Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

You tell us in your Letter to Mr. Venn. (p. 41.) "It is easy to gather from the writings of the A"poftles, that many perfons, even in their times, "made profeffion of Christianity, and even preachsed Chrift, who, in the moral fense of the word, "were not Christians." This does not fufficiently appear, if there be no ftronger proof of it than that paffage affords, which you have quoted from the Apoftle Paul, viz. I keep under my body, and bring it into fubjection, left that, by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a caftaway.' If this text be at all to the purpofe, it proves that Paul at that time was not, in the moral fenfe of the word, a Chriftian. However admitting there might be fome fuch profeffors, and that what you add be alfo true, "That we do not find that

thefe merely nominal Chriftians were excluded " from the Lord's Supper," it does not follow from hence that mere nominal Chriftians, have a right to this ordinance, unless you can prove that those whom you speak of in the primitive times were known to be only nominal Chriftians when they were admitted to it; the contrary to which is, I think, fufficiently evident from what I fhall have occafion to mention in fpeaking to

The Third argument from fcripture to prove that only real Christians have a right to the Lord's Supper, which is, What the facred writers fay concerning the characters of the members of the primitive churches as fuch. One thing muft here be premifed, which you have entirely forgot, but which is, very obvioufly, of confiderable importance in the prefent controverfy, that being members of a church and receiving the Lord's Supper are expreffions of the fame import, and only different ways of characterizing the fame perfons. It will, I think, be univerfally acknowledged, that all thofe who were called Chriftians in the primitive times, and confidered by Christian pastors

[blocks in formation]

as members of their respective churches, did attend the Lord's Supper, and that all who attended the Lord's Supper were confidered as church-members. How else were the members of chriftian churches diftinguished from other perfons? Now if this were the cafe, whatsoever is faid of the members of churches as fuch, is faid of them as communicants, or receivers of the Lord's Supper; and we may thence judge concerning the qualifications requifite to a worthy attendance on this ordinance. Let us then enquire in what light the Apoftles confidered those churches to whom they wrote their refpective epiftles, whether only as confifting of perfons who profeffed a belief that Jefus was a divine teacher, or as those who appeared to be, and by being admitted to the Lord's table were esteemed, real Christians in the highest fenfe, righteous and pious perfons.

a

The Apostle Paul, in his epiftle to the church at Reme, not only fpeaks of the members of it as 'beloved of God and called to be faints,' but thanks God on account of their converfion from fin to holinefs: God be thanked that ye were the fervants of ⚫ fin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form

.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

of doctrine which was delivered unto you. Being ⚫ then made free from fin, ye became the fervants of righteoufnefs." " Unto the church which was < at Corinth,' he writes as unto them that were. fanctified in Chrift Jefus, and that called upon the name of the Lord,' of which perfons it is elsewhere faid they fhall be faved.' He speaks of them as having been formerly in the number of the chief of finners; thieves, covetous, drunkards,' &c. and then adds,But ye are washed, but ye are fanctified, but ye are juftified in the name of the Lord Jefus and by the Spirit of our God.'

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

с

In his fecond epiftle to the fame church, he fays Our hope of you is ftedfaft;' and fpeaks of them as

the

Rom. i. 7. vi. 17, 18.

e 1 Cor. i. 2. vi. 11.

[ocr errors]

the epiftles of Chrift known and read of all men, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living ! God.' In writing to the churches of Galatia, tho' he had occafion to reprove them for an undue attachment to the law of Mofes, he speaks of them as ⚫ the children of God by faith in Chrift, as having put on Chrift (i. e. a Christian temper) by baptifm, as being Abraham's feed, and heirs according to the promise;" and as the fons of God, into whose hearts God had fent the fpirit of his Son, crying Abba Father.' f

[ocr errors]

с

In his epiftle to the church at Ephesus, he ftiles them the faints which are at Ephefus, chofen, in Chrift, made accepted in the beloved; and speaks of them as having trufted in Christ, as having been quickened when dead in trefpaffes and fins."

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

The Philippians he calls the faints which are at Philippi,' and tells them he was confident of this very thing, that he which had begun a good work in them' (which neceffarily implies that they had been truly converted to God) would perform it until the day of Chrift.' He adds, even as it is meet to think thus of you all.' — The Coloffians he ftiles the faints and faithful brethren in Chrift Jefus, and gives thanks for their faith and love, and for the hope which was laid up for them in heaven.' He reprefents the gospel as having brought • forth fruit in them, fince the day they heard it, and ⚫ received the grace of God in truth;' and speaks of them as delivered from the power of darkness and • made meet to be partakers of the glorious inheritance of the faints in light. Unto the church of the Theffalonians, he declares he gave thanks to God always on their behalf, remembering their • work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of I hope in the fight of God, and that the gospel had

[ocr errors]

? k

[ocr errors]

Gal. iii. 26, 29. f iv. 6.

Ch. iii. 2, 3.
ii. 1. i Phil. i.

* Col. i. 12, 13.

6 come

Eph. i.

k

come unto them not in word only, but alfo in power and in the Holy Ghoft.' The author of the epiftle to the Chriftian Hebrews, tho' he speaks of fome that once belonged to their churches as having apoftatized, yet fays concerning the reft, I am perfuaded better things of you, and things that accompany falvation.'

.

It were eafy to multiply quotations from these epiftles, and to produce paffages from the remaining ones of James and Peter, of John and Jude, to the fame effect with those already quoted; but I forbear left I fhould be thought too prolix, and will only juft remark, that from what Chrift ordered John to write in the book of the Revelation to the churches of Sardis and Laodicea, tho' more fevere complaints are brought against them than against any church mentioned in the whole New Teftament, yet it appears that the members of both, not only looked upon themselves as real Chriftians, but were efteemed fuch by others. They thought they were rich and needed nothing, though they were poor and miferable; and had a name that they lived, tho' they were really dead.'" This remark may ferve to obviate an objection which might be urged against the argument drawn from the foregoing paf fages, "that many of these churches had wicked

members belonging to them, or hypocritical pro"feffors, tho' it be allowed that the majority of "them were truly pious." It does not appear that any of them were known to be bad, or even confidered as dubious characters, when they were admitted as members of the church; but, on the contrary, as having the appearance of faints. of faints. And those who afterwards discovered, by an unchriftian temper, or conduct, that they were not real Chriftians, are spoken

k L Theff. i, 2-5. and 2 Theff. i, 3, 7. Rev. ii. 23. iii, 17.

1 Heb. vi. 9.

of

of as having crept in unawares,' " and as falfe bre'thren unawares brought in.' *

Befides the arguments already produced from fctipture to prove that nominal Chriftians ought not to attend the Lord's Supper; this point I apprehend will receive further confirmation, from a due attention to that part of Paul's epiftle to the Corinthians, which immediately relates to this ordinance. But the illuftration of this will be fo large, that I fhall make it the fubject of another letter.

I am, SIR,

Your's, &c.

■ Jude 4. Gal. ii. 4.

The reader may fee this argument further pursued, and the objections against the force of it removed, in a work entitled, An humble Enquiry into the Qualifications requifite to a full Communion, &c. by the late judicious and learned Mr. JONATHAN EDWARDS, M. A. Prefident of the College in New Jersey, p. 66, &c.

LET.

« ПредишнаНапред »