Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	church_n	communion_n	particular_a	2,155	5	7.6323	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86500	The mischeife of mixt communions, fully discussed. All maine arguments on both sides, are largely canvased. Many difficulties demonstratively cleared, as that Judas was not at the Lords Supper, &c. When, and how was the originall of parishes in England. Severall cases of conscience resolved. As in case unworthy ones thrust into the Lords Supper; what single Christians should doe, and what the congregation should doe. A discovery what is the originall, and rise of all these disputes, and how a faire end may be put to all. / By Doctor Nathanael Homes.	Homes, Nathanael, 1599-1678.	1650 (1650)	Wing H2569A; Thomason E607_8; ESTC R205868	24,915	24

Communion and keeping of the spiritual feast 1 Cor. 5.2 2. Though to come to the Lords Table if it may be had according to Christs institution is an undoubted duty yet it is not an undoubted duty that any should come to take a sin upon them that they should come to known mixt Communions where other mens sins some how as we have shewed become theirs 3. The company of unworthy persons at the Communion is more then a circumstance for the contrary namely Saints meeting in faith and charity to partake of the Communion is of the essence i. e. of the matter and forme of the Churches right receiving But where there is a mixture of evil persons there is no ground of Scripture to beleeve I do doe wel nor any vertuous object in such unworthy persons for me to love them as fellow Communicants 4. To except against unworthy persons and because they are admitted for me to forbear the Communion is not a mistake that cause is just as we have shewed afore and shal after There is a mistake at least or more by your own intimation in them that having authority doe not keep unworthy ones away and in those unworthy ones that they keep not themselves away And if the former will bring a defilement on themselves and the latter wil bring judgement on themselves I cannot be excused if I may keep my selfe free from both and will not Distinction of Parishes in England were made by Pope Honorious about 1200. years since and so of no divine institution nor inforce any divine obligation for me to receive only in mine own Parish The Scriptures send me to a true Church not to a Parish If one Church be polluted and there is another not farr off that is free from that known pollution in ordinary prudence one would choose pure things afore polluted It s a stated case in Casuists as in Doctor Ames cases of conscience c. that a man may goe from a polluted Church to a pure Church and yet here is no danger in such a particular person of separation upon separation as you after object if Churches will doe their duty If a Church wil separate from the rule of the Word what would your conscience troubled at it doe in such a case Would you against conscience offend and transgresse with the rest For fifthly If a matter about religious things be against my conscience though by mistaking the godly Casuists resolve that till I be informed I shal sin against conscience to doe it So Doctor Ames and study Rom. 14.22 Yea so Saint Paul Rom. 14.23 whatsoever is not of faith is sin For the Apostle speaks of things indifferent and so of matters that I might have done and 't was my ignorance that I was not perswaded I might have done them and therefore Paul exhorts Brethren not to eate any thing to the offence of a weak Brother Rom. 14.20 21. although t is his weaknes to take offence about kinds of meats And therefore sixthly we say why doe not Churches that use mixt Communions more tender the consciences of them that cannot bear these mixtures They keeping out the unworthy would prevent all this adoe Save your words and Paper and Ink in writing in behalfe of mixt Communions what need we plead for rubbish We cannot be too pure in our practise according to the Scriptures If the Church and Officers be they whom you meane have authority to keep out unworthy ones from the Communion so had the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 5. And I know none else but the particular Church by joynt consent have the immediate proper power why do not they doe their duty Why must there such load be layd upon a particular tender conscience that out of conscience doth abstaine from a mixt Communion whiles the whole congregation goe on in their sin of admitting sinful mixtures and suppose against conscience and against admonition For sure no Minister and People more or less in any congregation but could wish that unworthy persons were kept out And the case here as before touched is not onely of one private person as private For we put the case as men according to rule ought to act in case they were so imprudent as to incorporate to a congregation that shunned not such mixtures a godly man sees a neighbour that came to the Communion transgresse he admonisheth him of it c. according to Matth. 18.15 The matter at last by these two or three Brethren is brought afore the Church Here is more then one And in the Church they act as publick persons fellow members As three Justices on the Bench are publike persons though there be twenty more there If these three brethren with some other that no doubt will adhere to the rule cannot prevaile against the Officers or major vote to cast out the unworthy a withdrawing from such a congregation is not upon so private a consideration Yea the matter is of so publike a concernment that other Churches must blame that Church if they reforme not and countenance such as withdraw according to rule in 2 Thes 3.6 14. because they cannot attaine the end of that rule Matth. 18.15 Sure if we must withdraw from any one Brother walking disorderly contrary to rule as t is in that 2 Thes 3.6 14. then much more from a whole Congregation of Brethren walking contrary to rule and so offending Christ and the consciences of his Lambs The design then is not separation upon separation but to keep Churches to the rule But to speak al in a word Parish congregations for the most part as in relation to the communion have so il a constitution that they cannot tel where to begin to reform and then they must defend it seeing they cannot amend it and so break Christs Commandements and teach men so But if it be separation upon separation or a taking Churches out of Churches t is a thing I think not contrary to all rule 2 Cor. 6.14 to end Revel 18.14 explained afore and the best Saints generally in all ages have practised and they also I mean the Presbyterians that cry out against it There was a true Jewish Church and particular Jewish Synagogue-congregations among which Christ Preached for three yeares and an half yet Acts 2. and thence forward out of them was a separation and a gathering of Christian Churches Therefore simply and absolutely to go from Church to Church or gather Churches out of Churches is not unlawfull Again the Romish Church was a true Church as famous Polanus proves though a most polluted one it was essentially a true Church till in the Councill of Trent they pronounced an Anathema against all the maine truths of Christ and so gave him a bill of divorce yet justly when Luther Preached more light and holinesse many Nations and among them anon England did also separate from them and their congregations departed from them in Doctrine in part and in forme of worship Many corruptions remaining

it alone that so his sinne may goe no further nor the knowledge thereof if he reforme If not the next time he is discovered againe two or three must joyne together to admonish him and so to stop the sin and the disgrace if it may be among them If he goes on then these two or three must complaine to the Church or Congregation where he partakes of Ordinances If he wil not be reformed at the admonition of the Church then the Church as t is a Church of Christ can doe no lesse then cast him off as an Heathen But if the Church should be negligent to doe it the pretence of saying what can one member doe in this thing and so of sitting still is easily removed for if thou hast managed thy businesse according to this rule there are two or three of you to call upon the Church and to quicken at least the better party in it to prevaile with all the rest to cast him off If all this will not doe it thou hast this to doe namely to call in for the advise of other Churches as they did Acts 15. and until this be reformed you have another remedy namely to withdraw Communion with such a Church as shal so grosly neglect their duty For if as in 2 Thes 3.6 14. We must withdraw from every brother that walkes disorderly then sure we have no warrant to communicate with a whole Church walking disorderly where there is more sin and sinners with sin upon sin that offenders sins and their owne in not punishing him and disobeying the command of Christ pressed upon them by those two or three and the judgements of Christ hang over the heads of such a Church as over the Church of Pergamos and Thyatira for not proceeding against the Balaamites Nicolaitans and Jezabelians Yea as over Ephesus and Laodicea for being cold in their zeale Yet in the meane while there is no necessity for you two or three that have thus justly withdrawn for a time to be without that precious Ordinance of the Communion seeing other Churches more pure to whom you complaine wil allow you that priviledge til things be setled But it may be some will say this rule is If my brother trespasse against me but his trespasse is not against me Answ David tooke it to himselfe that the dishonour that was done to God by men of evil life was in some sort against him Psal 119. Psal 139. And therefore he there lamented the sin and abhorred the practise 2. If a Servant of your Family should commit fornication or drunkennesse with strangers not of the Family you would soon charge it upon him or her that they had offended against you and all the Family 3. If the offence doth not or will not fall under the orderly admonition first of one then of two or three so that thy brother goes openly on in his sin in the generall observation of the Church the Church without any more adoe seeing his obstinacy may cast him out as 't was the very case of the incestuous person 1 Cor. 5. Lastly we answer to this objection about the theefe on the Crosse That men that have been noted to walke disorderly should first give proofe and experience of their repentance that they have confessed their sins and forsaken them as the Scripture speakes afore they should be thought to repent and be fit to come to the Communion which we cannot righteously think they doe who goe on in their old sins longer then they are at the Ordinances If the Deacons whose cheife trust was onely the Churches stock of contributions must first be proved afore they be admitted into office 1 Tim. 3.10 how much more should the evil liver be first proved afore he be trusted after his evill walkings to partake of the holy things of God I appeale to you whether after a Servant hath been found false twise you would receive him the third time onely because he comes and offers you his service againe Shall we deale worse with God and mens consciences then with our selves about our estates and civil affaires Obj. 6 6. They object as their grand plea that Judas was at the LORDS SUPPER and out of doubt at the PASSOVER Answ 1. If he were onely at the Passover it yeelds no argument for mixt Communions for from a ceremoniall forme of worship of a Nationall Church under the Old Testament to an Evangelicall forme of worship of Congregational Churches under the New Testament is no true plumb and level to pitch the due height of the purity of the worship under the Gospel We see evidently all along the old Testament that if men were but ceremoniously cleansed and not guilty of capital crimes they were admitted to all Ordinances for the generall But we see the New Testament rules are more exact about the partaking of the Lords Supper as we have largely heard afore 2. If Judas were at the Passover and at the Communion also afore he was openly discovered it makes nothing for mixt Communions of such as are openly known to walke wickedly Christ now about to leave sensible rules of a visible processe as might suit to his office as he was a Mediator would not now anticipate as a God and searcher of the heart to keep out Judas from the Passover because he knew his heart was naught This had been to have left us a pattern that would have been more against mixt Communions then to keep out and cast out grosse offenders namely to have so done by them as soon as the Church had suspected their hearts had not been right 3. For certaine if I doe not grossy mistake Judas was not at the Lords Supper 1. That which makes many mistake that he was there is the order of the story of the Gospel as set downe by Luke Chap. 22. Namely because first there is mention of the Lords Supper v. 20. Then after that followes the mention of Judas his hand at the Table v. 21. And therefore as they thinke Judas was at the Lords Supper But we answer that we have but the sum of the history of the Gospel and the holy Ghost is not curious in observing the order of all things and therefore the order is quite contrary in Matth. 26. Namely first there is mention of Judas his hand at the Table that should betray Christ v. 21 22 23. And then after is the mention of the institution of the Lords Supper but no more mention of Judas till he came with the Officers to apprehend Christ So that same order is observed by Marke Chap. 14. First in v. 18 19 20. Is the Discovering of Judas that he should betray Christ And then after in v. 22. c. is mention of Christs institution of the Lords Supper and no more mention of Judas till he comes with the Officers v. 43. to apprehend Christ So that we have two to one for this order that Judas was discovered afore the Communion and therefore Judas

enmity to purity So Babylon is put to signifie the same in this 18. of Revel 4. And to come out from Babylon is by the same proportion to separate from polluted worship and worshippers that hate and to their power persecute them that stand for purity And that pollution and those kinds of men are elsewhere then in Babylon You see then a separation commanded Thus we ought to Preach Jer. 15.19 If you take the precious from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth And thus ought yee to practice else why doe you professe purity and pretend to be Gods peculiar people as Malachie 3. T is added therefore in that 15. of Jer. 19. Let them turne to thee but doe not thou turne to them If we Preach otherwise we are not Gods mouth If you practice otherwise you act not like Christs members as we shall shew you presently From the generall of separation let us come to the particular intended I shewed you before in another discourse that there is no shew or faire pretence can be held forth that the Children of Parents whereof neither can be judged to be a Beleever ought to be baptized till the Childe grows up to manifest his own Faith Gen. 17.7 8 9. Acts 2.39 40 41. Acts 16.31 32 33. 1 Cor. 7.14 Now I come to demonstrate that we ought to separate from mixt Communions where good and badd are admitted Those that have not true grace as farr as beleevers of Minister and People can discerne ought not to be admitted those that are to be admitted by the Officers and members of a Church must be as farr as they can judge true members of the true Christ and of his true Church 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup and Bread are the communion of the body and blood of Christ For we being many are one bread and one body For we are all partakers of THAT ONE BREAD And where the Church is rightly constituted by and according to divine Gospel-institution God is specially with them to give them a spirit of discerning 1 Cor. 2.10 15. By right constitution to give you but a word now I mean A Church of a due matter and forme The matter true regenerated persons as farr Beleevers can judge a man is alive by his breathing and discerne the tree by his fruits Jam. 2.26 the Margin is Breath Mat. 7.16 Forme an agreement making known to one another their Faith and holiness that they will walk together according to the Gospel-rules and examples touching Churches in the use of Ordinances for Gods glory and mutuall edification and in order thereunto to receive none unto the Communion with them but such as are manifested to the generality of them in the judgement of charity to be truely godly Al this is couched in the inscriptions of Pauls Epistles calling the companies of godly ones in those places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gathered or selected Congregations or Churches and Saints 1 Cor. 1.2 2 Cor. 1.1 Gal. 1.2 Ephes 1.1 Phil. 1.1 Colos 1.1 And is amplified in the patterns of Churches Acts 2.41 to the end of the Chapter Acts 4.32 And Paul chargeth it as a duty on all the Brethren of the Church of Corinth to cast out the unworthy person 1 Cor. 5. and therefore by the rule of contraries he that is received in should be so received by the approbation of all but of that more after This keeping out of gracelesse people from the Communion by the Officers and Brethren of a CHURCH is no new Doctrine or practice but ancient so that in the severall ages of the Churches as they lesse or more degenerated we have more or lesse print and footstepps of this left us The very Papists who before the Councill of Trent saith learned Polanus was a true Church though most impure had their shriftings examinations and confessions of people afore they were admitted to their Communions The Episcopall way had it in forme of a Law in their Rubrick for the Administration of the Communion in these words They that intended to partake of the holy Communion should signifie their names AFORE to the Curat and if any of those be an open and notorious evill liver so that the CONGREGATION is OFFENDED or have done any wrong to his NEIGHBOUR by Word or Deed the Curat having knowledge thereof shall call him and advertise him in any wise not to presume to the Lords Table untill he have OPENLY DECLARED himselfe to have TRULY REPENTED and AMENDED his former naughty life that the CONGREGATION may thereby be SATISFIED c And the same order shall the Curate use with those betwixt whom he perceiveth malice c. Not SUFFERING them to be partakers of the Lords Table untill he KNOVV them to be reconciled Or if one be penitent to admit him but not the other remaining obstinate As for the Presbyterial way you know that by their Directory and Laws annexed they must not receive any to the Communion that are ignorant or scandalous or prophane in their conversation The Congregational way goe higher then this viz. by conference by enquiry and by conversation to discerne what breathings and fruits of true grace appeares in a person before the Church admit him to their fellowship and Communions And this is one of the great quarrels of these times that particular Churches of the Congregational way as men think are too precise in their admissions that they must be perswaded there is some grace in a man and that all the Congregation present at his admission must be satisfied that there is nothing to the contrary known to them but that he hath grace Therefore to keep out those from the Communion of whom the contrary to true grace is known may be easily granted it being an evident truth of God You heard before twise out of the New Testament COME OUT from among them add Phil. 3.2 Beware of Doggs Who are they Evil doers and the Concision viz. were not outwardly and therefore likely not inwardly pure How beware Mat. 15.26 The doggs must not eate of the childrens bread And Revel 22.15 the doggs must be WITHOUT What doggs Sorcerers Whoremongers Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye Accordingly t is sayd Revel 21. a Chapter that cannot be meant of Heaven as saith Brightman and others every Verse can witnesse in the 27. Vers thus INTO the New Jerusalem that is the reformed Church no uncleane thing or thing that defileth or worketh abomination or maketh a lye shall enter Which way soever we take this new Jerusalem either for a more perfect state of the Church on earth yet to be then hitherto hath been or for an absolute perfect state in the highest heavens sure we can inferr no lesse then that we should conforme to that patterne all we can strive towards perfection Add according to all these places that in the 1 Cor. 5.12 13. The Church and its members are sayd to be WITHIN all others are sayd to be WITHOUT Now conclude from all as

Doctor Ames doth in his cases of conscience WITHIN and WITHOUT cannot be all one If onely meet members Saints as the Apostle called them Chap. 1. v. 1. be within then those that are not such are to be without Accordingly the Apostle shewes us in this same 1 Cor. 5. That not onely Heathens or odious debaucht men are without v. 9. but a Brother walking disorderly is to be cast OUT v. 2. v. 5. And such a one that continues so to walke to be kept out and they to carry themselves towards him as one without v. 11. More particularly 1. In 1 Cor. 5.2 4 6 7 8. t is said That the Corinthians should have mourned that the incestuous brother might have been taken away from among them This the Apostles shews was their duty and should have been done afore he needed to have sent to them to doe it because they had neglected it The Apostle goes on telling them that such a one must be cast out by them all Purge out therefore the old leaven likely that Delivering up to Satan might be more immediately the Apostles sentence But the duty of all the Brethren as well as of their Officer or Officers was to cast him out to take him away from among them to purge him out afore the Apostle sent to them For before he sent to them they all the whole lump was leavened soured polluted because they had not done it but had admitted him to their feast and stil now that the Apostle by their negligence is forced to take Cognizance of it though as an Apostle according to the just nature of that office he calls upon this as other Churches to doe their duty yet not the Apostle but the whole Church of the Officers and Brethren even that whole lump that had been soured must doe the deed of casting that incestuous person out And they are still levened till they doe it therefore the duty lay on all else the sin could not have layne on all The Brethren should have watch mens walkings should informe should protest should vote a disorderly Brother out though an Officer be to regulate the meeting and debate and to pronounce the sentence All the brethren must have a hand in it Women being forbidden to vote or prophesie in the Church 1 Cor. 14.34 I say an hand in it to cast our the incestuous person or the like offender else the Apostle could not justly have charged the sin upon all without limitation As their Women also might be guilty if they did not give information and testimony against such a one in case they first knew of it As the sin of Achan some others of necessity being privy to it as circumstances shew and not testifying against him is punished on the whole Camp of Israel whilst he is unpunished and the whole Camp is threatned now Achan is discovered that God would not be with them if they did not cast him out and therefore all in their severall places as farr as was needfull were to act in it Josh 7. So is it in the businesse of a Church against an offending member From all conclude these three rules 1. That which may cast out after admittance may keep out afore admittance But not onely greater sins as here but smaller sins as the World count smaller we will name them by and by may cast out therefore they may keep out 2. Rule Those that may cast out after admission may keep out afore admission but the whole lump all the Brethren of the Church of Corinth as well as their Officer are to cast out and any other might informe and give testimony therefore all these are to be satisfied afore any one be received in if they declare they are unsatisfied Quod tangit omnes saith the rule of equity ab omnibus faciendum 3. That which levens soures pollutes a whole Church doth mediately at least pollute such a particular person as joynes to such a polluted such yea immediately polluts such a particular person that joyns in that act that polluted that whol Church Therfore a man or woman ought not to joyn to such a Church as is polluted by keeping in it such as walk unworthy much lesse may a man or woman act with them in communicating with unworthily persons which is the very thing that as the Apostle saith here levens soures and pollutes the whole Church If touching a leprous person or dead body in the ceremoniall Law did pollute a Jew and render him unmeet for the present to meddle with holy things and to stand by the company that commit a fellony or murther not protesting against it doth by our Law make a man accessory surely then there is more then nothing of guilt to such a soule that shall co-act with a Congregation in mixt Communions that according to the Apostle pollutes them all 2. 'T is sayd in that 1 Cor. 5. v. 9 10 11. I Wrote unto you in an Epistle not to COMPANY with fornicators Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this World or with the covetous or extortioners or with Idolaters for then must yee needs goe out of the World But now I have written to you not to keep company if any man that is called a BROTHER be a fornicator or covetous or an Idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such a one NO NOT TO EATE Observe 1. That the word Company or keep company is twise in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Not to be MINGLED TOGETHER as striking at unlawfull mixtures in relation to a spirituall pollution 2. That this unlawfull mixture is forbidden upon occasion of fellowship and keeping the feast with the leven of wicked ones among them as to keep all of them for future from such pollutions at the greatest distance that might be 3. That this business of avoyding spirituall polluting mixture is of such consequence that he writes twise about it and that in two several Epistles though the former of them be perished And that therefore every single person as well as the whole Church is to beware of spirituall polluting company with any one Brother that walks disorderly as the words are plaine v. 11. and the exhortation prosecuted v. 9 10. in the words you and yee must needs be understood distributively of any one keeping company with one another in an unlawfull way as the 11. Verse explains For if the unlawful fellowship with one can a pollute many sure it can and will pollute one unwarrantably accompanying such a one 4. Observe that the Apostle doth distinguish of a double companying or fellowship with those that walke disorderly one so necessitated as to buy and sell or the like that whiles a man is not gone out of the World he cannot avoyd This the Apostle saith he doth not forbid Another companying with disorderly persons is a voluntary chosen fellowship society or accompanying as to eate with such disorderly walkers this the Apostle peremptorily forbids *