The Right Administration and Receiving of the Lords Supper, Treatise · Chapter 20
CHAP. XX. Whether a Godly man lawfully may, or ought to ſtand as a Member of, and hold Communion in the Ordinances of God with ſuch a Congregation as is mixt (as they call it) that is, where men viſibly Scandalous in Life and Converſation are mingled with the Good in the Participation and Ʋſe of Divine Ordinances? Or, VVhether this Mixture of Heterogeneals do not pollute the Ordinances, and the Communion to the Godly, ſo as they are concerned to Separate from ſuch Communion▪.
§. 1 BEfore I make particular Anſwer to this Queſtion, I muſt tell you, That all ſerious and weighty Chriſtians have caUſe to lament the levity and inconſtancy of people of our times, and the ſpirit of Separation which ſo eaſily puts them upon wing to practice and plead for ſeparation, as they did for Divorce upon every caUſe, Matth. 19. 3. There are many make but a humour of it, being ignorant of the greatneſſe of the ſinne of renting aſunder the Unity and Union of the body of Chriſt, which Chryſoſtom aggravates Homil. 11. in Epheſ.and recites a ſaying of a holy man before his time, (he means Cyprian) foreign, which might ſeem a very bold ſpeech, and that is, That the bloud of Martyrdom cannot waſh off this ſtain, which many account an ornament, not a ſinne. Among other principles of Separation, this which I have now to ſpeak unto, that we muſt excommunicate our ſelves from Gods Ordinances (if men of wicked life be not excommunicate) for fear of pollution by them, is Donatiſtical, and urged by Parmenian the Vide cap. 21. Epiſt. ad Parmenianum & alibi.Donatiſt, and anſwer'd by Austin many hundred years ago, and now retrimed and revived, being called a new truth, as we commonly call a new faſhion, that which lately come up, though about fourty year ago, or in our memory, it was a faſhion laid aſide and rejected. And the truth is, That the Reaſon of this Separation ſeems plauſible to eaſie capacities, ſuch as the Apoſtle cals Rom. 16. 17. foreign, the ſimple, becaUſe it pretends to ſet up holineſſe, both of Ordinances and people, but if it be weighed by the ſtandard of Scripture, will be found too light, and the two ſorts of complainers directly oppoſite to one another, will be found erroneous, both them that complain of any hedge at all about the Sacrament, and they that complain and therefore ſeparate, becaUſe the hedge is not ſo ſufficient as may keep off every undue intruder.
Let us then by Scripture Rule lay down the Anſwer to this Queſtion, and that orderly, and in certain Theſes.
§. 2 Firſt, I ſhall grant, That the very notion and nature of the Church denotes a ſeparation; God ſeparates his Church from Infidels, and them that are extraneous and ſtrangers to the Covenant; He ſeparates them to be his inheritance, his peculiar tReaſure above Levit. 20 24. 1 King. 8. 53.other people, and they alſo do and ought to ſeparate themſelves from communion with Devils in idolatrous ſervice and worſhip, Nehem. 9. 2. Come out from among them, and be ye ſeparate, 2 Cor. 6. 17. This is not neceſſary to be a locall Separation for preſent. There was a mixt multitude of uncircumciſed people, No juſt Proſelytes (as Mr Selden ſaith) with Iſraels De Synedriis cap. 2.in the wilderneſſe after their ſeparation from Aegypt, but this ſeparation is moral or foederal, God cals them, propounds the terms of his Covenant, they profeſsedly ſubmit and accept, Exod. 19. 5, 8. and now they are ſeparate, ſet apart, ſanctified by dedication unto God and his ſervice, and are called no more Heathens, Infidels, but Saints, Gods people, believers, Chriſtians, or the like.
§. 3 Secondly, All that are thus ſeparated by their profeſſed ſubmiſſion unto, and acceptance of the Covenant are not true members of Chriſt, or of his body. All the people, when God did but generally propound a Covenant to them, profeſſed with open voice their yeeldance, and the Lord acquieſced in it, Exod. 19. 5, 8, 9. and the ſame people when they heard the particular Laws of that Covenant, profeſt again they would do them, Exod. 24. 3. and ſo it became, as we ſay, Done and done on both ſides, and yet he that ſhould affirm all theſe, though newly baptized to be truly regenerate, were very wide of the truth; for there are many reputative members that are in the viſible Society and fellowſhip of the Church and it's Ordinances, that are but Jews outwardly, and they are, ſaith the Apoſtle, no Jews, and yet they are circumciſed and eat the Paſſeover, and communicate in Ordinances, and (if we will not be captious in words) are true members of the viſible Society, yet no members of Chriſts myſtical Body, nor yet can they be diſpoſſeſt by us of their right unto Ordinances; for we have no judgement of their ſpiritual and inward Eſtates, nor any Command, nor any Rule to diſpoſſeſſe them, nor any example of God himſelf, who lets the corn and chaff lie together in area, and ſeparates them locally in horreo, as Auſtin ſpeaks; and this body howſoever conſiſting of members heterogeneall, yet being taken together in groſſe or in the lump, hath very ſublime and honourable compellation, both in the Old Teſtament, A holy Nation, a Exod. 19. 5, 6, &c.Kingdom of Prieſts, Gods ſpecial tReaſure; and in the New, The Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven, Mat. 25. 1.for ſo the Goſpel net, that contains both good and bad, is called; and ſo the whole knot of wiſe and fooliſh Virgins, and yet it's plain, that in this Kingdom there are children that are to be caſt out, and ſcandalous perſons for Doctrine, and them that work iniquity for Practice that are to be gathered out at laſt, Mat. 13. 41.
§. 4 Thirdly, Whereupon we grant, That it's rare and hard to finde a viſible Church in any Age or time that was without corruption or mixture of good and bad in it; They that talk of purity of Churches, may more eaſily finde in the world a body that hath never a frecken or ſpot, than a Church without corruption, and yet both a body and a Church be beautifull for all that. The Scripture gives us a perfect delineation of the Church, as it ought to be in Rules of faith and holineſſe, but yet ſhews us plainly, that it being Gods pleaſure, that the Net ſhould gather both good and bad, and the ſervants inviting to the marriage did bring in both good and bad; it muſt needs be conſequent, that many of thoſe that are called are not choſen, That all that are of Iſrael, are not Iſrael. Had not this mixture ſerved more to Gods glory, even the glory of his inwardly diſcriminating grace, it is likely it had not been: So that as they ſay of the Hebrew, Greek, Latine, theſe Languages may be pure in books, but hardly to be found purely ſpoken by any Nation now in the world, ſo are the rules of faith and life pure and perfect in the Word, and yet not ſo perfectly Obſerved by the viſible Church. And if a man ſuppoſe that a number or Colony of really holy perſons might be pickt out of the Churches, and embody themſelves into a Church, Are they ſure this would be anſwerable to their fancy? Did not the Donatiſts dream ſo of themſelves? And what may one think of their children in time? Doth not the pureſt ſeed we ſow come up with ſtraw and chaff? If they hold Communion with the viſible Church, Is it not all one? If they do not, Is it not worſe and more clearly without warrant?
§. 5 The Church may be corrupted many wayes in Doctrine, Ordinances, Worſhip, and this I account the worſt, becaUſe it is the corruption of the beſt, as the corruption of bloud that runnes thorow all the body, the poiſoning of Springs and Rivers that run thorow a Nation, is worſe than a ſore finger in the body, or a ground of thiſtles in the Nation, and there are degrees of this corruption, the Doctrine in ſome remote points, hay and ſtubble upon the foundation, the Worſhip in ſome rituals or rites of mens invention or cuſtom. How many Scripture Churches do ye finde thus corrupted, and yet no Separation of Chriſt from the Jewiſh Church, nor any commanded to the godly of Corinth, in the Provinces of Galatia, or thoſe of Aſia in the Revelation? I muſt in ſuch caſe avoid the corruption, hold the Communion, Hear them in Moſes chair, and yet beware of their leaven; but if corruptions invade the fundamentals, the foundation of Doctrine is deſtroyed, the worſhip is become idolatrous, the leproſie is gotten into the wals and ſubſtance of the hoUſe, and which is above all, If the Church impoſe ſuch Laws of their Communion, as there is neceſſity of doing or approving things unlawfull, or I am ruin'd and undone, then muſt I either break with God or men, and in that caſe, Come out of Babylon: The Churches of Proteſtants ſo ſeparated from them of Rome; it was a neceſſary and juſt Separation, the Lawes of their Communion were ruinous to the ſoul, if we hold it; to the body and life, if we held it not.
§ 6 In ſumme then, and in concluſion of this part about Doctrine or Worſhip, which is but upon the bie to the Queſtion. If a corrupt Church, as Iſrael was, have their Ordinances according to the patern in the Mount; If it may be ſaid, as Peter to Chriſt, John 6. 68. when ſome Diſciples ſeparated themſelves, Thou haſt the words of eternal life; If as Chriſt ſaid in matter of Worſhip, John 4. Salvation is of the Jews, than, as he ſaid, Whether ſhall we go? Why do we ſeparate? And yet I would not be miſtaken by the ſimpleſt man, as if I accounted it ſeparation, if a Chriſtian hear a Sermon, or receive the Sacrament in another Congregation; For he that takes a meal at another Table doth not thereby ſeparate from his own hoUſe; or if a Chriſtian at liberty to diſpoſe his dwelling, ſhall remove and ſit down under more fruitfull Ordinances; I account not this ſeceſſion a Separation, no more than if being ſickly, and having not health in the City, he remove his ſeat into the Countrey for purer air, becaUſe in ſo doing he removes from the City, but renounces not his freedom therein, nor diſclaims in like proportion the Communion of the Church.
§. 7. Of Separation.
§. 7 But now to the point of Separation, becaUſe there is found, not kept in the Communion of the Church, but not caſt out of it, ſome ſcandalous for life and converſation, viſibly unworthy of the Ordinance of the Supper; For let it be granted, that in Adams family there be a Cain, in Noahs a Cham, in Chriſts a Judas; and if Cain go forth, yet Adam doth not, Noah doth not, Chriſt doth not; Let them be ſeparated, let not me ſeparate my ſelf; Let the wicked be diſcommon'd, not the godly, for the godly are in the right, and may ſtand in it as a man at his own table in his own hoUſe, or in his own ground; If others that ought not do intrude, it's they that muſt be excluded, for they are treſpaſſers, not he that's owner and in his right. It's very true, ſay you, but they are not caſt out. I anſwer, There may be ſufficient: caUſe to caſt out Obſtinate ſinners, and yet not ſufficient caUſe for me to leave the Church. I finde that God accepts of ſuch that ſigh and cry for all the abominations that are done in Jeruſalem, Ezek. 9. 4. That God commands us, To have no fellowſhip with the unfruitfull works of darkneſs, but reprove them rather, Epheſ. 5. 11. That he wils us, To withdraw from them that walk diſorderly, and commends it, 2 Theſſ. 3. 6. That he bids his people, Plead with their mother plead, Hoſ. 2. 2. Theſe are duties for private Chriſtians to performe in this caſe; but I finde not that they muſt ſeparate from Communion in Ordinances upon that caUſe. For I pray you conſider,
1. Haply there is no Rule in the Word, or no proof by ſufficient evidence of the fact, or no competent Authority by which ſuch a ſinner, as thou inſtanceſt in, may be caſt out, And ſhall this be done diſorderly? Shall one diſorder be rectified by another?
2. Thou for thy part haſt no power to caſt him out, and every member muſt not uſurp and ſnatch the power of Excommunication to himſelf, for then as he uſurps the Sacrament, ſo thou uſurpeſt the Keys, he unworthily, thou unlawfully.
3. It may be the ſinne of the Church that ſuch are not caſt out, but is that ſinne a juſt caUſe of thy Separation? I have a few things againſt thee, thou hast them that hold the Doctrine of Balaam, thou hast them that hold the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans, ſaith Chriſt to the Church of Pergamus, Revel. 2. 14, 15. Thou ſuffereſt that woman Jezabel to ſeduce my ſervants, and commit fornication, ſaith he to the Church in Thyatyra, verſ. 20. but upon the reſt that are free, I put no other burden, Hold faſt till I come, But where is any ſeparation commanded in this caſe? Not any: And for the Church of Laodicea, whoſe temper was ſo loathſom, as her ſelf is threatned to be ſpued out; from which (ſaith Mr Brightman) who would not think of flying very quickly, meaning by his parallel the Church of England; yet becaUſe Revel. 3. 30. The Lord ſtands at the door and knocks, is preſent with, and by his Ordinances to all in this Church, therefore doth that holy man mightily inveigh againſt their wicked and blaſphemous errour (ſo he cals it) that fell away from this Church; Will they be aſhamed (ſaith he) to ſit down there where they ſee Christ not to be aſhamed? Are they holier and purer then he? Can they deny themſelves to be believers in Chriſt before their ſeparation from us? Came it not by our preaching, &c? Adi locum.
And indeed the Argument is conſiderable, If God afford his Communion with a Church by his own Ordinances, and his Grace and Spirit; It would be unnaturall and peeviſh in a childe to forſake his Mother, while his Father ownes her for his Wife.
Fourthly, The preſence of wicked men at Gods Ordinances pollutes not them that are neither acceſſary to their ſinne, nor indeed to their preſence there. If the Ordinances be polluted by the unclean, to themſelves it is polluted, not to me, He ſhall bear his own burden; He eats and drinkes damnation to himſelf, 1 Cor. 11. 29. I come to the Sacrament, it is my duty and my right, Shall I ſinne in ſeparating from Ordinances, becaUſe he ſinnes in coming to them, and the Church ſinnes in not excluding him? The wickedneſſe of Eli his ſonnes made men abhor the offering of the Lord, 1 Sam. 2. 17. but they tranſgreſt in ſo doing, ſhall I go forth from the marriage-feaſt having a wedding-garment, becaUſe one comes in thither without it? Muſt not I offer my gift at the Altar, becaUſe another comes thither that ſhould firſt go and be reconciled to his brother? Shall I leap out of Noah's Ark, becaUſe a Cham is in it? Shall I ſeparate from Gods children in Communion of Gods Ordinances, when it is not arbitrary, and at my liberty to do ſo, becaUſe I ſee a ſinfull intruder, and do my private duty by mourning, that ſuch a one may be taken away from among us, 1 Cor. 5. 2. and yet perform my publique duty alſo. And therefore to avow Separation upon this ground, is,
§. 8 1. To maintain a principle deſtructive to the communion of the Church viſible, which is a body moulded up of Jews outwardly, and Jews inwardly (as I may ſay) and if one part deſtroy or pollute the communion of the other part, is not all ruin'd? Let a man but conceive in his minde, How this principle purſued would in the time of the Jewiſh Church have rouled and rooted out all viſible Communion in Ordinances out of the world? And if one inceſtuous perſon not caſt out at Corinth, had polluted the communion of the whole Church, and ſome one like ſinner in another had done the like, had not all been polluted, and a ground of ſeparation laid through all points of the Compaſſe, till we had ſeparated through the whole circle.
2. An adventurous and bold aſſertion, that carries farther than we are aware; for why then did not Judas being to Chriſt a known wicked man, pollute the Communion to our Saviour at the Paſſeover and Supper? And why did not the wicked Jews pollute Chriſts Communion in the Ordinances of God in that Church? And how could all the holy ſervants of God and Prophets in the Old, or the Apoſtles and Chriſtians in the New eſcape this pollution, it being well known that there were hypocrites, and ſuch as being vitious under forme of godlineſſe, as 2 Tim. 3. 1, 2. which remain'd in Church-communion▪
3. A great miſtake, for it grows hence, that as Parmenian ſaid, Si corruptis ſociaris, &c. If you be Lib. 3. c. 21.joyn'd or aſſociate with corrupt men, how can ye be clean? And Auſtin anſwers, True: If we be joyn'd in ſociety with them, that is, commit ſin with them, or conſent, or favour them in ſin; but if a man do not this, Nullo modo ſociatur, he is no way joyned with them, for it's not the local contact or conjunction, but the moral conjunction that defiles, and we are as morally ſeparate and ſever'd from them when they are at the Lords Table, as if they were in place diſtant. It's they that joyn with us in our profeſſion, not we with them in their ſins; if their profeſſion be hypocritical, that infects not us, for ſpiritually infected we are not by contagion but conſent; nor do we profeſſe our ſelves to be of one body with them, any otherwiſe 1. Cor. 10. 17.than all that communicate with hypocrites do, viz. upon ſuppoſition, that they are as they profeſſe members of the body, which if they be not our profeſſion is not falſe, but theirs is, and yet I confeſſe, that thoſe are beſt Churches, where the preſumption of godlineſſe in the members, is moſt Reaſonable.
§. 9 In ſumme and for concluſion, we defend the communion of the viſible Church in Gods Ordinances, but we defend not the ſinne of them that profeſſe to know God, but in works deny him. It was a ſad complaint of Salvian long ago, Praeter pauciſsimes, De Guderu. l. 3.&c. Beſides ſome few that ſerve the Lord in Spirit, quid eſt omnis caetus Chriſtianorum, Free our Communion from this exception by amendment of their lives, and that the godly would, as the School ſaith, Abuti alieno peccato, make good Uſe of other mens ſins and their own; for even they are mixt perſons (as I may ſay) having fleſh and Spirit, as well as our Churches are mixt of good and bad, and that they would ſtirre up their graces to be the better for other mens ſinnes, and perform the duties required of them at ſuch a time, and not give way to thoughts of Separation, which puls a good ſtake out of a rotten hedge, where it did more good by ſtanding, than by removal, For unto the pure all things are pure, but to them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, Tit. 1. 15. whereby it is plain, that what is impure to them that are defiled, is not made impure to them that are pure, and ſo I conclude with this recapitulation.
The Separation of the Church from wicked men and infidels, by Gods calling and Covenant with it, is as neceſſary as the profeſſion of faith and holineſſe. The Church her Separation, or caſting out of Obſtinately wicked men from her communion, is defended for the recovery of lapſed members, and the avoidance of infection of, and ſcandal to her ſelf. The ſeceſſion of thoſe good people from the Idolatry erected by Jeroboam to worſhip at Jeruſalem is allowed, 2 Chron. 11. 16. The negative Separation, or the not communicating in the worſhip of Baal, not ſo much as by knees or lips of thoſe ſeven thouſand in Iſrael, is liked of by the Lord, 1 King. 19. 18. The avoidance of private familiarity with ſcandalous ſinners, is often commanded, ut ſupra. The flying of Gods people out of Babylon, where Idolatry is maintain'd by force and tyranny, is called for and required. The Separation of heretical and vitious members from the Church is branded with a black coal, Jude v. 19. Theſe be they that ſeparate themſelves, ſenſual, having not the Spirit, which above all men they pretend unto. But the Separation of the godly from Gods Ordinances, becaUſe of the corrupt lives of ſome in the Church, is no where by any ſyllable of Scripture allow'd or countenanc'd, being contrary to the example, and not warranted by command of Chriſt or his Apoſtles, and it's a vain pretending to a holineſſe above their Rule or their example; All that I would is an order in the Church, I ſhould rejoyce to behold, as ſaith he, your order, and the ſtedfaſtneſs of your faith, Col. 2. 5. which too many too much ſlight and undervalue; for as one ſaid, Order in an Army kils no body, yet without it the Army is but a rout, neither able to offend or defend; ſo haply order in the Church converts no body, yet without it I ſee not how the Church ſhould attain her end, or preſerve themſelves, in begetting or breeding up ſouls to God.