may be the better understood and taken up ye would consider first what persons by the Word of GOD and doctrine of the Kirk of Scotland are to be debarred from or admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper how the rule of the Word and constitutions of the Kirk are keeped in this particular For the first it is clear from the Word of God and the Doctrine of the Kirk of Scotland that all scandalous and ignorant persons ought to be debarred from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and that none ought to be received and admitted thereunto but such who do not only know and make profession of the Gospel but walke sutable thereunto The Apostle Paul in the 1 Cor. 11. 28. appoints that a man must first examine himself and so eat And he also saith That he who comes to that Sacrament must be one who discernes the Lords Body otherwise that he eats and drinks damnation to himself and he further adds That this must be done in remembrance of JESUS CHRIST to shew forth his death till he come again and therefore such as by reason of their ignorance cannot examine themselves nor discern the Lords Body nor knowes not what it is to shew forth the Lords death ought not to come This same duty of examination discerning the Lords Body which the Apostle calls for doth also debar scandalous persons and admit of none but such who walk orderly according to the Gospel because the examination here required must be according to the nature of the Ordinance of the Lords Supper to wit whether they be worthy or not that is whether they have repentance or not For he that comes without it is unclean and so pollutes the Ordinance as also whether he hath faith or not without which there can be no discerning of the Lords Body nor shewing forth his death and whether they have love or no without which there can be no Communion with CHRIST and his Members in that Ordinance The Confession of Faith of the Kirk of Scotland Intituled To whom Sacraments appertain speaks thus But the Supper of the Lord we confesse to appertain to such only as be of the houshold of Faith and can try and examine themselves aswell in their faith as in their duty to their neighbour but if such persons ought not to come and if the Sacraments do not appertain to them there can be no question but if they presume to come they ought to be debatred it being a trust committed to the Officers of the Kirk both in the Old and New Testament to keep the charge of the holy things and to take heed that his Ordinances be not polluted and prophaned and to separate the precious from the vile Levit. 10. 10. That ye may put a difference betwixt the holy and unholy betwixt the clean and unclean 2 Chron. 23. 19. And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the Lord that none who was unclean in any thing should enter in Ezek. 22. 26. They have put no difference betwixt the holy and prophane neither have they shewed difference betwixt the clean and the unclean Ezek. 44. 7. In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh to be in my sanctuary to pollute it even my house when ye offer my bread the fat and the bloud and they have broken my Covenant because of all your abominations and ye have not keeped the charge of my holy things but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for your selves Mat. 7. 6. Give not that which is holy unto dogs neither cast ye your pearls before swine lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rent you 1 Cor. 5. 13. But them that are without God judgeth therefore put away from amongst your selves that wicked person Tit. 3. 10. A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject Rev. 2. 20. Neverthelesse I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Iezebel which calleth herself a prophetess to teach seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols Jer. 15. 19. If thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them The Direction for the Publick Worship of God throughout the three Kingdomes in the Head concerning the Celebration of the Lords Supper asserts that the ignorant scandalous are not to receive the Sacrament And the Large Catechism asserts That such as are found to be ignorant scandalous notwithstanding their profession of saith and desire to come to the Lords Supper may ought to be keeped from that Sacrament by the power which Christ hath left in his Kirk untill they receive instruction and manifest their reformation And the Confession of Faith condescended on by the Assembly of Divines and approven by the Kirk of Scotland in the Chapter of the Lords Supper saith That all scandalous and ignorant persons as they are unfit to enjoy Communion with CHRIST so are they unworthy of the Lords Table and so cannot without great sin against CHRIST whilst they remain such partake of the holy Mysteries or be admitted thereto And for proof thereof citeth these Scriptures 1 Cor. 11. 27 28 29. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord But let a man examin himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lords body 2 Cor. 5. 14 15 16. For the love of Christ constrainceth us because we thus judge That if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves but to him that died for them and rose again Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet we henceforth know him no more 1 Cor. 5. 6 7. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump as ye are unleavened For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us v. 13. But them that are without God judgeth Therefore put away from among your selves that wicked person 2 Thess. 3. 6 14 15. Now we command you brethren in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ That ye withdraw your selves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the tradition which he received of us And if any man obey not our word by this Epistle note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed Yet count him not as an enemy but admonish him as a brother Mat. 7. 6. Give not that which is holy unto dogs neither cast ye your pearls before swine
lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rent you As to the other how the Rule of the Word and Constitutions of this Kirk are keept in this particular it needs nor much be spoken the transgression being so palpable common that they who runs may read these particular faults may be taken notice of in order to this point 1. To say nothing that in some places few or none at all are excluded for ignorance but that persons being once come to such an age are admitted and being once admitted are never again excluded There is in many Congregations little or no care to examine or take any notice of the knowledge of all persons indifferently something being done in reference to servants and these of the poorer sort but masters of families and those of the richer sort for the most part neglected taking it for granted as it were that they have knowledge when indeed many of them are grosly ignorant and ought because of their ignorance to be debarred 2. That the bare repeating of the Lords Prayer the Belief or ten Commandements or answering a Question or two of the Catechisme by rot-rime as we say when nothing of the meaning is understood is by many taken for knowledge sufficient 3. There is not sufficient care to take notice of all scandals and scandalous persons in which respect there is a twofold gross neglect 1 That the scandal of omission of Duty is not taken notice of as well as the scandal of commission of sin notwithstanding that the Acts and Constitutions of the Kirk make express provision for the one aswel as for the other as may be seen in their Acts against these who absent themselves on the Lords day from the Publick Worship of God and against masters of families who neglect to pray in their family and others of that nature 2. The many scandals of commission are also neglected it being a custom in many Congregations to take notice only of Fornicators and Adulterers and workers on the Lords day and such as these but do neglect Tiplers Drunkards Swearets Lyars Deceivers of their Neighbors Fighters Oppressors Extortioners Covetous persons and many others who walk contrary to the Gospel whereas it is expresly provided by the Discipline of this Kirk in the year 1587. that if the Eldership perceive any thing in the Congregation either evil in the example or scandalous in manners and not beseeming their profession whatsoever it be that may spot the Christian Congregation yea rather whatsoever is not to edification ought not to escape admonition or punishment or higher degree of Kirk-Censure as 2 Cor. 2. 6. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment which was inflicted of many 3. That many such as have been judicially convicted of scandalous faults are pressed and received into a publick profession of Repentance when as indeed there is no real evidences of Repentance yet by a profession therof are put in a capacity to come to the Lords Table By these waies it comes to pass that many ignorant and scandalous persons are admitted who ought to be excluded which certainly is a fearful sin as may appear in these and many other respects 1. It hinders many poor souls from searching after knowledge and from departing from iniquity and hardens them in their ignorance and lewdness 2. It causeth them to prohane the precious bloud of the Covenant and to eat and drink damnation to themselves 3. It makes the ignorant and scandalous promiscuously partakers of the seals of the Covenant of Grace with the truly godly 4. It provokes the Lord to depart from his Ordinances and forsake his Temple because of such dishonour to his Name 5. It brings on the judgment of God on particular persons and the whol Land Lastly it grieves and stumbles the godly amongst our selves and exposes our selves and the Ordinances of Christ therein to contempt and reproach amongst others The Fourth Consequent which is named to follow on the resting upon outward and bare forms is the keeping in of many continually openly profane in the fellowship of this Kirk by which is meant the neglect of casting out such from the fellowship of the kirk by the sentence of excomunication for certainly these who do wilfully continue in their ignorance from year to year slighting the means of knowledge and refusing to be instructed or to learn the way of the Lord And these who do continue in an open course of prophanity making a profession of repentance and still persisting in their wicked way after sufficient pains taken on them and their slighting other inferior Kirk Censures ought to be casten out as dry and withered corrupt and rotten branches and not to be looked as Members of the Kirk of GOD. Num. 15. 30. But the soul that doth ought presumptuously whether he be born in the Land or a stranger the same reproacheth the Lord and that soul shall be cut off from amongst his People Psal. 50. 16 17. But to the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and casteth my Words behinds thee Mat. 18. 18. Verily I say unto you Whatsoever you shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven And therfore it is provided in the old Acts of the Assembly of this Kirk that who will stubbornly remain ignorant in the principal points of Salvation shall be Excommunicated And that every Master of Family shall be commanded either to instruct his Children and Servants or cause them be instructed and if they will not the Kirk shall proceed against them The Gen. Assembly at Edinburgh in the year 1648. in the Overtures for the remedy of Grievances and common Sins of the Land provided That persons often guilty of gross scandals be Excommunicated more summarily then ordinary Process except there be more then ordinary signs an eminent measure of repentance made known to the Sessions and Presbyterie Besides these four the Article also mentions many other sad and fearful consequents unto the prophaning of all the Ordinances of God and rendring them bare barren and fruitless to us And there is no question but that formality in profession and resting upon and idolizing outward and bare forms brings out many sad consequents besides these such as the slighting by many and mocking by some the work of the Spirit not seeking after communion and fellowship with God in Ordinances not studying to know and be humbled for the iniquity of our Holy things not seeing a need and imploying of JESUS CHRIST for strength and acceptance in all our performances and turning the living God to a dumb Idol and many others that are mentioned and spoken to in that Paper published by the Commssion concerning the contempt of the Gospel The Fourth Article The fourth Artcle hath two parts the first whereof relates to the neglect of Family-worship which though it be a grievous sin which provokes the
therein who not only contrary to the practice of good Nehemiah who would not eat the bread of the Governour took large allowance for their attendance on Publick Affairs and notwithstanding that they had sufficient estates of their own but also abused their power and moyen for exacting and imploying summes of Money for themselves and for their friends and followers while in the mean time small regard was had to the condition of these from whom these summes were exacted or to the equall supplying of the condition of others to whom as much and possibly more in desert and justice was due as to these to whom those Moneyes were given We shall not insist on the bribery that hath been amongst Judges the cunning cozenage and exorbitant pilferings and taking that hath been amongst Advocats Procurators Commissars Clerks and Collectors many of them have made haste to be rich and have by the Bench by the Purse by the tongue and by the Pen heaped up much treasure and made conquest of Lands and Estates but with an evill conscience because it hath been the gain of bribery and injustice and lying and deceit violence and oppression but amongst no sort of persons hath these sins of covetousnesse and oppression more appeared and prevailed then amongst many of the chief Officers and Souldiers in our Armies insomuch that many of these who were raised for the Lands protection and defence have been their intollerable burden and plague and have by their most exorbitantâ— violent tyrannicall and insatiable exactions made the lives of the Inhabitants bitter and a burden to them What interverting of Levies what false Musters what exorbitant exactions above the Law for men and horse and Arms what Quarterings and covetous subtile oppressing devices of many sorts for getting of Money have been amongst Officers and what plundering of Goods destroying of Corns taking and robbing of Moneyes railing upon and beating and wounding the poor people what excessive eating and drinking and unplacablenesse in their diet not satisfying themselves with such fare as people could afford to them but killing their Kine and Sheep and what ever came in their way and how many other things of that kind hath been amongst Souldiers and what exorbitancies and oppressions whereof the negligence and over-sight of some great ones and officers in our Armies was not the least cause for they not being able to shake their hands of dishonest gain themselves did oftentimes wink at nay sometimes obstruct the purging out and punishing of others Amongst other effects of Covetousnesse instance is given in the close of the Article of the great Insolencies and oppression of many in our Armies in England and Ireland and the fearfull perjuries of the Land in the matter of Valuation and Excise both of which were dreadfull and horrible provocations The first of them as it was a grievous burden to our Brethren in England and Ireland and did exceedingly stumble them at this Nation and the Work of GOD in their hands so we make no question but it is one of the sins that GOD is pointing at now in a speciall manner in the rods wherewith he now chastiseth us The other of them though little adverted to or laid to heart or acknowledged to this day yet is a fearfull guilt which many in the Land ly under How many in the matter of Valuations that Lands might be valued at a low rate did swear falsely And how many were there who were Instrumentall to cause others to swear falsely And some Judges for their own advantage and interest did connive thereat And many likewise did swear falsely in exciseable goods Before we close what relates to this Article we desire that these Scriptures may be considered in reference to the sins mentioned there as the fruits of the love of the World and Covetousnesse Job 35. 9. By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry they cry out because of the arm of the mighty but none saito where is God c. Psal. 62. 10. Trust not in oppression become not vain in robbery If riches encrease set not your hearts on them Psal 82. 2. How long will ye judge unjustly and accept the person of the wicked Proverb 14. 31. He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his maker but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor Proverb 15. 27. He that is greedy of gain he troubleth his own house but he who hateth gifts shall hve Prov. 22. 16. He that oppresseth the poor to encrease his riches and he that giveth to the rich shal surely come to want Prov. 28. 3. A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain that leaveth no food Verse 8. He who by usury and unjust gain encreaseth his substance he shall gather it for him that shal pity the poor 20. Verse A faithfull man shal abound with blessings but he who maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent Eccles. 7. 7. Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad and a gift destroyeth the heart Isai. 1. 21 22 23 24. How is the faithful city become an harlot It was full of judgement and righteousnesse lodged in it but now murderers Thy siluer is become drosse thy wine mixt with water Thy princes are rebellions and companions of theeves every one loveth gifts and followeth after rewards they judge not the fatherlesse neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them Therefore saith the Lord the Lord of hosts the mighty one of Israel Ab I will ease me of mine adversaries and avenge me of mine enemies Isai. 3. 12 13 14 15. As for my people children are their oppressors and women rule over them O my people they which lead thee cause thee to erre and destroy the way of thy paths The Lord standeth up to plead and standeth to judge the people The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people and the Princes thereof For ye have eaten up the vineyard the spoil of the poor is in your houses What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces and grind the faces of the poor saith the Lord God of hosts Isai. 5. 7. And he looked for judgment but behold oppression and for righteousnesse but behold a cry 9. Verse Of a truth saith the Lord of Hosts many houses shall be desolate even great avd fair without Inhabitant v. 23. Which justifie the wicked for reward take away the righteousnes of the righteous from him Isa. 10. 1 3. Wo unto them that decree unrighteous decrees and that write grievousness which they have prescribed To turn aside the needy from judgment and to take away the right from the poor of my People that widows may be their prey and that they may rob the fatherless And what wil ye do in the day of visitation and in the desolation which shal come from far To whom wil ye flee for help and where wil you leave your glory Without me they shal bow down under the