4. That they may be ashamed And (3) 2 Cor. 10. 8. 1 Cor. 5. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 20. to bring them to repentance So in regard of the Church that it may appear she maintains no vile persons that other members may be free from infection and that others may fear In Rom. 16. 12. there is a double duty commanded To mark To avoid The parties to be avoided are described from the effects Divisions and Offences they who cause these are to be marked avoided The rule to which they are contrary the doctrine they had heard namely of Salvation of Christ which they had learned in that Epistle or their first Converters False teachers then are to be marked so that we be not deceived by them they causing Divisions and Offences A watchful eye is to be upon all such Mat. 7. 14 15. Phil. 3. 2. who by their opinions or life cause divisions contrary to the doctrine of salvation Divisions and Scandals striking at the â—eart of Religion and of the Church The Apostles reasons to avoid such are The one Negative q. d. you think they serve Christ but they do not not submitting to his will not seeking to please him in all things The other Affirmative they serve their own bellies themselves their own turns their profit ease maintenance vain glory ambition carnal affections they aiming at their own gain and credit and not the glory of God Object We think they are good and honest men and their wayes good they being so successful they multiplying so much Answ 1. For their goodness and honesty I will give you Mr. Hodges answers in a Sermon upon 2 Pet. 2. 2. before the House of Commons March 10. 1646. You hear saith he what the Apostle sayes That many have a form and yet deny the power of godliness 2 Tim. 3. 5. The Wolf in the Fable that he might not be suspected but the more easily make his prey of the silly sheep put on a skin of theirs c. 2. Why saith he should you think to say he is an honest Pag. 58. or a pious man should be a foolish plea in case of abusing coyn theft treason or the like and yet should be of weight and force in this far greater business and more horrid mischief 2. For their increasing it is no argument of goodness 1. The Arrians did so overspread the Church that it was Miratur mundus se factum esse Arianum St. Hierom. a saying Athanasius against the World namely of Christians and the World against Athanasius 2. Popery did spread so fast and far that Papists triumphingly said and do Where was your Church before Luther and they make universality a note of the Church 3. Mahumetanism is so spread not only over the Turks dominions See Mr. Fox tom 2. p. 993. See Breerwoods Enquiry of Languages and Religions which are large and many in Europe Asia and Africk but in other Kingdoms and Countreys which are not under the Turk it having spread over Persia India China Tartaria c. Mahomet arose about six hundred years after Christ yet he hath bewitched so great a part of the World although his Alcaron contains such absurdities which are rather to be laught at then named Object But what need you to trouble us with such like things we being free from the one and the other Answ We living where and when errors do abound for we cannot all be in the truth holding contraries it is very necessary 1. Mr. Paget names about 143. errors and heresies which lately sprung up and shewed themselves not naming the Quakers of whom there was no notice when he did write that Book Among this swarm he names Papists praying in an unknown tongue holding Transubstantiation Purgatory c. Familists blasphemously affirming they are Godified with God Anabaptists affirming Baptism to be the mark of the Beast from Antichrist Antinomians teaching no Law no sorrow such an easie way to heaven that many follow them concerning whom Mr. Baxter saith I do not sit down in Pref. to Inf. Chur. memb an Antinomian conceit that I have nothing to do but express my joy and thankfulness Independents pretending to have a model of Government revealed to them better than all reformed Churches Sabbatarians affirming the Jewish Sabbath is to be kept Anti-Sabbatarians teaching there is no Sabbath every day being a Sabbath to Christians Thraskites observing many Jewish Ceremonies Millenaries believing that Christ shall reign a thousand years on the earth Socinians teaching that Christ did not satisfie for sins Arrians denying Christ's Deity Soul-sleepers Divorcers and others He dedicates his Book to the Lord Major and some chief Citizens of London He tells them that he had lived almost fifty years amongst them He commends their care against the infection of the Plague he minds them that the plague of Heresie is greater he shews how Antioch was consumed being a Nursery of Hereticks how Nicomedia a meeting place for Arrians was swallowed up how the Anabaptists meeting in Conventicles surprized Munster and how hardly Amsterdam escaped them Then he gives from Mr. Calvin he from St. Augustine notes of them They are great boasters of their own worth and actions as Simon Magus and the Gnâ—sticks They are blown up with pride which drives some to Rome some to Amsterdâ—m They are deceitful slanderers Separatists in this equalling the Jesuits They are treacherously seditious not preaching peace but division They have a shew of austerity and holiness Then he shews the end of his writing to be to give warning to well-meaning people to avoid errors fore-warning them to this end to beware of private Conventicles and to keep close to the Ministry of the Word and Communion of Saints in the Church 2. Mr. Baxter saith there are Devils abroad in the shape of Angels of light and Wolves within as sheep without 3. Mr. Vines in his fast Sermon before the House of Commons March 10. 1646. saith Are not the errors which are â—ife amongst us either by infecting persons of place and quality grown into that boldness or by carrying away Barnabas also crept into that credit or by spreading far and wide risen to that strength that they do face if not seem able to put into danger of routing our common saith publick worship authorized Ministry long and much expected promised reformation This to the common enemy is the Cape of good Hope the sound part are afraid lest the truth should come to beg for poor quarter and be led captive following the chariot of triumphing liberty 4. Mr. Hodges in his fast Seâ—mon at the same time and place saith How sad a sight is it to behold the spreading of this infection the shoals that being perverted follow these pernicious wayes to see how fast these tares thrive this leaven spreads this gangrene frets The Kingdom looks like a lazar house or field fought in many places by reason of this how many are there of all ages insnared by them The
That killing themselves to avoid punishment for their errors is Martyrdom They said the Son was inferiour to the Father the holy Ghost to the Son and they boasted of Revelations In the fourth Century arose above twenty of which the Pelagians was one of Pelagius who taught that Adam should have died if he had not sinned That Adams sin did hurt only himself That there is no Original sin That men have free will sufficient to do well and that God gives grace to the merits of works The fifth Century had some and the sixth brought forth as some others so those grand errors of Mahumetanism and Papism Mahumetanism of Mahomet which hath overspread many Kingdoms under the Turk and other Kings They deny the being of persons in the Trinity They say God is corporeal That Christ was not God but a creature yet a great Prophet That Christ did not suffer nor was not crucified That the Devil in the end shall be saved That Eternal Life consists in bodily pleasures They observe Circumcision Washings with some other Judaical Ceremonies They swear by Creatures and War for Religion to which they say men are to be compelled They allow of many Wives and Divorce without cause They hope to be saved by works They deny pardon for ever to them who forsake their Religion They hold venial and mortal sins They pray towards the East a set number daily but not for unbelievers And they take away the Sacraments ordained by Christ Papism arose under Phocaâ— the Emperor and Boniface the third Popes of Rome Luther was born at Isleben in Saxony Sleidan Anab. 1483. He when Leo the tenth sent forth pardons 1516. opposed them Preaching in Saxony there arose Nicolas Stocks and Thomas Muncer preaching that goods should be common Upon this fourty thousand rose in Suevia and Franconia plundering and killing but the Princes arming took Frantus executed Muncer Phifer and hundreds more The City Munster having received the Gospel John Becâ—ld a Taylor came from Leyden thither where keeping Conventicles in few months he gets a great party they obtain freedom for their Religion and after grow so strong as to drive all the Protestants out This John of Leyden is made King he gave leave to have many Wâ—ves himself took fifteen Being vanquished he with Knipperdoling were tyed to a stake their flesh pul'd in pieces with hot pâ—ncers he recanted his errors Knipperdoling did not but died like a mad man These Anabaptists maintained as Mr. Paget shews us ten errors not to be tollerated in the Church Four not to be suffered in a Common-wealth and three not in a Family as community of goods putting away of Wives of a contrary Religion and that Christians may have many Wives Thousands of these perished in Germany by the sword and in Qâ—een Elizaâ—eths time some of them in England recanted and some were burnt After these arose the Brownists called Separatists because Mr. Paget they separate from all reformed Churches then one from another Robert Brown School-master in Southwark preached in a gravel-pit neer Islington Mr. Fox refused to talk with him Mr. Greenham perswaded him but could not prevail so to little purpose for he led his company beyond Sea where seeing their divisions he left them returned into England took the Parsonage of a Church in Northamptonshire and died as I have been informed since the beginning of our late troubles He and his followers left our Church as they said for our many abominations The Barrowists following yet more they compared our Church to Sodom Babylon Egypt as Barrow Brewis Bois Rutter c. The Wilkinsonians went a step higher affirming they were the Apostles and denied Communion to all who would not give them that title Mr. Paget The Lemmarists maintained a monster of Heresies Mahumetanism denying the Trinity and the eternal Godhead of Christ Judâ—ism affirming Christ to come shortly to reign on the earth Papism affirming a meer creature may be worshipped Lutheranism maintaining consubstantiation Anabaptism affirming that Christ took not flesh of the Virgin Mary Libertinism holding no visible Church on earth Brownism holding separation separating from all Churches excommunicating and cursing on another Mr. Paget also tells us that the begining of the Independents was thus Mr. Robinson leaving Norwich in discontent became a rigid Brownist but after by conference with some learned men he recanted his opinions yet derived this his way of Independency to his separate Congregation at Leyden and part of that Congregation did carry it to Plymouth in new England where the ashes of Independency did break out into a burning flame And Mr. Bâ—yly sets down the fruits of Mr. Bayly this Independency in new England in the opinions of some for I suppose he speaks not of all there being amongst them many sober Ministers and Magistrates who opposed and overthrew those opinions And they refusing to own the late powers is an Argument of their sobriety Besides there hath been great conversion of the Indians in so much that the Bible is translated and Printed in their Tongue as I am informed How it placeth many thousands of Christians in the condition of Pagans how it marr'd the conversion of Pagans to Christian Religion how it brought forth the foulest Heresies that ever yet were heard of in any Protestant Church to the number of fourscore and eleven That their piety seemed singular their malice was singular against all who opposed them especially Orthodox Ministers That their contempt of Magistrates was grievous their errors in opinion did draw on such seditious practises which did well near overturn both their Church and State That their proud obstinacy against all admonitions was marvellous that in the midst of their profession of piety the prophanity of many of them was great Of these particulars he speak largely and shews his warrant for what he saith in many particulars In Queen Elizabeths time Mr. Barrow Greenwood Percy and some others were executed Studly Billet and Bowly had judgment to be so The first Proposition is clearly evident That men yea the best of men are subject to err humanum est errare and have need to be called on not to err for they who have most light here have much darkness in them and we are more prone to follow the darkness of our spirits than the light of Gods Spirit He who thinks he cannot err reckons himself more than a man for whilst there remains corruption in the will the understanding cannot be wholly free from corruption The wills affections and understandings of Saints on earth have some corruption remaining in them as their practise so their opinions are soyld and faulty yea oftentimes good men continue long in error Jobs friends did multiply but not mend their answers for as it is hard to part Job 21. 34 with an evil practise so and much more with an ill opinion c. error in opinion because that reflects on the reputation of the best faculty the judgment And
also not to come is a disobedience to Christ's command Do this which is divine And 1 Cor. 11. 23. St. Paul saith I have received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you And v. 26. As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup Which as often implies often as the Apostles and primitive Christians understood it yea and the not comers neglect the memory of Christs death by which we are redeemed in his way They neglect also the communication of Christ's body and blood and shew themselves none of Christ's Disciples not obeying him his Sheep hearing his voice in this nor imitating him whom we are to follow who did eat the Passeover a type of his Passion as to put an end to it so to honour his Ordinance and to shew us our duty what we are to do to shew his subjection to the Law as our pattern and example But alas what are we come unto whither shall we go If in some places where are hundreds of families and not one hundred to communicate if some who are married if some of thirty if not forty years of age were never at the Communion if in populous places and Congregations the most turn their backs upon this Ordinance Is this for edification is this order Obj. 1 I dare not come saith one lest I come unworthily Answ 1. And why will you come unworthily why will you prefer your sinful lusts before Christ and salvation Repent amend 2. To come unworthily is sinful not to come may be as great if not a greater sin He who comes doth what he is enjoyned although he fail in the manner and so may shew a neglect the other who comes not shews contempt of Christ's command Do this so contempt of the memory of Christ's death by which we are redeemed and shews himself none of Christ's Disciple and surely contemners sin fearfully To neglect to come therefore is a gross sin where a man in coming as well prepared as he can he doth his duty and humbly commits himself unto God's mercy Obj. 2 I cannot come saith another because of the company many being admitted to come who are bad and with such St. Paul saith I must not eat and if I may not eat with them then not come to the 1 Cor. 5. 9 10 11 12. Lords Table with them Answ 1. I may not be his familiar his companion therefore I may not communicate with him not go to the Church with him is weak and frivolous for to eat at home is an indifferent action left to my choice and I may not chuse evil To eat at the Sacrament is part of Gods service not to be omitted without sin it being his and my duty Although I must separate from him in civil familiarity which is common and unnecessary where I have liberty not else 1 Cor. 7. 13 14. yet I may not in sacred society and the service of God which is his duty and mine if he be not cast out of the Church by excommunication As I am to avoid the least partaking of other mens sins so am I bound to the greatest partaking with them in duty and yet I may eat with him if occasionally I be cast upon the same Inn Ordinary and Table c. 2. Scriptures enjoyning separation from wicked men command to depart or separate from their ill courses their sins not from being with them in Gods Ordinances Should a sick man say I will not accompany such who are sick to a Physician and be healed is he not guilty of his own death for so doing 3. Sure it is an error to imagine that communicating with wicked men is a sin in the worthy Communicant or a being polluted by their company since the keeping company with them in such sacred meetings is only an acknowledgement that they are in the number of them whom Christ came to redeem and so saith St. Peter It is only a joyning with 2 Pet. 2. 1. them in Christian profession and a confederating with them to lead Christian lives all which are Christian acts and tokens of humility unlike the Pharisee who condemned and triumphed over the Publican whereas it would be better to look more at home to our own wayes and works and leave judging of others than to deprive our selves of so sacred an Ordinance for other mens coming since St. Paul reproves not the giver nor the worthy receiver at Corinth only the unworthy comer since upon such grounds of separation there will be no resting and since to forbear because of other mens unworthiness is a new-found groundless fancy not in our Saviours time when Judas came nor in St. Pauls time when many came unworthy 1 Cor. 11. Obj. 3 We cannot touch pitch and not be defiled we encourage them in their sins by our presence whom we must reprove Answ It hath already been shewed that it defileth not to do a good duty with a sinful man as the Pharisee did not scruple to go to the Temple with the Publican Luk. 18. Obj. 4 But we cannot communicate with that Church which hath no discipline Answ Discipline there is although perhaps not of that kind which some desire yet such as the Church hath stood and flourished under since the Apostles time until the last Century And such as hath made as good Christians in this Nation and as zealous Martyrs as any in the world And if this discipline be not executed it is the sin of those unto whom Augustin cont parmâ—n l. 3. c. 2. it is committed unless as it often happens the multitude of offendors or the difficulty of the times impede the same Obj. 5 We would come might we receive it as we would Answ You would obey might you disobey and your disobedience doing as you list go for obedience Obj. 6 Oh no We desire to receive in a Gospel way in which we may imitate Christ which we do not if we kneel Answ Very good you desire to imitate Christ then kneel for we who do kneel desire to and do imitate Christ for our Saviour at the Passeover did conform to the Passeover gesture enjoyned by and practised in the Church wherein he lived we therefore kneeling according to the practise of the Church wherein we live do imitate Christ Obj. 7 What Christ did we must do Answ Prove that Christ did not kneel and that he forbad us to kneel That Christ did sit and commanded us to sit and we He did sit what Christ did not do we must not do He did not kneel what Christ did we must do Whoso reads seriously the Evangelists will not take Christs example as a rule to guide the Church in all circumstances in administring and delivering the Eucharist for must we deliver it upon Maunday Thursday in a chamber not in a Church only to twelve at once those only men and Clergy men Must we deliver it to them lying or leaning upon one anothers bosom not in the morning but at night
not fasting but after supper and must the deliverer wash the receivers feet 2. Christ did not make his example our pattern in such circumstances of time Communicants gesture c. but left his to be guided by his Church in all matters of comeliness and order We read of St. Pauls setting things in order yea seeming to cross the order of Christ forbidding the Corinthians to sup before 1 Cor. 11. 21. And the Church in St. Augustines time did receive the Communion fasting Epist 18. Chap. 6. he saith the whole Church the world over received it fasting that Christ left the manner of receiving to the Apostles that they appointed it to be received fasting and that the altering of the receiving of it after supper to take it fasting was the Ordinance of the holy Ghost for the honour of the Sacrament to have it enter before any external meat Object Christ did sit Mat. 26. 20. Answ Christ did not sit as we do but according to the custom of those Eastern Countreys did administer as the Passeover so his Supper lying on the floor upon couches Esth 1. 6. Mr. Beza from Josephus concludes that they did lye upon couches that one lay upon his next fellow with their feet laid outward And the Greek word shews as much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 26. 20. Macc. 14. 18. Joh. 13. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to sit upon a bed to take meat after the ancient custom And in Luk. 22 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to lye along to lye down The posture was therefore leaning or lying along not sitting besides the gesture was changed from God's appointment Exod. 12. 11. Obj. What Christ did not we must not do Christ did not kneel therefore we may not Answ Christ did not give it in the morning nor to Lay-men to no women not in a Church Christ did not give nor the Apostles receive it standing nor sitting as not kneeling therefore he left such particulars to the wisdom of the Church to order are agreed since what Christ did and commanded us to do we must do 2. What Christ did not we must not do what not baptize not communicate with women What Christ did we must do what take after Supper with a Lamb only with twelve 3 Some things Christ did as God some as Mediator some as man and as man he did many things necessary for us to follow him and he did some actions as man indifferent left free not for our imitaion 4. Churches who understand the duty and gestures used by Christ better than such objectors leave all Churches to their liberty not particular members in them to theirs and hence it is that some take it standing some kneeling and some as the Church of Poland either standing or kneeling but not allowing sitting because the wicked Arrians receive it sitting as implying their equality with Christ as man or at least derogatory from his divinity as God Our Rubrick shews there is no adoration of the Elements and it is manifest that adoration came not in amongst the Papists until after Transubstantiation which came in about 1215. and adoration about 1226. nor did Honorius appoint adoration to be used in the act of receiving but at the elevation and when carried about I pray suppose a Malefactor may have his pardon sealed with many priviledges to boot provided he will take it upon his knees not else and he will rather die than take it so because some take it on horse-back others sitting would not men condemn his stubbornneâ—s and say he justly perished Apply it I pray Oh my beloved brethren shall we deprive our selves of this sign to present this seal to confirm and this means to convey Christ and his benefits to us for we know not what for an harmless gesture savouring of humility in our selves and obedience to Governours which Mr. Beza calls a shewing Epist 12. opusc tom 3. pag. 2â—0 of holy Christian adoration Is this our thankfulness to God for planting us in the most flourishing Church in the world Is this our respect we bear to our first Reformers who sealed the Reformation with their blood and to such who have happily defended it Is this the care and love we have to our selves to quarrel at and deprive our selves of God's Ordinances for an harmless gesture Is the Communion a badge of Christianity and shall we be ashamed of Christianity so of Christ Is it a means to feed and nourish our souls spiritually and shall we slight it as not needing such nourishment Are we to receive to testifie our thankfulness for the death of Christ for which we can never be sufficiently thankful and shall we think much to do it Is our coming to the Lord's Table to testifie our Communion with God with Christ with his Spirit and Church and to increase the same that we may live more in unity love and concord and shall we neglect it 5. The Church enjoyns all to come to the prayers of the Church decently and in order And this is agreeable to all reformed Churches who have their forms To the ancient Church of the Jews meeting solemnly at their hours of prayers and to the directions of God Numb 6. 23. Deut. 26. 3 5. Mr. Calvin hath his reasons for set forms in publick an help for the weak to keep uniformity c. In Epist ad Protector Angliae yet alas we have with us who say they are abominable stumbling blocks walking with crutches c. yet such were appointed by God and our Saviour and used by the Prophets and Apostles Consider whether is better to pray with consideration or without whether he doth best who deliberates or he who doth not whether we can pray beter than Scripture prayers Although we may enlarge and vary them to make them more particular and pertinent to our personal occasions Whether he who prayes devoutly the Lord's prayer doth not pray with the Spirit since Christs Spirit taught it whether it is not as fit to offer ex tempore preaching to the people as ex tempore prayer to God See Mr. Durel pag. 64 184. And as for the prayers of our Church we have the approbation of the Reformed Churches And I have read that Gilbertus a German propounds ours for a sample of the forms of the ancient Chuâ—ch We have also the approbation of an Army of Martyrs Mr. Sanders in a Sermon affirms that the service set forth by King Edward was good because according to God's Word and the order of the primitive Church Dr. Tayler saith that that book was so fully perfected according to the Rules of Christian Religion that no Cristian conscience could be offended with any thing therein contained Bishop Ridley a little before his Martyrdom hearing that Mr. Knox did fault the Common-Prayer-Book said Alas that brother Knox could not bear with our Common-Prayer a man of parts and wit as he is may produce popular arguments against it yet I suppose