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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A95982	A treatise of the institution, right administration, and receiving of the sacrament of the Lords-Supper. Delivered in XX. sermons at St Laurence-Jury, London. / By the late reverend and learned minister of the Gospel Mr Richard Vines sometime master of Pembroke-Hall in Cambridge.	Vines, Richard, 1600?-1656.; Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.; Burgess, Anthony, d. 1664.	1656 (1656)	Wing V572; Thomason E894_2; ESTC R203900	224,149	399

Church be beautifull for all that The Scripture gives us a perfect delineation of the Church as it ought to be in Rules of faith and holinesse but yet shews us plainly that it being Gods pleasure that the Net should gather both good and bad and the servants inviting to the marriage did bring in both good and bad it must needs be consequent that many of those that are called are not chosen That all that are of Israel are not Israel Had not this mixture served more to Gods glory even the glory of his inwardly discriminating grace it is likely it had not been So that as they say of the Hebrew Greek Latine these Languages may be pure in books but hardly to be found purely spoken by any Nation now in the world so are the rules of faith and life pure and perfect in the Word and yet not so perfectly Observed by the visible Church And if a man suppose that a number or Colony of really holy persons might be pickt out of the Churches and embody themselves into a Church Are they sure this would be answerable to their fancy Did not the Donatists dream so of themselves And what may one think of their children in time Doth not the purest seed we sow come up with straw and chaff If they hold Communion with the visible Church Is it not all one If they do not Is it not worse and more clearly without warrant § 5 The Church may be corrupted many wayes in Doctrine Ordinances Worship and this I account the worst becaUse it is the corruption of the best as the corruption of bloud that runnes thorow all the body the poisoning of Springs and Rivers that run thorow a Nation is worse than a sore finger in the body or a ground of thistles in the Nation and there are degrees of this corruption the Doctrine in some remote points hay and stubble upon the foundation the Worship in some rituals or rites of mens invention or custom How many Scripture Churches do ye finde thus corrupted and yet no Separation of Christ from the Jewish Church nor any commanded to the godly of Corinth in the Provinces of Galatia or those of Asia in the Revelation I must in such case avoid the corruption hold the Communion Hear them in Moses chair and yet beware of their leaven but if corruptions invade the fundamentals the foundation of Doctrine is destroyed the worship is become idolatrous the leprosie is gotten into the wals and substance of the hoUse and which is above all If the Church impose such Laws of their Communion as there is necessity of doing or approving things unlawfull or I am ruin'd and undone then must I either break with God or men and in that case Come out of Babylon The Churches of Protestants so separated from them of Rome it was a necessary and just Separation the Lawes of their Communion were ruinous to the soul if we hold it to the body and life if we held it not § 6 In summe then and in conclusion of this part about Doctrine or Worship which is but upon the bie to the Question If a corrupt Church as Israel was have their Ordinances according to the patern in the Mount If it may be said as Peter to Christ John 6. 68. when some Disciples separated themselves Thou hast the words of eternal life If as Christ said in matter of Worship John 4. Salvation is of the Jews than as he said Whether shall we go Why do we separate And yet I would not be mistaken by the simplest man as if I accounted it separation if a Christian hear a Sermon or receive the Sacrament in another Congregation For he that takes a meal at another Table doth not thereby separate from his own hoUse or if a Christian at liberty to dispose his dwelling shall remove and sit down under more fruitfull Ordinances I account not this secession a Separation no more than if being sickly and having not health in the City he remove his seat into the Countrey for purer air becaUse in so doing he removes from the City but renounces not his freedom therein nor disclaims in like proportion the Communion of the Church §. 7. Of Separation § 7 But now to the point of Separation becaUse there is found not kept in the Communion of the Church but not cast out of it some scandalous for life and conversation visibly unworthy of the Ordinance of the Supper For let it be granted that in Adams family there be a Cain in Noahs a Cham in Christs a Judas and if Cain go forth yet Adam doth not Noah doth not Christ doth not Let them be separated let not me separate my self Let the wicked be discommon'd not the godly for the godly are in the right and may stand in it as a man at his own table in his own hoUse or in his own ground If others that ought not do intrude it 's they that must be excluded for they are trespassers not he that 's owner and in his right It 's very true say you but they are not cast out I answer There may be sufficient caUse to cast out Obstinate sinners and yet not sufficient caUse for me to leave the Church I finde that God accepts of such that sigh and cry for all the abominations that are done in Jerusalem Ezek. 9. 4. That God commands us To have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darkness but reprove them rather Ephes 5. 11. That he wils us To withdraw from them that walk disorderly and commends it 2 Thess 3. 6. That he bids his people Plead with their mother plead Hos 2. 2. These are duties for private Christians to performe in this case but I finde not that they must separate from Communion in Ordinances upon that caUse For I pray you consider 1. Haply there is no Rule in the Word or no proof by sufficient evidence of the fact or no competent Authority by which such a sinner as thou instancest in may be cast out And shall this be done disorderly Shall one disorder be rectified by another 2. Thou for thy part hast no power to cast him out and every member must not usurp and snatch the power of Excommunication to himself for then as he usurps the Sacrament so thou usurpest the Keys he unworthily thou unlawfully 3. It may be the sinne of the Church that such are not cast out but is that sinne a just caUse of thy Separation I have a few things against thee thou hast them that hold the Doctrine of Balaam thou hast them that hold the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans saith Christ to the Church of Pergamus Revel 2. 14 15. Thou sufferest that woman Jezabel to seduce my servants and commit fornication saith he to the Church in Thyatyra vers 20. but upon the rest that are free I put no other burden Hold fast till I come But where is any separation commanded in this case Not any And for the Church of

Heathenism and Idolatry yielded up themselves to learn the Doctrine and rule of Christianity and these were called Catechumenoi or hearers who were instructed and trained up to learn untill they had attained cum al quo profectu convenienti Aug. de Fide Operibus some convenient proficiency to become competontes that is to give up their names to be baptized till which they were alwaies dismist with Ite missa est when the faithfull went on to the Lords Table and the Officers thereto pertaining 2. The second sort were such as having been Communicants styled Fideles in opposition to the Catechumeni and Stantes in opposition to the Lapsi did afterwards lapse or fall into Heathenish Idolatry by offering to Idols and these were thurificati renegates or else they gave money to be excUsed from that abhorred act professing themselves Christians but they would buy it out and these were called Libellatici or they were traditores such as in Dioclesian's Forbes 649 c. 646. cruell time delivered up their Bibles to the fire or they fell into some atrocious and notorious sinne Heresie Whoredom Drunkenness Murder c. and these were seQuestred from the Lords Table and put to the School of repentance called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Balsamon the stairs or degrees of correction which were four through which they passed with weeping and sorrow some longer some shorter time till they were reconciled to the Church and so re-admitted to the Table Cyp. Epist 28 38 39 52. Cypr. de Orat. Dominica Yea and after the date and danger was out of being compel'd to offer to Idols in the times of Christian Emperours Chrysostom charges the Ministers under him that if they knew a man to offer himself to the Table that is a gross and open sinner they should prohibit him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. though he be a Lord Generall though a great Commander though he wear a Diadem as Ambrose forbad and interdicted Theodosius And if you say saith he I dare not do it then tell me of him Homil. 83. in Matth. and I for my part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. will part with my life before I will allow him the Lords Board 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us stave off all notorious persons absolutely Was this a copy of his particular zeal or rather a testimony of the ancient Discipline the vigour of which being drowned in the dead sea of Popery yet even therein the rubbish or skeleton thereof is seen by the Doctrine of their Schoolmen and by the Council of Trent which requires of necessity to a man in mortall sinne that he that will come to the Concil Trid. do praparat ad Euch. cap. 7. can 11. Mass must premise Auricular or Sacramentall confession and pennance for they also have their preparation to the Sacrament such as it is As for the Lutheran Churches they have an exploration of all what they understand of this Sacrament and before the Communion a certain confession of sinne which Chemnitius cals paenam institutam And as for Chem. Exa de praparat ad Euchar. the Churches of our Confession you may reade their Confessions and Books of Discipline and be satisfied I will instance only The Church of England English Liturgy Rubrick before Commun and after Confirmation by rule whereof no notorious and Obstinate offendour might be admitted nor none that had not their Catechism perfect which are the two points of ignorance and scandall If this rule had been followed and this Law put in execution the practice would have been no new thing in England as even the old rule is now by some accounted I conclude with that which one argues as out of the common rule of the Church in Austin's Epistle ad Januarium Austin Epist 118. Epist 118. That if there be such a course or force of sin in any man he is to be removed from the Lords board by the authority of the chief and put into the School of penitence till he be reconciled to the Church And so much be said of the evidence of Fact as appears in the rules of the Churches both ancient and later both corrupter and purer not that I or that I wish any else to be absolutely swayed by this Authority for there may be errour in the practice of the Church yea errour universally received as in that of giving this Sacrament to infants upon that ground Jeh 6. 53. Except ye eat the flesh c. ye have no life in you and yet it was the practice of the Church so to do both in Cyprians and Austin's time but I prove the evidence of Fact by this Argument otherwise not to be proved at all and I do not expect that any should condemn so ancient a practice nor think they do but rather do conceive that the bottom of the business is the disrellish of that Authority by which it is to be done Bucephalus will be ridden by none but Alexander and it was the saying of Cardinall Matheo Langi concerning Luther That the Church of Rome the Mass the Court the lives of Priests and Friers stood in need to be Reformed but that a poor rascall Monk meaning Luther Heilin Geog. in Bavaria should begin all that he deemed intollerable and not to be endured §. 6. The evidence of Scripture § 6 The second evidence is that of Scripture which is first in dignity but I put it second becaUse it justifies the Fact for the substance thereof and here it is confest that no Turk Jew Infidell is debarred by Reason of his Nation for Scythian and Barbarian bond and free are all one We are all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles bond or free 1 Cor. 12. 13. and have been made to drink into one Spirit and therefore the word of the Gospel lies open to all Nations and people without partition wall such as between the Jews and others of old time but the barre lies in point of Religion for if they lie in their Idolatry and Infidelity though they may come to the Word yet not to the Table of the Lord. Who are to be kept from the Sacrament 1. The Jews that serve the Tabernacle and stick to the old Service under the Legall shadows are excepted We have an Altar or rather a Sacrifice Jesus Christ our sin-offering whereof they have no right to eat Heb. 13. 10. that is no right of Communion with us or Christ The place is difficult but easily cleared by Levit. 6. 30. for as the Priests that served at the Altar had no right to eat of the flesh of the sin-offering whose blood was brought into the Sanctuary but burnt it must be without the Camp so the Jews that hold to the Legall service have no right of eating the flesh of Christ whose blood was brought into the Holy place of heaven virtually and his body suffered without the gates of earthly Jerusalem thereby signifying

some check for a man is to examine himself concerning his fitnesse and if he eats unworthily he eats damnation or judgement to himself and therefore a private member hath here no call or warrant to examine the fitnesse of others nor do they that are unworthy eat judgement to him but to themselves But of this I have already spoken at large §. 7. Of the Ministers or Elderships examining Communicants before Admittance § 7 I know you will ask me what I say to that examination of men and women competents or candidates of this Sacrament which hath been Observed in your Congregations of later time for the exploration only of their competency of knowledge in order to their Admission to the Lords Table I professe my hearty sorrow for the rents and discontents which have ensued not will I stand up to justifie any scandalous procedure which hath armed any man with argument or indignation but shall clearly without any fraud or prevarication declare my opinion upon the thing it self 1. I do not enforce it upon this Text which doth not intend an Examination meerly by propounding Questions but a finding out of our spiritual estate and of that whole fitnesse and meetnesse required of us in order to our accesse to the Lords Table That in question was an exploration by Question touching knowledge competent or sufficient This in the Text is required before every Sacrament that but once in order to first Admission and therefore as I prove it not by this Text so I must needs say it is not disproved by it And therefore they that infer from hence against all Examination by others must necessarily destroy all catechizing whether by parents masters or others which cannot be Every man is bound to examine himself but not bound from examining others that are under his charge for then he should be bound from his duty and therefore it holds not negatively that no man may examine another and so both parts may let this Text rest 2. The Church of Christ did never hold her self unconcerned in the admittance of members into her society In the primitive Churches when men of years came in unto the Church from Idolatry and Heathenism they passed a severe test and were catechized a long time before they became competents for Baptism and at their Baptism had Questions propounded and by them answer'd as touching their faith and purpose of life and having past the test then it was needlesse at the Supper except they fell into grosse sin but that case and ours is different when all are baptized in infancy and therefore must be catechized and instructed in the fundamentals of Religion and have the test of the Church before they come to the Lords Table or else never 3. Therefore in all Gospel Churches we may find footsteps of this exploration look into the Romish and Popish way they have auricular Concession which is a mixture of tyranny and superstition but the people must pass this test which did not they ignorantly take for an easie way of pardon of sin they would be sensible of as extream slavery and it 's Paraeus his Observation That this Confession was of old instituted ad hanc probationem for this trial or probation of mens fitness to this Sacrament The Lutherans have such a way of Examination and Confession too as Chemnitius confesses And the Augustan Confession as Bellarmine notes is plain for it Nulli admittuntur nisi prius explerati And so in England it was ordered That no man should be admitted that had not learnt his Catechism c. I do not bring these instances to any end but to cry down the ignorant opinion of novelty and strangeness For if we in England had followed our own Rule it had not been such a stranger as it now seems 4. The intent and end of this Examination in question was partly that thereby the Church might know her own members and their due qualifications partly that there might be a help to prepare and put into the way such as could not examine themselves For if the Church should afford her Communion to all at all adventures to what scandal and contempt should she prostitute her self and the Ordinance there would be no wisdom in making her Communion like that of a common Inn where known and unknown are all alike Nor would there be charity to suffer blind folks to run into an open pit and rush on the sword-point You may Observe how willingly a patient will answer a Physician Questioning him about his bodily estate And a clyent his counsellour Questioning him about his title or caUse becaUse both are in order to advise and help of them that cannot help themselves and such is this if it were so well interpreted but misrepresentation and prejudice judges otherwise for men look upon it as a dominion over their faith not a help to their weakness especially if they see a distance kept and authority assumed They look upon it as an arraignment and take themselves to come to a Bar or Tribunal to be examined upon delinquency which kinde of distances I like not in such a business as tends to society and communion where poor and rich are all one in Christ Jesus And if any man through mistake have conceived That this doth but set up a Tribunal upon him to dive into his bReast to extort his secrets like an auricular concession I blame him not of his backwardness to appear for so should I for I abhor both that tyranny and that superstition but if no more be but that the Church would know my faith or help my ignorance I see not but I may conclude with Mr Hooker a man I know of reverence with you in his fifth book of Ecclesiastical Polity when in answer to Mr Cartwright upon this point hath these words The Examination of Communicants when need requireth for the profitable Use it may have in such cases we reject not And so Paraeus Examen publicum aut privatum non respuimus 1 Cor. 11. modo absit so as tyranny and superstition be kept out Give me leave upon those words of Mr Hooker to infer and say 1. To them that ask for a direct precept or injunction for this in the New Testament I answer That 't is a point of order not of faith It 's of profitable Use saith Hooker not of absolute necessity for then I must be examin'd too and it would extend to all the world as well as us and yet you exact it not at Ministers hands nor men of known sufficiency Therefore it 's not of absolute necessity but of order I mean not of necessity to worthy receivers 3. In some cases profitable and I must tell you we were in a singular and particular case here in England for you know men and women had been by Law compell'd to receive the Sacrament so oft in a year which compulsion to discover Recusancy with the neglect of catechizing brought in a world of people