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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91314	A vindication of foure serious questions of grand importance, concerning excommunication and suspention from the sacrament of the Lords Supper, from some misprisions and unjust exceptions lately taken against them; both in the pulpit, by a reverend brother of Scotland, in a sermon at Margarets Church in Westminster, before the Honourable House of Commons, at a publike fast there held for Scotland, on the 5th of September last: and in the presse, by three new-printed pamphlets, by way of answer to, and censure of them. Wherein some scripture texts, (commonly reproduced for excommunication, and bare suspention from the Lords Supper onely,) are cleared from false glosses, inferences, conclusions wrested from them; ... / By William Prynne of Lincolns Inne, Esquire.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1645 (1645)	Wing P4124; Thomason E265_5; ESTC R212424	79,558	71

A VINDICATION of foure Serious QVESTIONS Of Grand Importance Concerning Excommunication and Suspention From the SACRAMENT of the LORDS SUPPER from some Misprisions and unjust Exceptions lately taken against them both in the Pulpit by a Reverend Brother of Scotland in a Sermon at Margarets Church in Westminster before the Honourable House of Commons at a publike Fast there held for Scotland on the 5th of September last and in the Presse by three New-printed Pamphlets by way of Answer to and Censure of Them Wherein some Scripture Texts commonly produced for Excommunication and bare Suspention from the Lords Supper onely are cleared from false Glosses Inferences Conclusions wrested from them The grounds of sole Suspention from the Sacrament of unmixt Communions Independency Seperation from our Churches Sacraments examined refuted subverted Judas his reception of the Lords Supper cleared It manifested to be a converting as well as a confirming Ordinance a means to beget as well as increase Grace With other particulars tending to the Advancement of Verity Vnity and the better speedier Settlement of a Church-Discipline according to Gods Word so much desired By WILLIAM PRYNNE of Lincolns Inne Esquire 1 Thess. 5. 21 22. Prove all things hold fast that which is good Abstaine from all appearance of evill Augustin Epist. Concilii ad Donatistas Gratian Caus. 1. Qu. 1. Communio malorum non maculat quemquam participatione Sacramentorum sed consentione factorum LONDON Printed by John Macock for Michael Spark senior 1645. TO The truely Honourable and Victorious Sir THOMAS FA●RFAX Knight Generall of all the Forces raised by the PARLIAMENT against the Popish and Malignant Party Most meritoriously Honourable THE many late Glorious Trophies and Vnparalel'd Successes wherewith the Lord of Hosts hath been graciously pleased to Crowne Your cordiall Military Vndertakings to the Admiration of all Your Friends the Astonishment Confusion of all the publike Malignant Enemies of Our Churches Kingdomes Tranquility as they have engaged the Parliament with all parts of the Realme under their Command to return publike Solemn Prayses unto God for sundry Successive Victories over puissant Armies in the Field and Conquests of divers Strong-holds atcheived by Your indefatigable Industry Incomparable valour through Gods blessing on them so it hath specially obliged Me as to render particular Thankesgiving unto God so to tender some small apparent Monument of my Obligations and Gratitude to Your selfe whom God hath highly honoured to all posterity in making You an happy Instrument of redeeming my Native Country Sommersetshire with the adjacent Counties out of the devouring Jawes of the oppressing Enemy and of reviving recovering our lost dying Kingdome even at its lowest Ebbe in a time of greatest need with so great Celerity so little effusion of English Blood on either side Which I knew not for the present how more visibly to expresse then by presenting Your Honour with this briefe P●lemicall Vindication in defect of a Richer Present It was my great undemerited Happinesse and your Generous Humility at Your first arivall in London from the North to undertake the Chiefe Command of the Parliaments Forces to stoop so far below Your selfe as to honour Me with Your voluntary sweet Acquaintance and Discourse which emboldens me to crave this further Favour to dignifie this rude Vindication with your Noble Acceptation of so Small unpolished a Piece whose Subject matter Church Discipline is of so Great concernment that the Settlement thereof according to Gods Word and the Purest times is one principle end of Your and Our taking up Defensive Armes I shall not be so injurious to the State or You to interrupt Your weighty Military Affaires or retard Your Admirable Expeditions with my unseasonable Lines I shall rather become a dayly Orator to the Lord of Hosts so far to multiply the weekely Catalogues of Your sucessefull Conquests that You may ere long return to the Great Counsell and Metropolis of our Realme in a Triumphant Chariot with this Honourable victorious Motto engraven in golden Characters on Your Helmet This is the Generall whom the Lord hath honoured to be next under him The speedy Finisher of our long protracted Civil Wars And happy Restorer of our Long-desired Peace Which is and shall be the Prayer of Your Honours most Devoted Friend and Servant WILLIAM PRYNNE To the unprejudiced Reader Christian Reader HAving privately communicated Foure short Questions concerning Excommunication and Suspension from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to some of my Parliament friends out of a meer cordiall desire to expedite the setling of an Ecclesiasticall discipline in our Church according to Gods word so much desired and now in agitation in the Commons house I have for this good service these Questions since growing publike been openly censured traduced both in Presse and Pulpit and these my Queries have been seemingly refuted by some well meaning persons whose Affections are stronger then their Arg●me●ts and misguided Zeale more predominant then their Knowledge in the points debated by them wherein they betray their own Ignorance and Error whiles they would censure mine The first Answer to these Questions intituled An Antidote against four dangerous Queries is such a combination of Ignorance Errours Misprisions and impertinent Invectives as merits rather derision then refutation and hath been already sufficiently triumphed over in the Antidote animadverted so as it needs another Antidote to preserve it from sodain expiration The second Answer to them stiled A Brotherly and friendly Censure as it Courts my person in the Title and Epistle with friendly complements so it wounds and traduces my honest intentions but in no sort answers my Questions the Censure it self being the same in substance with the Antidote and as full of grosse Errours Mistakes and injudicious weak replies as it The third Answer as it is more large so more judicious then the other two and thwarts them both in some particulars as in that of Judas his receiving the Lords supper and that Ministers as such have no authority to keep back any from the Sacrament but have discharged their duties by their premonitions of the danger of unworthy receiving I have not here answered each of them distinctly but only taken the quintessence and substance of them all into examination debating only the most materiall differences between us and bringing their false mettals to the test of Scripture and sound Reason omitting all their impertinencies and things of lesser moment as not deserving any reply My subitane Lucubrations in Vindication of these Questions from all their misprisions and erronious censures I here humbly submit to the Parliaments publike and thy private impartiall scr●tinie in perusing whereof I shall only request thee to pursue the Apostles Canon a To examine all things by the Word and to hold fast that which is good and true For my part b I can do nothing against but for the Truth and though some report c I am their enemy yea an enemy to publike Reformation because

excommunicated or suspended the Sacrament what will become of most of our Anabaptisticall and Independent Congregations who are generally knowne to abound more with covetous persons extortioners railers then our Parochiall or Presbyteriall Congregations do with idolaters fornicators drunkards I feare their Independent Conventicles and chamber Congregations will be dissolved for want of members of Ministers and their Lords Tables be left empty without Guests if all railers covetous persons and extortioners were excommunicated out of them and this their pretended discipline put into exact execution yea I fear too many Presbyterian Ministers Elders who would be very active in excommunicating suspending others from the Sacrament for fornication idolatry drunkennesse must themselves be first excommunicated from the Lords Table for their owne covetousnesse Wherefore s let such pull that beame out of their owne eye before they passe the sentence of excommunication and suspension for the m●tes they spye in their brother's eye and this would much moderate their severity towards others if not make them disclaime this Text to be ment of those Ecclesiasticall censures which would light first and heaviest on themselves Thirdly it is as cleere as the noon-day Sunne that no not to eat in this Text is no more then not to keep company or hold civill familiarity with such First by verse 10 11. I wrote to you in an Epistle NOT TO KEEPE COMPANY with fornicators c. yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world c. for then ye must goe out of the world as those must doe who would have unmixt churches and communions without any putred members But now have I written unto you NOT TO KEEP COMPANY If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator c. with such a one NO NOT TO EAT By which it is most cleer that no not to eat with such is nothing else but * not to keep company or converse familiarly with them it being here twice together thus interpreted in the preceding words And that it cannot be meant of eating with them at the Lords Table is most cleere because this inhibition extends it selfe though not in the same strictnesse to fornicators idolaters covetous persons c. that are Infidels and without the Church as well as to him that is called a brother and within the Church as is evident by verse 10 11 12 13 compared together Therefore it must of necessity be meant of civill conversation with them of which eating together with others and sitting with them at our or their Tables is one principall branch being one of the highest expressions of outward friendship and familiarity as is evident by Gen. 43. 16 17. 32 33 34. 2 Sam. 12. 28. 33. 2 Kings 2. 7. Psal. 41. 9. John 13. 18. and disdaining to eat with one the greatest token of estrangednesse or want of familiarity one with another Gen. 43. 32. compared with John 4. 7 8 9. Secondly this is further confirmed by these parallel Texts of Rom. 16. 17. Eph. 5. 7. 12. 2 Thes. 3. 14. Tit. 3. 10. 2 John 10. 2 Tim. 3. 10. which interpret no not to eat here by these phrases of avoyding them turning away from and rejecting them not to keep company or have fellowship with them nor to welcome the● into our houses neither of which amounts to an excommunication or suspension which are judiciall acts of the whole Church or Presbytery after legall proofe and conviction whereas these acts of not eating avoiding or not keeping company c. are all onely morall or prudentiall acts of particular Christians or Voluntary negative actions not positive judiciall publike Church censures Object But our Opposites object that though this Text be not directly meant of excommunication or suspension from the Sacrament yet it warrants such mens suspension from tht Lords Supper by necessary consequence For if we may not so much as eat and drinke with raylers drunkards covetous persons c. at our owne their or other mens Tables much lesse may we doe it at the Lords Table Answ. I answer that the Argument is meerly sophisticall fallacious and not properly any formal Argument from the lesse to the greater because itvaries in the kind of eating the one being civill the other spirituall the one private in ones own house or anothers where he hath absolute freedome or liberty to eat or not to eat with another the other pulik in the Church where he hath a divine command necessitating him to communicate with others of that Congregation in the Sacrament as well as in other Ordinances Every Argument from the lesse to the greater that is conclusive must have sundry qualifications to make it solid I will instance but in three First it must be in the same kind of action Secondly it must fall under the same precept Thirdly it must be within the compasse of the same power If either of these faile the Argument is a meere Inconsequent For instance This is a solid Argument Men ought to abstaine from the smallest sinnes Ergo much more from the greatest sins because this holds still to the same kind sinne and abstaining from the greatest sins fals under the same precept which forbids the least So this is a firme Argument He that can make a little Watch or ball can likewise make one somewhat greater because it in the same kind of manufacture and both of them within the virge of the Artificers skil But on the contrary these inferences are unsound and inconcludent A man must not keep company with an angry man Prov. 22. 24. Ergo he must not joyne with him in any publike Ordinances or acts of Gods worship or A man must not sweare vainly by the Name of God which is the lesse Ergo he must not swear solemnly before a Magistrate which is the the greater because there is in these a variation in the kind occasion and manner of swearing So it is unlawfull for any Christian to recompence evill for evill in the least kind nor to avenge himselfe for the least wrong Rom. 12. 17. 19. Therefore it is unlawfull for any Christian Magistrate to recompence evill for evill or inflict the highest degree of Vengeance on Malefactors even death and capitall punishments is a meet Nonsequitur because this publike revenge by way of justice fals not under the same precept with privat reveng So such a workman is able to make a boat or ditch which is the lesse ergo he is able to build a Ship or Fort which is the greater is an Inconsequent because they fal not under the self-same degree of art ability To apply this to the objected text Not eating with scandalous persons at meales in private differs in manner kind from eating with them at the Lords Table in publike they fal not both under the self-same precept and we have free power not to eat bread with those at our own Tables with whom we have no power or liberty left us by Christ to refuse to

and use of excommunication is onely to reforme or amend mens lives and turn them from the power of satan unto God And is not this diametrally contrary to that end to deliver them over to the very conduct and guidance of satan who l rules only in the children of disobedience precipitates them into all sinful courses with a ful c●●●re and is so farre from learning men not to blaspheme that he fils their hearts and mouthes with naught but lyes and blasphemies This interpretation therefore I cannot approve Neither doe I read or beleeve that any Presbytery or Church hath or doth claime any authority in these dayes to deliver any man to Satan Wherefore to deliver a man unto satan I rather cōceive to be meant in two other senses more agreeable both to the letter and scope of these Texts and the interpretation of the Fathers on them The first is either to deliver up a man corporally by way of punishment into the actuall possession of the Devill onely in respect of his body not soule so as the Devill thereby might actually possesse macerate torment and afflict his flesh as he m used to vex those whom he did corporally possesse which the Scripture plentifully manifests till he were sufficiently punished and then be dispossessed of the Devill againe by those who delivered him into his power and restored to the bosome of the Church the Apostles and others n in their age having a power not onely to cast out and dispossesse men of Devils but likewise to deliver men up by way of punishment to o be corporally possessed by the Devill which as I conceive was the ground of that common imprecation too frequent in lewd mens mouthes when they are injured or provoked by any man the devill take you or Tradatur Satan● This kind of delivering men over to satan was peculiar onely to the Apostles and some others in that age but ceased since and so cannot be drawne into practice among us A godly Christian by way of punishment may be for a season thus delivered unto satan for the mortifying or destruction of his flesh and carnall corruptions and yet still continue a true child of God in respect of his soule and spirit p which the holy Ghost doth alwayes possesse though the Devill possesse his body as he had possession of Christs body though not of his soule and spirit when he led him into the Wildernesse to be tempted and carried him from place to place And this I take to be one genuine sense and scope of these two Texts Secondly there is another sort of delivering men up to satan somewhat different from the former which suits very well with the words and sense of these Scriptures and that is when a man by Gods immediate permission is delivered unto satan to be tortured afflicted and vexed by him either in his body by sicknesses botches diseases or in his mind by cares feares perplexplexities and discontents or in his estate and family by losses and crosses of all sorts as q Job was of purpose to mortifie his flesh and carnall members to humble his soule and bodie before God that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord his sinfull life reformed and he hereby lessoned no more to blaspheme or dishonour God In this sense God many times delivers over his children as he did Job into their Adversary satans hands to scowre away all their drosse and crucifie their old man the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof without giving their hearts and spirits into his power which he still reserves intirely to himselfe as he did lob's and theirs whom the Devill cast into prison and into tribulation for ten dayes that they might be purifid and have their robes of corruption washed quite away and made white in the blood of the Lamb Revel. 2. 10. chap. 7. 14. And in this sense no doubt the Apostles by Gods permission had power to deliver men over to satan one of whose r Messengers Paul had sent to buffet and humble him least he should be exalted above his due measure for the destruction of the flesh But how farre the Church or Ministers of God have any authority at this day actually to deliver any scandalous persons thus to satan unlesse it be by way of prayer or option I submit to others who now claime this power to determine However in these two last senses which I conceive most genuine these Texts are no solid proofes at all either of excommunication from the Church or suspension from the Sacrament since a Christian may be delivered over to satan in both these senses and yet not actually excommnicated or suspended from the Sacrament The fourth difference is this Whether 1 Cor. 5. 11. If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or cov●tous or an Idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such a one no not to eat be properly meant of excommunication or suspension from the Sacrament or not to eat with such at the Lords Table upon any tearmes Some Opposites confidently averre others with my selfe deny it and that upon these grounds First because there is not one sillable of receiving the Lords Supper or eating at the Lords Table spoken of in this chapter and in the 10. and 11. chapters where the Apostle professedly treats of the Lords Supper and receiving that Sacrament he speakes not one word of secluding any members of the Church or Christians from it but onely exhorts men carefully to examine themselves before they come to receive it least they eat and drink their owne damnation become guilty of the body and blood of the Lord and draw downe sicknesses and diseases upon themselves affirming expresly ch. 10. ver. 16 17. The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ for we being many are one bread and one body for WE ARE ALL PARTAKERS OF THAT ONE BREAD If ALL were then partakers of this bread certainly none were excluded from it in the Church of Corinth but as the Israelites under the Law did ALL eat the same spirituall meat and ALL drink the same spirti●all drinke though God were displeased with many of them who were idolaters tempters of God fornicators murmurers and were destroyed in the Wildernesse 1 Cor. 10. 1. to 12. so all under the Gospell who were visible Members of the Church of Corinth did eat and drink the Lords Supper to which some drunkards whiles drunken did then resort as is cleere by the 1 Cor. 11. 20 21. which Paul indeed reprehends verse 22. Therefore this with such a one no not to eat cannot be meant of excommunication or suspension from the Sacrameut Secondly if we look upon the catalogue of those with whom the Corinthians were forbidden so much as to eat we shall find railers covetous persons and extortioners therein mentioned as well as idolaters fornicators drunkards and if all such must be

eat with them at the Lords Table Therefore this Argument in point of Logicke and Divinity is as infirme and absurd as any of the former Yet how many thousands as well Schollers as Ignorants have been over-reached with it so far as to make them separate not onely from our Sacraments but Congregations too Now because thi● grosse fallacious Inconsequence in my apprehension is one principle cause and prop of Independency yea of Separation from our Churches Sacraments and hath misled so many especally of later yeers I shall a little further examine it with relation to the Text on which it is grounded and further lay open both the falsenesse and absurdity thereof to all mens jndgements and consciences First it is cleere that this Text is ment onely of civill conversation eating and drinking not of spiritual as I have already proved I would then demand these two Questions of the Objectors First whether this Text prohibits all kind of civill communion and eating at Table with any Christians who are raylers fornicators idolaters covetous persons extortioners or drunkards under paine of mortall sinne If yea then it is a damnable sinne in the Objectors to eat drink or converse in any kind with any such as these which they daily doe without any scruple and cannot avoyd yea then it would be a sin against this Text for a wife child kinsman Master Magistrate Prince constantly to convers or eat with such a scandalous husband parent kinsman servant neighbour Pastor fellowservant Subject or they reciprocally with them if scandalous then if any Member of the Parliament or of any Corporation Colledge Innes of Court or the like should but eat together at meales with his fellow-members who are thus scandalous in any Common-Hall or at any Ordinary or Corporation-feast they should sin against this Text which I never yet heard any Anabaptist Separatist Independent Presbyter or Divine affirm neither of which make any conscience of not repairing to the Lord Majors or any other publike City-feast where they are sure of good fare because they were certaine there to meet and eat with some covetous or other scandalous persons with whom Saint Paul prohibits them no not to eat Which precept Christ himselfe and his Apostles should have transgressed in eating and drinking with Publicans and sinners for which they were s taxed by the over-precise Pharises If then this Text extends not to oureating at meales with such scandalous christians in cases of necessity expediency where either our natural civill relations or cōmon civility engage us to it so as we delight not intheir company or do it notvoluntarily out of free choice when we may avoid it without offence as the very Objectors I suppose wil grant and S. Paul resolves ver. 11. then by the self-same reason it can be no offence at all against this Scripture to eat or drink with such at the Lords Table at this his publike Feast and great Supper to which all Christians are invted if we beleeve Christs owne Parable Mat. 22. 1. to 15. Isa. 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. in such cases wherein we may lawfully eat drink with them at our own theirs or other mens Tables Secondly our Objectors themselves affirme that it is lawful to hear pray read the Scriptures ●ing Psalmes repeat Sermons fast and performe all other christian duties in the company of such scandalous Christians as are here particularized without any violation of this Text If then we may keep company or hold communion with them and they with us in all other Ordinances till they be actually and judicially excommunicated from the Church and them then why not likewise in the Lords Supper too since this Text and all others cited for proofe of excommunication or suspension by our Opposites prohibit communion in them al alike or els in none Thirdly admit Ministers themselves be polluted with any of those Vices suppose with covetousnesse as too many are yet none of the Objectors dare averre that it is a sinne against this precept for any of their Congregations to receive the Sacrament from or eat the Lords Supper with them no more then to joyne with them in prayer fasting or to heare them read preach catechize expound or sing Psalmes together with them since the goodnesse or viciousnesse of the Minister as t all accord doth neither adde ought to nor detract any thing from the efficacy of the Sacraments or any publike Ordinances which proceeds from God alone If then we may receive the Sacrament from and eat it with a covetous Minister without any sin or contradiction to this Text then why not likewise with a covetous Neighbour or fellow-parishioner Fourthly the Objectors grant that a Christian may lawfully receive the Sacrament with persons secretly guilty of these and other grosse sinnes with close Hypocrits who guild over their vices and unregenerate Christians not really sanctified who are neither ignorant nor notoriously scandalous in their lives without scruple or offence against this Text Therefore they may lawfully doe it in point of conscience with such who are notoriously scandalous before their actuall conviction excommunication especially if they professe sincere repentance for their sins past and reformation of their lives for time to come as all do at least in their general confessions before the Sacrament if not in their own private meditations prayers preparatory devotions twixt God and their owne soules Fifthly it is not the meere guilt but onely the scandall ill example and contagion of notorious sinnes that subjects men to the censure of excommunication in regard of others least they should infect and draw them on to imitation of them as Paul resolves 1 Cor. 5. 6. else those very sins which are not notorious and those infirmities of which the best Saints themselves are frequently guilty should subject them unto excommunication or suspend them from the Sacrament and then what mortall man almost should be admitted to it It is not then such sinners bare receiving with us or ours with them that can any way hurt much lesse deter or keep us from the Sacram●nt for they eat and drink damnation onely to themselves not others in case we imitate them not in their sinnes or receive no contagion from their company Sixtly the Objectors will grant that there is a necessity lyes upon Ministers to administer and on people to receive the Sacrament at all convenient seasons That God onely infallibly knowes the hearts and reall preparations of all Communicants in the very best of whom there are many failing and corruptions which make them in themselves unworthy to communicate That all who come to receive doe alwayes make a generall and joynt confession of their sins before God and the Congregation acknowledging and bewayling their manifold sinnes and iniquities which they from time to time have committed in thought word and deed against the Divine Majesty professing that they doe earnestly repent and are heartily sorry for all their misdoings

Ministers ●se now to do but o●ely gave it promis●●o●sly to them all at once who took and divided it severally ●mong themselves and handed it one to another as Luke 22. 17. Mat. 26. 27. Divide it among your selves He tooke the cup and gave it TO THEM joyntly not to each of them by himselfe saying Drinke ye ALL not tho●Peter or John of this doe more then imply Secondly because admit Christ used those words particularly to Judas a● Ministers now do to each particular Communicant yet he meant them only co●●i ●onally that his body was broken and his blood shed for him if he would really receive the● by faith otherwise not Christ being made o●rs onely by faith Thirdly Matthew and Mark relate Christs words of instit●tion to be without any such particular application as w● subjoyne viz. Take eat this is my body Drinke y● all of this for this is my blood of the new Testament which is shed FOR MANY not for thee Judas which he might very well use to Judas as conjoyned with the other Apostles But these Antagonists have a second shift when they cannot deny that Judas received the Sacrament they answer he was a close Hypocrite guilty of no scandalous crime so that the other Apostles were more ready to suspect themselves then Judas when Christ told them that one of them should betray him Therefore this is no president or warrant for Ministers to admit open scandalous sinners though not actually excommunicated to the Lords Table I answer first that Christ himselfe the b searcher and knower of all mens hearts did some one or two yeers space before this infallibly know and tell his Disciples that one of them to wit Judas Iscariot was a devill for he it was should betray him being one of the twelve John 6. 70 71. Secondly at the time when he instituted the Sacrament he infallibly knew and foretold the Disciples yea Judas himselfe that Judas should betray him and that it was fore-prophesied he should doe so John 13. 18. to 28. Matth. 26. 20. to 26. Mark 14. 18. to 22. Luke 22. 21 22 23. Acts 1. 17. 18. Thirdly that when Christ washed his Disciples feet and Iudasses among others after supper he told them that they were clean but not all meaning it of Iudas Iohn 13. 10 11. Fourthly he infallibly knew him to be lost and thereupon called him the sonne of perdition that the Scripture might be fulfilled Iohn 17. 12. and knew that the Devill after the sop given would enter into and take actuall possession of him Iohn 13. 27. compared with ch. 6. 70 71. that he should be certainly damned fall from his Apostleship for his transgression that he might goe to his own place that is to hell Acts 1. 25. and that therefore in eating the Sacrament he would certainly but eat and drinke judgement to himselfe and be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 27 29. If then Christ himselfe did infallibly know all this of Iudas though perchance his other Disciples did not as likewise his theevish covetous as well as traiterous disposition John 12. 6. both which did make him scandalous and an unworthy ●eceiver and yet for all this in the very originall institution of the Sacrament because Iudas was still one of the twelve nor actually convicted of nor excom●●nicated for these crimes and voluntarily desiring to receive the Sacrament as well as others and because Christ himself would leave him unexcusable in leaving no externall meanes unattempted to reclaime him from his desperate intentio●● by what divine authority rule of conscience or Christian prudence can any Minister of Christ who is not at lest ought not to deem himself either greater wiser holier preciser or more consciencious then Christ his Master keep any unexco●●●nicated christian from the Sacrament though covetous scandalous outwardly fl●gitious for the present in case he be desirous to receive it and will not be kept from it by any serious dehortations or admonitions of the danger of unworthy receiving if he in his owne conscience judge himselfe worthy professe his hearty sorrow for his sinnes past and reformation of them for the future especially since no Minister c can so certainly know the secret disposition of such a mans heart for the present nor what d he may from thenceforth prove for the future or whether he be not ●● e elect child of God and so certaine to be effectually called converted peradventure at that instant time in or by this very Ordinance of the sacrament as Christ himselfe did know the heart state and finall impenitence of this traitor Iudas whom notwithstanding he admitted to his Table I shall therefore beseech all our Ministers and Opposites to lay this seriously to heart and if they will needs make or pretend conscience in any thing let it be in this not to make themselves wiser holier rigidder or more consciencious in this point then Christ himselfe f Remember the words that Christ said to his Disciples in them to all Minister● The servant is not greater then his Lord nor he that is se●t greater then he that sent him it is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Mast●r and the servant a● his Lord Remember what St. Iohn determines 1 Iohn 2. 6. H● that saith he abideth in Christ ought himselfe to walk eve● as he walked who as in his suffering so in the Administration of this Sacrament hath left Us an example that We should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2. 21. Eph. 5 1 2. compared with th● 1 Cor. 11. 23 c. We all grant it is Christs prerogative onely to institute Sacraments and is it ●ot his prerogative likewise to prescribe how and to whom they shall be administred and hath he not done this by hi● own example take heed therfore of making conscience of excluding such unexcommunicated person● from Christ● Table now he is in heaven as himself without scruple admitted to it whiles he was on earth If any unexcommunicated Iudasses will wilfully come to this sacred feast without a Wedding-garment or with a traiterous and impenitent heart contrary to their externall profession of repentance ●fter your serious dehortation to them and advisements to abstaine the danger guilt and sinne is onely their owne not yours as I shall prove more fully a●on else Christ himselfe should have been guilty by your kind of reasoning of Iudas his sinne and ●nworthy receiving which you dare not affi●me Secondly if Christ himselfe knowing Iudas to be such a desper●te wick●d wretch traitor reprobate did yet admit him to eat the Passeover and Sacrament with his other Disciples and they made not any scruple of conscience ●o communicate with him in both no not after Christ had particularly informed them and Judas himselfe that he should betray him Matth. 26. 21. to ●6 then certainly there can be no colour for ●ny Christian in point of con●cience to

Pulpit to Pulpit where they freely and boldly vent their errours seismes to seduce poore ignoran● people and preach against our Church-worship Doctrine Ministers calling the Parliaments Synods authority in setling Church government c. declaiming outright against our Church Ministers as Antichristian and the like without apprehension censure or controle driving on their own s●ism●ticall designes under pretext of doing God and the Parliament service Thirdly the permission of Ministers and Sectaries of all sorts contrary to the lawes of God and the Realme openly to gather and set up private Independent Churches and Conventicles of their owne seperate from the publike and to meet freely boldly at them without the least interruption With the toleration of such to hold constant private meetings and consultations together every day week or moneth at least how to advance and strengthen their party in all places and get the greatest power and places of trust into their hands Now will excommuncation or suspension from the Sacrament or the setling of Church discipline prevent or redresse all these true causes of our seismes Certainly no Not the first nor last of them and the second but in part For those who thus voluntarily separate themselves from our Churches Ministers and will not joyne in any Church communion with us will not care a straw but deride and je●re u to our faces if we should excommunicate them from our S●c●aments Churches Assemblies of which they professe themselves no Members and from which they have already excommunicated suspended themselves but only when they creep up into our Pulpits of purpose to preach against ●s and seduce the people to sever from us and seperate to them whenas they will not permit any orthodox Ministers of ours to preach much lesse to preach against their wayes errours in their separate Congregations The only wayes therefore to remedy this dangerous mischiefe for the present and prevent it for the future are these e●suing which answer to these causes of them First for our own Ministers to labour to discerne and then publikely to retract and unteach the people by word and writing their erronious grounds scismaticall doctrines touching the Sacrament of the Lords Supper unmixt communions and suspension from the Sacrament and then none will separate when they are better taught and the false grounds of separation and scism formerly pressed on them through ignorance or in●ogitancy be as constantly preached and written against as they have been formerly asserted in the Pulpit and Presse Secondly for our Magistrates conscionably to convent question and people to informe against all Ministers or others who runne about and vent scismaticall erronious new Doctrines or whimseys in their own or others Pulpits seriously to admonish cheek them for what is past and enjoine them for time to come to prea●h nothing but Christ crucified o● doctrines of edification and to avoid all ●nnecessa●y controversies concerning Church government in which some now place all Religion snd all erronious doctrines contrary to those established among us and in case they shall afterwards offend in the like kind to debarre them from stepping up into other mens P●lpits and suspend them from their owne till they shall reforme their erros scisms and promise never to offend in like kind againe And withall carefully to suppresse the printing and dispersing of all hereticall erronious or scismaticall books by inflicting severe punishments on the Authors Printers dispersers of them for which the good lawes and ordinanc●s already made and in full force are sufficient were they but duly executed Thirdly to prohibit suppresse by strict publike lawes and ordinances the gathering of any particular Churches or Congregations without publike authority together with all private conventicles of Ana●aptisticall sectaries wholly separating from and standing in direct opposition against our publike Church-meetings together with all their private cabinet-councels consultations to foment and augment their party And in case they will not be reclaimed by lenity and friendly christian proceedings but continue still obstinate and incorrigible then to proceed severely against the ring-leaders of separating sects ●cismer and to keep or remove them from all Offices or places of publike trust in Church o● State wherein their continuance may prove prejudiciall to b●t● or either of them And if all o●r Magistrates Judges and Justices in City and Country would but modestly execute the good statutes and ordinances already provided against those I am certain these spreading errours sectaries scismes would be soon suppressed and we all united in one now the great stumbling block of Superstitious popish Ceremoies Altars Images with the Common prayer Book the only eye-sores heart-sores and grounds of separation formerly complained of ● conscientious people are totally removed by the Parliament together 〈◊〉 scandalous and unpreaching Ministers and Gods word more powerfully more ●ncere●y preached then in any Conventicles or segregated Congergations whatsoever where illiterate Mechanicks who may as well st●p into the Kings Throne a●d civill Magistrates Tribunall as into the Ministers Pulpit or ignorant ●●gif●ed Ministers doe usually exercise their leaden Talents and vent their dros●e straw stubble instead of the pure gold and orient Pearles of Gods sacred oracles As therefore you desire tender the redresse of this great grievanc● the speedy settlement peace unity of our distracted Church and State the long expected establishment of such an exact Church discipline as is warranted by Gods Word not built on humane fancies the advancement of Gods truth honour the avoyding of all groundlesse unwarrantable occasions of scismes or separations occasioned by some new erronious paradoxes and false notions touching this weighty subject of Excommunication and suspension from the Sacrament I shall humbly beseech and seriously adjure you in the name of Jesus Christ the o great Shepheard of his sheep and impartiall Judge both of quick and dead 〈◊〉 p you wil answer the contrary before his dreadful Tribunal at the last day avoid his q Anathema Maranatha with all good mens censures here to lay aside all self ends self interests prejudices whatsoever in this weighty controversie and with a single upright heart seriously to weigh the severall particulars her● presented to your consideration and where you find I have Scripture truth or right reason siding with me there cordially to embrace it without more co●te●●● where you shall discerne I have been mistaken in any thing as for ought I know I am in nothing there in a brotherly manner to refute it and the Lord give 〈◊〉 all sincere hearts to r Prove all things and hold fast what is good both in our judgements and practises and to rest truly thankful for the great work of Reformation already made not to murmure or repine against God and the Parliament ●s if little o● nothing were already done because that Church-Discipline of excommunication and suspension from the Sacrament which some pretend but prove not to be Christs Ordinance and Kingdom is not fully established in