doth not onely call for ministerial help and advice in a more especial manner but also gives opportunity and advantage for counsel or reproof therefore wee resolve to be as diligent in visiting the sick and afflicted as other labours greatness of our charge and ability to go abroad will suffer us and that not only the rich and those that desire us but also the poor and those that send not for us 8. Seeing we are in Scripture commanded to love all men and as much as in us lieth to follow Peace with all and yet warned to reserve our Brotherly kindness and delight for those that walk holily therefore we resolve in our Society as well as in dispencing of Ordinances to put a difference between the precious and the vile and though we intend not to deny that Charity Help Civility and Duty that we owe unto the Scandalous yet will we bestow our love of complacencie onely on those that order their conversations aright lest by intimacie with wicked men we strengthen the hands of evill doers grieve the hearts of the godly and ensnare our own souls 9. Seeing the sins of Sabbath-breaking Swearing Fornication and Drunkenness are so abominable in the sight of God and men and yet so frequent we resolve besides the reproving of these sins in publike and private to endeavor to bring such Offenders to the punishment of the Law in thosed cases provided 10. We will instruct our people publikely concerning the nature of the discipline of Christ shal press the necessity of their submission to it according to the Rule of Scripture 11 Because it hath been the commendable practise of the Saints of old in order to the Reformation of the Churches publikely and solemnly to renew the Covenant with God and because in this Age temptations to Apostacie and back-slidings from the faith are strong and frequent and because our hearts are so ready to start aside from the Power of Discipline that we daily stand in need of all possible Obligations to submission therefore we resolve to require from our people an assent to the Truths of Christ contained in a short Confession of Faith hereunto annexed and a Profession of their consent to submit unto and accept of the terms of the covenant of Grace to take the Lord for their God to walk in his Wayes to fear love honor and obey him with all their heart and with all their might and to submit to Discipline and Government Yet 1. We are so far from resolving to satisfie our selves with the bare recital and repetition of the words of the Profession c. that we shall endeavour to make the people not onely to profess with Understanding but so far as we can with feeling Apprehensions of what they speak 2. Neither do we intend strictly to bind all to the same circumstances of professing their consent but if any professing owning the substance shall scruple at any particular circumstance we resolve to use towards such all possible meekness and condiscention 12. Besides a professed competent Knowledge of the fundamentals of Religion we resolve to require an unblameable conversation in all those whom we shall admit to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper both these being necessary for the discovery of peoples present fitness and right * in foro Ecclesiae to the actual enjoyment of that Ordinance 13. Because the Ordinances of God may on the one hand be prophaned by the sinful neglect and carelessness of the Church-guides and because on the other hand people may be wronged by a rash and groundless exclusion therefore in the judging and determining of peoples present fitness for that Sacrament we resolve to set before us these following Rules both in point of Knowledge and Scandal In Point of Knowledge 1. Because the truth of Grace is utterly inconsistent with a total ignorance of the Fundamentals of Religion and because such persons not being able to discern the Lords body would eat and drink judgement to themselves therefore we resolve not to admit any that upon trial shall be found to be such to the Sacrament of the Supper 2. We shall not reject any as ignorant that have a competent Knowledge of those heads of Divinity mentioned by the Assembly in the form of Church-Government pag. 28. All such persons who shall be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ought to know That there is a God that there is but one everliving and true God Maker of Heaven and earth and Governor of all things that this onely true God is the God whom we worship that this God is but one God yet three distinct persons the Father Son and Holy Ghost all equally God That God created man after his own image in Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness That by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned that thereby they are all dead in Trespasses and sins and are by nature the children of wrath and so lyable to eternal death the wages of every sin That there is but one Mediator betwixt God and man the Man Christ Iesus who is also over all God blessed for ever neither is there salvation in any other That he was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary that he died upon the cross to save his people from their sins that he rose again the third day from the dead ascended into heaven sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh continual intercession for us of whose fulness we receive all grace necessary to salvation That Christ and his benefits are applied onely by faith that faith is the gift of God and that we have it not of our selves but it is wrought in us by the Word and the spirit of God That faith is that grace whereby we believe and trust in Christ for remission of sins and life everlasting according to the promises of the Gospel that whosoever believes not in the Son of God shall not see life but shall perish eternally That they who truly repent of their sins do see them sorrow for them and turn from them to the Lord and that except men repent they shall surely perish That a godly life is conscionably ordered according to the word of God in holiness and righteousnses without which no man shall see God That the Sacraments are seals of the Covenant of Grace in the blood of Christ that the Sacraments of the New Testament are Baptism and the Supper of the Lord that the outward elements in the Lords Supper are Bread and Wine and do signifie the Body and Blood of Christ crucified which the worthy receiver by Faith doth partake of in the Sacrament which Christ hath likewise ordained for the remembrance of his death that whosoever eateth and drinketh unworthily is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord therefore that every one is to examine himself left he eat and drink judgement to himself not
discerning the Lords Body That the souls of the faithful after death doe immediately live with Christ in blessedness and that the souls of the wicked do immediately go into Hell Torment that there shal be a Resurrection of the bodies both of the just and unjust at the last day at which time all shall appear before the Judgement-seat of Christ to receive according to what they have done in the body whether it be good or evil and that the righteous shall go into life eternal and the wicked into everlasting punishment 3. We must not expect from the ordinary sort of people who through want of breeding and other natural defects are usually unable well to express their mindes a distinct or continued discourse of these things and therefore we shall be satisfyed if we can but perceive that they understand the substance 4. We must take care not to make a Question more difficult by our dark and cloudy Expressions but must endeavor to propound things in the plainest terms we can 5. Though we may propound higher and more difficult Questions for discovery of and provocation to growth in Knowledge yet we wil always as neer as we can make their knowledge or Ignorance in the points mentioned the rule of our discerning and determination 6. And in case any give not that satisfaction we desire we will endeavour to discover whether it be first from their unacquaintedness with the terms words of the Question or secondly from bashfulness or shamefacedness or thirdly from natural impediments or fourthly from ignorance of the thing it self and accordingly we wil propound the Question in other words or fetch a compass to see if they can take a hint from something introductory however in case no satisfactory account can be given we wil not set the parties aside as if we took no further care but shall endeavour to instruct them with all meekness and patience 7. Because we finde by experience that many people speak of the Fundamentals of Religion in a meer form of words by roat without understanding the sense and meaning thereof in propounding our Questions we will of purpose forbear the words and method of ordinary Catechisms In point of Scandal 1. Forasmuch as scandalous sinners cannot be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper without great dishonor to God defiling and abusing of that holy Ordinance sin and judgement to themselves the indangering of the leavening the whole lump uncharitable unfaithfulness in those that knowingly admit them therefore we resolve not to receive any of what degree quality or relation soever to this Ordinance that can be proved to be scandalously sinful 2. In regard we can only take cognizance of peoples outward and ecclesiasticall right to Ordinances therefore we resolve in matters of scandal not to proceed against any according to our private satisfactions suspitions dis-satisfactions or rumours but according to outward visible and full proof of the matter of fact 3. Because all sins are not alike heinous scandalous some being such in one single act others only in respect of continuance other aggravating circumstances thereforefore we resolve to distinguish betwixt sin and sin wherein that we may proceed both more unanimously and safely we shall take the Assemblies direction for our rule looking upon those sins mentioned by them in the form of Church Government as scandalous though but once committed Their words are these All scandalous persons hereafter mentioned are to be suspended from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper that is to say All persons that shall blasphemously speak or write any thing of God his holy Word or Sacraments all renouncers of the true Protestant Religion professed in the Church of England all persons who shall by preaching or writing maintain any such errors as do subvert any of those articles the ignorance whereof doth render any person excluded from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper an incestuous person an adulterer a fornicator a drunkard a prophane swearer or curser one that hath taken away the life of any person maliciously all worshippers of images crosses crucifixes or reliques all that shall make images or pictures of the Trinity or of any person thereof all religious worshippers of Saints Angels or any meer creatures any person that shal profess himself not to be in charity with his Neighbor all persons in whom malice appeareth and they refuse to be reconciled any person that shall challenge any other person by word message or writing to fight or that shall accept such challenge and agree thereto any person that shall knowingly carry any challenge by word message or writing any person that shall upon the Lords Day use any dancing playing at dice or cards or any other game masking wakes shooting bowling playing playing at foot-ball stool-ball wrestling or that shall make resort to any Playes interludes fencing bull-baiting bear-baiting or that shall use hawking hunting or coursing fishing or fowling or that shall publikely expose any Wares to sale otherwise then is provided by an Ordinance of Parliament of the 6th of April 1649. Any person that shall travel on the Lords day without reasonable cause any person that keepeth a known Stews or Brothelhouse or that shall sollicite the chastity of any person for himself or any other any person Father or Mother that that shall consent to the marriage of their children to a Papist or any person that shall marry a Papist any person that shall repaire for any advice to any Witch Wizard or Fortune-Teller any person that shall menace or assault his Parents or any Magistrate Minister or Elder in the execution of his Office any person that shall be legally attainted of Barrotry Forgery Extortion or Bribery 4. Much tenderness is to be used in judging of less sins that have more then ordinary advantage against men by sudden surprisal as Passion c. and in the out-breaking of sins that have formerly been customary but are now striven against and weakned in such ordinary failings as are daily incident to the servant of God in matter of Debt Titles or particular interests in all other things wherein the sinfulness is dubious and disputable 5 We resolve in less sins to have regard to the constant tenure of the parties life and carriage as whether he be ordinarily otherwise strict or careless and to the circumstances of frequency obstinacy company provocation c. which might either aggravate or lessen the offence 6. In case the party offending upon Reproof shall manifest repentance by a serious profession of sorrow not sleight and meerly verbal he ought to be received again 7. And if the party professing repentance shall readily return to the same sin once and again or to any other scandalous sin though he again profess repentance yet we will defer his re-admission til we have trial of his reformation for some competent time 8. Because it often falls out that mens actions are lyable to mis-constructions and mis-apprehensions especially amongst
labour among you but also in their Ruling-work when they admonish you And though the effect of this might be sometime displeasing to you yet notwithstanding he chargeth you to esteem them very highly in love {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} very abundantly more then exceedingly for their work sake Oh! then take heed of that rebellious voice which cost Korah and his company so deer Numb. 16. 3. Ye take too much upon you wherefore lift you up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord 2. If ye refuse and rebell you do not so much despise us as Christ who hath imployed us the cause is not ours but his and the contempt is principally against the king of peace he fully tels you all this Luk 10. 16 that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Say not in your hearts as those wicked ones VVe will not have this man to rule over us 3. Consider the issue will ye think to gain any thing by rejecting his Government Do you not remember that he hath an Iron Rod as well as a Scepter of Mercy If ye refuse the yokes of wood can he not put an iron yoke upon your neck think not to bear out in a bravado against God though like the wilde Ass in the wilderness you should snuff up the winde and traverse on your way or bend your brow against him yet will the Almighty be afraid of your frown Or will he make supplications to you Oh vain man bethink thy self how thou wilt answer thy contempt if thou dost continue 4. There is nothing in the Government of Christ that should make a rational man refuse it we speak of Government and discipline in the main and not of the controverted points of it That there must be rulers and ruled in the Church is not questioned and that the ruled must submit to the direction admonition and reproof of their rulers and that in some cases sinners must be sharply dealt withall by publike rebuke 1 Tim. 5. 20. and sometimes by excommunication Matt. 18. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 4 5 13. All these are evident Now though these thwart the carnal interests of men and are no wayes pleasing to flesh and blood yet seeing all is for edification and not destruction 2 Cor. 10. 8. 13. 10. for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Iesus 1 Cor. 5. 5. What man is there that prefers heaven before hell or the safety of his soul before bodily ease and credit that will turn his back upon these necessary though sharp Medicines How then can you profess Christ and yet refuse to submit to the righteous Scepter of his Kingdom 3. Beware lest you also being led away with the Error of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness be not children tossed to and fro with every winde of Doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive 'T is the glory of a Christian to be steady and unmoveable holding fast the faith once delivered to the Saints We would not be over-tedious and therefore shall set before you but some of those many Considerations which might here be urged 1. God doth permit these swarms of Errors for the tryal of his people and the discovery of Hypocrites and rotten Professors Paul in 1 Cor. 11. 19. tells us Heresies must be they are not only possible but necessary that they which are approved might-be made manifest and that they that went out from us might be made manifest that they were not all of us 1 Joh. 2. 19. 2. Do you not see it frequently that they who make shipwrack of faith make also shipwrack of a good conscience Do not erroneous principles in wicked and licencious practices It is too visible in the carriage of many already and of others you may easily guess what will follow when they are more hardened in error And dare you take that for truth which hath a natural tendencie to looseness and liberty How far these principles of following the Light within and of absolute perfection which will at last bring in either a denyal of Fornication and Lying c. to be sins or to be theirs that act them and several others are directly improveable this way we need not tell you 3. Have you not observed how fickle and uncertain error is when once men are turned off from the truth they readily fall into a dislike of the errors which at first they doted on after they are stale for the entertainment of a new Error when grown into fashion and so from one Error to another till they arrive at Atheism if God in pitty stop them not like a stone when once set a going down the hill it rowles still till it come to the bottom 4. Consider the dreadful threatning of the Lord against those that received the truth but not in the love of it Read and study wel that text of 2 Thess. 2. 11. For this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lye that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness And forget not the danger of Apostacie see Heb. 6. 4 5 6. 10. 26. 'T is a sad sentence though we should take the most favourable construction that is given of it to say There remains no more sacrifice for sins and that 't is impossible to renew them again by repentance 5. The hand of God is so visibly against them that they that will not see it are inexcusably blind What God hath done in Germany and of late in New-England ought not to be slightly passed over And how heavy spiritual Judgements are upon Apostates several of our own Counties are sad and sufficient Examples when God suffers Error to draw men beyond the bounds of Reason Modesty and natural conscience when that which they seemed to have is taken away their gifts withered and their former seeming religious observation of duty quite dryed up by the roots surely his minde is that we should take warning by their dreadful fall As for the quakers one would think their actions and principles would make a man that had any of common reason left to abominate and abhor them Sure we are the prevalency of that madness is not from any strength of rational or scriptural satisfaction we have seen many strongly and passionately possessed with that who yet neither understood it nor could give a reason for it but from an {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the efficacie and strength of delusion through divine judgement upon them Shall we need to put you in minde of that which your selves know so well and are eye and ear-witnesses of as well as we How visible is the devils 〈◊〉 in the beastly nakedness of men and women in our Assemblies in what a strange unchristian temper of railing reviling 〈◊〉 and