universall right Ans This is true in a sense so order be observed If indeed a people receive Christ on his own terms as he speaks and professe to do so then an obligation in the Minister to give the Sacrament And the people being in their own consciences in some good measure satisfied they came sincerely before the Lord having examined their own hearts there 's a right of obligation upon them also to come But if he mean an absolute obligation of all to come we deny it unlesse he is ahle to examine himielf and doth so and professeth to the Church to take Christ on his own terms and his conversation doth not deny it Next he brings in an humble soul afraid of his own unworthiness yet comes resolving to give up himself to the Lord c. We say An humble soul will come to his or her Minister and professe to doe so And we wonder he should put the case of humbled souls who are to be invited and encouraged We here dispute against him concerning the obstinately ignorant superstitious Formalists and the prophane who for the most part scorn at Reformation and Discipline Of such we say they have no right to come till humbled and professe to be so nor is' t the Ministers duty but sin to receive them specially seeing he may prevent it if he will do his duty The Text he useth further to prove an universall right to every Ordinance is Isa 66.23 viz. And it shall come to pass that from one new Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before the Lord. Ans Sure this is little for his purpose We could answer That many eminent Divines do understand this New Heavens and Earth in this Chapter of the New Hierusalem in Heaven But we insist not upon it Grant it be meant of worship in the Church-Militant What can be gathered from it but that All Flesh that is some of all Nations shall subject to Gospel-worship for we presume he doth not understand it of every individuall soul But sure it shall be in Christs order specially in the later times when Christ shall come as a Refiner of of his worship and people yea of the sons of Levi in a speciall manner that they shall offer up pleasant offerings to the Lord Mal. 3. That all sorts of prophane persons no evidence of a change shall come into the Lords Temple and prophane the holy things of Christ is not in the least measure there meant but the contrary first orderly received into the fellowship of the Church and then if not scandalous the sealing Ordinance of the Supper The sixth Objection he would refell is viz. The Sacrament is not a converting Ordinance we preach to all to convert them but we may administer only to the regenerate to confirm them To this he answers That he acknowledgeth Divines have usually so stated it Baptism for Initiation the Supper for Confirmation attributing our new birth to the former c. Now saith he I take a grant of the one to be a sufficient medium to prove the other Ans But Sir you well know that the Baptized in the Gospel declared visible conversion before they were baptized He that beleeves that is of grown years shall be baptized and the same reason of this Ordinance also in this respect How he takes the concession of one to be a grant of the other we know not Pag. 55. Aye but saith he 't is true of the same persons but as for others not yet converted and humbly coming hither for conversion there 's no Scripture nor reason to the contrary but he may be converted by it We answer To come humbly for conversion to this Ordinance supposeth conversion begun and so that soul comes for further conversion which is one right use of this Ordinance And whereas he saith there 's no Scripture nor reason to the contrary We say there 's both 'T is enough the Lord hath made no promise to it for conversion And that it was alwaies used by such who were supposed to be converted The fellowship of the Saints as we will presently shew and so ought it now only to be used He repeats his former argument that the Sacrament is a visible word holding forth Christ and the Covenant to the sight therefore converting as the Gospel doing the same to the hearing Ans Which thing is only asserted but not proved but by improper allusins The Centurions beleeving by seeing Christ only on the Crosse We answer This was miraculous and extraordinary not in the way of an Ordinance which is the thing in question With this Argument the Papists pleade for Crucifixes 2. Contemplation of the Creature-Sacrifices Ans That rests to be proved Besides we deny not but any may be present to see the celebration of the Supper if that may do them good 3. Sight of Miracles c. Ans These were ordained by Christ to work faith He hath not proved the Sacrament is so Ordinarily Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.14 and not by seeing 'T is not good arguing what Christ is able to do to what he hath made no promise to do And to prostitute this holy Ordinance upon this account and so to go out of Christs way and method in reference to what he is able or may do is not warrautable This Argument was devis'd to chear up such souls who are a little affected at the Lords Supper who know little what conversion means By this Argument known opposers of Truth and Purity ought to be invited to come for their conversion Besides Mr Humphreys nor any other we humbly conceive ought to admit or contrive any in the fellowship of his Church but whom in a judgement of charity he supposeth converted or hath no reason to conclude the contrary But let us examine his Argument which he cals all the world to answer viz. To shew forth the death of Christ is the means of conversion but the Sacrament is a shewing forth the death of Christ 1 Cor. 11.26 Ans 'T is true in the preaching of the Gospel the shewing forth of Christs death is a means of conversion but not in the Lords Supper where 't is only held forth and shewed forth to supposed Beleevers If it be converting in this Ordinance the Apostles then did not use all the means of grace for conversion They should have celebrated the Supper at every Sermon and have bid the people Come and eat for here also the death of Christ is shewed forth to convert you which he will never finde practised If he say The first Churches did every Lords day celebrate the Supper That was among such as were esteemed Saints already converted as all within the Church are supposed in a charitable judgement and in Christs order Away with these Fallacies But this he would prove further from the words of Justitution Take and eat Take for such as have not Christ and eat for such as have already received
their duty Answ 1. These Corinths being newly come out of Idolatry as hath been shew'd did in imitation of the idolatrous seasts keep their love feasts Jude ver 12. when they came to the Lords Supper At which feast there was excess among them not precisely at the Lords Supper as vers 21. of that Chapter where it is said Every one took his own Supper and so some were drunk that is some were excessively feasted and filled while others the poorer sort wanted This disorder the Apostle reproves and rectifies their practice but surely never thought any Minister of the Gospel would plead this for an allowance that profane drunkards ought to come to the Lords Table Reader observe that by this Argument in perverting these Scriptures he pleads for impenitent Idolaters and drunkards to come to the Sacrament Hath not this man a great care of the the Lords worship 2. It doth not appear that this was an obstinate constant practice of the Corinths but a weakness they being newly come out of their Heathenism Now saith he For their coming nothing was said against it that was their duty Answ Upon this distinction we presume the Author took up this judgment we shall further speak to it where he more at large urgeth it For present we deny there is any absolute command of coming to the Sacrament unless so qualified as the word of God requires worthiness being the very formality of their coming There 's a double worthiness Real the sanctification of the person without this no particular person ought to come at least begun upon him for he eats and drinks damnation without it And let a man examine himself and so let him eat so and not otherwise without his examination he ought not to come this as to his own conscience Will not Mr Humfreys preach thus Unless you examine your selves that is as to your repentance and faith you ought not to come to this holy Ordinance Or will he say thus Though you do not yet you ought to come that 's your duty For saith the Author Nothing is or could be said against their coming Nothing * 1 Cor. 11.27 29 30. Is eating and drinking judgement to themselves nothing Be stricken with sickness weakness death Is this nothing But he will say This was for their unworthiness therefore they ought not to come being under such unworthiness If a Master enjoyn his servant not to come into his presence unless so and so habited upon pain of death shall that person yet go because he will say he ought to go to his Master 't is his duty So saith the Lord Christ by Paul He that comes to me in the Ordinance of my last Supper ought to come with such and such a worthiness or he incurs death and judgement without his repentance Now will that person say or will any say to him 'T is your duty however to come Nay Is it not their duty to abstain 'T is his duty indeed to examine and prepare himself and so to come but 't is not his duty to come if unworthiness be upon him 'T is true there is an indefinite mediate obligation of all flesh to obey God the Creatour in every command of his and 't is their sinne and condemnation in failing but there are some duties of his worship wherein he hath appointed that his Name shall be thus and thus sanctified by his own people and to approach him in these without it is a greater sin then to abstain from them especially in this Ordinance So much for real worthinesse c. Secondly There is visible worthiness in reference to the Church and this the Church is to look to in order to the right honouring of the name of God in his worship and its own purity Now Paul in this Chapter doth only admonish the Corinths and convince them and so seems to hope their amendment in the two last verses of the Chapter and though he doth not give order to the Church here to excommunicate them which 't is not probable he should before reproof and admonition especially being newly brought over to the faith of the Gospel and so but tender yet no question if they had continued in this sinne as the people in the mixt Congregations do in theirs the Church should have had direction about it as well as touching the incestuous person and others in the fifth Chapter for he will grant these to be scandalous sins in the Church and if persisted in to merit Excommunication That these corruptions so witnessed against by such severe reproofs and judgements from heaven should be pleaded as paterns of practice is most absurd especially comparing the Church of Corinth our Parochial Churches and so to draw a parallel practice stiled Saints and sanctified in Christ Jesus the chaste Spouse of Christ converted by the preaching of Paul a Church stored with rare spiritual gifts and ours for the most part trained up under a dead form of worship and a little heartless preaching for a great part to speak plainly against the power of godliness and such as do profess it in ignorance of the way of life and righteousness by the Lord Jesus living in known gross moral sins as hath been shewed and which cannot but be evident to the Author we deal with To proceed The Achillean place is the next in the same page 7. 1 Cor. 10.4 as if it were a new Discovery when long since urged by Erastus and his followers the vanity of the Inference hath been over and over confuted by many godly men which he is pleased to passe by Now saith he here is a clear Scripture for free Admission The Israelites that passed thorow the sea and wilderness were baptized under the cloud and drank of the same spiritual rock that is admitted freely to both Sacraments all scandalous ones without exception Answ 1. Sir Why do you not speak out but here and there mince in Excommunication When you plead for all scandalous persons to be admitted and by consequence received and continued in the Church If the scope of all you assert be in want of Discipline why do you go about to prove it an absolute duty 2. Consider the scope of the Chapter which is first to warn the Corinths of eating with Idolaters as hath been opened lest they should be tempted back and so fall into the same condemnation of the Jews who were baptized drank of the same spiritual rock ate manna and yet for their sins the wrath of God came afterwards upon them also in the 5th verse it is said With many of those God was not well-pleased which may be understood for their evil eating and drinking as well as the rest of their sins as Mr. Trap on his Notes on the place Now if we should allow the parallel of these types which Beza will not allow to Erastus it will not in the least measure prove his design For first the manna and the water of the rock were their
willing subjection to Discipline before and Excommunication had been ever duly administred in the Parochial Churches of England but it will not be à salvo in the corruptions they now lie under To these he adds the texts which set forth free grace and so pleads When the Gospel freely offers Christ when Christ offers himself and grace which are the things signified How can any have the conscience to turn them away from the signs This is a very confounding of things and indeed a meer fallacy Answ 1. Doth not Christ freely offer himself to Jews Turks and Pagans therefore have you so easie a conscience as to give them the Seals before they profess to receive the grace offered unto them 2. It is true when Christ offers himself and grace and so souls receive him and profess to do so when they have in the charitable judgement of the Church the substance none ought to deny them the Signs but when they refuse to declare or profess this and have all their dayes abused this Ordinance through gross ignorance and profanenesse who can have so pitiless a conscience as to suffer them to continue to do so when they doe not their duty to prevent it The Lord lay it not to the charge of any c. Now we come to his Reasons His first and chiefest upon which he conceives himself to stand upon a Rock but Reader observe how sandy it will appear we dare be bold to affirm that his whole building will fall if this be the only Rock and support of it The Sacraments saith he are verbum visibile a visible Gospel The Sacraments set forth Christ to the eye as the Gospel doth to the ear therefore the same latitude in the Administration of both This is the substance of the Argument Answ If there be the same latitude of administring the Gospel and the Sacraments then to whomsoever the Gospel is preacht the Sacraments are also to be administred The Gospel is preacht to all the world therefore all the world to take the Sacrament Sir you know well enough that the Apostles preacht the Gospel to whole Cities yea Nations but administred the Sacraments only to such as came and professed repentance and subjection to the Lord Jesus Upon this score as many as hear the Gospel preached professing to be converted or not converted may come and eat bread and wine with the Church at pleasure A monstrous profaneness But his reason is Because this Sacrament shews forth the death of Christ and this is saith he Pauls judgment of Christs Institution But Sir To whom did it shew forth the Lords death and who were to use it for that end Were they not the professing Saints of Corinth such that had given up themselves to the Lord by the will of God Briefly let it be shewed that Jesus Christ did institute Sacraments for any other then professing beleevers or make any promise to them for conversion or whether they were ever administred unto any but such as owned and submitted to the Church But he will not sure say the Gospel is to be preacht to no other therefore there is not the same latitude in the administration of both But he further urgeth Gal. 3.2 for this O ye Galathians before whom Christ hath been set out as crucified among you This expression saith he may well be applied to the Sacraments True it may be but it is clear it was not the Apostles meaning there but the doctrine of Christ crucified from the power of which they were revolting But grant it were What doth he gain by it It only will prove that the Galatians as a Church received the Lords Supper and that Christ was set out to the eye of a beleever What 's this to prove the same latitude of preaching the Gospel and administring Sacraments He is willing to prove it further by a Metaphor A man covenants with a Landlord about a purchase the price being paid the bargain establisht he comes and requires his Seal for confirmation So Jesus Christ makes a purchase for us gives us the writing and seal in the Gospel and Sacrament This is the substance Very true but must not the party for whom this purchase is made come first and accept of the bargain upon its own terms and so have it sealed to his use so must not every soul first profess to accept Jesus Christ on his own terms and so the Church in the name of Christ to give him the seal the Sacrament So saith he a Prince proclaims a pardon upon condition of laying down their arms and so gives forth a pardon and seal c. So Jesus Christ c. Answ But must not then the rebel first lay down his arms and profess subjection c. so must not every soul profess laying down their sins and to subject to Christ Now saith he will it not be plain as We offer the conditions to any so may we the seal c. 1. True we offer pardon of sinne the condition as he cals it but we are not to apply the seal unless there be a professed acceptance of it 2. If a soul do first accept of the conditions or do not break them by continuing in sinne then he is to have the seal But what doth all this make for his purpose If he intend by this that all that submit to the Gospel-terms and conditions which are repentance faith and obedience that they ought to have the Gospel-seal the Sacrament who will contend with him This doth not sure prove the same latitude in preaching the Gospel and administring Sacraments The Gospel may be preacht to thousands who may not accept of the conditions of it We will here urge the Argument of that learned Divine Parcus on Vrsin Catech. de dis against this judgement saith he The signs are to be administred to none but to whom the promise belongs but this belongs not to wicked impenitent persons Therefore His reason he gives is that which speaks just contrary to Mr Humfreys assertion If the Church should administer the signs of grace to such Verbo visibili absolveret quos verbo audibili damnaret The Church would absolve in the visible Word the Sacrament whom He doth condemn in the audible Word the Gospel which declares no unbeliever or wicked person as such to have inheritance in the kingdom of God If no inheritance then not the seals of that inheritance But we have stood too long upon this which we the rather do to undeceive the weak But yet there is so much stress laid upon this his Argument that it is backt with four considerations His first The Gospel is to be preacht to every creature and a baptizing them therefore this Sacrament also c. What is this but a repeating the same thing But was every soul baptized that had the Gospel preacht to it Doth it not run Mar. 16.15 He that beleeveth and is baptized c Why will men offer to stagger weak souls with
but himself saith Mr Humfreys 2. This self-examination may have reference to others judgement of them viz. That though the Elders of Corinth did unduly admit them they were not to rest on their judgement of them but to examine themselves which only can prevent that judgement of God spoken of 1 Corinth 11.31 And the judging of themselvos there may also referre to the Churches judging as good Authors conceive 3. If Persons have been duly received and confirm'd into the Church then 't is supposed they give sufficient satisfaction in point of knowledge and so that part of examination by the Eldership or Church which is now called for in our times as to knowledge would cease But it is the ignorance of people is now most complained of and so examination in this respect more required because there hath been sufficient means of knowledge but in few places But Mr Humfreys would prevent what we have answered by fore-stalling the Objection If another should be taking a Cup of poyson shall not we be partakers of his bloud if we do not hinder or forbid him c. Ans But alas how poorly he wipes it of What a rattle hath he got to still conscience Saith he We have no quùm possit that is no power to hinder c. Ans What if he had 1. Doth he not absolutely pleade that all are to come and it concerns no body no way to keep them off 2. But suppose he would this will not serve the turn To whom are the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven left to keep off and cast out primarily but to a particular Church If your people will not submit to discipline to Christs yoke they are not fit for Sacraments In a word That Gospel which declares their receiving to be a damnable sin and enjoyns all ministeriall care to prevent sin and save mens souls doth eo ipso command you to put them back and to put your Church into Christs order that you may do it No Gospel-practise puts a necessity upon any man to sin Next He wonders Any religious man should call the Sacrament a cup of poyson seeing it is a cup of blessing If it prove death to any 't is sinne takes an occasion c. Ans Sir What religious man doth call it a Cup of poyson in any other sense then you your self do that is as sin taking occasion makes it so Why will you gratifie men of corrupt mindes with such forgeries to make them hate their Ministers more He re-enforceth his constant Argument God is able to make it a cup of blessing c. Ans That 's not the Query what God is able to do as hath been answered but what God hath ordain'd for such and such an end and what he hath promis'd to do And so he hath not ordain'd nor promis'd this Sacrament to be a Cup of blessing to an unbeleever or the worst as he stiles it Let us act saith he with charïtable thoughts and leave the successe to God Ans But Sir you must have ground and rule for your charity That profane ignorant persons are Christs Disciples is a groundlesse charity Besides what do you talk of charity in your apprehensions of all that come seeing you assert all are to come whether converted or not converted and the Minister nor Church is not to consider of it His comparison between Preaching the Word and administring the Sacrament hath been refelled 'T is true Paul preacht in every place though the Word was a savour of death to some but Sir he did not administer the Supper in every place but only to professing Saints joyned together in the fellowship of the Gospel And to administer it to others is not to make this Ordinance a sweet savour but a loathing to the zealous and holy God 2. He comes to the Receivers part lessening the unworthy Receivers sin when 't were his duty to be aggravating and bewailing it he saith There is a double duty A Principall Do this An Accessory Examine If he fails in examining himself and is not prepared he is to come c. Ans 1. He well enough knows but that he would blinde poor souls That Do this was spoken to Disciples of Christs Family not to all that as oft as they do it they do it in remembrance of Christs death Doth it follow therefore that every one is to do it A Master of a Feast bids all at his Table eat all that are present doth he therefore bid all the Town eat 2. That which he cals an accessory duty let a man Examine is the ground of his coming A limitation of the duty without which none ought to come but he urgeth further Those dreadfull expressions of being guilty of Christs bloud and eating damnation are not to affright any from coming c. No Not any man What not an Idolater an incestuous person a hater of the godly with whom he pretends to communicate as one body Not one that keeps a Brothell-house nor a witch nor a reviler c. Sir In this your prophane Proselytes are ashamed of you They will tell you this is larger then 't was in their old free prophane daies Then the Minister was us'd to pronounce by way of threatning If any of you he a Blasphemer of God a hinderer or slanderer of his Word an Adulterer or be in malice or envy or in any other grievous crime bewail your sin and come not to this holy Table Mark it Reader Bewail it and Come not but saith the Patron of thy sin Mr H. However come But Sir In earnest Do you conceive those dreadfull judgements threatned are not to affright prophane persons When a prophane person hears grievous judgements threatned to such a practice ought not that person to refrain it No he saith he ought to prepare himself That 's true but the Question is If he finde himself not prepared yet hearing such judgements threatned Whether he ought to come Mr H. saith He dare not say he ought not What 's this but to encourage poor creatures to rush boldly upon sinne and judgement which the body of the people of this Nation have long done in a most abominable manner And yet now they must be clapt on the back for it and they are taught by Mr H. they ought to come however and 't is the Ministers duty to receive them How little hath he considered how the people of this Nation are hardened by custome to come prophanely And let Ministers pronounce a thousand judgements to unworthy coming yet it hath been their custome to come to have a communion and new clothes and be merry at Easter Therefore have it they will or the Minister shall rue it if it be in their power specially since 't is duty to come though drunk in that moment as Free Admission alloweth His assertion is backt with three Queries c. 1. He distinguisheth between the Act of receiving and the unworthinesse of it the Act is good though the manner
so that Preacher draweth the willing people upon their profession into a more close union and fellowship together waiting and labouring to bring on the rest to them If we say he mean by this the separation he would caution against we hope and pray that wise and religious men will not be deterred from it by any thing Mr Humphreys hath produced against it but will in the strength of the Lord set about it against all oppositions All considerations of ease or interest being thrown off By which means 1. They will be found faithfull Stewards to their Master 2. They will keep themselves pure 1 Tim. 5.22 3. They will sanctifie the Name of Christ aright in this Ordinance of the Supper 4. They will be free from the sinne of flattering souls to hell by it 5. They shall discern how the Lord owneth and blesseth their Ministery 6. They shall have sweet communion with Saints 7. They will by this provoke and awake all to examine their condition 8. They will act sutably to those rich and glorious promises of the building of the Lords Temple in the latter daies of the Gospel Zech. 6.12 13. and many others For Separations in the visible Church which he suggests dangerous We answer That if as much and great profanenesse and abominations shall be fouled with the visible Church as is too apparent as even among such know not God Then Separations as to the holy things of God where holy men have only right is justifiable in the eyes of God Saints and Angels For his suggested danger of separation upon separation 1. We answer That how is there properly a Separation when there hath been no true uniting nor hath one person considered himself to have any more relation to another then as one of their Parish but hear one another lie swear and commit together and rather encourage then reprove one another for it Separation is properly in and from a true Church-fellowship and not from ungodlinesse and prophanesse in a Scripture sense Besides what if there may be unstable souls separate from such a joynt-communion as 't is like there may in the purest constitutions shall there for that reason be no Church-communion nor endeavour after it What if Excommunication be set up by a Law from men in every Parish which we beleeve to be impossible to any purpose as the case stands with most Ministers and People who are bitterly against it and there should 50 lyars swearers c. be cast out would not there lie the same Objection against this practise also And yet the Author makes us beleeve he would have Excommunication set up Now when Mr Humfreys hath done all let us see how far we can gather from his own expressions an implied allowance of our own practise though his Book in the main fights against it 1. He cals for Church establishment and for Discipline for watching over one another for mutuall Reproof and Admonition and confesseth there comes guilt and defilement upon a soul if it be neglected Now we crave of our Brethren of the Ministery and the people we preach to and others to consider that these are the duties we call upon for to be practised and that people that fear the Lord might submit conscionably to the practise of them We crave of Mr Humfreys his more candid and honest interpretation of other his Brethren acting conscienciously in the Lords work according to the light imparted to him labouring to extricate the people by the good hand of God with them out of ignorance sinne and dead-hearted formality by a reall practise and not pretended only of Reformation And that the Lord may humble him for his great evil in this little but mischievous piece so miserably serving the turns of the enemies of goodnesse and that he will speedily call it in or we shall pray that the Lord will stir up others to do it for him FINIS Postscript Reader BE pleased to take notice that this Treatise hath been above this half Year fitted for the Presse but by reason of the death of a friend to whom it was committed to be printed it hath been retarded Be pleased also to take notice that Mr Anthony Palmer hath in the Presse severall Sermons on Matt. 8.23 24 25 26 27. Intituled The Tempestuous Soul Calmed by Jesus Christ