Wine poured out signifie the Body and Soul sufferings of the Lord Christ they are exhibited in this Ordinance in a lively manner to our thankful remembrance of Gods and Christs love to us therefore by the ancients called the Eucharist 2. Hereby our acts of Faith are renewed and our Faith greatly strengthned in the love of God to us in the Redemption wrought by Jesus Christ for us in his Death and Suffering for our present Justification and Sanctification and Future Glory 3. It is a sign and Seal of our Union to and Communion with the Lord Jesus Christ and to one another our Communion together by a common participation of Christ our Head in his personal Excellencies and mystical Communications as also our Communion in him one with another as a mystical and visible Politick Body 4. It is a visible Testimony and Profession of our mutual love and Obligations therein as members one of another 5. There is a sweet Communion in each others Gifts and Graces in order to edification and growth in Grace Phil. To what Church Officer doth the administration of this Ordinance appertain Christ It appertains to the Pastoral teaching Office for the Seals are teaching Ceremonies by way of Instruction unto us for increase in Faith and Love and by way of Consolation and Confirmation in our right to Covenant Benefits and Priviledges And hence it belongs primarily to the Pastor that is principally called to the whole Office of feeding the flock for Christ the great Pastor first administred it And secondarily to the Teacher who is called to bear a share with him in his Teaching work which is feeding the flock with wholesome Doctrine and administring such instituted signs and seals as tends to the Confirmation thereof unto their Souls and Consciences and therefore where there is actually Pastor and Teacher it may for the ease of the Pastor that part of this Labour may be born by the Teacher as well as that of teaching And in case of the Death of the Pastor the whole pastoral charge as to Teaching and Administring falls upon the Teacher unless the Church think meet to choose another Pastor Phil. But I pray what do you think of the practice of our Minister and if I mistake not some Non-conformists use it still viz. for the Administrator or Administrators for I have known several at the same time in one Congregation to go about from Person to Person and deliver the Bread and Wine into the hand of each repeating as oft the Words of institution Take eat c. Take drink c. Christ I take it to be an unscriptural usage for Luke 22.17 Christ said Take this and divide it among your selves And if it be said that is spoken of the Passover Cup it makes not against us for in the same manner as that Cup went about did also the Bread and Wine that followed And we have no ground to suppose that he delivered the Bread with the Words This is my Body take eat nor the Wine c. any more than once Again it 's plain that this practice came from Rome from that blasphemous Heresie of theirs that the Bread is the very Body of Christ after Consecration of the Priest and therefore not to be touched by the Communicant but put into his Mouth by the supposed sacred Hands of the Priest Therefore it hath the same Idolatrous Original as Kneeling in receiving hath nourisheth much vain Superstition in the people makes the Ordinance most tedious and troublesome if not too Comical Phil. You mention Kneeling methinks that seems to be a comely gesture enough in so solemn and sacred an Ordinance though I confess I am not for imposing of it Christ I need not tell you the reason and ground of that Innovation viz. From the Idolatrous worshiping the Bread And I need not tell you that the posture in receiving was not so from the beginning but after the eastern manner of sitting at a Feast It is not proper or comely to kneel at a Feast which is for a sociable rejoycing Kneeling is a posture of prostration in Prayer but this is a distinct Ordinance from Prayer though it be blessed by Prayer The Prayer is over when the Element is distributed and then our business is not to pray but to feed in a Feasting Sacramental and Spiritual manner Neither is the practice of some Communicants to be commended who after the Element is blessed by the Prayers of the Congregation betake themselves to their particular private prayers before they eat or drink it 's a new Consecration as if the Element were not sufficiently consecrated Or as if they were to receive in an act of Prayer Whereas now they are to receive their spiritual food to the satisfaction of their hungring and thirsting Souls with rejoycing and gladness of Heart making it the Bread of Consolation and cup of Salvation praising the Name of the Lord. The Nature of receiving clearly appears from this that it is a Feast of Remembrance and therein for spiritual Repast Nourishment and Consolation and it appears in that the distribution of the last Element ends with a Psalm or Hymn of praise before we arise from the Table and therefore to be performed in the same posture we were in when we received the Cup and we use not a kneeling posture in singing Phil. I have read many considerable Arguments indeed against this posture in receiving which gives ground to suspect there is too much of Superstition in it and that it was derived from Rome but I have not before considered what you say of its great disagreement to the very Nature of the Ordinance the Act of receiving being a distinct duty from praying and therefore I believe many that profess to more Knowledge in these things than I do do they know not what in betaking themselves to private Prayers when they should be exercised after another manner and so do unduly mix one Ordinance with another or thrust out one spiritual duty by another I am glad you mention it to me I hope it will be matter of good instruction to me in my practice for the future Christ I am glad to find your Heart so moulded by the Grace of God that you are ready to receive the impression of Truth It was otherwise not long ago Phil. I think the next Head of Church Ordinances which you mentioned were the Keys I pray speak to them Christ. By Keys I mean Church power of opening and shutting It is a Scripture Word but Metaphorical A Key is used in respect of spiritual Knowledge or in respect of Power In respect of Knowledge Luke 11.52 In this respect Peter had the Key of the Kingdom of Heaven committed to him as an Apostle as is spoken by our Saviour Mat. 16.19 Being the first Apostle instructed by God to open the door for preaching the Gospel unto the Gentiles Act. 10. But this Key tho' first turned in exercise by Peter was given to the rest of the
is manifest from Eph. 4.14 15. compared with the Primitive practice Act. 2.42 ch 9.5 See also Eph. 2.19 6. All that profess themselves to be translated into the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ should walk as professed Subjects thereof and this they cannot do but in Communion with a visible Church for particular Churches are the visible parts of Christs Kingdom Here Christ rules as King Law-giver and appears as High priest and Prophet giving forth himself to the Faith of his People with all his fullness of Grace in Gospel Ordinances and Dispensations Here then it is that a Believer doth exalt the Lord Jesus Christ most eminently as to visibility in his regal Power and therefore so long as a Believer joyns not himself to a particular Church he stays in the Verge of Satans Kingdom exposeth himself at no small rate to his Temptations Rage and Tyranny and salls short of one great end of his Faith in the Salvation of his Soul which is to be a professed Subject of Christs Kingdom deals disloyally with Christ instead of promoting prejudiceth the Interest of Christ both in respect of himself and others in the World he may be a Nicodemus like Friend of Christ but why doeth he not professedly and openly practice Obedience to all the Laws and Ordinances of his House and bear witness thereto Is it not a tacite and implicite denying of Christ and will not Christ take it so and mens talking of Christs Kingdom is but a vain shew unless they do him this particular personal service as to joyn themselves actually and visibly to a Church of Christ therein espousing his Interest in giving up their Names unto him and walking in his Name as Micah 4.5 All people will walk every one in the Name of his God and we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever Objections that are made against this practice are very inconsiderable and should bear little weight in a Mind truely enlightned some of which are answered in the ensuing discourse others I should here remove if there were room for it I think the Naming them is the shaming of them to all men that have learned Christ and tasted that the Lord is Gracious 1. The scorn and reproach men shall fall under from the prophane World I think no wise man will be laugh't out of his Estate how much less out of his Religion and Souls Salvation 2. A Suspicion lest they should come under too strict tyes and bonds to Holy and Religious Conversation Read 1 Pet. 1.14 15 16 17 18 19. 3. Others are kept off by prejudices arisen by reason of the sins and failings of Churches and Church-Members But will wise men refuse a good Calling or Estate because there are so many abuse them And name a Church or Christian without failings and considerable ones It is your duty to choose the purest Society and you are at your Liberty to do it where you may have most Comfort and Edification Lastly Many are hindred from their ignorance or misled apprehensions concerning the Nature of a Gospel Church For their Information and Rectification especially I have published this Christian Conference that was in my hands and that it may obtain the desired end is the sincere wish and prayer of an unworthy Servant of Christ Isa Chauncy This Conference is managed by Mr. Cornelius Philomathes a Countrey Gentleman and Mr. Peter Christophilus a Minister Neighbour to him The Introduction Christophilus Mr. Philomathes I am heartily glad to see you methinks you are mightily enjoying your self in your pleasant and retired walks will not my company disturb your meditations Philomathes I take it kindly Sir you are pleased to give me a Visit for indeed I live somewhat lonely I am glad of good company especially sometimes for divertisement but there is no friend more welcome than your self to me because your chearfulness revives me and your discourse profits me Christoph Dear Sir I deserve not so great a character and commendation it is your generous disposition that leads you to speak these things for you know we use to differ pretty much in many things especially in matters of Religion and in discourse seemingly hot opponents of each other but I think never the worse Friends Phil. Sir I have so near as I know my own heart a most cordial love to every one that fears God though he be not in every thing of my mind but for you Sir I have more than an ordinary respect and esteem as having been my old acquaintance and intimate friend and neighbour in all the late Changes in Church and state for above these forty years we never had any lasting difference but for the most part a very friendly correspondence Christ And to your great honour with a grateful remembrance may I often rehearse to the praise and glory of God the marvelous Christian kindness and commiseration that you shewed to me and my wife and family in our late Persecutions that you often sheltered me from the rage of my enemies and when they haled me to Prison and plundered all my goods that my Wife and Children had not Beds to lie on Victuals to eat nor Vessels to dress any thing in left you were pleased to take them into your house and provide plentifully for them and this you did when you were in a capacity to have done us more hurt than they who did it and ran no small hazard from time to time in not doing it Phil. No no I hope God will keep me from a persecuting spirit I bless his name he hath kept me from it hitherto and it is a change in our Nation much to be admired that we have such a day of Liberty as we have that all good men may live quietly and peaceably one by another and serve God according to their Consciences Christ Ay Sir especially if we consider the stupendous circumstances of Providence these few last years past that hath wrought about matters to effect that which we so long prayed and waited for Phil. But my friend I must whisper a word in your ear things are not right yet Christ No no nor will not be yet as they shall be but blessed be God they are so well as they are and that God is going on so fast in the way of his Providence towards finishing his Mystery Phil. I see you are on your Prophetick hints still I must confess my self here Asinus ad lyram for the darkness of Prophecies and the disagreement of Interpreters and Events refuting so many that have been very confident hath quite discouraged me that as I look not into them my self so I give little heed to what others say for all men will abound in their own sense and a man may be saved whether he be right or wrong in those things Christ Well Sir then we 'll let those things alone I would not introduce any ungrateful discourse but would rather enter upon something more suitable to
of that since neither doth the Spirit seem to limit to a certain number The Church is to Judge how many are requisite to perform the duties required in that Office according to their present stare and standing yea they may increase their number if they see need requires Phil. Is there any help in this Ministration speciffied by the Holy Ghost Christ Yes and it seems to be pretty plain that there were Widdows or Deaconesses or Matrons who were to do that part of the Office which was not so convenient for men such as to visit the Sick especially Sisters and enquire into their necessities and bring an account to the Deacons if any be without necessary supply for food raiment physick attendance and the like see 1 Tim. 5.5 9 10. And Phabe seems to have been a Deaconess to the Church of Cenchrea Rom. 16.1 Phil. You have spoken to all the fixed Officers in a particular Congregation although there are some who would deny some of these to be distinct Officers yet seeing here is in every Church these Office services to be performed and the Holy Ghost speaks of them distinctly under these two Heads Bishops and Deacons that the Pastor Teacher and ruling Elder all concur to the fulfilling the Pastoral or Episcopal Office for the Churches Edification and Men and Women Deacons make up the Liturgical or Diaconal Office I have received much satisfaction upon this account but methinks I am much to seek about one great concern of Christ and his Kingdom viz. The propagation of the Gospel to the unconverted for which work and service I cannot see how Christ hath provided since the Apostles times for all the Officers you have mentioned are Officers only in and to the Church and so far as men are capable of hearing the Word preached in the Churches they have a converting Ministry but they that are remote must be without a Ministry because there is no Churches Christ Christ hath constituted no stated Officers but in and to a particular Congregation He hath not called and sent any to the work of the Ministry for Conversion in the purest state and standing of the first Churches but from the Churches the first Apostles themselves went out from the Church of Jerusalem Paul and Barnabas from the Church at Antioch so that it is according to the prophesie of the latter days The Law shall go out from Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem And Christ hath provided a way to send the Gospel to Infidels and unconverted ones for Rom. 10.14 15. How shall they preach except they be sent And though I doubt not but God hath had his way in a providential manner of sending the Gospel into the blind parts of the Earth when visible Churches were hardly to be found through Antichristian Darkness that overspread the Earth yet Christ hath an instituted way of sending the Gospel to the unconverted world For men may have a Call and Dedication to some peculiar work and service to be done for Christ out of the Church viz. To be an Ambassador for Christ to beseech men to be reconciled unto God The Word of the Lord hath providentially been sent to many places as the scattering the Church by Persecution was the occasion Act. 11.19 Of preaching the Gospel at Phoenice Cyprus and Antioch c. and when tidings of these things that were done came to the Church at Jerusalem they sent forth Barnabas that he should go as far as Antioch and afterward he was sent forth again from the Church at Antioch I shall not enlarge now on this point I may meet with it again elsewhere the due and orderly way of going forth to the exercise of the Ministry is by the mission of a particular Congregation by the suffrage and Prayers thereof and he may be called a Teacher such as were in the Church of Antioch and so I distinguish of Teachers 1. Such as are stated Teachers to the Church wherein they are 2. Such that are sent forth to open blind eyes c. To preach to the World men lying in their infidelity Phil. You having given me a distinct account of the several Officers of a Gospel Church I desire to understand how they are made and constituted in an orderly regular manner Christ It can be but by Ordination Phil. What all of them by Ordination Elders and Deacons the Lay-Officers Christ I told you before we own no such Officers but them that are Ecclesiastically so and therefore not Lay-Officers the way of Ordination of ruling Elders and Deacons is the same with that of Pastor and Teacher Phil What by laying on of the hands of the Presbytery it seems to be a mighty prophanation of that Sacred ordinance to apply it to men that are illiterate and have not been at the University Christ Christ did not limit any Ordinances to Literate men and to University men his practice was quite contrary but I pray Sir tell me 1. Where imposition of hands is called Ordination 2. Whether the Deacons had not imposition of hands Act. 6.3 Where any other ordinary Church Officers had imposition of hands And therefore if there had not been some more reason of the Holy Ghost than ordinary for applying it to Deacons whether they should have had it If it was in an ordinary way of Administration and therefore all Church Officers to have it then they have eminent right to it still And then what prophanation is it to apply an Ordinance according to it's first institution Phil. You suggest strange notions about Ordination I must get you to clear them up to me Christ Sir you shall excuse me for the present I shall do it another time I only tell you now that all Church Officers are made by Ordination and ordained alike and that imposition of hands is not Ordination and if the most be made of it it 's but a Ceremony annexed which now is obsolete And that all Ordination belongs to the Church of whom the Person ordained is a member yea if imposition of hands be a necessary Ceremony therein it 's not to be performed by the Elders of other Churches but by the Presbytery or delegated Brethren of the said same Church These things shall be demonstrated to you according to that measure of light which Christ hath given Phil. These things look not only Heterodox in respect of the common sentiments of ordinary Professors of the reformed Religion but contrary to what many yea most of our Learned Divines have wrote and practised but I shall wait till you give me further light into them and demonstration for the assertions you have laid down In the mean time give a brief account of Gospel ordinances instituted by Christ for a Churches Edification Chap. VI. Of Church Ordinances of Christs Institution Christ THe instituted Ordinances of the Lord Jesus Christ are 1. Preaching the Word 2. Prayer and Praises 3. The Seals of the New Testament 4. The Keys which are the
over to Satan is as much as our Saviour by whose Spirit the Apostle enjoyns the use of this word expresseth Mat. 18. that such an one should be accounted as an excommunicate Person was by the Church of the Jews or as one out of that Churches Communion viz. An Heathen or Publican for such the Jews would not eat with and condemned our Saviour for so doing There are but two Kingdoms in the World Christs and Satans who is called the Prince of the World that ruleth in the Children of disobedience i. e. the Sons of Belial men that will not come under the yoke of Christs Government and with such Christ can have no concord in his Church 2 Cor. 6.15 And therefore to be put out of the Visible Church as a Child of Disobedience an incorrigible person hardened in sin and to be returned into the World as one that hath no right to the Childrens Bread And this is to be a means to humble him and bring him to shame and godly sorrow so that his flesh a Gospel expression for sin which is corrupt affections and lusts may be destroyed and that his Soul may be saved in the day of Christ And the consequent behaviour required towards such an one abundantly shews it that intimacy of familiarity is not to be kept with him 1 Cor. 5.11 And that such a Person is to be put away from Communion in this manner as to all sacred things peculiar to the Church ver 13. And what doth the Apostle intend 2 Thes 3.14 but the Excommunication of one that is unruly that he may be ashamed for it is setting a mark upon him that others may withdraw from him to his great shame but yet ver 15. to take all opportunities to admonish him in order to his recovery Phil. What rules are to be observed in the Denunciation of this solemn Sentence Christ All the rules of Christ according to the Nature of the offence being private or publick ought to be observed that all due deliberation be used and tenderness towards the offending Brother before the case be put to the suffrage of the Church That being passed and the Offender convict as guilty and ripe for censure the sin is to be laid open with all the aggravations thereof Then the nature of the Sentence and the true end and intent thereof shewed Solemn Prayer is to be made by way of Humiliation to the Church and Supplication for the Conviction Repentance and Humiliation of the Sinner that the Ordinance may obtain it's true and best effect upon him Lastly The Sentence is to be denounced solemnly in the Name of Christ by a ruling Elder if any if none by the Pastor and then the Ordinance is to be concluded with Prayer of Gods blessing of it unto the Sinner for his return and for the Church that God would preserve it from Impurities Apostacies and Decays in Grace and that the fall of this Brother may be a warning Example that He that stands do take heed lest he fall Phil. Is there not a lesser Excommunication which an offending Brother may be tryed with before you proceed to this great and tremendous one Christ There is with some that which they call Suspension but I know no ground for it from the word for a man that is an adult Member hath right to all Ordinances or not and right he hath still till he be duely convict and sentence passed upon him And I know no Power that any Church or Officer hath to debar him from any Ordinance of Church Communion till he be excluded judicially in the Name of Christ Phil. You are ready to receive an Excommunicate Person again upon credible manifestation of his Repentance Christ There ought to be great readiness to receive a repenting and returning Sinner with all Tenderness Compassion and Commiseration but with a due regard to the Honour of Christ his Church and Ordinance to endeavour to get as much satisfaction as may be concerning the Truth and Sincerity of his professed Repentance not only by manifested remorse but in some Cases by experienced Reformation Phil. You were saying that one that is an unjust divider from the Communion of the Church ought to be excommunicated by a direct Excommunication Christ I do verily believe it 's the mind and will of Christ and though our Churches that are now but in a declining state as to matters of Order will not receive it yet Churches have practised it and whenever the Churches flourish they will practise it My Reasons are briefly 1. That it is Schism of the highest nature being the actual dividing of a particular Congregation and there is no other Schism spoken of in Scripture that in the Church of Corinth was but Factions tending to this Division else the Apostle would have given command to excommunicate the causers thereof as well as the incestuous Person For the contentions and factions that had a tendency thereto they were highly rebuked 1 Cor. 1.11 12. ch 3.3 1 Cor. 11.18 2. What way is for marking and withdrawing from a Person but the Sentence of Excommunication Rom. 16.17 1 Thes 5.14 2 Thes 3.14 3. It 's a most scandalous Sin to Jew Gentile and Church of Christ nothing stains the Honour of Christ more in the Congregation 4. It 's a root of bitterness that infects many and ought to be plucked up by censure if it cannot be cured Heb. 12.15 5. To excommunicate such a person is no wrong because he hath excommunicated himself he hath but what he sought after and hath done 6. It 's fit such an one should be excommunicated judicially because he hath by usurpation excommunicated himself and the Church 7. It 's plain it 's a sin and such an one wherein he heareth not the Church and therefore to be made as an Heathen and Publican 8. It 's a gross breach of his Covenant at entrance into Church Communion Phil. Speak something now of the fifth Head of Ordinances which is Contribution to the support of Ordinances Ministry and the necessity of the Saints Christ Contribution on these accounts are manifestly the Office charge of the Deacons to call the Church to it's Duty in this kind and to take care for the faithful distribution of all Collections of this Nature and to give account thereof to the Church They are herein the Churches Stewards it 's fully manifest from the first institution of that Office Acts 6. and by their necessary qualifications spoken of 1 Tim. 3.8 Now the reason of this Office and Ordinance is not only the Gospel Institution which from the places forementioned are without dispute but from the Nature of the Church Society it self No Societies if but civil can be supported according to their Nature without charge and there are many charges necessarily required to support a Church Society for a Ministry must be maintained 1 Cor. 9.9 10 11 12. 1 Tim. 5.17 18. Gal. 6.6 Luke 10.4 Likewise there is charges as to places for the Church