A brief and plain DISCVSSION Of that Question which of late hath troubled many tender CONSCIENCES NAMELY Whether it be lawfull to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in those Congregations where there is a mixture of some Ignorant or Prophane Persons Tit. 1.15 To the pure all things are pure 1 Cor 11.28 Let a man therefore examine himself and so let him eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup. LONDON Printed for John Wright at the Kings Head in the Old-Baily 1652. Whether it bee lawfull to receive the Sacrament in those Congregations where there is a mixture of some that are Ignorant or Scandalous THat the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a most sacred Ordinance and ought to be used in a sacred manner that it ought not to be polluted by prophane persons and such as come altogether unworthily and unpreparedly all will easily grant That such as these ought to be kept back and not to be admitted yea that every one in his place and order according to that power which God hath given him ought to use his best endeavour to keep such back will not be denied by any that desire this holy ordinance may be preserved in its purity But if for want of right Discipline which is yet wanting in most Congregations of the Kingdome or want of right Excercise of this Discipline some Unvvorthy ones do thrust in and mix themselves with others in the use of this Ordinance whether it be lawfull for a worthy receiver to joyn himself with them is the question And this is such a thing as hath much troubled the minds of many piously affected who though they excedingly desire to partake of this Ordinance yet dare not do it where there is such a mixture That it is not unlawfull to receive the sacrament in such Congregations where there is a mixture of some that are Ignorant or Scandalous may appear by these reasons following Argu. 1. Whatsoever Duty we are called unto by a Clear command from the word we ought not to forbear the performance of it unless we have as clear a command to the contrary But we have a clear command to do this that is to receive the Lords Supper in remembrance of Christs death and hereby to shew forth the Lords death till he come c. No such clear command to call us from it when there is a mixture of Unworthy ones therefore we are bound not to forbear it If there be any such clear command to the contrary let it be shewed The Apostle when he delivers the doctrine of the Sacrament 1. Cor. 11 23. when he shews the danger of comming Unworthily and calls upon men to Examine themselves before they come v. 27.28 had fair occasion likewise to have shewed the danger of joyning with others that came unworthily yea it had been necessary for him to have done so when there were some of the Corinthians that had divisions and contentions among themselves v. 18. others that came drunken to the sacrament v. 21. others that despised the Church of God v. 22. yet he doth no where charge them not to joyn with these in the use of this Ordinance but onely enjoynes every man to examine himself and so to eat of the Bread and drink of the Cup. As for those places that are alleged by some to shew the unlawfulness of joining in mixt congregations in answer to them afterwards it shall be plainly demonstrated that all of them fall farre short of holding forth any such clear command for the Forbearance as those before-mentioned do for the Performance of the duty Argu. 2. If it be unlawfull for a worthy receiver to joyn with those that come unworthily it is because he doth some way comâ—unicate with them in their sin But he that comes rightly prepared doth no way communicate with the sin of the unprepared so he may lawfully come If the worthy receiver doth communicate with the sin of the unworthy it is either because he communicates with such in the outward action or in the inward affection For the inward affection he hath no communion with them that way at all the affections of the unworthy and worthy being altogether of a differing nature The one comes with a heart humbled for sin the other with a heart hardened in sin the one comes with a heart hungring after Christ and his righteousness the other without any sense of the need of him or any true desire after him The one comes with a serious purpose to forsake all sin the other with a purpose to continue in sin or at least without any serious or setled resolution to forsake all sin For the outward action wherein both do communicate that it is in it self good being the very thing which Christ himself requires namely to receive sacramentall Bread and Wine in remembrance of his death and passion and would be good in him that comes unworthily if his inward affections were right As the outward action of hearing the word and joining in prayer and calling upon God is good when done by a wicked man so is the outward action of receiving the Sacrament The evill that accompanies these actions is want of doing them in a right manner 2. In all actuall sins mans will is principium actionis the principall cause of the act how then can a man be guilty of that sin which another man commits wherin his wil hath no concurrence 3. If the worthy receiver should be accessory to the sin of the unworthy then the unworthy should pollute the Ordinance of God not only to himself but to others but this he doth not for To the pure all things are pure Tit. 1 15. Object But is there nothing else required to free us from being accessory to the scandalous evills of such as come unworthily to the sacrament but only self-preparation Answ Yet It is our duty to admonish such if their scandals be known to us and we have opportunity to do it Mat. 18.15 2. If they regard not our private admonition it is our duty to do it before one or two witnesses v. 16. 3. If they will not yet hear it is our duty to acquaint the church-officers with it if they be such as are fit and willing to yeeld any help v. 17. 4. If by none of these meanes unworthy ones can be kept back it is our duty to mourn and be humbled before God earnestly seeking for redress of this evil 1 Cor. 5.2 If we have used our best endeavour for performance of these things we shal not be involved in the guilt of such as come unworthily to the sacrament Arg. 3. If be it unlawfull to receive the Sacrament with those who come unworthily then it is unlawfull to do this with any such or with those whom we know to be such if with any such then we must not join in receiving with those Hypocrites from whom scarce any congregation is free If it be unlawfull only to receive with those whom we
know to be such then our Saviour would not have joyned with Judas whom he knew to be a thief and a traytor in eating the Passover for that was a sacrament of the same nature and serving to the same end with this of the Lords Supper Ob Christ knew Judas to be such an one by his divine knowledge as he was God only and not as he was Man Ans By what knowledge soever he knew him to be such yet if by his presence he had polluted the Ordinance not only to himself but to others he would not have permitted him to joyn in it for there was no care wanting in him to preserve the purity of Gods ordinances 2. Though the other Disciples knew not that Iudas was a Traytor before they came to eat the Passover yet in the time of eating it they knew it for John having asked Christ who it was that should betray him he answered he it is to whom I shall give a sopp when I have dipped it and having dipped the sopp he gave it unto Judas Iohn 11.25 26. 3. If my knowledge of another mans Unworthiness should hinder me from joyning with him then when I know and am convinced of the unworthiness of any that comes though his sin be such as will not call for a Church-censure yet I must forbear or if it be of a scandalous nature though I have neither time nor opportunity of acquainting the Church with it so as he may be kept back yet I am debarred from comming Suppose a Christian intending to receive the sacrament should have certain knowledge of his neighbours drunkenness or uncleaness the night or morning before he were to come so as he had no opportunity either of admonishing him or acquainting the Church with it is he therefore bound to deprive himself of the benefit of partaking of the sacrament because another comes vvhom he knowes to be unworthy doth his bare knowledge of another mans sin involve him in the guilt of it It is not in the power of any private person to keep away such as are unworthy if therfore he shaâ—l do that which belongs to him namely admonish them or acquaint the Church Officers with it having opportunitie or be humbled mourn for it if no good can be done he acquits himself of the guilt of such as come unworthily His Sin is not the joyning with such in receiving the sacrament but the not performing of those other dutyes which God requires of him Arg. 4. If the presence of wicked men doth pollute the sacrament to those that joyn with them in receiving it then it doth pollute other Ordinances also to those that joyn with them in partaking of them and so it should be unlawfull to hear the word and call upon the name of God in those Congregations where wicked men are present The reason is because we have externall communion with them in these actions of worship as well as receiving the sacrament and in none of these we have any internall communion at all with them but the outward actions being good it cannot be evill to have communion with them in these as hath been shewed Oh. But in the use of the sacraments there is a nearer and higher degree of communion than in other ordinances these being the nearest and strongest bonds of union and communion Ans Gradus non variat speciem This is still but a communion of the same kind and nature namely externall and so we have but a greater degree of outward communion no inward at all and if it be sinfull to have communion with them in the outward action in this Ordinance it is likewise sinfull though not so great a sin to communicate with them in the outward act in other ordinances Can we think that Hezekiah and Josiah should have been so much commended for celebrating those famous Passovers in their time wherein there was such a mixture of many who were not clensed according to the purification of the sanctuary 2 Chron. 30.19 when Judah was universally corrupted with false priesthood idolatry images groves c. if this mixture had polluted the worship to the people of God who came rightly prepared to the exercise of it yea can we think that when some amongst the Corinthians caused schismes and contentions some that went to law with their brethren before heathen judges some that did eat and drink with infidels at the tables of idols some that denied the doctrine of the Resurrection some that came distempered to the Lords Supper that the Apostle would not have given direct charge to the Corinthians to have separated from these in receiving the Sacrament if their presence had polluted the Ordinance to all the rest Can we think that the Lord would have suffered idolaters fornicators tempters of Christ murmurers to have eaten the same spirituall meat and drink the same spirituall drink with his people in the wilderness if they bad defiled these things not only to themselves but to others Arg. 5. If the presence of wicked men doth pollute the Sacrament to those who come rightly prepared then the efficacy benefit fruit and comfort of Gods ordinances should depend not only upon his institution blessing the influence of his Spirit and right qualification of those who partake of them but also upon the qualification and disposition of all those who join with them in the use of them which would make the people of God be upon great uncertainties when they should receive benefit by his Ordinances and bereave them of a great part of that comfort which they should reap by them because they should alway be in suspence whether some unworthy ones did not join with them in the use of them yea it would as it were confine the comfort and vertue of them to the qualities and tempers of men We have a sure word that tells us that every one who doth examine himself a right may come and eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup and in doing so he shall eat the body and drink the blood of Christ that is be made partaker of the benefit or Christs death and suffering and this is that which must be the ground of our comfort in comming to the Sacrament and of our assurance that we shall receive good by it and not the consideration of the quality and condition of those that ioyn with us in receiving lest hereby we do in part suspend the power of Gods ordinance upon the worthiness of men Ob. But we ought to partake of pure Ordinances Ans So we may though some impure ones join with us in the use of them We ought to account the ordinances pure if for the substance of them they be administred according to the pure holy rule of the word As in the hearing of the word we may be said to partak of a pure ordinance if pure sound doctrine be taught if there be such an explication application of the Scripture as is agreeable to
whereby we know that we are translated from death to life namely if we love the brethren 1. Ioh. 3.14 But where are we bidden above all things to take heed that we receive not the Sacrament in mixt congregations we are charged in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that there should be no divisions or schismes as the originall is amongst us 1. Cor. 1.10 But where are we charged in the name of the Lord Jesus not to join with any unworthy ones in receiving the Sacrament why should we let go a certainty for an uncertainty a certain unity for some doubtfull degrees of purity for such things as if they be required of us at all yet are not urged upon us with half that clearness and strength of scripture as the other are Though Christ come to set a difference betwixt his own and the world even such as were tyed together by nearest outward relations as father and sonne c. yet he came not to set a difference betwixt his own and his own betwixt the living members of his body for these he prayes that they may be one as be and the father are one Joh. 17.21 these he gives in charge that they love one another John 15.17 And these commands are joined together as things of like necessity and validity namely that we beleeve on the sonne and love one another 1. Ioh. 3.23 Love is the bond of union and communion betwixt all the members of the body How great a breach hath been made in this bond by this branch of separation namely separating from the sacrament dayly experience too sadly shewes How can this bond continue firm when there is a continued withdrawing from those actions wherein Christian union and communion doth principally consist and whereby Christian love is principally preserved What is that division or schism which the Apostle doth so earnestly dehort from 1. Cor. 1.10 but a groundless separation from a true Church And is not this a great degree of such a separation when we separate our selves from them in those actions which are the greatest bonds of union and strongest meanes of spirituall communion Heathens are allowed to join with Christians in other ordinances as hearing the word and prayer but not so in the use of the sacraments because they are not looked at as members of the same body if therefore we will joyn with the members of Jesus Christ only in the use of the other ordinances but uot in the use of the sacraments what privilege do we allow them this vvay or part of spirituall communion vvith us more than heathens are allowed The Apostle chargeth the Corinthians vvith schism because they vvere partially addicted to their teachers one holding of Paul another of Apollo another of Cephes 1. Cor. 1.12 compared vvith 10. yet they did not separate themselves one from another in hearing the vvord or receiving the sacraments if therefore vve practise separation these vvayes hovv can vve acquit our selves from a great degree of that schism vvhich he there condemns Many of our Congregations are not denyed to be true churches even by such as vvithdravv from our sacraments if any should be doubtfull this vvay they may receive satisfaction from scripture-grouuds vvhich therefore may be briefly mentioned 1. That is a true church vvhich is built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles namely the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ being the chief corner stone Eph. 2.19 20. that divers of our congregations are so it cannot be denyed 2. That is a true church vvhich is the pillar and seat of truth 1 Tim. 3.15 that it to which the truth is as it vvere fastened and by vvhich it is held forth in a constant continued manner As the lavves of a kingdome vvere vvont to be fastned to pillars and by them to be held forth to the veivv of all and so it is in many of our congregations 3. That is a true church vvhere salvation is to be had namely by the use of those ordinances which are there setled and in a constant course administred Thus our Saviour proves the Church of the Jews to be a true Church namely salvation was of the Iews Io. 4.22 It was to be had in an ordinary course by those meanes that were planted among them though all things were then extremely corrupted 4. Those are true Mothers which bring forth true legitimate children to their husbands such do some of our Congregations daily bring forth unto Christ Divers of those who do now withdraw from us will not deny themselves to be truly begotten and brought forth unto Christ in our Congregations Suppose those Logicall notions about the matter and form of a Church which some much insist upon will not exactly agree to many of our Congregations if taken in a strict sense yet if there may be found in them all the essentialls of a true Church namely those great ordinances of sound and saving preaching of the Word and Sacraments administred according to Christs institution for their substance in a setled way and a considerable number of persons submitting themselves really to those ordinances and others also in outward profession they cannot be denyed to be the true Churches of Christ though defective in some things that make much for the well-being though not necessary for the essence or being of a Church Now if divers of our Congregations be the true churches of Christ every true Christian should think how dangerous a thing it is to make a schisme in the body by separating from them and therefore not dare to do this without strong and evident grounds of Scripture leading thereto since there are so strong grounds to the contrary the light of which shine forth as Clearly as the light of the sun at noon tide in a bright Sun-shine day If nothing be allovved in our Congregations destructive to the being of a true Church If nothing be vvanting in them essentiall to the nature of a true Church the oracles and ordinances of God being fixed and setled in them and there being a fixed fellovvship in partaking of them for the substance according to Christs institution let every conscientious Christian seriously consider vvhether he doth not more violate Ghospel-rules by separating to make schismes and breaches in the church of God than by a loving and peaceable joyning with his brethren in partaking of these ordinances to preserve unity and peace without which the Church of God cannot long subsist or have any being at all FINIS