Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	aaron_n	able_a	son_n	83	3	4.4614	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88870	The bramble berry: or, A briefe discourse touching participating in mixt assemblies at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, wherein is most full and cleare satisfaction given to every weak and doubting Christian, both by testimony out of Gods Word, and many invincible reasons and arguments for that purpose, grounded upon the same, wherein is first principally discussed and resolved these three maine questions following: I. Whether the Congregationall assemblies in England be true churches of Jesus Christ, yea or no? 2. Whether it be lawfull to participate at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper among carnall and prophane men? 3. Whether the admitting of ungodly men to the table of the Lord be sufficient warrant for ministers to desist the publike administration of the Sacrament, or for particular members to decline it, or separate themselves? Secondarily, briefe and satisfactory answers given to all the principall places of Scripture alleadged to maintaine a separation from our church assemblies, besides their arguments and allegations sufficiently resolved: set forth for the benefit of the tender conscience. By W. L. a faithfull petitioner and carefull practitioner for the peace and welfare of the church and people of God.	W. L., a faithful petitioner and careful practitioner for the peace and welfare of the church and people of God.	1643 (1643)	Wing L84; Thomason E56_8; ESTC R413	53,887	63

though some will say but all this while they doe not their duty I say rather the Lord requires not that particular duty at that time because they have no opportunity or meanes to doe it Mr. Bal cap. 11. fol. 223. those that looke for further satisfaction herein I desire them to reade Mr. Bals booke a triall of the grounds tending to separation 2. Argument To have fellowship with them we are forbidden to have fellowship with all is sinne but godly men in the Sacrament have fellowship with prophane which is forbidden therefore they sinne This they labor to prove Num. 15.30 Deut. 17.3 both places improperly alleadged Answer Though we should grant the proposition that it is sinne to have fellowship with those we are forbidden yet we deny that Gods people have fellowship with wicked men in the Sacrament nor with the workes if they dislike and disallow of their actions labour with God and man for redresse so farre as they are able in the place God hath set them what fellowship have they with them as we said before in point of joyning so I say in point of fellowship it is not every occasionall or accidentall comming in wicked mens company that gives me fellowship with them or makes me guilty of their actions Have no fellowship saith the Apostle with unfruitfull workes of darknesse but rather reprove them intimating strongly that he that reproves or dislikes of the actions of others cannot be said to have fellowship with them nay a man may have no fellowship with them though he should not reprove them as appears by the word rather reprove them implying if he did not consent and sin'd with them though he reprove them not he had no fellowship with them it is our duty to show our dislike of their abusive comming to the Lords Table Gen. 4 4. Lev. 10. not to separate from the Ordinances What fellowship had Abell with Cai● both sacrificed together or Moses and Aaron with Nadab and Abibu or what fellowship had Elkanah and Hannah with Elies wicked sonnes 1 Sam. 1.3 who went up yearely to Shilo where they did minister their sinne was not charged upon them because they were in the company performing their duty What fellowship had our Saviour Christ with the Jewes Scribes and Pharisees What fellowship had the rest of the Disciples with Judas they kept him company after they knew he was to betray the Lord Christ or what fellowship had the beleeving Corinthians with the incestuous person before he was cast out and with those other disordered Corinthians that came with them to the Sacrament truly they neither had fellowship with them nor their evill actions neither was their sinnes charged upon the faithfull and godly worthy communicants If you say my presence among them approves of their sinne by the same reason ye may say my presence with them in hearing the Word approves of their sinne when as I said before there is a voluntary presence and a constrained presence indeed if I lived as they doe in profanenesse and followed their wicked practises I should then approve them but my abominating them in my life showing my dislike of them showes plainely I approve them not neither can their sinne be any way charged upon me 3. Argument They that have power given them to doe that that makes for Gods glory and the Churches good and doe not exercise it they sinne but the Church in not exercising its power to cast out offendors of this nature which would make much for Gods glory and the Churches benefit doth sinne this they labour to prove in that 18. Matth. 16.18 which speaketh of a particular offence betweene man and man how we should proceed in love and brotherly affection one with another and if this were meant of abuse in and about the Sacrament where they would have us after a second admonition and witnesse to tell the Church I have answered it sufficiently in the close of the first Argument in case of particular injury I ought before I come to the Sacrament to labour for reconciliation but if he will be causelesly offended I must not turne my back upon the Ordinances of God and in case the Church doth reprove him and he will not heare the Church let him be as a Publican or a profane person have no unnecessary familiarity with him but his incorrigible Condition must not cause me to decline my duty Secondly I answer what power the Church hath is one thing what particular members have is another if the Church be remisse in exercise of Discipline this gives me no warrant to separate for unlesse the neglect of Discipline give a nullity to the Church and take away the use and benefit of the Ordinances of God from me it is no part of my duty to separate but pray God to reforme the abuse and make me a worthy receiver for if it were so that the corruption in remissenesse of Discipline had given a nullity to the Church 1 Cor. 5.5 then the Church of Corinth had ceased to be a Church when the incestuous person was not cast out and ever after so long as those fornicators dunkards contentious and disordered persons were amongst them but we see by the text it was nothing so it was their sinne they sorrowed not and not their sinne they separated not themselves therefore the Apostle gives them admonition to examine themselves and so to come to the Table of the Lord. 4. Argument They that be Stewards and have rule given to walke by sinne in not walking by the rule it is required of a Steward that he be found faithfull 1 Cor. 4.1 but the Ministers and officers in the Church have rule given to walke by and if they doe not walke accordingly they sinne now if they exercise not the Discipline of the Church they walke not according to rule and so are sinfull Answ Though the Ministers and other officers in the Church doe sinne herein what ground doth this give me to separate yet that place alleadged hath no relation at all to the Discipline of the Church but that Ministers of God ought to be faithfull in dispensing the secrets and truths of God if they be faulty this is not to the matter in hand unlesse you would inferre because they sinne in declining the duty I must also sinne in declining mine by separating from the Ordinances of life and salvation see the case of Elies sons c. Elkanah and Hannah might have said Elies sons are wicked and they deale vilely with the Ordinances of God therefore we will not go up to Shilo to worship a very unsound conclusion 5. Argument Object That that offends the weake the strong Christian ought not to doe but comming to the Sacrament with wicked men offends the weake Christian therefore the strong Christian ought not to doe it Answ In cases of indifferencie the weake must not be offended though the thing we doe in it selfe be lawfull but we must

have no right to the Ordinances 3. Mourne for the abominations and corruptions in the Church and wrastle earnestly with godly prayers for reformation but desist not thy duty though Ministers be corrupt and many people prophane at the Sacrament doe thou prepare thy owne heart and receive to thy comfort for know thus much there never yet was any v●●ible Church of God upon earth that was without its corruptions in Doctrine in manners in officers in members as hath beene sufficiently showed concerning the Church of the Jewes Corinth Galatia and the seven Churches of Asia yet I never read of any toleration to separate from them or that they ceased to be true Churches by reason of the corruptions in them 1. Our Saviour Christ departed not from the publike Assemblies of the Jewes Luke 2. for he was circumcised and so admitted a member of the Assemblies Luke 2 22. 2. His Mother was purified and he presented and an offering given for him as for other children Luke 2.40 3. When he came to age he was content to heare them he was found amongst them in the Temple where there was also prayer and preaching every Sabbath day Acts 16.13.14 4. He observed their Feast of Passeover and his Disciples eate it amongst them as Divines give it forth from the 26. Matth. 2.3 and John 2.23 however he observed it as they did 5. He was baptized among them publikely Matth. 3.13.15 Marke 1.9 6. He allowed his Disciples to doe as he had done Matth. 23.12 exhorting them to heare their Doctrine viz. the Scribes and Pharisees thogh they should not follow their practise because they had the Word of God taught among them though their lives were unanswerable so that he tolerates none to separate neither by his Doctrine or example Salvation saith he is of the Jewes John 4.24 that is the Word of salvation is with them or salvation is had among them by the meanes of grace with them So also see Pauls example Notwithstanding the Church of Corinth was so exceedingly corrupt both in Doctrine and Discipline as hath beene said formerly yet he gives no toleration to separate but rather showes in such cases what Gods people should doe out of whose power it was and is to reforme abuses in the Church viz. private Christians 1. Showes them their errour in admitting unworthy receivers 2. The danger of unworthy receiving and how farre it extended to their owne destruction and condemnation besides those temporall diseases and sicknesses brought also upon such disorderly Communicants 3. Showes them the right institution of it 4. The cure and remedy of this malady that it might not be hurtfull to the whole Church Let every man therefore examine himselfe looke to his owne heart and so let him eate c. not Let any one separate if that had beene the way surely he would have said there is an incestuous person not cast out there are schismes strifes and contentions there are drunkards c. in the Church men of strange opinions come not among them nor partake of the Sacrament with them lest you eate and drinke damnation to your soules no no such matter such there are among you saith he but every one of you examine your owne soules prove your selves that you be not of the number of them and so eate and so drinke to your comfort though the other eate and drinke damnation to themselves And further stirres them up to the duty 1. By showing them what he delivered to them he received from Christ 2. That it was their duty so to doe for thereby they kept a a continuall remembrance of Christ and shewed forth the death of the Lord till he come one of the maine ends of the institution of this Sacrament See the example of Gods people in former ages The sin of Elies sons was very great as great as any Ministers can be and as publike they were impudent lying with women before the doore of the Tabernacle they prophaned the Sacrifices yet the people of God came accustomarily to Shilo where they did administer to performe their duty notwithstanding the wickednesse of the Priests as Elkanah and Hannah at Jerusalem the Church was wonderfully corrupted both in Priest and people yet the faithfull in it that mourned not separated Ezek. 9 4. are taken speciall notice of so in our Saviours time he gives them no toleration to separate from the Church of the Jewes but to hear them joyn with them Mat. 23.12 and if any man can give me any example of any member either under the Law or in Christ or the Apostles time that did separate from the publike Assemblies of Gods worship o● had any warrant so to doe out of the word of God notwithstanding the great corruptions that hath beene proved to be in Churches in all ages then I should thinke they speake something to the purpose true indeed for Jewes to separate from Infidels and the Heathen Nations and Idolatrous practise and so for Christians under the Gospel so to doe is justifiable and both commanded by God and expected to be done but for one Jew to separate from the publike Assemblies of Gods worship from other Jewes or one Christian from the publike Ordinances and worship of God from the rest this I never read of But to speake more fully to this purpose I will 1. answer those Arguments given in to maintaine a separation from our publike Assemblies as they were given unto me in the controverting of this point 2. I will show the lawfulnesse of joyning in our mixt Assemblies 3. The unlawfulnesse to separate 4. Give satisfaction in some measure to those places of Scripture that are brought in defence of that opinion 5. Give caution to keepe off aspersion or prejudice that may be cast upon me or any of my judgement in this point Their first Argument is this They that see the Lord Christ crucified are guilty of the body and bloud of Christ but Gods people at the Sacrament see the Lord Christ crucified by wicked men therefore they are guilty of the body and bloud of Christ Answ This Argument is false in every part of it For 1. Men may see the Lord Christ crucified and not be guilty of the body and bloud of Christ for it is the very maine end and use of the Lords Supper to behold Christ crucified and to show the Lords death till he come in a speciall manner 2. If all that see Christ crucified should be guilty of his death and of his body and bloud then Mary the mother of Christ and his disciples and friends that saw him despightfully used by the Jewes when he was haled and nailed to the Crosse who were heartily gr●eved at it and would if they could have prevented it were guilty o● the body and bloud of Christ and all that saw Judas betray Christ by the same reason were guilty of betraying him also even the Disciples themselves 3. Know no godly man can

we admit none to that ordinance but such as by baptisme are admitted visible members as they were by circumcision and if no stranger should enter into the sanctuary Ezek. 22.26 Lam. 1.10 should not they enter in that were of the same nation and under the same covenant yea doubtlesse and if strangers were admitted by the neglect of the Priests as they were often did this cause the other to separate this is absurd Seventhly Ezek. 22.26 her Priests have violated my Law in that they put no difference betweene the holy and prophane Answ This was the Priests sinne but this gave not the people warrant to separate no more than that of Elies sonnes Eighthly Jeremiah 15.19 If thou take away the precious from the vile Answ That is if thou separate or cast out the vile persons from the precious for there is a twofold separating one when wee cast out the party from whom we separate another when we cast out our selves from them but the first of these is here meant First because the precious have right to the ordinances and ought not to be cast out Secondly because of the words following in the close of the verse Let them returne to thee but returne not thou to them viz. Let them upon repentance or entring into covenant come againe to thee and to the ordinances but doe not thou decline the ordinance to suite with their sinfull manners Let them returne to thee implies the vile were once with him and were cast out Ezek. 22.26 Eighthly Ezek. 44.23 They shall teach my people the difference b tweene the holy and prophane Answ True this was the Priests office so to doe to show who have right to the Ordinances who not and so doe our Ministers now or ought to doe but I can heare no Text say yet if the Priest put not di●ference betweene the holy and prophane doe thou separate thy selfe and come not to the publique ordinances Ninthly Numbers 19.20.22 Whatsoever the uncleane person toucheth shall be uncleane Answ We have not now under the Gospell to doe with such shadowes and Leviticall purifications as then were in use wee are all cleane through the blood of Christ 1 Ioh. 1.17 Luk. 11.41 Ioh. 15.3 wee may now touch a grave a dead person a Leper and yet come to the ordinances we now speake not of such legall ceremonies but of godlinesse and holinesse of life besides these uncleane persons had their cleansings as appeares in the cited Scripture many men of vicious lives frequented the sanctuary and yet were not counted uncleane besides to the pure all things are pure but to the impure all things are uncleane Lastly we mistake if we thinke that the uncleane person touching the ordinances of God can mak them unclean in themselves or to any other then to themselves also it is to be noted that the uncleannesse spoken of in this Text is the uncleannesse of the body whereby such a one was made uncapable of humane society and this uncleannesse kept him no more from the ordinances then from common society it is the corruption and the depravity of the inner man makes men uncapable of the Sacrament not any defect or uncleannesse in the body other then as it is contagious This Text of Scripture hath no relation at all to a religious separation but a Civill 10. 2 Chro. 6.14.17 Thou showest mercy to thy servants that walke before thee with all their hearts If this Text have any thing in it to warrant a separation from the ordinances of Christ let the indifferent judge if any thing concerning Sacramentall communion were here meant it would rather be a silent reproof of them that decline the ordinances for they cannot be said to walke uprightly with all their hearts before God 11. Exodus 19.5 If yee will obey my voyce yee shall bee a peculiar treasure unto me This is a generall promise made to all the nation of the Jewes and so to us under the Gospell that upon condition of faith and obedience the Lord will gratiously accept of us in his Sonne to bee his what there is here to countenance separation from the publique assemblies of Gods worship I understand not 12. Psalme 135.4 For the Lord hath chosen Jacob to himselfe this Text shewes how according to the election of grace he hath chosen the promised seed the children of the faithfull out of the world to himselfe as well under the Gospell as under the Law These places of Scripture therefore should encourage us to walke with God in the frequent use of the Ordinances not to turne our backes upon them I hope considering what hath beene formerly said no man will doubt whether the Word and Sacraments in the Church of England bee the Ordinances of God though there may be some miscariage in the dispensation of them if they should make any such scruple First let them remember they are of the Lord Christ his institution Secondly by experience wee see the Lord graciously found present in them as appeares by the daily fruite proceeding from them so that as our Saviour saith concerning himselfe My works testifie of me and The tree is knowne by its fruits for men gather not grapes of thornes nor c. even so the heat life and nourishment which is attained in these ordinances declare manifestly the presence of God in them by his Spirit making them effectuall to all that belong to the election of grace and so consequently that they are the ordinance of God ordained for the converting and building up of his people in the wayes of God 13. 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are wasted but ye are sanctifie the Apostle here declares the different condition of Gods people what they were before conversion what they are after what they are by nature what by grace it is very strange logicke to draw any conclusion from hence to countenance separation from the Church true hence we ought to gather that Gods people after conversion ought not to live in that ungodly and uncleane way that they did formerly nor frequent the societies of uncleane and lewd livers nor run to the same excesse of riot with them as they did before conversion but rather now apply themselves to the society fellowship with godly and holy men 1 Pet. 1.22 Titus 3.3 4 5. and frequent the ordinances of God with all due care and diligence that they might be more and more built up in the wayes of God Ephe. 4.15 16. Ibidem 14. Col. 2.19.20 And not holding the head from which all the body by joynts and bones having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God wherfore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though living in the world are ye subject to ordinances The Apostle in these words sheweth the errour and vanity of such as were led away by Jewish and heathenish observations as new Moones Sabbath dayes meates