A47350:187
A sober discourse of right to church-communion
A sober discourse of right to church-communion wherein is proved by Scripture, the example of the primitive times, and the practice of all that have professed the Christian religion, that no unbaptized person may be regularly admitted to the Lords Supper / by W. Kiffin ...A sober discourse of right to church-communion wherein is proved by Scripture, the example of the primitive times, and the practice of all that have prosessed the Christian religion, that no unbaptized person may be regularly admitted to the Lords Supper / by W. Kiffin ...
London: printed by Geo. Larkin for Enoch Prosser, 1681
Chapter 5: Wherein the Objections against this Position viz. That none may be Regularly admitted t…
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.
Obj. 2. But we admit none to the Supper of the Lord, but those ⟨p. 126⟩that think they are Baptised already, and Judg what they received in their Infancy sufficient.
Answer. It is certain that they who believe that the only Subjects of Baptism are actual Believers, viz. such who upon a Profession of Faith received that Ordinance, and esteemed no other Baptism valid, cannot judg the Baptism received in Infancy to be Christs Baptism, they knowing that the proper Subject appointed by Christ, viz. a Believer (which is the main part of the Essence of the Ordinance) is wanting, and certainly the Ground of Churches proceedings, in admitting persons to the Supper cannot be built upon the imagination of the party desiring Communion, but upon the knowledge the Church hath of it, and its being tried by the Rule which they are to Walk by. For,
Answer. It is certain that they who believe that the only Subjects of Baptism are actual Believers, viz. such who upon a Profession of Faith received that Ordinance, and esteemed no other Baptism valid, cannot judg the Baptism received in Infancy to be Christs Baptism, they knowing that the proper Subject appointed by Christ, viz. a Believer (which is the main part of the Essence of the Ordinance) is wanting, and certainly the Ground of Churches proceedings, in admitting persons to the Supper cannot be built upon the imagination of the party desiring Communion, but upon the knowledg the Church hath of it, and its being tryed by the Rule which they are to Walk by. For,
Suppose a Person desires to sit down as a Member of the Church, as thinking he hath a true Faith, and a Right to the Privilege in the Church, when yet he can give no satisfactory demonstration of either; will any think the Church ought to receive him because he hath that good persuasion of himself, when they themselves are satisfied that what he declares is insufficient by the Rule, to make out his Right? Or will any judgment of Charity warrant such a proceeding? Certainly no; and yet the Reason is the same for the latter, as for the former. Besides the Consequence to the party that should be so Admitted to the Supper upon his conceit that he is Baptized is very dangerous, and must needs build him up in a conceit that he hath that which indeed he hath not. God of old gave this charge, that a stumbling-block must