An Expojition of the Epiflle ~ The Firfi is this, lt was underfiood as if I fa id, thalall Parifh Churches and SermoTJ Minilters generally were Churches and Minifiers of Chrifi, fuch as with whom XXXVI. Commun1on might be held. I fa id not fo. I was wary in my exprellions. I ~will only fay th1s unto you about it, There is no man that defireth reformation in this Kingdom (as the generality of all godly People do,) but will aclmow– ledge and fay, that multitude of Parifi1es, where Ignorance and Prophanefs overwhelmeth the generality, Scandaloufnefs and Simony, the Minifiers them– felves; that thefe are not Churches and Minifiers fit to be held Communion with. Only this, The Ordinances that h2ve been adminifire£1 by them, fo far we muft acknowledge them, that they are not to be recalled or repeated again. But here lieth the quefiion, my Brethren, and my meaning.. Whereas now in fome of the Parifhes in this Kingdom, there are many godly men that do con– flantly give themfelves up to the worfhip of God in publick, and meet together in one place to that end, in a confiant way, under godly Minifier, whom they themfdves have·chofen to cleave to, (though they d1d not choofe him atfirfr.) Thefe, notwithfianding their mixture and want of Difcipline, I never thought for my part, but that they were true Churches of Chrifi, and Sifrer Churches, \ and fo ought to be acknowledged. And the contrary was the Errour that r fpake againfr. Seclilndly, For holding Communion with them. I fay, as Sifier Churches, occalionnlly as Strangers, men might hold communion with them. And it is acknowledged by all Divines, that there is not that obligation lying upon a Stran– ger, that is not a Member of a Sifter Church, to find fault in that Church , or in a Member of it, as doth on the Church it felf to which one belongetb. I will give you my Reafons, that moved me to fpeak fo much. It was not fimply to vent my own Judgment, or limply to clear my_ felf from that Errour ; but the Reafons, or rather the Mottves and Conliderarwns that fhrred me in it were thefe. · Firfi, If we fhould not aclmowledge thefe Churches , thus fiated, to be true Churches of Chrifi, and their Minifiers true Minifiers, and their Order fuch, and hold Communion with them too in the fenfe fpoken of, we mufi acknowledge no Church in all the Reformed Churches; none of all the Churches in Scotland, nor in Holland, nor in Germmry, for they are all as full of mixture as ours. And to deny that to our own Churches, which we do not to the Churches abroad, no– thing can be more abfurd. And it will be very hard to think, that there bath been no Church lince the Reformation, Secondly, I know nothing tendeth more to the peaceable Reformation a– mongfi us, than to break down this Partitio11 wall; for there is nothing pro– vokes more than this dotb, to deny fuch Churches tobe true Churches of Chrifi. For dobutthink with your felves, and I will give you a familiar Example : You • come to a mon, whom you think to be a godly man; you tell him, he bath thefe and thefe fins in him,and they are great ones; it is as much as he can bear,though you tell him he is a Saint, and acknowledge him fo. But if you come to him, and fay , befides this, You are a limb of the Devil, and you have no Grace in you; this provokes all in a man, when there is any ground in himfelf to think fo, or in another to judge him fo. So it is here, Come to Churches and fay, You have thefe defects amongO: you, and thele things to be reformed; but if you will come, and fay, Your Churches and your Minifiers are Antichri!\ian, and come from Bab)•lo11, there is nothLng provokes more. Therefore, if there be a truth in it (as I believe there is,) men fhould be zealous to exprefs it; for this is the great Partitio11 wall that hindreth of twain rnal<ing one. Then again, This is that which I confider, and it is a great Confideration alfo. I know that Jefus Chrifi bath given his People light in matters of this ~ature by degrees. Thoufands of good Souls that have been bred up and born m our Affemblies, and enJOy' the Ordmances of God, and have done 1t cam· fortabl y, cannot fuddenly take in other Principles, you mufr woit upon Chrifi to do it. In
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=