propose this following Method for the Passage of Church-Members from their Infant-state to the State of the Adult and Admission to full Communion being what is already practiced in some and easily practicable in other Churches of Christ if their respective Pastors would come to a mutual Agreement herein which I humbly conceive might without much difficulty be obtained If attempted by prudent and proper Hands to whose Thought this well-meant-Motion is heartily Recommended in hopes that it might prove in Time a good Expedient to restore Confirmation to its Primitive Use and for the present be an equivalent First Seeing the Title-Condition of Infants Church-Membership is not the same with that of the Adult as the Learned Baxter hath plainly proved that of Infants being this That they be the Children of Believing Parents and Dedicated to God by them in their Baptism That of the Adult being this that they be actual Believers and Dedicate themselves to God in Baptism I think it requisite that when any Person signifies his Desires of Admission to full Communion the Pastor of the Church should Inquire which of these Titles he pretends to and deal with him accordingly if the former Then to acquaint him with the Manner of Transition from the Infant to the Adult-state by renewing his Baptismal Covenant and Profession of the Christian Faith and Exhort him to it If the latter to enquire into the Sincerity and Credibility of his Profession as far as may be and to admit or refuse him according to the Satisfaction or Dissatisfaction he shall receive herein Secondly Seeing many of those who were Baptized in their Infancy are bred up in Ignorance of the very Principles of Religion others Corrupted with Error others Immoral and Prophane in their Lives it is also necessary that the Pastor inquire both into the Knowledge Faith and Life of him that seeks Admission I say 1. Into his Knowledge Whether he be competently acquainted at least with the Fundamental and necessary Truths of Christianity and if he be found grosly and culpably Ignorant the Pastor may endeavour in a prudent and loving Way to make him sensible of the greatness of this Sin of Ignorance in those that enjoy such excellent and plentiful Means of Knowledge as we of the necessity excellency and usefulness of spiritual Knowledge in order to the pleasing of God and saving his own Soul of the danger of living and dying in Ignorance c. And seriously press him to a more careful Use and improvement of the means of Knowledge for Time to come such as Reading the Holy Scriptures and other good Books Hearing of and Conferring with Ministers of the Gospel and Praying for the Teachings of Gods Holy Spirit And that his Knowledge may be the more Methodical and Distinct advise him first to take some good Catechism in Hand especially that of the Assembly of Divines and the Explications of it the Communicants Instructor or Sacramental Catechism c. and persuade him to familiarize the precious Truths contained in them and make them his own getting them if possible into his Memory which a little Pains and a willing Mind might soon obtain in the most I have known some of Forty Fifty yea sixty Years of Age who in a few Months Time have by this means got more Understanding in the Things of God as they have freely Confessed than ever they had in their whole Life before And though I know it is no easie Matter to perswade some grown Persons to this who being Proud and Idle as well as Ignorant account it a Disgrace to be put like Children to a Catechism yet every one that is so far awaken'd and inlighten'd as to see his own Ignorance and need of Knowledge and to have a sincere Love to and Desire after it will readily follow the spiritual Counsel of such as are Wiser than themselves in Order to the attaining of it And as many as have a just and deep Concern for the Eternal Salvation of their own Souls will think no Pains too much to take for the furthering and securing thereof It may possibly be a little difficult at first but when they have been Inured to it for some time their Desires after Knowledge and the sweetness of it will facilitate or make it easie to them Could we prevail on those Adult Persons amongst us that need it to take this faithful Advice their Minds would be much more inlightned in the Knowledge of Christ and the better prepared for profiting by Reading and Hearing the Word Were such a Form of sound Words well learnt and thereby the Foundation of Christianity well laid in the Minds of Men the superstructure of Knowledge would be carried on with greater facility firmness and success but until this be done Ministers have little Reason to wonder that they Work at the Labour-in-Vain in Preaching though they may be Instant in Season and out of Season if Milk be not given to Babes in Christ as well as strong Meat to grown Christians the Younger may starve while the Elder thrive and flourish O that all the Ministers of the Gospel would seriously think of this and take due Care to feed Christs Lambs as well as his Sheep but this by the Way Yet in inspecting the Knowledge of Persons due regard must be had to their different Capacities the Means and Helps they have had to get Knowledge the Time they have enjoyed them their different Abilities to express themselves their Bashfulness c. That no sincere though weak Christian be discouraged and that such as have arrived but at a tolerable degree of the Knowledge of and belief in God the Father Son and Spirit of their Baptismal-Covenant with God and other Points of absolute Necessity to Salvation though their Apprehensions in some Things are but rude and imperfect be not Rejected but Treated with all Tenderness Love and Prudence and helped forward in the Ways of Christ But if the Pastor find the Candidate furnished with a competent Measure of Knowledge he should next inquire 2. Into his Faith whether he be sound in the Faith of Christ or believes the fundamental Articles of the Christian Religion that if the Pastor find him under any Error he may endeavour by better Instruction to Cure him of it before his Admission least he should Infect others therewith and occasion a Schism in the Church When the Pastor is fatisfied as to this Particular he should further Inquire 3. Into his Life and Conversation whether it be agreeable to his Holy Profession and such as becometh the Gospel of Christ of this Neighbouring Christians should be the Observers and Witnesses for the better Satisfaction of the Pastor and the whole Church Great Care should be taken also in this Matter least such as are scandalous in their Lives be admitted and thereby this Holy Ordinance be prophaned the Godly offended and grieved the Mouth of the Wicked opened to speak Evil of the Ways and Servants of Christ and God dishonoured and
this Day 't is not so much out of a dislike of or a Malignity against the work it self in many as for want of Ability to perform it and this Impediment can be no ways removed but by the Blessing of God on a diligent use of due Means for the obtaining such an Ability Therefore if you are indeed too Ignorant of the Will of God be ashamed of your Ignorance and Sloth but not ashamed to Learn though Late yet better late then never Secondly Having got a competent Measure of Knowledge your selves begin your Work of Teaching your Children betimes be dropping and instilling some of the plainest easiest and most necessary Truths into them as soon as you find them capable to Learn and to remember Be frequent at it to Impress them the more firmly on their Memories when they can Read put Catechisms into their Hands and require them to Learn them to Read the Holy Scriptures daily Hear Sermons and take Account of them what they Remember and Discourse with them about the Truths heard to help them to a clearer Understanding of them and labour to affect their Hearts with those Truths that chiefly concern them and Charge them especially to commit such to their Memories encouraging the Diligent by your Commendations and Rewards and quickening the Negligent by Reproofs and moderate Corrections Thirdly Be much in Prayer to God both for and with your Children begging a Blessing on your Instructions Pray your selves and teach them to Pray that God would second your endeavours and succeed all the Means used for their Instructions by the Inward and Effectual Teaching of his Holy Spirit to open their Understanding strengthen and sanctifie their Memories Write his Law in their Hearts and put his Truth into their Inward Parts that they may understand spiritual Truths spiritually and be made wise to Salvation Fourthly Set before your Children a good Example of Sobriety Righteousness and Holiness in your own Lives second your Godly Instructions with a Godly Conversation let them see by your own Obedience to the Will of God that you believe the Truths which you teach them and press no other Duties on them than what you make Conscience to perform your selves Then will your Instructions be most like to prove Effectual for your Children are naturally prone to imitate you in their Practice more apt to be led by the Eye then by the Ear and more inclinable to do as you do than as you say or Command Could you be perswaded to follow these plain and necessary Counsels your Children would have the Benefit you would have the Comfort the Church would be Enlarged and God would be Glorified And what should you not be willing to do within your Power for such desirable Ends as these But if any Christian Parents remain yet unperswadable by these Arguments to set about this Duty their sinful neglect will become the more inexcusable and themselves the more unworthy of that Honourable Name by which they are called Blessed be God there are yet some Pious Parents left among us who have a Sense of their Duty and endeavour to bring up their Children in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord and I hope the late unanimous Labours of the Ministers of Christ in and about this City pressing their respective Congregations to the Revival of Family-worship have been signally Blessed for the Increase of the Number of such and that this is one good presage of Gods continuing his Candlestick in the midst of us For Religious Families are the Seed-Plots of Piety and the Nurseries of the Church so that if these flourish which God grant the Church will from them be supplied and enlarged There are also some Adult Persons whom though their Parents wretchedly neglected their Souls in their Minority yet God is pleased to awaken and Inlighten Convince and Convert by the Publick Ministry and so are brought into Christ and joyn themselves for full Communion with the Particular Churches of Christ Though alas the Number of Converts in our Days is small in Comparison with what hath been in former Ages as Gospel-Ministers generally observe to their Grief and this proves us to be upon the decaying Hand And though it be the certain Duty of all Adult Persons that make a serious Profession of Christianity to joyn themselves to some Particular Church in Order to a Participation of all Gospel-Ordinances and Church-Priviledges yet the far greater Number live in the shameful neglect hereof some to thirty forty yea fifty Years of Age and yet never received the Lords-Supper These may properly be call'd Christians at large or loose Professors if not for the Looseness and Immoralities of their Lives yet for sitting so loose from the stricter Rules of Religion and for their backwardness to come wholly under the Yoke of Jesus Christ though it be really a far easier Yoke than that of Sin To such as these I would in the next Place make an Address attempting to Convince them of and dissuade them from their Sin and to instruct them in and persuade them to their Duty For your Conviction I offer you these following Considerations First Consider until you are Joyned to some Particular Church of Christ you come not under the special Care Guidance and Oversight of any Pastor and so lose the Spiritual Benefit of that Relation which may be a greater Dammage to your Souls then you are aware of for in divers Cases you will need their special help by Way of Councel Instruction Support or Comfort to Answer your Doubts Encourage you against your Fears Succour you under Temptations c. The want of a skilful and faithful Soul-friend in such Cases would be greatly Prejudicial to you Secondly Consider until you are thus Joyned you neglect one of the Holy Ordinances of the Lord Jesus Christ his Supper the last that he Instituted left as a standing Monument of his Matchless Love to his Church in Dying for it and as a means to Perpetuate the Memory thereof in all Future Ages and as another Sign and Seal of the Covenant of Grace An Ordinance wherein he proposeth himself as the spiritual Food of Believers to refresh and satisfie their Souls increase their Grace and nourish them to Life Eternal so that by the neglect of this Ordinance 1. You Contract the guilt of great Sin upon your Souls for it is a direct Disobedience to the express Command of Christ who saith Take Eat c. Drink ye all of it and Do this in Remembrance of me Therefore to neglect it is practically to forget Christ and if you forget him how can you Hope he will remember you 2. You lose the Spiritual Benefit and Comfort of this Ordinance the nourishment and strengthening of your Souls in Grace which you need as well as others and hereby give God just Cause to withhold his Blessing from other Ordinances And is this a loss that you can easily bear Is it much at one with you whether you Profit by the
Means of Grace or no If so you are doubtless yet strangers to Christ and Grace and in a wretched State 3. You Grieve and Discourage the Ministers of Christ in their Work and give them occasion to fear that all their Labours are lost upon you That you believe not their true Reports of the Will of God nor make due Application of the Word they Preach to your own Hearts and Lives and so receive this Grace of God in Vain This must needs sadden the Hearts and weaken the Hands of the Servants of Christ in their Work 4. You Scandalize other Christians and Tempt them to think that you are but Formalists and Hypocrites taking up only with an empty Name and Profession of Religion but ignorant of the Life and Power of Godliness To be sure if you have Grace the neglect of this Ordinance which is appointed as a Principal Means to strengthen and increase it is a plain Evidence that your Grace is but small and weak and rather on the decaying than growing Hand 5. You set an ill Example before Younger Persons and Tempt them to live in the neglect of this Ordinance also for they are more apt to follow Evil Examples than Good they will be ready through Ignorance to Conclude that it is no Sin because they see you their Elders and Betters do so and that Partaking of this Ordinance is no necessary Duty but a meer Arbitrary Thing that may be done or not done at Pleasure And would you be guilty of leading Young Ones into such an Error Do you not see the malignant Influence of bad Examples on the most of Mankind especially on Youth And do you not know that you Contract the guilt of all the Sins of others into which they are drawn by your Example And have you not Sins enough of your own O therefore beware of partaking with other Mens Sins keep your selves Pure 1 Tim. 5.22 And do not Live in the neglect of this Ordinance any longer for others Sakes as well as for your own Thirdly Consider until you are Joyned to some Particular Church of Christ you loose the Benefit also of divers other Church Priviledges such as Communion with the Choicest and most Experienced Christians an Interest in their special Love their Watchfulness over you and Helpfulness to you by Instructions Admonitions Exhortations Sympathy in your Afflictions Consolations Communication of Experiences Prayers c. And no wise Person would slight such Priviledges and spiritual Helps as these that knows how needful and useful they may be to him in this imperfect State Fourthly Consider until you are Joyned to some Particular Church of Christ you lye more open to Temptations from your Souls Enemies and will be more easily overcome by them for the Sense and Consideration of those solemn and sacred Bonds which you have laid upon your Souls by a Publick owning your Baptismal Covenant and actual Renewing of it in Receiving the Lord's Supper will be apt mightily to awe your Consciences keep you closer to your Duties and make you more watchful and resolute against Temptations and ready to cry out when assaulted How shall I do this great Wickedness and Sin against that God whom I have chosen and to whom I have given up my Self to Love Fear Obey and Serve him in an Holy Covenant for ever Let these and such like Things be seriously Considered until you are Convinced of the sinfulness of your Neglects and humbled for them and convinced also of your Duty and made willing to set upon it I say Willing for I think it very sinful to force Persons into Churches or frighten them into that Participation of Sacraments by Threatning Penal Laws c. Seeing I find not that Christ the Head of the Church hath entrusted any Man or Society of Men with such a Coercive Power or that he would have any prest into his Service Certainly he accepts of none but Volunteers and though none are such by Nature he makes all those such by efficacious Grace whom he receives 'T is true Christ Commanded his Servants Gospel-Ministers to Compel Men to come in to his spiritual Feast Luke 14.23 But surely he means not that they should use any outward Violence to their Persons or drive them in by Staves Whips or Swords No nor with Pecuniary Mulcts or Fines for the use of these belong only to the Civil Magistrate Christ committed no Civil Power to his Ministers Their Business was with Mens Souls which they were to deal with in a Way agreeable to their Rational Nature proposing to them weighty Arguments to invite and perswade them to accept of the Kindness offered and though these alone are not sufficient to prevail upon the depraved Wills of Men yet God Joyning the Inward Powerful Workings of his Holy Spirit to the outward Ministry of the Word makes them effectually persuasive to all his Elect and of unwilling makes them Willing in the Day of his Power as Psalm 110.3 For the Will of Man is not to be forced Indeed the Compulsion there spoken of signifies no more than a Loving Invitation or Bidding and so 't is express'd by another Evangelist Mat. 22.3 Christ sent forth his Servants to call them that were bidden to the Wedding and they would not come Christ doth not say Then force them against their Wills to Come or Punish Fine Excommunicate or Imprison them for their Refusal he will himself call Men to an account for slighting his Invitation in his own Time and therefore I think they ought to be left to him In the mean while I must profess I cannot find any warrant in Scripture for Admission of all Persons though never so Ignorant or Prophane to the Lord's Table Surely the Ministers of the Gospel whom Christ hath intrusted with the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven should not suffer the Lords Table to be made like the Table of a Common Ordinary Free for all Comers nor cast Christ's Holy Things to known Dogs and Swine Who ever dares to do so must be accountable to Christ for it who is Jealous for his own Name and will not hold them guiltless that either pollute or prophane his sacred Institutions or permit others to do it when it is in their Power to prevent it But I shall leave such to Answer for these Crimes at his Righteous Bar who will have no respect to Persons in Judgment And should now proceed to the next Thing intended which is to Instruct such as by the forementioned Considerations are Convinced of their sinful Neglects of this Holy Ordinance and to shew them their Duty But that I meet with divers Objections which some make against their Approaching this Holy Supper which must be answer'd because they lie as Stumbling-blocks in their Way and are sometimes pleaded as Excuses for their Sin They are such as these Obj. 1. Some say we think our selves unworthy to Partake of this Holy Ordinance therefore we come not to it Ans 1. If you mean by
this Ordinance you have no Reason to despair of Mercy as if this did render your Sin unpardonable but your Duty is to renew your Repentance for it to pray for Pardon of it and Power against it and to stand more strictly on your Guard for Time to come Then you have Scripture ground to hope for Pardon 1 John 2.1 2. Psalm 32.5 6. Jer. 3.22 Read and Consider those Scriptures well 5. Beware that it be not a secret Love to some Sin or other and lothness to part with it that keeps you from this Ordinance what ever else may be pretended Be very Jealous of your own Heart for the Heart of Man is deceitful above all Things Examine your selves therefore very strictly least this should lye at the bottom but if you find you are indeed willing to part with every Sin and to obey every Command of Christ though you cannot live a sinless Life yet you have no just Cause to fear coming to this Ordinance Obj. 7. But there are so many different Opinions and Sects among Professors of Religion some saying their Church is the True Church and others saying theirs is so that we are at a loss and know not which to Joyn our selves to Ans 1. It is greatly to be lamented that there are such Differences and Divisions in Matters of Religion among us and Woe be to the Causers and Fomenters of them They will never be able to Answer it to our Lord Jesus in the Great Day for they lay a stumbling-block before the Blind as Lev. 19.14 Making them to wander out of the Way and thereby bring themselves under a Curse as Deut. 27.18 It s to be feared that these Differences may hinder some Persons from Joyning themselves with any particular Church in full Communion though this be the Fruit of their Ignorance Weakness or Prejudice These Differences being no just Cause of nor Plea for the neglect of their Duty For though there be such Divisions among us yet it is certain that some of these Societies of Christians at least 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ue Churches of Christ tho' some may be more Reformed Pure and Sound than others and it s the Duty of every Private Christian to Joyn himself to some Particular Church and where they have Liberty of Choice to those who are justly esteemed by Persons capable to Judge viz. by wise and Judicious Christians the purest and best or such as keep nearest to the Gospel-Rule both in Doctrine Worship and Discipline 2. Consider for Persons to refuse or neglect Joyning with any Church under pretence of fearing least they should not Joyn to a True Church this is to be Guilty of a certain Sin to avoid an uncertain One and therefore no Wise and Good Man would do thus 3. In what soever Society of Christians the essential Marks of a true Gospel-Church are to be found viz. The Pure Preaching of the Word of God and the due Administration of the Sacraments by a Minister Called Qualified and set a part according to the Rule of the Gospel That Society should be accounted a true gospel-Gospel-Church and will be owned by Christ as such Though it may differ from other Particular Churches in some Circumstantial and lesser Things And Private Christians ought not to refuse Joyning themselves to any such Society seeing Christ hath received them 4. It is evident to every Understanding and Impartial Eye That those of the moderate Episcopal Presbyterian and Congregational Persuasions have the Essence of true Gospel-Churches and own the same Doctrinal Articles of the Christian Faith though they differ in Discipline and Modes of Worship Therefore Private Christians may safely Joyn themselves to either of them according as they are persuaded in their own Minds And supposing you have heard the Ministers of each of these Persuasions where you have found the most spiritual Benefit There it is most advisable for you to Joyn if it may be Obj. 8. But says another I am Poor and Low in the World and have nothing to give toward the Maintenance of a Minister and should I seek to Joyn my Self to a Church they may be ready to think I do it only in hopes of a share in their Charity and Reject me for fear I should be burdensom to them this keeps me off Ans 1. This Objection savours of Pride and Uncharitableness which become not any Christians especially the poorer sort Humility and Charity or Love would teach you to think the best and to esteem others better than your selves and to hope that Ministers and Christians do better understand the Will of Christ and their own Duties than to be guilty of refusing Admission of any Person into their Communion meerly for their Poverty and you ought to think thus of them until you find the contrary 2. Were you sure before-hand that they would refuse you yet it is your Duty to offer your self and seek Admission and then if they unjustly refuse you the Sin will lye at their Doors and you will be Free But their Omission of their Duty will be no good excuse for your neglecting your own Duty 3. No faithful Minister of Christ dares to refuse the poorest Christian because he is Poor provided it appears to him that he hath a Gospel-Right to and fitness for Admission to this Ordinance seeing he could not Answer it to our Lord Jesus Christ who refuseth none that come to Him but inviteth all whether Rich or Poor as Mat. 11.28 and John 6.37 And requires his Ministers to do the same Mat. 28.19 and Mark 16.15 16. Mat. 22.9 10. They know that not many Mighty not many Noble are called but that God hath chosen the Poor of this World Rich in Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that Love him as 1 Cor. 1.26 and James 2.5 And whom God hath chosen and called they will not knowingly Refuse 4. You ought rather to be Jealous of your own Heart then Suspicious of others and see that you aim at higher and better Ends in seeking to Joyn your self to any Church of Christ than to obtain some worldly Support as knowing those that followed Christ only for the Loaves were justly blamed by Him John 6.26 If your Ends be Right and Good leave God to take care of your Esteem in the Hearts of other Christians Obj. 9. But say others we hope we may go to Heaven though we never Receive the Lords Supper God forbid that all who Dye without this Ordinance should perish Ans 1. Far be it from me to say or think that none go to Heaven but the Receivers of this Ordinance for I believe the contrary Yea I know that some of those who are Partakers of it will perish for want of a Saving Change upon their Hearts as Luke 13.26 27. I freely grant that neither the Participation of this nor any other Ordinance is absolutely necessary to Salvation seeing God doth nothing by Ordinances but what he can do without them if he please Yet 2.
I say it is necessary that we should use the Means appointed by Christ in Order to our Salvation and this is one of them If we would obtain the End we must use the Means it being no better then a Tempting of God to expect the one without the other 3. The neglect of this Ordinance is a Sin being a Disobedience to a plain Command of Christ who says Do this in Remembrance of me and unless God grant Repentance to those that are guilty of it it will prove damnable Now while Men continue in this neglect they do not truly repent of it for there is no true Repentance without Reformation 4. God hath no where promised Salvation to such as Live and Dye in the known and wilful neglect of this or any other Ordinance or Duty but threatens the contrary and who would hazard his Salvation by such a neglect Obj. 10. But say others we have heard of such ill things of some Church-Members that we think it a disgrace to us to Joyn with them though they make Holy Professions yet their Practices are unholy and prophane and scandalous and this keeps us off from their Communion Ans 1. It may be the Report you have heard is false and only raised by some Enemy to Religion and the Professors of it if so you wrong both your selves and the Persons concerned in believing of it before you have throughly examined the Truth of it it is sinful to Take up a Reproach against our Neighbour as Psalm 15.3 2. Suppose the Report appear to be true yet their Church-Membership is not the cause of those Immoralities but the Corruption of their own Hearts or the want of that Grace which they pretend to have 3. Their Sin is to themselves and shall not be charged on those that hold Church-Fellowship with them if they do their Duty in Admonishing and Reproving them for it and do no way Partake with them therein Such a Reproof Prudently and privately given by a Fellow-Member may be Blessed of God to the Conviction and Reformation of a disorderly Walker being a Means of Christs own Appointment to this End If not the Reprovers ought to acquaint the Church with it that they may use Church-Discipline upon them which if they neglect the Reproving Members will have this to satisfie them that they have discharged their Duty and delivered their own Souls as Mat. 18.15 16. 4. The Participation of all Gospel-Ordinances being the Priviledge as well as the Duty of all true Believers to be kept from any of them must be a Loss and Punishment so that if you are such and yet keep your selves off from any Ordinance of Christ because some of those that Partake of them are guilty of scandalous or disorderly Walking you punish your selves for the Faults of others which is Injustice 5. To keep off from any Ordinance of Christ meerly because some unworthy Persons partake of it is to make their Sin in one kind an occasion of your sinning in another kind Their Sin being a Sin of Commission yours a Sin of Omission 6. If all that truly fear God should keep off from Joyning with this or that Particular Church because there are some Members in it that are disorderly Walkers either all such Churches must be dissolved or else they must be made up only of such disorderly Walkers But I suppose no Wise and Good Man will say that either of these ought to be You must know the Visible Church of Christ on Earth hath Hypocrites in it as well as sincere Christians and when the Hypocrisie of any Member appears by their open and scandalous Sins that Particular Church to which they belong ought to use Church-Discipline upon them to bring them to Repentance and Reformation and to keep themselves free from a share in their Guilt But no Christian ought to keep from Joyning with a Particular Church because there are some such Peccant Members in it Obj. 11. But if this Ordinance is to be used only in Remembrance of Christ say some we can remember him well enough without it we think of him every Day the Reading and Hearing of the Word puts us frequently in Mind of Him How can any Christian forget him that hath done and suffered so much for them Therefore we see no such need of this Ordinance for this End Ans 1. This Objection savours rankly of Ignorance and Pride which are very Provoking Sins in the Eyes of God did you well understand the Nature Use and Ends of this Holy Ordinance and the spiritual Benefit of a right Participation of it you would not think it a needless Thing And were you not puffed up with Pride you would not account your selves wiser than Christ himself who Instituted this Ordinance which he had never done had he not intended it for the Spiritual Good of the Receivers Did Christ judge it needful and dare you say it is needless Doth it become sinful Dust contemptible Worms to slight an Ordinance of their Lord and Saviour 2. Though the Reading and Hearing of the Word are useful to put us in Mind of Christ yet the use of this Holy Supper may do it more Effectually For some Truths do more powerfully affect our Hearts when they are conveyed to us by the Eye than by the Ear The Sight of the Execution of a Man usually makes deeper Impressions on our Spirits and moves our Affections more than a bare hearing of it doth Now in this Ordinance Christ is represented as Crucified before our Eyes as Gal. 3.1 And our dull and dead Hearts need the most Heart-affecting and quickning Means and Ordinances 3. Know that this Ordinance is Instituted for other Holy Ends besides that of remembring Christ as to be a Seal of the Covenant of Grace To be a means to nourish and strengthen Grace c. as you have heard before and so is needful and to be used for those Ends as well as for that 4. Gracious Souls have sometimes met with some peculiar Manifestations of Christ and of his Love in this Ordinance and such Spiritual Refreshment Strength and Comfort as they found not in Reading or Hearing the Word For Christ will not be wanting to bless his own Ordinances to their proper Ends and their Experiences should be Arguments encouraging others to use this Ordinance in hopes of the like Benefits Obj. 12. But say others we are so Incumbred and Distracted with the Cares and Troubles of this World that we cannot be enough Composed in our Spirits to approach this Holy Ordinance could we once get well through them we would then endeavour to prepare for it and come to it Ans This is no Just Plea or Excuse for your neglect of this Ordinance for Consider 1. God allows you sufficient Time for necessary Cares about your Worldly Matters and appoints you proper time also for the care of your spiritual Concerns and it is your Duty to see that every Thing be minded in its due Time and Place
this is a gross Error for these ought not to meddle with this Holy Ordinance until they are Converted None are fit Guests for this Holy Table of the Lord but those that are truely Gracious because they must Exercise Grace at this Ordinance as Faith Repentance Love c. which necessarily Implies that they must have it before they come All unsanctified Persons that Partake of it do but prophane and pollute it and Eat and Drink Judgment to themselves So that if graceless Persons ought not to approach this Ordinance because they are graceless as we say and if Gracious Persons ought not to use it because they are Gracious as the Quakers say then none at all must use it and so this Ordinance would be wholly laid aside as useless But can any Man of tollerable Sense be of this Opinion What would this be less than to accuse Christ who is Wisdom it self of Folly in setting up a useless and needless Ordinance in his Church And do foolish Worms think they shall be able to make good this Charge against him in the great Day Fifthly Suppose that Text in 1 Cor. 11.26 Were to be understood of Christs Coming in Spirit as they hold yet I think it worth observing that though the Apostle approves of the Use of this Ordinance till then he doth not say then it is to be laid aside and used no more by such Nor will his Words admit of that Sense any more than the like Phrase used by him as 1 Tim. 4.13 Till I come give attendance to Reading to Exhortation to Doctrine Did the Apostle mean think you that young Timothy should Study and Preach the Word only until he came to him and ever after lay both aside Surely no I judge this Expression in 1 Cor. 11.26 Frees Christians no more from their Obligation to continue the Use of the Lords-Supper than the like Expression in 1 Tim. 4.13 Freed Timothy from his Obligation to continue his Ministry Sixthly The Reasons and Ends for which Christ Instituted this Ordinance will continue as long as Christ hath a Church in the World and that will be till his coming to Judgment therefore this Ordinance ought to continue so long also For as none but Christ hath Right and Power to set up alter or remove an Ordinance in his Church he being the only Head and Law-giver of it so he never makes any such Alteration but when there is just Cause for it Thus we find the Ordinance of Circumcision continued in the Jesish Church until the Time of Christs Coming in the Flesh when it pleased him to Institute Baptism to be of the same Use in the Christian Church So the Passover continued until Christ appointed the Lords-Supper an Ordinance of like Signification and Use to succeed it And this doubtless must continue until it shall please him to set up another in the room of it which is not to be expected these being the last Ages of the World and while the Church hath need of it for its Spiritual Uses and Ends that is for the preserving the Memory of Christs Death the Confirmation of the Covenant of Grace c. and these Ends will continue till Christs coming to Judgment To this purpose is the Note of a Judicious Divine on 1 Cor. 11.26 Because saith he we shall always want such an help as long as we remain in this World St. Paul signifies this Remembrance of Christ is recommended to us until he appears to Judgment for seeing he is not conversant among us in a Visible Form it is necessary that there should be some Sign of his Spiritual Presence with which our Minds may Exercise themselves These Things duly and impartially considered may be I hope sufficient to convince all sober minded Persons that this Ordinance is not Antiquated or grown out of Date but ought still to be Reverently used by Christians to the End of the World Having thus endeavoured to Answer all the Objections I have met with or could think of by which Persons are or may be kept off from this Ordinance and so cleared my Way and I hope theirs too by removing Obstructions I shall now Instruct such as are convinced of their sinful Neglects and are made in some Measure willing and defirous of Reformation in this Matter 1. Go to God and humbly acknowledge your faults with Shame and Sorrow of Heart begging pardoning Grace for the sake of Christ and resolve in his Strength to continue in this Sin no longer but use all good Means to get the Knowledge of your Duty and set about it To which end 2. Examine your Selves Whether you be in the Faith or whether you have a Gospel-right to and fitness for this Holy Ordinance of the Lords-Supper If you need any help herein the Sacramental Catechism may be useful to you as to this But for your better Assistance 3. Apply your selves to some able Minister of the Gospel especially to him to whose Spiritual Oversight and Conduct you intend to commit your Souls desire his Assistance submit to his Inquiry into the State of your Souls and Intreat his Impartial Thoughts or Judgment of it Propose your Doubts and Scruples to him if you have any in order to Satisfaction and ask his Spiritual Counsel and Direction in the Way of your Duty 4. Get the Knowledge of the Way and Manner of Transition or Passage of Church-Members from their Infant-state to that of Adult or grown Persons and the Terms of their Admission to full Communion with a Particular Church that you may understand what will be required of you and consider well whether you can freely and heartily Comply with the Terms proposed If you find in them any Matter of Doubt or Scruple signifie it to the Pastor and seek Satisfaction of him and when you are satisfy'd make it also known to him with your Desires of Admission Indeed the Method of Admission is not the same in all Particular Churches Though I acknowledge an Uniformity in this Thing as well as others of Common Concern is much to be desired and endeavoured as what would be greatly Conducive to Unity Love and Peace amongst Christians and the Edification and Enlargement of the Kingdom of Christ in the World I shall not pretend to give you an account of the various Methods of several Churches here But only add these Two Things more First I shall acquaint you with the Practice of the Primitive Church in this Matter and Secondly Give you an account of my own Judgment and Practice herein Humbly submitting it to the free Censure of the more Judicious First Then as to the Transition or passing of Church-Members from their Infant-State to the State of the Adult and Admission to full Communion with a Particular Church of Christ know that in the Church or Houshold of Faith there are Members of several Sizes or Statures some are but new-born Babes as 1 Pet. 2.2 Some little Children others Young-Men and others called Fathers as 1
John 2.12 13 14. In Christs Fold some are Lambs others Sheep as John 21.15 16. Being thus distinguished according to the different Time of their standing in the Church or the different Measure of Knowledge and Grace they have obtained and regard ought to be had to each accordingly in Feeding and Ruling of them that Milk be given to Babes even the sincere Milk of the Word i. e. Such Truths as are Plain and easie to be understood by them who are unskilful in the Word of Righteousness and strong Meat to such as are of full or perfect Age i. e. Such Truths as are more Mysterious Sublime and Spiritual they being Persons who by Reason of Use have their Senses exercised to discern both Good and Evil as Heb. 5.12 13 14. Some Christians are in their Infant-state and so to be admitted only to a Participation of those Priviledges and Ordinances that belong to it Others are in their Adult-state and so have a Right to Partake of the highest Priviledges and Ordinances in the Church Church-History informs us that in the Primitive Times there were several Ranks of Professed Christians the lowest were called Catechumens Catechized Persons of which there were two Sorts 1. Such as were Sinners of the Gentiles or Heathens by Birth but upon the Preaching the Gospel to them inclined to and began to embrace the Christian Faith and were thereupon instructed in the Principles of it or in the Doctrine of Christ These were only in the Church-Porch 2. Such as were the Children of Believing or Christian Parents who by their Birth-right being Members of the Visible Church and under the same Covenant of Grace with their Parents received Baptism in their Infancy as a Seal of the Covenant and were to be brought up by their Parents in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord as Eph. 6.4 Both these Sorts of Catechumens were Instructed in the Christan Religion by a Catechist or Minister whose main Business was to feed these Lambs of Christ and to train them up in the Way they should go and take care of these Young Plants as being the Nurseries of the Church When the former Sort were sufficiently Instructed they desired to be Baptized and then were called Competent i. e. Persons desiring Baptism upon which they gave in their Names and came under a strict even a seven-fold Examination and so were admitted to Baptism Then were called Batptizati Illuminati i. e. Baptized and Inlightned Persons and no longer accounted to be in the Porch but got over the Threshold into the Church owned as Fellow-Citizens and Denisons with the Saints and of the Houshold of God and had their Names inrolled among the Servants of Christ Being thus initiated or entred into the Church they obtained some Priviledges which they had not before of which this was one That the Mysteries of the Sacraments of which they were ignorant while Catechumens or knew but little of them were more clearly revealed to them For the Church then thought fit to conceal the knowledge of them till after Baptism both because they were such high Mysteries and least the knowledge of them should bring them into Contempt and that they might be stirred up to stronger Desires after them say some yet were they accounted but incompleat Christians and might not be admitted to all the Priviledges of Church-Members as being yet but in their Infant-State or Minority until they received Confirmation also which was performed by the Imposition or laying on them the Hands of the Minister or Pastor of the Church and Prayer unto God for his Holy Spirit Increase of Grace and their Confirmation or Establishment in the Faith of Christ which they had professed This Religious Rite of Confirmation both the forementioned sorts of Catechumens were obliged to receive and so by it were passed from their Infant-state to the State of the Adult and then admitted to the Participation of all the Priviledges of Church-Members even to the Lords-Supper it self the highest Mystery of Christianity and so became and were declared to be compleat and perfect Christians therefore they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perfect as Phil. 3.15 Not as if they had attained a sinless Perfection in Grace and Holiness But because now they had all things needful to the Perfecting of their Church-state Those that were not Baptized till Adult or grown Persons received Confirmation by Imposition of Hands ordinarily in a short Time after their Baptism to make them compleat Church-Members But such as being the Children of Believers were Baptized in their Infancy were not Confirmed till they were grown up to Years of Discretion and well Instructed in the Principles of the Christan Religion by their Parents and by the Catechists and so capable to give an account of their Knowledge and Faith nor were any judged meet for Admission to the Lords-Table until they had some considerable Time before given Proof of their Manners and Godliness But when they were Confirmed and had received that Ordinance they were then arrived at the highest Form in the School of Christ his Church and then were called Fideles The Faithful That this was the Practice of the Primitive Church is plainly and fully proved by divers Learned Pens and amongst our own especially by Mr. Hanmer and Mr. Baxter to whose Writings I refer such who desire more clear Light and fuller Satisfaction in this Point All that I shall further observe at present as to Confirmation is That this as well as other Gospel-Ordinances was in after-Ages Corrupted and Abused by the Addition of Chrysm or Unction that is Anointing with Oyl and by admitting those to it who were not the meet Objects of it as Persons grosly Ignorant and Propane c. The just Resentment and Abhorrence of these Corruptions hath occasioned a fault on the other hand in many of the Churches of Christ viz. the Total Rejection or disuse of this Pious Rite of which I fear they will be able to give no good account to our Lord Jesus in the Great Day our Duty doubtless lyes between these two Extreams to Reform the Abuses and reassume the Primitive right Use of Confirmation a thing greatly to be desired and zealously to be endeavoured by the Reformed Churches for the Glory that might hence Redound to God and the Benefits that would accrue to the Church of Christ by it As the forementioned Authors have excellently demonstrated and therefore with Nervous Arguments perswade to the Revival of it May there be new Effusions of Gods Holy Spirit on those who are principally concerned i. e. Christian Magistrates and Ministers to put them on the vigorous Use of their Authority and Interest for a more perfect and thorow Reformation in this and some other Points that call for it at this Day that all remaining Corruptions may be swept out of Gods House and Christian Practice at length reduced to and regulated by the Gospel-rule in all things Secondly Mean while I shall next as I promised humbly
of which Persons under the Christian Name are guilty in this Age and for which God hath a Controversie with us at this Day The neglect of those Sacred Ordinances of Christ Baptism and the Lord's Supper is one and not the least it being notoriously evident that many of Twenty or Thirty Years Old and some more have never been Baptized and these with Thousands more of Adult or grown Persons live also in the neglect of the Lord's Supper The Cause of which neglect in some is the Ignorance and Error of their Parents who if they were Quaker's wholly reject these Ordinances as useless Ceremonies and Dispute against them or if Anabaptist's neglect to bring their Children to Baptism in their Infancy and many of them being bred up in Ignorance are careless of their own Souls concerns and so Live and Dye without the Participation of these Ordinances Now though I dare not Judge such as to their Eternal State for to their own Master they stand or fall I freely acknowledge the Grace of God is not bound to external Ordinances and God doth nothing by them but what he can do without them if he please yet I know we are bound to the Use of Ordinances when we may have them by the express Command of God because they are his Institutions by which he doth usually work Grace in us And to neglect known Duties yea or to live in Ignorance of Duties under the means of Knowledge are Soul-damning Sins which I earnestly desire all that are thus guilty seriously to consider Upon the Observation of these sinful Omissions I cannot but conclude it to be the unquestionable Duty of all the Ministers of Christ that would be found faithful to him and to the precious Souls of Men not only to observe mourn over and reprove these Sins but to do their utmost also in their proper Stations and Relations for Reformation in this Particular The Sense of this Duty hath been so deeply impressed on my Spirit as to put me upon this well-meant though mean endeavour to contribute something toward this needful and desirable Work I am too Conscious of my own weakness to dictate to my Reverend Brethren acknowledging that I rather need and therefore desire their Light and Help herein yet hope I may without giveing Just Cause of Offence to any take leave to Confess that many of us have been very defective in our Duties herein and in this Confession I cast the first Stone at my Self The Good Lord Pardon us that we have manifested no greater concern of Spirit for the Holy Institutions of our Lord-Redeemer and help us that while we Reprehend our People for their sinful Omissions we may be duly humbled for our own and make it more visible in our Practice that we teach our Selves as well as Others A PERSUASIVE TO FULL Communion OF Baptizing Adult or Grown Persons I Shall then first apply my Self to such Adult or grown Persons who though they go under the Christian Name yet were never Baptized If this Paper comes to the Hands of any such I would propose some Considerations to convince you of your Sin and if the Lord shall bless them bring you to Repentance and then give you some Councels or Directions for a right performance of your Duty In Order to your Conviction be perswaded seriously to consider these seven Things First Consider That Baptism is as much an Ordinance of Christ as Preaching the Gospel is and to continue in use in the Christian Church as long as that as appears by Christ's own Command Mat. 28.18 19. viz. to the End of the World and so it is as much the Duty of all professed Christians to receive the Ordinance of Baptism as to attend on the Ordinance of Preaching For the same Authority that enjoyns the one enjoyns the other Therefore the neglect of it must be sinful And how dare you Live in any known Sin Secondly Consider That it is both the Duty of Christian Parents to bring their Children unto Christ and the Right and Priviledge of such Children to be so brought to receive his Blessing Mark 10.13 14 15 16. And this Seal of the Covenant of Grace under which they are as well as their Parents Gen. 17.7 And so must have a Gospel-right to this Ordinance as have been sufficiently proved by many Judicious Pens to which I must refer you for more Light in this Point if you need it because of my intended Brevity And if so it must be the Sin of your Parents that they brought you not to this Ordinance in your Infancy and by Consequence your Sin and loss to neglect it ever since you came to Years of Discretion and a Capacity to Covenant with God and present your selves to Baptism Thirdly Consider That your Parents sinful neglect of their Duty is no just Plea or Excuse for your neglect of this Ordinance since you came to Years of Understanding for then it became your Duty both to acquaint your selves with the Covenant of Grace and give your own Understanding and Hearty Consent to it and to testifie the same by receiving this Ordinance For Jews or Heathens when instructed in the Christian Religion if they make a serious Profession of Faith in Christ and Obedience to him ought to be Baptized much more may the Adult Children of Christians when they make the like Profession Acts 8.36 c. 4. Consider That it looks as if you were ashamed to own Christ and Christianity that you do not so much as wear the visible Badge of his Disciples and Followers i. e. Baptism For by this Ordinance Christians are distinguished from all the rest of Mankind and whilest you want this mark of Distinction and yet profess Christianity you deserve to be called Heathen-Christians or Christian Heathens owning only the Name of Christs Followers but seeming ashamed of his Livery And if you are indeed ashamed to own Christ or his Ordinances here before Men he will be ashamed to own you before his Father and the Angels hereafter Mat. 8.35 And how sad will their Condition be whom Christ will not own in the great Day Are you not loath to be found amongst such at last Fifthly Consider That though the neglect of Baptism may seem a small fault if any to ignorant and inconsiderate Persons yet it is indeed a great and hainous Sin being down-right disobedience to the Command of Christ and a virtual slighting and practical refusing of the Covenant of Grace of which this is the visible Sign and Seal therefore it must be very provoking in the Eyes of God We find God threatned that Parent who did not Circumcise his Son to cut him off from his People that is either to exclude him from the Church of God and all the Priviledges Promises and Blessings belonging to it or to cut him off by an untimely and violent Death for so the Learned understand that Text Gen. 17.14 Compared with Exod. 31.14 So that Moses himself was like to have