17. These and the like expressions some Learned men draw into consequence to prove that which we know rather the name of than the nature of the thing Excommunication Others understood Grot. do Imp. p. 231. by them Nullum actum privato majorem no act greater than private avoidance of company which is that I now speak of For in the primitive times when the Heathens Observed of Christians how they loved each other and when the Christians had in Use certain remarkable testifications of this love by their feasts of love and holy kisse c. It was a mark or note of reproof and shame to be shunned and avoided by the brethren for scandalous sinne and it was medicinal to him that was so avoided and in that regard a duty in conscience and charity to be performed and I would that all distances created amongst brethren by passion and envy were reduced to this then we should finde that though we had not power to separate an offendor from the Church yet the separating of our selves from him would work much good and be in some measure an Excommunication For it is certain that a great part of the effect thereof lies in the non Communion or withdrawment of the people from him that 's scandalous and as certain that if we flatter and encourage the sinnes of men by our samiliarity and fellowship Excommunication it self would be but a lost Ordinance and of no effect For it is my opinion That if Excommunication greater and lesser as they are called was in full proportion reduced into practice yet except the people that are members of the Church did make conscience of imparting their fellowship to such as were cut off it would be little better then a wooden dagger and rather serve to create passion and fury than humility and shame in them § 5 4. The Ministers duty is by Doctrine to declare the sinne and danger of undue intrusion to the Table of the Lord which is a ministerial prohibition of the unworthy a comminatory seclusion though not juridical a power of the Keyes And this is openly denied by none who speak out of conscience and not unReasonable lusts The Apostle in this Chapter takes this course in terrible expressions pronouncing and denouncing judgement to the unworthy other holy and famous Worthies of the Church in their generations do rather thunder than speak Better that a milstone was hang'd about his neck and he cast into the sea than that a man with an impure conscience take and eat this morsel saith Cyprian or the Authour De Caena and so Chrysostome pours out himself in his Homilies and Sermons on this point with great sharpnesse and accounts this which is done with the voice a seclusion or keeping of men back Hom. 13. ad Hebraeos and so it is and Pag. 467. Homil. 83. in Mat. Hom. 86. ad pop Antioch Tract 62. in Jo. Amb. ad Heb. 10. may justly be called for it is a ministerial prohibition of the unworthy Chrysostom compares this sinne with theirs that slew Christ Austin sinne of Judas Ambrose with the sinne of the Jews Basil makes the Question Lib. 2. de Bapt. cap. 3. Whether it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without danger to come not purged from filthinesse of flesh and spirit and answers it by the unclean persons coming to holy things making that uncleannesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 typically to denote moral uncleannesse which I rather note for his sake that slights this Argument And therefore let all Ministers be stirred up to Use this prohibition the more and the rather when other is wanting in discharge of his duty to God and mens souls which though it be not better liked than the practical seclusion yet men are more patient under it I hope out of conviction of conscience and not becaUse they may notwithstanding this lie still in the croud without that particular mark which the actual seclusion sets upon them § 6 5. The Minister that dispenses the Sacrament by giving it into the hand of the Communicant may in this case with more Reason suspend his own act and withdraw his hand from one that he sees and knows to be a scandalous person as he might do in cafe a Hookers Pref Turk Jew or excommunicate person should intrude unto the Table of the Lord in which case viz. of Excommunication Calvin saith He would die rather than reach forth his hand to give the Sacrament to such an one It 's true you will reply This may be done in the case of such as are debarred by the Church but not in the case of a scandalous sinner not yet so judged For answer to which Objection I say That indeed there are men of great renown for learning and holinesse that hold If a M. Ball. Trial p. 205. Minister know a man unworthy he must yet receive him becaUse he cannot manifest it to the Church If a mans unworthinesse be notorious and yet not so judged by them that have authority he must administer the Sacramental Signs to him not as one worthy or unworthy but as one as yet undivided from them And the truth is the Minister alone singly as a Minister hath not by warrant of the Word the power of Excommunication or Suspension in his hand as Grotius de imperio p. 230. is generally holden nor will I dispute but this with holding of his hand from actual giving of the outward Signs is no act of censure no Suspension of the person no casting of him out but as those that allow it say An Act of liberty as a Physicians not giving drink to an hydropick person or the withholding his own Sword from a furious man for the time of his rage and as saith the Authors last cited a Minister may do this by the same right whereby he doth by Doctrine declare such a mans incapacity or whereby a private Christian withdraws his fellowship or society Nor otherwise can Chrysostom charge to Ministers to hinder the unworthy which he presses in his 83. Homil. on Matthew on pain of being guilty of their bloud be understood for it must be meant of such scandalous sinners known to them but not so judged by the Church they being kept from accesse or sight of the holy mysteries in his time by the censure of the Church and I as little doubt of the judgement of many learned men or of the intention of the Church of England in the Rule given to the Minister before the Communion in the case of some emergent scandal at the present time nor do I conceive that any learned man would deny this liberty to a Minister to withhold his hand from some mankiller drunkard perjured c. that hath been convicted before the Civil Authority though no censure of the Church be against or upon him Nor is that charge given to Timothy very far from proving it Lay hands suddenly on no man Be not partakers of other mens sins 1 Tim. 5. 22.
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 a 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 they 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. not scandalous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is reported commonly fornication and such fornication Chrysostom saith he speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 were 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 out 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 Common-wealth 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 Nor 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. rebuke 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
unworthily to the Lords-Table and so I have set up a light in the entry by which you may finde the way into the better understanding of all that follows in this Chapter wherein he sets the Lords Supper to rights which was drowned in a feast Then he orders the address of the Communicants which through the aforesaid misdemeanours had come to it unworthily and then exhorts them to make it a Communion and not a Division as they had done Tarry one for another vers 33. and to prevent the intemperance of publick Feasts he bids them if they must eat before they come to the Lords Supper Let them eat at home vers ult and so clearly abrogates not the Feasts but the order of them as fore-going the Lords Supper and here we shall stand a little and make Observation § 5 The Apostle interdicts not all eating or drinking before the Lords Supper but this feasting and the abuses Obs growing thence he doth forbid Those words A man may eat before he come to the Lords Table vers ult If any man hunger let him eat at home that they come not together unto condemnation teach us That this Feasting was before the Sacrament and that a man may eat at home if occasion be before he come to the publick Assembly To put a necessity upon Fasting is to put Superstition into it for our Saviour at first celebrated it after Supper by necessity of the Law of the Passeover but bindes us not by his example to eat first nor by any rule to fast before it therefore it is of free Observation and Use yet the custom of coming fasting had spread over the Aug. Epist 118 Per universum orbem mos isto servatur Chrys in 1 Cor. 11. 26. universal Church in Austins time Per universum orbem mosiste servatur Chrysostem speaks too highly of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou mayest be worthy to receive for setting it aside as any piece of spiritual preparation and I know not why it may not stand Omnes jejuni celebramus saith that Light of France Chamier de Euch. lib. 6 cap 1. §. 13. All the French Churches celebrate the Supper fasting I hold to the Rule If any man hunger c. either of these is best which puts the body in best tune to serve as I may say the soul in a holy duty § 6 Obs 2 How soon abUse crept into this Ordinance of the Supper It was not above twenty or thirty year from the nativity or birth of this Ordinance when this Epistle was written it was nothing so long from the birth or foundation of this Church to this time The Apostle had sown good corn in this field by his Doctrine I have delivered unto you the naked institution of Christ and now it stands in need of weeding The Devil was not asleep in the very Apostles Errour and corruption sprung up in the Church betime times He raised up Simon Magus and after him a fry of Gnosticks or knowing people so they would be called but falsly saith Irenaeus to corrupt the Doctrine and it was betimes that the Devil set his foot in this most excellent Ordinance and from first to last there have been scarce any times wherein some soil hath not cleaved to this Sacrament every Age adding or declaring somewhat till it became a monster unlike it self in the Romish Masse which is a Masse of Idolatry and abomination a very abomination of desolation to this Ordinance the stamp of Christs institution being so defaced that he that minted it cannot own his own coyn for being an outward Ordinance consisting of outward elements and actions the fancy of men thinks this and that dressing would do better and so by putting on more ornaments as they call them they quite spoil the feature of the childe and if men would be tampering while the Apostles lived what would they do after If I should say that the unhappiest and oldest weeds have grown in this Garden I should not speak far wide I may say of it as Solomon saith of man Eccles 7. 29. Loc this have I found that God hath made man right but they have sought out many inventions § 7 Obs 3 The Apostle doth not command those that were pure from these abUses to separate from their Communion with the rest whom he reproves for their sinne of Of separation when sinful and when lawfull coming unworthily We know not who or how many were free but it may seem the poorest were the purest as commonly they are but he that reproves schism doth not command separation He assayes the cure another way 1. By setting the Ordinance right according to Christs Institution 2. By rectifying the Communicants from their unworthy coming and so gives both a purgation disallowing their schism not allowing any separation If Babylon become ahabitation of Devils then come out of her my people Rev. 18. 2 4. Yea flee out and deliver your souls Jer. 51. 6. If Christ must be coupled with Belial the Temple of God with Idols as it is when Christians participate in Heathenish Sacrifices and Idolatries then Come out from among them and be ye separate 1 Cor. 6. 16 17. You have an old and famous example in them that left all to go to Jerusalem when Jereboam set up his Calves and cast out the Priests of the Lord 2 Chron. 11. 14 16. For if Bethel turn Bethaven the hoUse of God become the hoUse of iniquity then Come out of Gilgal Goe not up to Bethaven Hos 4. 15. If any that 's called a brother a Professour of the Christian Religion be a Fornicatour or Idolater or covetous have no free familiarity with him with such an one no not to eat 1 Cor. 5. 11. Turn away from them 2 Tim. 3. 5. If they bring corrupt Doctrine hoUse them not salute them not Epist a. John 10. for that makes you partaker in their sinne vers 11. If their works be unfruitfull works of darkness be not partakers with them have no fellowship with their workes Ephes 5. 7 11. These separations are duty and unto duty but for a Corinthian to separate from Gods Church and Gods Ordinance becaUse some come unworthily to the Lords Table is no duty becaUse there is no command it is no duty and therefore we read not this word Come forth in any of those Epistles written to the seven Churches Revel 2. 3. against which Christ saith He hath such and such things they that lived in the impurer are not called forth into the purer Churches but there are promises made to them that keep themselves pure and duties enjoyned them toward the impure part for we may not make these Churches and Babylon all one nor make every disease the plague Shall the sons of God the Angels forsake the Lords presence becaUse Satan comes also amongst them Job 1. 6. Must Shem and Japhet leap out of Noahs Ark becaUse there is a Cham there Would not
up anniversaries or festivals for his Nativity Circumcision Ascension c. which the Churches in after times Observed but he did set up in grosse this solemn memorial of himself and that is principally of his death His death I say For ye shew the Lords death ver 26. And why BecaUse his death is the expiation of sinne therein was made the Sacrifice of Atonement Redemption Reconciliation was made thereby the Covenant confirmed the love of God to man demonstrated the justice of God for sinne exemplified the foundation of our righteousnesse hope peace and victory laid the fulnesse of merit the mirrour of mercy the admiration of Angels the center of all Christianity and the summe of all Scripture types Prophecies Promises the most admirable of all the works of God that ever were and indeed all that can be said and more then can be said was here to be seen and is here to be remembred Secondly This remembrance of Christ must be lively and practical There is a naked historical theoretical remembrance a review of the Species or Ideas formerly imprinted in the minde So Absolom is remembred in his Pillar and Lot's wife in her pillar of salt meerly historically and there is a practical remembrance which connotes affections fruitfull effect and so in common speech to remember is to requite good or evil and in Scripture phrase God remembers our sins our services when he punishes or rewards Remember me O my God and spare me Nehem. 13. 22. with infinite the like Our remembrance of Christ in this Supper sets awork all that is within us Our sorrow for sinne as Peters remembrance of his words when the Cock crew Mark 14. 72. He wept bitterly our faith to believe in and receive him so Psal 20. 7. We will remember that is trust in the Name of our God It sets on work our thanksgiving for so great a benefit ingages resolutions blows up the coals of love fils with admiration What would the sight of Christ bleeding on the cress for us groaning under our sins have wrought on tender heart The same as far as a reflexion can work which is weaker than the direct Species should be the temper of our hearts when we see him and his death personated and acted in this Sacrament here we see him dying paying our ransome Oh the dreadfull example of Gods justice upon sin Oh the sweetest example of Gods mercy to a sinner actually acting their several parts in this spectacle of Christ represented to our saith as yet hanging on the crosse the Lamb of God is as yet smoking upon the Altar which takes away the sins of the world if you seel not your remembrance of Christ it 's nothing If you exercise onely wit and invention it 's barren but the exercise of affection is the best commemoration He that brings sin hither as bitter herbs shall be sweetly refresht with Christ our Passeover §. 3. To whom this Remembrance is made § 3 Quest To whom is this remembrance made Ausw 1. We make it unto and within our selves whetting upon our hearts the fruit and benefit we receive from him and the torments and pains he endured for us 2. We make this remembrance to others to all the world by our solemn profession of Christ and his death as that we stand unto for remission of sins and acceptation with God Let the Jew or Infidel laugh at us for trusting to a crucified Saviour and memorizing him in a piece of bread and cup of wine It is our joy and triumph we live and hope to die in and if need be for this profession 3. We make this remembrance to God we set before him the Sacrifice of his own Sonne and put him in minde by him to be mercifull to us we inculcate the death of Christ to God and set before him these monuments we say and pray Lord remember Mede Diatrib in Mal. 6. c. 1. v. 11. Forbes Hist Theol. p. 618. Cal. 2. that Sacrifice which we here remember If thou remember our sins we will remember thy Christ pardon us in the name of that Sacrifice which we commemorate and make mention of before thee and this is the reason why the Ancients so often called this Ordinance a Sacrifice which Chrysostom recalling himself saith Chrys in Heb. Homil. 17. pag. Graecat 856. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather the commemoration of a Sacrifice becaUse they offer'd up their prayers and thanksgiving in the name of Christ the Sacrifice here commemorated for here is no real sacrificing of Christ to God that turns the Table into a crosse but here is the commemoration of a Sacrifice and a feasting and feeding thereupon by faith as men that are in covenant and fellowship with God CHAP. XIII A Lamentation for the neglect of this Ordinance NOw to the Use of this point The Lord hath left it in charge that his Church do celebrate this Ordinance in remembrance of him And § 1 First We may bewail that great eclipse which hath befallen this Ordinance here with us of later years the like to which hath not been seen in England since it became Protestant the remembrance and memorial of Christ hath been even forgotten and the Ordinance of Communion been render'd as the apple of contention and division a matter of quarrel rather than of Use the losse that is gained by this intermission or neglect or disUse or it is very great for we lose an inestimable benefit by it the solemn remembrance of Christ with the comforts thence resulting we lose a duty by it for Christ said Do this and is it not a great losse to lose so signal a note of the Church of Christ so great a benefit and the visible mischief hath been very great for hereby separation hath been mightily advanced the people like sheep wanting fodder at their own crib have scatter'd themselves to other cribs and pastures where they might finde sustenance and several communions have been taken up on the same Reason that water being carn'd or stopt from this old channel findes out or makes other water-courses and leaves the other channel dry and the generality of the people by their too easie patience under so great a famine have given too sad an argument how easily they would part with all Religion that have so carelesly suffer'd the losse of so great a part thereof as this Ordinance is I know that we shall like Josephs brethren be ready to transfer the fault on others no man will own it and yet haply we are all guilty it but in this that the Apostle said to the Corinthians in another case 1 Cor. 5. 2. And ye are puffed up and have not rather mourned For had not pride and envy discontent and security prevailed over us we might have mourned and lamented after or over this losse or eclypse and thereby have manifested not only a good disposition of heart in feeling the want of Ordinances but a very good sign that God would restore
is no Reason to deny those that are godly the liberty of performance of this duty or enjoyment of this benefit Why are they starved becaUse others will not or ought not to eat Did the Church that lived amongst Jews or Heathens alwayes want this Sacrament They were sometimes disturbed and persecuted when the Civil Magistrate turned the edge of the Axe toward them but they lost not the Ordinance Why but we have no rule establisht by Civil Authority or rather no Government Nor had the Primitive Church for 300 years when the vigour of Discipline was strongest How was their Discipline of force Per pacta conventu by consent whereby all Discipline is valid He that will be of our body must submit to the Laws and Rules of that Corporation he is free of whether to be enfranchised or disfranchised What if wicked men break in and abUse our Sacrament what if Heathens had so done in the Primitive Church If they eat our bread it 's no Sacrament to them If extream violence be Used or feared we have the protection of the Magistrate or as the first Christians we have our hoUses to break the Lords bread in §. 3. Of removing Obstructions to this Ordinance § 3 Quest If the command be so high the memoriall so sweet the benefit so great What may be done that there may be no Obstruction between my soul and this duty this remembrance this benefit Ans I le set my self amongst you and be as the lowest of the people and this should be my rule I would abate and submit and strip my self of all carnall respects pride stomach-envy discontent scorn c. rather than deprive my self of this benefit or hinder my self from coming to meet my Lord Christ It should be point of conscience that should hinder me or nothing And now on the other side I le set my self in place of a Minister or Church-officer and my rule is this I will abate and strip my self of all pride interest enmity contempt of my neighbour partiality base and carnall respects rather than keep my self from giving it to you and would bring it to a point of conscience only that shall forbid me or nothing when it is at a point of conscience then both I and you must examine whether our consciences be not bound by errour that which binds you may loosen me that which binds me may loosen you if we inform one another and if errour be found I will cut the bond and set my self at liberty to receive or give the Lords Supper and I am consident that if carnall thoughts Reasons and respects were cut off on all sides thousands would be reduced that stand off both from their duty and from their benefit It was the case of many of precious memory that liked not the Ceremonies yet submitted to those inconveniences rather than lose that benefit which by their submission to them might be gained § 4 Vse 2 Let every man consider how he acquits himself of this duty Do this and upon what terms he runs the loss of such a benefit as to keep a memoriall of Christ It 's a kinde of Thanksgiving to Christ to commemorate his death and sufferings for us As there is an exhibition of Christ and his grace to a faithfull receiver so the benefit should draw us to the Use of this Ordinance As it is a command a dying command of Christ Do this in remembrance of me so the duty or conscience of duty should impell and move us The two Sacraments of old were both of them backt with cutting off in case of neglect Gen. 19. 14. Numb 9. 18. The positive worship of God in Sacraments is not easily either misperformed or neglected You will say God affrighted his people of old unto his Sacraments but now we fright you from them Farre be it from us we affright you into preparation not from the Sacrament as Joshua did the people Josh 24. 19. Ye cannot serve the Lord for he is a holy God he will not forgive your sinne it was a quickning speech not a discouraging we would not have you runne on the point of this Ordinance Why but if it be a command how can we be debarred If Christ say Do this who can say Do not this I have answered this already The command here is not an outward commandment as I may say but an inward not given to all the world but to Christs Disciples to certain qualified persons as the command of the Passeover was limited to the circumcised and to the clean and this also to a man that examines himself and so let him eat of this bread c. It 's a duty and a priviledge both of all outward Ordinances the inmost § 5 Vse 3 Christ hath thought it needfull to make provision against our forgetfulness of him while he is absent from us in the flesh The forgetfulness of Christ is the loss of all Religion we are apt to forget his love and his blood Those that live in known habituall sin forget Christ and I make no doubt but the often sight and memory of his death which is here acted and personated or drawn forth to the eye might exceedingly mortifie sin and melt the heart Nothing shews sin more distastfull to God than the death of Christ every pardon cries aloud to him that is pardoned Go and sin no more but he that takes heart to sin becaUse Christ died seems neither to see his own sinne nor death in the death of Christ §. 6. How our mindes should be exercised in the time of the celebration of this Supper § 6 Vse 4 Here we learn how to exercise our mindes and meditations in the celebration of this Supper viz. in the remembrance of Christ the survey of whom is inriched with excellent fruit of renewing our repentance quickning our faith elevating our affections and the impression made upon us by this lively spectacle of a dying Saviour cannot but work as the bloody Robes of Caesar did upon the people when they were hanged out in sight by Marc. Anthony and therefore it is suitable to the end of this Sacrament to be exercising our memories mindes and affections in the perusall of Christ Jesus I know that some Churches Use to sing a Psalm while the action is performing whom I condemn not as a means to keep the heart intent and in spirituall frame or fixedness but should rather chUse a silent meditation and imployment of the minde in the remembrance of Christ for that 's more suitable to the end of this Ordinance and to Christs example and institution who according to the custom of the Jews filled the time of action with commemoration and closed it with a Hymn and if we may give credit to the Jewish Writers and others out of them as Hugo Broughton shews in his Commentaries on Daniel the Psalms of the Hallel or Hymn sung by the Jews was the 113 114 and so onward and it 's very probable that Christ and
his Corinthian communicants to right teaching them and us what is the meaning of this Ordinance and what the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or main business of a communicant is that so he may eat and drink worthily viz. To shew forth the Lords death this he collects from the institution this he inculcates upon the communicant as the great business which he is to do that he may be suitable to the Ordinance The words have no difficulty but what may best be opened in every point as it comes to hand The first Point shall be from the connexion or whole words § 2 Doct. People have need to be taught what the meaning of this Ordinance is and what is the main business of the Communicant The Apostle hath set forth this Sacrament and now teaches them what is the meaning or great business intended in it For as often as c. Outward Ordinances consisting of visible matter as most of the Jewish Ordinances did and our Sacraments do do ordinarily terminate and bound the eye of the ignorant that cannot and of the Christian outwardly that doth not look within the rinde or shell of them The time is not lost that 's bestowed either by us in the anatomy and opening or by you in learning and spelling out the minde and meaning of an Ordinance of God When your children Exod. 12. 26. shall say unto you What mean you by this service ye shall say It is the sacrifice of the Lords Passeover c. And in another instance When your children shall say What mean you by these stones ye shall answer Josh 4. 6. The waters of Jordan were cut off c. This was the veil that covered the eye of the Jews they had Sacrifices Washings manifold Rites but were not able to spell and put together they generally little dreamd of the meaning of them but were as the Apostle cals them Jews outwardly and in the letter for it pleased God in the times of that dispensation to give his people the kernell but inclosed in a hard shell to give them a pillar of fire but in a cloud to hide the light in a dark lanthorne to convey the truth in shadows Now that the Obscurity is taken off the Ordinances there remains an ignorance upon our hearts and many of us know as little the meaning of our Sacraments as the Jews did of theirs there is scarce any of our ignorant superstitious prophane persons but they think there is some holiness in this Sacrament and therefore they put on a posture of some reverence for the time but the particular Use of it or the spirituall importance they know not and therefore rest in the opus operatum and receive the Sacrament as a medicinall potion naturally working or worship that which should be made Use of by faith for the nourishment of the soul § 3 The Use of this point may be for Instruction of both Minister and people First The Minister is hereby taught That it is not only his duty to give the Sacrament but also to teach the Sacrament he gives the outward Elements he teaches the inward meaning of them he gives the bone and shews the marrow that is in it otherwise you take the Sacrament by rote and he gives you integram nucem as Bernard saith a whose nut to a child that cannot crack it and so partakes in that sin and guilt being dumb which you contract being blinde Our Saviour when he gave the Bread and the Cup said also This is my Body This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood and so taught the meaning St. Paul when he had recited the Institution shews the mind of it As oft as ye eat ye shew the Lords death And you are to be taught what is Gods meaning and what is the meaning of your own actions Gods meaning is to make a representation of Christs death and sufferings by the breaking of the bread and to afford you the communion of his Body and Blood 1 Cor. 10. 16. The meaning of your actions is to make commemoration of Christ and to shew forth his death Gods meaning is to dress out Christ in best manner and fittest for a sinner Christ broken Christ bleeding and the meaning of your eating and drinking is to feed sorrowfully and sweetly upon Christ so prepared and presented to you for your repast and comfort But now if the same cup taken with such ingredients would be deadly poyson with such a lively Cordiall would you not expect that the Physician should teach you to make it Cordiall so the Lords Supper worthily received is the most soveraign Cordiall But some again may eat and drink damnation to themselves Would you not expect that the Minister if he have either conscience of his duty or respect to your souls should teach you to avoid the danger and obtain the benefit If you do not yet God looks for it at our hands Ezek. 44. 23. And they the Priests shall teach my people the difference between the holy and prophane and caUse men to discern between the unclean and clean for else you may eat and drink damnation to us as well as to your selves § 4 Secondly The people are taught To know the meaning of the Sacrament before they take it That 's a terrible expression ver 29. He eats and drinks damnation to himself not discerning the Lords Body that is not knowing the meaning the nature Use and end of the Ordinance which to understand is a good part of preparation and without it there can be no right or true preparation And therefore all you that intend to be Supper-communicants attend The first lesson which you must learn the first Question to be answered is What is the true meaning of this Ordinance what is the main business of it for it is supposed in those words Exod. 12. 26. When your children shall say to you What mean you by this service i. Passeover that the father should be able to teach his childe as it is there directed and that the child should as his first lesson be taught what is meant To know what the meaning of this Ordinance is 1. It is a proper and excellent antidote or remedy of such abUses and miscarriages as creep in at the door either of ignorance superstition or prophaneness and the Apostle signifies so much here by applying this corrective to those distempers which then reigned in the Church of Corinth as if he had said Could you come and eat and drink so rudely proudly confUsedly irreverently unworthily if ye did consider but what ye ought to do that is exercise communion with Christ keep a commemoration of him shew forth his death 2. This will direct all your preparations to the true end your praiers meditations self-examination will be answerable and suitable to the Ordinance Here is not the eating of a piece of bread nor the drinking of a cup of wine in a publique company of sober men and of my betters which yet
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 insition 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 say 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 curb 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 from 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. execrable 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
repentance made some difference For still I goe upon the same Rule or principle The Table is not ours We make not the Feast We are not Lords and Masters of the Ordinance but Stewards Servitours Dispensers that must act ad voluntatem Domini § 5 The third Use of this Point may be to satisfie our querulous and complaining dispositions when we see many who are but Jewes outwardly and they are no Jews Many that have a forme but not the power of godlinesse Many that walke disorderly as the Apostle saith 2 Thess 3. 11. Many that desire to make a fair shew and do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set a good face on it Galat. 6. 12. but are rotten at the core c. They complaine Why are they suffer'd Why are not they cast out Why do they remain spots in our feasts as Jude saith c And it cannot be denied we plead not for hypocrites we are not Advocates and Patrons of foolish Virgins they come unworthily though they come and that is bad enough but why do they come at all The Answer is That violence must not be offer'd to that Rule Order and way which God hath set down for the prohibiting of any visible member from his right It 's fit that thieves and robbers and cheaters were either reformed or purged out of the Common-wealth but yet it must be in the course of Law or else the remedy would be a mischief That in the mouth of two or three Witnesses saith Christ Matth. 18. 16. every word may be establisht It is not a thing to be done at randome as I have shewed Every sore leg is not presently to be cut off there may be as sore a one under a silk stocking The Church sinnes if she neglect her duty but I must tell you That you must do your duty first Have you in private offences gone first to your offensive brother and told him of his fault in private and then if he be not gain'd have you born witnesse against him And hath he been convinced of his sinne by due conviction Or doth he stand out against conviction and admonition And is he Obstinate and doth persist in his sinne One may murder a Felon he should haply die but he dies innocently if he die by a private hand A man that deserves to be cast out may be cast out injuriously viz. a non judice I confesse the Argument is plausible That the Church the livelier and purer it is the better it is So the Corn-field is best that hath no weeds The Corn that 's clean drest from chaffe and cockle is the purest but it 's rare to finde such a field or to finde such a floor in the Garner so it is but not in the barn-floor I like holinesse which is of Gods making not that which is of mans making The Novatians or Cathari the Donatists also pretended both to a holinesse above all the Churches of God in the world but there is as Calvin observed none of them left in the world to be seen whereas the true Churches of Christ continue and I hope shall continue though they be like Israel going forth of Aegypt that had a mixt multitude among them as the Scripture speaks CHAP. XIX What must be done where Discipline cannot be executed for want of Administrators § 1 HAving said That the Lords Supper is a barred Ordinance and yet that the just rights of the Communicant ought not to be invaded I shall now proceed before I go further Two or three Questions of moment and importance The Answer to which will both clear the former Doctrine more fully and also anticipate such Objections as may be raised up against it Quest 1. The first Question is this What is to be done in such case wherein the former Doctrine is impracticable by Reason that the Church or particular society whereof thou art a member be not in capacity to exercise such Discipline for want of such due Administratours as may bring to execution the aforesaid order of Debarment from or Admittance to the Lords Table Before I answer this great Question I must tell you that I have caUse to fear least it be said of me as Cicero said of Cato His opinion of and affection to the Commonwealth is excellent good but he is offensive Quia loquitur tanquam in Repub. Platonis non tanquam in faece Romuli becaUse he speaks as if he were in Plato his Commonwealth not as in the dregs of Romulus So you may say that I speak as if I was in the Primitive Church and not in the dregs of corruption which profanenesse and superstition have brought in upon us but notwithstanding the Clock that goes false must be reduced by the Sunne-dial and not that by the Clock that erres We may justly complain of and bewail the evil genius of the times and men that if they can hear novelties every Lords-day from some ambulatory Preachers and they also can vapour up and down with two or three Sermons calculated to serve any Meridian do not either look for or prize a setled condition of Ministry and Sacraments in the Church but rather cry So would we have it Let every man do that which is right in his own eyes and we little think that so many breaches and distractions are amongst us becaUse we seek not the Lord after the due order It was an old complaint that the coming in of the world into the Church was the decay of Christianity while Emperours were Heathen and persecutions of the very name Christian were frequent the Discipline was vigorous when men came in to Christianity with no other resolution than to suffer for it and made account to save nothing by it but their souls the Discipline was able to keep them in compasse but when Christian Emperours came in and set the broad gates open to the world then they throng'd into Christianity for fashion interest preferment as all do now upon custom example education and hence is the decay and corruption of Discipline Atheists Epicures Libertines every one under form and colour of Religion providing immunity and impunity for their own lusts which having said and thereby pointed with my finger to the sore which I cannot heal I shall answer to the Question § 2 1. The strait is great where there is not a just and orderly power to separate or sever the precious from the vile to deny their bread to children or to cast the childrens bread to dogs and there will be found a great deal of self-denial necessary in this case The affirmative command of giving the Lords bread to his children and the negative command of not casting pearls before swine are both to be Observed and the only expedient that I know is that both Minister and people do the duty of their place without usurpation of further power than they have by Gods warrant and then all will be as well not as it might but as it can as it was in
Hezekiah his Passeover in the second moneth 2 Chron. 30. Many in the Congregation were not sanctified vers 17. Many came out of the Tribes of Israel which had not cleansed themselves they did eat the Passeover otherwise than it was written vers 18. Here you see it was not so well as it ought but it was as well as it could at that time and therefore Hezekiah pray'd The good Lord pardon every one that prepares his heart to seek God though he be not according to the purification of the Sanctuary and the Lord healed the people vers 20. And therefore to speak more particularly to the point I cannot counsel but bewail the intermission of the Lords Supper in such Churches where there are a number of worthy Communicants at least visibly though there be no power of juridical exclusion of the unworthy The Helvetian or Switzerland Churches claim to be Churches and have the notes of Word and Sacraments though this order of Discipline be not setled among them and I am not he that shall blot out their name There is an expresse command Do this and a very great obligation There is an excellent benefit of this Ordinance which if it stirre up the thirst of Gods people to desire or rather claim it at the Ministers hand I see no ground for the refusal I know the Sacraments of ordinary Use were intermitted in the wildernesse wholly or mostly and they were recompensed with extraordinary 1 Cor. 10. but that arose on another occasion than this I speak of for alas How many Churches in England or if you will good Christians in them shall everlastingly be deprived of this high Ordinance and the benefit of it shall lie under the temptation of separation shall lose this mark of a Church and shall in effect be equally debarred of this Communion with Christ as wicked men are and that also not for any default of theirs but for their unhappiness of being planted in a Vineyard that wants a wall or hedge § 3 2. A particular Church having administration of the Word and Sacraments is not bound alwayes to want a hedge pale or door unto the Supper of the Lord in case the Civil Power is not pleased to intermeddle or interpose in these affairs but are as I conceive bound to Use all warrantable means to preserve their society from infection and scandal and the Ordinance from undue invasion by giving up themselves to such inspection as God hath entrusted it with and themselves have chosen and by associating themselves with other Churches of God that the unity may be preserved of the body of Christ for the Arch is firm by the mutual support of the stones and their joyning to the top-stone For the Church is a body or society with which God hath deposited his Ordinances and given it power to meet and assemble themselves together for performance of them and it were a wonder that they should not have a power of exercising them in a right manner I do not arrogate unto the Church any the least power of outward force or coercion for that belongs to him that bears the Sword who if he do not give effect to the censures of the Church yet they have their effect by the consent of the Church it self Ex Disciplina confederata as they say which is that by which he that consents to be of that body is subject to the Laws and Rules of it and is cut off if he prove a rotten member To give light to this point How stood the Discipline of Synagogues from which I am apt to think our Christian Churches took much of their pattern They had a power to discommon their own members and it seems to me that their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or agreement among themselves was that which gave effect to their censures Joh 9. 22. And what is the government of Colledges Corporations and petty Courts in Countrey-villages where the by-Laws and amerciaments and penalties are by agreement north warting the municipal Laws of the Commonwealth He that will enjoy the priviledges and freedoms of such a body must be subject to the Rules and Laws of that society and so the Christian Churches under Heathen Emperours could do no more but disfranchize their own members from the priviledges of the Church of which body they had by their own consent come in to be members and so submitted themselves to them The Emperours gave not this power to the Church but God who gave them his great Charter to be a City and Corporation of his own did eo ipso give them this power without which they might be a Cyclops den or chaos but not a regular Society And upon this ground as I conceive the Apostle reproves the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6. 1 Cor. 5. for not doing those things to prevent scandal which they were impowred and enabled to have done as a Church of Christians And if any man had been of such stomack or disposition in those times as not to have cared a straw for those Church-censures so long as the Civil power toucht him not in purse body liberty it was enough to proclaim him fitter for to be a Heathen than a Christian For it 's admirable to consider as it is most evident That a Church censure a Suspension from the Communion of the Church wrought more sorrow and trouble and heart-breaking than the fire and faggot of the persecution In conclusion and upon the whole matter as he said of the Romans they must redire ad casas return to their poor shepherd cottages again So I say that in case of this necessity when the Civil power contributes not assistance or furtherance to the Church she must consider the case of the primitive Churches and what intrinsecally belongs to her to do as a corporation or body of Gods making with no other power of self preservation from scandals of members but purging them out nor from injuries of forreiners but suffering § 4 3. Every particular member of the Church ought to withdraw or refrain from such conversation with a scandalous brother as may either give occasion of scandal to others or infection to himself The Apostle allows civil commerce or entercourse with Heathens and Infidels if we live among them and the bonds of natural and civil relations or duties must not be violated on pretence of Christianity but an arbitrary familiar and intimate society or fellowship with them that live or act scandalously doth but soil our selves harden them offend sober Christians It 's a caution much inculcate in Scripture Withdraw from every brother that walks disorderly 2 Thess 3. 6. Have no company with them that they may be ashamed vers 14. Turn away from such wicked formalists as have no power of godlinesse and under the form of it are so wicked 2 Tim. 3. 5. With a brother that 's scandalous no not to eat 1 Cor. 5. 9 12 Them that caUse divisions and scandals mark and avoid them Rom. 16.
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
his and so bindes himself and doth as it were seal a counterpart to God again and not onely so but comes into a claim of all the riches and legacies of the Will or Covenant becaUse he hath accepted and here declares his acceptance of the Covenant The Seal is indeed properly of that which is Gods part of the Covenant to perform and give and is no more but offer'd untill we subscribe and set our hands to it and then it 's compleat and the benefits may be claimed as the benefit of any conditional promise may be when the condition is performed And least you should stumble at that word I must let you know That the Will accepting and submitting to the conditions is the performance of the conditions required and so the gracious God that might pro imperio require duty and allegiance of his creature condescends to us to enter into a Covenant of Grace with us and vouchsafes us the honour of coming into Covenant with him that so he might settle and maintain a communion and correspondence between himself and his people and there might be a mutual bond of engagement each to other which is solemnly professed as often as we meet with God in this Sacrament becaUse we are so apt to disbelieve and waver about his promises and to halt and decline from our obligations to him And this is the second combination of action according to that which is to be remembred at every sealing day the Sacrament is a sealing day Deut. 26. 17. Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God and to walk in his wayes c. And the Lord hath avouched thee to be his peculiar people as he hath promised thee So much for the first What is here done §. 6. What is here Received by the Worthy Communicant § 6 2. I come to the second What is here received and I do not mean to say what every believer doth sensibly receive but what God hath appointed by this Sacrament to convey and what may be received by a believer in the right Use of it not alwayes to his own sense but according to the nature of this Ordinance I will not say that which some affirm but it is Apocryphal of the Manna which the Israelites did eat that it had the taste that every man desired But this I may say that as Calvin of himself When I have Instit l. 4. c. 17. §. 7. said all I have said but little the tongue is overcome yea the minde is overwhelmed I say then in one word 1. Christ is here received the body and bloud of Christ into intimate Union as the nourishment of our souls What is more ours than the meat we eat What is more nearly joyn'd to us than that which becomes part of our selves The Scripture by the language it Useth hath even overcome our apprehensions A man may eat the fruit that hath no interest in the Tree but here the believing eater grows into the Tree he that drinks drinks the fountain he comes to a closer Union with the conduit-pipe of all grace the flesh of Jesus Christ You know the best meat and drink doth you no good except it be made your own nor is Christ of worth except he be ours he is as if he were not Tolle meum tolle Deum we must be happy by a Christ within us Know you not that Christ is in you except you be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. There was a croud toucht Christ but vertue went out of him to none but one that toucht him by faith So there is a throng about the Table but none receive Christ but those that by faith take and eat his crucified body If Christ himself be here received what spiritual grace is there that is not in him It is somewhat a grosse conceit to ask How Christ in heaven and a believer on earth can be united For man and wife are one flesh though a thousand miles asunder And we know that as the Apostle saith Col. 2. 19. there are bands and joynts whereby the Head and every Member the root and every branch are united and they in this mystical union are Spirit and faith He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. And so according to that strange expression We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Ephes 5. 30 A phrase which signifies that the humane nature of Christ is the root of this Union but not to be exagitated by too subtill curiosity becaUse mysticall 2. A believer in Christ may here receive remission of sinne not veniall onely as Papists teach but deadly and mortall Oh but we may not come with such sinnes Yes with repentance and remorse for them We may bring our sinnes to the head of our Sacrifice and put them thereupon by Bellarm. de Euch l. 4 c 18. confession Bellarmine resolves all the difference between Papists and Protestants about the effect of this Sacrament into this That the Papists deny the Protestants hold remission of sinne to be given here and the Papists do it in favour of their Sacrament of Pennance that one Sacrament may not rob another but Scripture tels us Matth. 26. 28. This is my bloud of the New Testament which is shed for many for remission of sinne Shed for remission that 's true saith Bellarmine not given in the Sacrament a meer evasion for we drink the bloud that was shed even that which confirmes the New Testament which promises remission of sinne The great Argument wherein he triumphs before the victory is That a believer hath remission of sinnes before he comes viz by his faith in Christ and that 's true Nemo cibum Christi accipit nisi actu sanatus but in this Sacrament the pardon passes Obsignante sigillo before a believer is pardon'd by the Covenant and here that pardon is seal'd and sealed it cannot be except it be before for the pardon of forgiven sinnes is seal'd as Abraham received the signe of circumcision the seale of the righteousnesse of faith which he had before Rom. 4. 11. And this is needfull for reliefe of our doubts and fears and waverings For this is the great Question of anxiety which troubles the soul Are my sinnes pardon'd Are my sins blotted out And God hath saith Chemnitius instituted this Sacrament for solution of this Question to the weak faith Ecce signum Behold the Seal believe upon the Word believe upon the Seal of God Luther gathers it by a gradation The Cup is put for the Wine the Wine signifies the bloud the bloud is the bloud of the New Testament Matth. 26. 28. The New Testament containes the gracious pardon of sinne to a believer And if remission of sinne be an Article of the Covenant the Seale must reach it Therefore all that have wounded their souls with grievous sinnes be wounded again with sorrow put off the purpose of sinning bring repentance and faith touch the hemme of
man examine himself 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves prove your own selves Chrysostome 1 Cor. 11. 28. takes this word signantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He doth not bid one saith he to examine another but a man himself to prove and search himself And Paraeus on the place speaking in opposition unto and detestation of the Popish Auricular Confession saith Non dicit Sacerdotes probent c. He saith not Let the Priests examine and dive into mens consciences but every man himself not that we refUse any just trial but we abhorre their tyranny and superstition I know men are backward to have their wounds searcht and very partial and indulgent to themselves but if conscience be set on work in the duty this unpopular Tribunal this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrysostome cals it is the most excellent for a man is within himself others are without him and he that is within may search the hoUse better than he that stands without Our secret hypocrisies and heart lusts may be discerned by our selves not by another and there is no mans heart but stoops most of all and is laid flat in the dust under self-conviction self-judgement Therefore let a man examine himself And so I have open'd the words Let a man examine himself which if any one cannot do as infants stupid ignorants men besides themselves or will not do becaUse he hateth the light which discovers him or doth not do becaUse worldly imployments possesse him or dare not do least he create trouble and pain to himself then he hath not performed the provilo which is And so let him eat of this Bread c. Quest There may be in some of your thoughts as there hath been in mine a Question upon this and it is thus What if Judas by reflexion upon himself finde that he is conceived with a tReasonable intention which he mindes to pursue and to bring forth What if any man upon examination of himself finde himself without any spark and without any desire of grace What if he be a scorner of all godlinesse and purposes so to be a vicious and flagitious slave of sinne and will not be made free Shall he come and eat this Bread becaUse he hath examined himselfe Shall he plead his priviledge becaUse he hath examined himself Solut. If this were so then Examination is required for Examination sake but that is not so for self-examination is a duty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tending to a further end and that is our meetnesse and fitnesse to come to this Table it is to finde a sacramental disposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that we may finde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a learned man saith Let us search and try our wayes and turn again to the Lord that 's the end and effect Lam. 3. 40. Prove your selves whether ye be in the faith examine whether Jesus Christ be in you 2 Cor. 13. 5. So here Let a man examine himself that is Let him prove in himself a disposition of fitnesse and meetnesse and so let him come as a man that tries gold at the stone he will not take it becaUse he tries it for he findes it copper but if it be indeed true gold So one will not go abroad becaUse he hath beheld himself in the Looking-glasse for he may finde deformity and filthinesse but becaUse he hath corrected all inconcinnity by the glasse and composed his dresse And so except we will prevaricate the holy Ghost intends a fitnesse and meetnesse found by this self-examination and then and so Let him come and eat c. The garment is not made by taking measure nor the wedding-garment by meer examination For the clearer opening of this point of self-examination I might thus distinguish There is a self-examination required of all men of all Christians of all Communicants That which is required of all men is To search and try their wayes in order to conversion or repentance Lam. 3. 40. Let us search and try our selves and turn unto the Lord which if diligently done they might know and own their misery and finde an absolute necessity of conversion the want of this is the Reason that men lie so fast asleep in security and pursue their beloved sinnes without check or control Jer. 8. 6. No man repented him of his wickednesse saying What have I done Every one turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battel And how is that He mocks at fear and is not affrighted He saith among the Trumpets Ha ha Job 39. 19 c. It would take off their edge and metal If men did but consider and believe how directly their wayes point toward the eternal damnation of their souls The Rule of this Examination or the glasse which makes this reflexion is the severe Law of God which involves all sinners under a curse That which is required of all Christians is to prove their own works whether they be wrought in God in order to their own comfort Gal. 6. 4. Let every man prove his own work and so shall he have rejoycing in himself And this is the sweet and immediate reward of all sincere duties which leave a sweet taste or savour behinde them Heb. 11. 5. Enoch before his Translation had this testimony that he pleased God This is that reward which God gives his people before their translation as first-fruits before the harvest the unspeakable comfort of a sincere duty Nor only his works but a Christian is to examine his spiritual estate 2 Cor. 13. 5. Whether you be in the faith Know ye not that Christ is in you we should not only be but know we are and this by examining The Rule of which examination is the Gospel which gives marks and evidences of it That which is required of all Communicants is to examine their fitnesse and meetnesse which is their worthinesse to come and eat at the Lords Table and the Rule of this Examination is the Ordinance it self or the institution of it as I have before shew'd for the graces to be exercised in it and bespoken by it are the Rule by which we must examine our selves whether we have them in us or no and this self-examination this particular whereof the Sacrament it self is the Rule is that I have to insist upon and therefore I am not bound by the Law of the Text to flie so great a compasse as to handle the common-place of self-examination in all his latitude neither will I do it but onely premise certain generall practicall positions whereby we may be either moved unto or directed in the performance of this unpleasing duty self-examination and they are these §. 3. Practicall Positions to move us unto and direct us in the duty of examining our selves at all times § 3 First The benefit of self-acquaintance is exceeding great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one of the old wise sentences though interpreted by them the proud way not as Religion teaches the