B01867:530
Gospel-worship, or, The right manner of sanctifying the name of God in general. And…
Gospel-worship, or, The right manner of sanctifying the name of God in general. And particularly in these three great ordinances, viz. [brace] 1. Hearing the Word, 2. receiving the Lords Supper, 3. prayer. / By Jeremiah Burroughs. At the end of the contents of this book is printed the titles of all the works of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs, that are published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.]Gospel-worship, or, The right manner of sanctifying the name of God in general. And particularly in these three great ordinances, viz. [brace] 1. Hearing the Word, 2. receiving the Lords Supper, 3. prayer. / By Jeremiah Burroughs. At the end of the contents of this book is printed the titles of all the works of Mr. Ieremiah Burroughs, that are published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.]
London: printed by Peter Cole, 1648
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.
Quest. You will say, must it be received in a Communion of Saints? what if wicked men do come there? will that hinder us from sanctifying Gods name in partaking of the Sacrament with them? do not we find in Scripture that the Church had always wicked men among them? there are always tares growing up with the wheat: If you read even in the Corinthians, you shall find that there were some in that Church that were wicked, yea and it's thought that Judas himself did receive the Sacrament too; therefore what if wicked men be there, doth that hinder?
Quest. You will say, must it be received in a Communion of Saints? what if wicked men do come there? will that hinder us from sanctifying Gods name in partaking of the Sacrament with them? doe not we finde in Scripture that the Church had alwaies wicked men among them? there are alwaies tares growing up with the wheat: If you reade even in the Corinthians, you shall find that there were some in that Church that were wicked, yea and it's thought that Judas himself did receive the Sacrament too; therefore what if wicked men be there, doth that hinder?
Answ. I answer, first it is true, that in the Church of God there have been wicked men, and us like there will be wicked men to the end of the World; but yet wheresoever there is a right Communion of Saints, there ought to be the power of Christ exercised to cast out those wicked men, or at least to withdraw from them. This is the Law of Christ, that if there be any that have communion with you, if any of them do appear to be wicked, you are bound in conscience to go and tell them; if they do not reform, you are bound to take two or three, and if they do not yet reform, then you are bound to tell the Church, to tell the Assembly of the Saints when they meet together; for so the word Church doth signify, and we find in the 1 Cor. 5. Chap. that when there was an incestuous person to be cast out, it was done in the presence of the Congregation: Thus far you are bound to do, otherwise you cannot say that it is nothing to you if wicked men be there, for you have not discharged your conscience, and so you come to be defiled, and you do not sanctify Gods Name in this Ordinance, because you have not done to the uttermost of your duty for the casting out of those wicked men.