Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	church_n	communion_n	perform_v	3,059	5	9.9633	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B04528	The lavvfulnes of hearing the publick ministers of the Church of England proved, by Mr. Philip Nye and Mr. John Robinson, two eminent Congregational divines. Together with the judgment of Dr. Goodwin, Dr. Owen, and other independents, as well ancient as modern, concerning forms of prayer, parish-churches, and communion with them: and the judgment of other nonconformists about kneeling at the sacrament.	Nye, Philip, 1596?-1672.; Robinson, John, 1575?-1625.	1683 (1683)	Wing N1496; ESTC R203023	37,350	46

Silver or other materials So doth not the Church make any Man's Sin to become his Sin which it was not before but only suffers the Sin that was But to strain the strings of this imagined proportion to make them meet and to suppose the Church in a sense to be as the Altar yet this only follows thereupon that as he who partakes with the Altar in the upholding of the Offering partakes with the Offering So he that partakes with the Church in the upholding of any Evil hath his part in the Evil also And this I grant willingly but deny as a most vain imagination that every one that partakes with a Church in things lawful joyns with it in upholding the things unlawful to be found in it Christ our Lord joyned with the Jewish Church in things lawful and yet upheld nothing unlawful in it Object 3. But this course of Hearing will offend weak Brethren not perswaded of the lawfulness of it Answ 1. It will offend more and many of them weaker and that more grievously if it be not performed 2. It is an Offence taken and not given seeing the thing is in it self good in its kind commanded by God and in that particular by Men in Authority and directly tending to my Edification and not like unto eating of Flesh or drinking of Wine or the like things of indifferent nature and left to my free liberty to use or not to use And these are the principal Objections upon the former Grounds They upon the latter follow There is in the hands of many a Treatise published by a Man of Note containing certain Reasons to prove it unlawful to hear or have Spiritual Communion with the present Ministry of the Church of England This hath been answered but indeed sophistically and in passion Neither hath the Answerer much regarded what he said or unsaid so he might gainsay his Adversary With that Answer was joyned another directed to my self and the same doubled pretending to prove Publick Communion upon Private but not pressing at all in the body of the Discourse that Consequence but proceeding upon other Grounds and in truth consisting of a continued Equivocation in the terms Publick Licence Government Ministry and the like drawn to another sense than either I intended them or than the matter in question will permit Whereas he that will refute another should religiously take and hold to his Adversaries meaning And if in any particular it be not so plainly set down should spell it as it were out of his words But it is no new thing even for Learned and Godly Men to take more than lawful Liberty in dealing with them against whom they have the Advantage of the Times favouring them like the Wind on their Backs But God forbid I should follow them herein I will on the contrary use all plainness and simplicity as in the sight of God that so I may make the naked Truth appear as it is to the Christian Reader 's Eye what in me lieth And for the Treatise mentioned it must be observed how both in the Title and body of the Book the Author confounds as one hearing of and having Spiritual Communion with the Ministery c. Which as it is true of such as stand in spiritual and political Church-Union with a Church and the Ministry thereof who accordingly have church-Church-Communion in the publick Acts and Exercises of that Church so is it not true of others which are not Members of nor in Ecclesiastical Union and Combination with the said Church For the better clearing of things let us in a few words consider distinctly of Religious Actions according to the several Ranks in which they may rightly and orderly be set Some such Actions are Religious only as they are performed by Religious Persons And of this sort is Hearing and so Reading of God's Word The Scriptures teach and all confess that Hearing of the Word of God goes before Faith For Faith comes by Hearing as by an outward means Rom. 10.7 Hearing then being before Faith and Faith before all other Acts of Religion inward or outward it must needs follow that Hearing is not simply or of it self a work of Religion and so not of Religious Communion Hearing is properly and of it self a natural Action though it be the hearing the very Word of God And I call it a natural Action in it self in a double respect First for that the Light of Nature teacheth every Man to hear and listen to another that can and will teach and inform him in any thing for his good divine or humane Secondly for that a meer natural Man Jew Turk Infidel or Idolater lawfully may yea necessarily ought to hear God's Word that so of natural he may become spiritual In the second rank I place Preaching and Prayer which are properly Acts religious and spiritual as being to be performed the one by a Gift the other by a Grace of God's Spirit Psal 50.16 17. Prov. 15.8 John 9.31 Of a third sort is the Paricipation in the Sacraments which ordinarily at least requires a Membership in some particular and Misterial Church in the Participant they being publick Church-Ordinances In a fourth Order I set the Power of Suffrage and Voice-giving in electing of Officers and cesuring of Offenders for which there is requisite an Interest of the Person so voting in that particular Church as a Member thereof Of the last sort is the Ministration of Sacraments which requires with the rest fore-mentioned a publick State of Ministry in the Person administring them Now for Preaching by some and Hearing by others which two always go together they may be and oft are performed without any Religious or Spiritual Communion at all passing between the Persons Preaching or Hearing When Paul preached to the superstitious Athenians shall we conceive he had Spiritual Communion with that Heathenish Assembly How much less had they Spiritual and Religious Communion with him who performed not so much as a Religious Work in their hearing As God gave any of them to believe they came into invisible or inwardly Spiritual Personal Communion with him as they came to make Personal Manifestation and Declaration of their Faith they came into outward Personal Communion with him Lastly as they came to joyn in or unto some particular Church into Church-Communion with him else not So when there comes into the Church-Assembly Vnbelievers Heathens Turks Jews Atheists Excommunicates Men of all Religions Men of none at all and there hear what spiritual Communion have they with the Church or State of the Teacher or one with another either in regard of the nature of the Act done or by God's Ordination and Institution Hearing simply is not appointed of God to be a Mark and Note either of Union in the same Faith or Order amongst all that hear or of differencing of Christians from no Christians or of Members from no Members of the Church as the Sacraments are Notes of both in the Participants The hearing

of the Word of God is not so inclosed by any hedg or ditch divine or humane made about it but lies in common for all for the good of all The particular Objections follow Object 1. No Man may submit his Conscience to be wrought upon by an unlawful and Antichristian Ministry neither hath God promised or doth afford any Blessing upon it neither can any have the sanctified use thereof Answ It cannot be said properly that the Office of the Ministry works upon the Conscience of the Hearer The Office only gives power and charge to the Teacher to teach in such or such a Church-state And as it resides in the Person of the Officer alone so the Communion lawful or unlawful which any hath with it is in regard of the lawful or unlawful Ecclesiastical Relation and Union foregoing between the Persons and not in any working of the Office upon the Conscience of any Secondly Though God bless not the unlawful Office of the Ministry which is not of himself yet he may and doth bless the Truths taught by the Officer which are of himself and from Heaven To deny this of many in the Church of England is Balaam-like to curse where God would have us to bless Object 2. To hear such a Minister is to honour approve and uphold his Office of Ministry Answ 1. If this be simply true then when the heathenish Athenians heard Paul preach or when an Unbeliever comes into the Church-Assembly and hears the Preacher he approves honours and upholds the Office of the Ministry which what it means he is altogether ignorant If any reply We know the Ministry of the Church to be as it is I answer That the knowing of it makes not our act the more or less an act of Approbation If I do an Act wherein I indeed approve of a thing if I know the thing I really approve of it upon Knowledg if I know it not I really approve of it but ignorantly 2. If I approve of the Office simply because I hear the Officer preach then I much more approve of all the Doctrines which he delivers because I hear him deliver them If the latter seems unreasonable so is the former much more except I be in Church-Communion with the Officer and then indeed I really approve of his Office as I also do of his Doctrine if it be according to the Confession of Faith made by me for then I am in former Union with him in the one or other and so have Communion in the Acts thereof If this were a good ground that every one approves of the Evil done in matter or manner where he is present none could live with a good Conscience in the Society of Men upon Earth Persons so minded are best alone for with others they will keep no Peace no not with themselves neither if they be true to their own Grounds But they plainly balk themselves in their Courses either in weakness of Judgment or partiality of Affection or throught want of due Consideration of their Ways Object 3. By this then it seems a Man may be present at any act of Idolatry and do as others do that practise Idolatry yet not approve of it And so the three Nobles in Daniel needed not to have put themselves upon such Pikes of Danger as they did for not falling down as others did in the Place Answ 1. In preaching the Truths of the Gospel no Idolatrous Act is performed as there was 2. It must be known that Approbation is properly in the Heart and only the manifestation of Approbation in outward Gesture Speech or Writing Both the one and other are evil if the thing be evil But here it must be considered that I may in some cases do the same outward Act which others do and wherein they manifest their Approbation of Idolatry or other Evil and yet I be free in Truth and Deed from all such Approbation and Stain thereof The Jews after Christ's Death and the taking away and abolishing the legal Ordinances thereby circumcised their Infants and frequented the Temple for Purification and other Mosaical Ceremonies as parts of God's Worship and still remaining of Divine Institution Paul also circumcised Timothy entred the Temple for Purification and yet did not approve any manner or way of the Error and Evil in the Jewish Worshippers To come nearer home it is the Custom in Popish Countries that all that pass by a Cross must in honour of it leave it on the Right-hand as they may be reason of the placing of it coming or going Now if I ride with others that way I may do the thing that they do and keep Company with them and yet not honour the Cross as they do It is besides the former the manner that such as so pass a Cross should in further honour put off their Hat to the said Cross But if I do this also I plainly manifest an Approbation of the Superstition The reason of the Difference is because I have another just Cause to do the former thing namely to keep on with my Company but have no just cause of the latter But now suppose that at the very place where the Cross stands I meet with some Friend or other to whom I owe that civil Respect of uncovering my Head I may then do that lawfully also upon the former Ground So if I had just and reasonable cause either of coming or standing by the Magistrate to whom I owe this Civil Honour whilst he is performing some Act of Idolatry in the Streets or else-where I might upon the same Ground go or stand uncovered by him without just Blame To apply these things to the Objection moved seeing no other Cause could resonably be conceived of the King 's commanding such a thing or of their doing the thing at his Commandment save the worshipping of the Idol they in so doing could not have escaped the just blame of Idolatry But now I have just Causes more than one of my Hearing and amongst the rest my Edification and therefore cannot be challenged therein to approve of the Ministers state or standing Besides that as formerly answered here is no Idolatrous Act performed Object 4. He that hears them preach hears them as Ministers of the Church of England and as sent by the Bishops and so in hearing them hears and receives them that send them according to that of our Saviour He that hears you hears me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luke 9.16 Joh. 13.10 Answ I grant the former part of the Objection and account the denying of it a point of Familism seeing the Officers of publick States in the executing of their Offices are to be esteemed according to the publick Laws and Orders of those States and not according to any underhand either Course or Intention by themselves or others They are heard as they preach and preach as Ministers of the Bishops sending and the Parishes

receiving to which they are sent by them And so I profess I hear them as the Ministers of the Bishop's sending and of the Parishes sent to but not as my Ministers either sending or sent to except I be of those Parishes or at least in Ecclesiastical Union with them Every one whether of a false Church or no Church or excommunicated from the Church that hears me hears me as the Pastor of the Church which I serve but not as his Pastor I suppose nor in way of any his spiritual Communion with mine Office of Pastorship Secondly By hearing and receiving there Christ's means properly the hearking to believing and obeying the Doctrine taught by the Apostles which many despised unto whom he opposeth the former that heard it Now the Ministers in the Parishes have not the Doctrines of the Gospel from the Bishops as they have their Office but from God in his Word and so far forth as a Man hears that is hearkens to and receives them by receiving it he so far hearkens to and receives Christ Object 5. Yet such as hear them have Communion with their Office of Ministry what in them lies Answ That is they have no Communion at all with it if it lie not in them to have any as it doth not If I hold up my Hand as high as I can I touch Heaven with my Finger what in me lies Do I therefore at all touch it If such think to have any such Communion it is their Error and Ignorance but makes not the thing to be the more than if they thought not so Object 6. Is there then no Communion at all between the Teacher and taught What Profit then comes there by such Hearing Answ The Church-Officer feeds the Flock and Church over which he is set as the Object of his Ministry such as come in being not in Church-Union therewith hear him so doing and as a Stander-by hearing me talk to or dispute with another tho I speak not a word to him may reap as much and more Fruit by my Speech than he to whom I direct it so may and doth it often come to pass with him that hears the Minister feed the Flock whose Minister he is tho he be no part of it He may reap Fruit by hearing him feed his Flock or seeing him minister Baptism to any Member thereof Here is Communion only in the effects of the Truths taught It were Usurpation in any to partake in a Church-Priviledg which the Office of Ministry is that were not in a Church-State first and so if hearing simply imported Church-Communion none but Church-Members might lawfully hear Object 7. In the true Church indeed is Order that the Church-Covenant go before church-Church-Communion but not so in the false Answ In the true Church there may be unlawful church-Church-Communion without a preceeding Church-Covenant as well as in the other to wit if an Act of Communion properly pass between the Church and him that is no Church-Member as for Example Participation in the Sacraments but hearing being not properly an Act of Communion cannot import Communion necessarily with the one or other not otherwise then according to a fore-going Church-Union whereas to partake in the Lord's Supper imports Communion in both lawful in him that is a lawful Church-Member and unlawful in him that is not in such a Church-State Object 8. But it is the Order of the Church of England that all that hear are and so are reputed Members of that Church Answ I deny that there is any such Order let the Law or Canon either be shewed that so orders things Excommunicates are permitted to hear Sermons tho not Divine Service as they call it 2. What if there were such an Order It no more either made or declared me to be a Member there than doth my dwelling in such or such a Parish make me a Member of that Parish-Church which latter is indeed the Law and Order there If the Church with me should make a Law Canon or Order that all that come in and hear me preach should thereby become Members of it we were the more foolish in making such an Order but they never a whit the nearer either for Membership or Communion Object 9. He that hears appears to have Communion with the Church and Ministry and all Appearance of Evil is to be avoided 1 Thess 5.22 Answ The Scripture is not to be understood of all that appears Evil to Others out of an erroneous and deceived Judgment for then we must abstain from almost all Good seeing there are some to whom almost all Good seems Evil but it is meant either of the Doctrine in Prophesy of which I have some probable Suspicion of which the Apostle seems properly to speak or of that which appears Evil to a rightly discerning eye By this imagined Exposition I might not hire a House in a Parish where I were not known seeing thereby I appear a Parish-member Object 10. None can hear without a Preacher nor Preach except he be sent Rom. 10.14 15. Therefore I cannot lawfully hear him that hath nat a lawful sending Answ That conclusion is neither in Text nor sound I may lawfully hear him that hath no lawful Calling as I have formerly shewed 2. The Apostle's meaning there is not to shew what is unlawful but what is impossible It is impossible to believe without hearing and impossible to hear without preaching and impossible to preach without the sending there intended that is without God's gracious work of Providence in raising up of Men by enabling and disopsing them to preach for the effectual calling of the Elect of God of which he there speaks If any make a Question Whether Faith come by the hearing of the Preachers there It is more questionable whether they themselves want not Faith which are so barren of Charity in which true Faith is fruitful If Faith come by the Preaching in England to any it follows thereupon that such Preachers are sent in the Apostle's sense Object 11. The Sheep of Christ hear his Voice but strangers they will not hear John 10.3 8 27. Answ Christ does not there speak of the outward Hearing but of the hearkning unto that is as he expounds himself ver 3 4 5 14 15 16 17. of the knowing and beieving of his Voice and following it So Chap. 9. I told you before and ye did not hear that is not believe ver 27. And God hears not Sinners ver 31. that is approves not of them and their Prayers So Chap. 11. I know that thou hearest me always and a thousand times in the Scriptures The drift of Christ in the place is without question to shew the difference between such as were his Sheep and such as were not his Sheep His Sheep heard his Vioce and they which were not his Sheep heard not his Voice But they which were not his Sheep nor heard his Voice as there he speaks heard him preach outwardly as well as the rest which were his Sheep

by Consecration and yet every particular place in it not made unlawful for all Uses If any further Object that in preaching and hearing God's Word therein we have a religious use of it they err not considering that tho the Work done be religious yet the Place is no more religious therefore than the time in which I do it Time and Place are natural Circumstances and without which no finite Action can be performed and some time and place more commodious and fit than others for the doing of things of all kinds I have no more religious Use of the place which I hear publickly than in which I pray privately in my House or Chamber Object 16. Seeing whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin what Word of God and so of Faith is there for this Practice Answ Every Scripture that either commands the hearing of God's Word and promiseth a Blessing to them that hear and keep it Mat. 7.24 Luke 11.28 or that commands me to edify and build to my self 1 Pet. 2.5 or to obey the Magistrate Tit. 3.1 or to follow after Peace Heb. 12.14 or to prevent Offences 1 Cor. 10.32 warrants and in Cases enjoyns this Practice supposing no Sin to be in the way of which in answering the former Objections to which I suppose all other of weight or colour may be referred I hope I have cleared it And for any unsatisfied or other-wise minded I wish I knew their Reasons either for their good by a sufficent Answer to be given unto them or for mine own by admitting of them as there may appear weight in them In the mean while let me intreat of the differently minded one way or other that they would exercise mutually that true Christian Charity one toward another and Compassion one of anothers Infirmities which becomes all that will be in Truth and Deed Followers of Christ Jesus and which is most needful specially in things of this kind for the preserving of the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peaee which Bond of Peace whilst Men are not careful to keep inviolated by brotherly Forbearance in matters of this nature they miserably dissipate and scatter themselves and one another even as the Ears in a Sheaf are scattered when the Bond breaketh But as few or no good things of any kind are so well used by some but others as much abuse them so it is to be feared there will not want who will change the lawful Liberty this way into lawless Licentiousness and so take up instead of all other religious Exercises a Hearing Course only And those specially of them who disliking the present Church-state in England yet want due Zeal and Love to that which themselves approve Let me a little turn my Speech to such for the preventing in some and remedying in others of that inordinate and broken Course And first I demand of such what is this Course of hearing such Ministers as whose state of Ministry they approve not Is it any particular Ordinance left by Christ and enjoyned all Christians in all Ages and Places Verily no. It were to be wished that no Church-Ministry were to be found which is not approveable by the Word of God notwithstanding any good Act performed by them that possess it This Hearing is only a work-of natural Liberty it self as I have shewed and sanctified to Believers by their Faith It is lawful to use it upon occasion as it is to borrow of other Men but to make it our Course is to live by borrowing which no honest Man that can do otherwise possibly would do Yea what differs it from a kind of spiritual Vagabondry in him that can mend it tho with some Difficulty to live in no certain Church-state and under no Church-order and Government To print deep in our Hearts the Conscience of our Duties this way let us briefly consider how many Bonds of Necessity the Lord hath laid upon us to walk in the Fellowship and under the Ordinances of the ministerial and instituted Church First We have lying upon us the necessity of Obedience to Christ our Lord in the Commission Apostolical enjoyning that after we be made Disciples as the Word is and baptized we be withal taught to observe whatsoever he hath commanded Mat. 28.19 20. It must not then suffice us that we are Disciples and Christians but we must join herewith the entire observation of all the Ordinances of Christ as we can find means from the greatest to the least And let us beware that like the Scribes and Pharisees we call none of God's Commandments little because we would make our selves and others believe that little and light account is to be made of observing them lest we our selves be called little that is be indeed none in the Kingdom of Heaven Our Sins of Ignorance and humane frailty alas are too many let us not add thereunto presumptuous Sins either of Commission or Omission to provoke God withal 2. The Church and ministrations therein are not needless but most needful means sanctified of God and given of Christ for our Salvation and edification thereunto which he that despiseth that is doth not submit his Soul and Body unto as he hath means and converse therein with good Conscience tho in Affliction and Persecution despiseth not Man but God and Christ to the depriving of himself of the Fruit of God's most gracious presence in his House and Temple where he hath promised to dwell and of Christ's ascension into Heaven for the pouring out of all Kingly Gifts and Largesses upon Men for the Work of the Ministry 3. Our great Insirmities whereof both the Scriptures every where and our own experience warn us shew in what great need we stand of all the Lord 's Holy Ordinances and Institutions for the supplying of what is wanting in us and correcting what is amiss and continuing and encreasing of what is good unto the coming of the Lord where we must also take knowledg and remember that it is one note of difference and the same very clear between the wisdom of the Flesh and the wisdom of the Spirit that the former will be sure to provide for the Body and outward Man what may be tho with danger and prejudice of the Spiritual the other will take care and order for the Spiritual State tho the outward pinch for it And if any out of the view and persuasion of his own strength of Grace come to conceive that he stands in no such need of Christ's Ordinances or of any Christian Fellowship for the dispensing of them let such a Man consider that the less need he hath of others by reason of his greater plenty of Grace received the more need others have of him for their supply But whatsoever any imagine of himself the Apostle who was not partial teacheth that the very Head the chief and highest Members cannot say to the Feet the lowest and meanest Members I have no need of you 1 Cor. 12.21 4. And lastly It

is necessary for our sound and entire comfort with the Lord our God that our Obedience be entire in respect of all his Holy Commandments which we do or can discern to be such and to concern us according to that of the Man of God Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments Psal 119.6 That so we may have our part in the Testimony given by the Holy Ghost of Zachary and Elizabeth which was that they were Righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless Luke 1.5 6. That is both in the Moral Precepts and Sacred Ceremonies and Institutions of the Lord. Whose Examples we in our Place and Times are to follow not balking with the Lord in any thing great or small nor seeking starting-holes whereby to escape from him in his Word which is holy good and pure Good as coming from our good God good in it self and good for us if we converse therein as we ought in good Conscience towards God Zeal for his Ordinances Modesty in our Selves and Charity towards other Men specially towards them with whom God hath joined us in the most and best things taking heed lest by any uncharitable either judgment of or withdrawing from their Persons for such humane Frailties as unto which into one kind or other all Adam's sinful Posterity are subject we sin not more by our course held against them than they by theirs in them which God forbid To conclude For my self thus I believe with my Heart before God and profess with my Tongue and have before the World that I have one and the same Faith Hope Spirit Baptism and Lord which I had in the Church of England and none other that I esteem so many in that Church of what state or order soever as are truly partakers of that Faith as I account many thousands to be for my Christian Brethren and my self a Fellow member with them of that one Mystical Body of Christ scattered far and wide throughout the World that I have always in Spirit and Affection all Christian Fellowship and communion with them and am most ready in all outward Actions and Exercises of Religion lawful and lawfully done to express the same and withal that I am perswaded the heating of the Word of God there preached in the manner and upon the grounds formerly mentioned both lawful and upon occasion necessary for me and all true Christians withdrawing from that Hierarchical Order of Church-Government and Ministry and the appearances thereof and uniting in the Order and Ordinances instituted by Christ the only King and Lord of his Church and by all his Disciples to be observed And lastly That I cannot communicate with or submit unto the said Church-Order and Ordinances there established either in State or Act without being condemned of mine own Heart and therein pro●oking God who is greater than my Heart to condemn me much more And for my Failings which may easily be too many one way or other of Ignorance herein and so for all my other Sins I most humbly crave pardon first and most at the Hands of God And so of all Men whom therein I offend or have offended any manner of way even as they desire and look that God should pardon their Offences Thus far Mr. Robinson ADDENDA The Judgment of several other Independent Ministers as well Ancient as Modern concerning this Matter MR. Henry Jacob a strict Independent in his printed Declaration 1612 annexed to his Book called The Divine Beginning and Institution of Christ's True Visible Church he hath this Assertion pag. 6. For my part I never was nor am separated from all publick Communion with the Congregations of England I acknowledg therefore that in England are true visible Churches and Ministers tho accidentally yet such as I refuse not to communicate with and those of the Separation in some Matters are streighter than I wish they were And the Brownists in their Confession of Faith printed 1616 they declare That a Minister receiving Prelatical Ordination if he be a Parish Minister it makes not a nullity of the Ministry of him in every respect besides That is it makes not void all truness of Ministry in him as a believing Congregation assenteth to hear him and useth him for their Minister when on some weighty occasion they joyn only to that which is true in the said Minister and testify in the best manner they can that they do so orrdinarily leaving the Parish Congregation and Ministry for their Error With all professing publishing and practising freely and constantly the simple Truth therein with our selves this quitteth us from all Evil and appearance of Evil in this Matter it being no Evil nor appearance of Evil to join with the Parish-Congregation and Ministry in such respects and so far forth as is aforesaid we ought sometimes on weighty Occasions so to join and we sin if we do not And though we do not think every form of Prayer sinful and absolutely unlawful yet we think it not so profitable and to some hurtful Mr. Norton of New-England upon those words of our Blessed Saviour The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses Chair all things that they say unto you that observe and do Which saith he not only permits but requires and implieth full Communion The five dissenting Brethren viz. Dr Goodwin Mr. Bridg. Mr. Ny Mr. Greenhill and Mr. Sydr Simpson in their Apologetical Narrative pag. 6. they say We have always professed and that in those times when the Churches of England were the most either actually overspread with Defilements or in the greatest danger thereof that we both did and would hold a Communion with them as the Churches of Christ Mr. Firmin argues about this Matter pag. 29. Suppose there should be some humane Mixtures are all the Ordinances of God polluted Why do you not communicate with them in those Ordinances which are pure And in his Separation Examined pag. 40. says Corrupt Members there were enough in the Jewish Church and so in the Christian Church soon after and in the Apostles Times but you have no Example of separating from them Dr. Thomas Goodwin on the Ephesians pag. 487 488 489. His Judgment concerning Parish Churches Ministry and Communion In my last Discourse I handled what was meant by the word Church There was a necessity that lay upon me to open that distinction of Church Universal and Particular I gave you two Cautions about two Errors concerning each of these both toward the Church Universal and toward Particular Churches Concerning which I must necessarily say something to take away some Mistakes and Misapprehensions of my meaning for I walk by this Rule to give no offence to Jew or Gentile or to the Churches of God as the Apostle speaks The first Error I told you was of the Donatists of old who denied the Church Catholock and restrained it to one part of the World and yet the imputation of this Error lieth