A30138:370
Differences in judgment about water-baptism, no bar to communion, or, To communicate with saints,…Differences in judgment about vvater-baptism, no bar to communion, or, To communicate with saints,…
Differences in judgment about water-baptism, no bar to communion, or, To communicate with saints, as saints, proved lawful in answer to a book written by the Baptists, and published by Mr. T.P. and Mr. W.K. entitled, Some serious reflections on that part of Mr. Bunyan's confession of faith, touching church-communion with unbaptized believers : wherein, their objections and arguments are answered, and the doctrine of communion still asserted and vindicated : here is also Mr. Henry's Jesse's judgment in the case, fully declaring the doctrine I have asserted / by John Bunyan.Differences in judgment about vvater-baptism, no bar to communion, or, To communicate with saints, as saints, proved lawful in answer to a book written by the Baptists, and published by Mr. T.P. and Mr. W.K. entituled, Some serious reflections on that part of Mr. Bunyan's confession of faith, touching church-communion with unbaptized believers : wherein, their objections and arguments are answered, and the doctrine of communion still asserted and vindicated : here is also Mr. Henry's Jesse's judgment in the case, fully declaring the doctrine I have asserted / by John Bunyan.
London: printed for John Wilkins, 1673
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Object. That this bearing with, and receiving such as are weak in the Faith, must be limited to Meats, and Days, and such like things that had been old Jewish Observations, but not unto the being ignorant in, or doubting of any New-Testament-Institution.
Object. That this bearing with, and receiving such as are weak in the Faith, must be limited to Meats, and Dayes, and such like things that had been old Jewish Observations, but not unto the being ignorant in, or doubting of any New-Testament-Institution.
Answ. Where the Lord puts no limitation, men should be wary how they do it, for they must have a Command or Example, before they can limit this Command; for although the Lord took this occasion from their difference about Meats and Days to give this Command, yet the Command is not limited there, no more than Mat. 12. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. That when they made use of his good Law rigorously in the Letter, he presently published an Act of Grace, in the 7th verse, and tells them, Had they known what this meaneth, I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice, they would not have condemned the guiltless; as also Mat. 9. 13. Go learn what this meaneth, I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice, which is not to be limited unto what was the present occasion of publishing the Command, ⟨p. 109⟩but observed as a general Rule upon all occasions, wherein Mercy and Sacrifice comes in competition, to show the Lord will rather have a Duty omitted that is due to him, then Mercy to his Creatures omitted by them. So in the Text, when some would not receive such as were weak in the Faith, as to matters of Practice, the Lord was pleased to publish this ACT of Grace; Him that is weak in the Faith, receive you, but not to doubtful disputation. Now unless it be proved, that no Saint can be weak in the Faith in any thing but Meats and Days, or in some Old-Testament-Observation, and that he ought not to be judged a Saint, that is weak in the Faith, as it relates to Gospel-Institutions, in matters of practice, you cannot limit the Text, and you must also prove his weakness SUCH, as that the Lord will not receive him; else the Command in the first verse, and the Reason or Motive in the third verse, will both be in force upon you, to wit, Him that is weak in the Faith, receive you, or unto you, for God hath received him.