explicit and express promise and engagement to God to endevour to attain what we pray for to glorifie God with all which we obtain by prayer to observe his will that is pleased to accept the representation of ours and to turn that verbal praise which we give him into real by glorifying him by our religious lives and complying with our vows and verifying our professions of service without all which prayer becomes nothing but a mockery of God But do not wicked men in all this flatter him with their mouth Psal 78.36 and lye unto him with their tongues and if then men must be suspended from the Sacrament until they approve their holiness to the satisfaction of the Church lest otherwise they make an hypocritical engagement and false promise it seems to me to follow that upon the same account they ought not to be admitted to prayers Neither are or ought men to be Saints onely in order to the Sacrament and not to other Ordinances and if they must be rejected from the Sacraments till they give convincing signes of their sanctity because all that are admitted to joyn in this highest act of church-Church-Communion as they stile it ought de jure to be Saints it seems to me that till they render such signs they ought to be excluded altogether from all church-Church-Communion and to be accounted as Heathens and Publicans and no members at all of the visible Church for the Church and Saints by calling signifie the same thing and all ought to be Saints that are of the Church Lastly I may not deny that through an accidental abuse which may not prejudice things good in themselves wicked men may be facil to flatter and indulge themselves with a good conceit of their condition though sinful or an hope of their impunity in their evils because of their participation of the Sacraments It seems by what St. Paul delivers 1 Cor. 10. the Corinthians are an exemplary instance hereof being guilty of the like presumption and security But what way of cure doth the Apostle use to prevent or remedy the malady Truly not Empyrick-like straightway to take the knife in hand and fall to cutting oft for he doth not tell them that therefore all ought to be suspended beside manifest Saints but he proceeds dogmatically and to expel and correct the errour of the Corinthians which also lets out the vital blood and spirits of this Paradox of the Apologists he better doth instruct and principle them shewing that the Sacraments which were common to good and evil men could give no privilege to sinne nor protection from punishment For quemadmodum tu comedis corpus Christi sic illi Manna quomodo tu bibis sanguinem Homil. 18. in 2 Cor. In locum Calvin Instit l. 2. c. 10. Sect. 5. p. 148. Aquinas Justinian Estius Lapide c. English late Annot. Chamier to 4. l. 3. c. 2. p. 55. stc illi aquam ex petra saith Chrysostome The Fathers did all eat the same spiritual meat and drink the same spiritual drink the same non in symbolis seu signis sed significatione seu re significatâ as Piscator iisdem quoque symbolis illustrem inter eos gratiam suam reddiderit the same cum nobis with us not onely the same among themselves inter se as the Papists would have it for that would take off the energy of the Apostles argument whose scope being ut ostendat quòd sicut illis non profuit quòd tantum donum sunt assecuti ita nec his quòd consequuti sunt baptismum spiritualia perceperint mysteria nisi sint ostensuri vitam dignam gratiâ in the words of Chrysostome wherein not onely all Protestants concurre but even many Pontificians themselvs therefore ut apta esset comparatio oportuit oftendere nihil esse inaequalitatis inter nos ipsos in iis bonis quibus falsè gloriari vetabat Ergo pares in Sacramentis non facit nec ullam praerogativam nobis relinquit saith Calvin and therefore in illa comparatione rem eandem significatam esse fundamentum comparandi nulla consequentia si compararentur inaequalia aut dissimilia nam si res impar Ibid. c. 1. in promptu exceptionem esse futuram Periisse Israelitas non participes beneficiorum quorum nobis Sacramenta sunt addes Chamier and the drift of the Apostle here is to compare those Sacramental Types in the old Law with the two Sacraments in the new and that in two respects First for the same nature or substance of mysteries in both and secondly Mede Diatr p. 556. Chamier Tom. 4. l. 3. c. 1. for the same condition of the receivers if either they abuse them or walk unworthy of them saith a late judicious Writer They were therefore the same spiritual meat and drink in re as Chamier non in modo rei their Sacraments praefigurativè ours rememorativè and ours having ex ampliore revelationis modo gratiam uberiorem as Calvin non in specie visibili sed virtute spirituali in signis diversis eadem fides as Augustine and out of him Anselm there being discrepantia in signis In Joh. Tract 26. 45. Tom. 9. convenientia in re significata as Paraeus their 's being antitypes of ours signs of the same things ut apud Graecos Grammaticos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt elementa quorum idem sonus tempus deversum as Chamier and so this was the same meat and spiritual drink too because spirituale aliquod significans Ut supra as Augustine and Piscator figura spiritualis as Sa quia in symbolum significationem spiritualium as Salmeron quatenus habuerint rationem Sacramenti adds Piscator So then however these were Sacramenta extraordinaria transitoria temporaria yet being the same with ours or else Christ is not ours for that Rock was Christ the same with ours in use end and effect and operating Tom. 4. c. 9. p. 36. saith Ames eodem genere non gradu efficaciae and agreeing with ours omnibus iis capitibus quae sunt de natura Sacramenti as Chamter and therefore the Fathers receiving the Sacramental Communication of the body and blood of Christ indeed Confut. Rhem. Test. in 1 Cor. 10.3 Willet contr 11. q. 2. p. 544. as not onely Fulk and Willet but the whole Protestant Host of the living God do contend yet many of them God was not well pleased with some whereof were Idolaters Fornicators Murmurers did lust did tempt Christ yet the same spiritual meat and drink was received by all Sacramentally though effectually onely by believers the spiritual thing by the good alone the Elements which were spiritual in their signification by evil men also And thereupon likewise I hope it will seem evident to unprejudiced and unbiassed men that the Sacraments are not onely communicable to such as have given positive signs and demonstrations of Holiness There are such answers given to the Argument drawn from
oracula vel certissima exempla quibus demonstratum praenunciatum est malos in Ecclesia perm xtos bonis usque in finem saeculi tempúsque judicii futuros nihil bonis in unitate ac participatione Sacramentorum qui eorum factis non consenserint obfuturos A Testimony which like Thunder and Lightning might cast down the very Foundations of those Babels of Gathered Churches which some have built to get them a name such and such a mans Church and lest they be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole Earth among such as they suppose less pure and which the confusion of Languages that is among them may in time make them to desist from farther advancing Fifthly the Sacrament in this notion of pollution is not polluted by the Minister and his admission but by him to whom it is administred by his accession neither to him that communicates worthily but to him that unworthily participates And for him that so partakes to abstain is as dangerous as it is perilous to come as for him that cannot plead his interest in Christ to eat or not to eat common food is a perplexity on either side mischievous for if he eat he is an usurper of the Creature if he eat not a murderer of himself so not onely by the censure of the Canons the abstainer from the Sacrament is among such Qui sibi praescribunt poenam declinant remedium Decret part 2. caus 33. dist 1. c. 56. and is as if he that is dangerously sick forgetting the incumbency to use the means to preserve life and possibility that the Medicine may work effectually should desert that Physick whereof the operation is doubtfull lest if he do not purge or alleviate the humours it irritate them and make them more malignant and the Disease more mortal but also in the judgment of Chrysostome is in the certain way to destruction for Quemadmodum frigida accessio periculosa est ità nulla mysticae illius coenae participatio pestis est interitus and is as if a man did fly from a Lion and a Bear met him or went into the house and leaned upon the wall and a Serpent bit him and as it is reported of one of Antigonus his Souldiers that he became more adventurous and undaunted to think that if he fell not by the Sword to an Enemy he must how ere perish by the mortal Disease he had within him so the polluted conscience which he still bears about him will condemn him though he forbear to pollute the Sacrament and as Bias asmuch check'd with true Philosophy to cast his riches into the Sea as he could have done in taking the fruition of them and Ahaz sinned as much through infidelity in refusing a sign as the adulterous generation did in seeking it so the Sacrament is asmuch polluted that is contemned or vilified by the want of a precious esteem thereof and an holy care to dispose and fit our selves to the participation thereof though we do not partake it as it is by a presumptuous and unworthy receiving thereof and as he that offends being drunk merited a double punishment by Pittacus his Law one for his offence another for drunkenness so he contracts a double guilt that neither comes nor is qualified to come to the Sacrament whereas he that performs the matter doth some part of his duty though he do not the whole by discharging it in due form and manner and an impotency to perform a duty as he ought doth not cancel the Obligation to do it he doth well that comes but he doth evil that comes unworthy thou believest there is one God thou dost well saith the Apostle James 2.19 yet he did no more than the Devils did and sinned in believing no otherwise than they did yet did well in believing so much Secondly he that exhibites profanes not that which he applies to that use whereunto it was ordained and doth the work of his calling in administring and performs an act of justice in rendring to every one his own right But first the Sacraments by their Ordination are to be used by all that profess the faith of Christ being Testes professionis Christiana as Chamier As Pompey said Necesse est ut eam non ut vivam so it is necessary they go to the Sacrament whether they can come worthily or not though the due manner of coming be also of as great necessity as is their going And secondly they have a right to partake of them that are members of the Church of Christ Membra Ecclesiae praesumptiva as the School and Ecclesia conjecturalis as Cusanus speaks the Sacraments being a note of the true Church and receiving an act of Communion with the true Church Unum corpus sumus qui de uno pane participamus and by the Rule of Contraries Qui de uno pane non participamus non sumus unum corpus as Albaspinus argueth the Sacrament being Signum unitatis Vinculum charitatis as Augustine affirmeth and as a visible being in covenant or professing true Religion explicitely or implicitely makes a visible member Baxte◠Inf. Bap. p. 243. and sincerity in the covenant makes a member of the invisible Church so Church-membership is a sufficient evidence to the aged of their interest in the Lords Supper till they blot that Evidence saith a godly learned man Tom. 4. l. 7. c. 19. sect 17. p. 196. and as Augustine affirmeth Simul bibimus quia simul vivimus so they that live together in the Church with us and are not judicially cast our have a right to eat with us of the Sacrament and therefore the famous Chamier disputing against private Masses and answering the Objection That the People are not worthy to partake saith Scelus hominis Cur indignos Sacramento dicis quos indignos negas pace Ecclesiae Itanè tibi videntur qui censeantur in corpore Christi ut indignos pronuncies qui vescantur Christo at Chrysostomus negabat dignos esse qui vel precibus interessent and having then till they be judicially separated a right thereunto in foro exteriori to suspend them from the fruition thereof till they evidence their title in foro interiori is as if because in foro coeli nothing is ours in property but as we feel our claim in Christ nor in use but as it is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer therefore they should sequester a man from his legal rights untill he verifie his title by faith in Christ Jesus and permit none to be a civil Owner till he approve himself no spiritual Usurper which were to dash on that Heresie which is falsly imputed to Wickliff That all Dominion is founded in grace And thirdly the exhibiting the Sacrament is a part of the work of the Ministery who are to take all to be with Christ that are not notoriously against him and who are the Servants to set forth the Feast before those many that are called the
that Worship without concurring in any sinne save that which they suppose is contracted only by a Communion with such men though not in evil but rather in that which in it self is good and formally as it is a Communion onely with those that are evil That to separate on this account was both the root and pith of the Schisme of the Donatists who did not own any separation from the Catholique Church but impropriated that Church to themselves and held Communion with many Churches of their Model but separated from others and therefore might have put in the same Plea with this but seeing those Churches from which the Apologists separate are Members of the Catholique Church as till they be cut off juridicè aut jure they are so and in this consideration § 9 Eadem est ratio partium totius and all Members are conjoyned to the Body See more of this therefore if they separate from any such particular members they divide from the body of the Catholique Church as I have before proved by the authority of Junius § 24 that it is schismatical so to be torn off ab hac illáve Ecclesia i.e. membro particularis corporis ex infirmitate particulari Next that they remove the antient Land-mark of that distinction between the Church of the Called and that of the Elect may be discerned by any that passeth by their way There are many externally called who are onely relative and notional Saints Saints in the judgment of Charity because they have given their names to Christ entred into an outward Covenant with God and doe make profession of their Faith but such as are effectually called and are united to Christ in virtue as well as profession and in whom the Spirit of Christ is operative by influence of grace and salvation such onely are Elect Saints real Saints in verity Now if they will admit none to an entire Church-fellowship which is not as was said without Communion of Sacraments others that communicate not being not owned by themselves to be of the Church save such as give demonstrative signes that they are elected doe they not quantum ad hominem though it be impossible quoad rem contract the Church of the Called and make it no more extensive than that of the Elect and turn those many that are called into a few that are chosen sure I think this cannot but be visible to any unless to one Cui lumen ademptum And by this meanes also there may be multi hirci intus multae oves foras Hom. Deonibus tom 9. p. 224. Since as Augustine meekly scit praedestinatione praescientiâ oves hircos ille solus qui praedestinare potuit qui praescire si autem multas oves foras errare plangimus vae quorum humeris lateribus cornibus factum est non enim haec facerent nisi fortes oves quae sunt fortes de suis viribus praesumentes quae sunt fortes de sua justitia gloriantes humeris audaces ad impellendum quia non portant sacrinam Dei latera mala conspirantes amici societas pertinaciae cornua erecta elata superbia mitte foras quod non emisti certe ipsa tota causa est quia tu justus alii injusti indignum erat ut justus esset cum injustis indignum scilicet ut frumenta essent inter zizania indignum ut oves inter hircos pascerentur donec Pastor veniret qui in separando non errat ita tu angelus eradicans zizania non te agnoscerem angelum zizania eradicantem nec si jam messis venisset ante messem non tu sed quisquis fuerit non est verus qui designavit messem designavit tempus angeli tibi nomen potes impoere tempus messis non potes breviare ita falsum dicis qui sis quia nondum venit quando sis noli velle zizania eradicare quando tempus non est sed tu ipse intrò redi cum tempus est cornua sunt ista ventilantis non mansuetudo pascentis non expectas finem nesciens quando tibi sit finis unde hoc nisi quia ipsos tanquam hircos accusasti falsò accusasti nam si verè accusasses non te separasses tua separatio illorum est purgatio Lastly for the state of the Church Exponere similitudinem istam ne conati quidem sunt illam similitudinem omnino attingere nolucrant Brevic. collat cum Donatist tom 7. p. 117. Cont. Donat. post collat c. 7. p. 122. tom 7. which is a floor where chaff is heap'd with Wheat a Field where Tares grow intermix'd with Wheat a Net where bad Fish is involved with good c. most of those similitudes Quibus Dominus suorum servorum tolerantiam confirmavit as Augustine they like the Donatists of old whose Copy it seems they have chosen to write after will take no notice of as any way concerning them but I doubt it is onely nihil ad nos because supra nos and they doe not answer it because they cannot durum sed levius fit patientiâ quicquid corrigere est nesas for seeing Ecclesiasticall Communion is described by a Society in the Sacraments and therein principally is constituted and if there shall be a commixtion of evil men with good not onely in the Congregation but also in Una Congregatione paria Sacramenta tractantes as was even now alleaged out of Augustine and not onely in the Word but as idem verbum Dei simul audiunt so also simul Dei sacramenta percipiunt then whatever they suggest to the contrary thus much is gained hereby which will be on their part the loss of the question First that none ought to be so offended with the grossness of their Administrations at home where no separation is made as thereupon to remove S. 9 or desert to have a Communion of Sacraments with such Congregations August de verb. Dom. in Evang. Matth. Serm. 18. tom 10. p. 18. and separating from them to gather themselves into another Church which yet they confess to be the case of divers of them the Corn lay fast in the same Floor with the Chaff and that onely was volatile Non vos seducant perversi paleae nimis leves avolant ante adventum ventilatoris ex area and therefore he directeth elsewhere ex eo ubies disce quid es and consequently adviseth nemo ante tempus ventilationis deserat aream In Psal 25. tom 8. p. 26. Brevicul collat cum Donat. 3. die tom 7. p. 117. Cont. Donat. post collat c. 6. tom 7. p. 122. In Psal 149. tom 8. p. 360. quasi dum non vult pati peccatores nè praeter aream inventus priùs ab avibus colligatur quà m ingrediatur in horreum the good Fishes break not the Net to get out from the bad Commixtos bonis malos intra retia suorum sacramentorum And this commixture will continue while we are
est persuasio de usureram indifferentium per synechochen generis as Piscator and Calvin in effect consenting with him and however they rebel against this light yet it strikes on their eyes to make them see and say also in this very Section that the Apostle speaks of those who were not of a pure gospel judgment about ceremonies Paraeus onely by a proportionable accommodation extends it to those that are infirm circa mores studium pietatis qui languidius profecerunt saepius hallucinantur in vita such as are carnal not simply but in some respect and therefore concludes in opposition sure to their principles tali inaequalitate domesticorum dei non est quod offendamur But they here part hands with their brethren who they confess go beyond their warrant when they take Saints of the first magnitude onely into fellowship But sure their warranâ—s are brethren too aswel as they and they can pretend no better warrant to exclude all save of the second or third magnitude then their brethren can shew to reject all save of the first We think that though one starr differs from another in glory yet every the least star while it stands in the firmament of the Church ought to be in fellowship and Constellation with the rest and till he prove a falling star a nebula or plain nebulo it will be onely a by blow of the taile of the Dragon to cast him to the earth I is Gods prerogative to tell the number of stars there are many pure stars more than we can see the Galaxi is but a Congregation of them and some stars that are eclips'd toward earth shine upward to heaven and to own none for stars but those that will move concentrick with them and borrow all their light from them is a false astronomy and fits none but those that would set their nest among the stars The judging of others estate and condition the waies and cautels of doing it are but perergas and heterogencals to our question for it is not mens goodness or regeneration which is the foundation of their right or interest to the Lords Supper buâ— Church membership with a dogmatical faith compleats a title to Ecclesiastical Communion and consequently to the Sacrament and it is a contradiction in the adject and a meer bull though such an one as Mariana saith are sometimes let loose in Spain in solemne places which gore and overturn and trample on the people that a man should be a member of the Church and yet not be recelved to Church fellowship Whatsoever other qualifications are requisite to the person in order to his coming to the Sacrament yet they are to require nothing more in foro exteriori for his admitting cum enim quilibet Christianus ex hoc ipso quod est baptisatus sit admissus ad Dominicam mensam saith Aquinas non potest jus suum ei tolli nisi pro aliqua causa manifesta 3. q. 60. art 6. they need look for no other positive thing if they discern nothing privative viz. no notorious crime that may forfeit that right if they see nothing to disprove it they may spare to seek for what may farther prove and verifie it charity carries with it an obligation practically and negatively at lest to judge all those to be good that are not manifestly evil and therefore he that is not visibly unworthy is visibly worthy because a visible member and if worthy of a Communion in other Ordinances as hath before been argued why not in this also unless as the Orators exalted eloquence that themselves might rise therewith so they elevate the Sacrament to a higher sphear because themselves pretend to be the Intelligences that must onely make it move or rest and I should desire them to shew me any Scripture ground whereon they can build this bypothesis That those intelligent persons who are worthy to have Communion in the Word and Prayer are unworthy of fellowship in the Sacrament It is granted they may make judgment of such as actually discover themselves by scandall or perhaps potentially by a violent suspition but to make discoveries of others in order to judge of their state or condition they have none but a forged warran that bears not the Teste of heaven nor is exemplified in the Rolls of the Scripture and therefore whereas they say That Calvin affirms that judgeing in this place Rom. 14.10 is to bring men under our own lawes Though I finde not that he makes that interpretation yet it being true secundum quid because a divine truth though perchance not simpliciter becaus not proper to the place yet supposing it were so we cannot but conclude they judge their brethren because we finde their lawes under which they would bring them but they are yet to seek of those of Christ unlesse they will doe as the Glosse on Gratian hath done to cite a whole sentence for Scripture which is no where or will have us to think of them as Hosius teacheth of the Church of Rome Dist 43. Si quis verb. postulat that what pleaseth them is the expresse word of God If as they profess they exclude not but take the weakest then they ought to admit all those that are not guilty of scandall for other sins are but weaknesses and so denominate their subjects If as they say they refuse none but the dead and bastards and contemners of Gods waeyes It is a sad topicall fate which hath befallen the places they settle in if all those grounds they cultivate bear no other fruit but such as that near Sodom Lake which how specious soever it seems yet proves to be but dust and emptinesse when they take them in hand and it is no personall felicity to have the luck of the worst harlot that theirs is alwayes the dead child and after all their fishing for men they rather have the fortune of those which indeed is just about their proportion that doe fish for pearls in Mare del Sur where Acosta relates that there is scarce one round pearl found for an hundred raggs and their people so desperatly evill that nothing else could rectifie them but that which Antonius Augustinus borrowes from Martial to apply to Gratian Vna litura to blot them all at once out of the communion but if they refuse none but such as are dead and bastards they cannot pass this dreadfull verdict upon them unlesse they have convicted them to be scandalously wicked and yet they tell us we passe an uncharitable judgment upon them to account that they judge so uncharitably of those they receive not whereas it cannot but be clear that all are wicked whom they reject if they refuse none but such as are wicked Yet as truth is like light which cannot be hid but will find some crany to shew it self and was anciently saith Pierius described Hicroglyphically by a Peach which is like an heart and a leafe hanging thereon in resemblance of a
washing Luke 11.38 And so superstitiously did they tie themselves to this observation that Drusius and Buxtorfius tell us Godwin Moys and Aaron l. 1. c. 10. c. that in case a man had not water enough to wash and drink he should rather chuse to wash than drink though he dyed with thirst We are farre from any odious supposing that there is a symbolizing and conformity between the Pharisee and the Apologists in all parts or degrees of their separation much less in the System of their opinions there may be a similitude and resemblance though it hold not in all things but in some as we say such a man is like another though he resemble him but in some parts of his face not all Neque enim omnis imago habere debet quaecunque illud cujus est imago saith Plato Things may touch though but in a point and hang together by a string or two and Morea is as well a part united to Greece though but by an Isthmus as Thrace that leanes upon it with the whole side That spice of the Pharisee which their way seems to carry a smack of was their separating themselves from a Communion of Sacraments with those men who continue members of the Church and are not judicially or justly cut off or cast out and upon this expresse account that both the Ordinance shall be polluted and themselves defiled by their society The original of this sin we think was from the Pharisee and from him derived not by propagation but according to the mode of Pelagius by imitation Thcodoret speaking of the Andian hereticks who separated themselves from the communion of the Church because Usurers and impure persons were there tolerated addes Apud Gerhard loc Com. Tom. 5. p. 230. Ipsum institutum arrogantiae plenum et quaedam Pharisaicae doctrinae posteritas est nam Pharisaei accusabant animorem et corporum medicum dicentes sanctis Apostolis cur Magister vester cibum capit cum Publicanis et peccatoribus et per Prophetam de talibus ait Deus qui dicunt Purus sum ne attingas Indeed the note is now changed and is not Why eats your Master with Publicans and sinners but Why do they eat your Master Sacramentally St. Augustine tells the Donatists Nec mali bonis obesse possunt cum vel ignorantur vel pro pace et tranquilitate ecclesiae tolerantur Contra Donatist post Collat. c. 5. Tom. 4. p. 122. si cos prodi aut accusari non oportucrit aut aâ—iis bonis non potuerit demonstrari ista cum fiunt à bonis non inquinantier à malis quia nee corum peccatis consentiendo communicant ab eis eisi non corporali segregatione tamen spiritali vitae dissimiliudine morum diversitate discedunt nam qui hec non spiritaliter observandum puâ—ant arrogantia vanitatis in illud incidunt quod per eundem prophetam dominus detestatur dicens Qui dicunt noli me tangere quoniam immundus sum c. I might perchance draw out these parables to a greater extent and multiply them to fill the whole Charte but three or four will be enough to make up a Climate wherein to set them together neere about the same height or elevation and much about the same distance from the Aequator of truth and peace as first that the Pharisees would have every holy man of the precedent ages to have been a Pharisee of one kind or other whereof there were divers as Abraham to be a Pharisee of love Job of fear c. So the Apologists will have us believe that the ancient Fathers have scored and beaten out this way before them as their guides or to stand as Mercuries to point them to it But as Cymon was used to increpate his Athenians with At non tales Lacedaemonii so we have shewed the Ancients were not such they are not of the linage of the Fathers not derived from any line of theirs Vana fides genus esse Deorum Had the Fathers in the fervor of their conflicts with the Donatists fallen asleep and had not awaked untill this intervall of so many Ages as they say some in a Cave slept for many years in the heat of Dioclesians persecution and awaking conceived they had taken but a short nap and to have found things in the same posture they left them though they saw them in a different condition so would the Fathers contrariwise think that after a long sleep they found things in that estate wherein they left them when they expected they should have been altered and that they still heare the Donatists arguing whom they must again address themselves to follow in fresh suit and continue to encounter with 2. The Pharisees thought none holy but their Sect and if the Apologists doe not speculatively judge so yet others not of their way although such as they cannot track in wicked wayes they look upon onely under the notion of morall not godly men and like the men of Pontus that thought there was no more Sea but that which washt their shore and therefore denominated the Sea from their Countrey so it seems they fancie holiness to be entailed upon their way not to be discontinued by a recovery by any other and practically esteem the rest unholy while they give them not holy things and judge a communion with them to be contaminative 3. The Pharisees despicably called the rest of the people of God populus terrae This people that know not the Law are accursed so the Apologists scornfully name them the dregges of the people and the rout with whom they will not partake and Bastards and implicitely and interpretatively account them Dogges Swine Canaanites and the like for under these notions they argue that they may and doe exclude them Barradius borrowes this colour from Gregory to paint forth the Pharisees Dum se omnibus praeferunt alios quidem de fatuis sensibus alios autem de indignis meritis reprehendunt id est alios censent nihil scire alios non bene vivere And who that lookes on this Table would not take this to be drawn for the picture of the Apologists who if they did not suspect what needed they to examine and therefore bring all under examination have all in suspition and shut out such a multitude from their communion upon the account of ignorance and wickednesse per vanas suspitiones ne dicam factiosas calumnias as Augustine of his Donatists as if like the men of China they thought all the world blind beside themselves and be they never so learned yet as they say of the men of Europe they have but one eye and that not the right that shew their ignorance they say in this very thing that they refuse to submit to the tryall of their knowledge but saith Maldonat speaking of the Pharisee and the Publican to the four sorts of pride reckoned up by Gregory and Beda this was a
reflection it is that they deny that those humane lawes doe properly bind the conscience which obliege not in respect of the matter thereof because they bind not primò per se sed secundariò atque mediatè per accidens ab ordinatione Dci not in their proper nature but in another viz. that principle Let every soul be subject c. Fifthly this is an itinerant Topick and a common argument and may be imprest to serve me against them and will muster among my Forces who am as certain to have made it evident that their way is not decent nor orderly as they are confident to have proved it to be so Eccles l. 3. c 4. And if order be as Iunius out of Augustine Per quem aguntur omnia quae constituit Deus and the rules directions which now or at other times had or should be given by the Apostle and the Rule of Decency be the custome of the Church as Dr. Hammond noteth not the singularities or innovations of privat or particular men then we are yet to seek of any such rule or direction of Scripture and by no search can we find that the Churches of God had any such custome Sixthly if they had evidenced their way to be decent and orderly yet that could onely rise to justifie it selfe not reach to condemn another it might warrant the setting up thereof not condemn the pulling down of all beside another way might be as orderly and decent as that for these have some latitude and consist not in a point though unum verum convertuntur yet one and orderly or decent are not so convertible In locum and Ordo Ecclesiasticus aliis atque aliis locis non modo diversus sod saepe contrarius ad aedificationem facere potest saith Paraeus Every lawfull or good thingis not by and by necessary as was before recited out of Camero qui salubres cibi sunt non continuò necessarii there is no necessity incumbent on any man to eate all or any one determinate meat that is wholsome especially when he hath no stomack to it or is already satisfied with it Seventhly when this text was produced by the Episcopall party to warrant some ceremonies I know who denyed the argument T.C. and asked why we should hang our judgment upon the Churches sleeve and why in matters of Order more than in matters of Doctrine But however this be a rule by which things belonging to the policy of the Church are to be regulated in Discipline and Rites and things indifferent not specially determined by Scripture yet the matters that fall under such regulation bind not the conscience of themselves and with such constitutions God is not worshipped saith Paraeus In locum ibid. and they are left free and alterable to the will and pleasure of the Church to constitute or abrogate and that also which this power determines is not de re aut substantiâ sed rei externa precuratione Camero de verbo Dei p. 463. Contr. 4. de Eccles q. 7. tom 2. p. 715. and the determination binds only quia oportet unumquemque stude epaci and they are to be observed non ut his conscientia implicetur nisi propter scandalum contemptum legitimae authoritatis alià s res ipsas esse medii generis as Whitaker affirmeth And therfore though they bravingly avow That this text well managed will justifie against all the world such courses as have an excellent and holy use in the Church which use that their course hath is a principle that needs no proof for want of better managery that which they have setcht to fight for them doth convert its arms against them and surrenders up that strength which they set it to keep for now their Discipline which they held out for the expresse will of God so great a part of the kingdom of Christ and so essential and necessary to reformation and for the introducing of this their order have put the Church so much out of order is yet become onely a matter of Decency and Order which owes its spring to the Churches will and may take its fall at her pleasure sic transit gloria mundi And thus like the Dolphins in an eager pursuit of their prey they dash themselves upon the râ—cks They conceive and say it is confessed That it were a glorious and comfortable thing if none but holy persons did draw neer to this holy table and they assume A general Rule will bear up a glorious and comfortable practice in the Church And if that be the Proposition and this the Assumption what I beseech you is like to be or what is likely they intend should be the conclusion which among so many terms we can upon no terms make out This may be some of Chrysippus his Logick which the Gods would have used but men were too dull to understand the use thereof If they intend that a glorious and comfortable practice will be born up by this command to do all things decently and in order I suppose it would be better supported by its proper strength formally as it is a glorious and comfortable practice more than as decent and orderly but then what is this practice viz. that onely holy persons draw near the holy table Be it so let that be a glorious and comfortable practice as they can take no glory so neither can we any comsort if they should thence infer therefore they may debarre from coming all those of whose holinesse they are not convinced We have elsewhere shewed they are severall questions and of sundry latitudes who should come and who ought to be admitted none may be excluded but for crimes notorious but it is enough that they are not scandalous to make them capable to be received And I hope we have sufficiently demonstrated that al that having a Dogmatical faith are members of the Church which is Christs family have a right to eat at his Table and common sense will shew that those that are not cut off from Ecclesiasticall communion cannot be kept off from the main part thereof communion in Sacraments If then none but holy persons shall draw to the holy table all Church members must be holy really I mean for relatively they are so but all the whole visible Church collectively shall be sincerely holy when any the parts thereof distributively are perfectly holy and that shall be onely when we come to eat and drink at his table in his Kingdome An holy and blameless Church without spot or wrinkle is indeed glorious but it is gloriae patriae non viae a glory reserved for the triumph not bestowed during the warfare and it is now so glorious onely in the hope it shall be here her falrness is but comparative among Women in respect of the rest of the world inter animas terrenas non autem inter evangelicas beatitudines saith Bernard The subject matter therefore of glory and comfort beares
COENA quasi ΚΟΙÎΗ The New-INCLOSVRES broken down AND THE LORDS SUPPER Laid forth in common for all Church-members having a Dogmatical Faith and not being Scandalous In a Diatribe and Defence thereof AGAINST The Apology of some Ministers and Godly People as their owne Mouth praiseth them asserting the lawfulness of their administring the LORDS SUPPER in a select Company Lately set forth by their Prolocutor Mr. HUMPHREY SAUNDERS Written by WILLIAM MORICE of Werrington in DEVON Esq LONDON Printed by W. Godbid for Richard Thrale and are to be sold at the Cross-Keyes at Paul's gate entring into Cheap-side M. DC LVII Augustin in Psal 48. Concio 1. Tom. 8. Pag. 93. EXigitur a manducante quod manducat non prohibeatur à dispensatore sed moveatur timere exactorem Chrysostom in 1. ad Cor. 11. Hom. 27. Tom. 4. Pag. 110. Quoniam Dominica coena hoc est Domini debet esse communis quaeenim Domini sunt non sunt hujus servi aut alterius sed omnibus communia quod enim Dominicum est idem commune nam si Domini tui est quemadmodum est non debes tanquam propria tibi assumere sed tanquam res Domini communiter omnibus proponere siquidem hoc est Dominicum nunc autem non sinis esse Dominicum cum non sinis esse commune sed tibi comedis Bullinger adversus Anabaptist l. 6. c. 9. p. 229. 232. Probationem Ministri aut Ecclesiae judicio non relinquimus ut tum demum aliquis ad coenam Domini accedat cum Ministri vel Ecclesia satis dignum fidelem sanctum judicaverit Probet homo seipsum non debet ab alio probari Musculus in 1 Cor. 11.28 Pag. 438 439. Apparet necessarium utile esse eorum studium qui neminem ad coenam Domini admittant quem ipsi antea non probaverunt si modus discretio adhibeatur nec velut universali lege indiscriminatim omnes etiam qui inculpate se gerunt in Ecclesia ad hujusmodi examen constringantur verum juxta timendum est ne institutum hoc quà m nunc magni aestimatur tam olim in priscam servitutem Ecclesiam Christi reducat noxium reddatur Sane Apostolica institutio nihil hujus requirit sed hortatur unumquemque ut seipsum probet sed quid si Minister Ecclesiae hac Apostoli sententia nolit esse contentus nec admittat nisiquos ipse explorat item quid si fidelis ad panis tantum non poculi Dominici communicationem admittatur sicut in Papatu fieri videmus Respondeo ubi nec Domini ea institutio nec Apostolica Doctrina servatur ibi non est ut communicet fidelis sinat Magistratus illos regnare in Ecclesia donec visum fuerit Domino modum imponere illorum Dominio Chamier Panstrat Tom. 4. l. 7. c. 19. S. 17. Pag. 196. Non sunt digne praeparati Scelus hominis cur indignos Sacramento dicis quos indignos negas pace Ecclesiae Itane tibi videatur qui censeantur in corpore Christi ut indignos pronuncies qui vescantur Christo at Chrysostomus negabat dignos esse qui vel precibus interessent quodnam quaeso ingenium tuum est Chrysostomi certe Catholicum vide ne tuum non Christianum Casaubon exercit ad annal Baron exercit 16. S. 31. Pag. 366. Coena Domini privatae epulae non sunt natura sua sed publica fidelium omnium invitatio The Summe of the Dissertation DIATRIBE SECT I. OF Antiquity and Innovation the Character of their Discipline the state of the question p. 29. DEFENCE SECT I. What Authority the Diatribe ascribed to the Fathers and ancient Church Why the Apologists derogate from them p. 32. SECT II. Of Antiquity Custome sad consequences of Independency the novelty thereof the Fathers not without errors yet not to be sleighted What may be called the Primitive Church Protestants alwayes honoured their Fathers and never declined their Testimony p. 33. SECT III. How the Apologists have suited their Discipline to comply with several-Parties and Interests the odious Blots of their Pen. p. 42. SECT IV. Whether the Diatribe were guilty of Petitio Principii 44. SECT V. Whether their Discipline advance Godlinesse The Sacraments are Seales of the Conditionall Covenant which Doctrine hath no affinity with semi-Pelagianisme Whether the exhibiting the Sacrament make men Saints Whether the giving thereof without discrimination upon tryal blind men in their sins or be the setting of the Seal to Blanks Whether the Sacraments are privileges of the Godly 1 Cor. 10. argumentative for a free Communion 46. SECT VI. Independent Bookes and Arguments Of Rhetorique what Builders the Apologists are 62. SECT VII The Apologists causlesly irritated by an Allegory 67. SECT VIII In whom the School vesteth the Power of Church-Censures Whether the Apologists may de jure or do de facto censure alone How they have restored the Sacrament 68. SECT IX The state of the Question the model of their Church Whether their way smack of Donatus his schisme Ecclesiastical Communion consists principally in Communion of Sacraments Of Examination precedent to the partaking of the Eucharist Whether and how necessary What knowledge may be competent What profession of Faith the antient Church required before admission to Sacraments Of Excommunication Suspension Presbytery the Apologists no friends thereunto 71. DIATRIBE SECT II. The Lord Jesus examined not his Disciples antecedently to his Supper He admitted Judas to the participation as the Fathers consentiently assert and the Scripture evinceth Luke 22.21 Joh. 13.2.26 27 30. discussed 96. DEFENCE SECT X. How we know Christ examined not the Apostles The force of Arguments from the Authority negative of Scripture Of the washing of the Apostles feet VVhether any did partake the last Supper save the 12. Apostles The Apologists conceit of the 70. Disciples Of Confession of Faith how and when necessary Examination is a virtual and interpretative diffamation VVhether it be a small thing they require VVhether Examination if it be necessary ought to be made but once 111. SECT XI Judas did communicate at the Lords Supper What is thereby inferred The Attestation of the Fathers in that matter the consent of later Divines The weight of the testimonies on either side the Apologists confess there was no visible cause to exclude him VVhether Christ in admitting him acted onely as a man His not condemning the adulterous woman 122. DIATRIBE SECT III. The sufficiency of Scripture whereupon Negative Arguments are grounded the Argument deduced from 1 Cor. 11.28 it is difficult and unsafe to judge of other mens estate Of temerarious judgment Of judging men to be wicked or irregenerate With what difficulty and what a Pedegree of consequences their proofs are derived from Scripture Generall Rules for satisfaction of doubting Consciences perswade the contrary to their way Of Christs admitting onely Disciples Heb. 13.17 Mat. 18.16 Rev. 2.2 1 Pet. 3.15 1 Cor. 5.11 explained and vindicated 134. DEFENCE SECT 12. 1
Cor 11.28 Reinforced and vindicated Negative Arguments whether this be such Whether all revealed in Scripture be necessary Christs not examining his Disciples The sense of antient and modern Interpreters upon that of 1 Cor. 11.28 the testimony of Paraeus vindicated Examination but an after-reckoning to Auricular Confession and built upon the same Foundations the Consequences thereof alike to be feared 149. DIATRIBE SECT IV. No pre-examination in the antient Church save of Catechumeni Sending the Eucharist to persons absent and strangers The institution and abolishment of Confession Liberty to approach the Lords Table upon self-examination Whom the antient Church excluded from the Eucharist The Judgment of the Fathers Casuists and School-men concerning those that are to be admitted and to be debarred To partake was antiently commanded as a common Duty The omission reprehended the common right asserted 181. DEFENCE SECT XIII The honour and interest of the Ministery Confession of sins as necessary as Examination Whether their principles have any affinity with the Roman or may be subservient and manuductive to Popery The antient Discipline most like to advance Reformation What were the Catechumeni Energumeni Penitents The several degrees of the latter The Church-way of the Apologists hath no conformity with the antient Church How the Heathens proscribed profane persons from their Holies VVhether the Antients went too farre in Censures A testimony of Albaspinus falsified by them cleared Another of Chrysostomes vindicated 185. SECT XIV Sending the Eucharist to strangers and persons absent whether a corruption VVhether the Fathers were prodigal of Christs blood Of admitting to the Eucharist presently after Baptisme Of the Literae formatae and communicatoriae 182. post 185. SECT XV. Of daily communicating of receiving at Easter all the People anciently communicated No man to be repelled upon the private knowledge of the Minister or other Whether all did partake the Lords Supper that heard the Word What sinnes may exclude from the Sacrament Whether the ancient Church knew or practised any such Censure as Suspension The Negative proved the Arguments for the Affirmative profligated Penitents were first excommunicated What Communion anciently did signifie What Abstinency denoted What was the Lay-Communion What was meant by removing from the Altar What Suspension anciently signified and in what sense that notion was used What the School determines of giving the Eucharist to manifest and occult sinners Suarez imposterously alleaged by them What Suspicion may warrant an Exclusion Whether their way of Separation be conformable to the Ancient Of their care to keep men off from the Sacrament The Application of a passage in Chrysostome redeemed from their Exceptions Whether there be reason to examine dispositively to hearing the Word aswell as to receiving the Sacrament and danger to the Unworthy in the one aswell as in the other The casting of Pearl before Swine and giving holy things unto Dogs what it intends The difference between the Word and Sacraments All not anciently admitted to all the Word The Sacrament multifariously proved to be a converting Ordinance and this to be the common judgment of Protestants What effects may be hoped onely by seeing the Administration without partaking The Sophisme discussed He that partakes worthily is converted already he that eates unworthily eates damnation VVhether men are prohibited those Duties which they cannot well and duly discharge The moral works of natural men 186. DIATRIBE SECT V. By a free Communion there is no damnum emergens by pollution of the Ordinances Minister or Communicants the visible Church is aggregated of good and evil It is Schisme to renounce Communion of Sacraments with evil men not duly censured the administration not to be intermitted because all are not sufficiently prepared or those that are unworthy may partake The similitudes defeated of giving a cup of poysoned wine onely with admonition Of giving a Legacy to Schollars of such a capacity and parts which the Trustees cannot otherwise distribute Of being guilty of the sins we hinder not The weak to be encouraged and promoved by admission As much danger by mix'd Communion in the Word and Prayers as in the Sacrament The Reasons pretended to debar from the one as argumentative to exclude from the other Matth. 7 6. examined VVhether the receiving the Sacrament be a Duty injoyned to all and a good work in all VVhether it be a converting Ordinance VVhat the Sacraments seal and how VVhether they confer grace The same evil effects ensue by male administration of discipline as by a free communion and the same reasons which forbid separation in the one do also in the other case 235. DEFENCE SECT XVI The removing the scandalous by the power of the Keys no ingredient of our question nor any part of the Discipline which they practise What scandals may deprive of the Sacrament Whether formal Professors if they could be known were to be admitted How holy things may be polluted As the Sacrament so in like manner other holy things may be defiled By a free admission the Sacrament is not polluted by or to the Minister nor others that communicate worthily and it is no more dangerous for the unworthy to come than to keep off Whether mix'd Communion be a burden of sinne or pain In what cases it is lawful to have Communion of Sacraments with evil men The godly were alwayes commix'd with the wicked in Communion of Sacraments proved through the History of the Scripture Sacrifices were of like nature with Sacraments and for offering or eating thereof no signs or tryals of real Holiness were required Whether there be an equal necessity of profession of Faith at the receiving of the Eucharist and of Baptisme The Church of Corinth was corrupt yet in reforming thereof the Apostle prescribed no such tryal When and how far admonition and reproof may be sufficient Of Ambrose his proceeding against Theodosius What are the effects of the society of evil men with good The errors of Audius Novatus and Donatus Whether the Apologists symbolize with them Church-fellowship consists chiefly in Communion of Sacraments they make the Church of the Called to be no larger than that of the Elect. The state of the Church according to the Parables of the Floor Field and Net Matth. 13. Our Thesis asserted in the express words of the Antients The Pastor of Corinth not reproved for permitting mix'd Communions 1 Cor. 4.21 considered The Parable of the Marriage-Feast Of sealing men Their too free Pulpits no free Tables of Preaching without Ordination A recapitulation of much of the Discourse 255. DIATRIBE SECT VI. Whether this Discipline suit with Rom. 14.1 10. or check not with Charity relish not of the Pharisee Whether it sort with the qualifications of the High-Priest Heb. 5.2 Or the example of Hezekias Whether it smell not of Diotrephes Of examining persons set beyond suspicion Whether their way were cast in a like Mould with Popery Of their Elders their way is independent A complaint of our Schismes
Joel 3.17 Nahum 1.15 Zach. 19.21 Brought off from the Rack whereon they have set them The difference between Legal and Moral Uncleanness what the former typed 501. 301. SECT XXXIV XXXV XXXVI XXXVII Their repeated fallacies The complacency of their close which is destructive to their main Discourse 509. c. 309 The Preface BEing engaged in the publick Service of my Countrey I have been alwayes most forward to employ the power intrusted with me for recovery of Tythes to the Ministery whose honor and maintenance I have ever sensed to be very much of the interest of Religion for as Heraclitus once said Were it not for the Sun it would be night for all the Stars so were there not such greater lights whose Office and Ministerie is to enlighten the world the frye of twinkling Stars could not prevent or supersede a general Darkness especially being Stellae prosilientes Falling stars which have no Celestial origen nor are fixt in the proper sphere but carried upward by their innate levity and kindled by an irregular zeal Among such as were occasionally convented for Non-payment there were some that pleaded in their excuse that they would willingly pay their Tythes if their Pastors would administer the Lords-Supper which some of them did altogether intermit others did onely exhibit it to a Church which they had new gathered and therefore they prayed they might not be compelled to pay their Tythes to those which had interpretatively renounced and disclaimed to be their Pastors by having appropriated another flock This being no irrational answer nor easie to be gain-said for as Crassus said to Lucius Philippus If thou wilt not owne me for a Senator neither will I acknowledge thee to be a Consul and as the Canons say there is Matrimonium inter Episcopum Ecclesiam so in Divorces when for espousing a new Love the former Wife was repudiated there was still Tibique res tuas habeto I knew no expedient apter to evade it then by a gentle suppling and inflecting them to pay their Tythes upon promise that I would engage the forces I had to perswade their several Ministers to revive and reduce the Sacrament in their proper Churches and to admit them thereunto if there were no just and manifest obstacle In complyance with this promise and because the cure as with the Leper under the Law begins with the Ear I privately entred into an amicable altercation upon this Subject with some of these Ministers For even the Lights of the Sanctuary may need Snuffers though such ought to be of pure gold and however the School tels us that an Angel of an inferior Order doth not illuminate another of a superior yet in the Elementary world Naturalists say that the Jackal is conducter to the Lyon and the little Musculus goes before the Whale as a guide and to direct him from shelves and flats yet nevertheless I was not herein without the modest sense of Tertullian Non tantus sum ut ego vos alloquar verumtamen gladiatores perfectissimos non tantum magistri praepositi sed etiam idiotae supervacui quique adhortantur de longinquo As they have taught us to distinguish of Conversion wrought at the Sacrament but not by it so some one or other perhaps occasionally if not causally was at such colloquies and transactions if not by them induced to return to his Duty and redintegrate the Communion in his Church Others I found according to that character of St. Hierom Facilius vinci posse quam persuaderi but having sundry times by some interveniencies and avocations been frustrated of the opportunity of a full carrying through of the conference which I had entred upon with one among the rest who seemed to me to have sollicited with and engaged others by his influence and inspirations and who had new gathered a Church if not in that notion yet much of that nature I thereupon concluded to give him my sense and the reasons thereof in writing which accordingly I lapt up in one sheet and transmitted to him by a private and no vulgar hand And because I had no thought it should be seen abroad I was not carefull to give it any handsomer dress but onely put it in an homely attire and having as little ambition as skill to paint to eternity with Zeuxis I took no long time to draw this picture of my mind which was onely two dayes in forming so that I might plead with Hierom Qui non ignoscit ingenio ignoscat tempori indeed I rather touched then handled things and like Ladas I passed very lightly over the sands intending to leave no impression or footsteps of any traverses betwixt us but nevertheless as contrariant to my complacencies as cross to my expectation what I intended to speak in the ear was preached on the house tops for no sooner was this private Rescript received but the Church as according to the idiom of the Donatists they speak was congregated and at their tribunal was my bashful sheet brought forth which I rather wished had been sentenced to perpetual imprisonment to be publickly arraigned To justifie or excuse the publishing hereof it hath been pleaded that it was not wedded to him under any caution not to communicate or impart it and that 2. it was expedient to publish it to the Church because they were concerned in it and they heard but their owne Cause pleaded But for answer to the first I should have thought that though I had been silent yet Morality would have dictated that without my consent first had nothing of mine should have been made common to any besides those to whom I allowed it and the publishing needed my express assent to warrant it not my direct prohibition to restrain it To the 2. Though the Church were concerned in the subject and matter controverted yet that can no more evince an expedience to communicate to them the traverses betwixt us then because every one of the Nation is interessed in the conduct of State-affairs that therefore it is necessary or fit that the people should be acquainted with the counsels and agitations thereof I had no altercation with them my address was not to the Orbs but the Intelligence that set them on their motions and with Diogenes I struck at the Master for what I thought more culpable in him then in the Scholars I never was of Lucilius his minde who professed he wrote onely to the unlearned Tarentines I should rather invert the speech and say Perseum curo legere Laelium Decimum nolo let him that I strike at be such an one as may totum telum recipere and let the learneder smite me whose reproof shall be an excellent oyl so it be cold oyl for oyl set a fire is most raging and mischievous that shall not break but heal the wounds I may chance to have in my head I am somewhat of Aristippus his minde the bite of a Weazel would trouble me more then the tooth of a
this Scripture as smack of some willingness to correct the Text rather than their Models and to set their spurs in the Apostles side rather than to loose the reins in their hands Some tell us Chamier ubi supra Sect. 32. p. 17. First that those were extraordinary Sacraments but what then Extraordinaria habent quicquid est de natura ordinariorum exceptâ solâ ordinis circumstantiâ quae eadem temporis ost saith Chamier Secondly But these had no special promise annexed But if so then they had nothing beyond the Corporal use and the Apostle was mistaken when he calls them spiritual meat and drink and saith the Rock was Christ in signification though yet being extraordinary Sacraments Ames thinks that idcirco non requirebatur ut promissionem haberent spiritualem ab ordinariis distinctam sed satis fuit ut illarum promissionum beneficia singulari modo repraesentarent Bell. ener Tom. 3. c. 4. p. 42. Thirdly that those might be common to all persons that were also common to beasts which passed through the red Sea drank of the waters of the rocks and eat of the Manna But to omit that Paraeus calls this Vere bestialem caninam arrosionem veritatis an argument smacking more of the Beast than rational Creature even the matter and Elements of our Sacraments are common to bruit Animals for a Beast may drink of or be washed with water and eat of bread even a Mouse may devour that which is consecrated the possibility whereof hath made the Papists out of whose Forge these Weapons issued and upon whose Anvil they were fashioned not more cautelous in their preventing it than curious in their disputing thereof Divine Institution doth not alter the nature of things nor moral and relative mutations infer real the mystical use must be distinguish'd from the physical and from this use superadded to their nature they became spiritual and Sacraments none but those that were capable of that use which not beasts but onely rational Creatures could be did partake a Sacrament and it had been an hard saying if the Apostle had told us that Beasts did eat and drink spiritual meat and drink as he calleth this Fourthly That upon the score of this Argument both Infants and all flagitious persons such as were these Idolaters Fornicators c. may be also admitted to the Lords Supper But for answer beside that one knot is not untwisted by tying on another wee do here onely argue that Sacraments formally as such are not proper privileges of real Saints or absolutely incommunicable to any but such as have given satisfaction of their Holiness which is their hypothesis against which we are here disputing and so much I think is fully and cleerly evinced by this instance but yet though they are not absolutely incommunicable We do not assert nor is it here upon consequence that all Sacraments may now practically be communicated to all persons because there are arguments drawn from other considerations besides the nature of Sacraments in general which limit and restrain their use As for Infants to whom yet the Apologists will not affirm the Sacraments to be absolutely incommunicable for themselves admit them to Baptisme as they were in that time to Circumcision and there being no more that we can find required to qualification for those extraordinary Sacraments than was requisite to Circumcision which was onely to be within the Covenant immediatly in their own or mediatly in their Parents right Infants were in a capacity to receive these as well as the ordinary Sacraments Beside an argument drawn from the Infants eating Manna may pass in the next rank to that which Bellarmine collected from the drinking of Beasts which might make a natural but could no moral use thereof and take it as common food but not as spiritual or as signs and pledges of better things A principal end of the institution of the Lords Supper was the commemoration of his death for which Infants are incompetent and here is an express command for a man to examine himself which Infants are not susceptible of and upon this account they are not admitted to the Eucharist though they are to Baptisme being capable of the use and end thereof viz. to initiate them into the visible Church and constitute them members thereof and engage them to the faith and obedience of Christ and work upon them some other relative effects in all which a passive reception is sufficient whereas in the Eucharist an active is requisite Adult intelligent persons though criminous have a potentiality to make such use and do such acts whether actually they do or not though perchance they are incapable of an holy and effectual use or actions yet notwithstanding I do not think as Paraeus doth not that the Israelites did explicitly understand the mystical use of the Cloud Rock and Manna yet most of them implicitely did so Com. in 1 Cor. 10.1 and apprehended them as signs and symbols of Gods being in covenant with them and all that were intelligent might have done so and therefore all did in common partake of these extraordinary Sacraments And however there may be pious considerations and prudential motives whereupon such flagitious persons ought to be removed from Communion of Sacraments Yet where either for preservation of unity or through the multitude of offendors or non-settlement or non-administration of such discipline or through any other obstacle all which considerations might perchance be found in the condition of Israel in the desert that cannot be done for all those to whom it is not done there may safely be a mixt communion and free admission to the Sacraments being Covenanters and Church-members without any such scrutining or proof of their real holiness which I suppose may be concluded out of these premises It irritates much when it is said that their way symbolizeth with the Donatists but among other things seposited for future discussion Aug. de convert Donat. c. 23. p. Ep. 50. this is one point of their Correspondency that the Donatists would have all their Church to be Saints suam ecclesiam ex qua esse profitentur sine macula esse ruga and as they cast at our dore that with us wicked men enjoy the privileges of the godly so Cresconius tells St. Augustine vos inter fidelem perfidum nihil discernitis Brevicul Collat. 3. Tom. 7. p. 118 but if they be all Saints with whom they hold Communion of Sacraments in their Church theirs is less like to be the Church of God for there are tares in that field chaffe in that floor bad fishes in that net nec latere sed cerni not undiscovered but apparant Contra Donatist post collat c. 8. Tom. 7. p. 123. as Augustine out of Cyprian and so manifestly evil that the Wheat is rather hidden saith he when the Chaff is manifest But adjourning a more plenary discourse of this matter I shall here onely remind them of an aviso of
whereas they tell us that all that are desirous and worthy with little pains might partake thereof As for many of those that are rejected their desire will be sufficiently witnessed and their worthiness is not to be tryed by unsealed weights and uneven ballances and for the pains which they must take which I imagine they intend of their travell to a remoter place Ad Paulin. Ep. 13. Tom. 1. although frustrà fit per plura and one place is as neer heaven as another as St. Hierom said Et de Hierosolymis de Britannia aequaliter patet aula coelestis so they that call them ten or twelve miles may with as much reason command them twenty or thirty farther Yet it is not so much the place as the way that is questioned and the reason and authority that enforceth it But of the place we shall suspend farther consideration having destined a special Section to that Topography and desire onely it may be here perpended whether the thrusting out of such a multitude from the Sacrament do not check with that caution which Augustine so often inculcates of not eradicating the Wheat while they rashly would separate the Tares SECT IX The state of the question the model of their Church Whether their way smack of Donatus his Schisme Ecclesiastical Communion consists principally in Communion of Sacraments Of Examination precedent to the partaking of the Eucharist Whether and how necessary What knowledge may be competent What profession of Faith the ancient Church required before admission to Sacraments Of Excommunication Suspension Presbytery the Apologists no friends thereunto IT is no unprofitable way saith an eminent Divine Dr. Jo. Whites Defence way p. 143. when one cannot defend his question to pick a quarrel to the state thereof Which trick saith he Dr. Stapleton in his time made good use of The Apologists it seems have learn'd this trick and here question the Paper for mistaking the question but it being their practice directly which was questioned the state of the question will be best determined by calling under our prospect their way and their practice At Holisworthy divers assembling at the Publick Lecture the Prolocutor of the Apologists who was married to that Church and now by a new kinde of Polygamy sought to contract a new and fairer Spouse of such as were most mallable to his impressions and facil to be lick'd into that shape whereunto he would form them drew some few for he retained his interest in his old Church when he gathered a new and being more provident than Aesops Dog kept the substance when he catch'd after the shadow and held the Bird in hand when he sought more in the Wood into a more private Conventicle where after the Lecture they had a kind of prophecying and one or other was by turn selected to be Moderator of their Exercises where Jacob not rolling away the stone from the Well for the sheep but the sheep for Jacob to drink while the Ministers sate by in silence silere eos turpe est Xenocratem loqui Others who though like those Animals whose eyes serve them well enough in the dark for their private obscurer condition yet have no perspicacy for a greater light so their parts either infused by nature or acquisite by study being too angust to reach that heighth or comprehend those Dimensions Yet Currus petit ille paternos They presuming as I think to understand above what was meet for them to understand Epist ad Paul in Tom. 3. p. 8. which the Apostle forbids and when quod Medicorum Promittunt Medici tractant fabrilia Fabri Sola Scripturarum ars est quam sibi omnes vindicant hanc universi praesumunt lacerant docent antequà m discant which St. Hierom derides and not contenting themselves with the judgment of discretion Hieron ubi supra but usurping that of direction and cancelling the natural Law of Relatives were all Pastors without Flocks and the Sheep all turn'd Shepherds they undertook Quae non viribus istis Munera conveniunt To expound and apply difficult Texts of Scripture and resolve doubtfull Cases and Questions in Theology and with the Child as it is in the Story of St. Augustine to lade out the Ocean with their Cockle-shell and as they arrogated to be Gods mouth in publick teaching of the rest so to be the mouth of the rest to God in publick praying for a blessing upon others Nay some of their Women impatient of that Gagge which the Apostle had set in their mouthes as if not fitted for this age wherein he did not fore see that Sex should become such able Speakers had their frequent interpositions even to the modelling of their Meetings and Exercises Discunt proh pudor à feminis quod viros doceant so as their Congregation had somewhat of Analogy with the State of Athens where Themistocles ruled the City and some other governed him And now when in conformity to the Independent Archetypon where when seven or more persons by frequent society are satisfied of the holiness of each other they agree to constitute a Church of themselves so when they had drawn forth stones enough hewn and formed them to their fashion that there might be no noyse of Hammers at Pyworthy thither the Prolocut or carryed them without ever appointing of a Communion at home where such as were fit might come to be admitted or examining who in his Parish else were fit or endevouring to fit them in any other way save by preaching That to come under their discipline was the onely door to let in to the Sacrament he there erects of these Stones his altare contra altare whereof all they which did at first partake and were received into Communion of the Sacrament had their tesseras hospitales Ad annal Baron Exer. 16. Sect. 43. p. 393. or mensales or somewhat analogically to what Cafaubon speaks of the Heathens in their sacred mysteries Habuerunt Symbola quae pro tessera erant thyasotis corundem sacrorum per quae se invicem agnoscerent bringing their Leaden Tokens with them as Badges to distinguish them or Passports to warrant their admission Others afterward led by their proper affections or drawn by their importunity entred into society and communion with them after they had rendred some satisfaction of their worthiness most of any one Parish out of the Parish of Pyworthy from whence their Elders were selected many out of divers some adjacent some distant Parishes very few out of the Prolocutors own Parish who yet upon some emergencies would have owned the Church and appropriated the gathering thereof to himself so as however he else-where speaks of finding a Church setled at Pyworthy to colour his ad journing thither from his proper charge yet it was of his settlement onely upon this occasion and though that Parish Church had then a Minister yet he that hath since ordinarily officiated there was long onely a candidate of the
Ministery This abridgment of their Church-History will set this whole Discourse in more light and put us right in the true state of the question agitated between me and the Apologists which had its rise and result from their proceedings Nonnulla pars est inventionis nosse quod quaeras saith Augustine They say the Author is unacquainted with their way and it had been happy if none had ever been acquainted therewith It is probable they have their Cabala's for at their Assemblies they have sought to set Harpocrates at the door that some of the mysteries of their way might be as secret as the Holyes of Ceres but the thingnow in question Opinor Omnibus Lippis notum Tonsoribus esse But we erre in saying they examine all which they deny that they do such as are more knowing and are willing do onely make profession of their Faith and knowledge some publickly some more privately which is in effect to say that they do not examine them in one point but in all there is no more difference between examination upon interrogatories and a large continued profession than between a Pedlars laying open his whole Pack and his shewing forth some few parcels that some may enquire for or than when a person is suspected to have filched some commodity between his ripping up and shewing out all the laps and receptacles of his garments and the Officers making a particular re-search into them By compelling men to make profession they make in effect an examination of more particulars and put them under a more difficult tryal as to give a brief answer to a question is more easie than to make a long continued Oration And if this profession be not an examination let them examine themselves how can they reconcile these two assertions That they do not examine all and that in the reformation of a corrupt Church which they say is the work they are about it is necessary to examine all without convicting themselves to omit to do that which they say is necessary And if profession therefore be a kind of examination how can that also cohere with truth or with it self that they examine none but those which may well be suspected of incompetent knowledge and yet they bring under this profession such as are knowing And if none he examined but such as may be well suspected of incompetent knowledge which we not suspect but know in some particulars to be otherwise unless they are of the humour of Dionysius of Sicily who admitted all to have recourse to him save those he expected treacherous but yet suspected all for such that he might admit none then such as are not of competent knowledge being uncapable of admission to the Sacrament and they admitting not the rest of their Parishes because they should be and will not be examined how can it consist with what they tell us else-where That it is enviously surmised that they think all those uncapable whom they admit not And if they will examine all and yet do examine none but such as may well be suspected to be of incompetent knowledge it is as little to the honour of their Ministery as to the credit of their peoples proficiency since Diogenes thought the Master was to be stricken when the Scholar play'd the Truant The omitting of the use of Sacrament they say concerns them not but sure it doth because they omit it in their own Parishes and charges where it is their special and proper call to administer it and they omit to distribute it to all that come not under their examination That about convening from divers Parishes will but confound the discourse if mixed with it and indeed it is like to confound all the specious discourses they make in defence of their way as I shall endevour to manifest anon most of those admitted were taken in not without their proper Pastour I will not divide the house upon that tryal but whether these that were admitted with their Pastour were culpable of Schisme we shall hereafter examine in the mean time St. Cyprian imputes Schisme to those that were admitted without their Pastour Ecclesia est plebs sacerdoti adunita Cyprian Epist 68. p. 209. that is as Junius explains him Respectu unionis externae materialis non internae formalis cum Christo ex illa formali seu essentiali sunt Catholici ex externa secundaria adventitia noscuntur censentur in corpore Junius in Controvers 4. Bell. 1104 1105. Citat Vasquez in 3. Disp. 219. c. 2. p. 499. Tom. 3. grex Pastori suo adhaerens unde scire debes Episcopum in ecclesia esse ecclesiam in Episcopo si qui cum Episcopo non sint in ecclesia non esse and farther Frustrà sibi blandiuntur ii qui pacem cum sacerdotibus Dei non habentes obrepunt latenter apud quosdam communicare se credunt cùm ecclesia quae Catholica una est scissa non est neque divisa sed sit utique connexa cohaerentium sibi invicem sacerdotum glutino copulata and if it were not Schisme it is a fault forbidden by the first Councel of Carthage Ut nullus Clericus vel Laicus in aliena parochia sine literis sui Episcopi communicaret and a fault which the Councel of Milevi censured with deprivation of the Communion 2. Such as were admitted of other Congregations are persons justly which term is unjustly assumed or begged offended with the grossness of their administrations at home where no separation at all is made nor cherishing of desires that way It gave the pretended rise to Donatus his Schisme that Caecilian supposed a traditor was retained in Communion with the Church First this is to condemn themselves for chaffe by separating themselves from those whom they suppose to be chasse Vos nihil inter perfidum fidelem discernitis Cresconius Augustino Separarunt caus â quòd in Communione Sacramentorum mali maculant bonos ideóque se corporali disjunct one à malorum contagione recessisse ne omnes pariter perâ—râ—â— Aug. de unitat baptism c. 14. for saith St. Augustine De area vix excutieris si triticum es eo ipso quòd discedis volas paleam te esse indicas And secondly to confess that all Augustins learned and ardent propositions strong armature against the Donatists could not beat down and dash in peeces that Schisme but that it would in part rise and spring up again in these men For if to refuse to have Communion of Sacraments with evil men and to separate because discipline is not exercised in casting out of evil men be not a main part of the Schisme of the Donarists I am too dull to understand the sense of St. Augustine and if I mistake him and their Heresie I erre with Plato and many learned men share with me in the same misprision If they shall say That they separate not from all Churches but onely from those
Congregations that are so corrupt and therefore they are neither Donatists nor Schismaticks I answer 1. Might not the Donatists have put in the same Plea Altingius probl Tom. 2. part 2. problem 17. p. 329. Junius in contro 4. Bellar p. 1165. Ames de cas Consc l. 5. c. 12. p. 288. who when they divided themselves from the Catholiques had a Communion with the many Churches of their fraternity Adhuc ista verba communiter dici possunt potest enim alius dicere as Augustine this is the common defence of all Schismaticks that when they leave one Church they go into another but as Altingius will give them one venny Quibuscum coenam sumere detrectamus eorum fraternitati tacitè renunciamus So secondly let them take a blow from the famous Junius to beat down this interposition Schismatici comperiuntur multi qui non à spiritu aut capite aut à corpore discindi volunt sed ab hac illave ecclesia i.e. membro particulari corporis ex infirmitate particulari especially if as Ames addeth the separation be propter causam omnium ecclesiarum communem as we suppose it is being causâ morum corruptorum scandali aut singularium offensionum Tryal grounds Separat c. 10. p. 197. Sacramentorum Communione sociamur Contra Donatist post Collat c. 28. Tom. 7. p. 127. Sacramentorum participandorum communione cohaerere Ibid. c. 21. p. 126. In una congregatione paria Sacramenta tractantes Contra Parmen l. 3. c. 2. p. 13. Malus frater propter communia Sacramenta Collat. cum Donatist prima die Si in communione Sacramentorum mali maculant bonos si propter ipsam tantam Communionem Sacramentorum mali perdunt bonos Contra Crescon l. 2. c. 35 36. p. 5. Tom. 7. Commixtos bonis malos intrà retia suorum Sacramentorum Brevicul collat cum Donatist 3. die p. 118. Bonos malis in communione Sacramentorum misceri Fulgentius l. de fide ad Petrum wherein all Churches may be alike concerned If they shall think to evade by telling us that they hold communion in other Ordinances not onely Mr. Ball gives sentence against them That to use one Ordinance and not another is to make a Schisme in the Church but St. Augustine hath fore-stalled their Plea who as he makes external unity and communion to consist mainly in the participation of Sacraments so he constitutes much of the Schisme of the Donatists in their refusing to have communion in Sacraments with the Catholikes And though I deny not that they renounced and protested against all other communion with the Orthodox as well as in the Sacraments to which heighth and wideness of separation the Independents have not risen or removed yet do they symbolize with them in the kinde though not degrees of their Schisme for there may be several stories of building one higher than another yet all upon the same foundation And these Duties notwithstanding wherein they communicate with others they account no acts of Church-fellowship or Ecclesiastical Communion but such as they can dispense unto Pagans also And themselves also seem to constitute the root of Church-fellowship in the Communion of Sacraments owning none to be of their Churches but such as communicate with them of the Supper of the Lord. As therefore they applaud the fighting Cock which having lost one eye for the battel turns away his blind side lest he be stricken where he can least ward the blow so I cannot blame the Apologists to seek to sequester from the question their gathering into their Church such as separate from and renounce communion of Sacraments with their own Congregations which is the grand heteroclyte and chief anomalon of their way which as Calvin saith of the point of Justification controverted between us and the Papists would they retract it would almost quit the cost to grant them all the rest But the lawfulness of this they undertake to assert hereafter But Aut deme verbis aut adde viribus for the words require more than a City In the interim they abstract the state of the question and deliver it in this form Whether in the reforming of a long corrupted Church it be necessary that all the members thereof do submit to some examination or tryal of their knowledge before they be admitted unto the Lords Table This question they fear not to maintain in the affirmative Et cùm magna malae superest audacia causae Creditur à multis fiducia They suppose corruption in their Churches and he hath no fire of divine love in his heart that hath not Water limbeck'd out of his eyes to see it Men well satisfied with the present frame and temper not looking on them under any such disorder they can expect little of reason or truth from Vox tua facta mea est If we could as easily accord in other things as this Et duo concordes animo moriemur in uno Onely I cannot tell neither should I concur with them in a desire nor much to dispute with such for the more they are sick they the more need the Physician and though Cain be not his brothers keeper yet Jacob holds him by the heel detinet gressus suos as Bernard allegorically interprets it and though they seem never so incurable yet he that lay 38. years diseased might perchance have bin sooner cured had he not wanted one to put him into the healing pool however si non liberabo animam suam liberavi meam for Qui non corrigit resecanda committit facientis culpam in se habet qui quod potest corrigere negligit emendare saith Gregory But yet notwithstanding all this it would be the great question whether they found or made more of this corruption and whether the Cure may not be as mischievous as the Malady as it fared with Cn. Pompeius of whom the Historian tells us Gravior remediis quà m delicta erant and whether since they undertook the Cure the Diseases have not grown more desperate and incurable ut antea flagitiis ità nunc legibus laboratur or perchance among wise and moderate men this would be beyond question Hae manus Trojam erigent Parvas habet spes Troja si tales habet When men of their way and principles declaim against the corruptions of the Church Clodius accusat moechos And when they cry up Reformation Clodius de pudicitia And it will be farther no less questionable why this way of examining and proscribing from the Sacrament should be unto reformation as quick-silver to other metals that without which they could have no constitution and that this Cure could be wrought by no medicine whereof this is not the Basis so as all the Psalms of reformation end in this Gloria whereas I rather think si non falsis â—ludor imaginibus that scarce any thing hath more obstructed the work of reformation than this inclosing of the Sacrament and censorious driving of so many from it as nothing more
but for lack of some degrees thereof as for not being humbled enough and for defect of such satisfaction or almost upon suspicion of the unsanctified estate of some in whom they may perchance observe some inordinateness they suspend themselves rather than those which are the far greater number from the Communion gather a new Church of those they suppose more pure and holy and erect a separate Altar whereby they directly fall within the definition given of a Schismatique by the great Councel of Chalcedon Qui seipsum à Communione suspendit collectam facit altare constituit Had the Apologists conformed their Churches to the Presbyterian model set up and setled that form of discipline had they retained the Celebration of the Sacrament and constantly at their appointed times administred it in their proper Churches and admitted all those that they could not particularly charge with and plainly convict of some scandalous crime and notorious according to the received definition what Silenus said was the greatest happiness of this world had been the felicity of this controversie between us Never to have been born or soon to have dyed yet they suggest 1. That in yeelding that scandalous and notorious sinners may be suspended I prevaricate by granting the main of the question and yet opposing them stiffly 2. They impute it to me that my concessions look one way and my arguments another implying as if I did covertly dispute against the power of Excommunication 3. They obliquely charge upon me by some insinuations as if I were inimicous and had some animosities against the Presbyterian Government But to the first Praevaricator est quasi varicator qui diversam causam adjuvat prodita causa sua quod nomen Labeo à varia certatione tractum ait nam qui praevaricatur ex utraque parte constitit quinimo ex altera Cujac observat Or it is a metaphor taken from vari those that have their knees out of joynt that they touch above and the feet are farre asunder so they that strive together and are friends privily are called Prevaricators Dr. Andrews not to question how properly they apply the word prevaricate though the main had been granted yet some lesser and collateral things might merit my opposition as well as they have found their defence but yet having the main in grant I should have thought that to defend these pettier things were a play not worth their lamp But that which they call the main was never the least part of the thing controverted being yeelded without all controversie It is indeed the main Fortress and Castle whereunto they ratreat upon every charge though they will find the Gates thereof shut against any refuge for them verily all the fatness of their discourse haâ—h no other relish but that there is a power and that it is a duty to exclude such as are nefarious and scandalous from the Communion Were the Apology deplumed of those feathers which are but borrowed in respect of what is proper to our question it would shew as naked as Aesops Crow but their Arrows thus feathered as little hurt me as hit the mark they have set up for if I had blended the beams of the Sun with my ink I could not have made it more clear or lucid that I am not among the Antipodâ—s to that Thesis rather the abstract of our difference and the punctual state of the controversie between us is compendiously this They think none ought to be admitted to the Communion but such as give satisfactory signs of knowledge and holiness I suppose they should exclude none but those that are signally ignorant and flagitious They require a positive probation as necessary and that demonstrative proof ought to be rendred of their godliness I judge a negative trial sufficient so as to have nothing against them and that they be not obnoxious for any notorious wickedness They will admit none whose sanctity may be doubted I allow onely such to be rejected whose crimes are notorious They argue that because none but such as are fit and worthy ought to be admitted it is therefore necessary to make tryal generally of the fitness of all and not finding a competent number of fit persons in their proper charges that they may separate into a new Church gathered and made up onely of such as they judge to be fit I suppose the fallacy of the consequent in both is the first limiting and restraining their probation within anguster bounds those that are not notorious or not violently suspected needing no trial and those that are notorious being for the most part past it and tryed to their hand and in the latter I concede no liberty at all and though de jure and speculatively onely fit persons are to be admitted yet de facto and practically all intelligent Church-members that have made no publike forfeiture of Church-privileges and interesses nor of good existimation that bonum depositum in aliorum mentibus are regularly to be deemed and accepted as fit and accordingly to be admitted These are the proper issues between us and what is heterogeneal to these is ignoratio elenchi and where they should defend these hypotheses and vindicate this course of theirs onely to contend for the power and duty of Excommunication is it not Andabatorum more to fight blind-fold or seeing it to be best for their advantage to run at tilt not against a fighting enemy but a wooden image of their own erecting fitting the mark to their arrows not suiting their shafts to their scope and in effect is nothing else than as if a Tyrant to justifie his rapines and persecutions should plead the just power of Kings to punish ostenders upon lawful process For let them punctually answer are all these jure aut juridicè excommunicate or suspended whom they admit not Are they de facto grosly ignorant or notoriously wicked and scandalous They cannot say it and they deny that they think it let them then recount these two assertions That they admit all save grosly ignorant and notoriously criminous and yet these whom they exclude are not such St. Augustine never more urgently pressed Petilian and his Hyperaspist Cresconius to answer that question Si Conscientia certè dantis attenditur quae abluat accipientis c. than I shall importune the Apologists to satisfie this Dilemma Those many whom you reject from the Communion are either judicially sentenced for notorious sinnes and then I will confess that they are justly separate from you or else not so censured and then you must confess you unjustly separate from them To say they are not willing is to say contrary to what they profess who complain of being defrauded of what they have such a will to partake Varus ait Scaurus negat utri creditis To suggest it is their fault that they partake not is to make them culpable for not taking that which they cannot have for when had they a Synaxis in their Churches To tell them
that offence may come to all whereof the penalty hath fallen upon one and as it fares in the Church so it falls out alike in a Christian Common-wealth if the Laws be not duely executed in the punishment of Malefactors good men are scandalized and evil are encouraged by impunity and not onely the Justice of the Nation but the honour of Religion also is left obnoxious to obloquy yet however no man contradicts the moderating of civil punishments by clemency or approves the excess of Justice which is cruelty such as the Poet reproved in Sylla Ille quod exiguum restabat sanguinis urbi Hausit dúmque nimis jam putrida membra rescidit Excessit medicina modum nimiúmque secuta est Quà morbi duxere manus He must be more than a Cherubin that deignes not to looke to the mercy-seat Nec quisquam est cui tam valdè innocentia sua placeat Seneca de Clem. lib. 1. ut non stare in conspectu clementiam paratam humanis erroribus gaudeat It may fall out also in many cases what Livy tells us to have happened in that of Q. Maximus Nec minùs firma est disciplina militaris Q. Fabii periculo quam Titi Manlii miserabili supplicio and it is as consentient to prudence as the practice of States where there is a multitude of Delinquents to chuse out the fattest for Sacrifices to justice and with Tarquin to lop off the heads onely and where by a partial or negligent execution of Laws and administration of Justice offenders suffer condigne punishment it cannot yet warrant or excuse a denying of subjection or a raysing of sedition or an erecting and constituting new Common-wealths in the Commonwealth as if men could not live with a good and undefiled Conscience where were any bluntnes in the Sword or inequality in the Scales of Justice and why those considerations may not have some place and the reasons thereof be in some measure applicable to Ecclesiastical censures I confess I cannot apprehend but am yet to be instructed When the Church had no Civil Magistrate and very many sinnes there were which the Lawes took no cognisance of nor prescribed punishments for the Ecclesiastick Censures recompenced that defect Now when Municipall Lawes under Christian Magistrates are multiplied and extended to the correction of most offences the execution thereof might in some degree supply the neglect of Ecclesiastical censures and comply with the greatest part of the ends thereof as to humble and by shame to reclaime offenders to inhibit the contagious spreading of the example and to remove the scandall which Religion might contract by permitting offences to passe unpunished for as for pollution of others without society in sinne false testimony and sealing of blanks and the like I think the prevention thereof to be no proper end of censures 1 Cor. 5. nor finde any such thing intimated by the Apostle where he argueth and reasoneth for the putting away of that wicked person from among the Corinthians nor suppose them to be any more effectual meanes to that end than anciently in Eclipses the resounding of those aera auxiliaria mentioned in the Poets were to ease the ignorantly fained solis lunaeque labores Or the torches that were then held up were to reflect light on these great Luminaries I say the Laws of the Common-wealth might in some degree supply the neglect of Church censures which are to be exercised in palà m facinorosos maximè si circa hos magistratus officium non faciat saith Paraeus so farre In 1 Cor. 5. p. 14. 67. as to restrain and withhold men from separation or which is the moderne Periphrasis and new notion to blanch and palliate separation from gathering new Churches And this is that which to me seemes cardo negotii and that which I must insist on that though Excommunication be obstructed or laid asleep or culpably exercised and so there be a mixture of good evil in one Communion yet there must be no separation into the new gathered Churches The contrary opinion and practice was the very spirit and extract of the heresy of the Donatists Calvin tells us Instit. l. 4. c. 12. sect 12. that because the Bishops onely reproved some evils which they thought not profitable for the Church to punish with Excommunication therefore they made invectives against the Bishops and raised a schisme against the Churches of Christ Morton grand impost cap. 15. sect 25. Martyr loc com part 4. c. 5. p. 61. Parae in 1 Cor. 5. p. 467. Augustin contra Parmen l. 3. c. 1. 2. p. 12. 13. tom 7. And Dr. Morton shewes us that they separated from the other constituted Churches in Africa especially because of the mixture of Godly and wicked professors in one Communion and Peter Martyr and Paraeus both tell us out of Augustine that the Donatists objected to the Catholiques that they had no Church because they wanted Excommunication but St. Augustine answers them Dicant ergo si possunt meliorem se atque purgatiorem habere nunc ecclesiam quà m erat ipsa unitas beatissimi Cypriani temporibus who yet held communion of Sacraments with men notoriously culpable in una congregatione paria Sacramenta tractantes and though saith he siat hoc scil excommunicatio ubi periculum schismatis nullum est salvâ dilectionis synceritate custoditâ pacis unitate adhibitâ prudentiâ obedientiâ in eo quod praecipit Dominus ne frumenta laedantur yet as he instances in the case of Cyprian Quia non poterant ab iis corporaliter separari ne simul eradicent triticum sufficiebat iis talibus corde sejungi vitâ moribusque distingui propter compensationem custodiendae pacis unitatis propter salutem infirmorum veluti lactentium frumentorum ne membra corporis Christi per sacrilega schismata laniarent and to this truth his whole books are but one continued testimony and for this we have better even infallible and authenticke witness for when the incestuous Corinthian was not censured yet neither did any how much soever they might pretend to purity 1 Cor. 5. separate themselves into a gathered Church nor had any check from the Apostle for not doing so or command to doe it no not if in case as he had judged already that wicked person should not have been put away from among themselves And when the Angel of the Church of Thiatyra suffered that woman Jezabel to teach and to seduce Revel 2.20 and 24. to commit fornication to eat things sacrificed to Idols those which had not that Doctrine nor known the depth of Sathan were onely commanded to hold fast what they had and had no other burden put upon them because they had not separated Jezabel from the Church either of command to separate or of calamities and threatnings for not separating and for being defiled with such communion To conclude this discourse the thred whereof I have spun into some
to be the president to all future Administrations gave the Sacrament onely to his Disciples and therefore those which are not Disciples may not participate thereof and the Disciples of Christ must have such and such qualifications which no unregenerate men can have Ergo. But the frame must needs be weak that is raised upon such a foundation for Architects say a crack in the Foundation but as great as one digit makes a breach in the building of many foot For first Chamier Tom. 4. l. 8. c. 8. p. 202. that the Dâ—sciples which learned men thâ—nk not evident that they were no more than the twelve Apostles Gerhard loc Com. Tom. 5. p. 18. Ames Bell. enervat Tom. 3. c. 7. p. 159. and it is not improbable saith Gerhard that the Master of the house and some of his Family might also communicate did then represent the whole body of the visible Church as the same Author elsewhere confesseth and is nervously approved by Protestant Divines against the Papists who would justifie the substraction of the Cup from the Laity upon this very score because the Apostles to whom it was first given were onely Priests And that a Christian and a Disciple are Synonimous may appear by Act. 11.26 The Disciples were called Christians So Matth. 28.19 Go teach all Nations baptizing them c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word used is as much as to make Disciples and not onely signifying to teach for else it were a Tautology in the 20th verse following where it is added teaching them c. therefore to convert any to the Faith of Christ Spanheim dub Evang. Tom. 8. p. 93. though but externally is to make him a Disciple he that is baptized is a Disciple and in this notion we grant that none but Disciples may partake the Holy Supper that is none but Christians And as soon as any were discipled that is converted they were without any stop to be baptized and if Disciples are to be taken in that latitude and equivocal notion in order to the one Sacrament it shall be strange to think they ought to be construed in any stricter or more limited sense in reference to the other Secondly Judas was one of those Disciples one of those Twelve that sate down yet had not those graces though necessary to constitute and qualifie a Disciple Thirdly it appears by the first of the Cor. 11. that very many admitted there to the Communion had not these Qualifications essential to real Disciples Fourthly if Disciples quà tales and formally such are to communicate then since quatenus ipsum includes de omni all Disciples are susceptible of the Communion but that Infants are Disciples hath been sufficiently proved both formerly and also of late by excellent Divines against the Anabaptists yet we do not think fit to imitate the ancient Church and give the Eucharist to Infants The three favourite and palmary Texts which as most commonly so with most colour are produced in proof of this Discipline are that of Revel 2.2 Thou hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and are not and that of 1 Pet. 3.15 Be ready always to give an answer to every one that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you and 1 Cor. 5.11 If any man that is called a Brother be a Fornicator c. with such a one no not to eate c. whereof the second seems to prove the necessity of a verbal examination at least passively the third of a real and the first like Janus lookes both ways and toward the proof of either Concerning the first it can conclude nothing to this purpose unlesse by some new Art trochilike they could draw it to be consequent that every tryal must be by examination of the persons and that every one approaching to the Lords Table is likely to be a false Apostle and that false Apostles were onely or chiefly to be tryed antecedently to the Communion or that because Hereticks such as Ehion and Cerinthus which are thought to be here meant and the Nicholaitans which are expresly mentioned ought to be tryed by their lives and doctrine applyed to the Rule of Gods Word which is the sense of Interpreters upon this place that therefore every other person offering to communicate though never pretending to be Teachers Paraeus Piscator Aretius Menochius Tirinus c. much less holding forth new Doctrines needful to be tryed must be pre-examined before their admittance no man but will discern the fallacy of the consequent Touching that of Peter first the Answer here commanded to be given is not properly a profession of the Faith but a defence thereof or a Confession under the Cross as Aretius expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Defence of Christian Religion consisting in Speech and Arguments saith Piscator Gagnaeus Menochius in locum and therefore saith he it is added with fear viz. of God lest for favour of men or fear of persecution dissembling the truth you offend God so the Syriack is rendred by Tremellius ad defensionem so Justinian understands it and Estius interprets it to be an Answer to the Objections of the Adversaries which Oecumenius admonisheth to have been after a sort necessary in the Apostles age when the Gentiles derided the Christian Religion and reproached Christians for worshipping a crucified God undergoing such persecutions and denying themselves the present complacencies and endeerments of life out of a vain and empty hope of future uncertain things not falling under the comprehension of Sense The Apostle therefore commands the faithful to have answers prepared and premeditated whereby they might refel the Objections of the Gentiles and assert their hope of eternal glory to be most rational and satisfie any that was desirous to learn the Reasons of such Hope this is the summe and exstract of the Commentaries of Calvin Paraeus Estius and Justinian upon the place The vulgar Translation reads In locum ad satisfactionem and the glosse expounds it to be satisfaction by words and deeds justifying their Faith both by defensive Arguments Constancy and a godly life which is in effect the Exposition of Aquinas also which seemes likewise to be understood by Diodate in his Annotations viz. he will have beleevers still ready to shew unto all men that they sincerely serve the onely true God Secondly if this giving an answer were properly meant of a profession of Faith when there is hope of him that asketh when the glory of God is to be asserted or the name of Christ to be confessed as Bullinger extends it yet what is all this to an answer upon examination antecedent to the Sacrament How is the necessity thereof more at that time than another evinced out of this Text If it be answered That if we must be ready to give answer at all times much more before the Communion truly I think he shall deserve thanks as for a largesse or for a charientisme that shall grant the
consist with the necessity of passing first the tryal of another before admission Small hopes of his self-examination that cannot bear the friendly tryal of his Minister it seems now without the Elders This is like as to say there is little hope he will prove a good or penitent Emperour that with Henry the fourth will not wait three days barefoot in the acerbity of Winter-weather at Pope Hildebrands gate to be restored to the Communion of the Church This self-examination is meant onely of secret sinnes and sincerity of graces which men cannot see and that their examination is for the satisfaction and honour of the Church and is of that which may be known and judged However they may confine or limit the examination here commanded yet no other besides this falls under the command and their limitation is grounded onely on their voluntary assertion which limits not our judgment and this self-examination is not primarily of sinne but faith whereof knowledge is an integral part Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith 2 Cor. 13.5 In 1 Cor. 11. Hom. 28. Tom. 4. p. 112. by which Text Chrysostome explains this and if they will not inquire concerning secret sinnes we forbid them not to judge of notorious and of the sincerity of grace if a self-examination be sufficient why require they a probation of the sound work of grace upon mens hearts before they admit them As for the satisfaction and honour of the Church we have elsewhere taken them under disquisition it tends perhaps to swell them with honour and greatness non magnitudo sed tumor est but for the Church it cannot be for the honour thereof to have so many for ignorance or sinne uncapable of the Sacrament or to lye under such a suspicion as to need farther tryal before they are admitted They ask Whether a godly communicant be bound to no other duty then is particularly exprest in this Scripture and they hope prayer and other duties may be regarded and practised being warranted else-where though not here mentioned How they still claspe their favourite Paralogisme For first though it is one thing to say no other duty is necessary but self-examination another that no other examination is necessary beside that of a mans self Yet secondly although self-examination have several parts and divers adjuncts which we shall not frigidly say may but must be regarded and practised yet all need onely to be done in private with a mans self without others privity Homil. 28. in 1 Cor. 11. Tom. 4. p. 112. within thine own conscience none being present but God who seeth all things Enter thou into judgment saith Chrysostome the Apostle non publicum faciens judicium sine teste argumentum as he elsewhere hath it Among those Concomitants prayer which is Sal omnium officiornm is one and this is cultus naturalâ—s non institutus and spreads it self and is ingredient or united to all duties as Mercury is joyned to all Mettals being to them as Parmenio was to Alexander without whom he could do nothing and like Themistocles in the honour of the battel of Salamine in all account the Second whoever be the first but if they think that in the recital of the institution and rules for the celebration and receiving of the Sacrament in the Evangelists and St. Paul there is no command or example for prayer to be used more than for examination by others they might easily have adverted that Christ cujus exemplum pro imperio est and who is that Elen or lapis funiculi mensorum as the Chaldee reades that of Gen. 49.24 because his example is to be the measure of our actions did begin with blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Matthew and Mark benedicere est bene precari as the Hebrew Beracha Benedictio is derived from barac precatus est benedictio panis calicis est invocatio divinae beneficientiae super illa as Jansenius and the sanctifying thereof to that spiritual end and use whereunto they were designed and with giving of thanks In 1 Cor. 10.16 p. 306. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Luke and Paul which also Matthew and Mark mention at the taking of the Cup as indeed both blessing and giving of thanks are signified by the same Syriac word Non quòd eadem sed quòd conjuncta tanquam ejusdem orationis partes seu membra quidem ex quorum utrolibet Synecdochicè totum possit intelligi nec non alterum ex altero as Estius And giving of thanks is a subjective if not integral part of prayer In Matth. 26 Homil. 83. Tom. 2. p. 174. and from thence the whole action is denominated the Eucharist and Christ saith Chrysostome gave thanks to instruct us how we should celebrate this mystery They yeeld some Fathers and others gave the same gloss of those words as the Paper doth not in that sence which seems to smack of the Rhemists who tell us Rhem. Testam p. 433. that every one must assure himself that if any thing in the Scripture sound to him as contrary to their which they style the Catholique doctrine he faileth of the right sense but if I had prompted or dictated to those Authors they could not have written more clearly to my sense or more expresly for my purpose They do not think men onely prohibited to busie themselves about others neglecting of their own condition or forbidden to rest upon other mens opinions of them having learn'd the knack it seems which the Belgick Expurgatory Index prescribes when any of the Fathers is opposed in disputation to excuse and extenuate it and seign some convenient sense as if this were all which they collect from the Text. St. Augustine upon another occasion tells us that Curiosum genus hominum ad cognoscendam vitam alienam is always desidiosum ad corigendam suam yet however a curious busying of themselves about others whether they neglect their own condition or no is culpable and the reproof thereof may perchance hit with them for curiosity is one ingredient though I fear ambition be the basis in this composition and a considence of themselves ill grounded on others flatteries is no more peccant than a distrust and suspicion of others resulting from their own malignant or arrogant censoriousness but the Authors cited doe in terms tell us that St. Paul whom we must recognize to give precepts concerning right and holy communicating commands onely self-examination injoyns no one to examine another no not the Priest or Minister but prescribes the sciutiny to be private and without witnesses not publick And whereas they tell us that Chrysostome speaks onely of private examination which should be secret but that which is for information and satisfaction of the Church should be with witnesses Sure they found this in the glosse of Orleance which corrupts the Text for Chrysostome sayes that no other but examination without witnesses is prescribed and then for them to inferre that
shine that walk in it like the bright light of the Sunne which gilds all his spots and makes them invisible which some by their Prospectives discern in the body thereof What farther rise it may have or progression make we cannot certainly fore-tell but may solicitously fear since men of these principles are like the Crocodile which never ceaseth growing while he lives so doe they still increase in new singularities and humours and pretended discoveries yet I hope they will also be as sagacious as the Crocodiles of Nilus who never hatch any thing but they lay it without danger of being hurt by the rising flood yet in the interim an ordinary judgment may easily discover that a Fortress founded in the Conscience and raised on the advantage ground to command our reputation may keep all the parts adjacent in subjection and bring them under contribution And seeing Priam at this age was not unhappy and confession it self in so short time had neither so enlarged her phylacteries or out-grown her girdles which was punish'd with death among the Gaules as this probation hath done therefore we fear the Year when the Spring is so nipping and it is more like to be a sharp Thorn that pricks so soon And since we see that not onely by an extraordinary power as in the time of Elias but as Fromundus tells us by natural course a small Cloud may soon over-cast our Heaven and of a small Seed as Mustard a Tree may spring up wherein the losty and high soaring Birds may build their Nests We may be excused if we cannot make light of this cloud with a nubecula est citò transibit as Athanasius of Julian and if with the Ant we bite the seeds that they grow not However they may seriously and plausibly talk to us here of reformation and satisfaction and honour of the Church and elsewhere of the smallness of the thing required yet Timeo Danaos dona ferentes Or perhaps rather petentes We remember what the shepherd in Aesop said who beholding the smoothness and tranquility of the Seas after a former Tempest which enforced him to cast all his Dates over-board which he had sold his Flock to buy and adventure in the way of Merchandize Palmarum fructus concupiscit opinor ac tranquilitatem propterea praese fert and we cannot be so simple as they say the African Dabath is who is so charmed with Musick sweetly sounding in his Ears that he the whiles suffers his feet to be fettered DIATRIBE SECT IV. No pre-examination in the ancient Church save of Catechumeni Sending the Eucharist to Persons absent and Strangers The institution and abolishment of Confession Liberty to approach the Lords Table upon self-examination Whom the ancient Church excluded from the Eucharist The judgment of the Fathers Casuists and Schoolmen concerning those that are to be admitted and to be debarred To partake was anciently commanded as a common Duty The omission reprehended the common right asserted HAving now heard the Nightingale her self to sing perchance all will not be of Agesilaus his humour and refuse to hear any that imitate her voyce having therefore examined the Authorities of Scripture let us survay the judgment of the Fathers and practice of the Primitive Church which cannot but elucidate and confirm our sense and interpretation of Scripture for as Plato said Majores nostri propiores fuere progeniei deorum so the ancient Church stood neerer the light being neerer the Sunne of truth and his twelve signes which signified and shewed forth his Gospel and through which he moved round about the world In these Primitive Times I finde that mutual reconciliations and in the African Churches Vigils or watchings in Prayers and in Chrysostome's time Fastings and sometimes and in some places the publick renouncing of some particular Heresies were antecedent to the Synaxis but I meet with no Records of any command or example of previous probations as necessary save for Catechumen's The Eucharist was then often sent to persons absent Justin M. Euseb ex Iraeneo centur Magdeb. cent 2. p. 85. it was given to strangers coming to Rome as a pledge or Symbol of their Communion and consent in the same Faith where was no probability or surely no evidence of precedent probation When the Church that saw the benefit of publike Confessions for publick Offences redounded as well to the subduing of the stubborness of their hard hearts and the improving of their deeper humiliation as to their raising up again by those sensible comforts which they received by the publick prayers of the Church and use of the keyes some men reflecting hereupon and finding their own Consciences smarting for like offences which being secretly carried were not obnoxious to the censures of the Church to the end they might obtain the like consolation and quiet of minde did voluntarily submit themselves to the Churches discipline herein and underwent the burden of publick confession and penance And to the end this publication of secret offences might be performed in the best way and discreetest manner some prudent Minister was first acquainted therewith by whose direction the Delinquent might understand what sins were fit to be brought to the publike notice of the Church and in what manner the pennance was to be performed by them At first it was left free to the penitent to chuse his Ghostly Father but at length by general consent of the Bishops it was ordained that in every Church one discreet Minister should be appointed to receive Confessions untill at length in the time of Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople who dyed A.D. 401. upon occasion of the infamy drawn upon the Clergy by the confession of a Gentlewoman Socrates hist l. 5. c. 19. p. 349. defiled by a Deacon in that City it was thought fit it should be abolished and liberty should be given to every man upon the private examination of his own conscience to resort to the Holy Communion which doubtless occasioned Chrysostome the Successor of Nectarius to make those deliveries of himself which have been formerly mentioned The result of those premises is this That the ancient Church sometime thought it requisite that confession of sinnes should precede the Communion which at length also was laid aside but without any other examination verbal or real of all Communicants But seeing Faith and Repentance are as necessary as knowledge to worthy receiving and as principal a part of that whereof every one ought to make examination of himself or others are to make of him I wish it might be advisedly perpended whether there be not as great reason to have auricular confession in some rectified and qualified manner and to impose it as necessary in order to the communion as to introduce their particular examination as a duty so necessary especially since the Lutherans assert and practise it upon Homogeneal or like principles as preparatory and antecedent to the Sacrament contra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nonnullorum Calvinianorum Baldwin
cas consci l. 4. c. 10. c. 2. l. c. 12. c. 18. as they speak although they doe it not for the manner with obligation to the particular enumeration of all sinnes nor for the matter with any absolute necessity of doing it and therefore Luther used to say that he sometime communicated without confession to shew it was not necessary and other times confessed himself for the comfort of absolution and the Church of Rome also bottoms her rigid practice carnificinam animarum as their own Cassander calls it upon the same grounds that these men do their probation because say they It is the duty of the Priest to repell the unworthy and admit the worthy which is best done upon the Penitents estate manifested in confession Valentia Tom. 4. disp 6. q. 8. punct 3. p. 931. and Time the Mother of Truth may discover whether these principles be not some previous dispositions to the generation of such a practice of confession and that as necessary In the ancient Church were excluded from the Communion the Catechumeni energumeni persons excommunicate and Penitents and such as lapsed into Heresie until they repented and that any other save under these notions and capacities were shut out and debarred the Monuments thereof in Ecclesiastick History have not fallen within my angust Horizon Homil. 3. ad Ephes c. 1. Tom. 4. p. 356. Hom. 50. Tom. 10. p. 115. de medicina poenitentiae super illum 1 Cor. 5. si qui frater nominatur Tom. 9. c. 3. p. 210. ad 4. senten distinct 9. in 3. Aquin. q. 50. art 6. Duran Biel Estius Cajetan Valentia Suarez Vasquez Nugnut Sylvius c. Biel in 4. distinct 9. q. 2. Lessius de justit jure l. 2. c. 16. dub 4. S. 55. p. 158. Baldwin l. 4. c. 9. cas 1. Ursin Catechis part 2. q. 81. p. 578. He that partakes not is a Penitent saith Chrysostome We can saith Augustine repell no man from the Communion although this prohibition be not yet mortal but medicinal but one that by his own conscience or the sentence of the Ecclesiastical or civil Judicatory shall be accused and convicted of some crime And in another place which Gratian cites under the name of Hilary but it is St. Augustines in his 118. Epistle Si peccata tanta non sint ut excommunicandus quisquam homo judicetur non se debet à quotidiana medicina Dominici corporis separare And the School if it have any regard left it doth generally hold as also doe the Casuists Baldwin Navar Lessius Filiacius c. and besides divers reasons they cite the authority of St. Augustine to fortifie their opinion That the Communion is not to be denyed to a secret sinner that is not notorious if he openly desire it lest he be thereby diffamed and lest the minister be as saith Biel Proditor criminis inferens poenam ante criminis probationem poenam publicam ob peccatum occultum and he is not a Casuist minorum gentium amongst his Partizans who tells us that aliquis in peccato occulto licèt jus petendi Eucharistiam non habet petendo peccat tamen habet jus ne à parocho infametur neither is it enough that the Minister know the offence Per scientiam privatam nisi etiam per publicam notoriam much less si rumor aliquam de iis su spicionem moverit nam si nondum sit apertè reus nec satis convictus aut confessus admittendus est ne tam pretioso animi sui thesauro per nos defraudetur saith a reformed Casuist and though as Lessius would have it it were indeed sinful in these to demand the Commun on yet notwithstanding it may not be righteous for the Minister to deny it them for they are two questions in the judgment of a grave Divine Qui debeant accedere Et qui debeant admitti ad coenam prior est angustior posterior latior generalior quia tantùm pii debent accedere sed non tantùm pii verùm etiam hypocritae nondum patefacti sunt ab Ecclesia admittendi In those first times they generally communicated daily which St. Augustine saith he neither approves nor reprehends afterward twice or thrice a week at length constantly on the Lords day as appears by Justins Apology and others of the Ancients but the fervour of devotion rebating it was ordained that generally every one pubertatem excessus which was about the 15. or 16. year should communicate thrice a year thus decreed Fabianus Bishop of Rome as also did the Agathon Councel This Decree is found under the name of the Apostles Canons being the tenth in common account and the ninth in Zonaras which though I am not ignorant are not rightly fathered upon them yet are ancient and not contemptible As many of the faithful as come into the Church and hear the Scripture and continue not out the prayers nor receive the Holy Communion let them be put from the Communion as men that work the breach of order and it is noted in the Margin upon the same Canons in old times all that were present did communicate and consonantly the Councel of Antioch decreed That all that come into the Church of God and hear the holy Scriptures and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Zonaras interprets upon pretext of reverence and humility Chamier the violation of religious order refuse the receiving of the Lords Sacrament let them be put from the Church and to like effect determines the Bracharen Councel Quid causae est De verbis Domini secundum Johan Serm. 2. saith St. Augustine ô Audientes ut mensam videatis ad epulas non accedatis In vain saith Chrysostome we stand at the Altar when none will participate c. If thou stand by and doe not communicate thou art wicked thou art shameless thou art impudent I would not onely have you to participate but to be worthy partakers thou wilt say I am unworthy to partake of the holy mysteries then art thou unworthy to be partaker of the prayers not onely by those things set before us Homil. 3. ad Ephes c. 1. Tom. 4. p. 356. but by Hymnes also doth the Holy Ghost descend you that are under penance depart c. He that partaketh not is a Penitent Why therefore saith he depart ye that cannot pray c Neither onely was the participation of the Eucharist injoyned as a common duty and the omission thereof complained of but the common right thereof asserted by the Ancients That which is the Lords they make proper to themselves In 1 Cor. 11. Homil. 27. Tom. 4. p. 110. In 1. ad Cor. c. 11. Tom. 8. p. 494. saith Chrysostome those things which are the Lords are not this servants and not that servants but common to all he permits it not to be the Lords that permits it not to be common to all It is not the Lords saith Hierom but mans when every one invades it as
an eclipse as the glimmering of that Popish gloworme may be a comfort in so great darkness and such an ignis fatuus followed as a guide when there is no better and upon this score perchance these cunning juglers like Boris of Muscovy clandestinely cause and help to set our houses on fire that they may get honor and power by rebuilding them Wisemen will finde these no idle feares nor groundless jealousies but as in that famous automaton the spheare of Cornelius Bezael there was an igneous spirit inclosed in the center thereof which caused the motion so time may discover that though some others are the maine spokes yet the fiery spirit of the Jesuits lying hidden in the center have wrought in this sphear these rotations and circumvolutions and it may too late appear that unadvisedly all this while we have plowed with Popish heyfers and after all our turning up and harrowing of the Church they may reape the harvest of all those sowings The paper recording the discipline of the ancient Church asserted That from the Communion as customarily and indeed antonomastically we speake though properly the Communion and the Eucharist were farre differing things it excluded onely the Catechumeni Energumeni persons excommunicate penitents c. and thereupon inferred That seeing they eject very many which fall not under any of those notions their practice is not conformable unto but disagrees from that of the ancient Church Hereunto instead of giving an answer they onely say that A smatterer in antiquity and whether they be of that lower forme or no the reader will by and by have trial may know the ancients rejected and suspended divers sorts of men under sundry considerations and were exceeding cautelous about admission to this ordinance no print whereof is to be seen in the common practice of our assemblies that is as true indeed of their assemblies as of any others where such orders and distinctions of men as are named may be fonud And then next they make us their catechumeni in describing to us what they were but whether themselves may not in some respect be penitents for such descriptions the reader shall judge and the care of the ancients to keep off ignorant and unfit shames the ordinary administrations in our Parishes where no such things are thought upon but All to the Sacrament is the plea and practice and then they take the boldness Nimium ne crede colori to say thus farre antiquity is for us rather than against us There is no good soule but is anhelant for the restitution and erecting of collapsed discipline and when other petitions may be frustrate yet as Philo comforted his countrymen that God would heare them when they could not be heard at Rome so we must take the better way to it by petitions preferred to Heaven Coelo restat iter coelo tentabimus ire But I must tell the Apologists that I doubt they are parcel-guilty of the obstructing of this work and they will finde somewhat thereof upon their proper score who have laid aside the right reynes and caught hold of the false and neglecting that discipline which is rooted in Scripture hath flourished in the purer times and brought forth sweet fruits where ever it was cultivated have bestowed and engaged themselves in the grafting and dressing of an exoticke plant which they have no warrant to set nor hope it should beare much or good fruit since it is too close and contracted not spreading its arms and braunches abroad and like the Clove tree ingrossing all moysture to it self makes all other to wither about it To graspe too much is the way to hold lesse and in this sense perchance the half may be more than the whole and to draw the wires too high is the way to crack the strings not to tune the instrument Est modus in rebus And as Cyneas told Pyrrhus he might have been more happy had he been content with Epirus and not attempted the conquest of Italy and Sicily so had the hedge of ancient Discipline been onely repayred and kept up and not raysed higher and set farther out beyond the old line and landmarks the seeds of peace and Godliness might have been more happily sowne and more prosperously flourished in the field of the Church which now lies lesse manured and more full of tares and noysome weeds Moribus antiquis res stat And a famous man saith Sir F. B. That women are sometimes more fortunate in their cures than learned Doctors because the one keep the old receipts punctually which the others magisterially take liberty to vary from and to alter the simples so the Physick of ancient Discipline in all probability might have cured our Distempers citò tutò jucundè whereas these new recipe's like the Paracelstan prescripts of Mercury sublimated and calcinate and such violent remedies in stead of proving Medicines grow to be maladies and to cure the disease kill the Patient Ut anteà vitiis ità nunc remediis laboramus I shall not press or insist upon that of Bullinger Potest in Ecclesia justa constitui disciplina Epist ad Beza ut interim coena Domini libera maneat omnibus illis qui se juxta Pauli doctrinam probarunt but with hands and feet asserting my self and joyning with and drawing others embracing and also propugning it I shall descend into that opinion that persons notoriously wicked and scandalous should be cast out And whereas in the close of the Section they say They wish they could see this done in the Assemblies about them which would beget better thoughts in them of some mens spirits than now they have but thereof they know the contrary I shall tell them that I wish they would consent that none but such as easily as I shall grant that all such ought to be ejected If some would have done it and want power to do it it is their affliction if any have the power and do not exercise it it is their fault but yet to hold Communion with those Assemblies where it is not done St. Augustine warrants them it shal be much to their praise and nothing to their prejudice and they have almost as much to plead for themselves as he had to justifie the Catholick Church against the Donatists And for my part I profess I had rather All to the Sacrament than any to Schisme and Separation And for their thoughts of others they are no mans Tribunal They that know their Witness is in Heaven with such it will be a small thing to be judged of them neither are they such Cato's as that it should be punishment enough to be condemned by them their teeth are not like the Tygers Claws wherewith whosoever is wounded can never be healed nor doth afterward prosper nor I hope are the Images or Conceptions which they form of others in their Thoughts and Intellects subject to the like fate which they say those Images are which are made by Witches where the
very observable that such a course the ancient Church took about admitting Penitents and therefore Albaspinus tells us poenitentiam quasi ad quendam catechumenatum repraesentandum institutum esse and from thence shall re-minde them that those several degrees were onely such as whereby Penitents were re-admitted not whereunto they were directly and immediatly censured but having been first excommunicate in order to their restoring to the Communion of the Church they had the favour of being admitted by these several steps of penance and none were Penitents that had not been first excommunicate which is diametrally opposite to their way of suspension whereby men are immediately and only made stantes that were never excommunicated nor passed the other degrees of penance I shall conclude this History of the ancient discipline with that of Hospinian Historia de re Sacrament l. 2. p. 40. Catechumeni poenitentes finitâ concione templo jussi sunt egredi antequam sacra peragerentur ne cum reliqu's fratribus communicarent ex quo liquidò claréque evincitur caeteros qui remanserunt omnes communicasse and besides them of those notions he tells us Admissi sunt ad coenam l. 3. p. 185. quicunque doctrinam Christianam sunt amplexi so that though onely persons fit and worthy were admitted yet it is hereby manifest that they accounted all such fit and worthy as were neither Catechumens nor Penitents Next they take hold of what the Paper grants that the Primitive Church saw the use of publick confession it did so but it also saw the abuse and thereupon abolished what had been formerly introduced but that was done they say after the abuse appeared whereas now they say men sweat at the sight of the saddle or rather bridle to curb their lusts The confusion and abuse of their way is as apparent and therefore consequently it is to be laid down Vel si mutabile pectus Est tibi consilii And besides the wisdome of prevention is better than that of remedies as Hygieina is a safe and happier part of Physick than Therapeutica but if any sweat at the fight of the saddle or bridle which have been ridden and galled with it it is no marvell since neither are made onely to mount and manage an unruly stubborn horse but the one is a Pack-saddle fitted onely for an Asses back by supposition of a general ignorance and fashioned to be capable to take any load or burden that may be laid on and the other to check and turn and lead us where they list so as indeed it is like to become our bridle and their reins Their examination they say is little more than publick confession I think upon examination they ought to make confession of a palpable error who ignorantly or wilfully mistake confession of sins which the Paper saith the Ancients saw the use of for confession of faith the admitting some of their members onely upon publick confession of faith we have formerly traversed That others have done the same thing privately before two or three witnesses whereof sure their Elders have sometimes been none hath been they say in tenderness and conde scension to their bashfulness If they did this to any formally as bashful they should doe it to all of that condition for quicquid praedicatur per se praedicatur de omni I beleeve of men and am very confident of women the greatest part are bashful yet I cannot learn they shew such tenderness or condescension to the greatest part which may render it doubtful that it is done to some with respect to the Gold-ring and because Heliogabal'us silken Nets are more proper to catch such Fishes as St. Peter took It is for the honour of Antiquity that as all the different sorts of Philosophers at Athens pretended to follow Socrates so the new coyns of doctrine and discipline would seem to bear the ancient stamp the Apologists that have much nibled at and detracted from Antiquity would yet give their discipline for its better pass a Testimonial from the ancient Church They formerly bid us to remember the Gibeonites and we cannot forget them while their like practice keeps up and refresheth the memory of them by such a counterfeit pretence of Antiquity but rather it is the misfortune of this age that their mysteries so long hidden were now first published which hath been like the opening of the Chest in the Temple of Apollo that Rhodiginus speaks of or the breaking up by the covetousness of certain souldiers greedy of spoil of the Image of Apollo Chomeus which as Ammianus Marcellinus tells us was brought from Scleuoin to Rome from whence issued forth pestilent vapours which infected the adjacent Countries The Antients removed some few from the Communion and those onely by judicial sentence for the scandal of some nefariousness either evident coniest or proved by Witness whereas these suspend at once their whole Congregations as if they were guilty of one common Apostasie not judicially but arbitrarily not for notorious crimes but upon suspicions and admit none of them till they have approved themselves to their good opinions by demonstrative signs of holiness and till they doe so they separate from all Communion in this Ordinance with them which suspending first and then making tryall and probation afterwards methinks holds some resemblance with Lidford Law whereof in our Countrey they say proverbially That they bang and draw in the morning and sit in Judgment in the afternoon so as therefore though we should be unhappily obstructed and retrenched from the like discipline as the ancient exercised which is our great sorrow and not a little their fault as I have shewed who seem like an hard-galloping hot-spur that asked if he might attain such a place before night and it was answered Yes if he rid softer yet farther to excite others to a compliance with their way and to complain of inconformity to it and pretend it little varieth from the ancient they have therein as much of reason as the Grand Signior had to pretend the Turks descended from the ancient Trojans and thereupon to invite the Italians to assist them in the wars against the Greeks the Enemies of that Nation from whence they had one common origine It affects them to reade in the few Ancients they converse with Sancta sanctis pronounced by the Deacon before the administration but they that are not conversant with many of the Ancients though it had been more happy for them and us too had they been acquainted with more have it seemeth not learn'd that this was onely in order to the dismission of the Catechumeni and Penitents Exam. part 2. p. 109. Chrysost Hom. 3. in Ep. ad Ephes c. 1. Tom. 4. p. 356. ad inquis Jan. c. 13. Lilius Gyrald syntag de diis p. 498. Syn. 17. Alexand. ab Alexand. dier gen l. 6. c. 19. p. 709. Servius in Virg. Aenead p. 1017. and no others the rest being under the notion of
Sancti and was but equivalent to the Ite missa est and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also served to prompt the rest to examine themselves as they might have read in Chemnicius And they might also have learned from Chrysostome if he be one of these few Ancients that they converse with that the Deacon also proclaimed You that cannot pray depart so as they were thought to be as indisposed for prayers as for the Sacrament And those that were not under penance were not thought unholy or unworthy of those holy things as they might have found in St. Augustine Hoc enim est indignè accipere si eo tempore accipiat quo poenitentiam agere debet The very Heathen had one to cry Procul hinc Be gone you that are profane But first this was not extensive to all their Holies ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacra profani admittebantur saith Gyraldus Beside to keep analogy with that custome they should as the Heathen did exclude those whom they judge prophane from the Temple and from all sacred actions not one alone and hence is profanus quasi porrò à fane and therefore in that of Virgil Procul ô procul este profani There is also added in the next Verse Totoque absistite luco And that conclamation too was after the sacrifice ended Adventante dea procul ô c. And farther by profane the great Grammarian Servius understands such onely as were not yet initiated into their Rites Lil. Gyrald ubi supra p. 498. Sueton. in Nerone S. 34. and those were answerable to the Catechumeni and the procul hinc was therefore equivalent to their Ilicet and to the Christians Ite missa est Others think it meant of such as were polluted with homicides and flagitious villanies such as Nero was who durst not saith Suetonius enter the Fanes through conscience of his Crimes such as correspond with men among us cast out for notorious crimes and so learned Casaubon supposeth the Procul ô procul este profani to bear fimilitude with that in the Leturgy pronounced by the Deacon Omnes Catechumeni Exercit. 16. S. 43. p. 399. c. discedite whereof were sundry formes and had the force of an excommunication but there was no examination of mens lives it was enough when it was aloud said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without farther scrutiny And some farther think this was onely an usage proper to their Eleusinia sacra where he was profane that was not wicked and indeed there was little less impurity in most of their Rites for as for sins of the flesh Alexand. ab Alex. dierum Genial l. 6. c. 26. p. 747. Dr. Hammond Tract of Idol and Annot. in 1 Cor. 5.10 Antiq. Lect. l. 12. c. 2. notwithstanding their Pontifician Law in Tully Deos castè adeunto c. omnes ferè mortales in templis coire nefandis libidinibus commisceri nefas non putarent saith Alexander Neapolitanus and therefore a learned man supposeth that in the New Testament as Fornication is commonly joyned with Idolatry so sometimes by Idolatry is meant sinne of uncleanness which always attended upon Idol-worship and as for Drunkenness it was so common in their Sacrifices that Aristotle's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inflexum putat saith Rhodoginus quòd ebrii fierent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is post sacrificium and both the one and the other recommended under the opinion of Religion and the prescribed way of worship The Ancients are censured for going too far this way perchance they are so but for going too farre not in theirs but in a different way Their rigour was in excommunicating some for smaller offences for as farre as I can discover Si redeant veteres ingentia nomina Patres they would say Excommunication we know and delivering to Sathan we know but for suspension who are you and in inflicting penance for so many years to make men Flentes three years Audientes so many more Succumbentes as many Stantes for two years and in keeping some for more grievous Crimes from the Communion till death and then sometimes giving them onely absolution and benediction but not the Eucharist and granting no absolution after a second lapse which as it gave an occasional Rise to Novatus his Schisme there being but this difference between him and the Catholiques that he denied the power and they often exercised not the act of remission they did not and he taught they could not absolve so it hath onely that of Innocent to excuse it Apud Albasp ubi supra l. 2. obser 5. p. 248. Coactam compulsámque Ecclesiam severiùs animadvertere in delinquentes quò atrocitate disciplinae austerioris invectâ in officio continerentur fideles contra persecutionum fluctus and lest they to escape and decline persecution should comply with Ethnick Idolators But this was not the general Rule of Discipline in all the first Ages of the Church but acts in the nature of an exception suited onely to times of Persecution no constant method but temporary and occasional not of the substance thereof but accidental pauca admodum vi tractata quo caeteris quies esset as Tacitus in another case and was like Galen's drawing blood in some desperate pestilent Fevers Usque ad animae defectum which is not to be exemplary or regular in ordinary practice the like discipline being not warrantable but in the like times and with the like reasons And as rigid as they for that time were their rigour onely extended judicially to reject some for manifest and scandalous wickedness not all till a manifestation of their real holiness neither doth it follow that if some few known Malefactors were then too severely castigated that now many that are not such have no just cause to complain for suffering though a lesser punishment And whereas they plead their distingue tempora too for their actings different from the Ancients in gathering and ordering Churches in respect they live in a corrupt Church which is not therefore to be stood upon perchance it were not if the Innovation stood upon a bottome of more Reason than the retention of the ancient Discipline could doe but for ought they have yet proved to the contrary the new seems to be as far from having a better Basis than the old as it is now at last by their confession from having any buttress to support it from a similitude with that ancient way from the causes which constituted it and from the effects flowing from it there are clear demonstrations of the excellency of the one above the other and such constitutive causes as the old had the new cannot have and the old may have the same effects influent on our times which it ever formerly had that though we shall not say with Tacitus Scito super omnibus negotiis meliùs atque rectiùs olim provisum quae convertuntur in deterius mutari yet in this
of receiving at Easter all the People anciently communicated No man to be repelled upon the private knowledge of the Minister or other Whether all did partake the Lords Supper that heard the Word What sinnes may exclude from the Sacrament Whether the ancient Church knew or practised any such Censure as Suspension The Negative proved the Arguments for the Affirmative profligated Penitents were first excommunicate What Communion anciently did signifie What Abstinence denoted What was the Lay-Communion What was meant by removing from the Altar What Suspension anciently signified and in what sense that notion was used What the School determines of giving the Eucharist to manifest and occult sinners Suarez imposterously alleaged by them What Suspicion may warrant an Exclusion Whether the way of Separation be conformable to the Ancient Of their care to keep men off from the Sacrament The Application of a passage in Chrysostome redeemed from their Exceptions Whether there be reason to examine dispositively to hearing the Word aswell as to receiving the Sacrament and danger to the Unworthy in the one aswell as in the other The casting of Pearl before Swine and giving holy things unto Dogs what it intends The difference between the Word and Sacraments All not anciently admitted to all the Word The Sacrament multifariously proved to be a converting Ordinance and this to be the common judgment of Protestants What effects may be hoped onely by seeing the Administration without partaking The Sophisme discussed He that partakes worthily is converted already he that eates unworthily eates damnation Whether men are prohibited those Duties which they cannot well and duly discharge The moral works of natural men HEre they say is little that presseth them The Numidian Bears are so far that they feel no stripes and it is said of an Eastern King he was so fat and so gross that he was not sensible of pain when Needles were stuck into his body but it may be our Needles are not sharp enough to enter we shall therefore see what they are to the point In the Authorities also there is they say more confusion than variety Answ◠Confusion may like scandal be given or taken and it is also passive aswell as active and I might excusably suspect that those authorities have somewhat confounded them for to some they have found nothing at all to say in answer and to the rest nothing to purpose I shall not contest with them for accurateness of method neither do I think they need contend with any for variety the method is but accidental to the matter and as long as Accidens potest abesse sine subjecti interitu if the substance be defended I that seek not to interweave mine own image with Minerva's in this buckler shall be less solicitous of the credit of the method whereof nevertheless I am as little diffident onely for their censures as I am distrustfull of others capacity for the Sacrament for their censoriousness The Paper pleaded not for keeping up a quotidian Communion the reasons perhaps that gave first rise thereunto being ceased and therefore their arguing against it is but a Sciamachy Hieron ad Lucinium contra Jovin Aug. de Serm. Domini in monte 12. Neither was it the assiduity that was principally insisted upon but the generality of communicating Totum populum quotidiè Eucharistiam sumpsisse as Hierom and Augustine Nevertheless the daily receiving of the Ancients shews they made no such huge difference between preparation for the Word and for the Sacraments and it also upbraids their long procrastination of any communion of which though now at length they have reassumed the administration yet toward the far greatest part of their Congregations it is still discontinued and in divers Churches by their influence and promotion are those placed as Pastors who long time were not in a capacity to administer it though by an intolerable presumption without any calling thereunto they adventured upon administring Baptism which I should think since the Casuists say Filiucius Tract 13. c. 1. n. 14. it merits the lesser excommunication to receive the Sacrament from the hands of a Lay-man and the Administer is more guilty than the Receiver is a juster cause to have suspended them from the other Sacrament than any they can charge upon many of those whom they put under suspension Those men have been since ordained after they had waited to see how the Horoscope would be formed and setled and what Aspects the Stars were like to have and which would be ascendent or descendent and which aucti lumine aut minuti aut combusti that so they might resolve in what way to ordain them for a more fortunate and auspicious nativity Those that content themselves with receiving twice or thrice a year or make it onely an Easter-formality I neither am nor shall be retained to be their Advocate yet perchance many may so infrequently receive that are not content with it but rather patient of what they cannot remedy and as these may share of the same comforts which the Apologists hold forth to them § 13 among whom the administration hath been long intermitted so is their condition much better than is that of their people by how much the lesser evil is nearer to good and seldome is less obnoxious than never Cavendum nè si nimiùm in longum differatur perceptio corporis sanguinis Christi ad perniciem animae pertineat said the Council of Cabillon To receive at Easter onely through formality Ad popul Antioch Hom. 61. hath frequent increpations from the Fathers Chrysostom especially when Circulis rem definis and when ex consuetudine magìs quà m legitimè aut consideratione mente and temporis gratiâ magìs quà m animi studio Serm. 3. in Ephes c. 1. in 1 Cor. 11. Hom. 28. Tom. 4. p. 112. contra Liter Petiliani l. 2. c. 94. tom 7. p. 31. as hath before been declared yet notwithstanding reproving the abuse they continued the usage of general communicating at that time and not in that Emperical way as a grave Divine wittily speaks applying the remedy to the weapon but to the patient abolished not the act without trying to reform the fault in the manner of doing but notwithstanding some abuse the ancient Church still thought that an apt and opportune time for the celebration when as Augustine saith in the like case Ipsa festivitas ferventiores facit etiam qui in caetero anno pigriores sunt and in their sense who thought not the least helps despicable seeing small pullies serve to advance great weights the very season was a kinde of prompter to remember them of that which the Sacrament was instituted with infinite more efficacy to shew forth Aquin. 2.2 q. 2 art 7. Durand in 3. dist 25. q. 1. n. 9. insomuch as thereupon divers Schoolmen and Casuists make it an argument of supine ignorance that any should not have explicite knowledg of those mysteries of Christ which were so
was fidelium societas jus societatis jus quod quis habere possit in societate fidelium corpore Christianorum which was analogous to the jus civitatis among the Romans whereunto some think the Church had reference and therefore there is rarely in the Canons any mention of Absolution it being signified by these words communion society consortship and reconciled and notum est saith Albaspinus reconciliationem esse ab Eucharistia distinctam ipsámque reconciliationem nihil aliud esse quà m corpori fidelium restitui eos à quo peccata illos distraxerant poenitentésque de ea non verò de Eucharistia esse solicitos Beside this censure to be separate from the Communion was generally denounced for the greatest offences so that if thereby Suspension onely be to be understood we should be at as great a loss and asmuch to seek of Excommunication as now we are of Suspension and the latter would have justled out the former and left no matter for it to work upon for it self alone would do all and the lean Cow devour the fat and seeing the sacrificing to Idols which the Eliberin Councel calls Crimen principale and summum scelus and Tertullian Cyprian Eliberin Can. 1. 52. and other Fathers account the greatest offence was onely censured with separation from the Communion and the Libellaici such as privately renounc'd their Religion under their hands dispersers of infamous Libels were sentenced to be anathematized if to be separate from the communion had bin onely to be suspended and to be anathematized were to be excommunicate at least if it were not more than simple excommunication viz. dirarum devotio it would be very admirable that the greater crime should be adjudged to the lesser and the lesser offence to the greater punishment And if not to communicate were always strictly and onely to be understood of having no Communion in the Eucharist the 28. Canon of the Eliberin Councel would look with a sad aspect upon our Apologists which in joyns Episcopum ab eo qui non communicat munera accipere non debere for this would bring them to as great a penury of common bread as they have brought upon their people of Sacramental since they should then have nor Tithes nor Offerings but from five or sixe in a Parish for about that number are those whom they admit to the Sacrament and in some of their Parishes I think not one hath admission Fourthly the notion of abstaining hath made some to surfeit with excess of confidence to have found some tract of Suspension in the Road-way of the ancient Discipline but they are mistaken in their Trace and it is another Game than they hunt after for though some learned men both Protestant and Papists straining to suit the ancient practice to some resemblance with the modern and set the Sunne to the clock have supposed that the abstenti were persons suspended and that abstincre per quinquennium ut pauco tempore abstineat was only to be separate from the Eucharist yet notwithstanding 1. as this term of abstention if I be not deceived is as often used as a forme of censuring in the Councel of Eliberis Concil Elib can 16. 21. Can. 20 62 34 37 40 41 49 52. as in half of all the other Synods so there we finde it promiscuously and synonymously made use of with those forms ab Ecclesia arceri ab Ecclesiae communione arceri alienus ab Ecclesia haberi penitus ab Ecclesia absici anathematizari c. which beyond all possibility of Contest denote an Excommunication 2. In those expressions were Censures denounced for as small offences Can. 49. 50. as they were in that form of abstaining for I should think it was no greater crime to permit those fruits which they received with thanksgiving to God to be blessed by Jews than to eate with them yet the former was punished expresly Can. 16. 61. with casting out of the Church and the latter with abstaining 3. We may observe that in this very Council abstention was inflicted for great crimes as giving their daughters in marriage to Jews and Hereticks which was forbidden by other Canons under pain of Excommunication and marrying the Wives Sister l. 2. obser 3. p. 10. whereas in those times Levâ—ssima peccata multorum annorum excommun catione luebantur saith Albaspinus where take up by the way this observation That if the smallest faults were punish'd with Excommunication there was no matter left for Suspension to practise upon 4. When for Usury the same Councel sentenceth a Clerk Can. 20. beside degradation to abstain and a Lay man to be cast out of the Church I should conceive it denounceth but the same Censure on both since it is not like the Church would castigate that sinne in a Clerk with a lesser punishment in whom this was a greater sin especially since as under the Law Albasp l. 2. obs 34. p. 429. Erasmus in Cyprian l. 1. epist 11. p. 38. secundum edit suam Pamelius annot in epist 62. secundum suam edit Goulart S. 13 p. 172. epist 38. S. 10. p. 91. Can. 61. In Cypriani epist l. 3. ep 14. p. 93. Albas not in can 47. concil Elib p. 68. Idem de vet eccles rit l. 2. obs 22. p. 320 322. the sinne-offering of the Priest was as great as of all the Congregation so Leo tells us Haec quae in aliis Ecclestae membris non vocantur ad culpam in illis tamen habeantur illicita and therefore whosoever had born civil office been a souldier or done penance was uncapable of holy orders 5. In the ancient Idiom to abstain was onely to separate and remove and consequently abstentus was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so Erasmus tells us in his Explication of the words peculiar to Cyprian prefixed to his Edition of that Father and upon that place abstinendo diaconum whose â—â—ence was none of the least having lyen with professed Virgins he notes absinere pro amovere and Pamelius in his Annotations specifies what kinde of Separation or Removal that was viz. Non separare amovere simpliciter sed separare à communione and he more plainly describes it by saying Peculiaris penè Cypriana phrasis quâ abstentum pro excommunicato abstinere pro excommunicare usurpat quanquam aliâ periphrasi saepe id circumloquitur ejicere de Ecclesia pellere 6. It is most evident by the first Council of Toledo that with such as were under abstention it was forbidden to have any Commerce aut colloqui aut convivari which yet was never prohibited towards persons suspended but onely with such as were excommunicate 7. That abstinere was first to be removed from all communion may appear by the same Council of Eliberis where he that marrieth the Wives Sister is censured to abstain from the Communion for five yeares unless the necessity of his infirmity enforce velociùs dari
the Communion could not be Suspension because it was provided by sundry Canons that such as were deprived of the Communion should be put to doe penance before they could be reconciled and restored and that had been as much in effect as if they should be suspended in order to discharge them of Suspension But then secondly the Lay-Communion being onely Laicorum jus in corpore Christi mystico Ecclesia as it was contradistinguish'd to Ecclesiastical or Sacerdotal Communion the being put into the Lay-Communion was neither the doing of Penance nor any essential consequent thereof though perchance some that were adjudged to be degraded from being Clergy-men might also Concil Eliber can 50. as their offences were in merit be sentenced to penance Ut erat expressum in eorum elogiis judiciis saith Albaspinus and it appears that some when they had finished their penance were put into the Lay-Communion but formally and properly to be set in the Lay-Communion was onely a degrading or deposing of a Clerk and reducing him to the condition of a Lay-man being a censure onely inflicted on the Clergy and but the same which Augustine calls Degradation and the Councels Deposition and removing from Order Concil Elib can 51. Arelat 1. can 26. Chamier Tom. 4. l. 9. c. 3. and all Ecclesiastical Office as appears not onely by that of Gyprian Ut Laicus communicet non quasi locum sacerdotis usurpet but by a multitude of other Testimonies produced by Chamier Albaspinus and others To argue therefore they were admitted to the Laick Communion ergo they were not excommunicate is in effect to conclude they were made Lay-men ergo they were not excommunicated And if Penance were Suspension and the Lay-Communion were any part or appendage of penance it will carry a consequent implication that all Lay-men were suspended or else that to be suspended was to be admitted to the Eucharist as Lay-men were And let the Lay-communion be as Baronius and others would have it to partake the Sacrament without the Railes or could it be as Bellarmine supposeth to receive in one kinde yet in either way there was a communicating at the Lords Table Non diffiteor qui communicabat laicè accepisse eucharistiam more laicorum Albaspin de veter eccles rit l. 1. obser 4. p. 4. saith Albaspinus so as neither could penance formally have any affinity with the Laick Communion nor was any Penitent fully and perfectly in such Communion because during that state he could not partake of the Sacrament but when his penance was ended he intirely communicated as a Lay-man that is had the right and privileges of a Laick onely because he was not restored to Holy Orders whereof indeed he that had done penance was ever afterward â—ncapable And therefore I have laboured under much wonder to what end this Argument was produced I remember Maldonat tells us of a Text Luke 2.34 Facilior fuisset hic locus si nemo eum exposuisset and perchance we might have been more facile to beleeve that there might have been some evidence for Suspension in Antiquity if those that have so confidently assumed to prove it had not fallen so short of their undertakings and our expectation who as Scaliger said of Baronius that he did Annales facere non scribere so they have rather made than found their proofs and have rather imposed upon than informed us so that we may not know unless we shall continue ignorant But having cleared these mists let us look what purer light can be reflected upon us from the Monuments of the ancient Church that we may see to trace their foot-steps and discern what way they walked The notion of Suspension is scarce found in the ancient Fathers Augustine often speaks of Church-censures and sometime specifies the several Acts of Discipline Correption Excommunication Degradation but I have not met with the name much less the thing in all his Disputes against the Donatists where it was most likely to have occurred And had the Church in his time known any such Censure especially inflicted for want of a visible worthiness he could never have said as is pre-alleaged Si peccata tanta non sunt ut excommunicandus quisquam homo judicetur non debet se à quotidiana medicina Dominici corporis separare or had it been denizon'd in Chrysostome's age he would not have said that those which were unworthy to partake of the Eucharist were likewise unworthy to joyn in the Prayers and Hymnes But as Alexander scorned to steal a Victory in the night but would get it in clear day so we shall hide nothing that we can bring to light which may be of advantage to their cause though it seem to have been in the dark to all those which I have met with that have defended it who have said less for themselves than might be said for them and are therefore obnoxious to David's increpation who when they take themselves to be valiant men and who is like them in Israel yet have not kept their Lord so but that any one of the people may come to destroy him But nevertheless though Tellias get these new Pipes no Antinegidas need to be troubled for they will not sound to his Tune nor make any judicious man to dance after him To deal ingenuously as the Canons of the ancient Councels will lend the best Prospect of the Discipline of the Church those being the Mould wherein that was cast so we shall acknowledge that in those Canons we sometimes meet with the notion of Suspension like as we doe with those of Retentus Sequtstratus Remotus Segregatus Exclusus all of them Synonymous and all to be limited and defined by the terminus à quo that from which was the Separation But I doe with some confidence assert that suspended is there taken in the proper not the modern appropriate notion signifying a deferring of or detaining from and that not onely this one Ordinance of the Lords Supper but all Ordinances and is in effect but Excommunication carrying onely besides a connotation of a future restitution to Communion after penance done or satisfaction given The same words have not always the same sense in all Ages nor signifie the same things else we might conclude the Assemblies of the Heathen to be Churches and their Clerks of the Market to be Bishops and to argue that the term Suspension is found in ancient Records therefore there was such a thing as use hath since made the word to import carries as much reason as the Papists have to conclude that because prayer for the dead was used in the ancient Church therefore it related to Purgatory or is with as much sense as Valderama proves the order of Jesuites out of Scripture because it is there said that God hath called us to the society of his Son Jesus But that Suspension in the old Canons implies not a deferring of or detaining from the Eucharist onely and immediately but a
with-holding from all Ecclesiastical Communion is very clear and evident because it is always said to be First either a suspension from Communion Agathens can 64. as in the Agathen Councel one instance among many and Communion was comprehensive of more than a Society in partaking the Lords Supper it is a suspension from the communion of the Church and from Catholique communion Aurel. can 23. 15. can 31. as in the fourth Councel of Orleance neither of which ever was nor can be restrained and limited to fellowship in one Sacrament and in the latter Canon it was denounced for Idolatry the greatest sinne and therefore not like to be censured with the lesser punishment and in the same Councel it is suspension from the church but into the church containing men now under Suspension are admitted and from the church contained are not cut off Secondly it was a Suspension from all fellowship in talking and eating with others and therefore not a suspension from the Eucharist onely neither are ever those which are put under this younger Suspension which is called the lesser excommunication proscribed from all conference and society in food but that the ancient Suspension was attended with such an interdict appears liquidly enough by the second councel of Arles Arel 2. can 30. Si à communione sacerdotali which was to be and act as a clerk or ecclesiastical person fuerit suspensus episcopus which seems the truer reading though some copies have suspectus yet if this were all it were but onely deposition or degradation which excluded not from commerce but that which follows shews it attended with a greater punishment non solùm à clericorum sed etiam à totius populi colloquio atque convivio placuit excludi donec resipâ—scens ad sanitatem redire festinet Aurel. 1. can 11. But if this canon leave it obscure yet more clearly is it apparent by the first councel of Orleance decreeing Placuit eos à communione suspendi ab omnium Catholicorum conviviis separari Thirdly It was a suspension of that nature as whosoever was blasted therewith could not be redintegrated but by doing penance but none were made Penitents that had not first been excommunicate It is legible in the third councel of Toledo Secundum formam Canonum antiquorum detur poenitentia Tolet. 3. can 11. 12. hoc est ut priùs eum quem sui poenitet sacti á communione suspensum faciat inter reliquos poenitentes ad manus impositionem crebrò recurrere expleto autem satisfactionis tempore sicut sacerdotalis contemplatio probaverit eum communioni restituat and it is apparent out of that more ancient councel Arel 2. can 11. the second of Arles where those that sacrificed to Idols are thus censured Duobus annis inter Catechumenos triennio inter poenitentes habeantur à communione suspensi Not again to reflect on this that it carries no verisimilitude that so great a crime was sentenced to no greater a punishment than removal onely from the Sacrament for explanation of this canon we must know that to be among the Catechumens and among the Hearers Neo-Caes can 5. was in effect the same and it seems by the councel of Naeo-Caesarea that the Catechumens at least one sort of them such as were not genuflectentes passed under the notion of Auditors Catechumeni id est audientes and to be an Hearer was the second degree of penance and among the Catechumens and Hearers though not confusedly yet in one common place stood also those that were for a certain time excommunicate and likewise Jewes and Heathens for the sourth councel of Carthage wherein Augustine was present decreed Ut episcopus nullum prohibeat ingredi ecclesiam audire verbum Dei sive gentilem sive haereticum usque ad missam Catechumenorum though neither to the Catechumens themselves were the Gospels read as appeares by the councel of Aurange â— Arausic can 18. ne Catechumenis Evangelia legantur where also incidently observe that as the ancient church admitted not all to eat the Sacrament so they permitted not all to hear all the words But as those that were under Niddui might be present at Divine Service if they kept their distance of four cubits so Albaspinus shews that about the sixth age those that were for a set time excommunicate De vet eccles rit l. 2. obser 24. p. 336 338. obs 29. p. 390 391. Poenitentes tertii gradus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 2. obser 32. p. 405. Poenitentia per appropriationem primus secundus gradus dispositiones erant quibus ad tertium exequendum pararetur obs 24. p. 357. obser 4. p. 243. did also enter into the church and stood among or neer the Catechumeni to hear some portions of the Word and Expositions thereof In eodem loco consistere ibique provolvere se ad genua aliquas preces interponere though they departed before the Mass of the Catechumens that is before their Prayers and before the Sermon too as also did the Catechumens themselves But to prosecute the interpretation of the former canon when those suspended persons advanced farther and from the Catechumens step'd to be among the Poenitents whereby Albaspinus understands the Succumbentes even those in this third degree of Penance were not onely suspended from the Eucharist but separated from communion in sacred offices Orationes preces sacra sacrificia oblationes agapae Stationes vigiliae jejunia similia ea omnia poenitentibus aeque ac excommunicatis deerant saiâ—h Albaspinus so as it is very evident that in this canon to be suspended from communion was to be excommunicate because of the several steps of penance which were to be gone over in order to raising and restoring to communion Fourthly Ilerden can 5 if In the Ilerden councel Suspension is expounded by Segregation from the body of the church Veraciter as flictos non diu suspendere vel desidiosos prolixiore tempore ab ecclesiae corpore segregare Fifthly if I have not failed in my observation and account the term of Suspension is but twice onely less often mentioned in the fourth councel of Orleance than in all the preceding Synods but it is there arbitrarily and indifferently used with those formes which without all colour of contradiction import Excommunication viz. ex consortio fidelium vel ecclesiae communione pellatur Aurel. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 16.12 13 20 22. habeatur extraneus pacem ecclesiae non habeat ab ecclesiae limmibus arceatur excommunicationis severitas imponatur And not to advance farther toward the West or Occident and Declination of Discipline but to set up our pillars with a nihil ultra at the fifth Council of Orleance 5 Aurel. can 2. while it decrees that none be suspended from the Communion for small and light causes had the Fathers understood Suspension in the modern sense they had rather abolished than regulated it
by taking away the proper object whereupon it worketh viz. lesser and higher offences and when they adde that Suspension be inflicted for such offences for which the ancient Fathers drove the Offenders out of the Church they did not so farre relax the reyns of Discipline as to censure onely with Suspension from the Lords Table those whom the Ancients punish'd by casting out of the Church but their Discipline had made them know no distinction between Suspension and casting out of the Church and therefore they used them univocally or the one as an Exegesis of the other Lastly we shall also fairly confess that in ancient Monuments we meet with those expressions of removing from the Altar and separating from the communion of Sacraments and of being reconciled thereunto but we are convinced to judge that they onely by a Synecdoche complicated with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie a rejection from and restitution to a plenary and absolute communion in general by one and the most excellent part thereof And this may be sufficiently proved by several passages in St. Augustine's Disputes against the Donatists Epist 11â— c. 3. tom 2. p. 108. especially against Parmenian But we need re-search no farther than that place in his Epistles which we have so lately agitated for having said Si tanta est plaga peccati atque impetus morbi ut medicamenta talia differenda sunt authoritate Antistitis debet quisque ab altari removeri eadem authoritate reconciliari hoc est enim indignè accipere si eo tempore accipiat quo debet agere poenitentiam non ut arbitrio suo cum libet vel auferat se communioni vel reddat caeterùm si peccata tanta non sunt ut excommunicandus quisquam homo judicetur non debet se à quotidiana medicina Dom nici corporis separare where we see plainly that ab altari removeri excommunicandum judicari are either consignificant or exegetical as well as that he thought that none were to separate from the Lords Table but for such sins as rendred demeritoriously excommunicate And though this be a pearl of so great price that he which finds it cannot but be willing to sell all the false notions that he hath to the contrary for the buying thereof yet it is no Union though one yet not the onely Orient testimony there being many others like and equal to it The first Council of Toledo decreeing 1. Tolet. â—â—a 2. that publicam poenitentiam gerens sub Concilio divino reconciliatus fuerit altari implies that to be reconciled to the Altar was to be absolved of Excommunication and re-admitted to communion with the Church whereof to partake of the Altar was the most perfect and absolute act for he that was thus reconciled was under penance and all penitents were such as had been excommunicate The Ilerden Council determineth Ilerden can 2. Communione corporis Domini priventur ità ut his duobus annis vigiliis orationibus elcemosynis pro viribus quas Dominus donaverit expientur quod si definito tempore negligentiores c. prorogandi ipsius poenitentiae tempus in potestate maneat sacerdotis whereby it is manifest that by deprivation of the communion of the body of the Lord as the chiefest part of Church-fellowship was the loss of all other Ecclesiastical Society or Excommunication intended for as persons suspended are not sentenced to such continual Watchings Prayers and Alms so whosoever was a Penitent had been excommunicate The second Council of Tours defining Eos ab Ecclesia sanctrepellant Turonen can 3. nec participare sancto altari permittant manifestly declares that they understood a repelling from the Church and non-permitting to partake of the Altar to be identical but such as of latter times are suspended are never repulsed from the Church which is more than to be debarred the Eucharist And lastly Can. 14. the fourth Council of Orleance defining Tam diu habeatur à communione altaris vel omnium fratrum ac filiorum charitate suspensus makes the latter to be exegetical to the former and evidently proves that to be suspended was to be cast out from all fellowship with the Brotherhood and Sonnes of the Church Wherefore seeing the ancient Church knew not their Suspension which is the onely penal and indeed main act of their Discipline yet for them to pretend to affinity with the ancient Discipline is a boldness like to finde as little success as excuse unless as that old Sycophant advised Calumniare audacter aliquid haerebit so they vaunt boldly of things in hope they will stick with some for their confidence or as some Heathens commended the ancient Heroes for fetching their Pedegree from the Gods though falsly because it raised their spirits and advantaged their reputation so they think it will produce like effects for them to derive the descent of their Discipline from the ancient Church though it can claim no kindred therewith They next come to give an account of their regard to the School-men but they might have spared the Irony Few are inimicous to School-learning but they that are ignorant thereof such indeed despise what they have not as Gallienus when Aegypt revolted and Gaul was lost said Quid sine lino Aegyptio esse neâ— possumus Num sine trabeatis sag is tuta Respublica non est and as Iovius speakes of Detractors Fortunam suam eâ vindictae voluptate consolantur The School indeed is a Libanon or Forest over-grown with Thorns and Briers yet much good Timber may there be found to build and make Beames for the Temple and as Otho said to Salvius Cocceamus nec patruum sibi Othonem fuisse aut oblivisceretur unquam nut nimiùm meminisset so shall I say of that Learning it is not too much to be studied nor altogether to be neglected They desire those that have the School-men to consult them on the third part of Aquinas and if they have them they might have given a more special direction and reference this which they give being like Magna civitas magna solitudo who put it into the hands of the Minister to deny the Sacrament to all whom they judge scandalous sinners or unworthy persons Reso They say there is a Fish whereof a part being eaten it proves poyson if the whole an Antidote so the doctrine of the School in this point being partially and mutilously set forth may seem to make for them but fully and plainly represented will speak much against them This dissertation will give us some Prosopography of the Apologists and reflect light to see how forward they are to impose upon others if these passages were oculis subjecta and entred by the horny gate or how facile they are to be imposed upon themselves if they were demissa per aures and had entry thorough the Ivory Port. It must therefore be recognized that the School distinguisheth of sinners whereof some are secret not of
Churches that they may better suspend their people which hath some affinity with Caligula's wish That the whole City of Rome had but one neck that he might cut it off at once to take so much pains to justifie and defend their suspending of so many as unfit when as he said to his Son encountring with his Enemy Percute qua aratrum the same labour might have made the most of them fit and however they shall be fitted yet to give them no admission or entrance but onely by stepping over their threshold which they have set up by Gods threshold he that shall deny that this is to be carefull to exclude and keep men from the Sacrament and as Alcibiades perswaded Pericles to be studious rather not to give than to give an account so that this is to be more solicitous not to give than to give the Sacrament he hath been bred up in Anaxagoras his School where in defiance of sense it was denied that the Snow was white and if I should do it I should doubt that even for this I should come too near the danger of incurring some of Chrysostome's stigmatical Epithites Chrysostome was ere while as full as they could wish now he is fulsom and their stomaces cannot digest an argument collected from his words They very calmly and with silence let pass the greatest and most forcible part of the testimony and onely pick a quarrel to the application of one piece thereof Chrysostome had said that he that stands by and not communicates is wicked shameless and impudent And the Paper thence modestly as it could offered it to be considered by arguing à pari if not à fortiori where or upon whom that censure would fall or how it would be-reversed if those that stand by and would yet shall not be suffered to participate hereupon Ignescunt irae duris dolor ossibus haeret They take this shaft into their sides as if aimed at them and complain of the wound and indeed cùm vitia incessimus reum ira manifestat but I shall say with St. Hierom Neminem specialiter meus sermo pulsavit Tom. 1. ep 2. ad Nepol c. 26. qui mihi irasci voluerit priùs ipse de se quòd talis sit confitebitur As our Saviour told the Jews That not he but Moses accused them so it was not I but Chrysostome that laid the censure and leaves it not on them but ex Hypothesi upon supposition they do that which he censureth it was he that delivered the Law as the major if their conscience become the witness against them in the case and make up the minor for the conclusion let any man be judg I could not borrow a nail from that Master of the Assemblies as the words of the wise are called and not drive it to the head nor bring forth and onely shew the weapon and not strike with it nor make it like Thebes when Epaminondas was slain a spear that had no head or point If they shall prompt me how I might apply the words to make them argumentative in any more modest or candid manner I shall be very docible to write after their copy and excuse and expunge my former characters or Ut Lugdunensem dicturus Rhetor ad aram My tongue shall lick out and make amends for the blots of my Pen. But noise and outcries whatsoever some Nations imagine will not help an Eclipse As in Tophet they set up a loud sound and raised clamours to drown the cry of the dying childe so perchance they keep this ratling about thatwhich seems to pinch the credit of their persons onely to drown the sound of that blow which-mortally wounds their cause for what was transcribed out of Chrysostome That he which was unworthy of the Eucharist was also unworthy of the prayers this they take no notice of like weak souls that wink when they are put in fear and think the danger lessened which they see not And this though his words seem yet to be the sense of the whole Church which did conclude all her publick and solemn prayers with the receiving of the Sacrament so as Albaspinus tells us De vet eccles rit l. 1. obs 16. p. 124. Mede Christian Sacrif Sect. 1. p. 475. Vix repories quenquam eo i. solenniter usum esse nisi ad Eucharistiam significandam As we vocally conclude all our prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord so saith Mr. Mede the ancient Church in the solemn and publick service when she presented her self before God as one body did visibly by representing him in the Symboles of his Body and Bloud he being thereby commemorated and received by them and us to the same end for which he suffered that through him we receiving forgiveness of sins God might accept our persons and prayers The Stations which were but dimidiata jesunia Fasts extended to the ninth hour and not prolonged usque ad authoritatem demorantis stellae in Tertullian's Idiom and which he tells us had their name from the example of Souldiers whose standing to watch before the Palace being called Stations I. 1. obs 14. p. 101. gave the like appellation to the Christians coming together twice a week and continuing together in prayer for defence of the Church and to impetrate Gods favour those Stations being as Albaspinus describes them Nihil aliud quam coitio ac veluti conjuratio totius ecclesiae contra Deum and whereby as Tertullian speaks quasi manu facta eo Deum perpellebant adi gebántque ad id quod obnixè peterent concedendum But those Stations were always concluded with the Eucharist as the close and upshot thereof In the fifty days betwixt Easter and Whitsunday L. 1. obse 15. p. 106 108 a time of more solemn prayers and which Albaspinus affirms to equal the Lords day in Worship and Religion every particular Christian saith he most sweetly was compelled and enforced to receive the Eucharist Besides they had no other place where they offered the publick prayers but that whereon the memory of Christ's Body and Bloud was celebrated and even as in the Old Testament where they called on the Name of the Lord there they still built an Altar and their Sacrifices were Rites whereby to invocate God as may be collected from 1 Sam. 13.12 So in the swadling of the Christian Church Breaking of Bread or as the Syriack reades the breaking of the Eucharist and prayers are conjoyned and both referred to their Christian fellowship as the Exegesis thereof shewing wherein the Communion of the Church consisted so as therefore whosoever was of the body of the Church did both partake of the Prayers and of the Altar and who was divided from the one had no benefit of the other as Mr. Mede produceth Ignatius to witness Pag. 494. and it was morally impossible that those which were received as competent for a conjunction in the former could be rejected as incapable of Communion in the later
sine causis sciendi nor sets up a mark for blinde men to shoot at but the Directory for admission is that which we may well reade and make easie judgment thereby viz. Church-membership with a dogmatical faith and therefore we may perceive that any other voyage will be with hurt and much damage when neither Sun nor Stars do appear from above nor can we frame to keep any compass below whereby to steer our course and being exceedingly tossed with such a tempest the onely way is to lighten the ship of this load DIATRIBE SECT V. By a free communion there is no Damnum emergens by pollution of the Ordinances Minister or Communicants the visible Church is aggregated of good and evil It is Schism to renounce communion of Sacraments with evil men not duly censured the Administration not to be intermitted because all are not sufficiently prepared or those that are unworthy may partake The Similitudes defeated of giving a Cup of poysoned Wine onely with admonition of giving a Legacy to scholars of such a capacity and parts which the Trustees cannot otherwise distribute of being guilty of the sins we hinder not the weak to be encouraged and promoved by admission As much danger by mixt communion in the Word and Prayer as in the Sacrament The Reasons pretended to debarre from the one as argumentative to exclude from the other Matth. 7.6 examined whether the receiving the Sacrament be a duty enjoyned to all and a good work in all Whether it be a converting Ordinance What the Sacraments seat and how Whether they conferre grace The same evil effects ensue by male-administration of Discipline as by a free communion and the same Reason which forbid separation in the one doth also in the other case CLemens Alexandrinus magnifies it in Socrates that he hearkened unto none but Reason and Plutarch tells us Idem est deum rationem sequi suitable to that Stoical Principle well illustrated by Perseus Ni tibi concessii ratio digitum exere peccas which is very true being understood of reason rectified by and subordinate to holy Scripture Having therefore pondered the authorities of Sacred Writ and propended the testimonies of the ancient Church let us try on which side the weight of reason will incline the Beam in this controversie There is no Damnum emergens in admitting to and there is Lucrum cessans in rejecting from the Sacrament any that profess the faith of Christ though but formally and are not openly wicked and scandalous to the manifest belying of their profession what then should rationally impede and obstruct their admission or promove and imperate the rejecting of them whom it obligeth in duty to come and in no mans duty is it written down to repell them or separate from them There is no emergent mischief or inconvenience by their receiving either in respect of the Sacrament quod others cum quibus the Minister à quo or themselves qui the Sacrament is not defiled by their partaking no more is it by being preach'd unto faithless people and that is no more than our Lord Christ was by the kiss of Judas or an Angel by descending upon earth into some unclean place Those that communicate with them are not polluted more than the sons of God were by Satans coming among them to present himself before the Lord nor thereby defrauded of the fruit and efficacy of the Sacrament more than the rest of the Guests were deprived of the Feast by the sitting down of one that had no wedding garment God doth not binde us to set up an Inquisition into other mens consciences Contra literas Petil. tom 7. p. 26. Nemo curiosus qui non malevolus nor can their hypocrisie or cold formal profession hurt any beside themselves Tale cuique sacrificium fieri saith Augustine qualis accedit ut offerat qualis accedit ut sumat ità si offerat deo malus accipiat inde bonus tale cuique esse qualis ipse fuerit quia illud scriptum est omnia munda mundis To God saith a learned man they seem such as they are Hooker Eccles Polit. l. 5. sect â—8 p. 370. but of us they must be taken for such as they seem in the eye of God they are against Christ that are not truly and sincerely with him in our eyes they must be received as with Christ that are not in outward shew against him Multi corriguntur ut Petrus multi tolerantur ut Judas multi nesciuntur donec c. Many are amended as Peter many are tolerated as Judas many are not known untill the Lord come who shall enlighten the hidden things of darkness and manifest the counsels of all hearts De poenitent medicina tom 9. p. 210. homil 50. tom 18. p 115. Ad mysteriorum divinorum signacula celebranda multi mali c. To the celebrating of the Seals of divine mysteries many wicked men also may have access for God in this life commendeth his patience that in the next he may shew forth his severity saith St. Augustine Christ would be baptized with the promiscuous multitude and with the same Baptism wherewith the Scribes and Pharises were baptized to confute saith acute Spanheym those Dub. Evang. part 3. p. 153. who in imitation of the Catharists and Anabaptists come not to the Lords Supper if it be administred to such as are in their opinion flagitious what prejudice or pollution or reproof from the Apostle reflected upon the Corinthians that were worthy receivers for the concurrence and communion of those that came unworthily who onely did eat and drink damnation to themselves not to others but when he said He eateth judgment to himself he sufficiently sheweth saith Augustine that he eateth not judgment to another but to himself because the fellowship with evil men defileth not in the participation of the Sacraments but in the communion of works The Master of the Feast said to him that had no wedding garment Friend how comest thou in hither Not Friends why come you in which such a guest Neither were they for his sake commanded or permitted to forsake the Wedding our teeth shall not be set on edg with the sowre grapes that others eat every one lives by his proper righteousness In Ezek. 18. not anothers and dies for his own sins not another mans saith Origen Quibus mali placeant in unitate ipse communicant malis quibus autem c. Those to whom evil men are pleasing in unity they communicate with evil men but those whom they displease who cannot amend them nor before the time of Harvest dare to root up the Tares lest the Corn be also eradicated they communicate not with their actions but with the altar of Christ so that not onely they are not polluted by them but by the Word of God they deserve to be commended and magnified because lest the Name of Christ be blasphemed through horrible Schisms Contra Donat.
pertinac tom 2. p. 142. contra lit Petil. tom 9. p. 26. contra Crescon l. 3. c. 36. they suffer that for the good of truth which they hate for the good of equity saith Augustine And again Quaerendum est quis habeat charitatem invenies non esse nisi c. It is to be inquired who have charity and you shall finde none but those that love unity some likewise shall say In thy Name we have eaten and drunk and shall hear I know you not which eat his Body and drink his Bloud in the Sacrament and acknowledg not in the Gospel his members diffused through the whole world with whom therefore they shall not be reckoned in the day of judgment And in another place the Apostle saying Be not partaker of other mens sins Keep thy self chaste to shew saith he in what sort a man might communicate with other mens sins he adds Keep thy self chaste for he that keeps himself chaste communicates not with other mens fins although he communicate not their sins but the Sacraments of Christ which they receive to their judgment with them from whom he hath severed himself by keeping himself chaste There may be a common concourse to the material part of an act without concurrence in the formal neither can a Physical concurrence make partakers in a moral act there can be no such transite from one kinde of action to another both People and Minister concurre to the receiving not the unworthy receiving if thereof they are no causes to the act not to the ataxy or sinfulness thereof they cooperate not in the evil but permit it Contra epist Parmen tom 7. p. 11. as that which morally they cannot remedy Quod non placet non nocet qui seipsum custodit non communicat alienis peccatis saith St. Augustine for if in evil actions any man consents not to them the evil doer bears his own cause and his person saith he prejudiceth not another whom in consenting to an evil deed he had not his partner in the crime What is said of him that is born of God Non facit peccatum quia patitur potiùs is in some sort appliable to this purpose the People and the same may be said of the Pastor are physically active morally passive and neither give nor partake of the Sacrament to and with one unworthy but one that is undivided from the visible Church the notes whereof must agree to it as Proprium quarto modo omni soli semper whence if the Word and Sacraments are those notes as our Divines assert though Non quoad essentiam ejus internam certò necessariò declarandam tamem ad visibilem aliquem coetum designandum qui est Ecclesia particularis ex instituto Christi formata as learned Ames All then that are actually of the visible Church may challenge a right unto a free enjoyment of these Sacraments to the one by being born of Christian Parents to the other by being baptized and having a dogmatical faith which every intelligent person is presumed to have else there may be a part of the visible Church not authoritatively or judicially sequestred from the communion thereof which are not in a capacity of obtaining that which denotes the Church At no time can the Church pretend to or hope for perfection of degrees rarely to that of parts Jacob's Ladder had several degrees in it and all were not of one height or rising perplexed and complicated are those two Cities saith St. Augustine in this world and mix'd one with the other untill they are separated in the last judgment Exhortatio ad conc Eul. ep tom 2. p. 147. the Church being no homogeneous body constituted of singular parts The Floor hath in it Wheat and Chaff the Field Corn and Tares the Net good fish and bad and it is observable that at the Nuptial Banquet was one found without a Wedding-garment With those and other similitudes saith Augustine the Lord confirmeth the forbearance of his servants lest while good men may think themselves blamed for commixture with evil by humane and rash dissensions they destroy the little ones Contra Crescon l. 3. c. 35. or the little ones perish I keep the Church saith the same Father full both of wheat and Chaff I amend whom I can I tolerate whom I cannot I fly the Chaff lest I become the same thing but not the Floor lest I be nothing Let no man therefore saith he desert the Floor before his time Contra ep Parmen tom 1. p. 11. let him tolerate the Chaff in threshing suffer it in the Floor for he shall not have any thing to bear within the Barn he will come that hath his Fan and divide the good from the bad To forsake the assemblies because of the mixture and communion of hypocrites and evil men seems to be a kinde of negative Schism or Separation and a positive to gather and constitute a new Church and I would willingly know if it be not the renewing of the old Heresies and Schisms of Donatus Lucifer Contra Faust Manich. tom 6. p. 60. Novatus and Audim Whether it make not the Church of the called to be of no greater latitude than that of the Elect whereas many are called but few are chosen Cum paucis haereditatem Dei cum multis signacula ejus participanda saith Augustine and whether in time by degrees this singularity may not antiquate the Sacrament and make the use thereof wholly obsolete and bring men to be Seekers and like the Phenix In 1 ad Cor. c. 11. v. 26. p. 430. one alone in the kinde of their devotions and to that humour of the Swenckfeldian in Musculus that would never communicate because he could not in his judgment finde any Church sufficiently adorned to make a fit Spouse for Christ And as the better qualified people may not withdraw themselves from the Communion upon pretence of mixt Congregations and fear of prejudice by them so neither upon the like score may the Minister withhold the Sacrament from them or intermit the Administration thereof for can it be thought rational that the holy desire of a competent number should be unsatisfied because the greater part are not equally prepared and so well disposed to joyn with them Is not this to eradicate the Corn for the Tares sake whereas rather both should be suffered to grow together untill Harvest It was a Principle of wise Cato's It is better many receive Silver than a few Gold and can it be held just that none should have Silver because all cannot receive Gold or because the Leven cannot be throughly purged that therefore the Children must eat no Bread or because the Hedg of Discipline cannot be effecutally planted that the Field of the Church must ly altogether unmanured and must the Wheat receive no nourishment because the Tares stand in the same Field Shall a certain essential duty be neglected for an uncertain accidental evil
Whether formal Professors if they could be known were to be admitted How holy things may be polluted As the Sacrament so in like manner other holy things may be defiled By a free admission the Sacrament is not polluted by or to the Minister nor others that communicate worthily and it is no more dangerous for the unworthy to come than to keep off Whether mix'd Communion be a burden of sin or pain In what cases it is lawful to have Communion of Sacraments with evil men The Godly were always commix'd with the Wicked in Communion of Sacraments proved through the History of the Sacripture Sacrifices were of like nature with Sacraments and for offering or eating thereof no signes or tryals of reall Holiness were required Whether there be an equal necessity of profession of Faith at the receiving of the Eusharist and of Baptisme The Church of Corinth was corrupt yet in reforming thereof the Apostle prescribed no such tryal When and how far admonition and reproof may be sufficient Of Ambrose his proceeding against Theodosius What are the effects of the society of evil men with good The errors of Audius Novatus and Donatus Whether the Apologists symbolize with them Church-fellowship consists chiefly in communion of Sacraments they make the Church of the Called to be no larger than that of the Elect. The state of the Church according to the Parables of the Floor Field and Net Matth. 13. Our Thesis asserted in the express words of the Ancients The Pastor of Corinth not reproved for permitting mix'd Communions 1 Cor. 4.21 considered The Parable of the Marriage Feast Of sealing men thereto Free Pulpits no free Tables of Preaching without Ordination A recapitulation of much of the Discourse THis Section cuts out little work for them Like the Spaniards at the siege of Amiens when the French came to the Assault they sit down and play here is indeed little work that they will doe and therefore magna pars temporis effluit aliud agentibus but enough that they should have done some arrows they say are well drawn but aimed at a wrong mark but I doubt haeret lateri lethalis arundo we cannot suppose that they have as it were been dipp'd in Styx like Achilles and are altogether invulnerable but rather that this is an Assay of the Spartan valour who being struck down by a mortal blow used to snatch their mouths full of earth that they might not be heard to quetch or groan thereby to affright their fellows or animate their enemies however it is pity they are unhappily fallen upon an encounter with so weak an Adversary whom it shall be no honour to vanquish Egregiam vero laudem spolia ampla reportas yet it would be great ignominy to be overcome by Cedere majori virtutis sama secunda est Illa gravis palma est quam minor hostis habet In which they say the Paper objects and answers it self there they shall not need to intermeddle Una eademque manus vulnus opemque tulit but it had been propitious if the Paper had indeed answered it self for I doubt it will not be found that they have made any reasonable answer thereunto That the Sacraments are necessary necessitate medii they grant is true yet to be administred in due manner and with care but they are content if not cautious not to take notice that this was interposed to defeat one of their most colourable Arguments that a man is guilty of every sinne which he doth not hinder and consequently of others unworthy receiving c. whereunto it was among other particulars answered that this Rule holds not where the matter is necessary and the failer is onely in the manner but to receive the Sacrament is a matter of necessary duty c. yea necessary to him that yet cannot receive it Eucharistiae sacramentum omnibus mandatum à Domino Tertulli de corona militis c. 3. p. 121. in that due manner which is requisite as hath been elsewhere demonstrated but from this greund they have thought fit to retreat and have thus left one of their Champion-Arguments bleeding and not ferch'd it off But what ever work they have here to doe ours is brought before-hand and we have anticipated their often re-doubled charges by our as frequent Defences That our Concessions and Arguments make up a kinde of Janus and look two wayes yet which way soever we look we can see no instances thereof That the scandalous cannot be kept back unless the Minister have a power to impede them as if any body could be so silly to think there could be any acts without Powers or Powers without Subjects nothing of all this being ad Iphicli boves onely the object and manner in the exercise of the power being controverted that this power he cannot have without a concurrent and subordinate power to examine whereunto men must then subject which is in effect to say that I cannot shut up or manacle a mad-man unless I have authority to examine all men in the Nation whether or no they be in their wits that a free admission even of those that are not scandalous but of those that have not been tryed and approved is to partake of their sins where we cannot partake with them in the sinne of so frequent Tautologies the similitude of a poysoned Cup which he is not excusable that holds forth though he warn of the danger which is to us a Cup of Trembling to hear the Cup of Blessing as the Apostle calls it compared to a Cup of Poyson and it hath some analogy with that horrid act of the Papists who made it Corporal Poyson for the Emperour Lewes as they make it Spiritual Poyson that men godly and well-disposed that is those who have been measured for such by the standard of their peculiar Sanctuary nil rectum nisi quod placuit sibi ducit may have it if they desire it that is if they will take their yokes upon their necks and suffer them to plow and turn up their bosomes they may then draw toward the Holy Table and reap the sacred Bread that the fewness of those that are accepted is from their unfitness unfitness to partake of Christs body who yet are still members thereof and to eat at his Table who yet are of his Houshold by profession of Faith and unwillingness but if they accept some and not others yet those others must offer themselves else they cannot be not accepted and if they offer themselves then they were not unwilling but sua vitia aliis exprobrant the unwillingness is in themselves to accept not in those to come who though they would sell all they have to buy such a pearl of the Master yet are perhaps unwilling to say to the Servant as the Egyptians did to Joseph Buy us for bread and we will be thy servants or as in profane Story Lysimachus did give up himself and his forces to Dromocheta for servants to be refresh'd with drink
restituendae conducat consulo nè posthac edas bibas hoc ipsum consilio non curat restituit sed perdit etenim non restituitur valetudo non edendo ac bibendo sed competentèr pro qualitate morbi edendo bibendo consimili modo non correxisset Apostolus malum hoc Corinthiorum consulendo nè in posterum de pane ederent c. hoc Apostoli exemplum sequatur Minister Christi sicubi viderit esse quosdam qui coenâ dominicâ abutuntur neque suspendat institutionis dominicae usum neque jubeat ut ab illo abstineant sed urgeat potiùs ut in seipsos inquirant gratiae Dei sacramento se competenter accommodent Though when as a single person had perpetrated and persisted in such a notorious and execrable crime as appeared horrible to the Gentiles who yet beheld it by a Dim light then liberiore correptione excommunicatione judicat dignum the Apostle strikes and blasts him with the thunderbolt of his censures ut poena ad unum terror ad omnes then cum inter dissimiles peccavit cum congregationis ecclesiae multitudo ab eo crimine quo anathematizatur aliena est as St. Augustine speaks But when the corruptions were great and Epidemical then the Apostle both suitably to the Aphorisms of Physick which prescribe that in statu morbi non est purgandum sed praestat quâ—escere and also si sanguis nimìs corruptus est Hippoc. 2. Apboris 29. Sennertus Instit ratione causae cùm hoc modo in cacochymiam exquisitam degeneraverit ratione signi cùm vires imbecilles denunciet venae sectio non convenit and also agreeable to the practice of Physicians who in a Tympany dare not let out at once all that corrupt water of the Belly whence death would follow in stead of health so this Spiritual Physician doth not drive them all at once from the Communion nor as if to the reformation of that Church it had been necessary make them probationers for some time until they were readmitted to a Church-fellowship upon demonstrations of Sanctity but to his reproofs his doctrine his exhortations he only adds his mourning Epist 64. Tom. 2. p. 61. Cum multos jam comperisset immundâ luxuriâ fornicationibus inquinatos ad eosdem Corinthios in secunda epistola scribens non itidem praecipit ut cum talibus ne cibum sumerent multi enim erant nec de his poterat dicere si quis frater c. sed ait nè iterum cùm venero ad vos Contra Parmen l. 2. c. 3. Tom. 7. p. 13. humiliet me Deus lugeam multos c. per luctum suum potiùs eos divino flagello coercendos minans quà m per illam correptionem saith the same Father and this patern he commends to the imitation of every pious and prudent Christian in like cases patienter ferat ex dilectione gemat lugeat donec ille desuper emendet corrigat atque usque ad messem deferat eradicare zizania c. And it is upon this account that a judicious Divine observeth Mr. Balls answer to Canne part 2. p. 57. that the Apostles tolerated great abuses in private persons which they could not redress doubtless they condemned the having many wives at once but when that Custom prevailed amongst Jews and Gentiles they gave no command for the casting such out of the Church but onely prohibited them to be chosen Bishops so as it is evident that what St. Augustine professeth hath been practised in all ages Toleramus quae nolumus ut perveniamus quò volumus If the Apologists could meet such an example or finde such an argument to condemn promiscuous Communions as might be fetch'd from Corinth to defend them cuivis licuit adire Corinthi they would speak thunder and look lightning and in decrying mixt Communions would mix Heaven and Earth or rather set them farther asunder and yet at what distance soever sublimi ferient sidera vertice Yet notwithstanding all their courses togather and constitute a pure and unmixed Church and Communion will be like the course of the eighth Sphear which shall be finished onely at the end of the World in the mean time as the Chymists tell us the lesser fire the purer Distillation and this fire must not be such a purging fire as the School-men say the fire of the last Conflagration shall be thorough which all alive must pass to be purified the best aswel as the worst this fiery tryal ought neither to be so violent nor Universal fire mollifies and hardens Steel according to the varieties and intensions of heat and so Rheubarbe if gently decocted purgeth if overmuch it bindeth and Galen tels us that quaedam medicamenta pulverizata exlguâ quantitate ulceri inspersâ cicatricem inducunt eadem vero si largiùs usurpantur carnem absumunt ulcus cavum efficiunt et contra cathaereticorum quaedam si parciùs usurpentur in cicatricem inducunt et fiunt epulotica so in Purgative Discipline a little may do much and too much nothing leniter castigatus reverentiam exhibet castiganti asperitatis autem nimia increpatio nec increpationem recipit nec salutem Concil 3. Can. 6. saith the Bracaren Council What Arnoldus in his Aphorisms adviseth the Corporal Physician is as proper for the Spiritual Prudens et pius Medicus morbum ante expellere satagit cibis medicinalibus quà m puris medicinis nunquam properabit ad pharmaciam nisi cogente necessitate and especially ought he to be sparing of Purgatives Galen himself assuring us Omne purgans medicamentum corpori purgato contrarium c. succes et spiritus abducit substantiam corporis aufert of them therefore that are so much for Purgatives when alteratives might do the Cure that drive out so much of the pure Blood to expel the evil which being left mixt with the other might be perhaps concocted and assimilated we may say truely plus periculi à Medico quà m à morbo the injustice of this repulse makes those sad that ought not to be sad and the commonness thereof strikes less shame into those that should be ashamed and while they are not convinced to merit it they will despise the censure et contra audentiùs ibunt and by degrees may some of them grow to disesteem the Ordinance which they are perswaded it is not their fault that they cannot have and will little fear to wax worse since if they should do so they cannot fare much worse But they say it is an unsound position that a previous exhortation on the Ministers part frees his soul more is required of him suspension is an effectual means and he must suspend such as he knows or may know to be wicked or he defiles his own soul with other mens sins more is also required of the people praying and informing and declaring among them Chrysostom bids them to deny the Sacrament to some
is beyond our Astrology Such as they communicate not with in the Lords Supper to them there is not denyed either os orare vale mensa they hold Fellowship with them in other Ordinances they refuse not civil commerce with them and if they entertain them not at their own Tables yet they deny not being invited to eat with them at other Tables Why then should the Lords Table onely become a snare or trap or stumbling block to them They doe not there see them give any evil Example that Malignant Planet is there minutus lumine or combustus and why should not there the exemplary Devotion of others reflect and infuse some goodness into them since also bonum est sui diffusivum And the Aspects of Malignant Planets are somewhat meliorated when they are in conjunction with those that are of benigne influence Ecclesia membra impura in se habet eisdemque interdum circumfluit Ecclesiast l. 1. c. 4. tom 1. p. 1938 1939. saith Junius who speaks words which quatiúntque summos fuimina montes quicunque ex Ecclesia visibili sunt iidem revera sunt ex Ecclesia Catholica eosque haberi aequum est in membris Catholicae imè verò ut ait Chrysostomus ob hoc ipsum Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ità constituit omnes homines promiscuè bonos malos in unum coalescere ut horum vitium resecetur illorum virtus reddatur illustrior and out of Câ—prian he alleageth Obesse mali bonis non debent sed magis mali à bonis adjuvari and the wise Heathen could say Bonorum virorum conversatio paulatim in pectus descendit Caten aur in Mat. 13. p. 56. vim obtinet praeceptorum est aliquid quod à magno viro vel tacente proficias And as Aquinas tels us out of Augustine that boni dum adhuc infirmi sunt opus habent in quibusdam malorum commixtione sive ut per eos exerceantur sive ut eorum comparatione magna illis exhortatio fiat invitentur ad melius So also the hope that the Unbeleeving Husband might be sanctified by the Beleeving Wife that is converted as Augustine Theodoret Lira Carthusian Hammond Lapide c. Or the assurance that he was sanctified that is not polluted or defiled as Chrysostome Anselme Paraeus Calvin c. was a stronger motive with the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. to keep them together than the fear of being leavened or corrupted or made partaker of his sinnes was a perswasive to depart from each other And there is beside more danger of Contagion from them in ordinary Conversation which is more frequent and insinuative and where they are lesse strict and composed and where the virtual Contact may disperse the Contagion and therefore to keep at distance there rather may be a wholesome caution That of 1 Cor. 5.11 with such a one no not to eat I hope to shew in due place to be meant onely of common and civil eating and therefore to strengthen and maintain the Nerves of that Argument à minori ad majus such as they refuse to communicate with at the Lords Supper they should not participate with at Common Meales En rogat ad coenam melior te Classice rectam Grandia verba ubi sunt si vir es ecce nega The unclean persons under the Law were not onely suspended from the Passcover but also proscribed the Tabernacle yea some of them put out of the Camp Numb 5.2 and they collect an argument from that precedent to exclude men from the Sacrament therefore the force of the same Reason will require that they be propelled out of the Church also and seeing those who once have swollen into a Wisdome beyond Sobriety and have strayed beyond measured and fixed Bounds Unde discedant fortasse faciliùs sentiant quà m ubi consistant inveniant these arguments perchance be at length dilated and expanded to inferre not onely a necessity of exiling them from all Fellowship in any Sacred Ordinance but of interdicting them of all Secular Commerce and of having any complyance with them in civill usages and transport some not only to like superstition and stubborness with the Donatists who would not sit in the Assembly of the Orthodox because it was said Psal 25. as the Vulgar Latine reckoned it Non sedi consilio impiorum and who as Optatus told them would scarce have had Heaven and Earth in common with them but to like inhumanity and desperatenesse with Mr. Gresnold whom Mr. Ball mentions who of a Separatist turned more than an Anchorite and would neither commerce nor speak with or receive ordinary food or help from those whom he thought wicked or not called and which might pollute him till he and his Children were starved or perished for want of necessaries But they have in readiness a Reason why the Wicked more defile the Sacrament than the Word because Gods Word allows a visible mixture at the one not at the other but we expected they would have brought forth some Arguments to have proved that ex natura rei a Communion with wicked men though this he excentrick with our present subject which is not of men manifestly wicked but not evidently godly had been more influxive and apt to pollute at the Sacrament than at the Word but at this Obstupuit retróque pedem cum voce repressit and it seemes onely that the difference resulteth not from the contagion but the unlawfulness of the one more than the other which unlawfulness they say was plainly proved before but sure if they made any plain proof that any which were put from the Sacrament lest they might else have polluted it or the partakers thereof were yet allowed by Gods Word to have publick communion in the Word without any danger of such pollution their Book hath met with the Index Expurgatory before it came to us for there are now no such passages therein legible The Errours of Novatus and others the distinguishing of the Church visible from the invisible the estate of the Church here all this they yeeld and yet can see nothing gained upon them Resp. A dangerous symptome for Hippocrates tells us that quibus cerebrum concussum fuerit doluerit percussis aut aliter lapsis statim privantur voce non vident non audiunt ac ferè moriuntur but they will not so easily purge themselves of Donatisme while they suppose a Communion in Sacraments with evil men without consent in evil doth pollute or commaculate for Cur Ecclesiae non communicat pars Donati saith Augustine videlicet ne à peccatoribus polluatur orbem christianum per communionem sacramentorum maculatum peccatis criminabantur alienis Contra Crescon l. 3. c. 65. l. 4. c. 1. c. 28. but he tells them Etiamsi vera atque peccata sunt bonorum societatem maculare non possunt neque enim boni communicant peccatis alienis quibus utique faciendis non consentiant quamvis
cum ipsis qui ea faciunt donec areâ dominicâ sicut palea ventilabro ultimo separentur non eorum peccata sed Dei sacramenta communicent We shall howsoever endeavour that they may not onely recipere totum telum but also be sensible of the stroke and the wound First they grant what the Paper proposed that to forsake the Assemblies or to make a separation because of the mixture of evil men was the Heresie of Donatus Audius c. But what it tacitly assumed that they were guilty of a like separation upon like grounds that they think they may be confident to deny But although perhaps there be not such an exact agreement between them and those Hereticks as they say there was among the 72. Interpreters who though in several Cells yet punctually accorded in the same Translation yet that there is some conformity in judgment and affection between them as they write there is among those between whom there is a Synastry and who have the same common Stars and influences at their Nativities if themselves will not see we hope to make others to discern for first they separate from those which by no judicial process are separated from them so did those Hereticks 2. Their separation is carried on by the same motives for they confess that divers of their members have forsaken Communion with their proper Congregations Centur. Magd. cent 4. c. 5. p. 208. L. de unic bapt c. 14. S. 9. because they were offended with the grossness of the Administrations at home where no separation was made just as Theodoret tells of the Audians Recederéque à communione Ecclesiastica dicebant quòd in illa ferrentur faeneratores impuri and right as Augustine and others elsewhere alleaged shew us of the Donatists that they separated from other constituted Churches because of the mixture of godly and wicked persons in one Communion and because some whom they thought of right ought to have been so were not in Fact excommunicated 3. That Reason the Apologists have back'd with a second adding that the commixture of the Wicked with the Godly defileth and polluteth and therefore they refuse Communion with them in the Sacrament And these were the very Dictates and Arguings of the Novatians and Donatists Centur. Magd. cent 3. c. 3. p. 71. ubi supra as Cyprian and Augustine inform us In communione sacramentorum mali maculant bonos c. so as plainly the lives of the one and other are paralels though in a different Meridian If to excuse themselves from symbolizing with those Hereticks they shall alleage that they doe not suppose the Church either should or can be constituted of such as are free from all sinne but such as are cleer of Crimes not who are really but onely who are visibly worthy We shall re-minde them that those Heresiarchs were pure from so gross an errour as to think there were no Hypocrites in the Church or that all of their Societies were pure without mixture or perfect without defect neither did they pretend to have read the Book of Life to know who were Elect nor presume to know the hearts Gods peculiar and to discern who were Hypocrites but they would admit of communion with none whom they could distrust to be culpable in any sinne or that had not a visible worthiness as the Apologists would qualifie their members they would not communicate with those they judged to be impure as is mentioned of the Audians though they were not yet cast out nor thought fit to be so Mutato nomine de te Fabula narratur Secondly If to vindicate themselves they shall suggest that they admit such to Church-fellowship in other Ordinances and only deny it in the holy Supper besides that some men may build higher upon the like Foundation and runne farther in the same way we must remember them § 9 that it hath been elsewhere shewed that the Fathers have described Ecclesiastical Communion by Society in Sacraments and have asserted evil men with the good Sociari cohaerere fratres esse misceri in and by a Communion of Sacraments and St. Cont. Ep. Parmen l. 3. c. 2. tom 7. p. 12 13. Augustine tells us that Cyprian alia frumenta Dominica quòd in illa tunc unitatis Ecclesia cum avaris rapacibus cum his qui regnum Dei non possidebant panem Domini manducabant calicem Domini bibebant which frustrates any interposition that this Communion of Sacraments was onely in the one Sacrament and not in the other and that they were together not onely unam cum iis intrantes Ecclesiam but also in una Congregatione paria tractantes sacramenta for quia non poterant ab iis corporaliter separari ne similiter eradicarent triticum sufficiebat iis à talibus corde seâ—ungi vitâ moribusque distingui propter compensationem custodiendae pacis unitatis propter salutem infirmorum tanquam lactentium frumentorum ne membra corporis Christi per sacrilega schismata laniarent and as it is not Ecclesiastical Communion but Schisme rather in the judgment of Mr. Ball to use the one Ordinance and not the other Cited before and they are not to be reckoned of the body of Christ which are unworthy to eat the Body Christ in the Sentence of Chamier so Casaubon tells us farther Exercit. 6. S. 52. p. 145. Eos ' qui ad Christianismum adspirarent priusquam sacramentorum facti essent participes neque esse neque dici posse Christianos neque ad Ecclesiam pertinere aditum per baptismum sed neque satis hanc semel esse ingressum sed oportere conjungi Christo per sacramentalem ejus manducationem L. de Pastorib c. 13. p. 221. tom 9. They were not by Antiquity held or named Fideles that did not partake of the Eucharist the Celebration whereof was therefore called Missa fidelium Quaeris saith Augustine nè fortè Catechumenus irruat sacramentis Respondet fidelis which implyes that every of the faithful which was a member contradistinguish'd from the Catechumens and onely those that had the name of Faithful used to communicate neither were they esteemed Brethren that were not partakers of the Sacrament L. 1. obs 19. p. 141. for so Albaspinus tells us that the Penitents and Catechumens were not called Brethren by the Faithful so as the denomination being taken à fortiori it cannot be absolutely called Church-fellowship that is without Communion of Sacraments which is implyed and tacitly assented unto even by themselves who call those onely the Church whom they admit to the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ Thirdly if to defend themselves they shall interpose that they separate not from the Catholique Church but from corrupt Congregations I shall admonish them that seeing the publick Worship is not sinful but it is onely pretended that sinners are admitted to a Communion therein and those that are pure may joyn in
those Tares to be Emblems of wicked and scandalous men Ad zizania reseruntur omnia scandala saith Hierom scandala tum doctrinae tum vitae as Piscator agreeing in sense with Beza the children of the wicked one that is Hereticks Schismaticks Hypocrites wicked and profane men living in the Church as the late Annotations out of Theophylact Euthymius Augustine when beyond all those we have better testimony from the Word and Truth Christ himselfe interpreting this parable who expoundeth the Tares to be the children of the wicked one and them which doe iniquity which is too comprehensive to be restrained onely to hypocrites and seeing that which the Angell-reapers shall gather at the last great harvest is the same that the servants discerned to be tares and would precipitously have pluckt up that being expressly said to be scandals in the originall and the same word is retained by the vulgar and Tremelius and Offendicula whereby others render it is the same in sense though not in sound those Tares must be concluded to be scandals and though they come near Christians bearing the name and owning the profession and therein indeed like believers yet they may be distinguished from sincere Christians otherwise they could not be scandals and though they may be denominated hypocrites in a large and generall notion because their actions give the lye unto their profession In Ecclesia Christi ficte intrantes promittentes non facientes voventes non reddentes renunciantes malo iterum idem facientes as Augustine yet the falsity of that profession and the difference thereof from their actions was as discernable as the Tares from the Wheat But it seemes the Apologists will allow none to be in the Church save such onely who appeare to be godly and will cast out all whom they dscern not to be sincere he that had imbibed the Philosophy of Pythagoras would suspect the souls of the Donatists had made a transmigration into their bodies for had they with Aethalides been dispenc'd with for drinking of Lethe they might have said with Pythageras remembring when he was first Aethalides and after Euphorbus Cognovi clypeum lâ—vae gestamina nostrae and have owned the Shield of this answer for the same with that of the Donatists Contra Donat. post Collat. c. 8 p. 123. tom 7. or very like it who being prest by the Catholicks with arguments drawn from those similitudes chose to answer to that of the net gathering of every kind malos in Ecclesia usque in finem seculi permixtos esse confessi sunt sed occultos cos esse dixerunt quoniam sic à sacerdotibus ignorantur quemadmodum pisces intra retia cum adhuc in mari sunt à piscatoribus non videntur to whom Augustine the then speaker of the Lords house his Church replies C. 10. Propterea ergo arcae comparata ost ut etiam manifesti malicum bonis in ea pronunciarentur futuri neque enim palea quae in area est permixta frumentis etiam ipsa sub fluctibus latet quae sic omnium oculis est conspicua ut potiùs occulta sint in ea frumenta cum sit ipsa manifesta As also in that Conference where were 306 orthodox Bishops Brevical Col. lat 3. die tom 7 p. 118. Quamvis debeat vigilare Ecclesiastica disciplina ad eos non solum verbis sed etiam excommunicationibus degradationibus corripiendos Contr. Donat. post Collat. c. 10. and no fewer than 296 of the Donatists it was asserted that iâ— was not destructive to discipline nor incompatible with the watchfulnesse therof for correption of evill men not onely by words but also by excommunications although mali non solum in ea latentes nesciantur sed plerunque propter pacem unitatis etia neogniti toleremur and therefore this glosse being in the judgment of the ancient Church so corruptive of the text Augustine tells them Quanto melius seipsos corrigant quam Euangelia sancta pervertunt ad vanum suae mentis errorem eloquia dominica detorquere conantur Though the beauty of holiness which like the Sun gilds those that look toward him though with squint eyes may give some specious advantages to those Declamations which are made against mixt communions as spots to that beauty yet this is rather paint or colour laid on than any true beauty and as they say the use of the artificiall fucus despoils the native candor so reall spots are contracted by those assayes to cleanse the imaginary and by those separations to make the Church more pure it becomes nimio candore deformis propter venustatem invenusta and the face of the Church more blemished by being made not onely lean and hollow and withered but also defective in many integrall parts and were they all onely parts superfluous yet is there more peril in their removall than their remaining as Chirurgions tell us that sometimes the cutting off of a Mole as an alloy to beauty hath occasioned the cutting off of life It is a grave censure given by Calvin that Augustinus redivious cum sub studio perfectionis imperfectionem nullâ—m tolerare possumus in corpore aut in membris Ecclesiae tunc diabolum nos tumefacere superbia hypocrisi seducere moneamur What was the judgement of the ancient Church in this case of mixt communion may be seen by the verdict of Augustine who in the Controversies with the Donatists as well as in the contests with the Pelagians was the Foreman to say for them and that judgment as it was never reverst in after Ages by any Writ of Error so it is as direct to our issue as can be conceived for we have heard expressly that evill men are to be permixt with good in the Church till the great day of judgement and in one congregation in una Congregatione and not onely in hearing the same word of God idem verbum Dei simul audiunt but also communione sacramentorum they receive the same sacraments paria sacramenta tractantes simul Dei sacramenta percipiunt not onely participating of the one Sacrament of Baptisme but also of the other of the Supper of the Lord De verb. apost serm 23. tom 7. p. 76. Cont. Donat. post coll c. 20 p. 125. tom 7 quid si communicares cum illo malo mensam Domini and omnes ad unum altare accedebant and they did eat panem Domini and drink calicem Domini and those evil men are not latent or undetected hypocrites but known to be evill etiam cogniti and manifest evil manifesti mali and this is as full and as express as can be wished or imagined so that as the Fathers in a Councill against the Pelagians formed their Canons out of the very words of Augustine so we in this controversie need say no more than he hath said before us for us and as he that to avoyd the shot of an enemy took up his son in his
arms and held him there as a shield against his darts so we close with Augustine that none can strike us but through his sides But whereas the paper set forth that the Pastor of Corinth was not reproved for permitting of a mixt communion and admitting such as did partake unworthily but they onely were reprehended that came unprepared the Apologists answer That he whole Church is blamed for it Dic quibus in verbis cris mihi magnus Apollo Why 1 Cor. 4.21 this rod was they say for abuses and their negligence in this might be one Resp The Canonists call the Glosse upon Gratian comparatively Palca but sure this glosse is absolutely and purely chaffe and the offer to catch us with it implies they overvalue themselves or despise us as if any thing would take from them or pass with us secure defacilitate credentis as Tacitus said of the Orators in Neroes time We are disputing what was and they alone tell us what might be but if onely it might be then also it might not be and so Suillus his si ita est ibis is no better than Trochilus his si non est redeo for fear one fallacy might not be a snare strong enough to hold us they have twisted a twofold cord that it might less easily be broken here is first an argument a genere ad speciem affimative things are eprehended go this thing 2. petitio principii abuses are increpated but this is an abuse go We argue this was not reproved therefore it appears not to be an abuse they conclude this is an abuse and therefore it was blamed A text in this fashion glossed will prove like a Delphick sword to serve for any occasion a common place or general repertory from whence to fetch an argument to confute or condemn any thing it is but to say it is an abuse and therefore might be in this or that place reprehended Even such a catholicon panacea and common retreat do the Papists make of their traditions for they say whatsoever the Church believes or practiseth and is not contained in Scriptures must be presumed to have been derived from and confirmed by tradition and so also this rod will serve the Apologists to whip any thing and such arguments may not onely become rods but axes too both the ensignes and the instruments of their power to cut off whomsoever for whatsoever they shall call abuses but the rod which the Apostle here shakes over them in the judgment of A Lapide threatens them for their elation and vain confidence which he taxeth them for in the foregoing verses of this chapter or rather properly respecteth the execrable crime of incest and their conniving thereat which he increpates in the consequent chapter as is the consonancy of most Interpreters that they might see there was just cause of so severe a menacing and that they were such as merited to feel the rod In locum rather then to be handled with lenity he now laies to their charge this notorious and detestable offence saith Hierom Aquinas Calvin Paraeus Piscator Cajetan Estius c. Cont. Ep. Par. men l. 3. c. 1. and Augustine seeme also of the same judgment and therefore as Calvin and Piscator admonish that this last verse of the fourth ought aptly to have been the first of the fifth chapter so Estius tells us that the Greek Scholia's do so dispose and institute it But I believe scarce credet Judaeus Apella that the Apostle should here in a general reproof tax them for a fault which he particularly mentions not until seven chapters after or that he should blame them for it here where the matter was not mentioned and when they could not understand what it was which he meant and yet cast no censure upon it where he specially recites it and when they might have known what it was that he censured or that he should increpate abuses and yet not tell them in any the lest word expressly or involvedly that this was one of them or that though Paul is said to have been seen infusing into Chrysostom when he preacht yet neither he nor any other understood this to be the Apostles sense in this place till the Apologists found it by I know not what inspiration surely these painted grapes are so badly coloured that we cannot be so farre tempted as to pick at them To that which was offered from the parable that the servants were not checked for bringing in one without a wedding garment to the nuptial feast but onely himself was cast out They oppose First That this is a parable and proves nothing but onely in the scope of it Resp Dicimus inficias De civit dei l. 16. c 2. tom 5. p. 192. In parabolis multa dicuntur non ad significandam sed ad implendam narrationem non quasi parabolae partes sed quasi emblemmata ornamenta non quod unicuique parti sua apodosis sit reddenda sed quod cum illis adjunctis ita apud bomines sieri solet Menochius in Matt. 13.26 sed vox ea sola reperta est We may say of raising arguments from parables as Tacitus doth of a kind of Mathematicians In civitate nostra vetabitur semper retincbitur but for my part I am sufficiently consciâ—us that as in pictures so in parables which are pictures for the ears picturae sonantes the designe and scope which is the formal part is onely to be observed the parerga and accessories though without them the other could not well be set forth yet signifie nothing what Augustine elegantly writes of the types prophetical histories of the old Testament is as applicable to parables Non saue omnia quae gesta narrantur aliquid etiam significare putanda sunt sed propter illa quae aliquid significant attexuntur solo enim vomere terra proscinditur sed ut hoc ficripossit etiam câ—tera aratri membra sunt necessaria soli nervi in citharis atque hujusmodi vasis musicis aptantur ad cantum sed ut aptari possint insunt caetera in compaginibus organorum quae non percutiuntur a canentibus sed ea quae percussa resonant his connectuntur ita in prophetiâ—a historia dicuntur aliqua quae nihil significant sed quibus adhaercant quae significant quomodo religentur I shall therefore take my aim onely to the scope of the parable lest I misse my mark Secondly They make a great question whether this is to be understood of the preaching of the Gospel or the Supper of Grace at large in the Word taught not in this Ordinance Resp Promissa est nobis recta at data sportula to tell us liberally of a Supper of Grace at large and then to straiten and contract it to one dish as it were viz. the Word taught is such another kind of contradiction in the adject save that it differs in the transposition as we deride the Papists for
common sort as if common and unclean were still synonomous in relation to all subjects for though it may differ gradually from other separations yet magis minus non variant speciem especially surveigh that rich Armory which St. Augustine furnisht against the Donatists and try if most of his weapons may not be appositely and properly made use of in this present controversie against our Antagonists It were indeed a more humble zeale and better placed and more discreetly regulated for those Ministers to engage their endeavours to frame and constitute their several Towns and Parishes according to the way of Presbyterial Churches where they have a more warrantable call where their speciall work lies and where they receive their maintenance and to take heed to those Flocks whereof the holy Ghost hath made them over-seers rather than to be gathering and forming without obligation or warrant of new Churches out of Churches of such persons as by remoteness of place are not susceptible of any frequent communion together in the ministry of the word and have one pastor for the Word another for the Sacraments at least if any body can tell who is the Pasos of some of those Churches in which are so many Ministers that have severall pastorall charges elsewhere and some other of these in like manner gathered Churches who have stept farther and stand at greater distance in their separations have onely such Teachers as can be called Pastors no otherwise than the Idols of the Gentiles were called Godsn uncupatively or ironically or by antipbrasis so that by a Charientisme we may say of them as the Athenians did of Alexander If he will be a God let him passe for one And I would have those that are lawfully ordained Ministers abstracted from Selfe and Interest for pessimum veri affectus venenum sua cuique utilitas to consider with what right they can take tythes from them whom they will not own to be of their Church seeing officium beneficium sunt relata with what conscience they can exact the whole tyth as their due when they omit a great part of their duty And for such as are univocally and compleatly of the Independent way I would gladly know how it is coherent with their principles to receive tythes at all for to say they take them not immediatly while yet they doe by mediation of their Farmers and Agents is such a palpable imposture as the Capuchins gull the world with who may not touch with silver themselves but they have their boyes at hand to purse up all they can carch Lastly I shall hold it forth to the serious consideration of prudentiall and godly men whether this setting of the Sacraments in an elevation of purity and holinesse above the Word as a lower and higher story or sphear have not been the spring or source of those manifold schilmes and heresies which of late years have made the Church of God as an heap of sand without unity or communion and whether that opinion haue not been fomented by an ambition of pre-eminence of power in some men and singularity of holiness in others Episcopacy like a tree not bearing good fruit hath been howen down and cast into the fire but is it seasonable or â—uits it with prudence or is it of the Interest of religion in the ashes thereof to be like Archin edes drawing of lines and circles and figures of Church-government according to our severall models while the enemy is at the gates of our Syracuse or in a more proper Allegory like the factions of John and Simon and Eleazar to be at feude among our selves while the Romans have laid siege to and are like to surprize our Jerusalem to divide and break our Ranks when we should stand close and conjoyn our selves to withstand the impression and charges of our enemies To ravell more threads in the coat of Christ when it is more than time and need to stitch up the rents In these unstable and ensnaring and lapsing times to quench the smoaking Flax which being not tenderly cherished either will altogether expire or catch after strange fites and new lights to hazard the blasting of the blossoms of Aarous Rod with sharp and nipping censures at their first putting forth Hoc I thacus velit magno mercentur Atridae They are prudent principles and worthy of reflection Novum imperium inchoantibus utilis clementiae fama Potentiam cautis quam acrimoribus confiliis tutius haberi Remissius imperanti melius paretur Numa built a Temple for Faith and Peace under one roofe and Charity and Peace must have some Sacrifices if it be not with neglect of the Altars of indispensible truth lest we have daily more cause to exclaim passionatly with Nazianzen Loving Peace loving Peace loving Peace where didst thou leave us Some things also may be just in Ecelesia constituta which in constituenda are not fit It rendred a complacency to wise Solon to have given the Athenians Laws the best of those they would have received Excellentissima animdvertenti ne mediocria praestare quidem rubori oportet esse And he was a judicious Physician whose Maxim it was Frustra disputamus utrum satis tutuÌ„ sit remedium quod est unicuÌ„ The wisdom of God himselfe hath taught us That no man puts a piece of new Cloth into an old garment otherwise the rent is made worse nor puts new wine into old bottles else the bottles break and perish and the wine runneth out and no man having drunk old wine straight way desireth new for he saith the old is better Quid jugum vestrum super eos aggravatis quorum potius onera portare debetis saith Bernard and he was the greatest propagator of the faith and advancer of the truth that ever was who was made all things to all men that he might by all meanes save some Seraphins which have their name from love are an higher order in the Scholastick Hierarchy than Thrones Dominations Principalities Powers and Doves whose wings are anointed with sweet ointment the Emblem of love draw all others to the house as it is in St. Basil not onely Tacitus commends Agricola that rarissima moderatione maluit videri invenisse bonos quam fecisse but when St. Paul questioned Agrippa concerning his faith he anticipated his confession and answered for him And when the King acknowledged that he did but almost believe the Apostle by a Charientisme presumed to know that he believed That great Fither of men knew it was the best bait to catch soules to graâ—ulate our brethren in their weak beginnings and to pretend a considence they are such as we desire they should be to take hold of such as are coming forward and to draw them farther with signes of love and indulgence and to seem to hope well of them not to discourage or set them out of countenance or to distrust or disparage them ctiam fictilia vasa confringere domino soli concessum saith Cyprian
Eudemon boasted of the Jesuits Penes se esse imperium literarum so these mens opinions and practises were the rule and measure and touchstone of things and they had the monopoly and mintage of godliness and nothing must pass for currant but what flowes from them Sedul Apol. pro libro conform l. 1. c. 20. c. 13. l. 2.1.6 and carries their stamp The Book of conformities blasphemously tells us that St. Francis was deified that he was made one spirit with God and that God did obey him at a beck in every thing and that he knew the secrets of all hearts but I will not nor dare not so to aggravate the greatness of their presumption nor yet at all urge how bold they make with God that set his stamp upon all they coyn without his Letters patents and vouch him to warrant all their deeds and make him their second in all their duels without his leave or consent but I shall onely say as that Spartan did before the approaching battel of Lectra the day is coming that will shew who is good or a godly man in the mean time it shall more suit with godliness to make an arrest of judgment But vir bonus est Sejus sed tantum Christianus the Waldenses are without blame and unrebukable onely they blaspheme the Church of Rome the inflexibleness of some men to move along with them in these excentrick orbes is the onely rotten grain in their Pomegranates would they but strike in and be carried about with them for that onely stamp sake without any melioration or refinement of their mettals perchance they might pass currant too for pretious pieces now they are onely bitten because none of theirs As they say the Snakes in Syria sting all forrainers but never any of the Inhabitants and the Hedg-bore hath sharp prickles without and is smooth and soft within so they have pondus pondus and ballance their own party and their opposites with several weights and in divers scales Let me add also that the pretence of godliness cannot give things their pass port for Luther tells us of a proverb In nomine Domini incipit omne malum nor can the reverence and esteem due to some mens persons seal all their opinions and practices for the same man hath a smart saying Nunquam periclitatur religio nisi inter reverendissimos neither can the aim and intention of doing some good or greater good to some protect or countenance a consequent train of greater evils intensive or extensive for the Apostles rule checks with such designes and Salvian tells us of some that do errare bono animo Lactantius of others that honesta voluntate miscri sunt The Church therefore according to the Italian proverb had need to pray especially to be defended from her friends and it is no new thing to receive wounds in the house of friends Zachary 13.6 and for the Spouse to complain that the Watchmen that went about the City have smitten her have wounded her the Keepers of the walls have taken away her vaile from her Cant 5.7 And surely such as are Heteroclites to their rules and Anomala's to their waies would more patiently bear the harsh censures they are asperst with did not the Church of God suffer but as when Alchymists under pretence of multiplying mettals and improving and transmuting them into Gold do decoct consume and turn Gold into nothing and as the Woman in the Greek Fable that was mortally sick telling her Physitians her symptoms who answering her all was good she cried out That good had undone her so the Church is in danger of being ruined under the Notion of being better built and not onely hereby that utque ante hac flugitiis ita nunc legibus laboratur but some are like Pompey gravior remediis quam delicta erant and as if things were like the Hebrew to bespeld backward instead of Godliness prophaness and not neglect alone but contempt of Ordinances Schismes and Heresies not onely creep but break in grow and spread among us and while we hear all will be now well we see and feel that stark naught could scarce be much worse pudet haec opprobia nobis Et dici potuisse non potuisse refelli And although the effect hereof like those of an eclipse are like to be more felt long after yet we are already but too sensible of the fruits which these grounds bring forth wherein some men have prepesterously thought so great a part of Gods husbandry doth consist fruits indeed wherewith our teeth are so set an edge that we can have no great stomack to them and I dare say with some confidence that were the Laws of this Church Government whereunto some perhaps will shrewdly apply that of Demonax quibus boni non egerent mali fierent nihilo meliores to receive a comitial rogation more Romano the farre greatest part of Intelligent men except such as are biassed by interest jurati in verba sua so as to sacrifice Troy to their Helena and as Demetrius of the table of Protogenes to be more tender of the draughts of their own pencil than of the City would give their suffrage with A. rather than V. R. As the Wolf said in Plutarch when the Shepheard slaughtered a Lamb At si ego id fecissem if I had done it the whole Country had been raised against me But it falls out sometime sutable to what happened at the battle of Montlchery where Comines tells us that some lost their places for running away which were conferred upon others that fled much further And sadly while some men of one sort of principles have shut up the Church door by intermitting or restraining and contracting Baptisme the Sacrament of Institution januam Ecclesiae as one calls it and some of other principles have walled up or new railed in the Communion table and either omit or confine and inclose the Eucharist which hath almost lost its name of Communion and Synaxis and by a denomination taken from the greater part may be rather called an Excommunion or Apaxis the greatest part of men are left excommunicate and made as heathen and Publicans and being not added to the Church become such as shall not be saved and God onely knows for who else can give a stop unto or predefine the bonds of fancy and singularity Quo teneam vulius mutantem Protca nodo whether as the Chymists also by frequent sublimations separations reduce the substance of things in a manner to nothing so whether these separations and gatherings out which may perchance to grow one out of another like a line which is divisibilis in semper divisibilia and the later pretend to be upon as good reason as the former may not reduce the Church unto a very small cantel and really expose the greatest part unto a kind of paganisme and so the zeal of those men may become antipodes to that of David and eat up the house of God
for scruples are there understood to be leviuscula argumenta fundamenta as Azorius and Filiu ius leves rationes as Balwin but we are not perswaded the reasons and arguments alleaged are of that kind Filiucius tract 21. c. 4. Sect. 175. p 11. Baldwin Cas cons l. 1. c. 10. p. 24. De Instit jure l. 2. c. 29. Dub. 2. Navar. Manual c 27. Sect 280. p. 1037. though by a Meiosis or Charientisme we stiled them so until they have better convinced us therof and scrupulus est tenuis suspicio mali circa rem bonam vel adiapheram saith Lessius and onely makes the conâ—cience assâ—nâ—ing and adhâ—ring to one part of the question lightly to recede and a little to doubt thereof but the judgements which we desired might be satisfied are rather more fully perswaded by other reasons and not a little by those not to assent or adhere to this way which seems evill though they affectionatly wish for some of their sakes that trace it that it were not so evill as upon these reasons it seems or may be suspected to be so as whereas Conscientia scrupulosa contra id quod judicat habet argumenta as Navar these arguments are rather contra id quod non judicat But whereas they say Scruples are mens doubts in their own way where sure they use the word Doubts as improperly and incuâ—iously in respâ—ct of the Theologicall sense as they suppose we do Scruples for a doubt and a scruple are different noâ—ions amongst Casuists we shal grant in Ames his words Scrupul messe formidinem animi circa suam praxim but we cannot yeeld that we used the notion in any other sense for that which by exâ—enuation we called Scruples â—ut we shall not from henceforth use so much indulgence and compliance among those that have not learned inter bonos bene agier are arguments which though opposed to â—he way of the Apologists yet make men more searfull and sollicitous to concurre and co-operate with them in that way and so are concerning their proper wayes and actings likewise But that you may see the Apologists are not unlike some fierce men Ames Cas Consc l. 1.6 p. 15. which they say will sight with their own madow and that they quarrell with an expression which is but the shadow or image of their own cast back your eyes but upon the close of the precedent Section and see if the word Scruple be not used by them in the like sense which they carp at here in us for expressly they say While we are scrupulous of others which necessantly inferres that scruples may be in their conception as well of other mens wayes and actings as of their own Yet for my part let them call them what they please Nihil apud me distat in verbo quod non distat in sensu as Ambrose I shall not strive in words to no purpose which is as Augustine interprets Non curare quomodo error veritate vincatur sed quomodo tua dictio dictioni praeseratur alterius for I have also learned from Plato Nos ditiores ad senectutem perventuros fi nomina neglexerimus and if they think I have been guilty of a misnomer and this Scruple which is but the third part of a grain can adde to their weight I shall readily put it into their Scales yet I doubt it will not much ponderate where any other thing is in the Ballance or discretion holds the Beam DIATRIBE SECT XVIII Rom. 14.1 10. discussed Whether they judg or despise their brethren Psa 15.4 vindicated No other qualifications required in order to communicating in a Church member having a Dogmaticall Faith but to be without scandall Whether they reject onely the wicked Whether their way render them not guilty of temerarious judgement Of judging the heart Of bearing infirmities of morall men THe first Quâ—re which the paper sprung from Rom. 14 1. 10. they think as light as the paper ludibrium venti easiâ—y blown away with the least wind of their breath But though we did not pretend to fetch those arguments from the Peripatum but rather from the Academy and brought them forth not as demonstrative but considerable for their probability and as arguments minorum gentium senatores pedarii yet how weak soever they may seem in the faith or beliefe of any we shall strive they may be received and will seek to fetch them off from doubtfull disputations They say The Apostles scope is far from the business in hand he speaks of eating herbs not the Sacrament and it is onely a not receiving the weak to doubtfull disputations But may not the same arrow that is shot to one scope or mark be aptly aimed and sent forth toward another If they have forgotten that the same principle is pregnant with many conclusions and by the vertue and officacie of the same middle term or probative medium may sundry conclusions be inferred or if they recognize not that natural notion and principle of discourse one of those two feet whereupon all syllogismes stand and move de omni nullo viz. quodcunque affirmatur aut negatur de toto genere affirmatur aut negatur etiam de parte de specie and therefore consequently any truth derived out of another truth must be therein contained or if they remember not that Canon in Divinity quod particulariter dictum est universaliter applicandum yet we must remind them that neither the Sacrament nor any preparation or trial in order thereunto is the scope or subject of those places of Scripture from whence they have laboured to draw and form all the arguments for defence of their Church way that one of 2 Cor. 11.27 onely excepted as without any further light held forth by us will be obvious to any that shall make inspection into the texts which in due place shall be considered We do not pretend that this precept of the Apostle doth directly or expressly command a receiving to the Sacrament yet according to Diodate and Hammond it enjoyning a receiving of the weak in faith to the Communion of the Church we opine that it consequently requires the reception to the Sacrament Church-fellowship chiefly consisting in and being described by a communion of Sacraments as hath been declared and Church-Communion being comprehensive of all other special acts and parts of common and publick Christian duties or privileges if that be prescribed to be afforded in general the other are so commanded as being included under and contained in that and we do propound that by force of this Canon it is clearly enjoyâ—ed that qui robustiores sunt operam impendant insirmis sublevandis qui magis profecerunt safferendis rudibus as Calvin theâ—e is câ—mmanded nolite ahjiâ—ere cujus nondum confirmata est fides as Gagnaeus qui nondum erant in fide satis instructi as Menocbius and Tirinus Fraterne agendum cum rudioribus caveantque ne eos a professione
Euangelii deterreant as Piscator Ad conversationem vobis adjungite habete ut fratrem neque repellite tanquam aâ—ienum in Christo tolerandus est ne forte resiliat ah incapto as Estius Affectu cbaritatis vobis conjungite ad supportandum as Aquinas and therefore none may judicandae fratern â—conscientiae licentiam ad se trahere as Calvin de se potius quam do aliis solicitos esse oporteat as Paraeus the reason being rendred quod potestas julicandi de aliorum conscientiis propria sit Christi quod unusquisque illi ratiouem de scipso redditurus sâ—t as Piscator And then we assume that for them as if there were no other way to rectifie their Assemblies than as Candiot corrected Ficinus his translation of Plato with one common spung to put from the Communion whole Congregations which is not to improve the health or growth of the Church but to reduce it to an atrophy and consumpâ—ion by such continual violent purgings and tâ— do thus not for grosse and palpaâ—le ignorance or notorious offences and scandâ—ls but because they have not approved their knowledge or holiness to those Censors and like Procrustes to rack and draw them to the length and measure of their bed is not to support or animate but cast down and dishearten not to assure and evidence but to irritate and imbitter men not to bear with them but to bear them down or overbear them since most men carry some an logy to the leaves of the arbor tristis whereof Nieremberge tells us that being roughly handled they scarce smel but gently toucht do spire forth an excellent odour nor is this to hold or converse with them as brethren the ancient Church calling none brethren that communicated not but rather as aliâ—ns from Christ being not by the Apologists reckoned of the Church aliens because not of the faithful for the ancients named those onely fideles which did receive the Sacrament and aliens from Christ because not worthy to partake of his body and when men manifestly discover not themselves by scandals yet to reckon them unworthy of the Communion is First To judge their consciencies by determining of things occult whereof the Church never pretended to any judicatory for they have not manifested themselves by crimes that are notorious And is secondly to despise them not onely speculatively to esteem them evil 22. q. 60. art 4. in c. in 22. disp 5. q. 4. punct 5. p. 865. but practically also to deal with them as evil for qui habet malam opinionem de alio absque sufficienti causa injuriatur ei contemnit iâ—sum saith Aquinas and in dubio per malam opinionem de proximo indigne is contemnitur adds Valentia and there can be no sufficient cause nor indicia vehementia nor can their condition be otherwise than doubtful where the actions are not scandalous and if when they call them dead and bastards as here and account them Dogs and Swine for upon that score and in that notion they say elsewhere they administer not the holy things to them they shall yet deny that they despise them I think they shall despise our reason also to hope to make us believe so and they have as much reason to say this is not contempt as the Glosse in Gratian hath to deny any may be called a Whore till she have been culpable with 23000 men But whereas they insinuate that the 4 verse of the 15 Psalm will warrant and bear them out to contemn vile persons I shall say if they are not scandalous for notorious crimes they are not vile and if they be not vile they are not to be contemned Junius and Piscator tell us that according to the Hebrew it should be translated contemptus est spreius and they render â—â—reprobus as the vulgar doth malignus In locum and to contemn is not to flatter as Junius or voluntarily to honour vice and impiety for flattery or any worldly respects as Diodate to cover or excuse their vices by filthy adulation Quantumvis opibus potentia gloria florentes non veretur peccantes redarguere impedireubires occasio postulat Tirinus in locum and seek friendship and have commerce with the impious and slaves of Satan as Molle and it would seem prodigious if it should more check with this duty to admit into Communion those that are not notoriously flagitiâ—us then to reject them shall clash with that property in the former verse that taketh not up a reproach against his neighbour dictis aut factis as Junius non admisit ad aures suas vituperationes detractiones susurra iones calumnias contraproximum saith Bellarmine Omnem proximi contumeliam injuriam avertere conatus est as Ianseuius And we think we may therefore take up for a conclusion that Epiphonema of Paraeus upon this text stolidus fanaticorum error improbatur qui Ecclesiam veram non putant subsistere nisi ubi emnes sunt pariter firmi fide pariter sancti in vita nulla Zizania cum tritico in agro domini pullulare conspiciantur They say the Apostle speaks of not receiving the weak to doubtful disputations and he doth so but he doth not onely speak of that but first prescribes them to be received and afterward prohibites their reception to doubtful dispuâ—aâ—ions but as the Ganonists say that fictione Canonica Saturday and Sunday are all one so iâ— seenâ—s the Apologists would sain have receiving and not receiving to be the sâ—me they inferre therefore men are not to be called is such exercises as may be hurtful to them and we grant it of such as have a direct tendency unto and natural efficiency of hurt but not of such as may indirectly and by accident onely become hurtful for then they may not be convâ—cared to the hearing of the Word which by accident doth blind and harden and is the savour of deaâ—h unto deaâ—h In since the inhibition to receive them to doubtful disputations is bottomed on this apagogical reason lest they should be disquieted with troublesom questions as Diodate we suppose the reason to be as illative to forbid their examinations and trials whose questions do occasion and produce as much of trouble and disquiet as can ordinarily result from disputations but they unwittingly mistake or would willingly take others in a mist while they with as much solemnity as little pertinency discourse as if by weak in the faith were to be understood onely such as had a sound lively and saving faith though feeble in a remiss degree such as have a true Godly fear and some degree of graciousness whereas by the very light that naturally beams from the text and is reflected also by Interpreters it is meant of such as are not yet full in knowledge nor perswaded of Christian liberty as Diodate qui in doctrina Euangelii rudâ—or est nondum satis edoctus persuasus de libertate Christiana for here fides
fifth kind in him Quod tanto studio aliorum vitia suas virtutes enumeraverit non enim est tam ingeniosa subtelis humilitas nec aliorum vitia nec suas virtutes videt 4. Jansenius tells us it was the Pharisees fault to condemn him whose heart he knew not and in whom he might have adverted signes of penitence and amendment because he saw him enter the Temple with him and by externall gestures declaring his repentance and would not the Apologists have contracted the same guilt had they met the Publican in that place and posture And are they not still culpable of the same uncharitableness who in the former Section inveigh against those who having lately beheld a man in his sins yet if he cry guilty and say he will amend can next day believe a change in him and themselves profess to credit no conversion that is sudden Homil. de Davide Saule tom in p. 156. whereas though the Publican ad summam progressus erat malitiam yet notwithstanding simplici verbo omnem deposuit iniquitatem aâ—sqâ—e longa temporis mora saith Chrysostome and Jansenius to the glory of Gods mercy adds Quanta sit Dei benignitas qui tam brevi oratione támque parvâ poenitentiâ sâ—peratus mex pâ—niteniem in gratiam recepit They wish every Pharisee had hypocrisie written with a Sun-beam on his forchead and then many a worldling and polititian would be detected but since now fronti nulla fides there may be yet light enough to read Pharisaisme in the characters of some mens wayes and actions What is legible in mens hearts will not appeare till the Son of righteousnesse with the brightness of his coming manifest it to all the world in the interim they suspect hypocrisie visible in the hearts of most men or else what need their spectacles and perspectives of farther examinations and trials whereby to discover more then is obvious to the eye But as things written with Allom water are to be read onely when the paper is heated by the fire so the fire of trouble would give some light to forestall the beams of the Sun and we might then find some to be Pharisees Sichemites that are such onely for the advantage of the times who like the herba mimosa do send forth their blossoms but in the eye of the Sun shed them when he withdraws his light or like the Heliotrope which expands turns her self always towards the Sun closeth at his setting Perchance some that like the Eastern people worship the rising Sun would then like the Asrican Nations curse him when he scorcheth them and perhaps if by the motions of superior bodies their aspects should be changed hypocrisie would not only in some Polititians be written in Court-hand but in others in text-letters and with a running hand after the world as much as in the most When they sent forth their Sphynx they should have given us an Oedipus also I know not how to unriddle the close of this Section when they say Many like those in Esays time stand off from them as too holy By propriety of construction it should seem to be that they from whom is the standing off should be those that are thought to be too holy for holy should referre to that which went immediatly before and this seems more suitable to what followes that they yet blame them for standing off from these as Publicans but to carry analogy with those in Esay they which are too holy should be those that do stand off for those that thought themselves holier forbad the other to touch them And this I rather divine then judge to be their sense But who those are besides their brethren we have built a story higher upon the same foundations others being driven off from them as not holy enough I cannot divine by inspection into any other intralls indeed they are as much Publicanes to these as others are to them and therein is seriously considerable First the irradiations of justice Lex recta est cum quis patitur quae fecerit ipse as others are not permitted to sit with these Adenibezeks at table but to gather their meat under it so others requite them as they haue done 〈◊〉 and this was the case also of the Pharisee too for as he would not touch with the people of the earth so the Samaritan if he met the Pharisee saith Drusius cryes to him touch me not and if casually he had suffered a contact would dip himself under water for expiation And to the late Dippers the Apologists are also intangible viz. the Anabaptists as well as to perfect Independents their brethren yet they are a strange kind of brethren with whom they have no communion of Sacraments and those though not Anabaptists yet seeing they baptise none but the children of those of their own Church if others did not wash those children whom they leave in their blood when they grow up to a desire and capacity to be of their Churches they must before they admit them become Epibaptists and postbaptise though not rebaptise them Secondly as remarkable is the influence of Separtion which having broken the banks knowes no bounds Nec scit quà sit iter nec si sciat imperet illis Quoque eat aut ubi sit piceâ caligine tectus Nescit et arbitrio voluerum raptatur equorum And when there hath been a distillation by one part yet another thinks that extract to have some impurity and so resolves of a rectification as the Chymists term it and thus one separation growes out of another and such multiplied soparations of the parts are like in time to be the destruction of the whole the proceeding of all things from their principles being resembled to a Pyramis but the destruction of things obumbrated by an inverted Pyramis which by degrees lessening it self determines in a point and that in nothing Of whose making is the distance between them and others we hope we have formerly made it so cleer to every mans understanding that be it said as of him as in the Poet Arbitrium litis trajecit in omnes SECT XXI What was Diotrephes What his ambition Whether the Apologists exceed not the bounds of ministeriall power by bringing all under triall excluding and not for scandall and that so many and by common continaall practice Whether this check not with 1 Pet 5.3 Whether those they reject are scandalous themselves separated and left the Church behind them Of Ecclesiasticall power what it is and how far extensive The duty of Stewards It is Christs honour to have an universall Church 1. Their actings not commanded or warranted by Gods word 2. They act solely Of their Elders Of ruling Elders in generall not by divine right yet a prudent constitution requisite to be continued in some way The interest of the whole Church in Censures The Elders representatives of the Church Whether the ancient Church knew any such 3. They act arbitrarily Of
applied without dis-joynting or dissecting the whole They plead for Ministeriall power which they have as governors of their Churches and we should check the thoughts if any could arise in us that should oppose or repine at it while it is regular and limited and while the head doth not drop acrimonious defluxions to emaciate and wast the body for then caput malum est caput mali and the head is the parent of all diseases as Physicians say Defer Deo in nobis deferemus Deo in te as Symmachus in Augustine But as Furfidius counselled Sylla Sinendos esse aliquos vivere ut essent quibus posset imperare so they should not unchurch so many that they might have some to govern and as he said in the patrocing of women though they could not live so contentedly with them as was desired yet without them they could not live at all so though their Church should be lesse pure by the communion of those they reject yet it will be scarce a Church without them and the spirits which they shall extract by separation will not quit the cost of the turning of so huge a substance to caput mortuum and if we should grant their separations could produce gold yet it must needs fare with them as Pliny tells us it did with Caligula Invitaverat spes Caium principem avidissimum auri quamobrem jussit excoqui magnum pondus planè fecit aurum excellens sed ita parvi ponderis ut detrimentum sentiret nec postea tentatum ab ullo est Secondly to whom are they scandalous Some four or five are scandalized by four or five hundred for about that proportion their Church bears to their Congregation and those hundreds are more scandalized by their separation then the units can be by their comportment or condition Quos projecerunt video quos unuerunt ipsi dicant saith Augustine to his Donatists These centuries were never judicially cast out but separated from and how could they regularly be cast forth when the rest are hardly members enough to constitute and organize the Body They were rather the Body of the Church from which the separation was made the denomination being taken from the major part and what Livy saith in another case is appliable to this In duas partes discessit civitas aliud integer populus fautor et cultor bonorum aliud forensis factio tenebat Contr. Ep. Parmen l. 1. c. 6. and as suitable is that which Augustine tells the Donatists The Nations are given to Christ for an inheritance you would appropriate it to your party Quasi propter vos Christus apud nos haereditatem perdidcrit suam Philosophers say Omnis motus est super immobili that was the Church rather which stirred not when they moved a way in their separation not that which removed and they were the whole the separatists but a part and though one member may be cut off to preserve the whole yet it is a wild and desperate way of cure to dissect the whole to conserve a part Ecclesiast l. 3. c. 5. tom 1 p. 1978. Cum Ambroâ—oâ—statuaut saith grave and learned Junius Non tanti esse homines pauculos ut propter cos dejiciantur ecclesiae dei pluris esse aedificationem omnium ecclesiarum quà m praesentem unius conservationem in officio deflectentis and the same may be said of persons in the Church Thirdly Wherein are they scandalous Non pejores erant Iudâ traditore cum quo Apostoli receperunt primum sacramentum coenae cùm tanti sceleris reum inter se jam scirent esse as Augustine Cont. part Donati Psal tom 7. p. 2. as their ignorance lay in not knowing it to be their duty to submit to tryall so in all likelyhood their scandall consists in their unwillingness to be subject and standing fast in their liberty Perchance pro parte Dorati tolerarent quos pro Christi unitate tolerare nolunt would they acknowledge their power and submit to their discipline by this relative without other reall thange the scandal were removed as the doggs in the Dictaean Temple at Crete and the birds of the Diomedes in the Adriaticke they are onely infestous to those they account Barbarians but gentle enough to their social Greeks the Livery of their Church like the name of Alexander with Caracalla would frustrate all accusation like the papal Chaire if it find not men good it makes them such Ex codem naturae utero continentia nata est Cato holiness and their discipline are twins and must according to their Hypothesis stand and fall together Cum hoc Aristide ipsa sanctitas emigrabit and it will be true of their partie compared with others what Bellarmine baith of his Catholiques in comparison of Hereticks Praefat. ad controvers Si catholicus quispiam labitur in peccatum nihilominus quoniam adhuc aliquis vitae sensus adhuc adificii sundamentum adhuc lumen aurorae multa et magua praesidia ad salutem habet non ambulat in tenebris nâ—vit medicum suum Neque deest illi maternus ecclefiae sinus et patent quoque officinae omnes spiritualium pharmacorum at homo haereticus nihil horum habet c. Fourthly What evidence is there of their crimes that should produce this scandal Nam quo eccidit sub crimine quisnam delator quibus indiciis quo teste probavit nil hotum Verbosa et grandis epistola venit August cont Ep. Parmen l. 1. c. 7. Idem Epist 162. tom 2. p. 142. I would have said Apologia sed tu syllaba contumax repugnas It seems sufficit accusasse and therfore quis erit innocens and they cast them out suspicionibus suis sicut semper damnando as Augustine of the Donatists and whereas Incerta crimina pro certa pace dimitterentur nisi magis falsa factio fingentium quà m ratio vera convincentium praevaleret We rather find that objiciuntur crimina malorum hominum et ipsa partim incognita Idem con Ep. Parmen ubi supra quae si etiam vera et praesentia videremus et Zizaniis propter frumenta parcentes pro unitate toleraremus non solum nullâ reprehensiene sed etiam non parva laude nos dignos diceret quicunque Scripturas sanctas non corde surdus audiret but they rather frumenta falsis criminationibus insectantur dum ipsi ab ecclesia potius tanquam levissima palea variis tumorum flatibus sepâ—rati sunt That which is usually termed the power of the keyes Polanus thinks ought properly to be called Ministery Polanus syntag l. 7. c. 18. p. 544. In Bell. de translat imperii tom 2. Sect. 27. p. 897. Ames cas consc l. 5. c. 24. p. 310. and Junius tells us Quae potestas propriè appellari potest aut Politica aut despotica est ut rectè in politicis distingunt Politici Ecclesiae non propriè potestas sed administratio vel ministerium
in alio while he selects his Church that elects them and who are commonly so awed in their elections as Piso seemed to be by Tiberius in the Senate Quo loco censebis C. sar si primus habebo quod sequar se post omnes vercor ne imprudens dissentiam But it is all the reason in the world that I onely and not another should elect him whom I must intrust to represent me and speak for me and we should rather do it in this concernment because we see some by designe to cause a choice onely of such for Rulers as will be tamely ruled by them and which will serve onely as Organs to sound by that breath which they infuse by drawing them and to such a tune as they shall set and play upon them so that indeed as among the Zaini those Indian hogs which Nicremberge mentions the weakest and poorest are chosen to be chiefe of the Heard so they pick out such Elders as having no eyes of their own must borrow theirs and be gladly led by them and having no substance in themselves hope onely to purchase some esteem by being their conformable shaddowes Which consideration is seconded by another that notwithstanding all former pomp and solemnity of a â—us divinum regiminis ecclesiastici yet some of them have of late publickly asserted That the ruling Elders have no foundation in Scripture but are onely a prudential constitution which however it be truth yet the world hath been born in hand with the contrary that the discipline might enter with a smoother slide and then seeing what seems to some to be prudence and in some circumstances we may be told it may appear to others and in other circumstances not to be so therefore this constitution will in effect be arbitrary and onely accidental quod potest adesse et abesse and like the Pope it will be the Ministers only that have the authoritative power to determine of things whether with or without a Councill This renders much cause of suspition that this conjuncture and consent of Elders however they have pared it to lessen and lighten it is yet such a yoak as they would be eased and exempt of and which the Apologists since they have new modelled themselves have quite laid aside as farre as I can understand that so like Lewis the 11. assuming an arbitrary power they may bring the Crown out of ward they have begun to study that politick Aphorisme in Tacitus Eam imperandiesse rationem ut non aliter ratio constet quà m ut uni reddatur and those ruling Elders are like to run the same fate and upon like motives with those whatsoever they were which are mentioned in the Commentaries upon the Epistles by some attributed to Ambrose by others to Hilary the Deaconâ— Ecclesia seniores habuit quorum fine consilio nihil agebatur in ecclesia quod quâ negligentiâ obsoleverit nescio nisi forte doctorum desidiâ aut magis superbiâ dum soli colunt aliquid videri Next as they are sole so also arbitrary in their proceeding as Bodin relates of the Tartar King that at his Inauguration he tells them Mea vex prosecure et pro gladio crit and Caligula said to the Consuls Quid nifi uno meo nutu jugulari utrumque vestrum statim posse so are they loose and absolved from any certain rule Nos penes arbitrium est et fas et norma regondi Their Will is their Law and their Ipse dixit the Oracle Credant de sonte relarum Ammonis for they have not yet that we know formed any Canons to regulate their judgements nor determined what is the minimum quod sic which may render men capable of communion but they that speak of sealing men though they must be Keepers of the Seals and so let them if they keep them not too fast and make them Privy Seals not the great Seals of the Church nor apply them to wax great and seal the Patents of their preheminence have yet sealed no certain standard whereby to measure men in order to their admission A visible worthiness they require but as Aristotle uncertainly placeth that mediocrity wherein Virtue consists in the judgement of wise men so this worthiness hath no other determinate weight or measure but their judgment and this visibleness is intended to be their eyes for it is all one not to be and not to appear to them so that as the Caxonists say If the Pope should draw innumerable souls unto hell no man must say to him What dost thou and Bellarmine tells us That if the Pope should erre by commanding vices and forbidding virtues the Church were bound to believe vices to be good and virtues to be evill so when they clave errante drive innumerable souls from the Communion and censure those to be vicious that are godiy seriously I do not know what remedy they can find nor where they can fetch their redresse nil fecerit esto Hoc volo sic jubeo stat pro ratione voluntas Which is certainly a condition as requisite to be retrenched as dangerous to be incurred Miscra scrvitus est ubi jus est vagum aut incognitum is a Maxime of Law saith the great Lawyer Stanford and therefore Non sinimus imperare hominem sed rationem saith Aristotle in his Ethicks and no less prudently in his Politicks Qui itaque hominibus unà cum legibus imperium tradunt etiam deo tribuunt imperium qui uero solum hominem sine legibus imperare volunt ji quodam modo belluae tradunt imperium nam cupiditas tale quippiam et ira cos qui praesunt etiam viros optimos detorquet And therefore whereas onely Praecedenti spectatur mantica tergo and though anciently the place stricken with thunder was not afterward troden upon and Pliny tells us That icti à Scorpionibus nunquam postea à crabronibus vespis apibúsque seriuntur yet to exonerate themselves they transferre this Lording as other inordinatnesses in this Section on the Bishops Sequitur fortunam ut semper odit Damnatos Though perchance Idem populus si Nurscia Thusco Favisset hâc ipsá Sejanum diceret horâ Augustum I must say Maevius absentem Nevium cùm carperet heus tuâ— Quidam ait ignoras te an ut ignotum dare nobis Verba putas egomet mî ignosco Maevius inquit Stultus improbus hic amor est dignúsque notari How culpable soever the Bishops were or meriting reproof yet only Juste alios reprehendit qui non habet quod in se alius reprchendat saith Augustine Et ille potest facere qui non meretur audire as Ambrose and therfore cum mali accusanâ— vitia alienas partes agunt themselves have still a Bishop in their belly as Luther used to say every man had a Pope and as the Pope complemented the Duke of Florence that he should be King in Thuscany not of Thuseany so though they are not Bishops of this or
those Churches wherein is a free admission to the Sacrament of all those that are not duly cast out and they will not admit any of those Churches to have communion with them in the Eucharist untill they be new model'd and entred into their Churches But that Church-fellowship consists especially in communion of Sacraments and is principally defined by it Sect. 9. De unit Eccles c. 13. Schismaticos facit communionis dirupta unitas Aug. quaest ex Matth. tom 4 p 78. Camero oper Field of the Church l. 3. c. 5 p. 80 and that the commixtion of evill and good is intra eandem sacramentorum communionem connexionem and that to desert and to deny such a communion with those that are Churches of God is the dregs and sediment of schisme we have formerly shewed out of Augustine that to detrect to receive the Lords Supper with any is tacitly to renounce their fraternity was instanced out of Altingius and that to separate from this or that particular Church that is a particular member of the body of the Catholick Church is schisme we have instanced out of Junius as it is also to make a separation from that congregation Ubi Deus colligit Ecclesiam as may be added out of Camero Schisme saith a sound Writer is a breach of the unity of the Church which unity of the Church consists in three things First the subjection of the people unto their lawfull Pastors Secondly the connexion and communion which many particular Churches and the Pastors of them have among themselves Thirdly in holding the same rule of faith But they rent and infringe this unity in the first respect by gathering those into their Church that have other lawfull Pastors Qui schismata faciunt saith Cyprian Epist 76. p. 247. relicto Episcopo alium sibi foras Episcopum quaerunt And in the second by denying to have a communion with other Pastors and their Churches in this Sacrament of the Lords Supper and it cannot sow up this rent nor make up this fraction to say they communicate in other ordinances with them for not onely Church communion is chiefly communion of Sacraments but as was cited formerly out of Mr. Ball to use one ordinance and not another is to make a schisme in the Church Frustra sibi blandiuntur qui panem cum sacerdotibus Dei non habentes obrepunt latenter apud quosdam communicare se credunt as was alleaged out of Cyprian It is schisme saith Valentia and truly 22. Disp 3. q. 15. punct 1. p. 690. if he misapplied it not Nolle se gerere ut membrum hujus corporis in aliquo vel aliquibus spiritualibus actionibus ad hoc Ecclesiae corpus pertinentibus atque adeò nolle subesse visibili hujus corporis capiti neque aliis ejus membris communicant ut illi capiti subjecta sunt sed velle agere scorsim ab hoc corpore independenter ab ejus capite And since anciently a Bishop and an Altar were made Correlatives and a schismaticall Bishop was sayd constituere aut collocare aliud Altare Mead ubi supra saith a learned man therefore they that erect other Altars for them to partake of which have lawfull proper Pastors and they that participate at other Altars than those of their own Pastors tread too near upon Schisme Nay also they that separate from a true Church to partake of an Altar in a Church apart do not participate of the Table of the Lord for in una domo saith Rivet In Exod. c. 12 tom 1 p. 916. quae est Ecclesia Dei viventis commedi debet agnus carnes ejus quatenus cibus noster sunt extra illam domum non efferuntur And then as the Act of separation so the Reason thereof denominates schismaticall while they affirm the separation to be occasioned by the grossnesse of administrations elsewhere where no separation is made by exercise of Discipline which very thing viz. that any corruption of manners or want of Discipline which is among corrupt manners to expurge those that were corrupt was a sufficient ground of separation brought forth and gave rise to the schisme of the Donatists and was that which rendred them schismaticks that which S. Augustine impressed himselfe especially to fight against as is liquid through the whole torrent of his writings against them some drops whereof our former discourse hath been sprinkled with Cited by Mr. Baxters Saints everlasting rest part 4. p. 105. marg I shall here only say as learned Davenant professeth speaking of the Divines of Germany Haud dubitem affirmare illos qui falluntur tamen communionem fraternam cum aliis retincre parati sunt esse schismate coram Deo magìs excusatos quà m qui veras opiniones in hisce controversiis tuentur mutuam communionem eum aliis Ecclesiis etiam desiderantibus aspernantur so I think those Churches more excusable which have not the exercise of discipline in casting out offenders yet lack not a desire of a fraternall connexion and mutuall communion with other Churches than those that set up discipline and lay down communion and unity To say That they separate nor from true Churches First as it can no more palliate their guilt than it could cloak that of the Donatists who made the same defence and indeed this is the Catholicon the common place and plea of all Schismaticks that if they forsake one Church they go into another so secondly they do make a separation from true Churches seeing they separate as was said from all Churches that give a free admission to all that are not duly cast out and if those are no true Churches then they are not in the state of salvation for all that shall be saved are added to the Church and all that may grow capable of admission into their Churches out of the other it may seem requisite to baptize before they are admitted baptisme being a note of the true Church and therefore agreeing thereunto as proprium quarto modo They were such Churches wherein many of them received ordination to the Ministery who are not yet reordained and by the Ministery whereof faith was wrought in them wherein I hope they were built up before they laid the foundation of their new Churches and to believe is to be added to the Church which is Synonymous with the houshold of faith and wherein if they had suffered death for the profession of that faith they would have thought themselves intitled unto martyrdome and yet out of the Church are no martyrs neither can they pretend to reform the Church if they acknowledge not those from whom they separate to be true Churches for then they rather form a new Church and it is not an alteration which is Motus à qualitate in contrariam qualitatem but a generation motus à non esse ad esse and is not mutatio statûs sed essentiae But this is that root bearing gall
saving and supporting but of one soule is a matter of more honor and comfort than to engage and lead a Sect. I know they had some of them at least more than three in their appropriate Congregations that were sealed with their approbation for the Sacrament why then was it not administred to them at home I hope they can give spirituall Alms without sounding a Trumpet and are not like the Nightingall which they say cannot sing well unlesse she be over-heard or as they say of the Tortoyse that she hatcheth her Eggs with her eyes so others eyes I trust are not that onely which must quicken and bring forth their duties First they suppose it No great matter that is required for men to goe out of their Parishes to participate the Sacrament In Epist ad Ephes c. 3. serm 14. Seneca but saith Chrysostom Propter hoc magnum est malum quod nihil esse videtur etenim quae nihil esse videntur facile contemnuntur qâ—ae vero contemnuntur augentur ae multiplicantur etiam quae autem augentur redduntur â—â—iam incurabilia and therefore upon this account the great Moralist adviseth Non negligere minimum ne siâ—tibi inter minima Not to remind them of a frustra fit per plura quod potest fieri per pauciora when a necessary obedience and submission is exacted in that which they have no power to enjoyn and others have no obligation to observe his dat qui cito dat it creates a president and begets an encouragement to command more and greater things and he that once quits his Free-hold to be a Tenant at will though at first he may fit at an easie rate may at length be enforsed to raise his rent and hold upon such terms as his Landlord please or lose his Tenement Quae nunc virgulta sunt crunt si negligantur robora ista quae modo facili avuâ—sione dirimantur postea vix securibus succumbunt saith Cassiodor Secondly they think it no evill no not in appearance for them to require it An appearance of no little confidence and no great ingenuity however they may struggle to prove it not to be such in realiâ—y yet who can deny and not first send a denyall to Modesty that it hath an appearance First levati Altaris or of a schismaticall separation of themselves from a sacramentall communion with their peculiar Churches And whereas they say they are joyned to the society of a Church formed in one of their congregations that doth not stave off or frustrate the appearance of schismaticall separation for else the Donatists might have cleared themselves thereof by the like defence saying that though they divided themselves from other Churches yet they adjoyned to the Churches formed in their congregations to wit those of Parmenian Petilian Gaudentius Emeritus c. 2. It hath an appearance of Allotrio-episcopacy of being busie in other mens Diocesses and incurious and negligent in their own And which also appears to be a desertion of their old Spouses and seeking after new Loves Thirdly Of Injustice 1. toward their peculiar and appropriate Churches to whom they doe not the office yet from them receive the Benefice 2. Cum Episcopo portionem plebis dividere l. à pastore oves filios à parente separare which Cyprian condemns in Felieissimus epist 38 p. 90. Toward other Ministers whose sheep they allure to stray away to enlarge their fold Fourthly of breach of that Canon whose observation was kept up so religiously in the ancient Church that none should communicate in another Church without the Formed and Communicatory letters of his own Pastor Fifthly Of violation of order established in the defining and limiting appropriate Churches Sixthly of transgression of that Rule of Righteousness Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris for I know they would regret another to put his sickle into their crop though they make up their harvest of other mens corn and therefore unless that must seem good in them which appears evill in others as Quod in alio audacia suerit in Catone fiducia erat this must needs have an appearance of evill Though they proclaim that they are likely to walk in that society to which they are joyned till they see truth and reason against them yet incoherently they professe that they have still resolved to return to their places as to this Ordinance when a competent number shall appear fit and willing to carry on so great a work And then it seems more light hath arose upon them and some Collyrium hath cleared their eyes to see the truth and reason against them and perchance as Epaminondas told the Spartans after the battell at Leuctra That he was glad they were brought now to make long speeches so some such like occasion may have brought their Prolocu or to return and carry back the Sacrament with him to his proper Church that hath so long stood under Interdict and to say expressly that all is Null which was done at Pyworthy yet I doe not find the number increased of those that are visibly fit and willing more than at the first nor hath he yet to this day taken into participation above one more at home than followed him abroad so as he might have at first found as competent a number as he hath since made if not a greater number since it is possible that some perchance may have found some more irritation and animosities by having all this while been left lying under contempt and neglect As Pyrrhus in the judgment of Cyneas might have been as happy before he left Epyrus as he could expect to be after he had traversed Italy conquered Sicily and Africk so I think they might have found the work as facible and their undertakings as successfull before their going out from them as they are like to do upon their coming back If their return be upon the score of resipiscence far be it from me to be such an one as Beza complains of Hic homo invidet mihi gratiam Jesu Christi but if it be upon any other acccount or if when they are come home to their Congregations they yet come not home to the ancient Ecclesiastick discipline but onely Coelum non animum mutant I shal say as the Turk did to Gentlemen whom he saw walking severall turns up and down a Cloyster Are you out of your way or out of your wits If your businesse lye here why go you thither If it be there why come you here and I shall conclude Levis est malitia sapè mutatur non in melius sed in aliud In what account they set their people and how they are obliged to them for their good thoughts and report is very legible in those blots wherewith their pen hath here asperst them putting their non-compliance with their way upon the score of their worldly fear doubting state-changes want of zeale and boldness in the matters of God and for worse reasons
the cup the blood may be some way administred but they must not drink it SECT XXIV Whether they are Butchers or Surgeons Whether guilty of Schism Of negative and positive Schisme What are just causes of separation Whether our Saviour separated from the Jewish Church for instance in eating the Passover They condemne what they practise by confounding Churches and by separation They grant Professors to be visible Saints which destroyes their Platforme Their reasons why all sorts are to be admitted to the word and prayer Whether there are not better reasons to warrant a like admission to the Sacrament whether the same conclude it not Whether the Churches of England are all true Churches Sacraments notes of the Church and therefore communicable to all Church members They grant discipline enters not the definition of a Church yet they separate for want thereof Whether they may not aswell deny Baptisme to the Children as the Eucharist to the Parents VVHy they separate not in all Ordinances is an head that looks not directly toward us but respects their brethren of the separation who have outrun and gone beyond them and stand at a distance as much further from them as they from us For as when Apolles had drawn a fine small line Protogenes cut that in 〈…〉 another and the former halfed that again so when one sort have cut 〈…〉 from communion with the rest of the Church they divide themselves again and some of them think themselves not refined enough and as the Chymists say of sublimation sapius repetenda est operatio neque enim prima sublimotione res mox satis depuratur so one separation grows out of another like the tunal which Nieremberge speaks of mira frondium facunditas solium supernasâ—itur solio si decidâ—t aliquod radices rursus agit surgitque altera arbos And so though as sand conteined in a vessel hath one general figure in the whole Masse conformable to the continent yet every grain is inechaerent with other so though they all come under one common notion of Separatists yet they are as much separate from 〈◊〉 other as from us and as little agree among themselves as with us though when they come against us like Themistocles and Aristides going on Embassie they lay down their enmities to be afterward reassumed And as Aristides said It will never be well with Athens till both the one and the other be shut up in the dungeon so they intimate in the close of this Section that in such a condition they were most likely to close in a mutual agreement but their present quarrels with the other occasion here the diverting of their armes which offers us a little truce who might now stand a loofe and behold the fight among themselves whom that happily may befall which Tacitus relates of Apronjus souldiers dum singuli pugnant universi vincuntur and when they fall out good men may come by the truth Discordia in malis tam bona quà m concordia in bonis onely we shall gather up some of those arrowes which they let fly at others to shoot back upon themselves and if any of those shot at randome seem to fall neer us we shall endeavour to repell or avoid such as we have not already broken They separate not in other Ordinances because they are for Surgery not Butchery It seems then they now somewhat odiously set their brethren in the rank of cut-throats who will shrewdly resent to be degraded into the company of Butchers Secondly How little conformity or resemblance their practise hath with the rules of Chirurgery hath been frequently instanced Thirdly Chirurgeons neither use nor are able to cut off any one member from an union with the rest in the influence and benefit of one vitall faculty onely but exscind altogether from the whole body whereas they make exscision of men onely from a Communion in one Ordinance alone not all Fourthly Let this reason have the most favourable passe yet it onely can argue absolutely why they should separate not in all Ordinances but in some alone not comparatively why in this Sacrament rather than in other Fiftly It is a strange method of Physick or Chirurgery to seek to preserve life by witholding the means of life and the medicine of life and immortality as the Fathers call the Sacrament and if all meanes must be sought to cure before they cut down a Church we think they have deserted their own Aphorismes for they have not sought to cure it by this medicine yet they have cut down their Church not onely by gathering another but by a practical judging of them to have no present interest in the body and blood of Christ nor worthy to have the truth of Gods promises in him to be sealed unto them The learned and they quote Camero distinguish of a twofold separation positive and negative the first they condemne unlesse upon just and weighty grounds the second they are acting in making a separation in their Congregations not separating from their Churches but some corruptions in them in order to reformation De Eccles p. 325. Camero in that place disputes of Schisme whereof secession or separation may be the genus and Schisme he distinguisheth into negative and positive the first Schisma quod non exit in coetum societatem aliquam religiosam quae simpliciter secessio subductio cùm non instituitur ecclesia facto Schismate Schisma positivum tum fit cum instituitur ecclesia hoc est cum fit consociatio quaedam quae legibus ecclesiasticis Dei verbo atque sacramentorum administratione utitur separatim quod quadam formula desumpta ex Scriptura dicitur strâ—ere altare contra altare But as the men of Bengala are so afraid of a Tiger that they dare not name him through fear if they should do so they should be torn in pieces by him so it seems the Apologists are so conscious of Schisme or fearfull to be blasted with it that they decline the mention of this and passing over the description he makes of Schisme they only barely and without any distinct explication tell us of a negative and positive separation Abstine epistolis quae sunt instar Edicti saith Symmachus facessat omne studium ex quo nascitur cura compendii Me thinks they should have been able to have understood Camero had they looked into him themselves but whencesoever it results there is an ignorant and wilfull mistake in alleaging him for they seem to quote him as if he determined that a negative separation were absolutely and universally lawfull whereas he affirming that a positive Schisme is that which Antonomasticè and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called Schisme he renders this reason because often he saith not alwayes a negative secession is lawfull that justly and piously it may be free to depart from some Churches but it will not be so if it grow into a positive As for example some may be cast out by the fault of
the Church-Governors and yet without the Churches fault If they then gather a Church apart they shal be guilty of Schism He speaks here of a secession where a man is passive and cast out not where he goes off when there is Anathematismus excommunicatio injusta iniqua certè qui excoetu aliquo ejecti secedunt se subducunt secesserunt quidem illi attamen non fecerunt schisma as he speaks in the former page but a negative secession wherein a man is active he saith is Schisme being not onely a Decession but a Discission if the cause be either temerarious or unjust and it is temerarious if it be upon a light occasion and the occasion is light unlesse there happen first an intolerable persecution for if it be tolerable the secession is unjust Or secondly Communion is not to be broken but for Fundamentals Mead. p. 622. tom 3. that congregation be infected with heresie for if it be a tolerable error if the rite though superstitious be sufferable there ought to be no separation Or thirdly be addicted to idolatry Now then seeing they confess they make a negative separation as Camero defines it if they can prove and convict their Congregations to be guilty of such persecution heresie or idolatry they may acquit themselves but if they cannot as they doe not attempt or pretend to accuse them thereof they are then culpable of schisme in the judgement of Camero to whom they referre and their separation is not onely temerarious but also unjust separatio injusta veluti extrema schismatis linea Camero ibid. à pag. 322. ad 327. saith he having not so much as a light occasion by any tolerable persecution or error or separation and the scandals being few or none which were they more or greater might perchance make the separation more just but could not excuse it from being temerarious Besides also their separation is rather positive then negative having gathered and constituted a new Church whereof there can be no just cause saith Camero but malum insanabile lethale contagiosum reigning in that Congregation which they desert or res gravis momentosa quae si negligatur tanta est ut de salute gloria Dei actum sit néque enim quicquid verum est id ipsum continuò necessarium est ut qui salubres cibi sunt non sunt continuò necessarii And it is also a separatiâ—n from their Churches though in them not of notorious evill members from the body of the Church but of a Church in and yet from a remaining Church which separation in a Church from those who remain Church-members and of the Church is a principle onely of independent Divinity and hath no dependance upon Scripture Reason or Camero's or any good authority And theirs is likewise a separation not onely by secession in place but from persons who were never duly cast out by any judiciall processe for notorious crimes and therefore is not heterogeniarum partium discessio sed homogeniarum and therefore a Schisme as Camero sentenceth and they are besides very few that separate so as though the cause had some weight L. 3. contra Crescon c. 36. Idem contra Parmen l. 3. c. 21. tom 7. p 11. yet si pauci sunt videtur nihil esse moliendum sed expectandum patienter tempus Domini saith he And whereas they say they separate not from their Churches but from some corruptions First they might separate from their corruptions by keeping themselves pure Non enim qui se castam servat communicat peccatis alienis saith Augustine and elsewhere Mixtus reis obnoxiis nisi per conscientiae maculatam consensionem nullus recte dici potest They may and must separate from the corruptions but they do which they ought not farther separate from the Assemblies with whom they will have no communion in the Sacraments which are Gods Ordinances and not corruptions And corruption of manners also is no just cause of separation for saith Camero wheresoever purity of doctrine flourisheth God in that assembly must needs have a Church though overwhelmed with multitude of scandals and therfore they that separate from such a Congregation doubtlesse depart from thence where God gathereth a Church and therefore saith Augustine Vbi mihi licet in melius commutari Contra Crescon l. 3. c. 36. Eiren. part 1. p. 706. tom 1. non mihi opus est indeseparari And Junius resolveth Non posso quenquam Christianum bona fide renunciare communioni alterius quem Christus aut adjunxit sibi aut se adjuncturum spem facit nam qui fratrem suum servum Dei membrum Christi protervè abdicat is eo ipso facto Christum authorem communionis salutaris nestrae abdicat And with these or like arguments have their Pulpits sounded a retreat to those of their Town which have separated from them to associate with such as have gone farther in their separation as if their sight were in this respect also extra mittendo that they can see the faults of others not their own nor discern how the same weapons wherewith they fight against others may be turned back upon themselves And if they shall say that the very communion in Sacraments with such congregations is a corruption besides that this is petitio principii a begging of the question it is Donatisme without question And whereas Augustine after the precedent words Non enim qui se castum ser vat communicat peccatis alienis adds quamvis non eorum peccata sed illa quibus ad judicium sibi sumunt Dei sacrament acommunicet cum iis à quibus se castum servando fecit alienum might not Cresconius with as much truth and reason as they doe have replied That the very communicating with such was the contracting of their corruption and sin Our Saviour say they lived in unity with the Jewish Church in necessary ordinances yet separated in regard of cerruptions Let them then be followers of Christ and we shall no farther pursue them for the sacrament is a necessary ordinance and not a corruption and there may be a non-conformity in a corruption unto them with whom there may yet be a communion in worship The Lord Jesus lived and died in communion with that corrupt Church saith Mr. Ball and was so indulgent and graciously applicable to sinners that the Pharisees called him a companion of sinners Ipse Dominus Jesus Aug. contra Epist Parmen l. 1. c. 17 Dub. Evang. part 3. Dub. 41. p. 153. nullâ cogitatione malignitatis in Judaeorum gente pollutus est neque cùm illa prima sacramenta secundum perfectam humilitatis viam factus sub lege susâ—epit néque cùm postea discipulis electis cum suo traditoâ—e usque ad extremum osculum vixit And it hath been elswhere mentioned that one reason why Christ would be baptized among the common sort is rendred by Spanheïm to be this Sic etiam
jugulatus confutatus error eorum qui Catherorum Anabaptistarum recentium imitatione ad S. Domini coenam accedere detrectant si eandem flagitiosis sua opinione peccatoribus administrari videant But whereas in the score of these corruptions wherein Christ separated they set down washings and misobservation of the Passover First they cannot but know though perchance they could be content that others were ignorant that there is a vast disparity and unsuitableness between superstitions or humane traditions and divine Ordinances Secondly when those that keep themselves pure doe partake of that sacrament whereof they also participate that in some thing are corrupt they do not communicate with the evill men but with the Altar and Sacraments of God as Augustine speaks Thirdly that there may be a communion without uniformity and Church-fellowship without a social compliance in accidentall Rites and Circumstances Fourthly that to differ in things speculative or practicall is not to separate as there may be variety in a garment yet no rent In illa veste varietas sit scissura non sit Then secondly for Christ his not washing among other reasons rendred by Interpreters why he declined and omitted those lotions these also are recounted 1. To shew that things though decent yet ought not to be imposed as necessary or holinesse be constituted therein And 2. That no pollution could be contracted by a necessary converse with those whom they supposed sinners if there were no consortship in sin the contrary superstitious conceit whereof was that which occasioned the Pharisees often washing And as the former reason may excuse us for non-complying with their institutions which some of them may perhaps be conformed to without sin yet none of them ought to be injoyned of necessity so the later may convince them that no communion with such as they are not convinced to be righteous can defile them unless it be a society in unrighteousness 3. But whereas they Magisterially and Dictator-like affirm that Christ observed not the Passover at the same time with the Jewâ—s I see Qui ad pauca respiciunt de facili pronunciant When the Churches of Christendom as the Greek and Latine for from this difference about the time it comes to passe that the Greek Church celebrates in leavened and the Roman in unleavened bread and the best learned men in the Churches both ancient and modern for there were indeed some of the Fathers that supposed Christ and the Jewes did eat the Passover at different times though not upon that reason whereupon the later Writers do assert it viz. the translation of Feasts Exer. 16. Sect. 13. p. 335. whereof Paulus Burgensis was the first authour as Casaubon opineth and he flourished so lately as 1430. but upon this account that it was defer'd by the Jewes through their solicitude and incumbrance about the crucifying of our Lord When I say the Senate of the learned have divided themselves and stand at difference about it and Casaubon though himself be of the contrary judgment yet confesseth it is the common opinion of the Roman Church that Christ and the Jewes did keep the Passover the same day and houre and three Evangelists seem to minister arguments in favour of that opinion and but one that checks therewith and that Enantiophany or seeming opposition between them is very plausibly to be reconciled without receding from this opinion and the arguments whereby it is supported which on that and the other side whereunto he propends are very hand somly drest and trickt up by Maldonat are so considerable for weight and number Hammond annot in Mark 14.12 And Resolut of â— Quaries p. 223. that even those learned men who settle in the other scale do it not without some vacillation And besides all this some very learned meâ— as Grotius Hammond supposing that Christ kept not at all the Passover by eating of the Lamb which was to be slain as they suppose by the Levites 2 Chron. 35.6 and sacrificed in the Temple Deut. 16.2 6. but onely a commemorative Passover which they that were not able to come up to Jerusalem to sacrifice were wont to eat at home as a memoriall of the afflictions and deliverance out of Egypt such as was eaten in the time of the captivity of Babylon being onely unleavened bread and bitter herbs and nothing else and eaten alwaies at the beginning of the Paschal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and which the other was to follow and to be eaten the next evening therefore I suppose it might have been a greater honor to their modesty than disparagement to their learning to have less confidently shot their bolt Verum nihil securius est malo poeta But Ludovicus Vives relates of a Jew that going over a dangerous bridge in the dark next day fell dead when he had light to see the hazard he was in so when they have better considered the knots and intricateness of the question they will have some resentment of their praecipitous determining it and holding this forth as a principle that needed no proofe Omnes in admonendo sapimus said Euripides sed cum ipsimet aberramus haud advertimus The Apologists are like men in the dark they can see nothing about themselves but discerne what others do in the light they have here good principles and they can apply them to conclude against others but they are not aware that in some measure they are applicable to condemne themselves Sciunt vera esse sed furor cogit sequi Pejora vadit animus in praeceps sciens Remeatque They declaime against renouncing Congregations destreying and confusion of Churches scattering flocks forsaking Assemblies which God hath not forsaken and they decry and protest against Schisme and rigid separation and say they tremble at the destruction and confusion of tree Churches But are they not like that Hannonian faction at Carthage which still complained of those miseries which their onely Counsells had brought upon the State If they can see a beame in the eyes of others they should not be so blind as not to see a rafter in their own and though they are but little theeves upon the Bench to invert that proverb yet they cannot with a just confidence condemne the greater at the barre They maintain the same principles of Schisme from whence all the particular conclusions are deduced though some extract them in a gresser threed and spin it out farther they think mixt communions unlawful and make separations in the Church from those that are not cast out from it And whereas in their preface they tell us that they are deceived if ever Church reformation and constitution prove comfortable and successful unless holding communion with other Churches come to be a matter of more weight nevertheless they deny to hold communion with their own Churches yea they have renounced their Congregations interpretatively while they have gathered another which by appropriation they call their Church and in part have directly forsaken
them viz. in order to the administration of the Sacrament though they are not forsaken of God for I hope they are in a capacity of Salvation by the meanes and of necessity God must have a Church where the purity of doctrine flourisheth although almost overgrown with scandals as was mentioned out of Camero and though they have not wholly demolished their Churches they have pulled some stones from union with the rest and transferred them elsewhere and left the rest he more instable and tottering and they destroy them negatively ut causae deficientes while they edifie them not by the Sacrament and though they lay the foundation and build the walls by a communion in the word and prayers yet they do set on the roofe by the Sacrament which would keep the rest more firm together It must needs be a confusion of Churches when they support not a distinction of parochial cures and charges and do fabricate one Church with pieces rent out of many and they scatter these of their own flock which they do not gather and those of other mens folds which they do gather As there are potential parts of virtues Aquin. 2 2. q. 48. which are Virtutes adjunctae quae ordinantur ad aliquos actus secundarios vel materias quasi non habentes totam potentiam principalis virtutis so we may say analogically of their vice and though it be not ripe and full grown Schisme yet we have shewed it hath somewhat of Schisme seeing they separate in somewhat and that wherein the external communion of the Church doth mainly consist the Sacrament He that is departed from one Citie and is advanced but one mile is gone off as well as he that is removed to the distance of ten and one drop of the Sea is water aswell as the Ocean and he that picks my pocket but of sixpence is a Theefe aswell as he that robs me of my whole stock and he that out of malice prepensed puts out a mans eyes as well as he that takes away his life is a felon in the outward Court and a murderer in the interior If Professors be visible Saints as they say here then the exhibiting of the Sacrament unto Professors as such are all Church members is not prostituting the privileges of the Saints Sect. 5. and there is no great harm done to make them Saints by affording them the Sacrament as they would have it elsewhere who are already Saints by being professors yet they will heerin seem insanire cum ratione for they say All sorts are to be admitted to the word because the Apostles were sent to preach to the world and it is wonderful that they did not observe in the words following in that text that they were aswell sent to administer the Sacraments as to preach the word to baptize as to teach the nations and as we have shewed that the ancient Church did immediately upon baptisme admit men to the Sacrament so there is the same reason in relation to persons adult and intelligent for the administration of the one Sacrament as the other as St Augustine fully declares in his book de fide operibus Tom. 4. p. 13. Besides though the Apostles had a general rule to teach all Nations yet it was not without an exception of not casting pearle before Swine or giving holy things to Doggs and under that notion of pearle and holy things the word is principally and as it appears by the context most properly understood and why then they should be eager in witholding the Sacrament and so careless in preserving the Word from those Swine and Doggs they are still as mute in giving any sound reason as a Swine laid on his back or a Dogg bitten by a Pard And to make them free partakers of their prayers they think they have warrant because Paul gave thanks in the presence of all the passengers but as the wheate which sometimes falls from the clouds is good corn but was not naturally generated there so though their conclusion be true yet it doth not naturally flow from their premises Paul they say gave thanks that is prayed in the presence of them all Acts 27.35 but it is not said that all did pray together with Paul to pray in the presence of them and to conjoyn with them in prayer are different things they allow others to be present at the celebration yet admit them not to partake of the Sacrament The Author of the imperfect work on Matthew thinks because here is mention of breaking of bread and giving of thanks which in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Paul here administred the Sacrament to his brethren in the faith yet though all the rest were present yet that Author did not imagine they did participate That Elisha prayed with Gehazi is as irrationally collected from 2 Kings 4.33 He went in therefore and shut the door upon them twaine and prayed unto the Lord and therefore Gehazi it seems must needs be one of the twain but by common construction it ought to relate to him that was but last mentioned and that is the Child in the former verse the child was dead and laid on the bed he went in therefore and shut the door upon them twain super se super puerum Schol. in locum saith the vulgar translation post utrunque ità ut ipse puer soli in conclavi essent adds Piscator and consonantly the late Annotations Besides how is it known to them that Gehazi was a wicked man one or two sinful acts could not so denominate him at least at this time he had not lapsed into those sins which are recorded in the subsequent Chapter and had he been leprous at that time the Law had not permitted Elisha such a commerce with him and had he been then notoriously wicked the piety of Elisha could not have permitted him that wrought deceit to dwell in his house or him that told lies to remain in his sight In 2. Reg. c. 5. v. 27. and though after his sin he be mentioned c. 8. v. 4. under the notion of the servant of the man of God non tamen cratoum Helisaeo saith Sanctius capite sequenti minister Helisaei non videtur fuisse Giezi sed alius aetate minor quique non videbatur satis nosse quam à Deo Propheta virtutem accepisset but for the Kings talking with a Leper In locum studium sciendi molestiam facilè levavit saith Sanctius regem impium legem illam neglexisse adds Piscator though others say the Law no way forbids one that is clean to talk with a Leper But if he after his sin and punishment returned to the Prophet as Abulensis supposeth it gives the stronger perswasions of his repentance and upon the sight of Gods displeasure say the late Annotators English Annot on the place and judgment upon him for his sin he might repent and upon his repentance
an else inevitable participation of sin is a symptom of Donatisme and a symbolizing therewith Sixtly That of Matthew 7.6 Give not that which is holy unto Doggs c. is upon like account alleaged by the Papists to forbid men the reading of the Scripture as it is produced by them to exclude others from the Sacrament Seventhly That of Heb. 13.17 Obey them that hâ—ve the rule over you c. serves Bellarmine as suitably to prove the Pope may make Lawes to bind the conscience and others to support a blind obedience as it can help them to or establish them in that power which they claim and exercise Eightly That of Leviticus 13.5 is brought forth by Bellarmine and Lorinus upon account of the like reason to justifie auricular confession as they produce it to ratifie their examination And Ninthly That of 2 Chron. 13.19 is a protrite Argument among the Brownists and Independents to enforce an exclusion from Church fellowship at it is used by them to evince a repulse from Sacramental communion Therefore as King Richard the first when he sent the armour of Philip the martial Bishop of Beavoys to the Pope who demanded his son of the King when he had imprisoned him said This we found see if it be thy sons coate or no so I shall say those Arguments we found see if they are proper to Orthodox Divines or not Fourthly they are so set upon suspensions and castings out that they have excommunicated their question and wil not touch or have any communion therewith They in the ninth Section stated the question in those terms Whether in the reforming of a long corrupted Church it be necessary that all the members thereof do submit to some examination or trial of their knowledge before they be admitted to the Lords Table It seems the question is grown suddenly a Leper and therefore is shut out and not to be toucht It hath been shewed in answer to that Section that this question is concluded in none of their Syllogismes That none of the texts from which they conclude mentions or intends examination or the Sacrament divisively much lesse conjunctly examination precedaneous to the Sacrament one excepted where the examination is active not passive a man to examine himself not to be examined by another None prescribes a withdrawing from a noting a not eating with shutting up or giving out not casting pearls giving holy things to men ignorant but scandalous and all that can be with the strongest heat distilled from those Texts is onely the casting out of notorious sinners not the taking in of any untill upon probation they have demonstrated their true holinesse Most of the texts forbid a familiar and sociall unnecessary conversation with wicked men not a communion in the Sacrament Those which may seem to prohibite their partaking of holy things doe deny them generally and absolutely there is no limitation or restraint of the prohibition to the Lords Supper and as there is no restriction in relation to the matter so neither any determination or fixing of the time and speciall occasion as that it must be done onely in the reforming of a long corrupted Church Many of the commands are negative and whatsoever their obligation be obligant semper ad semper not only in times of reforming and the affirmative commands are indefinite and absolute binding alwayes upon all occasions they are sure and stand fast for ever and ever So the Apologists have herein dealt like the French who when they have prickt a tune do not sing after it and like the Ostrich when they have laid their egges they leave them in the earth and onely warm them with dust But as we have viewed the generall affections of their arguments so let us take a survey of what agrees to them in speciall Of those Texts which contribute more or lesse to warrant their practice it seems they are conscious that some pay in but a little contribution and we are confident that none do much the first in their no doubt but decent order is 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently in order But if this be the capitall proof as Iustine speaks of Epaminondas slain at the battell of Mantinaea The head of the spear being taken off the trunk would do little hurt so if this head of their argumentation be so blunt and the edge thereof so easily rebated we may more boldly venture upon the residue for sure this proof might not onely have been removed from the tribe and been debarred its sufferage but it is not capable to be among the very Aerarii it can pay no contribution it is so poor onely they will set it among the proletarii to beget one argument the more in number First I might rationally enough if I would raise arguments ad hominem only arte perire sua retort their own words that the Apostles scope is far from the businesse in hand for as is the judgment of Aquinas Estius Piscator Menochius c. all things here mentioned are onely the things spoken of before Decency referring to the habit and silence of women Order relating to the use of spirituall gifts and their speaking not together but one after another first one then another for exercise of them but I shall acknowledge that generall Rules are applicable to all particulars of the same kind and nature and whatsoever can be derived from any thing was contained in it Secondly In locum itis well observed by Musculus Non est universalis vocula trahenda ad omnia quae temere sunt in Ecclesia introducta sed quae legitimè necessoriè gerenda sunt in Ecclesia decenter ordine competenti gerantur So as first they should have proved the matter to be lawfull and necessary and then suit the manner of doing it to order and decency Thirdly from this proposition All things should be done decently and in order they can never extract any conclusion for them but by an Assumption which will be whipt away for begging the question that their doings are decent and orderly the first is as chearfully as necessarily conceded the later no lesse strongly denied by us than asserted by them this is our controversie and the issue we have joyn'd upon them and the determination of the question depends upon what hath been produced on either side and to give in a verdict there had need bee a view of al the pleadings and an examination of all the evidence produced Fourthly the Text alleaged is but a remote and mediate principle for proof of their practice the order and decency thereof is to be the proximate and immediate ground of its approbation for the Scripture onely saith in generall things ought to be done decently and in order but that such a particular way is orderly and decent depends upon the considerations of rectified reason and godly prudence and things have their chief dependance upon their nearest causes and principles and upon this
according to the corporeall pasturage to be admitted to one and excluded from another Ordinance not to be cut off from communion because not excommunicate and yet to be denyed to communicate in the Sacrament wherein Church communion mainly consisteth to enter upon their Churches as it were by conquest and seise all mens right to the Sacrament when they have not forfeited it by scandal and to admit none into possession that will not hold of them and at their will and without any orderly proceeding or censuring men for special scandals obstinately continued in after admonition to shut out whole Churches because they have not merited their approbation to admit none but those that shall watch one over another while some of the Society live twenty and perchance more miles asunder to forbid those to do their dutie who they suppose cannot do it so well as they should when the duty is essentially good and necessary and the abuse but accidentall and doubtfull and the hope of good is founded in the certain goodnesse of the thing and the fear of evill raised in an uncertain suspition of the indisposition of the person which is evill may be corrected by the good he is to partake of Saepe mihi ignota est humana conscientia Aug. Contra Lit. Petil. l 1. c. 7. sed certus sum de Christi misericordia to dispense also with themselves in a certain duty for an uncertain hazard and to deny others a good thing for fear it may do evill upon which account all good things in the world may be suppressed those and a multitude of other inordinatenesses in their way we have formerly shewed as things came in order in our course and it will not be decent here to repeat and to make this Section an Index of the whole Treatise SECT XXVI Jeremy 15.19 Discussed and vindicated THe second proofe is from Jeremy 15.19 If thou takest forth the pretious from the vile c. but those res secundae will not be the prosperity of their cause and if they would separate pretious Arguments from the vise they might lessen and decrease the number of their proofs as they have done of their Church We may give them what they conclude out of the premises in this Section and yet it will be but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Greek proverb A giftlesse gift and be worth them nothing For after all their vapours what do they lymbeck out of this Text but this conclusion More is their duty then a doctrinall separation in applying the word And if this would keep them quiet they might have this without more crying either as a duty or as a power We never have denied them all authority to separate men from the Church by excommunication as well as from the world by preaching the word the question is not of the act of Separation but of the manner and the objects who are those vile and how the separation must be made but to inferre a separation is warranted by Gods word therefore their way of Separating is warrantable is an argument A genere ad specicm affirmativè Did they put none into the account of vile but such onely as had given scandall by notorious crimes and not those also which had not by submission to their discipline merited their appobation and become pretious alone at the price of their freedome and to cease to be vile must contract a kind of villenage servilly to hold at the will of another did they separate in a judiciall way such particular persons from the Congregations and not whole Congregations by an arbitrary sentence or rather not separate themselves from the congregation we should not interrupt nor check with them in their way though it be not drawn out by any line in this Text and we should grant it were right Discipline though not rooted naturally in this Scripture as it might be right Ivy that as Nicremberge tells us grew out of a Stagges horn and a right blade of Corn that sprung from a Womans Nose yet neither was naturalll to that place What they write therefore of Excommunication is but as the shedding of inke by the Sepia to escape discovery It argues the deformity of their way that they dare not shew it in its own face but with such paint and under this dilguise for Excommunication is that which we neither oppose nor they contend for and for their part there is an observable testimony thereof in that they produce very few of those Scripture proofs which are usually alleaged for and do pregnantly assert it but because those are not so aptly conducing to their scope and purpose they bring forth others little or nothing pertinent to that matter and from whence it cannot be otherwise deduced then as the Metaphysicks say that by long circuit any truth may be derived from another and perchance they withhold those stronger Arguments least they might disparage theirs by comparison as the Painter that had grossely pourtraied a Cock set a Boy by the Tub to stave off all living Cocks that they might not discredit his rude draught They enumerate sundry kinds or wayes of Separation but it had been as proper to their undertaking as sutable to the expectation of reason to have demonstrated how all of these were founded in this text or supported thereby for when they simply and nakedly affirm them to be so in magna sermenis latitudine uno brevissimo verbo quod dicitur proba in arctissimas coarctaris angustias as Augustine to Petilian Though some streames turn another way as Maldonat expounds the words thus If O people to whom he thinks the Lord to speak thou pick out and make choise of the true Prophets from the salse and others whom A Lapide mentions interpret If thou sever my precious Word from the vile Doctrines of the Jewes Prcciosum à vili seperat qui verum falsum bonum malum non codem loco habet Quistorpius annot in lec Chrys in Gen. c. 1. hom 3 tom 1. p. 4. in Math. c. 25. h. 27. tom 2. p. 169. Gregory l. 3. Moral Willet in Levit p. 363. Cateri in loc A verbis Judaeorum minacibus sed levibus vilibus infirmis quia ipsi invalidi sunt minas suas explere non poterant si fortiter animosè adhaeseris verbo meo contempseris Judaeorum minas as Menochius or Si verbum meum divinum tanquam pretiosum thesaurum amplexus fucris custodicris prae vili acervo rationum humanarum ad pusillanimitatem te excitantium as Tirinus from whom Sanctius much dissents not Si discrimen aliquod agnoscas statuasque inter ca quae vilia sunt quaeque ludus nugae existimari debent inter ludentium nimirum consilia ludrica inter me meaque mandata and this Piscator saith is a fit interpretation and Diodate assents to it yet the main current of Interpreters runs toward a Separation of
we neeâ— not go out of the world though we should have no fellowship with them in eating of the Lords Supper for no Christian in the world hath such a society in eating since men of the world do not communicate therein Fifthly If to company and to eat are here Identicall then by an Argument ad hominem it cannot be eating at the holy Table for they admit of their company there they may be present and look on but will not permit them to eat But they think it followes à minore ad majus If we may not eat common bread then much less sacred with them and they produce the judgment of Parâ—us Quanto magis convictu sacro Triall of grounds tending to Separation c. 10. p. 200. but we have over-balanced that testimony with the authority of others and among them of Augustine in the precedent Section who directly assures us that we may take the body of Christ with those with whom we are forbidden to eat bread and we have there and elswhere laid weighty reasons beside in that scale to make it preponderate There is not the same reason saith Mr. Ball of breaking off private familiarity with an offender and separating from the Lords Ordinances if he be admitted whether respect be had to the glory of God our own safety the avoyding of offence or the good of the party fallen For in coming to Gods Ordinance we have communion with Christ principally and with the faithfull with the wicked we have no communion save externall and by accident because they are not or cannot be cast out Necesse est ut eam non ut vivam it is necessary that I goe to the Sacrament not that I live in any mans company my communion with Christ and the faithfull is not free and voluntary but necessary with the wicked in the ordinances unwilling suffered and not affected civill commerce with the wicked is lawfull when necessary and much more external communion in those things of God which must not be neglected Every man till he be justly cut off from the commuion Calvin advers Anabapt hath a title to that wherein Ecclesiasticall communion mainly consists but no man can put in a claim to my familiar society I may chuse my friends but not my fellows in that which God commands others as well as me I am obliged to eschew evill company lest I become evill by the diffusions of their example and insinuations or be reputed evill by an argument taken from my consorts For even the Heathen a Charondas enacted by Law That no man should converse with wicked persons lest they contracted a reproach as if he were like them or delighted in them but no obligation is incumbent on me to separate from them in that which is good and may help to make them better and wherein they discover no exemplary evil whereby I may be made worse and where I have a command to examine with what heart I come but none to make any examination with what affections others approach Epist 164. tom 2 p. 144. Manifestum est saith Augustine bòc non affici hominom quòd est malus quisquam cum quo ad altare Christi acceditur etiamsi non incognitus si tan um non approbetur à bona conscientia displicendo separetur Secondly this argument carried from forbidding society in civil to denyal thereof in things sacred is extensive to all sacred things or some onely if to all then themselves comply not with the duty who hold communion in all holy things save the one Sacrament if to some where are they warranted to distinguish in that which the Precept distinguisheâ—h not Thirdly We conceive we have in the precedent Section made some discoveries that the ancient Church had no fellowship with some in civil things to whom they denyed not society in sacred and that this was no strange or unusuall thing among the Jewes hath some footsteps in the parable where the Publican prayed with the Pharisee in the Temple yet the Pharisee would not eat with or touch a Publican and where conversation was forbidden in civill things yet in order to the good of the parties or any spirituall end a commerce was allowed as no man might come near the Leaper yet the Priest might have recourse to him and when the Apostle 2 Thess 3.14 willeth them not to have company with him that obeyed not his word yet verse 5 15. he adviseth them to admonish him as a brother which could not be done without a society and converse together in order to that end yea L. 2. Observ 4 p. 241. Observ 24 29 though in the primitive Church excommunicate persons were avoyded as polluted tantâ curâ tantóque studio ut ne quidem eos non dico alloqui sed nec intueri satis tutum honestâ—m iis videretur saith Albaspinus yet he shewes us that they might at some times enter the Church and stood among or near the Catechumeus and might there heare some portions of the Word and expositions thereof and make their prayers 4. Though sometimes the same reason perhaps that may be a motive to their exclusion from our familiar company may become also an inductive to their expulsion from Ecclesiastick communion yet still they are thence duly expelled though we decline them in the one we may not divide our selves in the other simul edimus simul bibimus quia simul vivimus saith Augustine while we live together in the same house of God we may eate together at the same Table of the Lord and also many emergent circumstances may sometimes prohibite such a casting out Augustine tells us Cont. ep Parm. l. 3. c. 2. Cùm mul os comperisset immunda luxuria fornicationibus inquinatos ad eosdem Corinthios in 2 Epistola scribons non itidem praecipit ut cum talibus nec cibum sumerent multi enim erant saith Augustine And farther he askes Quemadmodum Cyprianus caeteri similes implebant quod praecepit Apostolus Si qui frater nominatur c. Quando cum his avaris rapacibus qui sundos infidiosis fraudibus raperent usuris multiplicantibus foenus augerent panem domini manducabant calicom bibebant And he answers Antiqui non poterant ab iis corporaliter separari ne similiter eradicarent triticum sufficiebat iis à talibus corde sejungi vitâ moribusque distingui propter compensationem custodiendae pacis unitatis c In those cases when as the Physiâ—ian ut curet spasmum procurat sebrim so the Physitians of souls to prevent a schisme suffer an offending multitude or such as they cannot cast out without danger of schisme to retain communion and to communicate at the Sacrament Though others may not without turning schismaticks separate from their fellowship in sacred duties yet I think not only by the dictate of prudent counsel but by the force of a just precept they ought to sever themselves
he affirms that communicant Altari Christi non alienis peccatis non facta cum talibus sed Domini sacramenta communicant and confidently gives this Corollary Manifestum non contaminari alienis peccatis quando cum iis sacramenta communicant Epist 48. tom 2. p. 36. And as in answer to this text urged by Cresconius he saith Vt ostenderet quemadmodum quisque non commuâ—icaret alienis peccatis ad hoc addidit Te ipsum castum serva non enim qui se castum servat communicat alienis peccatis quamvis non corum peccata sed illa quae ad judicium sumunt Dei sacramenta communicet cum iis à quibus se castum servando facit alienum alioquin etiam Cyprianus quod â—absit peccatis raptorum soeneratorum collegarum communicabat cum quibus tamen in communione divinorum sacramentorum manebat So elswhere he tells the Dona ists upon this occasion Contra lit Petil l. 2. c. 22. Non dixisse Dominum praesente Juda nondum mundi estis sed jam mundi estis addidit autem non omnes quia ibi erat qui mundus non erat qui tamen si praesentia sua caeteros pollueret non iis diceretur jam mundi estis sed diceretur ut dixi nondum mundi estis certè si putatis apud nos similes esse Judae haec verba nobis dieite mundi estis sed non omnes non autem hoc dicitis sed diciâ—is propter quosdam immundos immundi estis omnes Whereas they say that as in Civill Judicatories there are Principals and Accessories so before God there will be too non-examiners are accessories before the fact But the Law wil supply them with as little aid as the Gospel for in Law he is onely an accessory before the fact that abets precures consents to or commands a felony or any evill act from whence a felony proceeds but first as the lowest offences involve no accessories as trespasses so by proportion where the faults are not exitious or scandalous dalous there should be no accessories by commuunion with such as are onely so faulty And secondly where the action is naturally good that is commanded though in pursuance thereof a Felony may be committed the commander of the act is not accessory to the Felony so the receiving of the Sacrament being in its own nature a good and necessary duty he that consents or should enjoyn them to receive who become unworthy receivers is not accessory to the unworthy reception So thirdly since participation of sin is onely in those acts which are evill in the kind and object thereof not in those acts which are good and the deficiency is onely in the well doing and that defect neither caused or consented to by another they therefore that suffer those to come to the Sacrament that partake unworthily and participate with them but not in unworthinesse neither abet procure consent to or command the unworthinesse nor are accessory to the Ataxy but the act not the formall but the naturall part thereof and the physicall not the moral action as long as he that administers or permits any to come to the administration is not the cause of their unworthy receiving nor the unworthinesse of the person known to him in that way wherein it regularly ought to be viz. 〈…〉 â—nd notorious knowledge though it be evill of the part of the receiver 〈…〉 â—he part of the giver nor is any fault to be imputed to him who cannot be 〈…〉 another partakes with an evill Suarez as before what he distributes with a good intent and affection And with the action of receiving there is not conjoyned necessarily and of it selfe the unworthinesse of receiving for he may partake worthily if he will so as there is no co-operation in evil but a permission which morally cannot be avoyded the co-operation being onely to the receiving not unworthy reception neither doth the administer doe against his conscience in administring for the Dictate thereof is not to be regulated by his private and speculative knowledge that this man is unworthy but by his practical knowledge considering what he ought to do for time and place in concurrence of such circumstances of the mans coming to demand the Sacrament and his occult unworthinesse and the administer doth not dispense it in his own name but according to order established by God forbidding any Church-member to be denied his right to holy things upon the private knowledge or will of the administer who is to distribute it not formally as to one worthy or unworthy but to one undivided from the Church and to exhibit that which is the witnesse of Christian profession to them professe the Christian faith the Sacraments being notes of the true Church and the receiving thereof an act of communion with the true Church And if this can support and justifie the dispensing of the Sacrament to such as by private knowledge onely are known to be unworthy much more will it bear out the dispensation thereof to those that are only suspected or have onely not upon triall given demonstrative signs of heir being worthy And seeing also unconverted men can neither hear nor pray with faith and consequently sin in both as well as when they partake of the Sacrament it must consequently be asmuch a partaking of their sins to admit them and communicate with them in the one as in the other What they tautologize and thereby constrain us like Mercury reasoning with Battus to conform to them because admisso sequimur vestigia pâ—ssu of the telling them that are unworthy and yet are partakers that they are â—aints interessed in Gospel privileges and promises and justified persons by giving them the seales of the now Covenant is neither pertinent to this subject of partaking their sins nor as hath been formerly manifested is consonant to truth or sound reason it makes them relative Saints and so are all Church members not effectively or meritoriously cut off The Sacrament â—eâ—s not men but the promises to them and upon condition of believing and that they may do to those that believe not and in the condiâ—ional promises all of the Church have interest which are the same promises in the word and in the Sacrament though differently applied and the one and the other hold forth justification in the same way of believing and upon such condition and not otherwise They are not assured that all those are justified to whom they impart the seales and why are any made saints interessed in the promises and justified more by this Sacrament if they should have it than by the other which they have That non examiners are accessories before the fact is one of their Dictates but none of their demonstrations That those who are under violent suspicion of grosse ignorance shall come under examination we deny not that those who are vehemently suspected of scandals may be examined and witnesses may be so also concerning them we grant
been segregated and though in the way of their reuniting they were joyned first by one piece and then by another and did communicate first in other Ordinances before they did in the Eucharist yet they were first excluded from all not that one of the Lords Supper and although at the fourth and last concoction of penance were admitted to Communion in all save that one yet at first a total remotion was the terminus à quo whence they began to move farther in order to their restitution and rest and however some had the Salve ready assoon as the Wound was inflicted and it seems were sentenced unto penance without their Petitions and a determinate time limited how long they should lye under it yet the very adjudging to penance implied a former separation from Communion in all Ordinances and not onely and immediately from the Eucharist This might be multifariously verified but as one Caesar contained many Marii so one testimony of Augustine shall virtually involve many and he tells us Agunt etiam homines poenitentiam si post baptismum ità peccaverint ut excommunicari postea reconciliari mereantur sicut agunt in omnibus Ecclesiis illi qui propriè poenitentes appellantur Penitents had peculiar habits being lapp'd in sackcloth and ashes their hair was polled they came not neer their wives nor intermeddled with publick business nothing of which is enjoyned or inflicted upon suspended persons And Albaspinus informs us Iisdem exorcismis paci restituerentur poenitentes quam catechumeni in Christianam familiam transierant unde dignoscitur de utrisque idem judicium apud antiquos fuisse We need not then be prompted that Excommunication differed from Penance for we acknowledg that they were different conditions as are also aegritudo neutralitas convalescentiae but the one is but a step from the other yet neither of these conditions was to be under Suspension Amongst all those sorts of Penitents there was none properly suspended that is immediately and onely removed from the Lords Table there were sundry degrees of them and those degrees passed under several notions in divers ages and places but no Church Lexicon will warrant that any of these denominations was synonymous with suspended as Suspension is now understood and practised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separatus is a term we grant appropriate to a person excommunicate because the Ancients knew no separation but by excommunication but why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non acceptus non admissus exors should be translated suspensus as that word is now commonly accepted Can. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zonar annot in can 12. secundunâ— ipsius comput though we shall allow the Translation in that sense wherein the notion was anciently used and not rather be synonymous with that other of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or denote Penitents while it signifieth onely not to be received into Communion as Penitents were not although they differed from the excommunicates and as in the same Canon of the Apostles whence the instance is tâ—ken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for such receiving and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the receiver is I suppose a writ that bears no teste but meipso And to argue some were not received into Communion therefore they were suspended is a fallacious affirming of the Species from the Gâ—nus But Zonaras set it out of question by interpreting it of one seeking to be ordained and not yet approved or accepted in one place and was therefore forbidden to be ordained in another 2. They vouch Antiquity to warrant that some waited divers years till they were admitted to the Eucharist and we acknowledg it but know no reason why it should be thereupon inferred that these were persons suspended that long expectation being never the proper passion of Suspension for the Catechumeni were long in subliming and the Penitents especially upon every step of their rise and re-admission made some stay and commorancy as before hath been declared and their probation was of more or less duration respectively to their offences and to the customes of several ages and several Churches 3. They would perswade us that to be put from the Communion was onely to be denied the Eucharist and that therefore Suspension is legible in all those Canons whereby a deprivation of the Communion is decreed But surely they betray their own judgment to be weak or hope that ours is so that make this allegation Albaspinus will roundly tell them L. 2. obs 8. p. 258. to suppose this word Communion ought to be taken for the Eucharist is a notable folly and ignorance which he cannot incurre that is but meanly versed in turning over the Writings of the Fathers or in the knowledg of Antiquity And his very first observation might have better informed them L. 1. c. 1. p. 2. 5. that the Communion extends more largely than to the Eucharist and comprehends all those things which pertain to holy things the usage of life and society of men and he concludes that the custome and use of this word as now it is is much deflected from the true legitimate and ancient acception thereof L. 1. obs 4. p. 41 which is scarce ever used for the Eucharist unless some other word be appended to it yet upon this false account much stress is laid upon the first Council of Arles as if it decreed Suspension 1 Arelat can 3.4.7.19 because it prescribed a separating from the Communion whereas it is clear that as abstinere eos à communione à communione separari à communione excludi non communicare are the forms of censure indifferently and univocally used in the Council So in the second of Arles alienus à fratrum communione 2 Arelat can 19.21.25.31.23 ab Ecclesiae liminibus arceri ab Ecclesia alienus ab Ecclesia excludi ab Ecclesiasticis conventibus removeri are but the same things in other notions which are frequent also in other Councils and cannot be restrained to or expounded of Suspension from the Lords Table but a separation from the Church and Ecclesiastical Assemblies whereunto persons suspended are admitted And if to be separate from the Communion had been onely to be kept from the Sacrament then to receive the Communion must consequently be to partake the Eucharist Not. in concil Elib can 1. de vet Eccles rit l. 1. obs 1. 11. not in can 12. concil Arel 2. can 12. concil Vasens c. But Albaspinus clearly shews that many at their decease were received to the Communion without the Eucharist And out of the second Council of Arles he proves that some who happened to dy before they had finished their penance yet had given signs of repentance were restored to the Communion after their death by the receiving of their oblations when there could be no reception of the Eucharist and accipere communionem was onely to be absolved and the Communion
pacem where by peace is meant fraternity absolution and reconciliation or admission into the company of the Church as Erasmus expoundeth and Albaspinus intimates which shews that he was before put from the Brother-hood and cut off from the body of the Church by Excommunication 8. Albaspinus tells us Abstenti nec poenitentiae compotes essent and farther Idololatras abstentos ad Ecclesiarum aditum ibi fletu gemitu elicere misericordiam studuisse Which renders it evident that the abstenti were the same with excommunicate and that these two notions were in his judgment Synonymous Arel can 3. as appears also by what he otherwhere delivers ab hac societate non solùm arcebantur haeretici schismatici abstenti sed etiam poenitentes Catechumeni where abstenti must stand for excommunicate or else they were omitted by him who were principally excluded from the Church 9. Whereas the first Councel of Arles decrees de his qui arma projiciunt in mare placuit eos abstinere à communione Albaspinus also himself gives the sense and effect of that Canon Ut qui in pace arma projiciunt excommunicentur and addes this note Pauco tempore à societate fidelium abstineant which is more than Suspension the suspended being not debarred from the society of the faithful as Abstention from the Communion is more than Separation from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the former being of greater latitude than the latter Lastly we shall often finde that after abstention from the Communion penance was imposed in order to restitution and penance presupposeth a precedent Excommunication But if Abstention were Suspension and to be under Penance was also to be suspended only from the Eucharist then Suspension had been imposed to obtain a restoring from Suspension and when we reade in the Canons poenitentiam agere quaerunt it should seem they desired to be suspended but neither was penance like to have been desired by them unless to get out of a greater evil under which they lay before viz. Excommunication 4. They produce Testimonies to prove That some were rejected until death but were not excommunicate so long for some of those might have the Sacrament at their dying hour which persons excommunicate could not have But Ubi vincere apertè Non datur insidâ—â—s armaque tecta parant If they were rejected until death they were so long also excommunicate for in that second Canon of Neo-Caesarea which is referred to Mulier si duobus nupserit fratribus abjiciatur in diem mortis sed propter humanitatem in extremis suis Sacramentis reconciliari oportet ita tamen ut si forte sanitatem recuperaverit Matrimonio soluto ad poenitentiam admittatur It is rendred manifest by the first Canon that this Censure was Excommunication for there absiciatur is explained by an addition of Extra Ecclesiam and casting out of the Church is Excommunication neither doth it follow that she was not excommunicate so long because dying she might have the Sacrament for first as we cannot be convinced that reconciliari Sacramentis doth properly and onely signifie the admission to the Sacrament but thereby by a Synecdoche is understood perfecta communio maxima absolutissima reconciliatio wherein a right also to the Eucharist is involv'd Justellus instead of Sacramentis reconciliari oportet renders it poenitentiam habebit L. 2. obser 4. p. 239. Idololatrae maechi homicidae apostatae Concil Elib can 3. Arel 2. can 24. Cyprian l. 1. ep 38. Cartag can 76. Nicen. can 13. yet though it were in their sens to be understood nevertheless though no excommunicate person in sensu composito could partake of the Eucharist as neither could a person suspended without a contradiction yet he that stood excommunicate might in extremis in fine in necessitate infirmitatis as the Canons speak be admitted to penance to be assumed and undergone if he did recover into health and in the interim receive not onely the simple Communion but also the Sacrament which seems clear and demonstrable from this very Canon as also doth that other truth that men were first excommunicate before they were made Penitents Adducor ut credam saith Albaspinus facinorosis ex omni scelerum flagitiorum coliuvione concretis hominthus vel etiamsi in ea praecipites peccata abeant poenitentiam modò illa peteretur nunquam denegatam and he cites the words of Caelestine in an Epistle to the Bishops of France Poenitentiam morientibus denegari quid hoc rogo aliud est quam morienti mortem addere ejusque animam nè absolvi possit occidere And howsoever in some of the first Times and during the ardour of Persecution for some sinnes four sorts of which Albaspinus recounteth besides those which Tertullian calls non delicta sed monstra and offences a second time lapsed into where it was decreed in fiae Communionem non dandaem ne lusisse de Dominica communione videantur the Communion was denyed to be afforded in their dying condition which manifests the falseness of that over-bold assertion That none were excommunicate until death yet as this was decreed with a condition express'd nisi digna satisfactione poenituerint as the Canon speaks and as it appears by Gyprian and by the third Canon of the first Council of Arles that Communion was especially denyed to men at their death because they had not petitioned to do their penance while they lived in health So not onely the fourth Councel of Carthage held in the fourth Century expresly decreed That penance should be permitted to dying persons which supposeth them then under Excommunication and then that the Eucharist should be immediatly exhibited to them if they desired it with condition of performing their penance injoyned in case they survived But the great Council of Nice also determined Ut si quis vitâ excedat ultimo necessariv viatico minimè privetur si vero desperatus Communionem assecutus supervixerit sit inter eos qui Communionem orationis tantummodo consequuntur Generaliter autem omni cuilibet in exitu posito Eucharisitiae participaâ—â—onem petenti Episcopus cum examinatione oblationem impertiat where if Viaticum be not the Eucharist as Zonaras Balsamon and Casaubon suppose it to be but onely the simple Communion as Albaspinus and others conceive yet all none dissenting agree that the Lords Supper is spoken of in the latter part of the Canon and beside the Story of Serapion is Lippis Tonsoribus nota known to all those that have but half an eye in Ecclesiastical History and have top'd off the least haires thereof 5. But they were at a greater fault and ranne away with a falser sent that hunting after Testimonies for Suspension among the Records of Antiquity tell us that Penitents were persons only suspended the Lords Table not excommunicate because some adjudged to penance were admitted to the Laicke Communion for if Penance were Suspension then the privation of
digladiations of Sects are sometime as eager among themselves as against the truth the Maximinianists did virulently contest with the Primianists yet both were under the denomination of Donatists they may be all in the same way which yet run faster and go further one than another As the Schooles say that every Angel is a several species so if some difference or singularity might constitute a several form we should have among Independents almost as many Religions as men It is like enough they render no complacency to the rigid Independents and do yet find no pleasing reception among the right Presbyterians such a Catastrophe is the result of a midling indifference and it fares with men of that temperament as with the hypocrite the world hates him because he seemes good and God abhors him because he is not truly such They leave the rigid Independents to answer that charge of confounding Churches and then it seemes they depend upon them to be Advocates for them also aswell as to plead their own cause For however self love may transfer the guilt and censure that in others what it will not see in it self as Demosthenes said nothing was so hard as to know or so easie as to deceave ones self yet this charge hath a thou art the man for them also for he is somewhat confounded in his judgement that cannot discern or will not confesse that to constitute as they do Polydor. Virgil de inventoribus rerum l. 4. c. 9. p. 268. Quo quisque suis finibus limitibusque contentus esset Platina in vita Dionys Selder Histor of tythes c. 6. p. 8. one Church of persons gathered and extracted out of twenty or thereabout is to introduce a confusion of Churches and what is that else but to defeat that ancient and laudable constitution of dividing parishes into several Presbyteries as proper cures and making them definite and appropriate which if not instituted by Dionysius about the year 260. in the Roman Patriarchate and soon after in other Diocesses by his example or rather the institution by him revived after the disturbances of persecution as having been first setled by Euaristus at Rome within little of the first Century yet profound Antiquaries acknowledge that in the very first times Parishes were divided to several Ministers according to the conveniences of Country Towns and Villages which division and distribution hath been constantly ratified and supported by our municipal Lawes as necessary to order and subservient to many expediences And also the violation of this order and such appropriation was forbidden by the Canons of ancient Councils neque confundito Ecclesias decreed the first Council of Constantinople Constant can 2. neparochiam cujustibet Episcopi alterius civitatis Episcopus Canonum temerator invadat Avern 9. was the determination of the Synod of Averne And this is also to remove those ancient land-marks bounds which was not onely piacular among the Romans Si quis transerre ausus fuisset aut aâ—tollere Rosin Antiq. Rom l. 2. c. 19. lege terminali caput ejus his diis devovit interfectori ipsius tanquam sacrilegi impunitate promissâ puritate à scelere but obnoxious to a curse by the Law of God Deut 27. 17. In Prov. 22.28 and coming under frequent prohibitions Deut. 19.14 Prov. 22.28 23.10 Sub hoc autem literali sensu parabolicè intelligendum est ne quis rectae vitae praescripta à patribus laudabiliter constituta pro concordia ordine ac politia inter homines conservanda violare immutare novâ doctrinâ impio contemptu praesumat saith Jansenius And if it hath not much of confusion yet not little of irregularity to communicate with one Church in the Word and Prayer and onely with another in the Sacrament to be common hearers of the Word among those with whom they deny to have communion in the Sacrament and to partake of the Sacrament with them amongst whom they do not constantly hear the word to pay their Tythes to them who serve not at the Altar whereof they partake and to yeeld no Tythes whatsoever offerings they bring to those that officiate at those Altars where they participate And yet Ignatius tells of the ancient Christians Omnes ad orandum in idem loci convenere quemadmodum ad unum Altare they had not then severall Altars that had one common place of prayer and a Bishop and an Altar were made correlatives Mead hCurches in and since the Apost p. 50. so that every Bishop had an Altar and but one and not one Altar among many Bishops which interfeers with their practice Those aspersions wherewith they complain to be bespattered were not the most of them cast by the paper neither were they so blotted by any drops shed there yet let us try whether it fall not out with them as we have not onely read in story but seen by experience to have happened to some who commenced suits and brought actions of slander and upon the traversing thereof have been convicted of those crimes which they sought to clear and to get recompence for being accused of and have contracted those penalties whereas they might have been quit if they could have been quiet They say they are falsly impeached First For disorder against Law And we suppose indeed this confounding of these Parish Churches whereof Law hath determined the limits and made the appropriation comes under that denomination Our lawes have forbid and do inflict penalties for using any artifice to intice and withdraw Pigeons out of anothers Dove-house and Bees out of others Buts and therefore doublesse cannot allow the tolling and seducing other mens naturall sheep from their folds Secondly For Magick I think it will rather prove to be for sillinesse or uncharitablenesse the paper onely said that their tempting and withdrawing the fruits of other mens labours and those committed to their culture to make up their Churches did carry some analogy with that magicall transferring of other mens corn into their fields wherof some Romans were falsly accused A man might suspect that they were indeed passive in Magick and thereby fascinated hereupon to think that this Allegory layes Magick to their charge and therefore while they suppose that we question them properly for that crime they cannot but leave not onely their wit and temper but their charity and innocence under greater question Vlcera ad levem tactum etiam ad suspitionem tactûs condolescunt nunquid sine querela aegratanguntur Thirdly For Schisme Though their way be not schisme in the achme yet it is more then in the Embryo and though it be not ripe in all the fruit yet it is more than in the seed and if not schisme yet somewhat schismaticall They separate from a communion in part of the ordinances and so it is in part schismaticall but the part is of the same nature with the whole They refuse to communicate or associate as they speak with