take hold of his Covenant and when you are about it beg that he will accept of you graciously for if you be sincere in that work you cannot but Admire and Adore the riches of that love aecepting such worms into so glorious a Bond and Union such a Bond as will keep you when you cannot keep your selves a Bond as oblidgeth us to be the Lords and not our own how strengthning and comfortable is it when a man can say I am thine Lord save me my soul hath said unto the Lord thou art my Lord. when the Author and finisher of Faith hath graciously given you to believe then you may humbly beseech God to give his Seal to so great a Transaction in whom also after that ye believed ye were Sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise ye may warrantably beg of God that he would give of his spirit whereby ye may know the things that are freely given to you of God and thereby know ye are of these whom God hath set a part for himself that the Lord himself in what manner he pleaseth would say unto your soul that he is your salvation The Lord having not only in mercy established your judgments but given you good hope through grace then you are to hold fast what ye have received and be as a fountain sealed not losing what ye have wrought or God hath wrought for you but improving it for the glory of the giver and your own stability not hearkning to suggestions and temptations that have a tendency to raze the foundation already well laid as if it were to lay again whereby some are rendered miserable in their religion being as a City without walls and their hearts as the high way that any destroyer hath access to we are to leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ fix'd and unmoveable not to return on them as still disputable by every new temptation but to bolt all such temptations out of doors on the first view as sent to obstruct our progress and going on to perfection as we are commanded 2ly As for practice remember the words of our blessed Redeemer Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him to a wise man who built his house upon a Rock without a Godly practice our most splendd Buildings are but on the Sand which causeth inevitable ruine at last we are to Glorifie our heavenly Father by bearing much fruit all we have from God must return to the glory of the Giver for all things are for himself You have God to walk before as still under his Eye and willing he see all you do content he search you though you know the Heavens are not clean in his sight and far less polluted clay yet satisfied he know your heart toward him that he hath made you hate what he hateth and love to do these thing that are pleasing in his sight you are Commanded also to walk with him as near unto him yea to walk in him and so to be Supplied for walking before him and with him O the happiness and dignity to be found in this walk if a Prince would permite you to walk with him but half an hour how would you be surprised with Joy what hope would it raise of future Favour how ready would you be to Publish it but this walk wherein I cannot so much as mention a Comparison ye may have for ordinary which cannot but be the Wonder of all who attain it Will God in very deed dwell with men on the Earth But few admire it because few attain it By your Practice and Holy Conversation you must Glorifie him before men let your light shine that others seeing your good works may Glorifie your Father which is in Heaven and yet take care you do not your works to be seen of men for vain glory to your selves Happy is the man who formeth his Conversation for Convincing and Edifying of others and yet willing himself never to be seen or notticed this is the man formed for God to shew forth his Praise yea blessed is the man who doth or ever did any thing inteerly for Gods glory it is worth the labours of our whole lifetime to have the Comfort of it when we must go the way of all the Earth and miserable is the man who breathing out his Soul into another World amongst other Imbodied Souls hath this to go with here is a Soul that never did good but hurt to other Souls helped none to Heaven but many to Hell Let these few things be your care in all commpany to do no hurt to receive no hurt to do good and receive what good ye can learn of others Walk within your House with a Perfect heart give good Example to your Families that neither Child nor Servant may die or remove from you without some help to their Souls that all of them may have it to say your Company was their Blessing Command your Houshold to seek and serve the Lord let them all have the Benefite and Example of Familie-worship shewing forth the Loving kindness of the Lord in the morning and his Faithfulness every night see that Pride hinder none of you to Pray in your Families as thinking ye are not so Gifted as others though your Talents be few yet by improving they grow Let none of your Families be as the Families of Heathens who call not on God be not Instruments of hardning your Children or Servants against Familie-worship when ye are gone be not Snares to their Souls by giving them occasion to say they never saw family Prayer practised nor the word of God read nor his Praises Sung See that secret Prayer be not neglected by any older or younger who are capable in the Family the neglect whereof of it self will prove a person to be ungodly for every Godly one will pray and every Child of God hath an inclination and some measure of help to Pray by the Promised spirit of Grace and Supplications if you have not a Disposition to Pray you have not the Spirit of Adoption Remember the Sabbath be kept Holy in your Families waste not that Holy time in idleness come and bring all you can with you to Worship God in the publick Assemblie Find not your own pleasures nor speak your own words on the Lords day it is a great Discovery of a Conscientious Christian who though tempted by others yet dars not profane the Sabbath by worldly Discourse weary not of Sabbaths but account them a delight and a merciful gift of God for the good of our Souls it hath been the Comfort of growing Christians to think on the Sabbaths drawing near knowing they might then warrnatably lay aside all Earthly cares and thoughts and so inteerly Converse with their God some of you have your daily bread to labour for through the week whereby ye are sometimes scanted for time to your Souls therefore loss none of your Holy time but when you are not at publick
matters of Fact that its hard to discover the Truth without irritation and yet if I conceal the Truth I shall suffer strangers to be imposed upon to their hurt let the Reader therefore consider that we who have better occasion to understand the knowledge of younger and older of our own Communion than the Author we know him to be in a mistake and the mistake so gross that I can upon knowledge affirm that few Children amongst us of competent age want the Shorter Catechism by heart especially where Ministers are to examine them some yea many of them can give the Answers to many Questions of the Larger Catechism 2ly Nor one in five hundred retains it Ans Hath the Author examined five hundred of our Communion for he saith he hath found it by experience but it may be justly questioned if ever the Author was so officious or these of our Communion so obsequious as to give him occasion for examining one hundred of them 2. Albeit I am not obliged to gratifie the humour of such as slander us yet for undeceiving of strangers I do ingage to find within the Parish of Derry some hundreds of persons come to age able to give account of all our Shorter Catechism from the beginning to the end Page 83. Lastly after all it is imperfect of some of the principles of the Apostles Catechism being quit left out of it I mean laying on of hands Heb 6 2. Ans By what authority the Author calleth that Scripture the Apostles Catechism I understand not there are principles and foundations named there but that therefore it was the Apostles Catechism cannot be instructed and that a form of sound words should have no more or other words than these cannot be made appear and that which you call the Apostles Creed differeth far from these words 2. The Rite of laying on of hands was no foundation but the Doctrine signified by it therefore it s said in the Text The Doctrine of Baptism and of laying on of hands and tho the Rite be not named yet the doctrine is contained in our Catechism and the Rite it self mentioned in its due place of the Ordination of Ministers 3. Whatever this Foundation be yet it s not to be found in some other Catechisms which you prefer to ours since your own wants it condemn not others Page 83. But the most sad and deplorable defect of your performance of this Duty is your casting out the reading of the Word of God from most of your publick Assemblies directly contrary to Gods Institution and Ordinance for the Instruction of his Church insomuch that setting aside a verse or two for a text or quotation at the discretion of the Teacher the voyce of God is never publickly heard amongst Them this is a matter of Fact and undeniable and in all the Meetings of the North of Jreland in a whole Year perhaps there is not so much Scripture read as in one day in our Church by the strictest enquiry I could make Ans If this Libel were made out I admire he should ever call any of us his Brethren and Christians but hold to his old Opinion that Presbiterians belong not to the Catholick Church The remembrance of this maketh the Author's aspersions the more easie but I would willingly know from the Author 's mature thoughts what answer himself thinketh should be given to such Words would he have us to belie our selves and take with it or will he take it patiently if we say it 's false for he may as warrantably say that we have no Assemblies as that we have cast the Word of God out of them 2. In this also we appeal to thousands who for many years have been ear witnesses to the contrary 3. It s ordinary for Ministers of our Communion to Lecture on the Lords day before they preach and many of them to my certain knowledge read either a whole Chapter or a Psalm some others if a Chapter be long or have textual difficulties will divide a Chapter as they think fit for publick Edification We commonly every Lords-day sing the Words of God three or four times and ordinarly twice the number of verses that the Author nameth at each time Besides our text we quote and explain many Scriptures in our Sermons and for this we are condemned by some of another Perswasion who I can instruct have said you may know men have little matter to Preach when they quote many Scriptures and on that very account have disrelished our preaching Tho many Scriptures especially when they are explained are the very sinews of Preaching and one of the Proper means for convincing the Consciences of hearers as the Apostles Sermons do testifie which we find every where fortified with Scriptures tho they had the immediat assistance of God's Spirit I say not much at this time of other mens Sermons how often they are destitute of Scripture evidence and the loss that hearers thereby sustain But now let the candid Reader judge having laid before him the many ways we read and improve Scriptures in our publick Assemblies and that by the mercy of God we have now many Meeting-Houses in the North of Ireland and compare this with what the Author hath said That in all the Meetings of the North of Ireland in a whole year perhaps there is not so much Scripture read as in one day in our Church I am peswaded that every thinking and ingenuous person of the Author 's own perswasion will be surprised at these words Nay I can warrantably say that often in one of our meeting Houses on the Lords day there is as much Scripture first read by it self in a Lecture then singing with the words of David in Psalms then many quotations with explanation that altogether will I say frequently amount to as much as the four Chapters mentioned by the Author And how his four Chapters will hold up with above fourty meeting Houses more let any man of common sense judge But the Author alledgeth our practice is contrary to Gods Institution because as he saith we make use but of a verse or two for a Text. Ans If we did cast the word of God out of our Assemblies as he saith then our practice were contrary to the Institution no doubt But seing the Author mentioneth Institution and thereupon immediatly chargeth us with reading too little in publick and thereby guilty of neglecting the Institution this giveth me occasion again to require the Author's shewing of that Institution how much to read at once or on one day I shall never dispute more against him or any man on that Head if this Institution can be made appear where shall we find it Shall this Institution for how much reading be gathered from that which Moses requireth Deut. 31 10. Which the Author quoteth but this was requird to be done at their Feasts of Tabernacles one of the Jews extraordinary Solemnities 2ly If the whole Law was then read is this the
Day 4ly His arguments for every dayes celebration are Acts the 11. 46. They continued daily c. And 1 Cor. 10. 20. When ye come together c. 5ly The Apostles understood what Christ meant by these words Do this c. And if they made this Feast a constant part of their ordinary worship we may conclude Christ meant it should be so 6ly No Solemn Stated meetings of Christians without this Sacrament His arguments for the first day of the weeks being the time of celebration are Actâ— 20. 7. From which he saith two things may be observed 1st that the first day of the week was the Disciples time of publick worship 2d That the breaking of bread or Celebrating the Holy Eucharist was a part of that worship the Scripture is as plain for the one as the other 1st Now let the Reader observe that the Author having given up all claime to Scripture precept for the time of celebrating the Lords Supper he searcheth for it in Examples 2ly He bringeth Examples of different times from the Apostles practice 3ly He cometh close up to a Divine Institution for both these differing times because for every days partaking he saith the Apostles knew what Christ meant and if they made it a constant part of their worship Christ saith he meant it so also And for the other viz. The first day of the week he saith the Scripture is as plain for the Sacrament that day as for observing the day it self 4ly There being here two Apostolick practices of equal authority which of them is preceptive or oblidging to us If the Author say the latter of the two then how will he answer himself saying that the Disciples did meet every day 2 that at every meeting they did celebrate 3. And being a constant part of their ordinary worship we may safely conclude that Christ meant it should be so by the Authors arguments Then the daily celebration appeareth to have the greatest authority of the two what then shall be done next for fixing of the time No doubt he had best leave it as Christ himself did not confining us to a prefixed time and it 's evident that we cannot have the times when determined by Apostolick practices because in their own time the times of celebration were not one It will appear also by a more particular consideration of the places quoted Acts 2 46. Is expounded by judicious commentators to be only the Disciples ordinary food expressed by breaking of bread from House to house and as the remainder of that Verse sheweth they did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart The breaking of bread doth not alwayes signifie the Lords Supper Luke 24. 30. is ordinary food But the 42. Verse of the 2d of the Acts is the place where the Sacramental breaking is more clear and they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship in breaking of bread and in Prayer but then it is not daily and 1 Cor. 11. 20. Sayeth no more but that sometimes yea frequently they did meet for the celebration of the Lords Supper but that they did never meet for worship on any other account but to celebrat the Lords Supper is dangerous for the Gospel was to be preached fully Christ commanded to teach all things whatsoever he had commanded them Matth. 28. and Acts 10. 42. He commanded us to preach to the people the Doctrine of Salvation and Christs gracious Transaction with sinners according to the Covenant of Grace was greater work and therefore more insisted upon by the Apostles than only the Sacramental Seal of the Covenant Therefore to say that their ordinary publick Assemblies for worship was on purpose as the Author saith Page 150 And one main design of their coming together Page 151 cannot be allowed for what is the Seal without the Doctrine and Covenant whereunto it is a Seal Observe also that tho' they came together at sometimes purposely for celebration of the Lords Supper as 1 Cor. 11 20. and Acts 20. 7. Yet this will not prove that all their meetings in Assemblies were on this account The Apostle Paul being by Gods merciful providence present with the people it was very expedient then to celebrate that they might be instructed by him in the right manner of celebration now leaving them Let the Reader also remember that by the Author the celebration of the Lords Supper was brought unto and fixed on the first day of the week Acts. 20. 7. And yet still he pursueth their celebrating at every meeting which was oftner than the first day of the week how he will reconcile and cement both I leave to himself for it 's past my reach to reconcil these The Primitive Christians did celebrate at every meeting 2. They did meet every day and 3. nevertheless it was fixed to the Lords day 4. And our Saviour design'd it should be a part of Gods Service in all the Solemn Assemblies of Christians which are on other days than the Lords day Let it be observed also that if they did meet daily for this purpose to celebrate then why is there any such peculiar remark on meeting on the Lords day for that purpose if all their meetings had been to celebrate There is reason from that Scripture Acts 20. 7. To conclude that there were ordinary Christian Assemblies on the first day of the week which were established by Christ himself before Paul was a Preacher for a religious memorial of his Resurrection and deliverance from all his Sufferings and on that day they did celebrate the Lords Supper But I could never see a Cogent argument from that Scripture proving the celebrating every Lords day because on that Lords day they did celebrate for there were most blessed Meetings on the Lords day when Christ himself was with his Disciples after his Resurrection And yet neither mention nor probability of celebrating his Supper as John 20. 19. On the first day of the week Jesus was with his disciples where there was a competent number as at the first Institution yet nothing of this celebration so Verse 26. after eight days again his Disciples were within and Thomas with them then came Jesus the doors being shut and stood in the midst yet nothing of this celebration so that we have neither prescription by Christ nor practice to give us example for celebrating every Lords day which is the more to be remarked that some of these times he did meet with them the Disciples were at meat when Christ came in among them as Mark 16. 14. And yet nothing of this Sacramental meat therefore the celebration was not every Lords day If any object that this celebration could not be where Christ was visibly present because he had said he would Drink no more of the fruit of the Vine until c. Ans Yet the Disciples might have celebrated by themselves but no mention of it is made But Page 150. Our Author saith that we do not find any Solemn Stated
meeting of Christians for worship in the whole New Testament without it Ans 1. Still the Author pursues Celebrating at every meeting for worship under the New Testament But how doth this agree with what the Author saith that by Act 20. 7. The celebration was fixt to the Lords day for Christians had meetings for publick worship after that time and by the Author at all these meetings they did celebrate now after the celebration was fixed to the Lords Day How could they celebrat at other times of meeting which were not on the Lords Day for then it followeth that either fixing it to every Lords Day faileth or else that their celebrating at every meeting faileth the reason is clear for if they did celebrat at every meeting some whereof were not on the Lords Day then the celebration was not fixed to the Lords day If the Author say by fixing it to the Lords Day they were obliged to celebrat no other day Then why doth our Author celebrat on other days than the Lords Day In few words I do seriously demand of the Author a solution to this question Whether by Act 20. vers 7. or any other Scripture or Scriptural example there be divine institution for celebrating the Lords Supper every Lords Day yea or not if he affirm then the divine institution must be by Christ that we should celebrat every Lords Day if the times when we should celebrat be appointed by Christ then why doth the Author say that our Saviour hath confined us to no time if he say the Apostles practice amount not to an institution by Christ then their practice in this is not a rule for us It s past all dispute that the Apostles and primitive Christians did frequently celebrate the Lords Supper and by the extraordinary Gifts and Graces poured out upon them great grace being upon them all they were ordinarly in a readiness and prepared for that holy Ordinance which we in after Generations know little of and therefore are not in case for such frequency as they were And whoever urge frequency of receiving on any terms should consider these two things first that the Scripture mentioning often yet doth not mention how often 2. That upon pain of Damnation if we Eat Drink unworthily Every Christian should have due time to prepare and examine himself and not to proceed to receiving otherwise command frequency who will lest he profane it And tho I have insisted longer on this Debate than I intended yet I will not omit the Authors general challenge That we do not find any solemn stated meeting of Christians for worship in the whole New Testament without it that is without celebration of the Lords Supper Ans By this challenge its evident that its the Authors assertion every such assembly had it and the proof is incumbent to him who alledgeth that at every time of the meetings of such assemblies they did celebrat the Lords Supper but he will find hard work to prove that all of them at every time of meeting for Worship had it and let the Reader remark his words under the whole New Testament I shall instance several meetings for Worship where nothing of this celebration appeareth First There were many most solemn Assemblies of Christs followers when Christ himself preached to them these were no Old Testament Assemblies and tho a mixt multitude attended yet there were many sincere Believers among them and while Christ publickly preached it was stated worship and to be sure these did not celebrat the Lords Supper for it was not as yet instituted yet there was solemn Worship Act 1. 13. The Apostles were together with the Women continuing in prayer and supplication which was publick Worship and yet no mention of this Ordinance So Act. 12. 12. Many are gathered together Praying which is worship and yet nothing appearing of this celebration So 1 Cor 5. 4. The Church is gathered together but nothing of this found with them Besides those blessed meetings of Christ with his Apostles after his Resurrection where the Disciples did meet but not celebrat Page 153. When first some who had been present at the prayers and preaching of the Church began to go away without receiving the Church decreed whosoever was guilty of it should be excommunicated Ans Many errors and heresies sprung up even in the Apostles times and did increase afterwards and if some such persons did despise the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and thereupon deserted it s no wonder some severity was used towards them but to excommunicat for simple not receiving without consideration and examining the Reasons why they did not partake was never in any age the duty of wise faithful and compassionat Pastors All that is in this Section is now answered only Popish Massers every Lords Day are alledged to be most agreeable to the rule that the Priest hath them solitary is the fault of the people which I leave to the Reader the Author having never hitherto instructed the rule of frequency SECT 2. PAge 155. Let us in the second place compare the rules and practices of our Church with this Pattern I will not pretend that they come fully up to it Ans Why then did the Author say That no copy can come nearer the Original and now he will not pretend they are come fully up to iâ— he cannot rationally expect he can come more fully up to it seing no Copy can come nearer the Original Page 157 It s ordered that in Cathedral and Collegiat Churches and Colledges where there are many priests and Deacons they shall all receive the Communion every Sunday at the least and that every Parishoner shall Communicat three times in the year whereof Easter to be one and surely such as cannot fit themselves so often must in their own opinion be out of a state of Grace and deserve to be excommunicated by the Church Ans If Cathedral Churches c. communicat every Lords Day this frequency is either by Christs direction or without his direction if by his direction then why should poor Countrey Souls be deprived of the benefit of receiving every Lords Day more than the Cathedral Church Christ himself is no respecter of persons in such cases surely the mean and poor in the world have as good a Title to Christs benefits as the rich and great if Christ hath not directed this frequency as the Author confesseth he hath confined us to no time Then whose invention is it that in Cathedrals c. it must needs be every Lords Day though all the Countrey Parishes want it 2ly If Cathedrals c. obtain this priviledge because many Ministers are ready to attend the service then it appears that convenience should be considered for the celebration and where all these conveniencies offer the celebration may be more frequent than where they are wanting But the Author said not long ago Page 148. that there was no other reason imaginable for non-frequency but the deadness of mens