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Whether the word doth warrant discipline and censures, even to the excluding of the scandalous from the Sacraments, beside the Pasto∣rall rebukes inflicted by one.
VVE are not to conceive that there was nothing Morall in the Lawes that God made to his people of Israel, to
debar the unclean, from the society of Gods people, and from com∣munion with them in the holy things of God, Numb. 5. 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying: 2. Command the children of Israel that they put out of the Campe every leaper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead, Lev. 5. 2. If a soul touch any unclean thing, whither it be a carcase of an unclean beast, or the carcase of unclean cattell, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him, he also shall be unclean and guilty—6. And he shall bring his trespasse-offering unto the Lord for his sin, which he hath sinned, Lev. 7. 20. But the soul that eateth of the sacrifice of the peace offerings that pertaineth to the Lord, having his uncleannesse up∣on him, even that soul shall be cut off from the people: 21. Moreover* 1.1 the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleannesse of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, which pertain unto the Lord, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. In the which observe, that here the soul that shall touch any unclean thing is to be cut off; but Num. 5. 2. He is only to be put out of the Campe; now these were not killed that were put out of the Campe, and therefore to be cut off from the people must be a morall cutting off by Excom∣munication, not by death; also the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth to make a Covenant, to cut off, either by death or any other way▪ as by ba∣nishment, by which a thing leaveth off to be in use, though it be not destroyed, as when a branch is cut off a tree, 1 Sam. 31. 9. Yea, we have Isa. 50. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Where is that Bill of cut∣ting off or divorce: Now this was not a Bill of killing the wife that was divorced, but putting her from her husband, as our Saviour saith, It is not Lawfull to marry her that is divorced, Matth. 19. 9. A killed and dead woman is not capable of marriage; yet the word is, Deut. 24 1. Ier. 3. 8. from that same Theame, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: The He∣brews* 1.2 have another more ordinary word to signifie death, as Exod. 31. 14. He that doth any work on the Sabbath, in dying he shall die: And it is expounded, he shall be cut off from the midst of the peo∣ple: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 but Lev. 7. the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is four times used without any such expression, ver. 20, 21, 25, 27. To which may be added, that when zealous Hezechiah did finde that the people were not prepared, According to the purification of the Sanctuary, though they had celebrated the Passeover, the King did not only not kil them,
but prayed, God might be mercifull to them, and the Lord killed them not (saith the spirit of God) but healed them, Exod. 12. 15. He that eateth unleavened bread, that soul shall be cut off from Israel: but it is expounded, ver. 19. That soul shall be cut off 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from the Church of Israel: Certainly, he that is killed is cut off from both State and Church, and from the company of all mortall men on earth, Isa. 38. 11. Then to be cut off from Israel is onely to be deprived of the comfortable society of the Church of Israel, as the holy Ghost expoundeth it: Also Lev. 4. If any commit any sin but of ignorance, and so if he touch any unclean thing, or eat un∣leavened bread, forbidden of God, he is excluded from the holy things of God, while the Priest offer for him, according to the Law: Now if he was presently to be killed, either by the Magistrate, or in that act killed by Gods own immediate hand, as Aarons sons were, there was not a journey to be made to the place, the Lord had chosen to sacrifice there, which might have been three dayes journey from his house, who was unclean; yea, when the man that gathered sticks was stoned, and the false Prophet stoned, Deut. 13. there was no sacrifices offered for any of them before they were killed; and I hope, there were no sacrifices in Moses his Law offered for the dead. Hence learn we: 1. That to cut off from the Congregation, was not to kill, but it was the Iewish Excom∣munication greater or lesse: 2. That Moral sins, under the Old Te∣stament debarred men from the holy things of God, while the Priests sacrificed for them▪ and brought them in a capacity to receive the holy things of God.
Leviticus 10. 10. The Priests were not to drink wine, when they* 1.3 went into the Tabernacle: That ye may (saith the Lord) put diffe∣rence between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean: Now Haggai expresly saith, cap. 2. 11, 12. That it was the Priests part to put this difference, and so to admit to, or exclude from the holy things of God.
Hence for this cause it is said, as 2 Chron. 23. 19. Iehoiada appoin∣ted the officers of the Lords house, so he set porters at the gates of the house of the Lord, that none which are unclean in any thing, might en∣ter in; so Ezra 9. 21, 22. None did eat the Passeover, but such as were pure, and had separated themselves from the filthinesse of the Heathen of the land; for this cause doth the Lord complain of the
Priests, Ezech. 22. 26. Her Priests have violated my law, and have polluted my holy things, they have put no difference between the holy and the prophane; neither have they shewed the difference between the un∣clean and the clean, Ezech. 44. 6. And thou shalt say to the Rebel∣lious, even to the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God; O ye house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations: 7. 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 offered my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have bro∣ken my Covenant, because of all your abominations: 8. And ye have not kept the charge of my holy things: But ye have set keepers of my Charge in my Sanctuary for your selves. 9. Thus saith the Lord God, no stranger uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel: Here is a complaint, that those that have the charge of the holy things, should suffer the holy things to be pollu∣ted: I grant it cannot bear this sense, that none should be admit∣ted to be Members of the Visible Church under the New Testament, but such as are conceived to be regenerate; except it can be proved that the Sanctuary was a type of the visible Church: 2. That the Apostles constituted their Churches thus; but we read not in all the New Testament of any admission of Church Members at all: but only of baptizing of those who were willing to be baptized, and from this resulted the capacity of a Church Relation in all Churches visible: Nor, 2. Do we finde any shadow in all the word of God, of tryall of Church Members, by way of electing and choosing of such and such, as qualified by reason of a conceived regeneration in the persons chosen, or of rejecting and refusing others as conceived to have no inward work of grace in them; this I believe can never be made good out of the word of God. 3. They must prove the A∣postles admitted into the Sanctuary of the Visible Church Ananias, Saphira, Simon Magus, and others uncircumcised in heart, to pol∣lute the holy things of God, and that the Apostles erred, and were deceived in the moulding of the first Apostolick Church in the world, which was to be a rule and pattern to all Churches in the New Testament, to all Ages: I deny not, but they might have er∣red according to the grounds of these, who urge the comparison for a Church of visible Saints, but that the Apostles De facto did
erre in their Election and judgement, in that wherein the holy Ghost holdeth them forth and their acts to be our rule and pattern, I utterly deny: I grant Act. 15. In that Synod they did Act as men and Elders, not as Apostles, but that it could fall out, that they should uctually erre, and obtrude false Doctrine instead of truth to the Churches in that Synod which is the first rule and pattern of Synods, I shall not believe.
But there is this Morall and perpetuall truth in these Scriptures▪ 1. That there are under the New Testament, some over the people of God in the Lord, some that watch for their souls, and govern them; as here there were Priests, Levites that taught and governed the people: 2. That the Rulers of the Churches, alwayes are to have the charge of the holy things; and to see that these holy things, the Seals and Sacraments and word of promise be not polluted, and that therefore they have power given them to debar such and such profane from the Seals, and so are to discern between the clean and the unclean, and this which the Prophet speaketh, ver. 9. is a pro∣phecie never fulfilled after this in the persons of the people of God; therefore it must have its spirituall truth fulfilled under the New Testament, as is clear, ver. 11. Yet the Levites that are gone away* 1.4 far from me, shall be Ministers in my Sanctuarie, having charge at the gates of the House, and Ministering to the House—14. And I will make them keepers of the charge of the House, for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done therein, Ver. 15. And the Priests and the Levites the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my Sanctuary, when the children of Israel went a∣stray from me—they shall enter into my Sanctuary, and they shall come neer to my Table to minister unto me, and to keep my charge—23. And they shall teach my people the difference betweene the holy and prophane, and cause men to discerne between the uncleane and the cleane. 24. And in controversie they shall stand in judgement, and they shall judge it according to my judgement, and they shall keepe my Lawes and my Statutes, in all mine assemblies, and they shall hallow my Sabbaths. Now this Temple was another house, then Solomons Temple, as is evident out of the Text, it having roomes, dimensions, structures, so different that none can ima∣gine them one house, and these chapters containe the division of the Holy Land, which after the captivity was never done,
for the ten Tribes never returned, and this Temple is clearely a type of the new Ierusalem, and agreeth to that City spoken of, Revelation, chapters 21. and 22. As may appeare especially by the foure last chapters of Ezekiel, and in the last words of the last chapter, And the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there. And the Priests after the captivity as well as before brake the covenant of Levi, Mal. 2. And therefore I see it not fulfilled, except in the visible Church of the New Testament, and in the As∣semblies of Christian Churches, Mat. 18. Act. 15. and the rest of the Church-assemblies under the New Testament: As for the Lords personall raigne on earth, it is acknowledged there shall be no Church policy in it, no Word, Sacraments, Ordinances, no Tem∣ple, as they say from Rev. 21. 22. And with correction and sub∣mission, the Priests and Levites, that Ezek. 44. 15. are said to keep the charge of the Lords House, when others went astray, I take to be a prophecie of these Pastors under the New Testament, to wit, the Apostles of Iesus Christ, and Pastors, and teachers that Christ left in his Church; for the edifying of his body, Ephes. 4. 11. 12. When these Scribes and Pharises did sit in Moses his chaire for a while, Mat. 23. but onely as porters and inferiour Officers in Gods house, yet they were to be heard, while God should cut them off, as he prophecied, Zach. 11. 8.
We cannot say as some doe, that persons were deprived amongst* 1.5 the Iewes, of Church communion in the holy things of God, because of Ceremoniall, not of Morall uncleannes, but now under the new Te∣stament only Morall uncleannes can exclude persons from the holy things of God; and therefore to argue from ceremoniall uncleannes in the old, to morall uncleannesse in the new, is no good consequence. I* 1.6 answer, the Ceremoniall uncleannesse in the Old, which did ex∣clude from the holy things of God, doth strongly conclude that morall uncleannesse under the New Testament doth exclude from the holy things of God, if that exclusion of the Leaper out of the campe seven dayes, and the touching of the dead, though impru∣dently, did typifie some other exclusion from the holy things of God, as no question it did, then the consequence must be strong. 2. It is also false that morall uncleannesse did not exclude from the holy things of God under the Old Testament, For 1. what was more ordinary, then that sacrifices should be offered for sins of
ignorance, for trespas••es, and while this was done, the person was not admitted to partake of the holy things of God. 2. Whence was the Lords frequent complaints of wearying his soule with sa∣crifices, solemne assemblies, feast dayes, and new Moones, when they were morally uncleane, and their hands were full of blood, and they had not put away the evill of their doings, did not love judge∣ment and justice, Isaiah 10. 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19. And when God complaineth so of them, Ier. 7. 8. Will ye steale, murther and commit adultery, and sweare falsely, and burne incense unto Baal, and walke after other Gods whom ye know not? 10. And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my Name? Ergo, Murtherers and adulterers were debarred from entring into the Congregation of the Lord, and partaking of the holy things of God, while they repented. Let none say by prophecying, or the keyes of knowledge in preaching the Word, they were declared unworthy to enter into the Temple; but that will not conclude that it was the Priests office by power of discipline to exclude them from coming unto the Sanctuary of God. Ans. But if the Porters were set at doores of the Lords house, to hold out the uncleane, and if the Lord charge the Priests with this crime, that they Ezek. 44. 8. set keepers of the charge of the Lords house for themselves, that is, for their owne carnall ends, and not for the honour of the Lord: And that ver. 7. They brought into the San∣ctuary of the Lords house uncircumcised in heart, that is, such as were morally uncleane, then had the Priests a power to debarre from the Sanctuary such as were morally uncleane, and if the Priests are said to beare rule by their meanes, Ier. 5. 31. Then the Priests did beare rule and governe, though they abused their Power, and the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth to have dominion over any, Psal. 72. 8. Psal. 110. 2. 1 Kin. 4. 24. Levit. 26. 17. And the Scrip∣ture gives a power of judging and governing to the Priests. And 2 Chron. 30. 6, 7. The Posts that Hezekiah and the Congregation of Israel sent through the Land, commandeth a morall prepa∣ration to those that were to keepe the Lords Passeover, to wit, that they should turne againe unto the Lord God of Abraham, and should not be like their Fathers, nor like their Brethren, that tres∣passed against the Lord God of their Fathers. And ver. 11. divers of Ashur, and Manasseh, and Zebulun humblid themselvs, and came
to Ierusalem to keepe the feast of the Passeover. This proveth clear∣ly that people under the Old Testament were no lesse to try and examine themselves, by the King and Priests commandment, car∣ried to them by Postes before they should eate the Passeover; then they are to try themselves before they eate and drinke at the Lords Supper: onely the adversaries say, the Priests by preaching were to debarre from the Passeover those who were morally unclean, but not to debarre those who were morally uncleane, so they were not typically and ceremonially unclean, by any power of Discipline, or by Porters set at the gates to keepe them out of the Sanctuary. But I an∣swer, 1. How are the Priests Ezek. 22. 26. reproved for violating the Law of God, and prophaning his holy things, in that they put no diffe∣rence between the holy and prophane, the clean and the unclean? Sure∣ly the Priests prophaned in the highest way, the holy things of God, in admitting into the Sanctuary, those who were not onely ceremonially, but morally uncleane, as murtherers, adulterers, Who cryed the temple of the Lord, Ier. 7. And they put no diffe∣rence betweene the Holy and Prophane, when they admitted to the holy things of God, and into the Sanctuary the uncircumcised in heart, for they doe more pollute the holy things of God, who partake of them being morally uncleane, and uncircumcised in heart, then those who are onely uncircumcised in flesh.
Object. But the Church under the New Testament can no other* 1.7 way but morally, and by preaching (as it would seeme) onely de∣barre scandalous persons from the Seales and Prayers of the Church; for should a scandalous person, or an excommunicate person obtrude himselfe on the Lords Supper, against the will and sentence of the Church, the Church cannot use any bodily violence to hinder such prophane intrusion upon the holy things of God, because the Churches weapons are not carnall but spirituall; bodily violence can be no* 1.8 spirituall weapon, that the Church as the Church can use, so do the Remonstrant Arminians argue, and some other for the congre∣gationall way.
Ans. This Argument is against all Church-censures, but though the Church as the Church cannot hinder scandalous intruders upon the holy things of God, by bodily violence, it doth not follow; Ergo, The Church can keep the holy things pure no way, but morally, that is, by preaching only, for we can give a third way: The re∣bukes,
admonitions and Excommunication, or delivering to Satan* 1.9 are all transacted without any bodily and externnll violence, Christs Kingdom resigneth all such carnall weapons to the Magistrate, who is the only Governour of the Church of Christ, as the Opponents say, All Church Censures are by way of Declaration, applied to such men by name; and there co-action, though penall, is not by bodily violence, but by acting upon the conscience of men and putting them to shame.
Hence 2. We argue, if beside the preaching of the word, in* 1.10 which Commandments, Promises and threatnings are proposed to all in generall; there be rebukes of the Church, the sentencing of such and such persons by name, as Hymeneus and Philetus, and other Blasphemers; the Authoritative Declaration, that such a bro∣ther is to be esteemed as a Heathen and a Publican, and bro∣therly fellowship of eating and drinking with such an one de∣nied, that he may be ashamed, if these be, then are some de∣barred from the holy things of God, by Church-Censures, beside the preaching of the word of God.
But the former is true; Ergo, so is the latter.
The Proposition is proved, because all wicked persons and heart-hypocrites are excluded from the holy things of God, by the Preaching of the Word: But only these that are notoriously, and by testimony of witnesses, convinced to be scandalous or contumacious in atrocious sins, after they are by name rebuked, and are declared to be esteemed as Heathen and Publicans; and from whom we are to withdraw brotherly fellowship, are ex∣cluded from the holy things of God, by Discipline and Church Censures.
The Assumption I prove: Because the word is preached to all by one in office, and that a Steward and dispenser of the myste∣ries of God, and he excludeth all unworthy ones known to be such, or invisible only, from the kingdom of God. But the Censure, 1. Is inflicted by many, 2 Cor. 26. by the Church, Matth. 18. 17. conveened together, 1 Cor. 54. (2.) It is applied to such persons by name, 1 Cor. 5. 5. He that hath done such a deed, ver. 2. Hymeneus, Alexander, 1 Tim. 1. 20. Jezabel, Rev. 2. 20. (3) The whole con∣gregation is not to eat or Table with such an one, 1 Cor. 5. 11. We are to note and observe him, and to have no company with him, that he
may b ashamed 2 Thes. 3. 14. to esteeme him as an Heathen and a Publican, and exclude him from the Seals of the Covenant, so long as he remaineth in that state.
3. Arg. If a person may for not hearing the Church, be judged as an Heathen and a Publican, and his sinnes bound in heaven by the Church; then by discipline he is excluded from the holy things of God in a peculiar way, in the which contumacious persons, uncir∣cumcised in heart are excluded, in foro interno Dei, in Gods secret Court; But the former is true, Matt. 18. 15. 16, 17, 18. Ergo &c. Now if there be two Courts, one before God, Rom. 2. 16. Rom. 14. 4. 1 Cor. 14. 25. 1 Ioh. 3. 21. Another of the Church, Mat. 18. 15. 16, &c. 1 Cor. 5. 4, 5, 6, 11, 12. and two sorts of bindings, two sorts of Witnesses, two sorts of Sentences, then can it not be de∣denyed but the Church hath a spirituall Court for censures, as well as for preaching the Word.
4. Arg. Exclusion of an offender from the societie of the Saints, and not to eate or drinke with him, is some other reall visible cen∣sure accompanied with shame, then any censure by the preaching of the Word; but there is such a censure inflicted by the Church, Ergo, The Proposition is cleare from Rom. 16. 17. Now I beseech you brethren, marke them that cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which yee learned 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and avoid them. Here is a reall, visible, and personall note of shame put on Schismaticks, a bodily declining and avoiding of their company, which could not possibly be done by preaching of the Word. But (some may say) this was not done by the Church court, but every one as private christians were to eschew the society of Schisma∣ticks, and by this you cannot conclude any Church censure.
Answ. Not to say that it were unjustice to decline any, and re∣nounce* 1.11 society with him, before he were convinced to be facti∣ous according to Christs order, Mat. 18. which to Erastus is a way of common and naturall equity. And so in order to some pub∣lique censure before the Church. Paul w••i••eth to a constitute Church at Rome, in which he prescribeth Rom. 12. the Officers duty, as what Pastor, Doctor, Elder, Deacon, ought to doe in a Church body; We cannot imagine he could command every pri∣vate Christian to inflict the censure and punishment, (for a punish∣ment it is in order to a publike sin) of avoiding any in Church
communion, professing they serve the Lord Iesus Christ, as these doe, verse 18. upon their owne private opinion: Iesus Christ and his Apostles must have left men loose in all order and discipline by this way, howbeit the adversary would deny a church punishment, here is a punishment inflicted by many, 2 Cor. 2. 6. And it is not inflicted by way of preaching, so 2 Thes. 3. 14. If any man obey not our word by this Epistle, note that man, have no company with him, that he may be ashamed, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by the learned is to put a publike church note on him that he may be confounded, make him a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a publike wonder, that he may be ashamed, as Piscator and P. Baynes ob∣serve on the place expounding it of excommunication, and the same word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is here, is used toward the incestuous man, who was to be excommunicated, 1 Cor. 5. 9. I wrote unto you in an Epistle, not to keepe company with fornicators, the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ver. 1. is ascribed to the incestuous man, and here they are not to be mixed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with fornicators, vers. 11. But now I have written unto you not to keepe company, if any man that is called a brother, be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or an extortioner, with such a one, no not to eate. And that we may know that this is a church censure, he addeth ver. 12. For what have I to doe to judge them also that are without? Ergo, this no keeping company with such, is a Church judging.
5. Arg. The Church of Pergamus is rebuked for having amongst them, such as hold the doctrine of Balaam, and Revel. 2. 14. and Thyatira, that they suffered Iezabel to preach and seduce the servants of God, ver. 20. as the Church of Ephesus is praised v. 2. that they cannot beare with them that are evill, but had tryed such that said they were▪ Apostles, and were not, and had found them liars, Rev. 2. 3. Here is it clearely supposed that these churches were to censure false teachers, if any shall say they were to censure them no other waies, but by preaching against their errors; 1. This would establish a Prelate above the Church contrary to that of Mat. 18. Tell the Church, and 1 Cor. 5. Where the Church gathered together was to excommunicate. 2. The Angel of the Church is taken collectively, for all the Rulers and the whole Church to whom Christ writeth, as is cleare, in that he saith so often; He that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches, not to the Pastors only. 2. The re∣moving of the Candlestick, is not from the Angel but from the Church;
and repentance, and the fighting and overcomming, a reward of the crown of life, and many other things are evidently spoken to the Churches, not to the Angels of the Churches. And therefore the tryall of false Apostles must be by a Church, a Court, a col∣ledge of church rulers, as Paul speaketh unto, Act. 20. 17. Where it is said, Paul called the Elders of the Church of Ephesus, and ex∣horted them to beware of false teachers, that should not spare the flocke, and should teach perverse things, v. 28. 29. 30. and of this sort were these lying and seducing Apostles, now how can one Angell or many Pastors by preaching onely try false Apostles, and finde them lyars? This trying and sentencing of lying seducers, Rev. 2. 2. must be by a court, such as we find to be the practise of the Apo∣stles and Elders at Ierusalem, who in a Synod Act. 15. did finde these who taught a necessitie of Circumcision, to be perverters of soules and liars, saying, They had the Apostles authority for what they taught, whereas they had no such thing, and Schismatick troublers of the people, Acts 15. See what further I have said for Excommunication before, cap. 2. and sect. 7. which proveth also the same thing. The Church of Thyatira would not be rebuked for suffering Jezabel to teach, if they had no power of Church censures to hinder her; It is not enough to say that the Angel of that Church did sufficiently hinder Jezabell to teach, when in publike he declared and preached against her false doctrine, and by the same reason Pastors exoner their conscience, if they preach that such and such scandalous persons are not to eate and drinke their owne damnation, though they debarre them not in a visible court by name from the Lords table, and though they never excommunicate them, and there∣fore there is not any censure but Pastorall rebukes by way of preach∣ing, not any other by way of discipline.
Ans. The Angel of Thyatira had not sufficiently hindered Jeza∣bel* 1.12 to seduce the servants of God, by only preaching against her false doctrine, in regard that Paul and Barnabas not only hindred those that teached, that the Gentiles ought to be circumcised, Act. 14. cap. 16. by Preaching; but also had recourse to the power and au∣thority of a Synod, that in a Synod which is a Court essentially consisting of many Pastors and Elders, they might be declared to be perverters of souls, and liars, as indeed they were judicially decla∣red to be such, Act. 15. 24. Hence I argue; if the Apostles could not be said sufficiently to hinder Jezabels and Seducers, by only
Preaching, and Disputing against their errors, except in case of their persisting in their errors, they should tell the Church convened in a Synod, as Christs order is, Mat. 18. Then the Angel of Thyatira, or any one Pastor do not sufficiently hinder scandals, but may be well said to suffer them by only private rebuking and publick Preach∣ing, except they use all these means to hinder Iezabels, false Tea∣chers, and all scandalous persons, that the Apostles used, and there∣fore the Angel of the Church of Thyatira must be rebuked for not using the Authority and power of the Church against Iezabel. And here by the way, when these false Teachers had sinned against their brethren in perverting their souls, they take not the course that Erastus dreameth to be taken according to Matth. 18. They com∣plain not to the Synedrim, or Civill Magistrate, who should use the sword against them, but to the Church Synodically convened at Ierusalem, who used against them the Spirituall power that Christ the head of the Church had given them.
6. Arg. If there be an Ecclesiasticall debarring of scandalous* 1.13 persons from the holy things of God, especially from the Supper of the Lord by Censures, and not by the preaching of the word only, then there be Censures and power of jurisdiction in the word be∣side preaching of the word. But the former I make good by these following Arguments.
1. Arg. If the Stewards and dispensers of the mysteries of God, are to cut the word aright as approved workmen, 2 Tim. 2. 15. And are to give every one their portion of bread according to their need, and measure, Matth. 24. 45, 46, 47. 1 Cor. 4. 1. 2. 3. and must not s••ay the souls which should not die, by denouncing wrath against the righte∣ous, nor save the souls alive that should not live, by lying words, Ezec. 13. 19. by offering mercy to the wicked and impenitent, then as they should not deny the seals of salvation to Believers, hungring and thirsting for Christ; neither should they give the seals of life to those that are walking openly in the way of destruction.
But the former is true; Ergo; so is the latter. The Proposition is clear: As the word should not be divided aright, if wrath should be Preached to believing Saints, and life and salvation offered to the obdurate and wicked, so neither should the Stewards cut the seals of the word aright, if the Supper were given to wicked men: If they should say, This is the blood of the Covenant, shed for the
Remission of your sins, Drink ye all of it: They should save alive those that should die, with lying words; for the seals speak to the Communicant, and apply to him in particular, the very promise that in generall is made to him; and this will prove as the Magistrate being no Steward of the word, and not called of God thereunto, as Aaron was Heb. 5. 4. can no more distribute the word and seals* 1.14 to whom he pleaseth, Ex officio, then he can Preach and Admini∣ster the Sacraments, nor should another man, who is no Steward, but a Porter or Cook, Teach, and that by his office how, and to whom the Steward should distribute Bread: nor is it sufficient, to say, by this one man, not the Church, is to debar from the Sacra∣ments, for the seals being proper to the Church, as the Church, he must act here, in, and with the power of the Church. 2. It is ano∣ther question, whether by the Minister, or by the Church any ought to be debarred, and whether there be any such Censure as debarring from the Seals; and its another question, by what power, whe∣ther by the power of order, or by the power of jurisdiction, Mi∣nisters may debar the scandalous from the seals; I conceive by both powers, they may keep the Ordinances pure; and if it belong to the Magistrate to debar any more then to preach the word, and by the way of Erastus: The Magistrate by his office, as he is a Magi∣strate only is deputed of Iesus Christ to Steward the seals to whom he pleaseth: Ergo, (say I) to cut the word aright to whom he pleaseth, must be his due.
2. Arg. As the dispensers of the word must not partake of o∣ther mens sins, 1 Tim. 5. 22. so neither should they distribute to wicked and scandalous men, such Ordinances, as they see shall cer∣tainly be judgement and damnation to them, and as maketh the Communicants guilty of the body and blood of our Lord: Now that the Stewards Communicate with the sins of these manifestly scan∣dalous, to whom they administrate the Supper: I prove: 1. Be∣cause they that sow pillows under the head of the openly wicked, preaching peace to these who should die, do hunt souls, Ezech. 13. 20. and partake of their presumption, and they that heal the wound of the people with smooth words, are false dealers, and concurreth to the wound of the people, Ier. 8. 10, 11. As the Prophet that preach∣eth lies partaketh of the peoples presumption; which believe those lies, Ier. 14. 14, 15, 16. 2. If Eve should but reach the fruit of the
forbidden Tree to Adam, and say take and eat, she partakes of A∣dams sin, if the mother give poyson willingly and wittingly to a childe, she killeth her childe, though it be told the childe that it is poyson: The Supper to those who knowingly to us, eat unwor∣thily, is forbidden meat, and poyson.
3. A third Argument is, from the nature of holy things. It is not lawfull to give that which is holy to dogs, nor to cast pearles be∣fore swine, least they trample them under their feet, Matth. 7. 6. But the Sacraments are holy things, saith Erastus, and no man can* 1.15 deny it; Ergo, we are not to give the Sacraments to the scandalous and openly prophane.
But Erastus answereth, That the Lord preached the word to Pha∣risees, and the word is a holy thing, and a pearl, and by Dogs, and swine, he meaneth open persecutors. They that will seem members of the Church, and confesse their fault, and promise amendment, are not such as will trample on the Sacraments, and will turn again to tear you: Et si quis talis reperiatur hunc ego admittendum minime censeo, for such (saith he) Are not to be admitted to the Sacrament.
Ans. These holy things, which prophane men and openly scan∣dalous can make no use of, but pollute them to their own destru∣ction, and the abusing of the Ordinances, no more then Dogs and Swine can make use of Pearls to feed them, but onely trample on them, are not to be given to the prophane and openly scandalous: But the Lords Supper is such a thing, being Ordained only for those that have saving Grace, not for Dogs. Now the Assump∣tion applied to the word, is most false, (as it is applied to the Lords Supper, it is most true) for the Word is Ordained by speciall Com∣mand to be Preached to Dogs and Lions, that thereby they may be made Isa. 11. 4, 5, 6, 7. Isa. 2. 3. 4. Lambs and Converts; the Sup∣per is not a mean of Conversion; and since Dogs can make no use of it, but trample it under foot, we are forbidden to give such holy things to them. It is true, They'll trample the Pearl of the word; but we are Commanded to offer the word to all, even while they turn Apostates. 2. If Christ Commanded the word to be Preached to Pharisees and Saduces; these were such persecuters as sinned against the Holy Ghost, Dogs in the Superlative degree, Matth. 12. 31, 32. Joh. 9. 39, 40, 41. Joh. 7. 28. Joh. 8. 21. Ergo, Christ Com∣manded
some holy things, the word to be given to Dogs; and yet his precept cannot be obeyed, if we give them the Sacrament. 3. By what Doctrine of Scripture will Erastus have these that trampleth on Ordinances, and turn again to tear us, debarred from the Supper? For in his Thes. 26. 27, 28, 29. he holdeth it unlaw∣full to debar any Judas from the Supper; doth he think there be no Dogs in the Visible Church? Peter saith, There be such Dogs as have known the way of truth, and turn to their vomit; and such may promise amendment, confesse their sin, and desire the Sacra∣ment.
4. Arg. Those who will not hear the Church, but doth scandalize, not only their Brethren, but also a whole Church, and are to be esteemed as Heathen and Publicans, are not to be admitted to the highest priviledge, and to feast with Christ, when the Church know∣eth they want their wedding garment: But there may be, and are many in the Church of this sort; Ergo, such should not be ad∣mitted: For the Major, I set down the words of Erastus granting* 1.16 it. The Assumption, both Scripture and experience proveth; for there be in the Visible Church, Dogs, Persecuters, Jezabels, as there be many called, and few chosen.
5. Arg. If the incestuous man must be cast out, lest he leaven the Church, then can he not be admitted to Communicate with the Church, in that which is the highest seal of Christs love; but the incestuous man must be cast out, lest he leaven the whole Church, 1 Cor. 5. 4, 5, &c. Ergo, The Proposition is clear, because none can be put out of the Church, but they must be separated from the Ta∣ble of the Children of the Church; the Assumption is 1 Cor. 5 13. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Put him out, ver. 7. Purge him out. Now the Church hath no power by bodily violence to attempt a locall separating of him in person from them, as they are men, though they may separate themselves from him; then it must be a declarative casting of him out, as unworthy to Communicate with the Church in such holy Ordinances, as distinguisheth the Church from other Societies, and these be the Seals of the Covenant.
6. We are not to suffer sin in any, Levit. 18. 17. Rev. 2. 20. but to hinder it so far as we can according to our vocation, 1 Sam. 3. 13. As the Priests hindred Ʋzziah to Sacrafice, 2 Chron. 26. 18, 19, 20. And must pull them out of the fire, Jude ver. 23. As the
Law of nature would teach the Mother, not only, not to co-ope∣rate with her sonne attempting to kill himself; but to hinder and stop him by pulling a knife or sword out of his hand, when he is about to destroy himself; if so, then ought not the Church and her Officers to co-operate so far with those who do Eat and drink their own Damnation, as to exhibite and give to such the seals of the Covenant, to pray that these seals may be blessed to scandalons ones, which is to pray directly contrary to the revealed will of God in his word, and against that which the faithfull Pastors and Paul Preacheth, That every one should try and examine themselves, and so eat and drink: Now a reall and physicall co-operating of the Church, with such manifest impiety, must then be the Churches suffering of sin in a brother, or not hindring him ••o eat his own Damnation; if the Lord have committed a power of dispensing the seals to Christians, not to Pagans and Turks: Let Erastus show any precept or practise, why we might not admit Jews, Turks, In∣dians, though never Baptized, to eat and drink the Lords body and blood, (we are to Preach the Gospel to them, if they were amongst us) except that such as are to communicate according to the will of Christ, are Christians, members of the Church, who doth try and examine themselves; and Jews and Turks though dwelling and born amongst us are not such, yet Erastus would that such should never be admitted to the Lords Supper, though they should desire it: Officers also have a command not to dispense some parts of the word to all, as we are not to rebuke open Scorners: Should any of our Church turn Iew and blaspheme Christ, and pertinaciously after conviction persist in his Apostacy; might not Erastus aske by what command of Christ will ye not Preach the Gospel to such an one? Christ made no exception, but said, Preach to all Nations, why do you make Exceptions? might we not answer, Christ hath given a power of dispensing the Gospel to all; yet hath he excep∣ted some, because its against the will of Christ that such can obey the Gospel: We are bidden pray for all, yet are there some that we are not to pray for, because they sin unto death: so is the case here in some kinde.
7. It is for our instruction that the Priests were rebuked, for that they admitted into the Sanctuary the uncircumcised in flesh and heart, that they put no difference betweene the cleane and the un∣cleane,
and prophaned the holy things of God, Ezek. 44. 9. Ezek. 22. 26. Hag. 2. 11, 12, 13. And this was a shadow of things to come, as was observed before, teaching us, that farre lesse should the Pastors of the New Testament suffer the holy things of God to be pro∣phaned.
8. We read that Iohn Baptist and the Apostles baptized none but such as confessed their sinnes, and professed ••aith in Iesus Christ, it would then appeare to be the will of Christ, that every one should not be admitted to the Lords Supper, though some say, the Apostles baptized single persons not in Church communion, so that Pastors administer the Sacraments by reason of the power of order, as they are Pastors, not by power of jurisdiction, as having war∣rant from any Church, in regard Churches at the beginning had the Word and Sacraments before they had any Church Govern∣ment, yet I conceive the Lords Supper is a Seale of a Church∣communion, 1 Cor. 10. 16. 17. and the like I say of Baptisme typed by Noahs Arke, 1 Pet. 3. 19, 20, &c. and though the Apostles, partly by priviledge, partly through necessitie, the parts existing before the whole, were necessitated first to baptize, and then to plant Churches, yet the Churches being once constitute, these are▪ Church priviledges to be dispensed both by the power of order, and the power of jurisdiction.
Cutting off not alwaies killing.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ab interi••∣re popul••∣rum sacrum▪
Morall guiltinesse excluded men from holy things amongst the Iews.
The place Ezekiel 44. v. 11. 12. 13. 14. to be fulfilled under the New Te∣stament.
Object.
Ceremoni∣all exclusi∣on from holy things under the old, did ti∣pifie exclu∣sion for morall un∣cleannesse under the New Te∣stament. Levit. 5. 2••.
The Chur∣ches exclu∣sion from the Seales declarative, not co∣active by violence.
Remonstrant in Apollo.
Censures applied to some by name.
Arg. 2.
Eschewing the society of scanda∣lous church members must be a church cen∣sure.
The hin∣dering of Jezabel by preaching onely not sufficient.
Debarring of the scandalous from the seals pro∣••ed.
It belon∣geth not to the Magi∣strate to •• debar from the seals.
Thomas Erastus lib. 3. con∣firmat. Thesium lib. 3. ••. 3. pag. 207. Nam et sa∣cramenta sub sub 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 nomine comprehendi concedo.
Erastus, Confi. thes. l. 3. c. 3. pag. 207. Qui mem∣bra externae volunt ec∣clesiae vide∣ri, illi non calcabunt Sacramenta nec offere••∣tem laniare tentabunt, & fiquis talis reperi∣atur hune ego minime admitten∣dum cense••.