M. 1. It seemeth to make a New Gospel-Condition, or contradict Christ's. Christ saith, That none can be his Disciple, except he forsake all, and follow him: This Course saith, Thou shalt be saved by Christ, if thou hadst rather Communicate than lose all and lie in Jail. The Sacrament is an Investing delivering of Pardon and right to Christ and Salvation; And none but those that desire them above all the World are capable of these. And to give them to the forced and unwilling is contrary to the Gospel.
2. It seems to put a Lie on Christ, as if he had ever made any such gift.
3. It tendeth to deceive poor Souls.
4. It forceth them on Sacrilege, Hypocrisy, Profanation and Damnation.
5. It may distract those Persons with terror who are conscious of their unfitness, or those Melancholy Christians that under Temptation tremble for fear of taking their own damnation.
6. It polluteth the Church, and confoundeth the Infidels, Catechumens and Fideles.
⟨p. 149⟩7. It thereby filleth the Church with such wicked men as prove worse Enemies to the godly than those without.
8. In all Elections the Major part of wicked forced Communicants will carry it, to choose Ministers like themselves, and carry Church Matters according to their wicked minds.
9. Good men seeing this are ready to be frightened out of the Church to Separation, as men run out of a ruinous House, lest it fall on their Heads, or fly from a noisome place with loathing.
10. And then the Crowd that thus get Church possession will revile them as Schismatics and Sectaries, and Hypocrites, and persecute and destroy them if they can.
Are not all those sad effects of turning a Church into a Prison, and forcing men to seem to take that which Christ professeth he doth not give them? And of casting holy things to Dogs, and Pearls before Swine; and cramming and drenching those with the Body and Blood of Christ, who have no right till they desire and beg it, and can sell all to buy this precious Pearl? We dare not Assent, Consent or Swear to such a Course as this, nor publish an Excommunication against such men on this account. It's an odd thing to cast men out because they will not come in.
M. 1. It seemeth to make a New Gospel-Condition, or contradict Christ's. Christ saith, That none can be his Disciple, except he forsake all, and follow him: This Course saith, Thou shalt be saved by Christ, if thou hadst rather Communicate than lose all and lie in Jail. The Sacrament is an Investing delivering of Pardon and right to Christ and Salvation; And none but those that desire them above all the World are capable of these. And to give them to the forced and unwilling is contrary to the Gospel.
2. It seems to put a Lie on Christ, as if he had ever made any such gift.
3. It tendeth to deceive poor Souls.
4. It forceth them on Sacriledge, Hypocrisie, Prophanation and Damnation.
5. It may distract those Persons with terror who are conscious of their unfitness, or those Melancholy Christians that under Temptation tremble for fear of taking their own damnation.
6. It polluteth the Church, and confoundeth the Infidels, Catechumens and Fideles.
⟨p. 149⟩7. It thereby filleth the Church with such wicked men as prove worse Enemies to the godly than those without.
8. In all Elections the Major part of wicked forced Communicants will carry it, to chuse Ministers like themselves, and carry Church Matters according to their wicked minds.
9. Good men seeing this are ready to be frightned out of the Church to Separation, as men run out of a ruinous House, lest it fall on their Heads, or fly from a noisome place with loathing.
10. And then the Crowd that thus get Church possession will revile them as Schismaticks and Sectaries, and Hypocrites, and persecute and destroy them if they can.
Are not all those sad effects of turning a Church into a Prison, and forcing men to seem to take that which Christ professeth he doth not give them? And of casting holy things to Dogs, and Pearls before Swine; and cramming and drenching those with the Body and Blood of Christ, who have no right till they desire and beg it, and can sell all to buy this precious Pearl? We dare not Assent, Consent or Swear to such a Course as this, nor publish an Excommunication against such men on this account. It's an odd thing to cast men out because they will not come in.
