in receiving the Sacrament ofthe Lords Supper. VA great dearinit,forthihelengnf us to fanet ifie Gods Naniel, this Ordinance, I fay, it is to e receivedonly in a holy communion ; one Chrifban cannot receive the Sacrament alone, there mutt be a communion wherefoever it is to be adminiftred ; it is not enough there is one godlyman there, but there mutt be a Communion of Saints, and in that Communionit into be received. ,Rueft. You will fay, Mutt it be received in a Communionof Saints ? What if wicked men do come there, will that hinder us from Sanaifying Gods Name in partaking of the Sacrament with them ? Do not we find in Scripture that the Church had alwaieswickedmen among them ? there are alwaies Tares gro- wingup with the Wheat : Ifyou read even in the Corintbiant, you fhall find that there were fome in that Church that were wicked, yea, and it's thought that 7udashimfelf did receive the Sacrament ; therefore what if wicked men be there, doth that hinder ? .Anfir. I anfwer, firft : It is true, That in the Churchof God there have beenwicked men, and 'cis like there will be wicked men to the end of the world ; but yet wherefoever there is a right Communion of Saints, there ought to be the power of Chrift exercifed to call out thole wicked men, or at leaft to withdraw from them. This is the LawofChrift, That if there be any that have Communion with you, if any of them do ap- pear to be wicked, you arebound in Confcience to go and tell them; if theydo not reform, you are bound to take two or three ; and if they do nor yet reform, then you are bound to tell the Church, to tell the Affemblyof the Saints when they meet toge- ther, for fo the word Churchdoth fignifie ; and we find in the Cor. 5. chap. that when there was an inceftuous perfon to be caft out, is was done in the prefenceof the Congregation : Thus far you are bound to do, otherwife you cannot fay, that it is nothing to you if wicked men be there, for you have not dif- chargedyour confcience, and fo you come to be defiled, and youdo not fanaifieGods Name in this Ordinance, becaufe you have not done to theuttermoff of your Duty for the cafting our of thofe wickedmen. And mark, in a Cor. 5. 7. there the Apoffle writing to the Churcb,bids them that they fhould purge out the old Leven, know Z ye
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