it for me it was noted before Apol. p. 88. that he allowed us the former branch of the distinction viz. vocation unâ—ffectual as common to Pagans and again in terminis he affords the latter viz. vocation which is effectual only to bring men to an outward profession which he also saith is larger then Election 4. Lastly I acknowledge 't is the sense of the distinction and not the terms I contest for and if I may be granted that let these be censured as my reader pleaseth 2. Now that this external or more properly common call is truely a call and that those that are called therewith are truely called though not savingly appeareth thus 1. This was the called which our Saviour affirmeth the many were called withal For first these were called not with the calling common to Heathens onely nor with that calling which is proper to the Elect therefore they were called according to that only branch remaining viz. the common effectual call which brought them into the visible Church 1. This Call cannot be meant of the uneffectual call common to Heathens these words of Christ many are called are the close of two Parables Matth. 20. 16. and 22. 14. the one of labourers called to the vine-yard the other of guests called to the feast and in both applyed to them that answered to the call that came and laboured in the vine-yard that came with other bidden ones to the feast and not to those that refus'd 2. Neither yet can it be meant of the saving effectual Call for we see it is applied by Christ unto more then are capable of saving vocation more then are Elected as before was noted therefore it must needs be meant of that which is termed an effectual call opposed to that which is ineffectual and a common call opposed to that which is more then common viz. saving 2. This must needs be truely a call because it is the same call which the Elect partake of I grant rhe Elect partake of an higher call viz. a saving which the reprobate never enjoy yet the Elect have the same call which the reprobate have as seemes clearly to be collected from the words before us for the few chosen are apparently included in the many called they were all called and but few of them chosen 3. This common Call is a true effect therefore also truely a call yea a divine effect a work of God himself and that he is Vocatio communis est actio Dei Instit p. 109 pleased to efficere as Trelcatius speaks who further and more expressely termes it Gods action therefore doubtlesse not counterfeit but true in its kind 4. This common call is also a true cause and therefore it must needs prove it self to have a true being to be truely a call in its kinde for nihil agit quod non est It is a true cause for it worketh true effects persons by this common call are truely brought out of the world of infidels and united to the visible people and Church of God to own and professe Jesus Christ to attend upon the wayes and Ordinances of his worship to see some necessity of faith and repentance and of yeelding obedience to the Gospel of Christ as Trelcatius aptly asserts vocatio communis est Actio Dei gratiosa qua homines ab infidelitate ad fidem evecat Instit p. 109. 5. In this common call are both the necessary parts of a Duo enim haec concurrere necesse est ut vocatio sit efficax vocationem Dei nostram ad illam vocationem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu relationem p. 222. true Call truely and really therefore the totum also Trelcatius teacheth that two things concurre to make a call effectual or true the call on Gods part and the answer on ours so that all those that do answer the call wherewith God calleth them truely and really in aâ—y measure are so far truely and really called of God though not fully and savingly as the Elect regenerate are But now none can doubt but that men by this common call alone may and do answer the call of God truely and really in a great measure as before is noted therefore the common call is truely and really such CHAP. V. Arg. 2. From the Etymology or the name of the Church WE now descend to the second Argument offered us from Ecclesia ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of the Church as it is more immediately derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and denoteth a calling out But that we may lay the foundation well before we begin to build there are three things to be truely premised before we fix the Argument 1. That this Etymology of the word doth not in the least contradict but most evidently perfect and compleat the former for by the former the Church is concluded to be called in a general and simple sense and by this the Church which was thus before said to be called is in a more strict close and respective sense said to be called out where we have plainly intimated to us that there is some special term place or state out of which or from which it is called 2. That this Etymology is generally allowed by those that we Etymologicè ecclesia est coetus publicaÌ„ autoritate evocatus de eccles p. 214. finde most accurate upon this subject Etymologicè saith Trelcatius the Church is a company called out by publick authority and pasor doth not onely derive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evoco but even renders the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine by Caetus Evocatus which is in plaine English a company called out 3. That this calling out which we finde in the name of the Church doth not so properly or exactly note the inward state from which as the outward caetus or society out of which it is called which will be easily granted me to be the world therefore we finde the Church set in opposition to the world out of which and not to sinne darknesse or Satan from which we are called according to that of our Saviour I have chosen you that is by calling as we know he did his Disciples out of the John 15 19 world Whence as the Learned Master Baxter seals with a certainly all Divines in their definitions of the Church are agreed that it is a society of persons separated from the world to God or called Against Tombs out of the world and therefore no society the calling of whose members hath not the world for its terme from which hath persons Nullus coetus cujus membrorum vocatio non habet mundum terminum aquo habet sanctâ— voâ—atos pro proximâ mateâ—iâ Norton in â—eâ—p ad totam quest syllâ—g p. 1â—5 of a holy calling for its next matter or by consequence can be a true Church as another argues who cannot be imagined possibly partial to my cause namely that learned and
found in particular beleevers scattered I cannot imagine how this conclusion can be intercepted particular believers have the forme of the Church and consequently are truely a Church though not in coetu or in societie do they want the mattter of the Church no for they are considered apart in his own words the called of God and the called of God are the true matter of the Church none will deny Neither 2. Will it be helped to say that faith in beleevers considered collectively is the form of the Church For 1. The form of a thing is real which hath being extra mentis operationem it receiveth no part of its nature from consideration and therefore if faith be in it self or properly the essential forme of the Church so it still will be whether we consider it distributively or collectively and wheresoever we finde it viz. in materia congrua in fit matter as the called doubtlesse are Besides 2. Then something is apparently added to faith to informe the Church viz. the collection of the persons so beleeving and then I humbly offer whether whatsoever faith be meant here it belong not exactly to the matter and most unproperly to the forme of the Church for that which doth not perfect the essence or give essential perfection to a thing is not the essential forme of that thing but faith doth not give essential perfection to the Church for where faith is there is not this essential perfection of the Church without something else viz. collection or association of the subjects of this faith together added 3. Therefore he saith 1. Fides est forma ecclesiae and then 2. Coetus est forma ecclesiae wherein I am yet to seek his meaning for either these differ and are two things and then there are two formal causes of the Church or else faith and company are all one in his sense and indeed almost in his words fides spectata collectivè est coetus vocatorum id est forma ecclesiae which I cannot comprehend 4. If coetus vocatorum be indeed a definition of the Church as Amesius saith then either vocati are the forme or coetus or both Med. p. 163. 12. if vocati distinct from coetus be then coetus is not if coetus distinct from vocati then the vocati are not and if both together be the forme then where is the matter 5. Again if this be a perfect definition and consequently the whole cannot be the forme one of the parts must and now which is likeliest coetus or fideles not fideles of the faithful because that these prae-exist before the Church is informed and something as was before observed is necessarily to be added to perfect the essence of the Church 2. One of these two must be the matter of the Church but coetus cannot because the matter is presupposed to the forme but coetus or the consosiation of beleevers doth praesuppose beleevers 3. Therefore the cleanest account with me is that beleevers are the matter the coetus and the collection or community of them is the true essential forme of the Church That wherein they have communion is the publick exercise of such duties as we ead Act 2. 47. Hook eccles pol. 89. Here then at length I pitch that the forme of the Church lieth in society or community stâ—ictly and properly that collection taken actively or unitâ—on is the immediate efficient collection taken passively or union is the effect or proper state of the Church that communion is its formal action but corporation society or community is strictly the forme thereof Which learned Ames himself doth seeme more than to intimate if we let passe the foresaid obscurities saying that faithful Med p. 163. 13. men are the Church of God prout conjunctim vel collectivè considerantur in coetu and yet more plainly in the page before p. 162. 9. Coetus dicitur quia in multitudine consociata vel communitate multorum proprie consistit non in aliquo uno vocato So that in short account the remote matter of the Church Ad homines restringitur iste coetus p. 162. 10 is men the lesse remote matter of the Church is men called and the next matter of the Church is a many or a multitude of men called and now that which is to be added to compleat the Church is the society or community as Ames exactly of these many or this multitude of men called and this is properly the forme thereof Which further appeares For 1. The Church is allowed by all to be totum aggregativum or a holy heap now where lieth the forme of an heap but in the society of the parts thereof they being put together 2. 'T is therefore called a body in Scripture corpus coagmentatum and compactum ex variis membris as Ames noteth from Ephes 4. 16. as also a House a Family a City a Kingdome a Flock and where lieth the forme of all these but in society or community 3. This notion suits so well with the principles of many that they are called Congregational men and their way called Emphatically the Congregational way doubtlesse then their Church is a Congregation yea the opinion of many of them is that their Church-Covenant is the forme of their instituted Church which Covenant is onely the bond of the company or society Lastly that which being put in any matter the thing is necessarily Quo posito in materia aliqua necessario constituitur compositum sublato tollitur id est illius forma constituted and being taken away the thing is dissolved is the forme of that thing but society or community being added to many men called which is the matter of the Church the Church is necessarily constituted and society or community being taken away the Church is dissolved therefore society or community is the forme of the Church 5. Szegedine teacheth that true doctrine and the true use of the Sacraments are the formal cause of the Church But these I conceive are rather either the means of communion which is as was said before the formal action more properly then the very forme it selfe of the Church or else the distinguishing forme whereby the Church is known rather then the constitutive form whereby the Church hath its being But to draw up this discourse of the constitutive forme of the Church 1. Whatsoever it appear to be I hope to prove that it may be truely considered without respect to saving grace if it be calling or faith or profession it hath before appeared that these may be considered to be truely when not savingly such and if it be society or community as hath partly appeared already and will more fully appear when we handle the definition of the Church I presume none will question but this also may be considered to be truely such without any respect to saving grace 2. But if Ames should mean as he truely seemeth to do that coetus vocatorum or societas fidelium
Churches in England that have at present I know not for what cause laid aside that practice are therefore not visible true Churches Though I highly approve of such a solemn declaration of the faith if possible in the same sound forme of words to be universally made yet I humbly conceive that this is but a prudential humane Ordinance and therefore not so necessary or so neer the essence or so essential a mark of the Church as sound doctrine and pure Sacraments both which are undoubtedly of immediate divine institution and without which the Church cannot exist Which thing Trelcatius doth thus most accurately and fully open the proper and essential note of the visible Church which flows immediately from the very forme of it is but one viz. the Nota propria essentialis ecclesiae visibilis proximeque fluens ex forma illius unica est veritas scilicet verbi Dei Revelati ac communicati cui veritas Sacramentorum tanquam connexum inseperabile conjuncta est Utriusque enim veritas ita proprium essentiale est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ecclesiae ut veritas haec ecclesia convertantur Instit Theol. p. 224. truth of the Word of God revealed and communicated to which the truth of the Sacraments is inseparably joyned for which he quotes Heb. 4. 12. John 10. 27. Matth. 28. 10. Rom. 4. 11. for as he addes the truth of both is such a proper and essential mark of the Church that this truth of both Word and Sacraments and the Church are convertible But of this I shall have more occasion in the next Chapter therefore I have onely this to do here namely to set this profession of the faith before you to consider whether it doth necessarily suppose saving grace or not in any of these senses 1. May not personal vocal profession be made without saving We are to acknowledge a Church of Christ more or lesse corrupt according to the greater or lesse abuse of Gods Word and worship Bp. Usher p. 39. his sum of Rel. grace and the truth be professed as well as beleeved where saving grace is wanting 2. May not ecclesiastical profession whether more formally by a solemn Creed read and silently consented unto by the people be also done and considered without any respect to saving grace in the declarer or consenters 3. Or that other real profession consisting in attendance upon the Ordinances of God be considered to have truth for its object both in Word and Sacraments and yet without respect to saving graces Againe the accidental notes of the Church are also generally acknowledged to be of two sorts inseparable or proper and separable or common The separable and proper notes of a true Church are said to be the pure preaching of the Word and the lawful administration of the Sacraments which are but the meanes or actions of conveyance and application of the foresaid truth of both unto the Church and so near unto the profession thereof which was said before to be the essential mark of the Church that I have already reduced it thither and need not repeat it here againe The separable notes of the Church whatsoever they be cannot conclude any thing against me because they are such I meane separable and therefore not necessary in our consideration of the being of the Church However that we leave not them onely untoucht they are usually reduced unto two heads 1. Ecclesiastical power 2. And holiness of life Ecclesiastical power hath three branches the power of Ministry the power of Order the power of Discipline all which may easily be considered without the least respect to saving grace 1. Judas may truely exercise his Ministry And 2. Outward Order may be fix'd and observed And 3. Discipline may be erected and dispensed without any necessary supposition of saving grace either in the parties so dispensing or in the objects openly scandalous on which the Discipline is dispensed as hath beene touched before and will be more fully handled hereafter I confesse holiness of life cometh neerest to shew its respect to saving grace but this also shewes as much respect to my cause as easily appeares by this concluding argument If holiness of life be separable from a true Church then saving grace is separable from a true Church for if a holy life doth not alwayes suppose saving yet saving grace doth not always produce a holy life But it is still confessed by those which write most accurately on the Church that holinesse of life is a separable accidental note which is onely necessary to the order and welfare of the Church and not to the being or truth thereof Now if saving grace be separable from a true Church then it may be considered to be truely such without respect thereunto The summe of the general Argument from the causes is this The Summe of the Argument from the causes in general All the causes of the visible Church may really exist without the work of saving grace viz. The efficient as Authour God Head Christ The end of the Glory of God on earth before men Worship The matter whether it be Professors of the faith The outwardly called Outward worshippers The form whether it be Constituting Distinguishing he forme constituting whether it be Faith Calling Society or community The form distinguishing whether it be Essential Profession of the faith or truth of word Sacraments ccidental inseperable Pure preaching of the word and administration of Sacraments Therefore the visible Church may be considered to be truely a Church of Christ without respect to saving grace CHAP. XII The Argument from the definition of the visible Church first from its special quality HAving done with the causes we proceed to the definition whence we thus argue The definition of the visible Church doth not suppose saving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace therefore the definition the visible Church it self may be considered to be truely such without respect to saving grace for the definition of a thing is but that whereby the nature of that thing is declared or explicated and is plainly convertible with the thing defined Now whether the definition of the visible Church be inclusive of saving grace or not may appear First from the parts thereof severally considered And Secondly by a view of such definitions of the Church as are already given us by approved Authours 1. The parts are three 1. The special quality of the visible Church 2. Or the special work and employment thereof Or lastly the state and condition wherein the Church so qualified is rendred capable of that employment First let us look upon the special quality of the visible Church which may be conceived to be either the faith calling or profession thereof Whence by some the visible Church is in short defined to be a company or society of Beleevers or a company of men called by external vocation or a company professing the Christian and true Religion where the weight and emphasis rests upon
or actual right to be admitted by the Church to the Lords Supper but may and in some cases ought to he debarred thetefrom First that every person lawfully baptized hath a right to the Lords Supper appears from precept promise and ptecedent in Scripture and Reason grounded upon or drawn from Scripture 1. Those whom Christ commands to celebrate his Supper have certainly some kind of right so to do fot what better right or Reas 1 from the command Debitum agendi debitum habendi warrant can we have to do any thing or receive any thing then our Masters command Thus duties and priviledges are inseparable what God commands is both These things I command for your own good and if we must do what God commands as our duty then we may do what God commands as our tight and priviledge But now God commands every disciple and lawfully baptized person to receive the Supper and to do all that Christ hath commanded his Church Do this in remembrance of me Teach them to observe and do whatsoever I command you This will not conclude that every Church-member must receive the Supper without any further consideration This hath been and may be further cleared for this command is but mediate and consequently gives but a mediate obligation to such as cannot and a mediate right to such as can and do not examine themselves yet it is a right though but remote or mediate and it is an obligation though it be conditional seeing the condition is commanded also and though the condition of this obligation be such as we before have heard 2. God hath conveyed and granted all Covenant-priviledges from the promise Reas 2 and consequently this of the Supper to all that are taken into and sealed in Covenant else why are we taken into Covenant if not to enjoy the priviledges of the Covenant yea what is the object of our right by Covenant but the priviledges of the Covenant Therefore the Covenant still runs thus I will be thy God and I will give thee c. yea can we have a right in God the greater and not in the Ordinances of God which is the lesse qui habet habentem omnia habet omnia how shall he not with him give us all things and with a right in him give us a right in all things I grant the Covenant is but a conditional Covenant and therefore a right unto the priviledges thereof is but a conditional right But now though differences rise high about the way and terms of being in covenant yet al agree that Church-membership discipleship and lawful baptism are of equal latitude with being in covenant Therefore wherever God begins with I will be thy God it necessarily follows and thou shalt be my people and wherever God ownes a people to be his is to be his Covenant-people 3. Those whom the Scripture admits to actual possession from example Reas 3 without requiring any new evidence or title have a plain and evident right to the Supper without any new evidence or title This cannot be denied because we have no other rule to judge of persons right to the Supper but the Scripture and because that would not admit to possession such as have no right unto it But now we finde Acts 2. 41 42. the Scripture admitteth persons baptized putting no barre by ignorance or scandal against themselves immediately without requiring any new evidence or title of them to actual communion with the Church in doctrine fellowship breaking of bread and prayers viz. in all Gospel-worship 4. A baptized Church-member stands not at the same distance from Scripture-ground Reas 4 from the Supper with persons that are neither Church-members nor baptized for he is visibly at least drawn out of that state of distance and being afarre off wherein the world of Infidels lies and is in Scripture acknowledged to be made nigh in opposition to Infidels Gentiles and those without Eph. 2. 11 12 Therefore a baptized Church-member must needs be granted to have some kinde of right to all Ordinances and consequently to the Supper for though there be a latitude in right yet there is no medium betwixt est and non est right and no right And if the baptized be nearer in right to all Ordinances then an Infidel he hath some kinde or degree of right thereunto not to be questioned if he be not ar the same distance with such as have no right he must needs have some kinde of right He that is not so far off from the Supper is nearer to it and he that is nearer to the Supper is nearer only in a way of right for there is no proceeding towards a legal possession but by a line of right Digression 4. The Grounds of the Churches power to deny the Supper to some Church-members materially considered Though every person lawfully baptized hath some kinde of right to the Lords Supper yet the Church hath power to withhold the present use thereof from some persons lawfully baptized The truth of this Proposition is generally allowed even in the granting 1. That children are lawfully baptized 2. That children are not to receive or not to be admitted to the Lords Supper I shall rather therefore spend this digression in digging for or fixing the grounds of this truth according to Scripture Which Grounds may be aptly considered Materially Formally The material Grounds are the objects about which this power of denying the Sacrament is exercised the Matter for which persons though baptized are to be denied the Supper or the grounds of denying the same to such persons The formal grounds are the grounds of the power it selfe by which the Church denieth the Sacrameâ—t to such the grounds on which this authority of the Church is built So that the present discourse is visibly engaged upon these two questions Quest 1. What are the just and lawful causes for which the Church may deny the Sacrament to baptized persons Quest. 2. On what is this power of the Church to deny the Sacrament upon such causes fixed or whence is it taken or derived Quest 1. First then what are the just and lawful causes of denying the Sacrament to baptized persons I answer that these causes are either privative viz. the want of some necessary qualifications conditional to this Communion or positive viz. some apparent ill quality or blemish for which a person though baptized ought to be debarred from this Communion the first is more eminently noted in 1 Cor. 11. and the latter in 1 Cor. 5. the first may be termed unworthinesse 1 Cor. 11. 29. the latter wickednesse or scandal 1 Cor. 5. ult persons under the first of these may be thought to be unfit and to be kept off upon principles of care and merciful caution persons under the latter may be thought to be und eserving and to be cast out upon principles of Justice The first are therefore rather not to be admitted ratione cautelae whose suspension called
the very ground of the question is gone Indeed here is practice contrary to profession but not profession contrary to profession and practice contrary to profession may consist with profession for they professe to know God though in works they deny him If it be replied that a scandalous life is contrary to the faith professed and so the profession appears counterfeit I crave leave to ask once more whether faith here be taken objectivè or subjectivè if objectivè for the doctrine professed or the Will of God revealed to be beleeved then it may still be affirmed that the profession of the Scripture or an outward owning of the Will and Word of God is not inconsistent with a conversation contrary thereunto then why may not such whose practice is contrary either to their profession or to the Scripture which they yet professe be received by the Church if no other reason but this be assignable If it be said that a scandalous life is contrary to the faith in sensu formali vel subjectivo and that a wicked conversation declareth that the Professor doth not believe as he professeth and is to be rejected therefore as a counterfeit Once more I demand whether this faith professed be considered as saving or as common if as saving then Mr. Wood his cause is yeelded who is now opposing Reverend Master Baxter with this assertion that wicked men are not to be rejected formally because their wickednesse is a signe of unregeneracy but materially because it is contrary to the profession of the faith if as common or as other historical or dogmatical then though I grant that all those whose wickednesse is such as cannot consist with a real common or historical faith ought not to be admitted yet I deny the hypothesis that all wickednesse is such as is inconsistent with such a real common faith that common faith is in its kinde a true faith and that this true common faith is consistent with a wicked heart and life are two Propositions as little doubted by most Divines as much confirmed by sad experience and largely discoursed in the Treatise following Sunt in eo coetu viz. ecclesiae visibilis multi electi alii non Sancti sed tamen de verâ doctrinâ consentientes Phil. Melanct. part Sept. p. 33. Others may have leave to think that such scandalous persons ought not to be admitted into the Church because of the scandal that would come to Religion thereby and because that in this sense scandal is contrary to the profession of the faith the Church thus drawing a blot and disparagement upon her selfe as if she was ready to open her bosome to any vile unclean unreformed persons and truely I humbly conceive there is very much in this for if the Church ought to have a care that those already within cause not the wayes of God to be evil spoken of why ought she not to have the like care touching those she is about to let in or why should those be admitted into the community that now appear to be such as are presently to be cast out of communion but I presume this is not all For 3. From the premises it seemes at least probable to me that the Church is to have some kinde of respect unto the saving condition of the person she is about to admit into communion though I donbt not to assert with our brethren N. E. and Reverend Master Baxter that a sober and humble profession of faith and repentance with a desire of Baptisme is as much evidence of this saving condition as the Church is bound to expect without any farther positive proofs of conversion 4. Yet I humbly conceive that more then a bare outward profession is requisite to give real interest in the visible Church and the previledges thereof before God though no more is requisite to give visible interest before men and that there is sufficient ground for the trite distinction of right here Coram Deo ecclâ—sia for the Churches judgement of mens right must passe with her administrations upon visible or appearing signes by their outward profession but Gods upon real for the visible Church is really a Church with God as well as the invisible though the Church is bound to believe a profession that is made upon designe as the Jews at New Castle was yet God knows his wickednesse and count him a dogg eating the childrens bread out of the hand of Church deceived by his falsnesse but not erring because profession is her onely rule in the case If it be demanded what is more required besides profession to give real interest in the visible Church I Multi enim sunt non renaâ—i vel hypocritae consentientes tamen de doctrina ritibus extcrnis sen est coetus consentientium de doctrina habens multa membra mortua sen non regeneratos Maâ— 7. 21. Mat. 13. 24. par in Urs cat 343. have at large answered in the Treatise that in Adult persons about to be admitted a real actual and not fained consent but in persons borne in the Church and baptised in their Infancy and now at the adult estate a non-dissent a not dissenting from or a not rejecting of the truth and wayes of the Lord at least for all that are of the visible Church must be one of these ways either negatively or positively consentientes to true doctrine as Melancton before as wel as outward professors of it 4. Yet I must still hold my maine Proposition till I see more reason to let it go that unregenerate persons once received into the Church are notwithstanding their unregeneracy or their want of evidences of saving grace really or truely members of the visible Church till they cut themselves off by Heresie Schisme or the perfection of both Apostasie or at least are cast out by Church-censure what reasons what authorities from the Scriptures and the Church I shew for it and what absurdities I alledge against the contrary opinion must be left to your censure in the reading of the Treatise Onely that it may passe here a little the more freely I cannot but adde the remembrance of one or two late most eminent and full Testimonies Mr. Hooker of New England saith Survey of Church discipline p. 36. that externally those are within the Covenant and consequently the Church who expressing their repentance with their profession of the truth engage themselves to walk in the wayes of God and the truth of his worship though they have not for the present that sound work of faith in their hearts and may be never shall have it wrought by Gods Spirit in them Master Norton also a Minister of N. E. to this very question whether truth Against Apol. p. 3. of grace be required to visible Church-membership answereth one may be admitted into the Church-communion of the external or visible Church that is not endowed with the real inward holinesse of regeneration and justifying faith in Christ or that
God Joh. 1. 34. so Nathael professing said thou art the Son of God v. 49. But most remarkable is that eminent profession of Peter with Id est super hauc firmam confessionem tuam qua confiteris credis me esse Christum filium Dei viventis edificabo ecclesiam meam as Bucer in loc Christ his approbation annex'd to it Matth. 16. 16 18. thou art saith he Christ the Sonne of the living God to which our Saviour answers upon this rock upon this rock as some eminent expositors conceive of profession or upon this profession as upon a rock will I build my Church Christ then it seems will build his Church upon this rock of profession of the doctrine of faith and such as are built thereupon are true stones in his house and the true subject matter of his visible Church and those that require a profession of the grace of justifying faith or of saving grace as necessary to our entring the visible Church seem to lay another foundation thereof then Christ himself hath laid Therefore answerable hereunto is that of the Apostle being built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets i. e. as Bullinger teacheth upon their doctrine not their grace nor yet Eph. 2. ult our own not as if the Apostles and Prophets were the foundation of the Church in their persons yet it seems they were so in their doctrine which was indeed the doctrine of that one foundation other then which none may lay viz. Jesus Christ Therefore accordingly the true visible Church hath ever hitherto been argued and knowne by the truth of the doctrine which it hath professed and not by the truth of its graces 4. Therefore the true and proper principle of this profession is but a dogmatical faith seeing that faith which is the principle of such a profession must needs fix upon the same object with that profession Faith is termed hystorical in the Schooles that goeth no farther then to give assent and credit to the story of that which God speaketh to be true Culverwel of faith p 16. Vid. Rogers of faith p 6. and Ball of faith page 3. Temporary faith hath more then the former adding to knowledge and assent a profession of the Word yet living still in their sinneâ— in a carnal estâ—te Rogers page 7 Temporal faith is to assent to the heavenly doctrine to professe it and to glory therein the devils beleeve historically Ursin Cat. English by Par. page 134 135. we professing what we beleeve and beleeving what we professe viz. the doctrine of faith as the common sense within receiveth the same object which the outward organ of the eye or ear seeth or heareth Yet I further yeeld that there is an act of faith more then meerly dogmatical or historical that doth many times if not ever engage a man to be so beleeving to make a profession to the world of what he beleeveth for it is not the bare beleeving of such a truth that puts a man on to professe it but usually something of an applicative faith added thereto which faith also must needs be yeelded to be very farre short of a justifying faith and is termed by Divines a temporary faith 5. Againe this profession put on as farre as it is possible is but either vocal by word or real by deed I meane be attendance upon the visible administration of the Gospel and worship of Christ whom we professe in the sight of men for that other profession of a holy life is so indirect a profession and so uncertaine a character of the true visible Church as that it was yet never allowed by the Church of Christ in any age to be a necessary requisite to the matter of a true Church 6. But by the two former branches of this profession the matter of the Church receiveth the name both of professours and worshippers which latter terme of worshippers I cannot but expresse my good liking to 1. Because the proper quality use end and businesse of the visible Church in the world is cultus gloriae Dei as before viz. to worship God 2. And Christ himself assureth us that his Father under the Gospel-dispensation sought a people to serue him by this very terme namely to worship him John 4. 3. And the rule for the finding out the material cause of a thing is Cujus rei propria qualitas in aliquo composito reperitur id est hujus materia 7. But to conclude not any one or all of these do necessarily suppose that faith which justifieth or saving grace a man may Eternally those are within the Covenant who expressing their repentance with their profession of the truth though they have not the sound work of faith nor never shall Hook surv p. 36. truely beleeve and outwardly profess the doctrine of Christ and constantly attend upon the Ordinances of worship a man may be a professour of the true faith and a worshipper of Christ with outward worship and thus be truely a part of the matter of the visible Church and all this without saving grace as none can deny 8. Therefore the subject matter of the visible Church may be truely considered to be the matter of the Church of Christ without respect to saving grace 9. Yea if we speak of particular members and not of the whole I conceive that so much as is already yeelded is not absolutely necessary to the matter of the visible Church for one that is born within the Church and never yet did actually renounce his relation thereunto though he do not actually beleeve or vocally professe c. as is the very case of Children Ignorants Ideots and Mad-men I doubt not to affirme to be a real part of the matter thereof For as Reverend Master Cotton from His holinesse of Church members p. 1. New England teacheth such as are borne of Christian parents and baptized in their infancy into the fellowship of the Church are initiated members of the same Church though destitute of spiritual grace until they justly deprive themselves of the priviledge of that fellowship CHAP. X. The Argument from the forme constituent of the visible Church HAving found the viâ—â—ble Church considerable as truely such in all the rest of its causes we now proceed to examine and argue from the form thereof And if we shall be able to prove that this cause also may be considered to be truely such without respect to saving grace I presume that nothing can possibly intercept this our conclusiâ—n there-from viz. then the visible Church may be considered Posita forma in materia cengrua necessario fit compositum Arist formam vâ—cat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be truely such in it selfe when it hath beene found to be truely such in all its causes without respect thereunto For Forma tribuit essentiam completam câ—mpâ—sitâ— it presupposeth the matter informed by it yea it is said not onely to perfect but even to give the very being to
God forbids them or what they have no right in So that our ground for denying the Sacrament c. lieth fairly and directly thus such persons as do not examine themselves ought not to receive and consequently deserve not to be admitted to that which they ought not to have neither have they any wrong done them if men deny then what God forbids them or what they have no right in So that if the question be what is the cause for which we deny the Sacrament to some Church-members the answer is at hand not because they are no disciples or because they want true grace or because they do not renew their Covenant or make a vocal profession of their faith or because they submit not to particular examination or because they do not examine themselves which is the very condition of their right in this eating and drinking fixed in these words of the Apostle And if I may speak freely I must needs confesse that I am very fully perswaded that as this Text 1 Cor. 11. 28. is to be understood so it must be determined at last when all vain janglings are ended touching both persons coming and being admitted or abstaining and being suspended from the Sacrament My meaning is that if this said Text 1 Cor. 11. 28. be once proved not to forbid the Supper to such as do not examine themselves but onely to require self-examination as a meer preparation to this as to other Ordinances we must cease for ever from deterring any person great or small within the Church from the Sacrament or denying the Sacrament to any such private abstention publick suspension whether by doctrine or discipline fall to the ground for want of something to beare them up Again on the other side if this Text as but few have hitherto doubted require self-examination not onely as preparatory but as conditional to right in this Sacrament so that all those are prohibited communion therein that do not examine themselves I think we have plaine cause hence not onely to charge such as do not perform this condition that they meddle not with this communion but also to deny the Sacrament unto all such as we know do not examine themselves So that the stresse of the controversie resting here we could heartily wish that all personal alterations might be laid aside and more distant circumstantial disputes in this great concernment might be utterly silenced and some able hands on both sides might soberly and friendly undertake the Exposition of this Text. However in the mean while this giveth me some satisfaction that those that do expresse themselves with any clearnesse for the dening the Sacrament to any that are within the Church do ground it upon this Text. Beza's glosse upon this very Text is well known probatio suipsius necessario inquit in coena requiritur ac proiude Beza admitti ad illum non debent qui scipsos probare non possunt The Bohemian confession argueth after the same manner viz. if any man approach this Table without such tryall Confes Bohem. such a one should greatly prophane the Sacrament for which cause the Ministers of our Churches do not admit such c. The Confession of Scotland saith the Supper of the Lord Scotland belongs onely to such as can try and examine themselves and therefore it is that our Ministers do take Examination c. Rilenus layeth down the same rule for the discovery of such as Tilenus Bucanus Trelcatius are to be admitted so doth Bucanus Trelcatius c. Mr. Burroughs giveth this for one reason why unholy persons Mr. Burroughs ought to be kept back if they do come because they ought to examine themselves so do the Leiden Divines Mr. Cotton also giveth this for a reason and indeed for his onely Mr. Cotton reason why such as were admitted to the Passeover ought not to be admitted to the Lords Supper because this duty of self-examination is pre-requisite to the Lords Supper which was not so to the Passeover his way of the Churches of New Enggland pag. 8. Mr. Morris is pleased thus to reason against Infants-admission Mr. Morris p. 61 here is saith he an expresse command for a man to examine himselfe which Infants are not susceptible of and upon this account they are not to be admitted to the Eucharist Yea Master Gelespie hath noted that Master Prin himselfe Gelesp p. 545. Prin. p. 29. gives the same reason why children fools and distracted persons are not to be admitted viz. because they are unable to examine themselves This therefore is the summe that such Church-members are to be denied the Sacrament as do not examine themselves and that this is grounded on 1 Cor. 11. 28. Quest But now the great question is who fall within this Who are known not to examine themselves compasse in the Court of the Church who are to be taken for such as do not examine themselves and ought accordingly to be denied the Sacrament Answ True prudence the sole judge in this case as she never crosseth justice so she hurts not charity Now charity thinks no ill where she seeth no harme therefore prudence judgeth ac-according to appearance viz. that those onely do not examine themselves not that not appear but that appeare not so to do Now when do persons appear to others not to examine themselves This action as all other results from a double principle viz. Persons appear not to examine c. when they appear unable or unwilling of power and will so that persons do or do not examine themselves because they can and will or because they cannot or else will not examine themselves both these principles being necessary to this action the want of either impedes the action therefore persons appearing either unable or unwilling to examine themselves are prudently justly and without the breach of charity presumed not to examine themselves and consequently not to be admitted to the Sacrament Quest 2. But how do persons appear to be unable and unwilling to examine themselves Answ Persons appeare to be unable to examine themselves Persons appear unable onely by their ignorance onely by their ignorance for the acts of self examination themselves are not discernable to others onely this necessary instrument in the work viz. knowledge is discernable to others therefore where this knowledge is discerned to be wanting we are assured that that effect which essentially dependeth upon knowledg is also wanting Unwilling by scandal Againe persons appear to be unwilling to examine themselves by scandal or visible wickednesse continued in with obstinacy for notorious wickednesse cannot consist with the effects of self examination as before interpreted and yet who knoweth but one notoriously wicked may come to himself and to this duty of self-examination c. unlesse he continue thus notoriously wicked with obstinacy Quest Then it seemeth that both ignorant and scandalous persons may be denied the Sacrament upon the