Tit. 3.10 11. after the first and second Admonition reject Knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself Now an Heritick is one that stisly maintains false opinions against the Scriptures in matters of Faith fundamental to Salvation which tho' we should be tender of judging such Christians to be Hereticks as there is Reason to hope have more the shew in weak expressions of some such like salse Principles than a being under the Power and Conduct of them seeing the Scripture saith Jude 22. we should of some have Compassion making a difference and others save with fear pulling them out of the Fire hating even the garment spotted by the Flesh Yet our Charitable Thoughts of such Christians while they are under their cloudy Profession of such Errours tho' crouded amongst other Truths whereby they are the more concealed are no warrant nor allowance for us to hold Communion with them till we can plainly see them delivered from those Errours seeing they are clearly prohibited in the Scriptures Thirdly It is the Duty of Christians to withdraw their Communion from all disorderly Persons in false Worship or in corrupt Administrations of Gospel-Ordinances And 1. Our Lord saith The hour cometh John 4.23 24. and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth For the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth From hence I observe that true Worshippers must worship the Father both in Spirit and in Truth otherwise therwise they are not true Worshippers And then if we find by the Word of Truth as we are commanded to try the Spirits whither they are of God that they are such who separate themselves 1 Joh. 4.1 Jude 19. sensual having not the Spirit or that do not worship in Truth but with erroneous Matter or in a false Manner I say then we should withdraw our Communion from such as disorderly Persons in Divine Worship Mat. 15.9 And our Lord also tells us that in vain they do worship him teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men. So that to keep our selves from the Guilt of vain Worship we should not by our selves Isa 29.19 nor with any others worship God after the Commandment of Men but according to Gospel-Institutions 2. The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 11.2 I praise you Brethren that you remember me in all things and keep the Ordinances as I delivered them to you On this Text Mr. Will. Kissin noteth See his Book called A Sober Discourse of right to Church-Communion in his Presace That our Translation of the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendring it Ordinances is excepted against by some Papists who would have it translated Traditions to countenance the Romish Opinion to which saith he shall be opposed that the Greek Word signifieth indeed Tradition that is in English a Delivery viz. of Doctrines Ordinances Instructions or Institutions 2 Thes 2.15 by those Evangelical Preachers to their Auditors which is nothing else but the Doctrine of the Gospel first preached and afterwards committed to writing by the Evangelists and Apostles as standing Records to future Ages so that any Traditions besides what is written are justly to be excepted against and in matters relating to Divine Worship to be esteemed Apocryphal Now as the aforesaid Author saith What was praise-worthy in those Primitive Christians to whom the Apostle Paul writes can be no blemish but really a Duty in other Christians in after times to imitate To which I add That to corrupt the worship of God with mens Traditions contrary to the Apostolical Pattern is a Sin and Disorder to be purged out by the Church of Christ as farther appears in the next Section 3. It 's said 2 Thes 3.6 Now we command you Brethren in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Tradition which he received of us 1. This general Command to the Church of the Thessalonians appears from the following Verses to be occasioned from some particular disorders that were amongst them as Ver. 11 12 14 15. For even when we were with you this we commanded you that if any would not work neither should he eat For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly working not at all but are busie bodies Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness they work and eat their own Bread And if any Man obey not our Word by this Epistle note that Man and have no Company with him that he may be ashamed Yet count him not as an Enemy but admonish him as a Brother But yet this instance lest us on sacred Record may give us light into other Cases for seeing we are commanded to withdraw our Communion so as to have no Company with such a disorderly Brother that through Idleness when he may have work eateth not his own Bread and is a busie body who may have this to plead against such an Act of the Church that he hath not stolen nor defrauded any but getteth his Meat from House to House amongst his Christian Friends then there is ground and command for us to withdraw our selves from all those that offend in other things of the like Nature and that are guilty of frand or deceit and wrong to any Person And that this command in Ver. 6. is general including all disorders in Manners Doctrine and false Worship and so is a Confirmation of all I have said before for proof thereof appears as followeth 1. Because in Ver. 7 8. there is a plain Intimation that the command Ver. 6. To withdraw from every Brother that walketh disorderly does respect other disorders besides the particular Case of eating other Mens Bread for nought For the Apostle saith Ver. 7 8. Your selves know how ye ought to follow us for we behaved not our selves disorderly among you neither did we eat any Mans Bread for nought Observe the Word Neither imports a different disorder to what he implyed before in Opposition to his Example So that to me it 's plain that the command in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ was to withdraw from those disorders that were contrary to the Apostles examples and which were not after the Tradition which they received of them and therefore it is a general command as was said before 2. I shall give a brief Citation of what is said on the same Text in a Book intitled Asober Discourse of Right to Church Communion in Page 5. it 's said Written by Mr. Will. Kiffin quoting 2 Thes 3.6 Now we command you Brethren in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Tradition which he received of us Which last Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word Paradosis
Math. 18 15 c. tho' they more particularly respect corrupt Manners or immoral Wrongs and offences of Brethren against Brethren comprehending a Prohibition of lesser as well as grosser Evils as appears from the Authority of other Scriptures Exod. 23.1 Thou shalt not raise a false report put not thine hand with the Wicked to be an unrighteous Witness Psal 15.2 3. And David shews us who shall abide in the Lords Tabernacle and who shall dwell in his Holy Hill He that walketh uprightly he that backbiteth not with his Tongue nor doeth evil to his Neighbour nor taketh up a reproach against his Neighbour c. And Psalm 101.5 Whoso privily slandereth his Neighbour him will I cut off And the Apostle saith Rom. 3.8 And not rather as we be slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say let us do evil that good may come whose Damnation is Just And in 2 Thes 3.11 to 15. we are commanded to have no company with such as through Idleness eat not their own Bread but are busie Bodies And 1 Cor. 5.7 8. Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new Lump as ye are unleavened For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us Therefore let us keep the Feast not with old leaven neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness And ver 11. He saith I have written unto you not to keep Company if any man that is called a Brother be a fornicator or covetous or an Idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one not to eat And in Gal. 5.19 20 21. See also 1 Cor. 6.9 10. 1 Tim. 1.9 10. Col. 3.9 Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery fornication uneleanness laseiviousness idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murders drunkenness revellings and such like as all lyars Rev. 21.8 of the which I tell you before as I have also told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God And then surely none of those evils tho' of the lesser sort of them when known to us should be suffered in the Communion of a Gospel Church And in Math. 7.12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets So that whatsoever wrong is done to any contrary to this general precept it is a breach of the Moral Law Math. 19.19 Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self And therefore such Offenders should not without Repentance for their Sin be suffered in our Holy Communion at the Lords Table But some may think that all those particular evils in Gal. 5.19 20 21. come not under the Cognizance and Judgment of the Church for excluding of those who are guilty of them from Communion To which I shall briefly say That tho' there may be some kind of immoral Variance Emulation Wrath and Strife that may not arise to so high an offence if they be only suddain passions that are soon over yet where there is a sixed Variance between Brethren that shews it self to proceed from immorality Or Emulation from a striving to exceed in Envy or Disdain or in Wrong to another or malicious anger without a cause there we have ground for Exclusion from Communion as our Saviour saith Mat. 5.22 to 25. Whosoever is angry with his Brother without a cause shall be in danger of the Judgment Therefore if thou bring thy Gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee leave there thy Gift before the altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer thy Gift These Words notwithstanding there are some old Testament Terms used were spoken for Direction to us under the Gospel for Christ in this Sermon was Gospelizing the Law And therefore I gather from them that in Case a Person trespasseth against his Brother he should not offer his spiritual Gift in publick Church Worship till he hath reconciled himself to him and then it consequently follows that the same trespass which debars him from offering his Gift upon the Altar whatever is meant by it does also debar him from his full Communion at the Lords Table And seeing from this Scripture he ought of himself to forbear his Communion till he be reconciled there is likewise Reason for the offended Brother or the Church if the Case be known to it to forbear his Communion with him or withdraw it from him till he giveth satisfaction by Repentance for the same immoral Trespass which forfeits his present Priviledge to Minister in publick Church Worship does also forfeit his Priviledge of Commuion with it at the Lords Table Moreover it is worth our Observation that the Word Therefore if thou bring thy Gift to the Altar refers the Reason of this Exclusion from Communion to the Evils in the foregoing Verse as the cause thereof which is for being Angry with a Brother without a cause for saying to his Brother Raca that is dull blockish See Dutch Annot. or vain or thou fool in disdain reproach and envy So that as on the one hand we are forbidden on forfeiture of our Church Communion to cast contempt reproach and scorn upon any Brother for his weakness in the Faith or for his natural Infirmities and to bear a sixed anger without a cause So on the other side nothing is here intended by our Saviour to forbid an intelligible expressing of our Detestation and Abhorrence of that which is Evil as we are commanded Rom. 12.9 2 Cor. 7.11 Ch. 10.6 and as also we are allowed to use a holy Indignation and Revenge against all disobedience yet so as to consist with Love and Pity to Mens Persons 3. Under this Head of Diseourse concerning corrupt Manners or evil Actions we may bring many other particular Cases for which Offenders ought to be withdrawn from and without Repentance for their Sin they should not be suffered in the Communion of the Visible Church of Christ As 1. For breaking the Christian Sabbath in disobedience to the Fourth Commandment and the Example of Christs Apostles and the Primitive Churches 2. Eph. 6.1 2 5. For being disobedient to Parents and Masters in Lawful and Reasonable things 3. For a Rebellious breaking Covenant with a Church of Christ when it is not in Case of Conscience of Moral Necessity nor of real Expediency 4. For taking the Holy Name of the Lord our God in vain Gal. 5.19 21. 2 Tim. 3.2 to 6. 5. For Lasciviousness mentioned before which is Lecherousness or Wantonness in Behaviour and for many other Sins some of which are particularly expressed and others are included under the general Head of Trespasses against the Moral Law Secondly It is the Duty of Christians to withdraw their Communion in Church Fellowship from all those that hold erroneous Doctrine in or
3. he also saith We shall therefore direct this Discourse to our dissenting Brethren of the baptized way only And in page 13 14. he argueth saying If unbaptized Persons may be admitted to all Church Priviledges does not such a Practice plainly suppose that it is unnecessary The Baptists if once such a Belief prevails would be easily tempted to lay aside that reproachful Practice And challenge their Church Communion by Vertue of their Faith only and such as baptize Infants would be satisfied to discontinue the Practice when once they are perswaded that their Children may be regular Church-members without it and by consequence be in a likely condition to loose one of the Sacraments which would easily make way for the loss of the other both having an equal sanction in Scripture and the Arguments that disanul the one will destroy the other and consequently all Ordinances and Modes of Worship and lastly Religion it self And in page 118. In answer to an Objection he saith This Objection supposes things very dangerous As that holiness without Baptism invests a right to other Ghurch-Ordinances which is not to be supposed for Christ the Lamb of God was holy in the highest degree and in him was found no sin yet he was baptized before he entred upon his publick Ministry which is a most illustrious Example and the Pattern which the Saints followed for in a word the great Apostle Paul and all those primitive Saints recorded by the Spirit to be Believers and therefore holy were nevertheless Baptized which might have been forborn but that it was an indispensable Duty And Secondly It seemeth strange to me that any professing Obedience to Gospel-Ordinances should so far countenance others in the neglect of a positive Institution of Christ as to plead for Church-Communion with Christians without Baptism when our Lord hath plainly commanded his Apostles and Ministers to the end of the World saying Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Math. 28.19 20. Baptizing them teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you And 〈◊〉 I am with you alway even unto the end of the World For seeing the Disciples of Christ were commanded to Baptize as well as to Preach and to teach others successively to do the same It is undeniably clear if Scripture and Reason may take Place that the Gospel Ministers ought to Baptize those that obey their Doctrine Acts a. 38 41. as Peter said Repent and be baptized every one of you then they that gladly received his Word were Baptized and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand Souls And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayer Here we find those new Converts were commanded every of one them to be Baptized and this way they were added to the Primitive Church of Christ at Jerusalem which was the Pattern for all Gospel-Churches to follow in after Ages For there were the twelve Apostles who were endowed with the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Spirit to shew us the perfect pattern of Gods House And this was the Church that said It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost Acts 15.22 28. and to us to lay upon you no greater Burthen then these necessary things and from this Pattern given as it were in the Mount of God we find Baptism was commanded as the entring Ordinance into Church Communion or upon Confession of Faith before it for baptized Believers tho' the true visible matter of a Gospel-Church were not always immediately formed into a Gospel-Church Order for this was sometimes a work of time as we have an Instance how Paul baptized the twelve Disciples at Ephesus and went into the Synagogue Acts 19.1 to 10. and spake boldly for the space of three Months before he separated the Disciples from the Multitude Moreover we have several other Precepts and Examples that do confirm the Ordinance of Baptism immediately to follow Conversion and Faith in Christ Acts 8.35 to 39. As when Philip Preached unto the Eunuch and he believed he was immediately Baptized And when Cornelius and his Friends were Converted Act. 10.44 48. Act. 16.14 15 32 33. Ch. 18.8 Peter commanded them to be Baptized And so we find Lydia and her Houshold and the Jaylor and his Houshold were Baptized immediately after their Conversion And all these instances plainly shew that Water-Baptism was administred to Converted Believers before they were in Church-Order to receive the Ordinance of the Lords Supper and 't is called a putting on Christ viz. by a visible Profession and signifieth our dying unto Sin Gal. 3.27 Col. 2.12 Rom. 6.3 to 7. Joh. 3 3.5 Mark 16.15 16. and living in newness of Life unto God As also our being born of the Spirit and all these denote Baptism to be the first visible Sign of a Believer in Christ and it is appointed to accompany the Preaching of the Gospel as a Christian Badge on all that shall believe And it was called a Foundation-Principle viz. of a visible Church-state Act. 2.38 41. Ch. 8.12 Ch. 18.8 the matter whereof was and still should be baptized Believers And there being not the least instance in the New Testament of any one Person that was ever added to a Gospel-Church without Water-Baptism nor that any Gospel-Church was ever gathered but of baptized Believers to exclude it as no entring Ordinance into Church-Communion against so many clear Commands and Examples on Sacred Record which shews it is immediately to follow believing in Christ will lay a Foundation to deny all Gospel-Ordinances and the Holy Scriptures themselves to be of use to us to discover the Truth of gospel-Gospel-Worship and Obedience I. Object Is from Rom. 14.1 Him that is weak in the Faith receive you Answer To this Scripture Mr. Will. Kiffin in his aforesaid Sober Discourse saith The weakness spoken of in the Text hath Relation only to those Mistakes that did attend some of them touching a Liberty of eating or not eating of Meats or the keeping or not keeping of Days which were things in themselves of an indifferent Nature the doing or not doing of which was not Sin as the Apostle in that Chapter plainly shews and hath no Relation to the Order of Worship prescribed by Christ much less to the Practice or not Practice of Ordinances for then the meaning of the Apostle should be if they did Practice or not Practice it was all one there was no Sin in the Matter But to bring this Text to prove a lawfulness of receiving any that are Christians altho' never so ignorant of the Ordinances and instituted Worship of Christ and the Order prescribed by him is to wring Blood out of it and not that precious Truth that is manifested by it II. Object Is from 1 Cor. 12.13 For by one Spirit are we all Baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be Bond or Free and have been all made to drink
Manner of Conversation 1 Cor. 10.32 and to give none offence neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God But as the Apostle saith whatsoever things are true Phil. 4.8 honest just pure lovely of good report if there be any Virtue and if there be any Praise think on these things Now from these Scriptures we may conclude that tho' our present excessive fashions are not all expresly forbidden yet if any kind of adornings are prohibited and if those Texts were written for our Instruction as I think none can doubt thereof or be so bold to deny it that have any Sence of true Religion then surely they require all the Saints both Men and Women at least to abstain from all those excesses in Apparel which are not of good report among sober Men and whoever putteth on such Attire or Ornaments of Apparel as are not of good honest and modest report they are guilty of breaking the Commandments of Christ and so are to be dealt withal by the Church as disorderly Persons who bring a scandal upon their Holy Profession Besides it is not only a grief for sober Christians to see such Pride of Spirit appearing in their Communion but it s also a stumbling to others which are well inclined to walk in the ways of the Lord with them as I have found by my own experience For when I was first awakened to seek the Lord and the good of my Soul the extravagant Dresses of some Professors among whom I heard the Gospel preached occasioned me to think there was the less Religion in them and that they looked not as if they were Christs People and for this cause alone I having then no Light in Gospel-Ordinances of Communion I departed to another Church which appeared more like sober Christians and there I have continued about five and twenty years And considering the Scripture saith the Lord hateth a proud look And God resisteth the proud Prov. 6.16 17. Jam. 4.6 1 Pet. 5.5 Math. 16.24 Rom. 6.4 but giveth Grace unto the Humble And that the Commandments of Christ require our Conformity in all things suitable to his Name and Truth and those Holy and Self-denying Principles we profess how can such excesses in Apparel which even gives their Profession the Lie consist with their sincere Obedience to him Jam. 2.18 How do they shew their Holy Faith therein by their Works but rather as it is said of her that liveth in Pleasure that she is dead while she liveth Gal. 6.7 Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a Man soweth that shall he also reap For he that soweth to his Flesh shall of the Flesh reap Corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap Life Everlasting To conclude our Baptized Churches that are for particular Election and final Perseverance in the same Faith and Order of the Gospel in full Communion together they nor many others have not any Reason to reflect on the true design of this Treatise or on the Matters contained therein as any ways tending to the Interruption of our Peace on the settled Principles of our Churches but to the purging out the leaven of unrighteousness that may be found among them nor can any Person in our Communion appear against the plain Contents of this Treatise but they must at the same time appear for and Countenance such sinful Manners Erroneous Doctrine false Worship and corrupt Administration of Gospel-Ordinances as the Word of God and the general Profession of our Churches does plainly witness against and consequently they will apparently shew themselves opposers of Reformation or such as labour to weaken and confound the Baptist Churches and our pure Religion Yea farther if corrupt Manners which is manifestly sinful by the Moral Law of God or such Erroneous Doctrine false Worship or irregular Administrations of Gospel Ordinances as are prohibited our Communion by the Holy Scriptures should be knowingly suffered therein it is a visible Mark of Degeneration and thereby the Church partakes of the Sins of particular Members Lev. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thine Heart thou shalt in any wise rebuket thy Neighbour and not suffer Sin upon him Or as it is in our Margin that thou bare not Sin for him And Paul saith to Timothy Lay Hands suddenly on no Man 1 Tim. 5.22 neither be partakers of other Mens Sins keep thy self Pure Besides it is shewed before what warrant and command we have in the New Testament for withdrawing our Communion in the aforesaid Cases of Sin and from disorderly Persons And therefore when a Church persisteth in a wilful neglect of this Duty she brings her self under the guilt of Sin for breaking of Christs Commandment but in Case this were faithfully performed yet the Church should still endeavour 2 Thes 3.14 15. Tit. 3.10 by due admonishing of such Offenders to reduce them to their Obedience and if no Repentance be found Gal. 5.12 1 Cor. 5.4 5. 1 Tim. 1.20 she ought to proceed to a farther Act of Authority and cut them wholly off from her fellowship But if any plead that so strict a Discipline as hath been argued for in this Treatise cannot be duely observed without indangering their Church-state It deserves our Noting either as a Carnal Reflection on the Holy and Righteous Precepts of Christ and on his Wisdom as not prescribing such Laws which conduceth most to the Glory of God and the good of his People here on Earth or it is a sign that such a Church has been so long in the neglect of their Duty towards Christ and one another and are so far degenerated in their Spirits as that they seem to be past recovery And if this be the State of some who perhaps may have as high a Conceit of themselves as the Church of the Laodiceans had and say Rev. 3.17 18 19. I am Rich and increased with Goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Christ counselleth such to buy of him Gold tried in the Fire that thou mayest be rich and white Raiment that thou mayest be Cloathed and that the shame of thy Nakedness do not appear and anoint thine Eyes with Eye-Salve that thou mayest see And saith our Lord As many as I love I rebuke and chasten Be zealous therefore and repent least he come and fight against thee with the Sword of his Mouth Behold Rev. 2.16 saith he I stand at the Door and knock If any Man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me Be not afraid therefore to go about this good work of Reformation do thy Duty and leave the success to God whose Blessing you may expect and whose awful presence may so far attend the Authority of Christ by which you Act as to stop the Mouth of carnal Reasonings insomuch that instead of indangering the loss of your Church-state Math. 16.18 Jam. 4.8 9 10. you may rather expect and find the Lord will strengthen establish and settle it on the Rock of Ages against which the Gates of Hell shall not prevail To close Altho' I have used the Word withdraw in the Case of a Private Members removing Communion from a Church which may not be done in so solemn a Manner as when a Church withdraws her Communion from a Member because this is done by an Act of Duty and Authority given to the Body and the other is done as an Act of Liberty and Duty pertaining to a Member and warranted by the Scriptures as hath been shewed yet the Word withdraw being it self of a harmless and indifferent Signification it cannot be excepted against unless it be for want of other Matters to Cavil at However I have also this to say that the Word with-draw was thought proper to be used in the same Case in the Congregationals twenty eighth Article of the Institution of Churches before recited FINIS ADVERTISEMENTS THere is Published by the same Author a Book Intitled Truth soberly Defended in a serious Reply to Mr. B. Keach's Book called The Breach Repaired in Gods Worship c. As also a Vindication of a Book Intitled Prelimited Forms of Praising God vocally Sung by all the Church together proved to be no Gospel-Ordinance with a Narrative wherein is detected Mr. Keach's Abuses under the Hands of several Elders and other Brethren By Isaac Marlow Price bound 1 s. There is likewise Published a Treatise of the Holy Trin unity Asserting the Deity of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit in the Unity of Essence with God the Father By I Marlow Price bound 9 d. Moreover there is Published A Tract on the Sabbath day wherein the keeping of the First-day of the Week a Sabbath is justified by a Divine Command and a Double Example contained in the Old and New Testament c. By Isaac Marlow Price 1 s.