A61661:100
The doctrine of instituted churches explained and proved from the word of God
The doctrine of instituted churches explained and proved from the word of God by Solomon Stoddard ...
London: printed for Ralph Smith, 1700
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.
Such Adult Persons as are worthy to be admitted into the Church, or being in the Church are worthy to be continued without censure, are to be admitted to the Lords Supper; it is utterly unreasonable to deny the Adult Members of the Church, the Lords Supper, and yet not lay them under censure; If they are guilty of any such offence as to be denied the Lords Supper, why are they not censured? If they are not worthy to be censured, why are they kept from the Lords Supper?
Such Adult Persons as are worthy to be admitted into the Church, or being in the Church are worthy to be continued without censure, are to be admitted to the Lords Supper; it is utterly unreasonable to deny the Adult Members of the Church, the Lords Supper, and yet not lay them under censure; If they are guilty of any such offence as to be denyed the Lords Supper, why are they not censured? If they are not worthy to be censured, why are they kept from the Lords Supper?
There are some Scriptures that have been thought to hold forth a need of somewhat further, in order to participation in the Lords Supper, which if they be examined will be found to be strained beyond the Import of them, Psal. 6.16. David saith, I will tell you what the Lord hath done for my Soul, hence it is argued, that Men should give an Account of the manner of their Conversion, in order to their Admission; but if it should be granted that David doth respect the work of Regeneration, doth it follow because he was willing to talk of it, that they might make a Law to bind him to do it in the Synagogue, or doth it follow that David offered to do it in order to his joining with the Jewish Church, Act. 2.37. They ⟨image 12⟩were pricked at the heart, before they were admitted into the Church, but let it be considered that many others were joined to the Christian Church, of whom we read no such thing, and here is no living Rule that others must declare that they are pricked at the heart before their Admission; yea it is certain, that these did not declare their trouble, in order to their Admission into the Church, but in order to their Direction; yea, it doth not appear that these Men were under a work of Conversion at this time, they might be Godly Men before, the thing that stung them was a National sin, which in probability, they had no hand in; For the greater part of them, were strangers, come up to keep the Feast of Pentecost, and were greatly affected with the sin which the Nation of the Jews were guilty of in Crucifying of Christ,