for the time, from the Paſſeover: and I deny not that under that worldly Sanctuary, and thoſe carnall Ordinances, as they are called, Heb. 9. 1, 10. Legall uncleanneſs might debarre, when ſpirituall and morall did not, as now morall filthineſs may, when legall uncleanneſs is not; for that uncleanneſs under the Law, had a ſpirituall ſignification, and though it was not alwaies ſinne, yet it ſignified morall pollution, as the leaven which was held Hag. 2. 13.Hag 2:13execrable and muſt be caſt out, at the Paſſeover is ſpiritually applied to another meaning by the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 5. Purge out the old leaven, ver. 7. for Chriſt our Paſſeover is ſacrificed for us: the old leaven, that is the wicked and inceſtuous perſon (Beza, Slater, alii) out of your ſociety, and malice and wickedneſs out of your lives, ver. 8. and therefore the Argument which is drawn from the ſignification of the legall type, is not ſo contemptible, as a Learned man of M. Humfrey.late would ſeem to make it, ſince the Apoſtle ſeems to argue from the leaven caſt out at the Paſſeover, as I have hinted.

§. 7. The evidence of Reaſon.

§ 7 The third evidence is that of Reaſon▪ which was this, that ſuch as have no right to eat, or have loſt for preſent, right or capacity, ſhould not intrude p. 196themſelves: I ſay thoſe that have no right, and they are thoſe, that as the Apoſtle ſaith, Eph. 2. 12. are meer ſtrangers to the Covenant; for in Reaſon the Covenant muſt go before the Seal, and not the Seal before the Covenant; and therefore they were Diſciples to whom Chriſt ſaid, Take and eat, not aliens or ſtrangers to the Goſpel▪ Covenant, whereof it was ordained a Sacrament, infidels or unbeleevers, which anſwer to the uncircumciſed, were debarred the Paſſeover. Or elſe they are ſuch as having had both right unto, and Uſe of this Ordinance, have afterward loſt their capacity for the time, by ſome groſs and enormous crime, which hath brought them under ſeQueſtration or deprivation by the cenſure of the Church; and theſe anſwer the unclean under the Law, who having right to the Paſſeover as Churchmembers, were yet forbidden the Uſe, during ſuch uncleanneſs; for againſt ſuch is the key turned, and the door ſhut, untill and unleſs by their repentance for their ſinne, they be reſtored to their right, and the ſeQueſtration be taken off; for ſo in the ancient Churches, while the Lapſi lay under pennance, and were in the School of repentance, they could not communicate, the Crier ſaid, foreign, as Chryſoſt. hom▪ 3. in Epheſ. and if the ſame Authour and the ſame place may be heard, ye ſhall learn from him the very two ſorts which I am ſpeaking of; There ought, ſaith he, to come to this Table, neither any, foreign, of them that are not initiated and entred Diſciples, foreign, nor any of thoſe that are profeſsours and members, but unclean or flagitious, whoſe ſinnes are ſuch, ut judicatur excommunicandus, as it's ſaid in Auſtin Epiſt. 118. ad Januarium.

p. 197Now there is Reaſon that ſuch as lie in manifeſt and enormous ſinne without repentance, ſhould either forbear, or by the Church be forbidden acceſs to the terrible myſteries, as Chryſoſtom often cals foreignthem.

1. That they ſhould forbear being made acquainted what a fearfull ſinne they boldly adventure upon, viz. to be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord, the very naming of it being able to ſtrike terrour, and what danger they ruſh themſelves into of eating and drinking damnation to themſelves, as it were profeſſedly ſeeking and ſolemnly ſetting their hands to their own ruine; for though every ſinne have death the wages of it, yet for a man to provoke his own deſtruction, and ſolemnly ſeal it upon himſelf, is moſt fearfull: Who would not tremble to eat ſuch a ſop as ſhould be preſently followed with Satan, or to eat ſuch forbidden fruit as is ſawced with this bitter ſawce, Morte morieris, Thou ſhalt die: for if this bread enter into a man filthy and polluted, Calvin. Iuſtit. lib. 4. ca. 17.Majore illum ruina praecipitat; and he that hath purpoſe to ſinne, gravatur magis, ſaith Auſtin, he is De Eccleſ. Dogmat. cap. 35.loaden with a greater guilt: He takes poyſon, both by Reaſon of his guiltineſs of other ſinnes, and of the abUſe of the Sacrament, ſaith Bernard. And therefore let Serm. de caena. 2men conſider what they are like to reap, that either raviſh and force, or ſecretly think themſelves well if they can ſteal the Sacrament▪ for he that is in mortall ſinne, ſinnes mortally (as Alenſis ſaith) and Pars 4. Q…. 46that becaUſe, as the Schoolmen ſay, Committit falſum Aquin. 3. pars▪ Quaeſt. 8. & Eſti…. lib. 4. diſtinct▪ 12.in Sacramento, he commits a falſhood in this Sacrament, profeſſing himſelf to come to and receive Chriſt, to whom he is an enemy and a ſtranger; p. 198he mocks God ſolemnly: And therefore as M^r Selden De Synodecis p. 254.ſaith, If Judas that had a deliberate purpoſe of betraying Chriſt, had of himſelf therefore gone forth becaUſe he was ſo unworthy, certum ipſi laudi fuiſſet, verily it had been a credit and commendation to him to have forborn; and indeed there would appear ſome conſcience in ſuch forbearance, whereas there appears nothing but blindneſs, boldneſs, pride, cuſtom, &c. in a dangerous intruſion: I cannot encourage men to forbear this Ordinance, nor allow the excUſe of thoſe that flatter themſelves in ſuch forbearance by their ſinne, as I have heard ſome, they cannot come to the Sacrament, becaUſe they are not in charity: Sinne may be an impediment, but it is not an excUſe▪ if you be in manifeſt and flagitious ſinne ye may not come, but that ſinne excUſes not, for you ought to finde a third way, that is to repent and lay aſide your ſinne, that you may come. Let a man examine himſelf, and ſo let him eat, ſaith the Apoſtle. As in the Marriage feaſt, Matth. 22. he that came without his wedding garment was caſt out, and they that pretending excUſes, came not, are ſaid not to be worthy, v. 8. What then is to be done? this third, to have a wedding garment and come too. Inſtance, a drunken ſervant that forbears to wait at his Maſters table becaUſe he is drunk, but yet that is no excUſe, for he ought to be ſober and wait alſo: And this anſwers a captious fallacy or objection which may be made by ſome.

There is Reaſon that the Church ſhould forbid openly criminous perſons from acceſs to the Lords Table.

1. It would be not only contra veritatem, but contra p. 199charitatem, to make ſuch partakers of the holy Supper: They are the words of Learned Grotius, Grotius de imperio, p. 229.who cannot be ſuſpected to ſpeak partially in this caUſe, but to ſpeak the ſenſe of Antiquity: Againſt truth, for the ſeal, ſaith he, is not to be applied to him, to whom the thing ſignified, manifeſtly belongs not: and therefore in the Churches of old it was wont to be proclaimed, foreign, Holy things to holy perſons: And Chryſostom ſhews, that one with a loud and terrible Homil 17. ad Hebr.voice pronounced, foreign, for pearls are not to be cast to ſwine. Againſt charity it is to ſuffer a blinde ſoul that diſcerns not the Lords body, to fall into the pit which we have left open: No mother would ſuffer her childe to eat that which may be poyſon to it, no ſhepherd would call his ſheep into ſuch paſtures as will certainly rot them; no friend would put a ſword into the hand of a furious man; no Phyſician would reach water to an Hydropick that eagerly thirſts for it. It was charity as well as duty in that Jehojada, 2 Chron. 23. 19. that ſet porters at the gates of the hoUſe of the Lord, that none that was unclean in any thing ſhould enter in. The diſeaſed or dropick man is angry and frets ſore againſt thoſe that keep water from him, but they are his beſt friends that do it.

2. The admittance of ignorant, malitious, unclean, ſcandalous, drunkards, blaſphemers, and ſuch manifeſt works of the fleſh, of which it's ſaid, that thoſe that do ſuch things, ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God, Gal. 5. 19, 21. will render the Lords Table a common Ordinary, a common lane, a common ſhore, and fill the Church of God, and the ſociety of Saints, with all prodigious luſts and hereſies, as p. 200if it were a ſtie of unclean ſwine; and what an ulcerous body would that Church be, where ſuch a common liberty doth reign? when ſo many ſpo…s ſhould be in your feaſts of love, Jude …2. ſo much old leaven, to leaven the lump by their example; when as the Apoſtle in the caſe tels us, a little leaven would do it, and therefore purge it out, ſaith he, purge out 1 Cor. 5. 6.1 Cor 5:6that leaven while it is little: For as when the multitude a major part of a Town or City becomes infected, who ſhall ſhut them up, Si contagio peccandi multitudinem invaſerit, ſaith Auſtin, then farewell all cenſures. And therefore if any ſhall encourage the Church to keep (as I may ſo ſay) open hoUſe in this Grotius de imperio pag. 233.caſe, doth little leſs, conſidering the corruption of men that would account ſuch a liberty a warrant, than if I ſhould counſell you to plant weeds in your Garden, or bring ſtones into your Vineyard.

3. This would give occaſion and advantage to ſeparation, and put into the hands of men an argument to withdraw from ſuch ſociety and communion, and to rend themſelves off from the body ſo corrupted; not that I juſtifie ſeparation upon ſuch ground, as I intend to ſhew hereafter; for the people were blameworthy that abhorred the offerings of the Lord, for the wickedneſs of Eli his ſonnes, 1 Sam. 2. 17. and yet their wickedneſs was to be abhorred which gave the occaſion: Wo be to him by whom the offence cometh. The Matth. 18. 7.Matt 18:7mouth that blaſphemeth the truth and way of God is wicked, but the ſin of him that opens that mouth is alſo to be condemned. We are told, Ezra 6. 21. that all ſuch as had ſeparated themſelves from the filthineſs of the Heathen of the Land, came to the Paſſeover; p. 201and if we ſeparate not from the filthineſſe of the Heathen, there are many that will ſeparate from the filthineſſe of the Church, and we ſhall in vain call them back into a hoUſe infected with the plague, when once they are broken out.

4. The Church hath little or none other way, as the Church, to keep the holy things from being profaned, to correct the ſins and lapſes of her children, Ezek. 22. 26.Ezek 22:26to preſerve it ſelf from being gangren'd, to defend and wipe off ſcandals, but this way of privation of priviledges, and calling of the peccant from her Communion, ſhutting this door againſt rebellious children, and what ſhould the Church have done all the while the Civil Magiſtrate gave no aſſiſtance, if they had not Uſed this power of their own, to maintain themſelves free from ſcandals and hereſies, and to keep the credit of their corporation, which otherwiſe would be the moſt contemptible corporation in the world, and of no better credit than Algier, or any City of miſcreants; for if God have depoſited his Word and Ordinances with his Church, and committed them to it, the caſe is hard, if they might not put to the door againſt unjuſt invaders of her priviledges; as if one ſhould commit a Vineyard to be kept, and not allow a hedge to be made about it. Now all men know, that almoſt all the coercion or correction that lies in the Churches hand, is the debarment of priviledges of the Church, that is of the Sacraments; for the Word lies open to all, as the outward Court to all comers; and as for civil puniſhments, they are neither proper, nor the Churches; the rod belongs to Moſes; And whereas it may be ſaid, The Church hath the word of God, p. 202and by that they denounce judgement, declare ſinne, wound the profane, prohibit the unworthy from this Table; I grant it; and it is a neceſſary and proper means, but withall, I ſay, If a City or Commonwealth have Laws proclaimed and expounded, and penalties ſet forth and declared, but no execution of any reſtraint or puniſhment, no power to correct or puniſh; I need not tell you, how full we ſhould be of thieves and felons for all that.

Thus much be ſaid in confirmation and maintenance of my general Poſition, That the Lords Supper is a barred Ordinance, which I have endeavoured to make good by evidence of Fact, by evidence of Scripture, and by evidence of Reaſon, for the ſatisfaction of your ſcruples (if any be) and the ſettling of animoſities: Much more might have been ſaid and argued upon the point; For if the very Heathens in their idolatrous Sacrifices by their light of Reaſon, did no leſſe, as appears by their foreign, in Callimachus.Callimachus, and Procul ô procul eſte profani, in Virgil. Away, away all you that are profane. If both Heathens, and the Church of God had ſome that did foreign, ſurvey the Sacrifices, that they had no blemiſh that might diſable them from being preſented to God. If in the Olympick games or maſteries Chryſoſt. hom. 17. ad he….the Crier made Proclamation, If any man come out and accUſe this Combatant or Antagoniſt, that he is a thief, a ſlave, &c. being a diſhonour for a Gentleman, a Free-man to enter liſts with ſuch a fellow. If the old Druids in France had a form of Excommunication Caeſar. Commentaries.out of their Society, and it was accounted a mighty puniſhment. If the Eſſens a Sect among the Jews in Chriſts time, had it in Uſe to caſt out of their p. 203Society ſuch as were offenſive, as Joſephus tels us. If the Synagogues had a form of diſſynagoguing offences, Grot. de imp. pag. 232.though they abUſed it, as all Church-cenſures are, when they ſpare the carrion-Crows, and vex the Doves; I ſay, if all this, and much more, why then ſhould this be accounted a new and unreaſonable, either Doctrine or practice? I end this point with a reQueſt, That every one of you would rather labour and ſtudy to prevent all occaſion of uſing this courſe, than to remove the old Landmarks.

§. 8. Who may not be denied this Ordinance.

Theſis. II.The ſecond general Poſition is this, That though this Sacrament be a barred Ordinance, denied to ſome, yet it cannot be denied to any baptized viſible Profeſſour of the Goſpel, but upon ſuch grounds, and in ſuch manner and order as God hath appointed or allowed; And this takes off the odium and terrour of the former point; This ſettles and quiets all miſtakes of them, For God is not the Authour of confuſion, but of order and peace in all the Churches of the Saints, 1 Cor. 14. 33. Let all things be done in order, ver. 40. And therefore the Apoſtle, when he had enjoyned Timothy, To rebuke them that ſinne before all, that others may fear, 1 Tim. 5. 10. doth in the next words lay a ſerious charge upon him, To Obſerve theſe things without preferring one before another, and to do nothing by partiality. Would you call that a well-govern'd City, a well-order'd hoUſe, or rather a Cycleps den, where every one may caſt out another, and he himſelf, as the Rabbies in the latter end of the Jewiſh p. 204State, ridiculouſly excommunicated one the other; As promiſcuous acceſſe is not to be allowed, ſo neither promiſcuous denial; As one may intrude and uſurp the Lords Supper raſhly, ſo he may be as raſhly forbidden; As there is an ignorant and ſcandalous ruſhing in, ſo there is an ignorant and ſcandalous thruſting out; The door may be open'd and ſhut both, errante clave: If, I ſay, that a gangren'd leg or arm may and muſt ſometimes be cut off, Doth it follow that for every ſore before healing plaiſters be Uſed, we muſt runne to the Knife or Axe? Or if, I ſay, a robber or murderer may be put to death, muſt I therefore have him to the next tree without further trial or judgement? The caſe is plain, but particularly handled thus.

1. It cannot be denied to a repentant ſinner, one that doth renew his purpoſe of amendment, and after his fall with Peter bewails it bitterly, whatſoever his ſins have been, for which he hath been puniſht or cenſured; Repentance doth diſſolve the bands, and pull away the barre from the door, repentance prevents the puniſhment, Ile caſt them into great tribulation, except they repent, as it prevents, ſo it reſtores a man, as Ezek. 18. 30. Repent, ſo iniquity ſhall not be your ruine. This was the Novatian rigour and errour, they would not allow lapſed Chriſtians that had fallen into ſinne, the benefit of repentance and reſtoring to the holy Table, but leave them to Gods mercy, for to the peace and communion of the Church, they muſt not return; But the Orthodox Churches did allow repentance to be medicinal; Yea the very Church-cenſures were not intended to be mortal, but to be medicinal, viz. that ſinne might be deſtroyed, p. 205but the ſoul ſaved, 1 Cor. 5. 5. and here is a difference between civil ſentences of death, and Church-cenſures. If a man be condemned to die for felony, his repentance doth not acquit or reſtore him from the ſentence of death, but it reſtores a man to his Church-priviledge that had loſt it; it is Tabula poſt naufragium, like a plank or board after a Shipwrack which ſaves from drowning him that gets to it.

Object. Some may object, That this is an obvious and eaſie Engine to open any door that is ſhut; for if a man make a verbal profeſsion of his repentance, and ſay, I repent of my ſins, and that is to my ſelf, you know not my heart, I demand my right.

Anſw. The Diſcipline of the Church is not to be expoſed to mockery, nor is it a meer external Pageant; I will know, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 4. 20. not the ſpeech of them that are puffed up, but the power, For the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power; Hypocritical and ſuperficial expreſſions ſignifie nothing, but the powerfull work of grace and regeneration which changes the heart; and becaUſe the Objection may be made by ſome (ex animo) intending to ſhew with how eaſie a word, as Nollem factum, or I repent to blow the door open to himſelf, therefore I anſwer it, That though I ſhould reſt in a ſerious profeſſion of faith and repentance, which is not pull'd down again by a wicked life, or ſcandalous ſinne; As Philip reſted in it, when the Eunuch anſwer'd him, I believe that Jeſus Chriſt is the Sonne of God, Act. 8. 37. and ſo was baptized; yet when a man lies under the charge of our cenſure, for ſome ſcandalous ſinne the caſe is otherwiſe; for as it is in ſuch ſinnes as p. 206are with damage to another, it is not enough to profeſſe repentance, but there muſt be Zacheus his repentance, that is, reſtitution and reparation of injury, if one be able; ſo in ſcandalous ſinnes, whereby the Church is injured and offended; There was alwayes in the ancient Churches a certain Diſcipline (as Chemnitius ſaith) whereby the repentance of men Depraeparat. p. 95.was explored and tried, whether it were ſerious, ſlighty and ſuperficial, Sayings ſerved not the turn, the Church had received a wound, the mouth of the enemy was open'd to blaſpheme, and therefore it was her honour to be ſatisfied in that reparation, which was made by repentance, that God might regain his viſible honour by the repentance which he had loſt by the ſcandal, and there is ground for it, 2 Cor. …. 6, 7, 8. where the inceſtuous perſon lies humbled and overwhelmed with great ſorrow, and therefore the Apoſtle writes to the Church to be content to comfort, to forgive him, and to confirm their love towards him. This is no dallying matter, when the fall is ſcandalous, the repentance muſt be ſerious; Peter thrice denies Chriſt, and Chriſt asks Peter three times, Loveſt thou me?

2. A viſible profeſſour of Chriſtian Religion, that ſtains not his profeſſion with a wicked courſe of life, or ſome ſcandalous act, cannot be debarred his right of Communion with the viſible Church in her priviledges; Many are in the external Covenant and Kingdom of Chriſt, who are not truly regenerate, nor lively members of Chriſt himſelf; inward grace makes a member of the Church inviſible, and the profeſſion makes a viſible. The Sacraments are given to the viſible Church, we cannot diſcern or judge p. 207infallibly, who is regenerate, who an hypocrite, a viſible Judge is not to go by an inviſible rule, You ſhall know them (ſaith Chriſt) by their fruits: He doth not ſay, You ſhall know them by their ſap; It's one Queſtion, Who is a true member of Chriſts body, and truly in Chriſt? It's another Queſtion, Whom we may communicate with? It's one Queſtion, Who comes and eats, and drinks unworthily? So do hypocrites: It's another Queſtion, Who may not come at all? and thoſe are viſible unbelievers, and ſcandalous perſons, uſitatiſsima phraſi (ſaith Chemnitius) in the moſt uſual phraſe of Scripture they are called holy and Saints, who are Saints by calling, Diſciples of Chriſt, ſeparated from infidelity and Heatheniſm unto the worſhip of God by their faith of the Goſpel▪ It muſt be evidence of ſome fact, or diſorderly walking which is proved, that muſt give ground to diſcommon or diſ-franchize a reputed Member, Who ever heard of witneſſes to prove a man unregenerate? Oh but in judgement of charity at leaſt, he muſt be truly regenerate! I would all the Congregation were holy; That's the beſt corn-field that hath feweſt weeds or tares, but (as I conceive) the Church is to proceed by an infallible Rule, not a judgement of charity; Charity gives a good temperament unto our judgement, and holds the balance mercifully, but God hath ſet a Rule to judge by, If one that is named a brother be a fornicatour, or Idolater, or a railer, or drunkard, 1 Cor. 5. 11. It is the viſible Rule of his own word, who may, and who may not be debarred our fellowſhip or ſociety; Charity may hold the ſcales, but the ſcales are Gods word, which tels us, who are inter▪ Commoners and Covenantors, and p. 208Sacramento tenus, Communicants, whether they be truly regenerate or no, for I have no Rule to judge that, and he may have right in foro externo, becaUſe he anſwers to the viſible Rule of judging, for he is a brother called; he is, as the Apoſtle ſaith, within, and not outwardly ſcandalous. The Kingdom of heaven is likened to ten Virgins, whereof five were fooliſh: The Bridegroom might ſhut out the fooliſh, but the wiſe could not forbid them to attend or trim their Lamps, Mat. 25.

3. No ſecret ſinne that lies in the boſom of the heart, is a ſufficient ground of a mans being debarred or prohibited by the Church to come to this Table. It may be a caUſe of a mans eating and drinking unworthily, but of his debarment to come, it cannot be; It may be a caUſe of forbearance to come, not of prohibition; and the Reaſon is, De ſecretis non judicat Eccleſia, ſecret ſins are without the Churches cognizance: Our Saviour tels us, Matth. 5. 28. He that looketh on a woman to luſt after her, hath committed adultery with her in his heart; but that adultery is not puniſhable by any, but him that knows the heart. The Schoolmen teach, That if a Prieſt have mens Durand. l. 4. Diſt. 9. Quaeſt. 5. §. 7. Aleſ. part. 4. Quaeſt. 49. num. 1.ſecret ſinnes under ſeal of Confeſsion, he may not forbid the perſon in the face of the Congregation, for then he is not Corrector, but Proditor. Chriſt knew Judas his rottenneſſe, his theft was acted, his tReaſon intended, and now in hatching, yet he ſuffer'd him. I know it's a great Queſtion, Whether Judas received the Lords Supper? But that indeed is not the Queſtion, but this, Whether he was debarred or forbidden by Christ, or no? And there is no foot ſtep of proof for it, I ſay, that's the Queſtion in this point; and p. 209yet to ſpeak a word of the other. It runs currant by general vote of Antiquity, ten for one, That Judas Vide Selden. de Synedriis lib. 1. cap▪ 9. Vaſquez. Tom. 3. Diſp. 217.did receive the Lords Supper. Hilary is quoted againſt it, but he alſo, as Vaſquez truly Obſerves, is againſt his communicating in the Paſſeover too; Now we finde he ſate down to the Paſſeover, Matth. 26. 20. and was hinted by Chriſt at the very Table to be the Traitour, One of you, verſ. 21. and there is no mention of his deſerting the company ſo early; that word of connexion, Luk. 22. 21. But behold the hand of him that betrayes me, is with me on the Table, ſpeaks very fair for it, that the connexion may be preſerved with former words, Thoſe that are againſt it, as ſome learned men are, anſwer the Text by anticipations, Muſcul. de …na & multi.and give their Reaſons, That it's not likely Chriſt would eat with ſuch an hypocrite, &c. But Reaſon is no demonstration in matter of fact, as a learned man ſaith, The great ſtreſſe lies upon one word, Joh. 13. 30. Judas taking the ſap went out immediately; This ſop, ſay they, was given at the Paſchal Supper before the Lords Supper, whatſoever it was, it was an index of the Traitour, and▪ given to diſtinguiſh him, therefore not a common giving it to all, as the common cuſtom was, and wonder it is that the Apoſtles ſhould interpret Chriſts words, Do it quickly of buying things for the feaſt, which is a ſign they dream'd of no Excommunication by thoſe words, nor yet wonder'd that there ſhould be ſuch haſte to provide and cater, as that he muſt riſe from the Table, while the Paſchal Supper was eating, which Paſchal Supper and the Lords Supper, was, as it were, all one to them, not diſtinguiſht, but by the ſignification put upon the bread and wine, juſt when they were delivered, p. 210being indeed the Paſchal Rites, and no other, viz. materially, and therefore I ſee not but foreign here may ſignifie, as it doth, Matth. 13. 5. foreign, The ſeed in ſtony places ſprung up forthwith, not ſo ſoon as ſowed, but by Reaſon of ſhallowneſſe of the earth, and heat of the rock, ſooner then ordinary ſeed, and ſo Judas went out forthwith, not before the end of the Paſchal Supper, which was alſo the end of the Lords Supper, both being at once, and concluded by one hymn, but before the long ſpeech, Vaſquez. Tom. 3. Disp. 217. cap. 2.which was continued after Supper by Chriſt, John 13. & Joh. 14. for he left Chriſt and the other together in the room, and before that laſt Sermon was gone about his intended plot, and this as it is the common, ſo alſo (as I ſuppoſe) the true opinion, which is hinted, as the conſent of the Church of England, in the Exhortation before the Communion, where you finde theſe words, If any of you be a blaſphemer Confeſſio Belgica.of God, an hinderer or ſlanderer of his Word, an adulterer, or be in malice, or envy, or any other grievous crime, bewail your ſinnes, and come not to this holy Table, leſt after the taking of that holy Sacrament, the Devil enter into you as he enter'd into Judas, and fill you full of all iniquities, and bring you to deſtruction both of body and ſoul

But this example pleads nothing for admiſſion of openly notorious and ſcandalous ſinners; for though Chriſt knew Judas, yet his ſins had not yet ſcandalouſly broke forth, and therefore he was preſent, as a ſecret ſinner, of whom there could be no juſt accuſation, nor evident proof, and ſo no object as yet of any eccleſiaſtical cenſure in an ordinary and orderly Tom. pars 3. Qu. 81.way, as Aquinas ſaith.

p. 2114. No private treſpaſſe againſt a private ſcandal given to a Chriſtian brother, is the immediate object of this debarment from publick Communion, for in ſuch caſes there is an order, viz. The golden Rule of Chriſt is to be Obſerved, Matth. 18. 15. Go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone, if he hear thee, thou haſt gained thy brother; if not then, take one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witneſses every word may be eſtabliſht; If yet he hear not, or neglect, Tell it to the Church; The buſineſſe here to be done, is not ſo much to reſarciate the damage or injury done to thee, or to make him pay what he owes, that belongs to Weſtminſter-Hall, not the Church, but to gain a brother to repent, that's the work. And here we may complain of a great neglect of this duty of private reproof or admonition: Men would have their private offences brought upon the publick ſtage, at firſt daſh they expect the Church ſhould proceed to do their work at firſt inſtance, they forget that, Levit. 19. 17. Thou ſhalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, thou ſhalt in any wiſe rebuke thy neighbour, and not ſuffer ſinne upon him. The Church would have leſſe to doe, if this courſe were held, the matter would be ſtopt, the offendour gained by this private plaiſter, which if it do the cure, what need we go to the Chyrurgion: Men have their own private plaiſters, and untill the ſore rankle, they call not the Chyrurgions to counſel: Men are apt to runne to the Church or Miniſter with private whiſpers, and what can they do by Gods Word upon private whiſpers, juſt nothing, go and do your own duty: Let Chriſts order be Obſerved, He will not have a member of the Church made p. 212a Publican or Heathen at firſt daſh, there are three neglectings to hear before that be, If he hear not thee, If he hear not two or three, If he hear not the Church, but if he do hear thee, then no end of bringing two or three; If he hear two or three, then no telling of the Church; If he hear the Church, then is he no Heathen or Publican unto thee: How raſhly and paſſionately do many ſeparate from the Church, becaUſe ſhe cannot, doth not caſt out her members upon their private whiſpers, let them go and ſeperate alſo from the Commonwealth, becaUſe ſhe doth not baniſh or put to death upon private information. Do they neglect their own duty to their brother, and will they make the Church a Heathen and a Publican to them, for not doing that which by Chriſts order they cannot do?

5. The proper, and adequate, and immediate object of this debarment from the Communion of the Church, is a ſcandalous perſon, that holds either a courſe, or hath committed the act of a ſcandalous ſinne, And what call you that? It may be explained thus:

1. Some atrocious or grievous ſinne, of firſt magnitude, If any that is called a brother be a fornicator, idolater, covetous, &c. 1 Cor. 5. There is a liſt with an Et catera, Gal. 5. 19. where they are called, Works of the fleſh, and they that do ſuch ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God; As alſo 1 Cor. 6. 9. Know ye not that the unrighteous ſhall not inherit the Kingdome of God, nor fornicatours, idolaters, adulterers, abUſers of themſelves with mankinde, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, and ſuch were ſome of you. Theſe the Papiſts call mortal ſins, p. 213they bring ſcandal on the Church, provoke God, blot out our comfort, waſte the conſcience, &c. but there are quotidian ſinnes of daily incurſion, common to all godly men, infirmities, which like little flies are not to be knockt down with ſo great a hammer, whoſe abſolute cure can hardly be expected, or performed by ſuch as are ſubject to the like paſſions themſelves; divorce or baniſhment are too great, but for ſuch offences as are directly contrariant to the reſpective ſocieties of marriage or Commonwealth.

2. It muſt be an open and manifeſt ſinne, elſe it is 1 Cor. 5. 1.1 Cor 5:1not ſcandalous, foreign, It is reported commonly fornication, and ſuch fornication. Chryſoſtom ſaith, he ſpeaks foreign, concerning manifeſt ſinnes, when he charges his Miniſters to admit no ſcandalous offendour: Now to render a ſinne manifeſt or notorious, I ſuppoſe firſt it's requiſite,

1. That it manifeſtly be a ſinne, and this is quaeſtio juris, for a thing may be commonly cried down under the name of an enormous crime, and yet indeed be very doubtfull, I inſtance uſury, where the Queſtion is, What it is? Then, Whether this in Queſtion be uſury? Then, Whether all uſury be ſinfull? For there are great names of learning and godlineſſe, who upon conſiderable Reaſons do deny it.

2. That it be manifeſt, that the ſinne be committed; for it's one thing to know ſimply, and another to know judicially, and known it muſt be, either by evidence of fact, or confeſſion, or conviction, if it be, and yet appear not, it is as if it p. 214were not, De non exiſtentibus & non apparentibus eadem ratio, if it come to that paſſe, that the offendour put himſelf upon conviction, then the proceſſe muſt be Secundum allegata & probata, in the mouth of two or three witneſſes every word muſt ſtand (ſaith our Saviour upon this point) If I were to judge the fact, which I my ſelf do know, but yet it is not proved, I durſt not make a cenſure, but ſhould rather, Exuere perſonam judicis, & induere perſonam teſtis; And as Jerome ſaith, Cont Ruffin. lib. 2.A ſingle witneſſe is not to be believed, Ne Catoni quidem, No, though he were Cato; You would be loath to loſe your horſe, your goods, but upon ſufficient conviction, and I hope, you think that to loſe your right to the Sacrament, is a greater loſſe. I like well of that of Durand Lib. 4. Dist. …. Qu. 5. §. 7. Aug. in 1 Cor. 5. If any be a brother.1 Cor 5out of Auſtine, We cannot prohibite à Communione, any man, but he that either confeſſes his ſinne, or is convict of it before the ſecular Judgement, or in the face of the Church. You ſee what a ſufficient hedge the Scripture and Reaſon hath made about the right of a Communicant.

Sixthly, No private perſon by any private Authority, can diſpoſſeſs a viſible member of his right of Communion; As in the Commonwealth Juſtice is neceſſary, but private perſons doe not bear the Sword. It's unReaſonable that a man laying claime to the Ordinance ſhould at any mans private diſcretion be denied, What inconveniences and miſchiefes would this fill the Church of God with? How full of ſcandals? This would not heal ſcandals, but make them. p. 215Nor can I warrant or encourage any private or ſingle Miniſter ordinarily to aſſume the power of juriſdiction, to caſt out of the Church, as it once did Diotrephes, 2 Epiſt. of John verſ. 10. and I ſay ordinarily, becaUſe Saint Paul deliver'd to Satan Hymenaeus and Alexander, 1 Tim. 1. 20. For the Paſtour is not Dominus, but Diſpenſator Sacramentorum, (as Alenſis ſaith) not the Head of the Sacraments, but the Steward; And it would goe very ill with the beſt Communicants many times, if the power lay in that hand. He that preaches againſt them would make no bones to forbid them the Table, and they that leaſt deferved it ſhould feel the ſeverity moſt; but our Saviour his Rule is, Tell the Church; and that Matth. 18.Matt 18rebuke which was given to the inceſtuous Corinthian, was inflicted by many, 2 Cor. 2. 6. It's true, The Miniſter may alone performe the executive part, and pronounce the words, as the Crier doth the Proclamation, and peradventure withdraw his hand from reaching forth the Sacrament to a ſcandalous perſon, but that is no act of Juriſdiction, or caſting out the ſcandalous perſon, as I ſhall (it may be) ſhew anon.

Seventhly, The Church it ſelfe doth not ordinarily caſt out a meritorious ſinner without previous Admonition, and hearty ſeeking of a loſt Sheep; for there are few that would cut off an unſound Leg or Arme, before they had tried all wayes; And our Saviour ſaith, If he neglect to hear the Church, (Matth. 18. 17.) as implying, p. 216That the Church deals with him by Exhortations and entreaties, ſuch as may overcome his obſtinacy, rather then puniſh it, and had rather heal him than cut him off. And ſo in the firſt generall Poſition, I fortified the Sacrament againſt undue Intruſion: And in this ſecond I have fortified the Right of the Communicant againſt unjuſt invaſion.

And having ſhewed you the truth of this Point in two generall Poſitions; The firſt was, That this Ordinance is barred, and lies not open to all that may intrude. The ſecond was, That the right of a viſible Church-member is hedged in, and cannot be hand over head invaded, and taken away from him. Now I ſhall ſhortly ſhew you what Uſe may be made of all this.