Letter on Reception at the Lord’s Table.
THE question is as to reception of saints to partake of the Table of our Lord with us, whether any can be admitted who are not formally and regularly with us? It is not whether we exclude persons unsound in faith, or ungodly in practice, nor whether we, deliberately walking with those who are unsound and ungodly, are not in the same guilt—not clear in, the matter? The first is unquestioned; the last, brethren have insisted on—and I among them—at very painful cost to ourselves. There may be subtle pleas to get evil allowed, but we have always been firm, and God, I believe, has fully owned it.
The question is not there: but, Suppose a person, known to be godly and sound in faith, who has not left some ecclesiastical system, nay, thinks Scripture favors an ordained ministry, but is glad when the occasion occurs: suppose we alone are in the place, or he is not in connection with any other body in the place—staying with a brother or the like—is he to be excluded because he is of some system as to which his conscience is not enlightened, nay, which he may think more right? He is a godly member of the body, known such; is he to be shut out? If so, the degree of light is title to communion, and the unity of the body is denied by the assembly which refuses him. The principle of meeting as members of Christ walking in godliness is given up, agreement with us is made the rule, and the assembly becomes a sect with its members like any other. They meet on their principles, Baptist or other, you on yours; and if they do not belong to you formally as such, you do not let them in. The principle of brethren’s meeting is gone, and another sect is made, say with more light and that is all... The path is not of God.
I have heard (and I partly believe it, for I have heard some rash and violent people say it elsewhere) that the various sectarian celebrations of the Supper are called “tables of devils.” But this proves only the unbrokenness and ignorance of him who says it. The heathen altars are called tables of devils because, and expressly because, what they offered, they offered, according to Deuteronomy 32:1717They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. (Deuteronomy 32:17), to devils and not to God. But to call Christian assemblies by pression (ignorant of ecclesiastical truth, and hence meeting wrongly) tables of devils is simply monstrous nonsense, and shows the bad state of him who so talks. No sober man, no honest man can deny that Scripture means something totally different....
May the Lord guide you! Remember you are acting as representing the whole Church of God, and if you depart from a right path as to the principle of meeting, you are separating yourselves from it to be a local sect on your own principles. In all that concerns faithfulness, God is my witness, I seek no looseness; but Satan is busy, seeking to lead us one side or the other—to destroy the largeness of the unity of the body, or to make it mean looseness in practice and doctrine. We must not fall into one in avoiding the other. Reception of all true saints is what gives its force to the exclusion of those walking loosely. If I exclude all who walk godlily as well, who do not follow with us, it loses its power, for those who are godly are shut out too.
There is no membership of brethren. Membership of an assembly is unknown in Scripture. It is members of Christ’s body. If people must be all of you, it is practically membership of your body. The Lord keep you from it; it is simply dissenting ground.
J. N. D.