of old notwithstanding those living oracles of truth the holy men of God who spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost and the lively oracles of holy Scripture committed to it had false Prophets also who spake their owne dreames so the Gospell Churches even in the Apostles times 1 John 4. 1. and notwithstanding the fulnesse and perspicuity of Evangelicall doctrine given by inspiration of God shall have false teachers in them Who shall come up in Samuels mantle and putting the Scriptures to the racke shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one saith of Philo force things into allegories and conceited extractions and make them like Anaxagoras his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drawing every thing out of any thing For an haereticall wit is a strange Chymist The truth is the resisters of the truth and the seducers in the old Testament are but acted over againe in the Gospell Churches Here also are the resistings of Jannes and Jambres by men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith 2 Tim. 3. 8. Here are the contradictions of Core Jude vers 11. Here is the doctrine of Balaam Rev. 2. 14. and here are the false teachers answering to the false Prophets but yet it is argued by some that the Analogy betweene the Old and New Testament doth not hold in regard of the punishment of false Prophets and blasphemers nor ought to be drawn into consequence now I would they would rather study to avoid the same sinnes then to evade the like punishments for the greater liberty of Conscience under the Gospell cannot extenuate the sinne of blasphemy because this liberty is accompanied with greater light 2. In their Character or description The Greek which hath great felicity of composition of words calls him in one word a false prophet whom the Hebrew cals a Prophet leaves him by spurious characters or properties to be detected false or illegitimate A false prophet or a false teacher may be so denominated in a two fold respect 1. As he teaches or vents lies and false-hood which is the most usuall and common acceptation of the word Ier. 14. 14. Esay 9. 15. Ezec. 13. 2. c. 2. As he teaches without a commission or calling 1. In the first notion he is a false prophet that teacheth lies or delivers forth the visions and deceit of his own heart which he covers over with Thus saith the Lord Ezech. 13. 6. Ier. 28. 2. and so fathers his false dreames upon God and his cheifest aime and care is not to sting the people but to feed his deluded followers with pleasing things and rather to tickle than to prick them Saying to Ahab go up prosper 1 King 22. 12. or God hath broken the yoke of Babylon Jer. 28. 2. which was the advantage that Ahabs false prophets had of Micajah and Hananiah had of Ieremy this observation the Scripture makes upon them Thy prophets have not discovered thine iniquity to turn away thy captivity Lam. 2. 14. and they thinke to cause my people to forget my name Ier. 22. 27. Whence it is that they are applauded and that all men speake well of them Luk. 6 26. They are wiser then to marre their owne markets by sharpe reproofes as a cutpurse is afraid to touch the quick with his knife lest he loose his prey The character of false teachers is answerable they are a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drus praet in 2 Pet. 2. 1. Lying masters speaking perverse things to draw Disciples after them Acts. 20. 30. and speaking lyes in hypocrisy which they palliate over with It is written or the name of the spirit and are therefore called spirits of errour 1. Tim. 4. 1. as we are forbidden to beleeve every spirit 1. Iohn 4. 1. that is every doctrine though pretended to be from the spirit for men are cunning to lay downe their bastards at an honest doore and to pin them upon the backe of scripture being like to the false prophets in this mis-fathering of their doctrines as also in that other thing which is the bayteing of their hookes with sweet pleasing baytes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they allure as with a baite through the lusts of the flesh and wantonnesse 2. Pet. 2. 18. And they promise liberty ver 19. which are takeing things that it is no wonder there are many that follow their pernicious wayes ver 2. 2. In the second notion he is a false prophet who Jer. 14. 14. Ezech. 13. 6. runs indeed but is not sent I have not sent these prophets yet they ran Ier. 23. 22. They can say I have dreamed I have dreamed ver 25. but they have no mission and such a one is to be counted a false prophet b Molin Vates cap. 4. Sive vera praedicet sive falsa whether he preach true or false The character of a false teacher is answerable hereunto hee is one that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selfe called or fills his owne hand so that the question is not what he teaches but by what warrant as Cyprian Cyprian in Epistola ad Antonianum said once to one that was inquisitive what doctrine Novatian did teach we need not saith he be carefull or curious to know quid ille doceat cum foris deat the like may be justly said of false teachers It s no asking what they teach since they have no calling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to teach There are found in the new Testamēt I had almost said in England False Christs false Apostles false Prophets false teachers all these rankes are counterfeited as he is called a false Christ a false Apostle who pretends to be Christ or an Apostle is not so is he a false teacher who pretends to be a teacher and is not sent Nor is it any wonder that when once men do begin to looke for a new Christ or new Apostles or new Prophets they should in the next place fall to making of them that so their seeking may not seeme frustrate but because some are of opinion that preaching of the word is not so much an act of office as of gifts and that gifts and talents doe carry with them letters patents of commission to trade with them I must crave leave to bestow a few words upon it because it hath been generally received in the Church that both matter and forme mission and vision gifts and calling must concurr to the constitution of him who exercises a publike ministry For even our Lord Iesus Christ in whom all fullnesse dwells glorified not himselfe to be made a high Priest but was called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5. 4. 5. and the rule is there given that no man takes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an honour or office to himselfe whatsoever be his parts or abilities the apostle saith not how should they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 publikely preach the word without gifts and abilities but except they be sent Rom. 10. 15. It must not be
unprofitable and vaine and then it followes A man that is a haeretick c. whence the a Examen censurae pag. 272. and 280. Arminians interpret an haeretick to be one that makes contention and division upon trifling and slighty questions who is condemned of himselfe because he litigates and makes a stirre about such things as himselfe knowes to be of small importance but I conceive the matter not to be so slighty as they would make it for it is said of such a one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is subverted as a Ship that turns up her keele or a house when the foundation is turned topsy turvy and therefore Deut. 32. 20. where the extreamly desperate estate of a people at last cast is exprest the Greeke renders it by the word used in this text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is a people turned upside downe or subverted which also the b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Subvertit ut cum superior pars in imam vertitur Avenarius Hebrew word imports both in this place and else where and so haeresy is concluded to be a subversive thing and not a peevish litigation about slight questions as the Arminians would put it off but thus much may be collected from the cohaerence that a man may be denominated an haeretick for doctrinall and dogmaticall errours holden and contentiously defended and maintained and it is observed by some that wordes of this forme and termination as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do signifie an aptitude or readinesse and so the c Cameron myâ—â—thec cui volupe est tueri falsas erroneas â—piniones word in the text signifies one that with complacency and choyce adheres to such errours but the greatest doubt is what is meant by those wordes he sinneth being condemned of himselfe which d Chrisost in Titus 3. 10. 11. Chrysostom refers to the admonitions precedent for in that such a man hath been admonisht he cannot reply in his owne defence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. no man hath shewed me my errour no man hath better instructed me and so hath his mouth stopt and is condemned of his owne conscience and it is not to be denyed that very many interpreters both ancient and moderne by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe understand a man that is convinced in his owne conscience that he erres and that he goes contrary to his owne light sciens volens but this interpretation is by e Minus Celsâ—s pag. 13. Estius in locum cum multis aliis many disallowd and argued against that moderate and sweet breath'd f De Arrianis lib. 5. Salvian speakeing of the Arrians saith Haeretici sunt non scientes apud nos non apud se quod illi nobis hoc nos illis c. They are Haereticks but not knowingly with us they are but not with themselves And indeed the word in the text doth not necessarily carry so farre as that an haeretick is condemned of his owne conscience but as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a man taught of himselfe without a Master so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a man condemned of himselfe not merely misled by others to whom he hath given up himselfe blindfold but as one that hath electively taken up and with a fixed self-will is resolved to persist in his errour and way which he thinks to be truth and that he doth Godgood service in holding on in it there are two things that may be cleerly taken up 1. That it is made the character of an haeretick to sin because condemned of himselfe 2. That another man may know that he is subverted and sins being selfe condemned for ' its said after admonition reject him Knowing that he that is such is subverted c. But how shall this be known Is it because he sins against common notions or principles within the ken of natures light This restraines haeresy which is a subverting of the faith onely to that which is contrary to light of nature which light of nature may bee in some particular so defaced like a superscription on old coyne that though I may know he sins yet he is not convinced in himselfe Is it then because he takes up an opinion for his lusts sake and private ends against his light and knowledge Then indeed he sins because condemned of himselfe but how can another know it It rests therefore that an haeretick rejecting admonition may be said to be condemned of himselfe because hee chuseth his owne errours and rejects the truth and so interpretative that is vertually and by consequence is condemned of himselfe as they who thrust away the word from them did judge themselves unworthy of eternall life Acts. 13. 46. Here is as you see an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or selfe condemning without conviction of conscience or knowledge of their own sin in it The fourth place is the Text which we have in hand and this whole chapter compared with the Epistle of Iude in both which haeresy is graphically described as hath before been opend That which remaines to be done is the drawing up of that hath been said concerning the meaning of the word or the explication of the things out of the Scriptures alleaged into a result and that is this The Scripture seemes to make haeresy a complicate evill in which there is these three things whether all of them essentiall ingredients or some of them be usuall attendants or concomitants I dispute not 1. Dogmaticall or doctrinall errour even over throwing the faith or a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. lim 2. 18. Funditas evertunt solo equaâ—t subverting the pillars and foundations of the doctrine of Christ which Jude calls the common salvation ver 3. 2. Seperation from or renting of the unity and communion of the Church some time b Schisma eructat in here sin ut non nemo ait schisme introduces haeresy when men are run out upon peevishnesse of spirit or some unwarrantable grounds they commonly run on into errour of opinion and doctrine being caught like a loose and wandring sheep severd from the flock by the wolves which lie in waite for such sometimes the schisme followes upon the errour of opinion drunke in and so departure from the truth is attended with departure from the society and communion of the Church Jude haveing described haereticks saith ver 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are they that separate themselves 3. A loose and carnall course taken up and followed either privately or openly and that under the patronage and protection of these dogmaticall errours Their lives are as full of Athisme as their opinions of blasphemy or false-hood all which being laid together it appeares that an haereticke's understanding mind is corrupted a good conscience is thrust away his will electively adheres to errour and false wayes his affections are drowned in sensuality and lusts he is subverted and sins being selfe condemned either c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oicumen
19. 8. Though errour be old yet truth is first All corruptions of Ordinances are deviations from their institution and therefore the false copy must be corrected by the true original The institution of Christ is the certain Rule He instituted it for a Communion therefore O Corinthians your divisions and contempt of the poor is unsuitable He instituted it as a Sacrament of his body and blood for spiritual repast therefore your intemperance and common use of it at your feasts is not agreeable to the nature and use of it as the standard discovers false weights and measures and a straight rule a crooked line so the institution of our Lord corruptions The Popish-masse would not be found in the masse if it were tried by this Rule but we must distinguish between Christs institution of this Sacrament and his celebration of it though at the same time The institution shews the nature and use of it and abides as a perpetual Rule He took bread he blest he broke he gave c. His celebration of it was by reason of the Passeover attended by very many occasional circumstances after Supper in a private room in such a gesture to such a number in unlevened bread c. It 's no corruption to vary in these occasional circumstances except we must alwayes keep Passeovers too I show'd you before out of Jewish Writers That the Passeover of after-times even that of Christ varied in such particulars from the first Passeover in Egypt without corruption and so this Supper in all ages hath varied from the first celebration in such occasionals He saith Naz anzen Naz. Nat. 40. celebrated the Supper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an upper room we in our houses of prayer he after we before Supper he before his death we after his Resurrection and so accordingly all Divines It is universalis notio saith Chamier an universal notion Chamier de Euchar. l. 8. c. 7. that the circumstances of an individual action be distinguisht from those that pertain to the Law thereof and these may be of good use for instruction not of necessary use for imitation I say with learned Hooker Hooker Eccles Polit. l. 5. p. 366 To do throughout every like circumstance with Christ were to erre more from the purpose he aimed at then we now do by not following them with so nice strictness What is superstition but to make that necessary which is indifferent and that a part of worship which is an accident to it So Constantine the Emperour defer'd his Baptism and almost mist it because he would have been baptized in Jordan as Christ was Hold the institution but be not superstitious without a command or hoc facite in the circumstances that fall out at the time of celebration §. 11. Obs 3 That the Apostle received from the Lord what he delivered to the Church This high and honourable Ordinance This Ordinance we receive from the Lord. the Passeover of the Christian Church we can receive from no higher hand than the Lord we may receive from no lower our faith can be resolved into no lower authority than the Lord. I believe and receive this and use it and expect the fruit not because Paul delivers it to me but because he receives it from the Lord and so the Apostle leads our faith to the original the first authority and higher we need not we cannot go It was the dignity of an Apostle to be a receiver from the Lord or else he could not have had the authority of a deliverer to the Church See the difference between Christ and Paul in this matter of delivery to the Church in Matth. 5. 21 31 33. Ye have heard it hath been said of old thus and thus But I say to you He speaks like the Lord But I say when Paul comes to speak Then I have received from the Lord he speaks as an Embassadour or a servant No other authority ought to take place in the Church but of Christ only §. 12. The Apostles were of high authority in the Church of Christ first Apostles saith the Text 1 Cor. 12. 28. yet they were but receivers there was a higher authority which they advance I have received from the Lord See the scale or ladder of faith we receive our Doctrine from the Scriptures the Scriptures from the Apostles and others that were inspired they from Christ and Christ as Mediatour sayes He hath received his mission from God and here alone our faith stands and is quietly setled so in the Commonwealth you receive a warrant from the Constable a meaner man then you he from the Justice he from the Councel they from the supream power And what need or reason was there that he should avouch his receiving the doctrine of this Sacrament from the Lord Was it for that he wrote to the Corinthians a proud and stomackfull people that had his person in some contempt in comparison of their preachers who by their tinkling eloquence led them by the ears into captivity and were partners with or patrons of them in these abuses Therefore he brings the name of the Lord to bear down their naughty stomacks and the Lords institution to whip these corruptions out of the Temple Or Rather was it for a closer reason He that believes to receive a soul-benefit from an outward Ordinance of eating and drinking bread and wine had need to see good ground for his believing for they are incommensurate and improper to the soul the body may more easily be fed with air than the soul with bread and wine Therefore he appeals to the Lord for the benefit is from the authour the vertue and fruit from the institution He that by a piece of brass heal'd a moâ—tal sting can by bread as I may say feed the hungry soul He put clay in my eyes saith the blinde man He sent me to the pool of Siloam and I washt and do see Joh. 9. 15. §. 13. Obs 3 That the Apostle delivered to the Church what he had received from the Lord also delivered unto you Et omnibus Ecc esiis meo ministerio fundatis and all Mâ—rton in loc P. Martyr Churches founded by my Ministry He did receive and deliver but not institute this Ordinance He that will institute a Sacrament makes himself a God saith Peter Martyr Had he nâ—t received he had wanted authority Had he not delivered he had wanted faithfulness and honesty as a messenger that keeps the God alwayes had officers in his Church Ring sent to a friend God hath ever had in his Church such as should be receivers and deliverers an office of men taken from among men and ordained for men in things pertaining to God as it 's defined Heb. 5. 1. but all are not receivers as Paul by immediate hand from the Lord Moses receives the Law and the pattern in the Mount he was a receiver and deliverer the Priests in their generations did receive and deliver but they were
as a resul from what the Apostle had said in the beginning of the chapter where having in the 4 5 6 verses named seven ones one body and one spirit one hope of your calling one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and Father of all wherein the Ephesians and all beleevers are concenterated He passeth on and toucheth upon gifts and ministeries given to the Church by Jesus Christ sitting at the right-hand of God in which form of expression he seemes to allude to the c As he doth elsewhere viz. Luk. 2. 1c. and to the Olympick exercises 1 Cor. 9. 24. 25. c. alibi Romans in their tryumphs wherein the Conquerour having the glorious Captaines at his chariot scattered his munificence in congiaries and donatives to the souldiery and people for so our Saviour ascended up on high and led captivity captive and gave gifts to men and what are those gifts which might become the magnificence of a Conquerour so triumphant Are they not ministeries ver 12. He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers a royall donative given in the day of his triumph but the use and end whereunto these ministeries are subservient and instrumentall addes value to them as it is set forth ver 12. 13. 14. 15. For the perfecting of the Saints c. That we henceforth be no more children In the next you have A Character and An Antidote The character is of 2. sorts of persons The Seduced The Seducer The Seduced are called children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine The Seducers are said to be sleighty crafty and to have their artifices methods stratagems of deceiving by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceive The Antidote or preservative is two fold 1. The Ministery which Christ hath given to his Church He gave some Apostles c. That henceforth we be no more children c. for the salt yee are saith Christ the salt of the earth serves to preserve the people from being flye-blown with every corrupt doctrine unto putrefaction 2. The holding fast of the substance and vitals of practick godliness ver 15. Following the truth in love grow up in all things into him which is the Head even Christ The fortifying of the vitalls is a repercussive to all infections from the stinking breath of a corrupt teacher I shall open each part of the Text as I come to it And first the character or description of the Seduced or of them that are unstable for there is no doubt but the Apostle intends to descypher instability and fluctuancy by these words Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine which is a sentence as every eye may see carried on in metaphors and figurative expressions only some criticks might haply ask what decorum of speech there is in children tossed to and fro and carried about with winds For had it not been more congruity to have said waves tossed to and fro or clouds carried about then children But we must not teach the Spirit of God to speak the sence is obvious and proper for the better rendering whereof we may consider 1. By what name unstable people are called children 2. How their instability is expressed Tossed to and fro and carried about 3. What cause there is of it Every wind of doctrine 1. For the first They are children d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are synonymies 1 Cor. 14. 20. wiâ—h Heb. 5. 13. alibi so called not in respect of age but of knowledge and understanding 1 Cor. 14. 20. be not children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in understanding but be men Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfect and ripe And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in veteri Testamento Isa 3. 4. Prov. 19. 25. Eccles 10. 18. alibi men of knowledge are opposed to children that is ungrounded and unskilful ones unskilful in the word of righteousness for he is a babe Heb. 5. 13. Such babes the Apostle calls carnall though they be in Christ 1 Cor. 3. 1 2 3. and opposeth them to spiritual that is perfect or ripe of knowledge and judgement and you may see that such men that are shallow and unballast with knowledge are easily carried into envying strife factions one crying up Paul another Apollo ver 4. yea they become the certain prey of Sectaries and Seducers made prize of by them as the e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. z. 8. word signifies Col. 2. 8. 2. For the second their instability is expressed in two f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 metaphors tossed to and fro and carried about the former is drawn from a wave of the sea for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a wave and so it denotes an uncertain man that fluctuates in opinion and is explained to the full James 1. 6. a wavering man is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed The latter from a light cloud swimming in the ayre carried about in a circle having no weight in it and may well be expounded by that of Jude ver 12. clouds without water carried about Nor wave nor cloud have any consistence but are alwayes in motion if any wind be stirring you shall in vain look to find them anon where you see them now 3. For the third the cause of this instability is every wind of doctrine there are winds of persecution that overthrow the house upon the sand and there are winds of doctrine that tosse to and fro these children Scripture mentions chaffe and stubble driven with wind the reed shaken with the wind the wave the cloud tossed and carried by the wind It is because we have no weight in our selves nor solid principles that the wind hath power over us they are light things and moveable that are at the command of every wind when the Apostle saith wind of doctrine he implies that there is no solidity and when he saith every wind he implies that there may be contrariety in those doctrins to one another and yet every one tosses some waves to and fro and carries some clouds about nay the very same cloud that is now carried one way is anon carried another and what a miserable passe is he at whose Religion consists in some empty opinion and is but thereof tenant at curtesie to the next wind that blowes being carried about with every g Heinsius excrcit in locum doctrina indies mutabilis change or novelty of doctrine There are others that are unstable not for want of principles and knowledge but rather want of a good by as of sincerity for God being carried about too but it is by their Interests and ends whereby they are off and on up and down as the sent lies and as the game which they hunt doth lead them with these I have not much
wind It s good saith he that the heart be establisht and to that end that we converse in such doctrines as doe profit them that are exercised in them Heb. 13. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still asking our selves this question what improvement is there of my soul heavenward by such or such doctrine What healing of the gashes of conscience What further inlet or admission into communion with Christ What cleansing from al filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. If this be your aime then steer this point intend this scope and let go questions and vain janglings contending towards the end of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1. 6. the commandement which mark saith the Apostle may never shoot at 1 Tim. 1. 6. in their ministery or doctrine nor indeed do many hearers aime at any such thing I mean our Nomades as I may call them or walkers who will not endure to sit at the feet of a constant godly ministery which yet is the best way of proficiency in knowledge and godlinesse but by reason of their feverish thirst as they distast each one so they desire to tast all waters of which sort is he that wanders away the Sabbath by peeping in at Church-dores and taking essay of a sentence or two and then if there be no scratch for his itch lambit fugit he is gone 3. These children are tossed to and fro and carried about by doctrine and that implies that they are hearers that are thus unsetled and they are teachers by whom they are unsetled 1. They are hearers and must not they be hearers What else condemned be the atheisme of the care of them who turn away their ear from God who speakes by the hand of his messengers let us leave to the Papists ministorum muta officia populi caeca obsequia the dumb offices of the Priests and blind obedience of the people when Scribes and Phariâ—ees hold the chair our Saviour saith not Mark 4. 24. Luk. 8. 18. hear not but take heed how you hear Take heed what ye hear beware of their â—eaven 2. They are teachers that unsettle these hearers They have troubled you w th words subverting your soules Acts 15. 24. It much concerns the Church yea and the State into what hands doctrine is committed by reason of the unsettlement of the people which may be occasioned thereby I should beseech them that are in the office of teachers that they would take heed to themselves and to the doctrine 1 Tim. 4. 16. and that they would teach milk or meat and not wind nor lead on people first into cirticismes before they have laid in them the plain Grammar rule of sound and wholesome words that they may be made proselites to Iesus Christ not to an opinion yea though you may beare the name of a party as Paul might have done at Corinth yet to cry them down who would cry you up and put over your Disciples to Christ as John did telling them that say I am of Paul I of Apollo that they are carnall 1 Cor. 3. 4. and so you will wean them unto Christ whose they are As for others that teach indeed but yet are no teachers for whatsoever they do by gifts yet themselves are not the gifts of Christ unto men in the sence of the 11th verse of this chapter I should desire to know whether every one that hath a gift to be a servant must therefore be a steward or that hath gifts enabling him to deliver a message must therefore be an Embassadour If in truth you be as Amos said of himself Herdesmen or gatherers of Sycomore fruit then you must produce Amos 7. 14 15. your extraordinary commission as he did saying And the Lord took me as I followed the flock and said go prophesie to my people Israel or else you muâ—t be taken to be but Herdsmen still and so it will be no wonder that strange teachers should carry credulous people about with strange doctrines as the Apostle cals them Heb. 13. 9. 4. The doctrine by which these children are tossed to and fro and carried about is called wind and that doth not denote the pure Word of God but some illegitimate doctrine which the adulterers and ravishers of the truth do beget upon it what heresie ever came abroad without verbum Domini in the mouth of it The Arrian pleaded out of that text John 14. 28. The Father is greater then I. The Anabapâ—â—st from that Matth. 28. 19. Go ye therefore and disciple all nations and when he shall be thriven to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full stature he will undermine Magistracy by that Rom. 12. 19. Avenge not your selves The Antinomian hath for his plea that 1 Tim. 1. 9. The law is not made for a righteous man arguing that he who hath Evangelicall grace for his principle of obedience should not have the law for a rule thereof as if a new principle and an old rule might not stand together but because I intend not a particular confutation of these or the like errours therefore finally you all know that the devill hath a scriptum est ready Matth. 3. 6. the Spider sucks poyson out of the Rose not that I would imply that there is any such thing in the Word iâ—self for ex veris nil nisi verum but that a corrupt stomack concocts wholesome food inâ—o â—iâ—ease And why wind of doctrine 1. Because there is no solidity in it but being wind it breeds but wind in the hearer and not good bloud and here I cannot but bewail our Pulpits of late times filled with hay and stubble in stead of gold and silver as namely invectives against Bishops and Cavaliers news and novel opinions and in the mean time the staple commodities of Heaven as Christ Faith Love c. are laid aside like breath'd ware which no body cals for I would not be thought to be a patron of any such obnoxious persons against whom the Word of God shoots an arrow but this I plead for that people who come to look for soul-nourishing food may not be served with scum and froth 2. Because of the changeablenesse variety and novelty of it for indeed such teachers do fit their lettice to the lips of their auditory and do easily take them by their itching eares nothing more pleasing to an Athenian eare then novelty which affects the hearers while it is fresh and green but when they shall come to chew this wind they find nothing in it and so they hunt about again untill they start a new notion Christ is the onely everlasting meat who though he be like a great standing dish which by reason of Kickshawes and fine Sallets is now adayes not much fed upon by many yet a truly humble soul is never weary of Christ neither can sit down to a meal I mean hear a Sermon without him and this sound appetite is
against the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort Dan. 3. 29. I crave leave for this prefaceing It is only to bid this day welcome because as it is the first that ever was in England upon this sad occasion so it is a new and strong ingagement and demonstration of your zeale and resolution to endeavour to draine these fens which have so over spread the face of Gods Church The Apostle in the latter end of the foregoing chapter recommends to Christians the holy Scriptures as the fixed pole and un-varying compasse by which they should steere their course It seemes he knew nothing of any such high forme of Christians in the Schoole of Christ which should as I may say be got above the Scriptures or have learn'd beyond them For he commends them who had obtained like pretious faith with himselfe and others of highest ranke 2 Pet. 1. 1. for giving heed to the word of prophecy vers 19. and as appeares by that expression ver 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowing this first He would have it said downe as a principle and set as a strong fort against the battery of all false teachers That no prophecy of Scripture is of any private sence or b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the unfolding or cleering of things darke and doubtfull Mar. 4. 34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act◠19. 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interpretation because it came not by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were carried by the holy Ghost The setling of this principle and the fastning of Christians or as it were nailing them unto the Scriptures the words of the holy Prophets and Apostles is the scope at which the Apostle collimes in this Epistle as himselfe declares Chap. 3. vers 1 2. 17. And that it might appeare to them how necessary and seasonable it was to stirre them up to adhere to the sure word of God and the true and genuine sence thereof Hee foretells the comming in of False teachers and Scoffers False teachers that would overthrow the truth of doctrine which is according to godlinesse by bringing in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them chap. 2. ver 1. Scoffers that would undermine and elude the truth of Gods promises There shall come in the last dayes Scoffers walking after their owne lusts and saying where is the promise of his comming Chap. 3. vers 3 4. And because the Scriptures themselves were not likely to escape the c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesych racke the Apostle gives a double character of such as would crooken it or make it looke d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sylburg a squint and they are the unlearned and unstable and so concludes with caution to all Christians that they should beware lest they being carried away together by the seducement of wicked men or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lawlesse Libertines of opinion and practise fall from their owne stedfastnesse Chap. 3. vers 16 17. In this Chapter the Apostle foretells the comming of false teachers into the Gospell Churches and describes their doctrines their destruction their manners The doctrines which they teach are damnable heresies they deny the Lord that bought them Their destruction is exemplified and paralleld in three terrible examples the casting down of the Angells that fell the destruction of the olde world the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrha It may make the eares of all haeresie-Masters and their followers to tingle when they heare that the three great and famous monuments of Gods sore wrath executed by his owne immediate hand are brought in as examples of his vengeance against that wickednesse which above all other pretends exemption and liberty from the stroke of men Their manners in the description of which the greatest part of this Chapter is taken up are drawn out in so foule colours that every man may make the observation That monstrous doctrines are accompanied with monstrious lusts In this verse you have the seedes-men and they are false teachers the seed they sow namely damnable heresies The crop they shall reap and that is swift destruction In the first part which shewes us the seeds-men there are two points to be taken up 1. That there shall be false teachers in the Gospell Churches as there were false Prophets in the Church of olde 2. That these false teachers are they that bring in damnable heresies Doct. 1 There shall be false teachers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst you in the Churches of the Gospell as there were false prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the people of God of olde It 's seldome seene that false prophets or false teachers will owne their owne name goe from one to one and aske are you a false teacher and there will not be found any the confident false prophet puts it upon the true Prophet that Hee is the false Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from mee to speake to thee 1 Kings 22. 24. which is the false prophet we shall see anon in the meane time thus farre we are agreed that there were such then and that there shall bee such amongst Christians under the Gospell though they that are guilty are wiser than to make such a description of a false teacher or of haeresy which may hit themselves but rather will use their sleight to turne the Scripture as one doth a right hand glove to fit the other hand False Prophets and false teachers are paralleld both in their being in the Church and in their character or description 1. In their Being in the Church for 1. As God then sent Prophets to teach his people Jer. 7. 25. Since the day that your Fathers came forth out of the land of Aegypt vnto this day I have sent you all my servants the Prophets and there were then false prophets also saith my Text. So God hath set in his Church under the Gospell Teachers 1 Cor. 12. 28. and there shall be also false teachers then they wore a rough garment to deceive and now Zech. 13. 4. Matth. 7. 15. they come in sheeps cloathing The Apostle in this Text determines not the false Prophets then to a particular place or time but saith they were among the people nor doth he determine false teachers now to any one place or time but speakes indefinitely they shall be amongst you There is no age of the Church free of them onely the last dayes are most likely to have most of these dregs and whereas its said of all true Prophets that they were sent and of Pastors and Teachers that God hath set them in and Christ hath given them to his Church there is no more said of these in the Text than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were and they shall be they may easily find a Prophesie for their being in the Church but will hardly finde a Scripture-warrant or calling 2. As the Church
was not in Rome but at Veij I shall not meddle with those Episcopal dissentions in the auncient Churches commonly called schismes nor those about the Popedome d Spalato lib. 4. de rep eccles cap. 11. thirty in number as they are reckoned Schisme simply and nakedly is a breaking off or breaking off from the communion of the Church upon such grounds as have no weight in the word of God to allow them as namely when c Schisma ni fallor est eadem opinantem atque eâ—dem ritu colentem quo caeteri solo congregationis delectari dissidio Aug. contra Faustum lib. 20. et contra Cresconium grammat the same faith or doctrine in substantialls is held and there is accordance and agreement in them yet through passions and private ends or fancies there is offence taken at lesser matters of fact or order and so the divorce is made for such faults in the yoke-fellow as are farre short of adultery as if the members of any of the seven Churches should have separated because of some drosse in those Golden Candlesticks The Donatist who separated upon that principle that there was no true Church where good and bad were mixt and that the chaffe in the floore made the wheate uncleane or that the communion of the godly was blasted and polluted by the mixture of ungodly ones amongst them was in open schisme both in breaking off from the Churches of Christ upon that reason and in assumeing liberty to erect new Churches onely which he called the true Churches of Christ Now for haeresy it is schisme and somwhat more as the Apostle implies and what is that majus quid as Tertullian calls it or that somewhat more the answere is given in that generally received saying of Ierome haeresis perversum dogma habet Haeresy goes with a perverse opinion or errour in doctrine which I conceive to be a very truth though d Grotius in 1 Cor. 11. Grotius affirme that ex vi vocis it be nihil aliud quam schisma because the word haeresy in all authors from the first use of it hath signified a sentence or dogmaticall tenet or assertion as the severall Sects of Philosophers who differd in their opinions are called haeresies and therefor i Jamblichus lib. 2. cap. 1. Jamblichus haveing written of the life of Pythagoras now saith he it remaines that I speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning his tenets or opinions so the sects of Saducees and Pharisees who differd in opinions are called haeresies and the f Hoeresin Syri vocant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrinam Drusius in Act. 24. 5. Syriake calls haeresy doctrine in which sense it must be taken Acts. 28. 22. this haeresy that is this doctrine concerning Christ is every where spoken against or contradicted and the Apostles Peter and Jude are expresse that these haeresies are brought in by false teachers and are opposite to the faith denying Christ Iesus the Lord and his redemption 2. Pet. 2. 1. Jude 3. 4. upon all which considerations and that as Tertullian elegantly saith haeresy is a degenerate thing which arises from the corruption and adulterating of the truth tanquam caprificus a papauere fici oleaster ex olivae grano c. I am cleer enough that in haeresy there must be matter of opinion or doctrine and so the meaning of the Apostle in this place of the Corinthians is to shew that as there were already schismes amongst them and dividing into parties as their partiality affection and selfe-respects led them so there must be also haeresies or errours in doctrine which should fight against the truth of the Gospell patronize vitious and filthy lusts of the flesh to which both errours and lusts there would be some that would decline but those that were approved and sound-hearted would be made manifest among them and so I conclude that haeresy is a renting or tearing the communion of the Church as it is schisme and a subverting of the doctrine of truth and holiness as it is haeresy like sedition in the common wealth for schisme as one saith is an ecclesiastical sedition when it is not only made against the faults of some persons or their miscarriage in government or some abuses in fact but ariseth from principles or errours opposite and destructive to the fundamentall lawes and justice of the Kingdom The second place is that Gal. 5. 19. 20. The workes of the flesh are manifest which are adultery fornication c. Seditions heresies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated divisions Rom. 16. 17. is here translated seditions seditions or divisions and haeresies may well be set together for they goe together haeresies are workes of the flesh manifest workes of the flesh The workes of the flesh are said to be manifest either because they are the product and fruites of that inward corruption called flesh and are the tokens and markes of a carnall man or because they may be discerned and knowne by the g Mr. Perkins in Galath 5. light of reason and of a naturall conscience except the light be by strength of lusts extinct or by the judgement of God darkned or put out Divines usually from this place doe prove against the Papists that by flesh is not onely meant the sensuall appetite or inferiour faculties of the Soule but the higher also as the minde and judgement because haeresy is an errour of the minde and so no doubt it is though it may be called carnall also in respect of those fleshly lusts or ends which carry men thereinto and are exercised under the patronage thereof Austin sometime saith that in his judgement it either not at all or very hardly can be regularly defined h Aut non omnino aut difficulter c. Aug. ad quod vult deum in proefatione what makes an haeretick but he comes very neere it in another place saying hee is an haeretick in my opinion who for some or other temporall profit especially his owne glory or dignity doth either beget i De vtilitate credendi cap. 1. qui alicuiustemporalis commodi maxime glorioe principatusque sui gratia c. or follow false and new opinions The Scripture notion of the word haeresy runs very much this way and it is to be feared that mens selfe ends wealth eminency interests have too much ingrediency into their opinions in these times the Lord will discover and blast the doctrine which he hates and them also that hold up such opinions as are under his anathema and haply against the conscience also of those that follow them for their private and unworthy ends The third place is that Titus 3. 10. 11. A man that is an haeretick after the first and second admonition reject Knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himselfe In the former verse there is an exhortation to avoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and striveings about the Law because they are
the errour is correspondent to the degree of importance of the truth that 's destroyed by it or denied 2. The vulgar and indeed abusive acceptation of the word is an infamy or reproach which usually men flinge in the face of others at random that are not of their opinion and it s too true as a learned man saith that haeresie and schisme are two theologicall scare-crowes many times set up to scare people and affright them The strongest party of the two commonly cries out of haeresie the weakest party cry out of persecution so the Papist puts a marke or brand of haereticall pravity upon and calls all Haeretickes who are opposite to their c Spalato lib. 1. câ—p 10. false doctrines or filthy lusts Haeresie was taken in a large sense when the d L. Cooke his Institutes Lollards were indicted for haeresie because they held it not meritorious to goe in pilgrimage to Saint Thomas or Mary of Walsingham or when Virgilius Bishop of Saltzburg was condemned for the haeresie of holding that there were Antipodes e Apology cap. 7. Bellarmine tells K. Iames that for all his beleeving the Scriptures the three Creeds the foure great and generall Councells yet he might be an Haereticke and his meaning was because the Popes infallibility or supremacy was not in any of the Kings Creeds As the intollerable abuse of excommunication formerly made no man to value it above the price at which he could buy it off so the abuse of this name and throwing it about at randome makes it not regarded which yet is a fearfull thing in it selfe and bringing swift destruction It hath been stretcht too farre to be a brand stigmatizing true beleevers and to scare men from prying into the trueth by making it odious and it is shriveled and shrunke up too much even almost to nothing by such as are affraid to hit themselves by defining it but is there not such a thing is there not such a damnable sin why then doe such horrible sins as the sin against the holy Ghost and the sin of haeresie lye like a terra incognita undiscovered unpreacht against Seeing there is to be found in Scripture especially in the Apostolicall Epistles so much said in description of and for caution against damnable haeresies and doctrines and the false teachers which privily bring them in and bring upon themselves and many that follow their pernicious wayes such fearfull destruction That which now remains is to draw up that which hath been said into matter of use and application Vse 1 And first let me speak to you all who professe the trueth of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ that you would be Protestants once again by declaring your selves against the heterodoxies dangerous errors of the present times for the infection spreads by reason of many that goe abroad with running sores upon them and if the Apostle when hee gave all diligence to write to beleevers of the common salvation thought it needfull for him to write to them and exhort them that they should earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints upon this ground and reason that there were certain men crept in unawares c. Jude 3. 4. You cannot thinke it impertinent and unseasonable at this time to be exhorted to the same earnest contending for the faith for you are beset with danger on all sides the contagion is epidemicall many are distracted with here is Christ and there is Christ and are mis-led into pernicious wayes yea even some that seemed to be good eares of come are mil-dewd and almost blasted I doe therefore exhort you to consider the danger as you may easily summe it up from that which hath been said for you have heard that there shall be false Teachers amongst you we need not say there shall be but more suitable to our owne condition wee may say There are as it s said 1 Iohn 4. 4. many false Prophets are gone out into the world you see they are gone out I would we might see that they were come in againe 2. That these are they who bring in damnable haeresies they goe out to bring these in they are ring-leaders or as Tertullian said of Philosophers the patriarchs of haeresies 3. That they bring in these damnable haeresies privily they spawn first in quaeries or plausible beginnings the greatest Crocodile did at first lye in an egge a Franzius historia animalium Paulo majus anserino little bigger then a goose-egge b 2 Cor. 11. 15. themselves are transformed as Ministers of righteousnesse c 2 Pet. 2. 3. Rom. 16. 18. their words are composed and good their speeches are faire their artifice is d Eph. 4. 14. full of sleight and cunning craftinesse and therefore they creepe at unawares not onely into houses but into mens bosomes also 4. That haeresies are damnable and destructive poison though given in honey they arise and are made up coede Scripturarum as Tertullian saith by felling downe the goodly timber of the holy Scriptures e 2 Pet. 3. 16. wrested to the destruction of them that wrest them they turne grace into lasciviousnesse deny the Lord Jesus Christ overthrow the faith subvert the soule carry men down the stream of lust and liberty and so bring swift destruction 5. That many shall follow these pernicious wayes f Rom. 16. 18. the simple are deceived the learned are given up to g 2 Thes 2. 12. strong delusions the unstable are carried about like children with every h Eph. 4. 14. wind of doctrine Those that by profession of the truth had escaped the pollutions of the world are againe i 2 Pet. 2. 20. entangled and overcome and so the latter end of many that are carried away either by speciousnesse of errour or liberty of lust is worse then the beginning 6. That the last times shall be most of all infested with these pernicious errours k 1 Tim. 4. 1. Jude 17. 18. The spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shal depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits the Apostles have foretold that there shall bee mockers in the last time and by this saith m â— John 2. 18. the Apostle we know that it is the last time because there are many Antichrists and wee may very well understand by the last times not onely the times of the Gospell in generall but the time of Antichrists declining as well as of his arising and growth The last of the last times For as the last times of the Jewish Church after it had shaken off the captivity and idolatry were pester'd and infested most of all with haeresies untill Christ came with a new doctrine of the Gospell and untill the desolation of the frame of that Church so the last dayes of Gospell Churches having shaken off the second Babylonish captivity and idolatry shall be infested with these dangerous errours and haeresies and haply untill the very
in way of prevention of contagion as the restraint of the Leper was You pull downe another mans house and that justly when 't is on fire to prevent the burning of the whole Towne one way to put out the fire in the Oven is to shut it up Many errours and haeresies would die of themselves if they had not free vent Falsi doctores sathanae lenones saith Calvin False teachers are the Devils panders would you suffer panders to come into your houses solicit the chastity of your children would you suffer Mountebanks to sell poison upon a stage to destroy the bodies and lives of people This the b Examen censurae page 285. Remonstrants in scorne call our palmarium argumentum but it is not to be despised as if it was void of reason You that are Christian Magistrates should not forget the soules of them that live under your shadow There is a c Minus Celsus in disputatione de haereticis c. pag. 194. c. learned man who argues against the punishing of Haereticks with death and pitches upon this as the solida vera certa ratio the solid true and certain reason why other flagitious offenders are to be punisht but not Haereticks because haeresie saith he is the errour of a depraved minde an intellectuall errour but other morall vices arise from a depraved and corrupt will and the error of the understanding is not saith hee to be punisht with death but that it is to be restrained from spreading and infecting the comparisons which he brings in doe fully signify For you would not saith hee put a Physitian to death as a murderer who upon meere mistake gives his patient a potion of poyson in stead of good medicine nor a mad man that breaks out and kills and slaies such as he meets with because this proceeds from laesion of his understanding though I doe not concur with this supposition that haeresie is a a meere act of the understanding for it hath its denomination from the act of the will choosing the errour yet thus farre I goe with it that such pretended Physitians as hold that to be wholsome which is poison and minister it to their Patients are not to bee licensed to practise nor such mad men suffered to be loose to exercise their fury damnable haeresies can never be prevented if false teachers may have liberty to bring them in It s one thing to suffer Jewes Turkes Papists Haeretickes to live in the kingdome or City and another thing to give them liberty or freedome of Trade to open their shop and call in Customers to buy their destructive wares Thou hast them that hold the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans Revel 2. 15. Thou sufferest that woman Jezebel which calls her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and to seduce my servants was a sore charge laid by Christ upon those Churches Nor is it the Pulpit which can keep off the infection whiles the poison is carried up and downe in books and cryed at mens doors every day in which there are many strange doctrines going abroad open faced and some more strange which goe vailed and dropt into the Reader by insinuation there seeme to be very strange dreams about the manner of Christs being in the Saints and Gods being manifest in their flesh and about the Kingdome of the Saints and the licking of the dust of their feete by the world There are mysteries if the world was ripe for them I take notice of one thing in a late book which hath a very ill aspect brought in by way of enquiry what is meant by the word Scriptures when it is asserted that the denying of the Scriptures to be the word of God should be holden worthy of death For saith the Author either the English Scriptures or Scriptures in English are meant by the word Scriptures or the Hebrew and Greeke Copies or originalls The former cannot bee meant with reason because God did not speake to his Prophets and Apostles in the English tongue nor doth the English translation agree in all things with the originall or the true sense of it Nor the latter for the greatest part of men in the Kingdome doe not understand or know them If this dilem be good what is become of the certaine foundation of our hope or faith or comfort how can we search the Scriptures without going first to schoole to learne Hebrew and Greek It s well knowne that our Saviour himselfe and the Apostles doe usually cite the Greek translation or Septuagint when they quote the Scriptures of the old Testament and yet that translation had many variations in it from the originall and haply more then our English translation hath The Apostle citing a place out of the Septuagint where they expresse not the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is contained in Scripture 1 Pet. 2. 6. And there is no question but the Hellenists and western Jewes scattered up and down in Greece and Italy c. used the Greeke translation of the Scriptures in their Synagogues as appears by the confluence of the Greeks and Gentiles to them who understood not Hebrew and yet they of Beraea a city a Plin. lib. 4. cap. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stephanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Macedonia are commended for searching the Scriptures of the old Testament and examining of Pauls doctrine by them and in that search there were Greeks that bare the Jews company as appears Acts 17. 11 12. And what Scriptures could they search but the Scriptures of the Greeke Translation I could easily demonstrate that the Scripture calls the originall translated scripture not without just reason for the Scripture stands not in cortice verborum but in medulla sensus it s the same wine in this vessel which was drawn out of that Translations are but vessels or taps as I may call them to set Scriptures abroach as for faults errours in that translation if that argument be able to batter and make a breach let it but have rope enough and it will make as great a breach in the Hebrew for when you come to find that ther are variae lectiones and that in the Margent truer then that in the Text as in that famous place a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in textu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in margine Vide Foord in Psalm 22. Psal 22. 17. or shall question the true pointing or printing of the originall whither will not this wild argument run away with you until you come to find the very original written by the Prophets own hand or by the hand of some amanuensis infallibly directed guided The Scriptures exprest in English are the word of God The deficiency of exact translation of this or that particular word doth not invalidate the canon or bodie of the Scriptures But I shall not further proceed in this chase I have but a word or two left and that is to exhort you to
becomes not a Christian hand nor do we say they find it in such a hand in all the New Testament as if it might please them to have Pilate a Judge because he judged Christ no other must fit us But shall we thinke that John would not forbid the Publican his office as if inconsistent with Christianity and Christ hath forbidden the Magistrate his Are the Jewish Magistrates called Gods and do the Prophets call them Shields for their protection Corners for their support Nayles for their uniting of the people Zac. 10. 6. Isa 22. 23. Hos 4. 18. Doth the New Testament call them Dignities Principalities Powers yea the very heathen Magistrates Ministers and Officers for God and for thy Good Rom. 13. Doe the Heathens Plato and Homer call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saviours and Shepheards of the people for so they are by the intention of their office and place though they be Nero's for blood and lust and shall they that are promised to be nursing fathers Isa 49. that are commanded to be so wise as to kisse the son Psal 2. that are prophefied to tread upon the Heathen Empire and crush the bloody Dragon be unfit to make a nail in the Gospell Commonwealth What must we turne our direction crosse to the Apostle and put Christians in mind not to be subject to Christian Magistrates and make them incapable of Government of Christians that are most fit for it and for whom we must pray that we may live a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour 1 Tim. 2. 13 Qui regna dat coelestia non adimit terrena Will Christ take mens kingdoms away if they turn Christians Will he that is King of Kings have under his Empire no Christian Kings surely the Apostle commands 1 Tim. 6. 2. Those servants that have believing masters the rather to do them service and why the subject that hath a believing Magistrate should not do so too I know not In fine I might argue against this denial of Christian Magistracie by argument drawn from the scanpall which it draws upon Religion whereof Christ teaches every Christian to be chary Matth. 17. 27. but that I finde this kind of Libertines are not much moved with such arguments nor are they much date or in request with many that most pretend to holiness in these times I have used this length upon this place of Doctrine not because the sober part of men as I hope do much need it but as the Apostle saith 2 Thâ—s 2. 2. That you be not soon sheken in minde as that the day of Christ is at hand so I say to you that you be not shaken in minde as that the Kingdom of Christ as some say was at the threshold even now in 1656. For as it s said Luke 17. 20. this Kingdom comes not with observation It s a Jewish fancy to look for such pomp and splendor as temporal Monarchs are furnisht with It is within and already saith he amongst you for my Kingdom is not of this world It was set up in the days of those Kings as Daniel saith Cap. 2. 44. and shall never be destroyed but certainly that such a temporal Kingdom of Christ is so neer as shall put down the temporal civil Magistracy as now it obtains as Tapers that are eclipsed by the Sun or Candle-rushes put out by Torches is more then I can affirm and hath some unpleasant reflexion upon the Magistracy Christian From the third Point observe That this great debt of subjection and obedience be duly paid without grudging two things call for payment 1 The command of God whose Officer the Magistrate is 2 Your own good by whom you sleepe you walke you are masters of your own you are Masters of your lives you hold all these at this Rent-service your subjection There is a certain light in mans minde that tels them they cannot live together in society without this nail the mutinous members that rose up against the belly for eating up their labours were quieted by this oratory that it did but digest the meat for them nothing more pernicions then the inferiour his refusal of obedience to the Magistrate especially you that are Christians have most benefit by Magistracy for you are exposed to more envy of wicked men by your profession and are by your principles more unarmed from private revenge Besides that you hold your Religion your greatest treasure in peaceable possession by his inspection and protection except the Magistrate shall profess himself a Gallio that cares for no such thing or be like Esarhaddon that sent into the Kingdom of subdued Israel a mixture or gallimaufrey of several Religions in designe ut in commune consulere non sineret religionum diversitas that is That diversity of Religion might hinder common counsels But this Province I confess properly belongs to the Sovereigne though for the executive part to every Magistrate in his order place as the cause of the false prophet pertained to the Supream Judicature therefore our Saviour saith as Cunaeus observes Cunaeus de Repub. that a Prophet could not perish out of Jerusalem Blasphemy hurts the name Heresie the Truth Idolatry the worship of God of these the Magistrate is as he is called the heir of restraint Judges 18. 17. for in this the Prince as a Prince may serve God and cannot do it as he is as a private man I bespeak this at the Magistrates hand I mean restraint for that God expects it at his hand is plain by that that Idolatry was set up in Micah his house Judges 17. 8. because at that time there was no King in Israel Those that said Quid Imperatoricum Ecclesia the Donatists are justly upbraided by Augustine that when the Emperour was against them they cryed that cry When for them they changed their note as their own partiality and interest led them as all such kinde of spirits will still do at this day The Magistrate will punish corporal adultery will prohibit the sale of poysonous Drugs and there is no great reason but that the calamity of the Common-wealth may be prevented which may accure by depravation of Religion for thereby Respublica detrimentum capit as History and Experience may inform as for the Ministers way it is conviction so Christ dealt with the Saducees and the Churches way is binding by Coercion and the Magistrates way is restraint an coercion in a civil way The Doctrine of this Church always was that the intermedling of the Civil Magistrate in sacris was not that of Uzzia but of Hezekiah Josiah c. not to perform them but to see them done as Reinolds against Hart saith The Inferences from the fourth point are these which follow 1 To put you in minde of the Extent of this duty of subjection and obedience it reaches from him that is in highest to him that is of lowest rank in Magistracy all
from the simplicity that is in Christ or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towards Christ AS the mother of Christ truly was so the Church of Christ may be truly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Clem. Alex. saith a virgin mother The fruitfulness of her womb to bring forth children unto God The fulness of her breasts to bring them up unto God speak her a mother The simplicity of the faith chastity of worship sincerity of love integrity of life speak her a virgin Christ answers the type of him the high Priest Levit. 21. 14. A widow or a harlot he shall not take but he shall take a virgin to wife And therefore it is the scope of the Gospel-Ministers whom God sends as Abraham did his servant with Commission to procure a wife for his son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fit and treat a match to espouse chaste virgins unto Christ ver 2. Which scope if we do but carry in our eye and aime at in our Ministery we should avoid the too much used folly and imbrace the successfull foolishness of Gospel-preaching We may justly ask the cause of our Apostle his feare lest this Corinthian virgin should become a Thais for unjust suspition is a kind of slander to chastity and the question is how the Apostle could say I am jealous for the virgin was not espoused to him but Christs Ministers are but the spokes-men the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 treating for Christ 2 Cor. 5. 10. they neither sowe nor mowe for themselvs therefore he takes off the doubt in that expression I am jealous over you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with jealousie of God And he gives the reason The first Adams Eve was corrupted from her virgin righteousness and so may the second Adams espoused virgin the Corinthian Church be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ Eve by the Serpent which was Satanae leno the Devils pander The Corinthians by such Preachers as he describes to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Cor. 2 17. Corrupters of the Word as hucksters by their mixtures do jugulare vinum adulterate the viginity of good wine In these words you may consider two things 1 The object of the Apostle his fear 2 The instance or example whence he draws a similitude shewing the way and meanes of accomplishing that he feares 1 The thing he feares is the corruption and constupration of this espoused virgin which corruption he describes 1 By the seat of it the minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest your mindes be corrupted for the foul vessell corrupts the purest liquor corruption begins in the minde as they say the fish begins to stink at the head and we know defluxions from the head corrupt the vitals and lower region 2 The term à quo is the simplicity or chastity that is towards Christ which they had before and which is required in them that are espoused to Christ Jesus who are then corrupted when they generate and deviate from their simplicity of faith and worship for we cannot say of any of these virgins espoused to Christ as was said of that virgin the mother of our Lord that before they came together she was found to be with child by the holy Ghost 2 The instance or example made use of for describing the way of corrupting the minde from the simplicity that is in Christ is the first and ancientest example in the world lest by any meanes as the Serpent beguiled Eve c. This part of the Text contains the sicut and sic the As So and there are foure things in it As the Serpent that is Satan in his instrument for the Devil appears not in his own colours the Serpent doth not alwayes weare the same slough or skin the Devil sheaths himself in a fit case for his purpose for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unsociable with man therefore hath his ministers ver 15. deceitful workers false Apostles and these instruments he puts on he tempts the proud by ye shall be as Gods the sensual by the promise liberty some by ostentation of holiness for there is a Pharisaical a monasticall a superstitious holiness a holiness of mans making he tempts Christ by Peter Come behinde me Satan 2 The Serpent beguiled the woman Eve for the woman by the Serpent the man by the woman the stronger by the weaker vessel the husband by the wife as the Angler takes the small fish by a worm and then that small fish taken doth become a bait for the greater fish so it is said of his agents they lead captive silly women they deceive the hearts of the sipmle Rom. 16. 18 3 The way of the Serpents deceiving the woman was by corrupting of her minde see its the Apostles observation 1 Tim. 2. 14. that not the man but the woman was deceived because she believed that God had enviously set them in a lower Orbe than they might be in if they eate of the fruit of that tree of knowledge 4 This deceiving of the woman was by subtilty as it appears by many respects wherein the serpent prevaricated the words of God and perverted their meaning this subtilty or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cogging of the dice is ascribed to deceivers Eph. 4. 14. The sum is The Gospel-state of the Church is called a new Creation I create a new heavens and a new earth in this new creation God hath set forth another Adam Jesus Christ out of this Adam dying as out of the first sleeping God hath formed a Church this Church is espoused to the Lord Christ as Eve was to the first as a chaste virgin and there are Serpents now as there was one then that attempt the corrupting of the virginity of this Church and therefore saith the Apostle But I fear c. From the first part of the text the thing feared I take up two Doctrines 1 The simplicity that is in Christ is to be holden untainted 2 The corruption of the minde is the cause of deviation or recess from that simplicity I begin with the first The virgin chastity of the soul espoused to Christ Jesus which loves not to be painted with any Fucus of meretricious gaudiness simpleness or simplicity in vulgar speech and sometimes in Scripture sounds towards foolish credulity or want of wit But in the true notion of the word it signifies a freedom from composition and so we call the simplicity of Gods being which is without all composition Most commonly it is a freedom from mixture of heterogeneal things which might adulterate purity In Doctrine unlearnedness in faith unfainedness in love sincerity in worship chastity in life and conversation integrity do make up that we call simplicity of Christ which I shall compendiate into these three 1 Simplicity of Doctrine 2 Of Worship 3 Of life 1 The simplicity of Christ was personal for being in the form of God he emptied himself and took on him the form of a servant Phil. 2. 6. Official in the acting of
not too indulgent to your ears which hath sometime been the vanity of hearers of those Sermons at Pauls coming hither for Jewels to hang in their ears rather then for wholsom Bread Let not the tree of Knowledge be preferred before the tree of life lest when you come to die you cry out with Croesus Solon Solon who had before time taught him of blessedness without regard There is such multiplicity of opinions that most men count it impossible to reduce the swarm into one hive especially because men usually lay so much weight every man upon his own opinion not considering that the kingdom of God consists not in meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Hence it is that one unchurches another and unchrists another solos credit habendos esse deos quos ipse colit as the Poet anciently leaves the question about the bigness distance motion of the Sun to Mathematicians thou mayest have as much benefit by the Sun as they that altercate about them Above all things lay not the foundation of your communion in the agreement one of another with you in all your private opinions that 's a principle that will divide the Church in semper divisibilia that makes the foundation of the house of the twig of a tree not of the body And peradventure as there are not two of a hundred of one face so not of one opinion in all things extrinsecal nay haply saith a learned man not Peter and Paul Certa sunt in paucis saith Tertullian fundamentals are few they that make too many of them make the fewer Christians if a man hold fast the simplicity of Christ in Doctrine worship life though not admitted into your fellowship yet they will be in your Communion through Christ whether you will or no. Doct. 2 d. The Corruption of the mind is the cause of deviation or recess from the simplicity that is in Christ This Point gives occasion to entreat of the corruption of the minde the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signifies plots devices 2 Cor. 2. 11 ordinarily the reasonings apprehension judgement the leading faculty of the soule which is the subject and seat of this corruption This is not meant of natural corruption which is a part of original fin for it is the corruption of Gospel-truth formerly received especially doctrinall corruption and therefore the Apostle having said Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever presently adds Be not carried away by divers and strange Doctrines Heb. 13. 9. The Text affords me three things for the opening of this Point 1 The corruption of minde here feared is of them that have received the virgin truth a sad thing that they that blossom so faire should be blasted or cankered it is not corruption of life he feares but of minde many are tainted in their intellectuals that make a fair shew in morals the Apostle prophesies of a time that will come That men will not indure sound doctrine they will not imbrace nay they will not indure it but will turn away their eares from the truth and be turned to fables 2 Tim. 4. 3. 2 This corruption of minde is to be feared both by Ministers for the flock and also by parents and masters yet there are few as wofull experience shews us and therefore young men and unballast are negligently suffered without bridle to rush into the infection as if it was nothing to have the leprosie in the head to make shipwrack of faith to corrupt the simplicity of Christ to beare that fearfull brand 2 Tim. 3. 8. men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith The light of the body saith our Saviour is the eye If that be single the whole body is full of light if evill the bed is full of darkness the minde is the Pilot or Steers-man and if we weigh truths at a false beame we may take and mistak◠the most desperate errour for the most precious truth 3 The first point or step of recess and of deviation from the simplicity of Christ is the corruption of minde how many stairs do men fall how many floores high untill they fall even into Atheisme from a zealous profession A reprobate mind is the punishment of a corrupt mind Ro. 1. 28 They did not like to retein God in their knowledge therefore God gave them over to a reprobate minde therefore we had need to keep principles pure for the cloud that at first showes but like a mans hand may suddenly overspread the whole heaven The causes of this corruption of minde are these and such like 1 The minde being the upper region is corrupted from the lower region passions lusts interests by-ends do bribe the minde to be advocate for errour and mis-biasse the judgement the staffe that is streight of it self seems crooked in the water by refraction of the species or duplicity of the medium and we know that our eye or brain is distempered by suffusions of choler c. from a foule stomack 2 Ungroundedness in the truth betrays the minde to deceit and errour an empty barne is soon blown down oh that our people were so ungrounded in Catechistical doctrine which is indeed the reason that they are an easie prey to all kinde of Sectaries and do cedere occupanti as I may say fall to the first occupant 3 A meer notion which is like light without heat a winter-snow a thing without sense and feeling of any powerfull operation and work of truth upon the heart is but a slender guard from this corruption of the minde a man without much adoe recedes from barren notions he that feels the warmth and power is not easily changed they did not receive the truth with love of the truth and therefore God gave them up to efficacy of errour 2 Thess 2. 10. 4 A satiety or dislike of saving doctrine when novelty is preferred because it 's new and ancient truth like an old Minister now adayes is lesse regarded the stomack is crude and queasie and so relishes trash better then wholsome food 5 The letting loose of wilde reason to dispute out faith reason is but a Dwarf too low to behold Christ except it climbe into the fig-tree and go let sober men be content with that which is so frequently said It 's written 6 Pride of knowledge is very dangerous the ancient pride is this and the Apostle thus expresses it Eccles 2. 18. being vainly pufft up in his fleshly minde 7 Unsuspitious credulity of others eminent in appearance of holiness doth at unawares enwrap many well meaning men The Novatians would not admit lapsed men to communion The Donatists would not beare with mixture in their Churches as they pretended both these sorts of men did bear a plausible shew of holinesse in their opinions but God doth not approve a holinesse of mans making for that which is indeed holinesse must have upon it Gods superscription Use For the Use of this Doctrine
Christ John 19. 36. So much for the Passeover as a Sacrifice or as the figure of our Sacrifice and theirs Christ Jesus §. 8. Now we proceed to consider it as a Sacrament not ours but theirs nor yet a figure of our Sacrament in Considered as a Sacrament propriety though often so called in transiâ—â— and much contended for by Papists For what Jew could ever have found out our Supper figured in that Passeover and in what propriety can our Sacrament be the Sacrament of another Christ is the res Sacramenti of theirs and ours there they meet as the inward Circumcision and Regeneration is the thing of their Circumcision and our Baptism but that one Sacrament should be the figure of another is absurd and void of reason As two pictures of one man are both resemblances of that one man but one is not the picture of another and yet because the Passeover hath the common nature of a Sacrament doth set forth the same Christ as our Supper and that the Apostle draws an Argument from it to perswade Gospel-Christians to holiness Therefore we shall consider what significancy there is in it for though the signs be not ours yet the significancy is §. 9. First The Passeover or Paschal Lamb as killed and rosted and the blood sprinkled was a Sacrifice The signification of the Passeover as eaten by the Israelites and feasted upon it was a Sacrament and in after-times both by Jewish Records and by Scripture I conceive it appears 2 Chro. 3â— 11. Ezra 6 20. that the Levites killed the Paschals the Priests sprinkled the bloud on the Altar and then they took the Lamb to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Families or Chambers in Jerusalem and there did eat it so in our Supper there is a Sacrifice slain and offer'd up for atonement and that is Christ his body and bloud and then there is an eating and drinking of this Sacrifice in the Sacrament of bread and wine as in many Sacrifices of the Law there was first an offering up to â—od and then a feasting on the remainder we have a true Sacrifice Christ offer'd up to God for us we have a true Sacrament as that Sacrifice is eaten and drunk by us the oblation belongs to God to propitiate and redeem the communication belongs to us to be refresht and nourisht their eating the Passeover was no Sacrifice but a Sacrament our eating and drinking bread and wine is no Sacrifice but a Sacrament their killing and rosting of the Lamb made it eatable Christ his sacrificing of himself for us renders him fit nourishment to us Had he not been a Sacrifice offer'd up for us what profit had there been in eating and drinking sacramentally and spiritually that body and bloud This consideration is of special remark you feast upon a sacrifice you live you feed upon a sacrifice tolle Sacrificium tolle Sacramentum the mouth eats the Sacrament the eye of faith discerns the sacrifice Christ is the sacrifice the Sacrament no sacrifice but the commemoration and communication of a sacrifice and here the reason must be observed why God did institute their Passeover and our answerable Sacrament to consist in meat and drink eating and drinking and I conceive thus thâ—t it being the most proper way to partake of a sacrifice for how else can it be Therefore we eat and drink in way of participation of our sacrifice Hence the phrase Living upon Heb. 13. 10. the Altar eating of the Altar and thus if we carry our eye to the earthly part in the Supper and to the heavenly part that is to the Sacrament and the sacrifice represented and feed upon the sacrifice represented as well as the Sacrament representing we then discern the Lords body This is the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de hoc plus intra 2. Their Passeover was instituted as an Ordinance for ever for a memorial of their Deliverance in Aegypt and their eduction out of it a commemoration it was and to be observed for ever that is in all succeeding generations whiles their Polity and Religion stood Exod. 12. 14 24 42. and therefore we read in Jewish Writers and there is some foot-step or original of it Exod. 26. 27. What mean you by this service that in every company of Passeover-communicants there was some one that rehearsed and made commemoration Haggadah shet pesuch the history Buxtâ—rf Chal. Lexic of the Passeover and so God that would have the sacrifice of Christ for our sinne that greatest work of his and our deliverance thereby from worse then Aegypt or destroying Angel to be observed and kept in minde by a lasting trophy or monument viz our Supper The Apostle in allusion to their custome useth a word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— Cor. 11. 26. Ye do shew As often as ye eat this bread and drink this Cup ye do shew forth the Lords death till he come or ye do commemorate and with affection and thanksgiving set it forth and as theirs was for ever till Christs first coming so ours is for ever till his second coming so long as their Church continued they were charged with this Ordinance so long as the gospel-Gospel-Church continues they are charged with this and therefore neither of the Doctrine of the Gospel nor of the Sacraments shall there be any removal or alteration till Christ come 3. Their Passeover in Aegypt was eaten in their several Families or societies A Lamb for a house except it were too little Exod. 12. 3 4. and in aâ—ter times when this was repeal'd Deut. 16. 6 7. and was confined to the place that God should chuse and so to Jerusalem then though the Lamb might be slain in the holy Court and the bloud sprinkled on the Altar yet they did carry it home to their hired chambers and there did eat in companies not less then ten in a fraternity Joseph de bello lib. 7. cap. 17. nor above twenty but no man alone Solum epulari non licet saith Joseph Christ and his company made one society so though Christ be our Sacrifice once offer'd up upon the cross a sacrifice to God yet doth our Supper bring him home to us into our Churches and into our souls There is an application of him to be made the bloud sprinkled on our doors the Paschal brought home to our own house Take ye Eat ye Drink ye God comes to particulars with us and the application of the sacrifice is the life of the Sacrament we must eat and drink at home in our own souls Christ comes home to us and yet this Supper ought as the Passeover to be eaten in societies I know no reason for one alone there must be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a company for it is a communion one makes not a communion The Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 20. When you come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into a meeting v. 33 34. when you come together tarry one for another hence it hath been anciently
1. Siding and sorting themselves into parties with their messes and dishes of good cheer each faction by themselves vers 18. which is contrary to the nature or name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Feasts of Love One party went to it before another came v. 21. 33. 2. Here was a slighting and laying aside the poor Christians that could send in nothing contrary to the nature of a religious communion ver 28 22. 3. Here was intemperance and excess ver 21. contrary to Christian sobriety 4. These feasts were made in the Assembly or meeting-place as we say the Church as appears ver 22. Have ye not houses And §. 4. 5. With these juncats and feasts they joyn'd the celebration Beza in Act. 2. in illis convivis Grot. in Mat. 26. 25. Casaub Exâ—re 16. of the Lords-Supper Mensis suis pascebant saith Austin Epist 118. and therefore the Apostle tels them they defaced it vers â—1 This is not to eat the Lords-Supper for quod non ritè fit fieri non dicitur and he doth therefore set forth the Lords institution of the Supper vers 23. that they might see the bare and naked nature of it one thing is doubtfull Whether the Lords-Supper was celebrated at the beginning or end of these feasts And the doubt riseth Because in this Chapter as is conceived by learned Diodat Estius Cajetan in loc Gerard. in har p. 461. men the feast went before as in Christs last Supper the paschal Lamb was first eaten and the Cup was taken after Supper vers 25. and the unworthy coming to it mentioned v. â—9 and the punishment of this Church for their unworthiness vers â—0 argues That their feasting first had unfitted them for the participation of this Ordinance and yet Chrysostom and Donaras saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After the participation of the Lords Supper the feast was and that Vbi supra is true for after-times for the reproof of the Apostle haply had removed the feast unto the last place for good reasons but the feasts were not quite removed out of the Churches of Greece and Africk where Tertul. Apol. c. 39. we finde them continuing Insomuch as the Synod of Laodicea which was about three hundred years after Christ and before the Nicene Councel made a Canon cap. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That it is not fit the Agapae should be in Churches or publick places of worship and so these ancient Feasts grew out by little and little and now no remainders of them in all Christendom I have been the longer upon this because I think otherwise you would not clearly understand the foregoing verses that touch upon the abuse nor the cause and reason of the Corinthians coming unworthily to the Lords-Table and so I have set up a light in the entry by which you may finde the way into the better understanding of all that follows in this Chapter wherein he sets the Lords Supper to rights which was drowned in a feast Then he orders the address of the Communicants which through the aforesaid misdemeanours had come to it unworthily and then exhorts them to make it a Communion and not a Division as they had done Tarry one for another vers 33. and to prevent the intemperance of publick Feasts he bids them if they must eat before they come to the Lords Supper Let them eat at home vers ult and so clearly abrogates not the Feasts but the order of them as fore-going the Lords Supper and here we shall stand a little and make observation §. 5. Obs The Apostle interdicts not all eating or drinking before the Lords Supper but this feasting and the abuses growing thence he doth forbid Those words A man may eat before he come to the Lords Table vers ult If any man hunger let him eat at home that they come not together unto condemnation teach us That this Feasting was before the Sacrament and that a man may eat at home if occasion be before he come to the publick Assembly To put a necessity upon Fasting is to put Superstition into it for our Saviour at first celebrated it after Supper by necessity of the Law of the Passeover but bindes us not by his example to eat first nor by any rule to fast before it therefore it is of free observation and use yet the custom of coming fasting had spread over the Aug. Epist 118 Per universum orbem mos isto servatur Chrys in 1 Cor. 11. 26. universal Church in Austins time Per universum orbem mosiste servatur Chrysostem speaks too highly of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou mayest be worthy to receive for setting it aside as any piece of spiritual preparation and I know not why it may not stand Omnes jejuni celebramus saith that Light of France Chamier de Euch. lib. 6 cap 1. §. 13. All the French Churches celebrate the Supper fasting I hold to the Rule If any man hunger c. either of these is best which puts the body in best tune to serve as I may say the soul in a holy duty §. 6. Obs 2 How soon abuse crept into this Ordinance of the Supper It was not above twenty or thirty year from the nativity or birth of this Ordinance when this Epistle was written it was nothing so long from the birth or foundation of this Church to this time The Apostle had sown good corn in this field by his Doctrine I have delivered unto you the naked institution of Christ and now it stands in need of weeding The Devil was not asleep in the very Apostles Errour and corruption sprung up in the Church betime times He raised up Simon Magus and after him a fry of Gnosticks or knowing people so they would be called but falsly saith Irenaeus to corrupt the Doctrine and it was betimes that the Devil set his foot in this most excellent Ordinance and from first to last there have been scarce any times wherein some soil hath not cleaved to this Sacrament every Age adding or declaring somewhat till it became a monster unlike it self in the Romish Masse which is a Masse of Idolatry and abomination a very abomination of desolation to this Ordinance the stamp of Christs institution being so defaced that he that minted it cannot own his own coyn for being an outward Ordinance consisting of outward elements and actions the fancy of men thinks this and that dressing would do better and so by putting on more ornaments as they call them they quite spoil the feature of the childe and if men would be tampering while the Apostles lived what would they do after If I should say that the unhappiest and oldest weeds have grown in this Garden I should not speak far wide I may say of it as Solomon saith of man Eccles 7. 29. Loc this have I found that God hath made man right but they have sought out many inventions §. 7. Obs 3 The Apostle
and drink unworthily implies the one and plainly expresses the other part of the point The Communicant may come and eat suitably to the Ordinance or Institution and then he receives worthily and he may come and eat unsuitably to the exigence of the Ordinance and then he receives unworthily So that the point is an undoubted truth except any can demonstrate that no Communicant can eat and drink worthily and then to what purpose is the Institution but to bring damnation or judgement on all that partake of it but I wave the proof The point is clear in its own light onely let me acquaint you that my intention is to weave all I have to say into this one main point For herein I will shew the qualifications of a worthy and the defaults of an unworthy Communicant then the special guilt that aggravates the sinne of unworthy receiving He shall be guilty of the body c. then the particular cause of unworthinesse assigned and that is not discerning the Lords body Then the fearfull danger of this sinne whereby a man is said to eat and drink judgement to himself then the way of prevention of this sinne that we fall not into it Let a man examine himself Then the prevention of the judgement in case we fall into the sinne If we would judge our selves c. §. 4 §. 4. That the Lords Supper is not common for all but a bar'd Ordinance to some Quest There may arise a Question thus Worthily and unworthily are words that belong to the manner of communicating and cannot be applied to any but Communicants but is there not a third sort of persons viz. non-Communicants such as may not come to this Table or eat and drink here And were it not requisite to know whether there be any and who be such as well as to know who comes worthily who unworthily This indeed is a Question the more material because it is in our dayes of great agitation and therefore I intend to dispatch it first that I may have to deal onely with Communicants worthy or unworthy And for answer to it I first make and lay down this general Position That as it 's said of some Havens they are barred Thesis I. so is this Ordinance of the Lords Supper a barred Ordinance a severall not a common field a recept for a select company not a common Inne or Ordinary It 's a Table in this respect like yours which is not spread for every one to runne unto and sit down that will but for your children your guests your friends or if you think I have spoken too low It 's like the Table of a common Hall which is not yet common to all the world but to such a Corporation or Fraternity And it may be said without hyperbole that there is scarce a Christian Church in the world this day nor hath been in any Age since Christ who have not inclosed made several and impaled this Ordinance of the Supper And if I could but lead your eye into the Primitive Churches you would wonder at the fortifications they made about it There you should see the Catechâ—meni that were in the school of Catechism learners of the Doctrine of Christianity admitted indeed to hear the Sermon Tertullian cals them Audientes but never grumbling at the Ite missa est Go you are dismist When the Fideles or Communicants went to this service And there you should see the Lapsi or Poenitentes Christians that had fallen into open and manifest scandals standing a long time upon the four stairs or degrees of publique repentance weeping for admission and bewailing their sin and suspension from the Lords board which rigour of Discipline though full of sharpnesse and asperity yet the reverence of this Ordinance the Heathens among whom they lived that watched for their haltings and the great temptations to Idolatry and Apostasie by fear of persecutions and continual Alarms may plead some excuse of that severity In short though some have made the gate wider than others yet all have impaled the Ordinance and taken it from the common The Word indeed preached or read lies open to all the high wayes and hedges may be compell'd in to fill up the place where it sounds and Baptism may be administred at the entrance for imitation and listing of souldiers under Christs colours but the Lords Supper ever was intra Cancellos within the mound for it is the inmost Ordinance that we have for Church-members Disciples not lying open to the streets but as an inner room within a room an Ordinance for fellowship of Saints and Christians that are past the Font All have not right to it and some that have had right may for the time have forfeited and lost their capacity This is my general position which as in the sequel will be clear to you may be proved by a threefold evidence 1. By evidence of fact the universal sense and consent of all Christian Churches and thereby it will appear that it is no new Doctrine 2. By evidence of Scripture by which it will appear to be no false Doctrine for it 's past all doubt that the Passeover in the old Church was a barred Ordinance shut up from the uncircumcised and the unclean and the Supper in the New Testament is so too In the 28 verse Let a man examine himself and so the word And so is a limitation and a proviso and contains in it otherwise not When men have traversed the Point to the utmost this little word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so as it opens the door to such as are so qualified so it is a barre and shuts it against them that are not And it is Chrysostom his note upon the man that came in without his wedding garment Matth. 22. 12. that the King said not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he said not Why didst thou sit down and eat but How camest thou in hither 3. By evidence of Reason for those that have no right or no capacity may not communicate nor those that having had a right or capacity have lost it for present by some grievous sinne and the censure of the Church which I shall pursue more particularly and distinctly In the mean time I thus conclude my generall Position We have warrant and may call all men Turks and Jews unto the Word of the Gospel The Word cals them all to faith in Christ and repentance If they enter not into Covenant the seals of the Covenant are not for them If they do enter Covenant then the Sacraments or Seals follow for the Covenant doth not follow the Seal but the Seal the Covenant I hope to rationall men this appears reason to me it appears above contradiction So much for the generall Position or Thesis Now I will proceed to confirm it particularly according to the three fold evidence §. 5 §. 5. The evidence of Fact The first is the evidence of Fact the
universall and concurrent sense and consent of the Ancient Churches of Christ to the intent it may appear to be no new doctrine and so the odium cast upon it as upon an upstart or one of the new devices of this age by such as are too tender to their lusts and sinfull liberties may be taken off and though I reverence the gray hairs and despise not the custom of the Churches of God as St Paul saith ver 16. yet I make them not Dictators but Consuls only and that testimony they give shall be but in matter of Fact their own practice which those in our daies that set open too wide a gate to this Ordinance seem to take very little notice of And I begin with Justin Martyr who seems saith Bellar. to be the first of De Script Eccl. those after the Apostles times whose writings are come to our hand He in his second Apology saith That it 's lawfull for no other person to partake of the Eucharist viz. this Sacrament but such an one as beleeves the Doctrines taught in the Gospel to be true that is baptized for remission of sins that so lives as Christ hath delivered where you finde the three requisites of partaking in this Ordinance are Faith Baptism and good Conversation This is the most ancient Testimony of the custom of the Christian Church in his time and for that age fully stops the mouth of all contradiction For the Ages after this Authour both those that passed under the Heathen and under Christian Emperours I shall not cloy the Reader with citing the Testimonies of the Ancients by retale because there Cypr. Passe Tertullian de Pâ—nit was a form of Discipline or Government which obtained in all Churches Greek African Roman which with great consent prohibited access to this Sacrament unto two sorts principally 1. Those that were yet in the School of learning the grounds of Christianity 2. Those that having been reckoned among the fideles were for some great sinne put into the School of correction and these two sorts do answer those so much spoken of now adaies the ignorant and the scandalous I say there was a form of Discipline that took place as appears by that of Origen in his third Book against Câ—lsus so much magnified and insisted on by Blondell and it is this De Jureplebis pag. 94. That among the Christians there were appointed certain men to enquire into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lives and conversations of those that came to this Table that they might prohibit them who had committed finne forbidden from access to this publique Convention A clear place against them that will have none sequestred for a time from participation of the Lords Table 1. The first sort of which were such as having a minde to relinquish Heathenism and Idolatry yielded up themselves to learn the Doctrine and rule of Christianity and these were called Catechumenoi or hearers who were instructed and trained up to learn untill they had attained cum alique profectu convenienti Aug. de Fide Operibus some convenient proficiency to become compâ—â—â—tes that is to give up their names to be baptized till which they were alwaies dismist with Ite missa est when the faithfull went on to the Lords Table and the Officers thereto pertaining 2. The second sort were such as having been Communicants styled Fideles in opposition to the Catechumeni and Stantes in opposition to the Lapsi did afterwards lapse or fall into Heathenish Idolatry by offering to Idols and these were thurificati renegates or else they gave money to be excused from that abhorred act professing themselves Christians but they would buy it out and these were called Libellatici or they were traditores such as in Dioclesian's Forbes 649 c. 646. cruell time delivered up their Bibles to the fire or they fell into some atrocious and notorious sinne Heresie Whoredom Drunkenness Murder c. and these were sequestred from the Lords Table and put to the School of repentance called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Balsamon the stairs or degrees of correction which were four through which they passed with weeping and sorrow some longer some shorter time till they were reconciled to the Church and so re-admitted to the Table Cyp. Epist 28 38 39 52. Cypr. de Orat. Dominica Yea and after the date and danger was out of being compel'd to offer to Idols in the times of Christian Emperours Chrysostom charges the Ministers under him that if they knew a man to offer himself to the Table that is a gross and open sinner they should prohibit him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. though he be a Lord Generall though a great Commander though he wear a Diadem as Ambrose forbad and interdicted Theodosius And if you say saith he I dare not do it then tell me of him Homil. 83. in Matth. and I for my part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. will part with my life before I will allow him the Lords Board 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us stave off all notorious persons absolutely Was this a copy of his particular zeal or rather a testimony of the ancient Discipline the vigour of which being drowned in the dead sea of Popery yet even therein the rubbish or skeleton thereof is seen by the Doctrine of their Schoolmen and by the Council of Trent which requires of necessity to a man in mortall sinne that he that will come to the Concil Trid. do praparat ad Euch. cap. 7. can 11. Mass must premise Auricular or Sacramentall confession and pennance for they also have their preparation to the Sacrament such as it is As for the Lutheran Churches they have an exploration of all what they understand of this Sacrament and before the Communion a certain confession of sinne which Chemnitius cals paenam institutam And as for Chem. Exa de praparat ad Euchar. the Churches of our Confession you may reade their Confessions and Books of Discipline and be satisfied I will instance only The Church of England English Liturgy Rubrick before Commun and after Confirmation by rule whereof no notorious and obstinate offendour might be admitted nor none that had not their Catechism perfect which are the two points of ignorance and scandall If this rule had been followed and this Law put in execution the practice would have been no new thing in England as even the old rule is now by some accounted I conclude with that which one argues as out of the common rule of the Church in Austin's Epistle ad Januarium Austin Epist 118. Epist 118. That if there be such a course or force of sin in any man he is to be removed from the Lords board by the authority of the chief and put into the School of penitence till he be reconciled to the Church And so much be said of the evidence of Fact as appears in the rules of the Churches both
so the Christian Churches under Heathen Emperours could do no more but disfranchize their own members from the priviledges of the Church of which body they had by their own consent come in to be members and so submitted themselves to them The Emperours gave not this power to the Church but God who gave them his great Charter to be a City and Corporation of his own did eo ipso give them this power without which they might be a Cyclops den or chaos but not a regular Society And upon this ground as I conceive the Apostle reproves the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6. 1 Cor. 5. for not doing those things to prevent scandal which they were impowred and enabled to have done as a Church of Christians And if any man had been of such stomack or disposition in those times as not to have cared a straw for those Church-censures so long as the Civil power toucht him not in purse body liberty it was enough to proclaim him fitter for to be a Heathen than a Christian For it 's admirable to consider as it is most evident That a Church censure a Suspension from the Communion of the Church wrought more sorrow and trouble and heart-breaking than the fire and faggot of the persecution In conclusion and upon the whole matter as he said of the Romans they must redire ad casas return to their poor shepherd cottages again So I say that in case of this necessity when the Civil power contributes not assistance or furtherance to the Church she must consider the case of the primitive Churches and what intrinsecally belongs to her to do as a corporation or body of Gods making with no other power of self preservation from scandals of members but purging them out nor from injuries of forreiners but suffering §. 4. 3. Every particular member of the Church ought to withdraw or refrain from such conversation with a scandalous brother as may either give occasion of scandal to others or infection to himself The Apostle allows civil commerce or entercourse with Heathens and Infidels if we live among them and the bonds of natural and civil relations or duties must not be violated on pretence of Christianity but an arbitrary familiar and intimate society or fellowship with them that live or act scandalously doth but soil our selves harden them offend sober Christians It 's a caution much inculcate in Scripture Withdraw from every brother that walks disorderly 2 Thess 3. 6. Have no company with them that they may be ashamed vers 14. Turn away from such wicked formalists as have no power of godlinesse and under the form of it are so wicked 2 Tim. 3. 5. With a brother that 's scandalous no not to eat 1 Cor. 5. 9 12 Them that cause divisions and scandals mark and avoid them Rom. 16. 17. These and the like expressions some Learned men draw into consequence to prove that which we know rather the name of than the nature of the thing Excommunication Others understood Grot. do Imp. p. 231. by them Nullum actum privato majorem no act greater than private avoidance of company which is that I now speak of For in the primitive times when the Heathens observed of Christians how they loved each other and when the Christians had in use certain remarkable testifications of this love by their feasts of love and holy kisse c. It was a mark or note of reproof and shame to be shunned and avoided by the brethren for scandalous sinne and it was medicinal to him that was so avoided and in that regard a duty in conscience and charity to be performed and I would that all distances created amongst brethren by passion and envy were reduced to this then we should finde that though we had not power to separate an offendor from the Church yet the separating of our selves from him would work much good and be in some measure an Excommunication For it is certain that a great part of the effect thereof lies in the non Communion or withdrawment of the people from him that 's scandalous and as certain that if we flatter and encourage the sinnes of men by our samiliarity and fellowship Excommunication it self would be but a lost Ordinance and of no effect For it is my opinion That if Excommunication greater and lesser as they are called was in full proportion reduced into practice yet except the people that are members of the Church did make conscience of imparting their fellowship to such as were cut off it would be little better then a wooden dagger and rather serve to create passion and fury than humility and shame in them § 5. 4. The Ministers duty is by Doctrine to declare the sinne and danger of undue intrusion to the Table of the Lord which is a ministerial prohibition of the unworthy a comminatory seclusion though not juridical a power of the Keyes And this is openly denied by none who speak out of conscience and not unreasonable lusts The Apostle in this Chapter takes this course in terrible expressions pronouncing and denouncing judgement to the unworthy other holy and famous Worthies of the Church in their generations do rather thunder than speak Better that a milstone was hang'd about his neck and he cast into the sea than that a man with an impure conscience take and eat this morsel saith Cyprian or the Authour De Caena and so Chrysostome pours out himself in his Homilies and Sermons on this point with great sharpnesâ—e and accounts this which is done with the voice a seclusion or keeping of men back Hom. 13. ad Hebraeos and so it is and Pag. 467. Homil. 83. in Mat. Hom. 86. ad pop Antioch Tract 62. in Jo. Amb. ad Heb. 10. may justly be called for it is a ministerial prohibition of the unworthy Chrysostom compares this sinne with theirs that slew Christ Austin sinne of Judas Ambrose with the sinne of the Jews Basil makes the Question Lib. 2. de Bapt. cap. 3. Whether it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without danger to come not purged from filthinesse of flesh and spirit and answers it by the unclean persons coming to holy things making that uncleannesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 typically to denote moral uncleannesse which I rather note for his sake that slights this Argument And therefore let all Ministers be stirred up to use this prohibition the more and the rather when other is wanting in discharge of his duty to God and mens souls which though it be not better liked than the practical seclusion yet men are more patient under it I hope out of conviction of conscience and not because they may notwithstanding this lie still in the croud without that particular mark which the actual seclusion sets upon them § 6. 5. The Minister that dispenses the Sacrament by giving it into the hand of the Communicant may in this case with more reason suspend his own act and withdraw his hand from one that he sees
after their separation from Aegypt but this separation is moral or foederal God cals them propounds the terms of his Covenant they professedly submit and acâ—ept Exod. 19. 5 8. and now they are separate set apart sanctified by dedication unto God and his service and are called no more Heathens Infidels but Saints Gods people believers Christians or the like §. 3. Secondly All that are thus separated by their professed submission unto and acceptance of the Covenant are not true members of Christ or of his body All the people when God did but generally propound a Covenant to them professed with open voice their yeeldance and the Lord acquiesced in it Exod. 19. 5 8 9. and the same people when they heard the particular Laws of that Covenant profest again they would do them Exod. 24. 3. and so it became as we say Done and done on both sides and yet he that should affirm all these though newly baptized to be truly regenerate were very wide of the truth for there are many reputative members that are in the visible Society and fellowship of the Church and it's Ordinances that are but Jews outwardly and they are saith the Apostle no Jews and yet they are circumcised and eat the Passeover and communicate in Ordinances and if we will not be captious in words are true members of the visible Society yet no members of Christs mystical Body nor yet can they be dispossest by us of their right unto Ordinances for we have no judgement of their spiritual and inward Estates nor any Command nor any Rule to dispossesse them nor any example of God himself who lets the corn and chaff lie together in area and separates them locally in horreo as Austin speaks and this body howsoever consisting of members heterogeneall yet being taken together in grosse or in the lump hath very sublime and honourable compellation both in the Old Testament A holy Nation a Exod. 19. 5 6 c. Kingdom of Priests Gods special treasure and in the New The Kingdom of God the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 25. 1. for so the Gospel net that contains both good and bad is called and so the whole knot of wise and foolish Virgins and yet it 's plain that in this Kingdom there are children that are to be cast out and scandalous persons for Doctrine and them that work iniquity for Practice that are to be gathered out at last Mat. 13. 41. §. 4. Thirdly Whereupon we grant That it 's rare and hard to finde a visible Church in any Age or time that was without corruption or mixture of good and bad in it They that talk of purity of Churches may more easily finde in the world a body that hath never a frecken or spot than a Church without corruption and yet both a body and a Church be beautifull for all that The Scripture gives us a perfect delineation of the Church as it ought to be in Rules of faith and holinesse but yet shews us plainly that it being Gods pleasure that the Net should gather both good and bad and the servants inviting to the marriage did bring in both good and bad it must needs be consequent that many of those that are called are not chosen That all that are of Israel are not Israel Had not this mixture served more to Gods glory even the glory of his inwardly discriminating grace it is likely it had not been So that as they say of the Hebrew Greek Latine these Languages may be pure in books but hardly to be found purely spoken by any Nation now in the world so are the rules of faith and life pure and perfect in the Word and yet not so perfectly observed by the visible Church And if a man suppose that a number or Colony of really holy persons might be pickt out of the Churches and embody themselves into a Church Are they sure this would be answerable to their fancy Did not the Donatists dream so of themselves And what may one think of their children in time Doth not the purest seed we sow come up with straw and chaff If they hold Communion with the visible Church Is it not all one If they do not Is it not worse and more clearly without warrant §. 5. The Church may be corrupted many wayes in Doctrine Ordinances Worship and this I account the worst because it is the corruption of the best as the corruption of bloud that runnes thorow all the body the poisoning of Springs and Rivers that run thorow a Nation is worse than a sore finger in the body or a ground of thistles in the Nation and there are degrees of this corruption the Doctrine in some remote points hay and stubble upon the foundation the Worship in some rituals or rites of mens invention or custom How many Scripture Churches do ye finde thus corrupted and yet no Separation of Christ from the Jewish Church nor any commanded to the godly of Corinth in the Provinces of Galatia or those of Asia in the Revelation I must in such case avoid the corruption hold the Communion Hear them in Moses chair and yet beware of their leaven but if corruptions invade the fundamentals the foundation of Doctrine is destroyed the worship is become idolatrous the leprosie is gotten into the wals and substance of the house and which is above all If the Church impose such Laws of their Communion as there is necessity of doing or approving things unlawfull or I am ruin'd and undone then must I either break with God or men and in that case Come out of Babylon The Churches of Protestants so separated from them of Rome it was a necessary and just Separation the Lawes of their Communion were ruinous to the soul if we hold it to the body and life if we held it not § 6. In summe then and in conclusion of this part about Doctrine or Worship which is but upon the bie to the Question If a corrupt Church as Israel was have their Ordinances according to the patern in the Mount If it may be said as Peter to Christ John 6. 68. when some Disciples separated themselves Thou hast the words of eternal life If as Christ said in matter of Worship John 4. Salvation is of the Jews than as he said Whether shall we go Why do we separate And yet I would not be mistaken by the simplest man as if I accounted it separation if a Christian hear a Sermon or receive the Sacrament in another Congregation For he that takes a meal at another Table doth not thereby separate from his own house or if a Christian at liberty to dispose his dwelling shall remove and sit down under more fruitfull Ordinances I account not this secession a Separation no more than if being sickly and having not health in the City he remove his seat into the Countrey for purer air because in so doing he removes from the City but renounces not his freedom therein nor disclaims in like
proportion the Communion of the Church §. 7 §. 7. Of Separation But now to the point of Separation because there is found not kept in the Communion of the Church but not cast out of it some scandalous for life and conversation visibly unworthy of the Ordinance of the Supper For let it be granted that in Adams family there be a Cain in Noahs a Cham in Christs a Judas and if Cain go forth yet Adam doth not Noah doth not Christ doth not Let them be separated let not me separate my self Let the wicked be discommon'd not the godly for the godly are in the right and may stand in it as a man at his own table in his own house or in his own ground If others that ought not do intrude it 's they that must be excluded for they are trespassers not he that 's owner and in his right It 's very true say you but they are not cast out I answer There may be sufficient cause to cast out obstinate sinners and yet not sufficient cause for me to leave the Church I finde that God accepts of such that sigh and cry for all the abominations that are done in Jerusalem Ezek. 9. 4. That God commands us To have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darkness but reprove them rather Ephes 5. 11. That he wils us To withdraw from them that walk disorderly and commends it 2 Thess 3. 6. That he bids his people Plead with their mother plead Hos 2. 2. These are duties for private Christians to performe in this case but I finde not that they must separate from Communion in Ordinances upon that cause For I pray you consider 1. Haply there is no Rule in the Word or no proof by sufficient evidence of the fact or no competent Authority by which such a sinner as thou instancest in may be cast out And shall this be done disorderly Shall one disorder be rectified by another 2. Thou for thy part hast no power to cast him out and every member must not usurp and snatch the power of Excommunication to himself for thên as he usurps the Sacrament so thou usurpest the Keys he unworthily thou unlawfully 3. It may be the sinne of the Church that such are not cast out but is that sinne a just cause of thy Separation I have a few things against thee thou hast them that hold the Doctrine of Balaam thou hast them that hold the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans saith Christ to the Church of Pâ—rgamus Revel 2. 14 15. Thou sufferest that woman Jezabel to seduce my servants and commit fornication saith he to the Church in Thyatyra vers 20. but upon the rest that are free I put no other burden Hold fast till I come But where is any separation commanded in this case Not any And for the Church of Laodicea whose temper was so loathsom as her self is threatned to be spued out from which saith Mr Brightman who would not think of flying very quickly meaning by his parallel the Church of England yet because Revel 3. 30. The Lord stands at the door and knocks is present with and by his Ordinances to all in this Church therefore doth that holy man mightily inveigh against their wicked and blasphemous errour so he cals it that fell away from this Church Will they be ashamed saith he to sit down there where they see Christ not to be ashamed Are they holier and purer then he Can they deny themselves to be believers in Christ before their separation from us Came it not by our preaching c Adi locum And indeed the Argument is considerable If God afford his Communion with a Church by his own Ordinances and his Grace and Spirit It would be unnaturall and peevish in a childe to forsake his Mother while his Father ownes her for his Wife Fourthly The presence of wicked men at Gods Ordinances pollutes not them that are neither accessary to their sinne nor indeed to their presence there If the Ordinances be polluted by the unclean to themselves it is polluted not to me He shall bear his own burden He eats and drinkes damnation to himself 1 Cor. 11. 29. I come to the Sacrament it is my duty and my right Shall I sinne in separating from Ordinances because he sinnes in coming to them and the Church sinnes in not excluding him The wickednesse of Eli his sonnes made men abhor the offering of the Lord 1 Sam. 2. 17. but they transgrest in so doing shall I go forth from the marriage-feast having a wedding-garment because one comes in thither without it Must not I offer my gift at the Altar because another comes thither that should first go and be reconciled to his brother Shall I leap out of Noah's Ark because a Cham is in it Shall I separate from Gods children in Communion of Gods Ordinances when it is not arbitrary and at my liberty to do so because I see a sinfull intruder and do my private duty by mourning that such a one may be taken away from among us 1 Cor. 5. 2. and yet perform my publique duty also And therefore to avow Separation upon this ground is §. 8. 1. To maintain a principle destructive to the communion of the Church visible which is a body moulded up of Jews outwardly and Jews inwardly as I may say and if one part destroy or pollute the communion of the other part is not all ruin'd Let a man but conceive in his minde How this principle pursued would in the time of the Jewish Church have rouled and rooted out all visible Communion in Ordinances out of the world And if one incestuous person not cast out at Corinth had polluted the communion of the whole Church and some one like sinner in another had done the like had not all been polluted and a ground of separation laid through all points of the Compasse till we had separated through the whole circle 2. An adventurous and bold assertion that carries farther than we are aware for why then did not Judas being to Christ a known wicked man pollute the Communion to our Saviour at the Passeover and Supper And why did not the wicked Jews pollute Christs Communion in the Ordinances of God in that Church And how could all the holy servants of God and Prophets in the Old or the Apostles and Christians in the New escape this pollution it being well known that there were hypocrites and such as being vitious under forme of godlinesse as 2 Tim. 3. 1 2. which remain'd in Church-communion 3. A great mistake for it grows hence that as Parmenian said Si corruptis sociaris c. If you be Lib. 3. c. 21. joyn'd or associate with corrupt men how can ye be clean And Austin answers True If we be joyn'd in society with them that is commit sin with them or consent or favour them in sin but if a man do not this Nullo modo sociatur he is no way joyned with them for it 's not