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A42763 CXI propositions concerning the ministerie and government of the Church Gillespie, George, 1613-1648. 1647 (1647) Wing G752; ESTC R21587 30,033 52

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Gregor. the great Epist lib. 2. Chap. 65. and 66. Walafridus Strabo of Ecclesiasticall matters Chap. 17. 13. That first and lesser censure by Christs ordinance is to be inflicted on such as have received Baptisme and pretend to be true Members of the Church yet are found unfit and unworthy to Communicate in the signes of the grace of Christ with the Church whether for their grosse ignorance of divine things the Law namely and Gospel or by reason of scandall either of false Doctrine or wicked life For these causes therefore or for some one of them they are to be kept back from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper a lawfull judiciall tryall going before according to the interdiction of Christ forbidding that that which is Holy be given to dogs or Pearles bee cast before swine Matth. 7. 6. and this censure of suspension is to continue till the offenders bring forth fruits worthy of repentance 14. For the asserting and defending of this suspension there is no small accession of strength from the nature of the Sacrament it self and the institution and end thereof The Word of God indeed is to bee Preached as well to the ungodly and impenitent that they may bee convened as to the Godly and repenting that they may be confirmed But the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is by God instituted not for beginning the Work of Grace but for nourishing and increasing Grace and therefore none is to be admitted to the Lords Supper who by his life testifieth that hee is impenitent and not as yet converted 15. Indeed if the Lord had instituted this Sacrament that not onely it should nourish and cherish faith and seal the promises of the Gospel but also should begin the work of Grace in sinners and give regeneration it self as the instrumentall cause thereof verily even the most wicked most uncleane and most unworthy were to be admitted But the Reformed Churches do otherwise judge of the nature of this Sacrament which shall be abundantly manifest by the gleaning of these following Testimonies 16. The Scottish Confession Art 23. But we confesse that the Lords Supper belongs onely to those of the houshold of faith who can try and examine themselves as well in faith as in the duties of faith towards their neigbours Whoso abide without faith and in variance with their brethren doe at that holy Table eat and drink unworthily Hence it is that the Pastors in our Church doe enter on a publike and particular examination both of the knowledge conversation and life of those who are to be admitted to the Lords Table The Belgick Confession Art 35. Wee beleeve also and confesse that our Lord Jesus Christ hath ordained the holy Sacrament of his Supper that in it he may nourish and uphold them whom hee hath already regenerated 17. The Saxon Confession Art 15. of the Lords Supper The Lord willeth that every receiver bee particularly confirmed by this testimony so that hee may bee certified that the benefits of the Gospel doe appertaine to himself seeing the Preaching is common and by this testimony by this receiving he sheweth that thou art one of his members and washed with his blood And by and by Thus therefore we instruct the Church that at behooveth them that come to the Supper to bring with them repentance or conversion and faith being now kindled in the mediation of the death and resurrection and the benefits of the Son of God to seek here the confirmation of this faith The very same things are set downe and that in the very same words in the consent of the Churches of Pole-land in the Sendomi●ian Synode Anno 1570. Art of the Lords Supper 18. The Bohemian Confession Art 11. Next our Divines teach that the Sacraments of themselves or as some say ex opere operato doe not confer Grace to those who are not first endued with good motions and inwasdly quickened by the Holy Spirit neither doe they bestow justifying faith which maketh the soul of man in all things obsequious trusting and obedient to God for faith must goe before wee speake of them of ripe yeares which quickeneth a man by the work of the Holy Spirit and putteth good motions into the heart And after But if any come unworthily to the Sacraments hee is not made by them worthy or cleane but doth only bring greater sinne and damnation on himself 19. Seeing then in the holy Supper that is in the receiving the Sacramentall Elements which is here distinguished from the Prayers and Exhortations accompanying that action the benefits of the Gospel are not first received but for them being received are thanks given neither by partaking thereof doth God bestow the very spirituall life but doth preserve cherish and perfect that life and seeing the Word of God is accounted in the manner of letters patents but Sacraments like seals as rightly the Helvetian Confession saith Chap. 19. it plainly followeth that those are to be kept back from the Lords Supper which by their fruits and manners doe prove themselves to be ungodly or impenitent and strangers or alients from all communion with Christ Nor are the promises of Grace sealed to any other then to those to whom these promises doe belong for otherwise the seal annexed should contradict and gainsay the letters patents and by the visible Word those should bee loosed and remitted which by the audible Word are bound and condemned But this is such an absurdity as that if any would yet hee cannot smooth or heal it with any plaister 20. But as known impious and unregenerate persons have no right to the holy Table So also ungodly persons by reason of a grievous scandall are justly for a time deprived of it for it is not lawfull or allowable that the comforts and promises which belong onely to such as beleeve and repent should be sealed unto known unclean persons and those who walk inordinatly whether such as are not yet regenerate or such as are regenerate but fallen and not yet restored or risen from their fall The same Discipline plainly was shaddowed forth under the Old Testament for none of Gods People during their legall pollution was permitted to enter into the Tabernacle or to have accesse to the solemne Sacrifices and society of the Church And much more were wicked and notorious offenders debarred from the Temple ever untill by an offering for sinne together with a solemne confession thereof being cleansed they were reconciled unto God Num. 5. 6 7 8. Lev. 5. to the 7. vers. Lev. 6. to vers. 8. 21. Yea that those who were polluted with sins and crimes were reckoned among the unclean in the Law Maimonides in more Nevochim Part. 3. Chap. 47. proveth out of Lev. 20. 3. Lev. 18. 24. Num. 35. 33 34. Therefore seeing the shedding of mans blood was rightly esteemed the greatest pollution of all Hence it was that as the society of the leprous was shunned by the cleane so the company of murtherers by good men was