s 44 Of [ommunicat. t~ith 'Bad men: And whether all members IM"Ve rig)1t to tl1e Lords Table~ . Q!!efl:. 68. Is it lawft~l to [ommtmicate in the Sacrament with, wicked me 11 ~ / AnfrP• TH' anfw<r may be gathered from what is faid before. J.lf they be fa WICked for nHmber, and flagitiou}ncji, and Hotoriety, as that it is our duty to forfake the Church, then to communicate with them is a fin. Therefore the afrer re– folurion of the jufi caufes of feparation mufi be perufed~ As if a Church were fa far defiled wirn Hcrdic, or open Impiety, that it were juflific:d by the Major Vote, and bore down FaZth·and Gotlii– tuJi, and the fociety were become uncapablc of the Ends of Church Affociation and Communion: In this and other cafes it mufi be deferred. 2 • If we do not perform our own du•y to rem.ote unlawful Communions, (whether it beby ad.:. monition of the o'fend<r or Pallor, or what ever IS proved really our du1y,) the omiffion of that du 1y is our fin. ~ · 3· But if we fin not by omitting our own du!y, it will be ~o fin of ours to communicate with the Church , where fcandalous finners or Hcreucks arc permitted. The Pafiors and delir.qucms fins are not ours. 4 • Yea, if we do omit our ow.n du!f in Order to the remedy, ~hat. will not jufiifie us in denying Communion with the Church whtle wtcked men are t~ne ; But 1t will rather aggravate our fin, to omit one duty firll, and thence fetch occafion to omtt another. ~ell:. 69. Haw all tiJe l;tlembers of tl1e QJUrch rigiJt to tiJe Lords Table ~ ,A,Jd u St'.[pwfioll lawftll ~ OF this fee the Defence of the Synods Propofitions in New Engla~d. I anfwer, r. You mu(\ dillinguifh between a fundamental Right of State, and an immediate right of prefent poffeffion ; or if you will, Between a Rigbl duly so receive she Sacrament, and a Right to im– mediatt rtctption fimply confidered. •· You mull dillinguifh between a ~eftic•td Controvtrltd right, and an unqutftione4 right; And fa you mu{\ conclude as followeth. •· Every Church-member (at leaf\ adult) as fuch, hath the fundamental right of flared Relation, or a Right duly lo receive lht Sacrament; that is, To nceivc it undcrftandingJy and ferioutly .it thofe feafons when by the Paflors it is adminifired. . 2· But if upon faults or accufations, this Right be duly quefiioned in the Church, it is become a cohtrov<rted right; and the poJJef!ion or •dmiflion may by the Bifhops or Pafiors ofthe Church, be fufpended, if they fee caufe, while it is under tryall, till a jim deCJfion. 3• T_hough Infants are true members, yet the want of natural capacity, duly to rrctive. maketh it onlaw{ul to give thtrn the Sacrammt, becaufe it is to be Given only to Receivers, and Receiving is n,orc than eating and drinking; It is Confcnting to the Covenanr,which is (he real Receiving in a mo– ral fenfc, or.at leaf! Conftnt p,-ojtffed. So that they want not a jla1e of right, as to their Rdation, but a natural capt~city to Receive. 4 . Perfons at age who want not the Right of a fiat<d Relation, may have fuch actual ~atoral and Moral indi[pofitions, as may a1fo make them for that ttme unmcet to Receive. As Sicknels, fnfetl:ion, a Journey, perfccution, fcattering the Church, a Prifon: And (~monlly ) r. Want of neceffary know~ ledge of the nature of the Sacrament (which by the negligence of P•flors or Parents may be the e>ft of fame that are but newly pall their childhood ) ; 2. Some heinous fin, of which the finncr hath not [ 0 far repented, as to be yet ready to receive a fealed pardon, or which is fo fcar.dalous in the ·Church, as that in publick refpcch the perfon is yet unfit for its priviledges. 3• Such fins or ac· cufations of fin, as make rhc perfons Church-title jufily Controverted, and his Communion fufpend ... cd, till the caiC: be decided. 4· Such fears of unworthy Receiving, as were like to hurt and difiract the perfon, if he fhould receive till he were bm« fatisfied. Thefe make a man uncapable ofprefent Reception, and fo are a barr to his plena~y right : They have flill right to Receive in a t!~tt manner : But being yet uncapable ef that due Rt<fiving, they have not a plenary right to the thing. S· The fame may be !aid of other parts of our duty and priviledges. A man may have a Rela· tivc, habitl.lal or fiated right, to praife God, and give him thanks for his ju!lification, and fandificati– on, and adoption, and to godly conference, to exercifcs of humiliation, &c. who yet for want of prefent ac:tual preparation, may be uncapable, and fo want a plenary right. ' 6. The underflanding of the double prcpuation neceffuy, doth moll clearly hdp us to unaerfland this cafe. A man that is in an unregenerate fiatc, rnufl be vifibly cured of that ]fate (of utter ig~ not.mce, unbclief, ungodlinefS, ) before he can be a member of the Church, and lay a claim to its privilcdgcs. But when that is done, befidcs this general prep,aratioJt, a patticular preparation alfo to each dury is ncceffuy to the right doing ir. A._man muH underfiand what he goeth about, and m;.f\ - ...
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