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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A51995 The purity of Gospel communion, or, Grounds and reasons for separation from persons of corrupt manners, or that hold erroneous doctrine in matters of faith essential to salvation, or that are guilty of false worship, or irregular administration of Gospel ordinances briefly discussed to prevent the increase of sin and disorder by a mixed communion in church fellowship / by Isaac Marlow. Marlow, Isaac. 1694 (1694) Wing M694; ESTC R18243 42,542 83

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THE PURITY OF Gospel Communion OR Grounds and Reasons FOR SEPARATION From Persons of Corrupt Manners c. WHen the Lord of old brought up the Children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt he separated them from other Nations to be his People in a peculiar Covenant and by his Laws he sanctified them from all Uncleanness Lev. 11.25 Lev. 5.2 3. Ch. 11.24 c. Numb 19.11 13. Deut. 23.10 to 19. insomuch that whoso bore the Carkass of any unclean Beast he was to wash his Cloaths and be unclean until the Even And whoso touched the Body of a Dead Man purified not himself he defiled the Tabernacle of the Lord that Soal was to be cut off from Israel because the Water of Separation was not sprinkled upon him Exod. 12.19 Lev. 22.3 to 8. Numb 15.30 31. And whosoever eat the Passover with unleavened Bread or went unto the Holy things having his uncleanness upon him that Soul was to be cut off from the Congregation of Israel and from the presence of the Lord. And the Soul that dispised the Word of the Lord and brake his Commandments that Soul was utterly to be cut off his Iniquity should be upon him Now those Separations and these and many other legal cleansings were shadows of Gospel things whereby the Purity of the New Testament Church was set forth And to the end it should be a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 an Holy Nation a peculiar People to shew forth the Praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous Light He hath left us Holy Laws for the Government of his Church 1 Cor. 5.6 7. Gal. 5.9 and for the purging out of the old leaven of Unrighteousness for a little leaven leaveneth the whole Lump as it consequently follows that such who bear with Sin in one cannot avoid bearing it in another and by opening of this Sluce a Flood of Sin and Iniquity will quickly sweep away the beauty of a Gospel Church and turn the noble Vine that was planted wholly a right seed Jer. 2.21 into the degenerate plant of a strange Vine to the dishonour of God the reproach of true Religion the stumbling of weak Christians and the hardning of one another in their Sins and Disobedience against the most Soveraign Majesty of Heaven and Earth To prevent which evils I shall therefore Treat of the way and means appointed by Christ who loved the Church Eph. 1.4 Ch. 5.25 26 27. Tit. 2.14 and gave himself for it That he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that we should be holy and without blame before him in Love And in order thereunto I shall here Premise that forasmuch as the Church of Christ is said to be the pillar and ground of Truth And that it is Gods building 1 Tim. 3.15 1 Cor. 3.9 Heb. 8.5 1 Pet. 2.4 5. Eph. 2.20 21 22. Ch. 4.4 5. Judge 20. It cannot be so unless it be erected according to the Pattern shewed in the Holy Mount and recorded for the Example of after Ages That every stone should be a lively Stone by Regeneration built up together a spiritual house in one most Holy Faith for as there is one Body and one Spirit so there is one Faith And it is the Duty of every Christian to help build up Gods spiritual Temple according to the pure Primitive and Apostolical Pattern and to this end they should come out from among them and be separate 2 Cor. 6.16 17. and joyn themselves to such a Congregation of Believers where they may continue together in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship tho' not personally with them and in breaking of Bread and in Prayers For the Church of Christ should not be a mixed Building tho' on Christ the true Foundation as the Apostle warneth us saying Ye are Gods building 1 Cor. 3.9 10 11. according to the Grace of God which is given unto me as a wise Master-builder I have laid the Foundation and another buildeth thereon but let every Man take heed how he buildeth thereupon for other Foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Jesus Christ Now if any man build upon this Foundation Gold silver precious stones wood hay stubble Every mans work shall be made manifest and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is If any mans work abide which he hath built thereupon he shall receive a reward If any mans work shall be burnt he shall suffer loss So that the Gospel Church is not to be formed of such mixed and combustible matter as men please Rev. 1.20 1 Pet. 1.7 Exod. 25.81 Rev. 3.18 but of pure Gold yea of such as is tryed in the Fire But to proceed First I shall prove that it is the Duty of a Church of Christ to withdraw their Communion from yea and to purge out those Persons that are without Repentance for it guilty of corrupt Manners or evil Actions 1 Cor. 5.1 to 6. 1 Tim. 1.20 and that not only for committing the grosser sort of Sins as Fornication or incestuous Marriages Blasphemy or other notorious Evil but for smaller offences And first our Lord hath commanded us saying Math. 18.15 16 17. If thy Brother shall trespass against thee go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone If he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses every Word may be established And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man and a Publican To which I shall only here say that as this trespass mentioned in the Text must be some breach of the Moral Law Mat. 7.12 in not doing to others as we would that others should do to us because it is a trespass against a Brother So it is plain that for such a cause of doing wrong if satisfaction be not given by Repentance the offender should be unto us as an Heathen Man and a Publican with whom it was not lawful to hold any Church Communion unless they were converted 2. It is said 2 Thes 3.6 Now we command you Brethren in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Traditions which he received of us Here we have a general command to withdraw from all disorderly Persons which because I design to open it more at large in some following part of this Treatise I shall at present only note this Scripture as a positive Law to preserve the Purity of Church Communion and the Words of our Lord before recited are for the same end