same God our Common Father in the same congregation with them See M. Balls Tryall of the grounds tending 10 separation page 200. 201. Internall and essensuall communion we have with Christ and the faithfull onely externall with â—he wicked Were not all the Coogregation of Israel members of the same visible Church and called God's people by God himselfe though many among them notoriously wicked Psal 50.7 Heare O my people and I will speake O Israel and I will testifie against thee I am God even thy God and yet see what some of them were v. is 16. c. who then are we that we should utterly disclaim them before they utterly disclaim him and he hath given them a bill of Divorce Hath it not been sufficiently manifested that the Kingdom of Heaven i.e. Christs visible Church is like a Field wherein tares must grow together with the Wheat untill the harvest which is the end of the World Mat. 13.24 23. c. And also that in the visible Church many are called But few chosen Mat. 20.16.22.14 Ob. But doth not the Apostle say that a little leaven leaveneth the whose lump and therefore bids purge out the old leaven that ye may be a new lump speaking of the incestuous person 1 Cor. 5.6.7 Answ True he would have such notorious scandalous persons as the incestuous Corinthian was to be purged out by excommunication that yee may be a new lump and because Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us but never bids you put out your selves from the Sacrament more than from other Ordinances if such be not put out Ob. But doth he not say expresly v. 11. With such a one Answ no not to eate This must needs be meant of familiar eating because it is spoken by way of diminution and wherein one is more likely to be infected than at the Sacramentall Supper Ob. And whereas it is urged hereupon with much confidence That if we may not eat with them at our own table much lesse at Gods Answ It is a meer inconsequence how strong soever it may seem to weak Disputants for I may and must do many things with wicked men in God's house which I need not do with them in mine own The Adversaries will grant that I may yea and must pray and hear and sing with them in God's house which I am not bound to do with them in mine own I am left at liberty in the one but not in the other Case 7. But will not this gratifie the wicked who are so much for this liberty to come to the Sacrament of the Supper Sol. It will not gratifie them at all in their wicked waies but in a commanded duty which is incumbent upon them as well as any other duty for the sinfulnesse of man doth not dis-oblige him from any duty especially being part of God's worship as this is And by receiving them to the Sacrament we more oblige and ingage them to other duties also as to mortifie sin pressing them to renew their repentance because by receiving this Sacrament a Seal of the Covenant we are to renew our Covenant with God as we desire he should renew it with us by renewing his grace and blessings upon us otherwise we tell them this Sacrament will but aggravate their sins and also their judgments 1 Cor. 11.30 And therefore as those whom John Baptist called generation of vipers Luk. 3.7 he notwitstanding badtized them unto repentance Mat. 3.11 i.e. to ingage them more thereunto for hee told them withall That then the ax was laid to the root of the trees to hew down every tree that brought not forth good fruit and cast it into the fire ver 10. so may wee administer the Lord's Supper to men unto repentance to perswade them to bring forth fruit accordingly Hence I suppose that those Ministers who neglect to administer this Sacrament deprive themselves of a very forcible argument whereby they might perswade men and women to sound repentance least going on in their sin after this Sacrament they should crucifie Christ afresh and put him to an open shame as those Heb. 6.6 In the next place I shall humbly desire my godly reverend Breathren of the Ministry who have a long time desisted from celebrating this holy Supper sadly to consider how unjustifiable their practiseis in this particular especially if they should still persist in such a course Many have hinted much in this particular already especially learned laborious M. Blake whose bookes of the Covenant and also of the Covenant seal'd are of singular use for most Ministers that are at a losse in this regard and the latter book especially being as a word spoken on the wheels to such as judicious M. Vines hath it in his Epistle before that book I wish withall they would consider how unlike they are unto the Primitive practise which celebrated this Supper every week and for some time every day in the week being so in love with the Lord Jesus whom they knew in the flesh and who had lately laid down his life for them and because they conceived that this would be not onely profitable to themselves but pleasing unto God to keep such an holy memoriall of Christ's death and passion certainly they were not so scrupulous as many are in these days about admission And if you consult learned and laborious M. Mede M. Mede vol. 1. pag 495. c. as also p. 500. c. he will assure you that the ancient Churches in their publick meetings did so commemorate the sacrifice of Christ in celebrating this Supper as that they thought it an especiall means to make all other services accepted and to that purpose alledgeth divers testimonies of Tertullian and others and among the rest Origen Hom. 3. on Levit. where treating of the shew-bread which was continually set before the LORD with incense for a memoriall that is to put GOD in mind of them he makes it in this respect to have been a lively figure of the Christians Eucharist for saith he Ista est commemoratio sola quae propitium facit Deum hominibus Thus far and much more to this purpose saith M. Mede Sit fides penes Authorem If this be true as his Authors seem to prove then judge you what we our selves and our Churches have lost for lack of this Ordinance and you may well conceive that it is no marvail if God forget to do us so much good for Christ's sake as otherwise he would do and hath formerly done when we forget or neglect to put him in mind of that propitiatory sacrifice of his dear Son by celebrating his sacred Supper Ordained for this very end to be a speciall memoriall of his meritorious death that he himselfe might be mindfull of us and mercifull unto us Consid 5. Furthermore let it be considered that the main business of the work of the Ministery should be the conversion of souls to bring them from darkness to light from the power
divisions that they have made in our Churches and yet count it their glory though it be to the great grief of many godly ones as well as ungodly hindering their conversion and opening the mouths both of Popish and prophane adversaries causing them to blaspheme profession and Religion it self And as for the truth of our Churches I verily believe most of them are as pure and free from corruptions as most of those Churches of Asia to whom our Saviour sent several Epistles and called them all golden Candlesticks Rev. 1.20 The Church of Sardis Rev. 3.1 had a name to live and was dead and the Church of Laodicea was neither cold nor hot but luke-warm the worst temper that could be in a Church which made Christ so sick of them that hee was ready to spue them out of his mouth Rev. 3.15 16. There was nothing it seems commendable in them else surely our Saviour would have taken notice of it as he did in that of Sardis saying That they had a few names that had not defiled their garments Rev. 3.4 But it seems there were none among the Laodiceans for if there had why should not Christ have incouraged them as well as others seeing he passed an impartial censure doubtlesse upon them all And withall let it be observed that Christ himselfe doth not there make so much adoabout polluting of the sacrament of the Lords Supper more than about other Ordinances which is now so much insisted on and was then no doubt as much defiled if not more than among us considering what grosse corruptions some of them had and Christ set himselfe of purpose to correct whatsoever was most amiss among them and therein set us a perfect copy how to reforme deformed Churches commending the good and condeming the bad But we hear never a word that they should make a separation because of the bad but rather to rebuke and so to reforme them Rev. 2.14 He condemneth the Church of Pergamos because she had them that held the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balaack to cast a stumbling block before the Children of Israel and to eat things sacrificed to Idols and commit fornication and the like and thereupon bids them Repent or else he will fight against them with the sword of his mouth But never commands the good to separate although such foul evils were tolerated amongst them He also sharply reproves the Church of Thyatyra for suffering the Woman Jezabell who called her selfe a prophetesse to teach and seduce his servants to commit fornication c. threatning her heavily Rev. 2.20 21 22 23. Yet not a word to the well affected of separation or any such thing Lastly we see plainly that two many have fallen off to separation even where none have been admitted at all that partly for fear least some should take offence and so separate And as for those that have separated because they could not injoy such pure and unmix't Communions among us as they supposed how fearesully have some of them fallen from one degree of separation to another till at last they have separated not onely from all Churches but from all Ordinances and consequently from all Religion also Such is the giddinesse of this age by reason of the subtilty of some seducers especially Priests and Jesuites that go under the name of gifted brethren and teach them to blast all our Ministers and Ministry as usually they do That being the first thing they commonly teach Now when they have once begun to separate from our Churches and censure us and our Ministry as Antichristian some of them grow so selfe-conceited and censorious that no Church will hold them but they soar alost above all Ordinances as carnall and low thinges Yea the Scripture it selfe is counted but a dead letter whereby some of them at last become worse than the worst of those they have so rashly separated from Quis talia fando temperet a lacrymis My very heart doth sometimes bleed to confider how our fair hopes which we had of many have been by this meanes blasted and poor soules utterly undon who I am perswaded were well-meaning men and women and with good intent entered upon that way of separation But we may see how dangerous it is to be wise above that which is written and more strict then God's Word will warrant us which I wish were well considered of all well-minded Christians least they rush upon the same Rock For the Divell is never more dangerous Mark this 2 Cor. 11. than when he transformes himself into an Angell of light as he hath usually done in our dayes and hath gotten great advantage against us by over-doing as well as formerly by under-doing as learned and zealous M. Baxter hath well observed This is as cleer as the Sun to those that do not willfully wink and shut their eyes For when Satan saw that the grosse Superstition and Idolatry in Altar-worship and the like brought in by some of the Bishops was quite quash't and become odious by the late Parliament about the begining and that a reformation was intended and indeavoured he than cuningly turned hands and would turne Reformer also But with full intent to deforme and overturne all for whatsoever the Parliament began to do he would be sure to over-doe that so he might undo whatsoever they had done 1. As for example when the Parliament went about to reforme our Churches and repair the breacher he 'l have them utterly raced down to the ground as Antichristian and rebuilt from the bottom as if they were no true Churches at all 2. And when they sought to reform the Ministry and cast out those that were corrudted being either ignorant or scandalous he goes higher and will have all pull'd down Root Branch Not onely Archbyshops and Byshops but all Ministers made by them whomsover And when the Parlament proposed to mend the Ministers maintenance least scandalous means should make scandalous Ministers he would have them preach gratis as the Apostls did and stand to the peoples curtesie and worke for their living as the Apostle Paul and some others had done and for this purpose raised up Preachers of his own inspiring end Ordaining just as Jerobeam did of the lowest of the people which were not of the suns of Levi. 1 Kings 12.31 Whosoever would he consecrated hlm and he became one of the Priests of the high places 1 Kings 13.33 so he resused no Methanicks but incouraged them and cryed them up and not onely cryed down all other Preachers but to this end cryed down Tithes also as Antichristian and unjust Though in the Scriptures the godliest men did first give them to wit Abraham the Father of the faithfull and Jacob of whom came the twelve Tribes of Israel Abraham gave Melchizedeck tithes of all Gen. 14.20 even of the spoiles Heb. 7 2. 4. how unlike are those Souldiers unto Abraham that would spoyle us of our Tithes God allowed them not onely Tithes but
those formerly mentioned that are so much offended at our present Divilions which we see the very Apostles could not prevent do not consider that our main Differences are not so much about the fundamental points and substantials of Religion which are especially Repentance towards God and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ which the Apostle makes the summe of all Religion Act. 20.20 21 with ver 27. but onely about the superstructures circumstantials which do not conduce to the Being but only to the Well-being of the Church and therefore are not absolutely necessary though very profitable for the peace and welfare of the same Hence I hold it a work well worthy a Consistorie or College of Divines to finde out some expedient for an happie Union among our selves in these particulars that might further the practice of true Piety in these declining as well as dividing-times And first of all if we could find out the Basis or bottom of our Divisions I think it would be some good degree to the healing of our Breaches Est gradus ad sanitatem novisse morbum vel morbi causam It 's one degree to health to know our disease and especially the cause of it and so in this we may happily see the saying verified Dimidium facti qui bene coepit habet He that hath well begun hath half his businesse done Now amongst many other causes and occasions of our Divisions and Dissentions we clearly find that those very things which were ordained for an holy Union and Communion to knit Christians together in an inviolable bond of Brother-hood have proved by the subtilty of Satan and policie or perversnesse of men the greatest Apples of strise and bones of contention as * M. Calemie in his commendatory Epist before M. Hudson's learned book of the universal visible Church one very justly complains To wit the two Sacraments of Baptisme the Lord's Supper which are the very badges and cognizances of Christians whereby they are differenced and distir guished from Jews and Barbarians Turks and all other Infidels in the world Baptisme is that sacred Ceremony whereby we are admitted members into the Universal Visible Church as being all members of the same mystical bodie whereof Christ is the Head baptized therefore into the Name of the undivided Trinitie or Trinitie in Unitie And who can be ignorant what Differences and Divisions have formerly and of late arisen about this holy Sacrament which of it self is not onely a great blessing of God to us and our children but should be a firm bond of brotherly love and concord among all Christians And as for the other Sacrament of the Lords supper That hath been the occasion of greater Discord and Division how many dear and precious servants of God have suffered bands imprisonment yea and have lost not only their liberty but their lives in fiery flames and otherwayes and onely because they would not acknoledg the carnall presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the Alter as the Apostles call their Lords Supper And Divisions about this Sacrament have not onely risen between Papists and Protestants and Lutherans as they are called but even amongst Protestants themselvs as well as amongst the other two and that of late especially to the great prejudice of true piety and the power of godliness and that in the most eminent places of this Land insomuch as some have been ready in this respect to unchurch and undo one another so that a great part of that time which should have been spent in God's service Jud. Epist verse 20. in mortifying sin and building up one another in our most holy Faith hath been mostly wasted on fruitlesse controversies in this kind to the great detriment and dammage of all sides the scandal of weak brethren and the strengthening and stiffening of the hearts and hands of the wicked in their evill ways who otherwise might have been reclaimed but by this means blesse themselvs in their cursed confederacy whereby they are like Simeon and Levi brethren in evill Gen. 49. Wherefore seeing the main difference amongst us hath been and still is concerning the Administration of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper For which as for the divisions of Reuben there are great thoughts and swellings of heart After long and serious Deliberation and confideration with my self and others and after much waiting and wrestling with God in praier and supplication I have resolved to cast my two mites into the Common Treasury of the Church if happily they may conduce or confer any thing to a comfortable composure of this great controversie that so much concerns the Churches among us And herein I must confesse I have been much encouraged by the indeavors of some faithfull fellow-laborers as learned M. Jeanes judicious M. Blake and others who have not onely confirmed me in many things but added much to my clearer understanding of other particulars so that standing upon their and other mens shoulders I may happily discover somthing for the common good of these our distracted and distressed Churches which next to Gods glory is the onely aim of these indeavours Now concerning this Sacrament of the Lord's Supper some administer it not at all least for want of power to keep off the unworthy they should prophane this holy Ordinance and give offence to others Some on the other side administer to all that come and are of years and understanding without any Scruple or Scruteny not caring to catechise and instruct them for that holy Supper Others there be that administer These are Anabaptists but exclude all that were baptized onely in their infancy as if they were without the pale of the Church Some again allowing Infant-Baptisme admit only those that renounce Communion with our Churches and Ministery as Antichristian and these are rigid Separatists Others though they do not altogether condemn our Churches and Ministry yet refuse to administer to any save such as enter into an explicit Church-Covenant as they call it and that are able to give such evidences of grace as to satisfie the whole Congregation or at least the Elders These go under the name of Independents There is also another sort that do administer who will allow none to receive this Sacrament but such as will give an account of their knowledg and faith to the Elders and are not proved scandalous who though they give a greater latitude than most of the former and accept of persons upon far easier terms yet in most places few will come under their Test or Tryall so that very few are admitted in many Congregations Hence some have devised a new way whereby they cull out those few of severall Congregations or Parishes and so imbody them together to join in Communion and breaking of bread and many are as much or more offended with this way than the former and so grow to distast and disrelish their Ministers that thus combine because so very many are left out of Communion though I
none so fit to examine ordinarily as Ministers who are or should be men approved for knowledge judgment and holinesse And hereupon I argue further thus If invincible ignorance doth make children and fooles unfit to be admitted to this holy Supper much more will affected ignorance which makes them not onely incapable but unworthy of admittance because by their negligence they are disabled from discerning the Lord's body and so must neede â—at and drink unworthily 1 Cor. 11.29 Add hereunto that the Prelaticall party who have been most backward in this businesse of examination cannot deny but that confirmation was appointed by our first reformers and that none should be confirmed by the Byshop See the Rubrick about confirmation and before the communion but such as could say the Catechisme and that none should be admitted to the Communion untill such time as they could say the Catechisme and be confirmed and therefore the Minister was appointed to Catechize such as were to be confirmed and all Fathers Mothers Masters and Dames should cause their Children Servants and Apprentices which had not learned their Catechisme to come to the Church at the time appointed and obediently to hear and be ordered by the Curate until such time as they have learned all that was appointed for them to learn Now this being in many places neglected on all sides Ministers not Catechizing or very few of them and likewise Parents and Masters c. being backward to bring their Children and Servants to learn the Catechisme and Bishops as carelesse as any tâ— see it done and so in a great measure the cause of the neglect of the other whom they had power by their Courts to compell had they not wanted care and conscience hence most sorts of people did still remain very ignorant of the grounds of Religion being altogether uncatechised Wherefore let any man judge what need there is now of more then ordinary examination or catechizing almost of all sorts in regard of knowledge so that a great many that mutter and make much ado against examination as if it were so tyrannical and much worse than Episcopal Government do say they know not what For though Episcopal Government in regard of the execution of that office fell short in this particular yet in regard of the right constitution thereof the Bishops should have caused as much to have been done as is of late required by moderate Presbyterians and it was their sin and shame that they did it not See the Rubrick about confirmation and before the Communion Case 3. But shall the scandalous be admitted to this holy Communion what shall be done with them Sol. 1 I think they should indeed be excommunicated from all publick Communion in holy Ordinances those I mean that are proved scandalous and wil not be admonished nor submit and acknowledge their crimes and hainous offences Secondly seeing that in most congregations there wants sufficient power for authoritative excommunication I think it very difficult what to determine in this business and that because it is hard to judge what is scandal and also who are scandalous learned men being much divided in this particular Therefore I conceive it too great a burden to be put upon the Minister alone unlesse he were more infallible than most can possibly be imagined or unlesse there were publick Lawes to regulate and determine what shall bee accounted a scandall and who and when scandalous Sol. 3 Thirdly I add where no Government is set up as in most places there neither is nor well can be as yet rebus sic stantibus for want of fit Officers If there be any so grossly scandalous that there need no examination or other proof as in case of Bastardy Common-drunkennesse or the like if any such should offer to come to the holy Communion he is to be admonished if hee do openly confesse his sin and professe his hearty sorrow for the same promise by the grace of God to indeavor amendment I know no reason in all the Word of God why he should be put by But if he will not be admonished but seek to justifie himself or excuse the matter and remain obstinate hee deserves to bee excommunicated and cast out of the Congregation But for want of Discipline whereby this might be legally done I suppose the Minister if there be any that will join with him to testifie the scandal and obstinacie may in such a case passe hâ—m by 1 Cor. 5.11 2 Thes 3.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Pastor Evangel l. 3. c. 5. p. 188. 189. ad 195. Ezek. 3.4 and 9. charging him not to presume to partake at his own peril warning also the rest of the Congregation to withdraw from familiar conversing with such an one more then natural or necessary civil bonds do tie them to the intent that he may be ashamed as if he were juridically excommunicate But now if none will join with the Minister in this case but leav the businesse wholly upon him I do not think it can be safe for him alone to put him away onely he may charge him to abstain till he have given some fatisfaction to the Congregation and not to offer the consecrated elements unto him and if he will take them of himself he hath had sufficient warning his blood shall be upon his own head and shall not be required at the Minister's hands And as for others that are onely suspected the Minister may not meddle with them no nor a Presbytery because De occultis non judicat Ecclesia onely they may admonish such in private to carry themselves so as to take off all suspition Now though this may seem to some very strange as favouring of loosnesse and remissnesse yet let me tell you that it is no more in effect than what some of the chief and choice Independents allow upon the like occasion For Mr Thomas Hooker a man very eminent while he was in Old Vid M. Cawdryes Review of M. Hookers Survey cap. 2. pag. 94. and afterwards in New-England yet in his Survey of Discipline yields as much In declining times saith he a Church being corrupted when diseases grow deadly there is allowed and a toleration of necessity must be so far granted M. Blake on the Covenant Ch. 47. page 437. See also Mr Gillaspy's his Aarons Rod book 3. ch 15. p. 541. until juridicè the evil be examined the parties convinced censures applied for reformation See M. Cawdrey's Review p. 94. M. Blake also quotes another passage to this purpose out of the same M. Hooker We see saith he how much reverend M. Hooker speaking the opinion of his party gives to the Churches conivence or indulgence If the Church saith he either through connivence negligence or indulgence sha tolerate such evills and evill persons in the state of Church-membership they cannot then deny them the priviledge of members thus far he Now this is one speciall priviledge of Church-members that are of years
M. See his Book in 8. v. pag. 11.12 c. Jeanes who hath both largely and learnedly handled this particular And thus much shall suffice concerning the considerations and cases of Conscience I will conclude with a few motives to stir up my self and others to a more frequent and conscionable celebration of this holy Supper Motive 1 First because the keeping of the Passeover solemnly though but outwardly of many was a meanes to free all the Families of the Israelites from having their first borne destroyed from the Egyptians So may the keeping of this Supper that succeeds the Passeover be a means to preserv us from common calamities seeing our Sacraments are not lesse but rather more effectuall than theirs and withal considering that this is an approved way of renewing our Covenant with God and God's renewing his Covenant with us when we keep this Epulum Foederale This feast of the Covenant or Covenant-feast where God seales his covenant to us to be our God and to take care of us as Confederates do one for another Motive 2 Secondly if many were sick and weak and some dyed because of the sin of unworthy receiving as we see 1 Cor. 11.30 Their sin and judgments cannot be small that altogether omit this holy duty For it is a ruled case that the willing neglect of good duties is a greater sin than the weak performance of them I do verily believe that many abstain out of meer conscience fearing that they should do more hurt than good but Conscientia erronea non obli gat Motive 3 Thirdly it is without question and granted on all sides that it is a duty necessarily incumbent upon a Minister of the Gospel to administer this Sacrament being a speciall part of GOD's publick worship but it is questioned by most and flatly denyed by many both learned and godly men that a single Minister hath power of himselfe to suspend a scandalous person from the Sacrament Therefore it must needs be safer for a Minister to do that which is his certain duty than neglect it wholly and so in a kind suspend all good and bad worthy as well as unworthy Motive 4 Lastly the often Celebration of this sacred Supper tends much to the glory of GOD and the Churches good because herein is a thankful acknowledgment of CHRST crucified for us and also a putting GOD the Father in mind of CHRIST'S Death as some suppose and of his Covenant of grace sealed with his Sons blood and also a renewing our Covenant with GOD as was formerly said that he may renew his grace and mercy upon us Which things are of singular use Wherefore let us lament and lay to heart our former great neglect and labour for time to come to be more faithfull and frequent in administration of this holy Supper as without all Popish superstition so with all reverence and godly simplicity which I take to be the main defect in those Corinthians that received so unworthily And as for those that are so apt to Censure in this case let mee commend to them the Apostles practise in that 1 Cor. 11. When they had much transgressed in unworthy receiving and for which GOD had grievously judged them he never blames the Minister for admitting them but biddeth every one Examine himselfe and so eat verse 28. and tell 's them ver 31. If they would judg themselves they should not be judged of the LORD This this is the right way to reformation To cease judging others and fall more closely to judging of our selves There was never more judging of others and lesse judging of men's selves If men would more judge themselves they would certainly judge others lesse and so sooner escape the just judgments of GOD. Matthew 7.1 See Romans 14.10 Why doest thou judge thy brother Wee must all stand before the judgment seat of CHRIST And verse 13. Let us not therefore judg one another any more but judg this rather that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way Romans 15.5.6 Now the GOD of patience and consolation grant us to be like minded one towards another according to CHRIST Jesus that we may with one mind and one mouth glorify GOD even the Father of our LORD Jesus CHRIST Amen FINIS ERRATA In the Title Page line 17. read Pastore for Patore in the Epistle to the Reader pag. 8. line 17. for Suspicious r. superstitious p. 10. l 20. for these r. the p. 11. l. 3. for not r. but in the Advertisement p. 6 l. 4. and 5. for regenerated r. regeneration p. last l. 3. r. and so I leave In the Book it selfe page 2. line 26. put our there p. 15. l. 26. for convert r. correct p. 19. l. 10. after reproved add the word them p. 33 l. 12. after now add if p. 34. l. 1. for thou r. jou p. 35. l. 16. for saith r. say p. 4. l. 28. put out at p. 46. l. last put out as BOOKS Printed for Joseph Cranford at the Kings Head in St. Paules Church Yard ΠΑÎΘΕΟΛΟΓΙΑ or the Sume of Practical DIVINITY Practised in the Wilderness and Delivered by our Saviour in his Sermon on the Mount being Observations on the fourth fifth sixth and seventh Chapters of S. Matthew to which is prefixed PROLEGOMENA or Preface by way of Dialogue wherein the perfection and Perspicuity of the Scripture is vindicated from the Calumnies of Anabaptists and Papists By Thomas White Minister of Gods Word at Anne Aldersgate London ANIMADVERSIONS or the Rabinical Talmud of RABBI John Rogers Wherein is Examined his Doctrine as of the. Matter of a Church The duty of Separation Form of a Church The subjects of Church power c. By Zach. Crofton Minister of God's Word at James Garlick Hythe London A VINDICATION of the Answer to M. Brabourn concerning the Civil Magistrates Power as to changing Church-Government Wherein the Reverend M. Perkins and some Truthes of God are vindicated from the Lyes and scurrilcus expressions cast upon them By John Collings Minister of Gods Word in Norwich The Patterne of Patience in the Example of Holy Job a Paraphrase upon the whole Book being an expedient to sweeten the miseries of these never enough to be lamented times The Husbands Authority Vnvailed wherein is moderately discussed whether it be fit or lawfull for a goodman to beat his bad Wife A Method and instructions for the Art of Divine meditation with instances of the severall kindes of solemne Meditation By Thomas White Minister of God's Word in London Enchiridion Medicum Containing the causes signs and cures of all those diseases that do chiefly affect the body of man divided into three Books With Alphabetical Tables of such matters as are therein contained Whereunto is added a Treatise De facultatibus medicamentorum compositorum dosibus By Robert Bayfield Doctor of Physick in the City of Norwich The Crown of Righteousnesse by Tho. Watson Minister of Stephen Walbrook London FINIS
way of worship that shall be instituted by God all of which are onely of positive right All Israel were tied to sacrifice as well as to hear and pray and all Christians are now under an obligation to the Law of the Sacraments as they are to other duties And a little after he adds There are texts indeed produced seemingly taking off men under sin from the performance of positive duties as Mat. 5.23.24 and as much may be said concerning those that are moral Ezek. 14.2 3. 20.23 thus far Mr. Blake Object If here it should be objected concerning the former Scripture 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. c. that presently after God was said not to be well pleased with many of them that are that spiritual meat c. Answ but overthrew them in the wildernesse ver 5. I answer 't is true and this makes much against them that rest in the deed done and think Sacraments will save by the bare outward act sine bono motu utentis but this makes nothing against what I have said for the Apostle saith not that God was displeased with them for eating that Spirituall meat c. but for lusting after evill thinges as appeares ver 6 7. c. In all which and that which followes in the next Chap. where he speakes of the Lord's Supper he saith not one word against their coming to the Sacrament which was their duty but onely against their misbehaviour at it which was very grosse whereby it may appear that many of them were unregenerate for some of them were drunke either at or presently after that Ordinance which is little better they came to it not as a sacred but as a civil or rather uncivil feast hence those judgments seized upon them to wit weaknesse sicknesse death ver 30. yet not a word of excluding the parties but only condemning their miscarriages Case 5. But is not administring the Sacrament to such as be unregenerate Mat. 7.6 a giving holy things to Dogs c. Contrary to Christ's flat command Sol. Noâ— at all in our Saviours sence This place I know is much urged and that by many learned and godly men and I know it is sufficiently answer'd by many no lesse learned and godly especially by M. Jeanes and also by M. Blake yet give me leave to fay something in this particular because it works much with a great many I confesse I cannot chuse but wonder to see this place so wrested by wise and worthy men as if it afforded Argumentum palmarium not considering either the absurdity or inconsequence of their arguing First the absurdity is evident because taking it for a general proposition as they do and so including the holy things of the Sacrament among the rest it makes full as much if not more against preaching to such as they call Doggs and Swine and whom they would exclude eo nomine from the Sacrament when notwithstanding they preach the holy things of the Gospel to the self-same Doggs yea and cast those pearls before those same Swine especially when they contend for excommunicate persons not to be excluded the Congregation Therefore the Proposition cannot bee general in their sense of Doggs but so as to make flat against themselves The truth is preaching reproving and admonishing are mostly meant by those holy things and pearls which our Saviour speaks of as M. Perkins and many others give the sense of the place But now if you take Doggs and Swine in Christ's own sense who must needs be the best expositor of his own meaning for such as will rent you and trample upon those pearls which you give them see then the inconsequence of their inference Those whom they would exclude from these holy things and precious pearls in this Sacrament never offer to rent or tear those that administer them but the contrary they are ready to rent those that refuse administring to them though not with their teeth yet with their tongues as many can testifie And as for trampling these pearls under their feet they are so far from it as that they prize this above most other Ordinances and have used to come more reverently to it than to any Ordinance whatsoever carrying themselvs worse by far towards the Word preached which as yet they are allowed to enjoy Moreover let them take Doggs for whomsoever they will provided they have this quality here mentioned by our Saviour to be ready to rent those that would give them this holy Supper and there need be no controversie in this case for if they should but offer such an affront for administring these things unto them we would not offer to give them indeed we should not need to trouble our selvs about them in this respect because they would not come to this Ordinance at all as many now sinfully refuse who hold us and our Ministrie Antichristian and surely we are not so Popishly affected as to carry it to their houses or carry it about and call upon them to adore it as the Papists do their Host or Breaden god which they call the Sacrament of the Altar Object But some will say Is not this Childrens bread and therefore not to be given to Doggs according to the saying of our Saviour Mat. 15.26 Answ 'T is most true it is indeed Childrens bread and therefore not to be given unto Doggs But who are Children in that speech of our Saviour Even all those that are of the Visible Church in opposition to those that were not for this Woman of whom he spake was a Gentile and not a Proselite and the Jews in those daies were onely of the Church and so Children how wicked soever which is likewise manifest by Christ's foregoing words ver 24. I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel mark even the lost sheep of the house of Israel as well as those that were already found are reckoned there to be the same with the Children And consequently Doggs according to Christs meaning must needs signifie there such as were not of the Visible Church or uncircumcised and so likewise those are children among us who are received into the Visible Church and Baptized and have right unto Childrens bread and cannot be counted Doggs in our Saviours sense there but onely Infidels and unbaptized are to be accounted such and not to receive this Sacrament in statu quo Case 6. But will not this largenesse in Admission give offence to many of God's people and cause them to separate from us and speak evil of us as if we were no true Churches Sol. I answer It is too common even for holy ones to take offence where none is given and therefore we need to be as cautelous as we can that we may give none occasion in this censorious age and I am confident if the cause be well examined they that take offence at mixt Communions as they call them so separate have given far greater offence by the rents