therefore Mr Boatman may know what he hath to do and Mr Brabourne may have something to do now he hath taken his hand from the Plough which many I confesse never thought him fâ—t for though the Bishops judged otherwise I have engaged in this Controversie in the defence of all the eminent Saints and Servants of God of former Ages other Reformed Churches and our own Church and of that Reverend Assembly so boldly aspersed both by Mr Boatman and Mr Brabourne in which my selfe knew so many holy and learned and Reverend men that I beleeve since the Nicene Councill there was never so many and so holy and learned men met in any Ecclesiasticall Councill Some of whom I know would not turne their heads in any point of Divinity from the most learned Hereticks that are or ever were in Christendome and having such an opinion of that eminent Assembly I hope thou wilt pardon me Reader if I take their part in what was their declared Judgement especially against two such Adversaries as these are with whom it is far more fit that some of their youngest Sons should dispute than themselves leaving those Fathers to grapple with more learned and considerable Adversaries I am one of the yongest sons of those Reverend Prophets but yet I have a little duty for them and shall engage for Norfolke or Norwich to attempt at least their vindication from any who shall in these parts appeare in publike against what was according to Gods Word agreed upon by them if he hath not a proper Adversary and if I be not over-powred by Legions of Pamphlets But I returne to my former Discourse The second Question I have spoken to is Whether Ministeriall or privative Suspension be justifiable or no I have on purpose spoken to this partly because I heare some say this was Mr Boatman's meaning though he restrained not himselfe so by any passage and if it be how doth he tell others that he doth keep away some himselfe But that he might not have this refuge I have spoke a little to that I confesse it is a tender point which many godly men are dis-satisfied in Whether in case there wants a Presbytery in the Congregation the Minister may keep back any by his own power or rather ought to administer it to all In the first place I desire my Reader to observe that those who are of the Episcopall perswasion and own no Congregationall Presbyteries which is Mr Boatman's judgement they say make not this question but alwaies took the Affirmative for granted witness the Schoolemen Canonists c. the Rubrick to the Book of Common Prayer the Canons agreed on in the Synod at London 1603. Some of my Reverend and learned Fathers and Brethren of the Presbyterian perswasion indeed scruple it because they think all Suspension is an act of Rule and the Rule of the Church belongs to the Minister and Elders amongst whom is Reverend and learned Mr Jeanes whom though I know not yet I honour for his learned Tract on that Subject and for his Midwifry in helping into the world that last piece of our great and learned Twisse I crave leave to dissent in this point from those few of my Brethren who are so perswaded and conceive that to avoid promiscuous Communion the Minister may in some cases suspend his own act though not formally passe a Censure yea and I thinke he ought Though I confesse when the state of the Church is such that this cannot be done without a necessary and great breach of the peace of it the case is more disputable because the Amity and Edification of the Church is the high end of all Church-Censures Augustine in his third book contra Epistolam Parmeniani and in many other places thinkes Church Censures should be spared when the Major part of the Church is corrupted and the execution of Censures may cause Schismes and much he saies for it But I must confesse I am of Peter Martyrs mind Iste Augustini timor nimius videtur quasi debeamus verbum Dei relinquere ut schismata tumult us evitemus sequamur quod praecipit Deus eventus autem providentiae illius committamus He answers all which Augustine saith for his opinion and concludes That it were better to have lesser Churches than so large and ample ones defiled But I shall not dispute that businesse 3. In the last place I have enquired what hath been the judgement of the eminent Servants and Churches of Christ in all Ages Having first enquired our Fathers mind the Judgement and practice of our Elder Brethren is not inconsiderable especially when we are charged with Innovation and doing that which never entred into the heads of wiser Ages I have proved that it hath been the practice of the Church in all Ages the Judgement of our Church before and ever since the Reformation and of all reformed Churches in the World some Churches of the Protestant Switzers only excepted And now Reader I shall cast my selfe upon thy Charity I hope thou wilt excuse me for my undertaking The zeale of the Lords house for the precious body and bloud of Jesus Christ hath eaten me up as to this point Had not we been openly challenged the judgement and practice of the Churches and Servants of God openly aspersed I should have found other worke to do besides engaging Mr Boatman I have given thee here a faithfull and impartiall Narrative of the Originall and Progresse of this Contest If Mr Brabourne be at the Charge to reply I desire thee not to expect my answer I beleeve thou wilt whoever thou art be able thy self to answer what he can say I shall leave him to one more fit for him having been sufficiently chidden by some learned Friends for losing so much time as to meddle with his other peece But if Mr Boatman answers and either denies any thing here said as matter of fact or makes such a reply to any Arguments as any Licencer of the Presse will let passe I shall reply to him and prove whatever shall be denied and make good my Arguments provided he confutes them better than he did my Sermon I shall keep thee no longer in the Porch but give thee leave to enter Read and then judge and pray for this poore City where are so many thousand soules and so few fit to take charge of them The Lord keep thee Reader in these evill times from the errours of them and an ever lover both of Gospell-purity and Unity So praies Chaply-field-house in Norwich April 18 1654. Thy meane unworthy Servant in the Gospell of the Lord Jesus Christ JOHN COLLINGS Errata Reader I Cannot own these sheets till thou hast corrected these following erraâ—aes in them In the Title page read ob hoc vel maxime In the Preface p. 3 l. penult r. duty p. 9 l. 16. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 27. r. considering p. 13. l. 10. r. December after l. 12. r. fortnight p. 15 l. 2. r.
out such as might have been found Dogs or Swine if he thinks they must be excommunicated first we are not so hasty in that dreadfull sentence What is Mr Humfries case I cannot tell but their principles and the practise of one of them at least makes some think that they will never take any course to find out who be Swine or Dogs and declare them such except such Dogs as have lost their tailes and cannot fawne enough on them But very zealous they are to declare that all Dogs that are not hang'd by excommunication must be fed with the childrens bread The Lord forgive them this iniquity 3 We have seen what is meant by holy things and have proved that there is no reason to exclude the Sacrament of the Lords Supper We have also shewed who are meant by Dogs There remaines onely to be considered to whom this precept is given Surely all will grant me To those who have holy things to give those whom God hath betrusted with the dispensation of his Ordinances unto others I ask no more and will not enter into a debate here who these are whether the Minister alone or the whole Presbytery c. So then the sense of this place is this You whom I have betrusted with the dispensation of my holy Ordinances take heed you doe not dispense any of them out to impure sinners who will but trample upon them and teare you excepting onely such of my Ordinances as I appointed them as proper meanes for their conversion have other where expresly commanded you to give unto them Nor is that any unjustifiable interpretation for that precept thou shalt not kill must be understood with exception of those whom as Magistrates executing Justice or Souldiers fighting Gods Battles are commanded to kill and the whole Word of God is his Law no piece of which contradicteth other So that the Argument from this Text will hold till Mr Humfry or Mr Boatman doe shew us â—â—om other Scriptures where God hath commanded this Sacrament to be given to all but excommunicated persons which will be hard to find Learned and Reverend Gillespy hath observed Erast l. 3. cap. 5 Gillespy Aarons rod. p. 551. that this Argument gained so much upon Erastus that he restricted himselfe to the admission of such onely to the Sacrament as acknowledge and confesse their sins and promise amendment and desire to use the Sacrament rightly with the rest so far as we are able to judge which concession as he saith rightly will goe very far And I find as much in another place of Erastus Tertium est nos de illis solis loqui qui doctrinam intelligunt probant amplectuntur peccata sua se cognoscere verò ajunt Sacramentis secundum institutionem Christi cum ecclesiâ uti cupiunt ilâ—d Erast confirm the sium in praefat where hee tels us that he onely speakes for such sinners who understand and approve of and imbrace the doctrine of the Gospell who affirme that they doe truly acknowledge and abominate their sins and desire to enjoy the Sacraments with the Church according to Christs institution We desire but one thing more for let it but appeare to us that any doe thus much and let them be content further if their sin have been scandalous to give us some proofe by a better conversation that this profession is in truth And none of those I plead for will suspend him from the Ordinance But Erastus his Scholers are something more loose then their Master Mr Humfry doth not know what to say for ignorant persons because of Heb. 5.2 but the Apostle could determine those unworthy 1 Cor. 11. who discerned not the Lords body And for the scandalous they must be admonished twice or thrice first Oh how tender the good man is lest he should offend Jesus Christ in not giving his blood to one who profanes it by swearing by it every day Mr Humfry's vindicat p. â—1 But it would be enquired whither Mr Humfry be as carefull to enquire into the state of his flock and to admonish scandalous sinners as he is to plead for the Lords Supper for those be they what they will who are not first admonished twice or thrice Conscience is uniforme and will oblige him sure as well to the latter as the former I neither know him nor his people and have no reason either to judge them scandalous or him negligent but it is usually observed that those who pretend a great deale of tendernesse of Conscience in this point Oh they durst not keep any from the Sacrament except they were excommunicated which they know they cannot be as our Church stands at present But these men durst be in company with scandalous sinners and heare sweare and ly and jeer at Godlinesse and yet never admonish them no there they must use Christian prudence admonition is an holy thing must not be given to Dogs but the Sacrament is none belike that may There are two sorts of men in the world are very large in their principles as to admissions to this Ordinance 1. Such as pretend conscience against those Officers in the Church whom the Scripture cals ruling Elders 2. Such as professe their judgement for them 1. Some professe their judgement against ruling Elders as Judges of communicants fitnesse with the Minister though Deane Nowell tels them they were Officers in the Primitive Church used to that purpose in his Catechism Gr. Lat. of old Edit as is yet to be seen in many Copies and especially in the Latine Copies of it in 4 to though some have unworthily left it out in the late Edit Now would these men themselves take upon them the strict inspection of their flock and make it their businesse to goe from house to house and take account of their peoples knowledge and strictly to observe their lives and admonish them for their miscarriages and not admit any notorious sinners to the Sacrament before publick satisfaction in causes of publick scandall either taking upon them themselves according to the old Rubrick to put them by or finding some other course to have them debarred though my judgement would condemn them as neglecting an Ordinance of Christ yet my charity would beare with them till they were further convinced 2 Others professe their judgements to stand for Presbyteries but they know not how to get any yet they think they are bound to administer the Ordinance Would these men first doe what in them lies to set up the Government of Christ in the bands of his proper Officers and in the meane time 1. Not onely in the Pulpit exhort c. but indeavour to be acquainted with all in their flock going from house to house and taking account of their spirituall estate and observe and enquire concerning their conversations and 3. Pastorally admonish those that they find ignorant of that great sin of Affected ignorance and unprofitablenesse under the meanes of grace and this not only in the
former severity and instead of Excommunicating or denying the Sacrament till death which before were very frequent ensures they determined that scandalous persons should being admonished and approving themselves to the Church by these steps be restored to a plenary Communion And now I have given my Reader as good an account as I can find of this Primitive Discipline from whence he may observe 1. That we who desire the Presbyterian reformamation in the exercise of our Disâ—â—pâ—ine require no more than the recovery of this ancient Custome of the Churches of Christ It is as cleare as the light 1. That they admitted none to the Sacrament but such as before had approved themselves to the Church to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enlightened with the knowledge of the Principles of Christian Religion 2. Such as were free from all grosse and scandalous sins and if they did fall into any they required not only a verball profession of their sorrow and a promise of their amendment but that according to the nature of their offence they should be kept from the Sacrament till by an humble contrary walking for some time they had manifested their hearty sorrow and repentance To which purpose they set 1 2 5 10 15 20 yeares for them we plead not for such a time but for a convenient time for them to stand ashamed and to evidence their true repentance And though as to every particular circumstance we do not justifie our Fathers yet in these two maine things we agree with them and insist on no more And for the point of examination so much bogled at it is only in order to the setling of our Churches and the correcting the abuses of corrupt Ministers formerly who should have look'd to that to have admitted no blind ignorant persons to the Lords Table which I have sufficiently evidenced was the Discipline of the ancient Church of Christ Secondly From what hath been said the Reader may judge how simply or maliciously Mr Boatman spake when he told his people that it never entred into the heads of wiser ages to determine for what sins any should be suspended from the Lords Table It is a signe he never read the Councils nor any part of them nor yet Basils Canonicall Epistles ad Amphilochium he would have seen there that for Manslaughter Adultery Fornication Perjury Apostacy and many sins more Suspension was determined I shall conclude this Chapter with that exclamation of Albaspinaeus with which he concludes the two and twentieth Observation of his second book O mirabilem sacrosanctae antiquitatis pietatem religionem O veteris disciplinae sanctitatem mirabilem c. O the admirable piety and Religion of sormer times O the wonderfull holinesse of the Church and strictnesse of her Discipline then In those daies if a Christian in the heat of persecution to save his life had but bowed to an Idoll or offered in their Temple though sorely against their will the Church did not only suspend him from the Sacrament but he could not be restored againe till his dying day or till after seven or ten yeares standing as a penitent Now if Christians give up themselves to their lusts and not to save their lives but to satisfie their beastly lusts only be drunke uncleane sweare lye c. yet if they will but wipe their mouths and say they will do so no more they must presently be admitted to the holy Table yea and they usurpe Christs authority that will keep them away if we may beleeve all that is told us Basil ep Canon ad Amphil. Then the Adulterer might not be admitted till by fifteene yeares holy conversation he had evidenced his repentance now we think fifteen months Ib. Can. 58. Ib. Can. 59. yea fifteene daies too much A Fornicatour must abstaine in those daies eight yeares two he must only beg prayers other two he must only heare other two he must mourne a seventh he must stand and merely look on in the eighth he might be admitted If one had stolne and confessed it himselfe Ib. Can. 61. he must have been kept away a yeare if he had not confessed it two yeares Now it is no more but Let him that hath stolne steale no more and come Ib. Can. 64. If a man had sworne falsly and forsworne himselfe then he must have been kept away eleven yeares now if he sweares profanely it is but a Veniall sin if he saies he is sorry our charity must shut her eyes and beleeve him a visible Saint Nay and we must be made beleeve that all former ages were as mad and as loose as we are No no Reader the feare of God was more upon our fore-fathers hearts they durst do no such things they rather offended by too much severity yet sinners in those daies had ten times more temptations to sin and those of the highest nature from the danger of their lives and spoyling their goods c. we may be as strict as we will and are not tempted but when we are drawn away by our own lusts and enticed O how inexcusable shall the Ministers and Elders of Congregations appeare before the Lord Jesus Christ for the exposing his body and bloud to profanation Shall not the Lord say Behold here my Servants Tertullian and Cyprian how strict they were in furious times Behold my Servant Chrysostome who would rather have suffered his own bloud to have been shed than my Sons to be profaned Behold my Servant Ambrose he was not afraid of the face of an Emperour Theodosius but in a just cause he denied him the Sacrament you were afraid of the face of a rich man afraid of losing ten shillings a yeare afraid of losing the love of those who hate me what shall we say How shall we appeare before the Lord Shall not blushing cover our faces that day The Lord grant it be laid to none of our charge FINIS An Appendix to the former Discourse containing a Discourse of Mr Boatmans in a publike Lecture at Peters in Norwich seeming to answer my first Argument upon the first Question by putting another interpretation upon Mat. 7.6 With some Animadversions tending to prove he said nothing to the purpose in the said Discourse Reader I Shall trouble thee a little further upon the twenty third of March as I told thee in my Preface being intreated by a Reverend Brother in the City to preach his Lecture I preached upon Mat. 7.6 My Sermon was the sum of my first Argument upon the first Question delivered in thesi without the least particular reflection Upon the Lords day after a Friend told me that he heard Mr Boatman did intend to confute me the next Tuesday Accordingly he tooke my Text what work he made with it thou shalt read in the following sheets containing a Copy of his Sermon taken in short-hand from his mouth by a faithfull hand as to the materiall passages which I have to do with I can prove them by many
you deale with and labour to do it in such a way as may not make sinners seeme dogs and swine unto you Indeed I read of some that wrest this Scripture and among many divers of the Romish Church they some of them expound it thus and tell us it may by consequence be reduced to the Sacrament and tell us they are not fit to come to the Sacrament that will not make auricular confession and it is a fond trick that is got up againe in our daies and some would faine bring into the Church but it hath no relation at all to that holy Ordinance For though wicked men which the Scripture calls dogs and swine unfit receivers may tremble when they dare put their hand to the body and bloud of the Lord Jesus Christ yet notwithstanding to preach such a thing from this Text is little better than to speake untruth in the Pulpit It is not truth but truth to purpose that men must speake from sacred Texts of the holy Word of God else they fasten that on the Holy Ghost which he never meant or dreamt and it is a dreadfull account which a great many men in the world have to give vainly to attempt to build any holy foundation on a Text which is either too weake for it or which it doth not at all concerne It is an easie matter to wring a Text so long by the nose as to make it bleed againe and all to little purpose Take notice whatsoever may be urged about this sacred Ordinance from any other place and at another time it is not meant here to speake of it here is to speake to no purpose not worth the speaking it is not the sense of the Holy Ghost I come to the conclusion The Doctrine which I shall gather hence is this It is the duty of every Christian Doctrine especially of every Minister to take heed to whom Paragraph and how they deliver divine truths lest delivering them to obstinate and irreproveable men they labour in vaine and they trample upon them This truth is not once only hinted to us in Scriptures you shall find it was the care of all the Children of God in all Ages and the speciall care of Christ himselfe not to deliver sound and saving truths to some sorts of men sometimes looke how cautelous holy David seemes to be Psal 39.1 2. he makes it one of the highest points of wisdome to consider before whom he uttered words that concerned Gods glory and did not while the notoriously obstinate incorrigible and irreproveable were present these instead of understanding more would turne their backs hate instruction be scoffers and mockers at the facred truths of God To this end and purpose we find how that unlesse in case of speciall Commission and God commanded them to speake home with the hazard of their lives they were alwaies very wary and prudent to whom what of and how they declared the mind of God you may see it at large at your leisure in Isaiah Jeremiah Exekiel you find God speaking of a rebellious stiffenecked people bids the Prophet meddle no more with them pray not for them as if he had said it will be vaine and uselesse altogether successelesse our Saviour Christ when on earth knowing the inveterate hatred of the Pharisees against the great truths delivered light being come into the world c. when he was among these men many times he would make no answer and when he did it was in darke sayings at a distance in Parables as wrapt up into the third heavens and all to let us see caution must be used in dealing with the wicked and obstinate in divine matters things sacred that concerne Gods glory and the honour of men For Reasons Paragraph 5 I need give you no more than what our Saviour Christ doth and the next businesse is to shew you the reason why dog-like Reasons and swine-like men make so little of precious truths and are so unreasonable as to go about to destroy men for endeavouring to do them good and then the application For I le dwell only this day on the Text. First Truths not wisely dispensed holy reproofes not warlly managed are trampled on There is nothing men had need have a greater care of than the honour of Divine Truth Now this is not only hazarded by prostituting sacred truths to this sort of men presently but adventuring on that is the cause they mock and scoffe and will not be reproved We by experience find it brings truth into disgrace makes them vilifie them and slight them by a nod with the head a winke with the eye a shake of the head and it will be very well as our Saviour Christ saith if there be not a spurne with the foot Now saith he never let such precious truths as these be hazarded to contempt and scorne take not such holy paines that might be otherwise imployed and more to purpose it makes them look with an evill eye scorne and scoffe It renders Religion odious and ridiculous to them they cannot see or rather will not see or heare but stop their eare with the adder and although there be an amiable lustre reall excellency and an inexpressible vertue and glory in them yet to them they appeare ridiculous We have examples enough of this in Scriptures John Baptist came into the world and spake for this purpose to see if he could reclaime an erring Generation It is true his words were not altogether ineffectuall Jerusalem and a great part of Judea go out to him yet marke what our Saviour Christ saith he came not eating or drinking and they said he had a devill This was all he got for his paines in abundance the man was mad he was a prating fellow he lookes like one that had lived indeed all his daies in a wildernesse as one out of his wits Our Saviour Christ comes in such a manner as would win the most refractary and hard heart and the most obstinate sinner with meeknesse patience tendernesse pitty he was ready to do every man good none evill he scorned no man he disdained not the Society of Publicans and sinners though the Pharisees made use of it to his disgrace so he might do them good Marke what he gets from others a wine-bibber c. as much scorne and contempt as a Pharisee knew well how to put upon a man heare St Paul that chosen vessell and Apostle of the Gentiles preaching and the next news you heare is what will this babler say That is all he got from another Generation of men such are the swine spoken of and that our Saviour knew before he said this therefore in his divine wisdome he cautioneth his Disciples and those that came after them c. Secondly Reason 2 They will turne againe and rend you not only scorn and rage this is from the ineffectualnesse successelesseness and uselessenesse of such endeavours thereby they endanger themselves as if he had said why will you do
holy counsell You may saith our Saviour do it but it will be very uselesse it will do no good it is a folly it is very dangerous you will be losers and neither God the Gospell the truth or your soules will have gaine You may have a reward in heaven not only when you do but when you suffer for Christs sake yet however take heed of the persons and labour to do it in such a way as may not make sinners seeme dogs and swine to you Here is a messe of stuffe now which doubtlesse was never well boyled by premeditation He makes our Saviour Christ speake strange things here or I am mistaken Our Saviour Christ faith 1. You may do it but where I wonder is do not give do not cast capable of such an interpretation as you may do it 2. Christ according to Mr Boatman saith you may do it but it is to no purpose it is a folly it is dangerous you will be losers and neither God the Gospell the truth nor your soules gaine Where I wonder doth Christ tell his people they may play the fooles and do things to no purpose Nay such things as neither shall redound to Gods glory nor their good Is not this learned Divinity thinke we nay is it not next dore to blasphemy But marke what follows immediately You may have a reward in heaven not only c. Just before Christ is brought in telling them their soules could have no gaine by it but here as if the Lord could so soone forget himselfe he is brought in againe telling them They should have a reward in heaven in doing and suffering c. But besides Christ must also say Take heed how you do it in such a way as may not make sinners appeare dogs and swine c. But where is this in the Text I wonder Christ saith Give not cast not he doth not say you may give but take heed how you give And is that man ever worthy to take the holy word of God into his mouth againe that hath so shamefully and simply perverted a Text as he hath done this For which I appeale to any to judge Now he hath ordered his forces he comes to give us battell and to that purpose tels us He reads of some that wrest this Scripture and amongst many dâ—vers of the Romish Church They some of them expound it thus and tell us it may by consequence be reduced to the Sacrament and tell us they are not fit to come to the Sacrament that will not make auricular Confession and it is a fond trick that some have got up againe in our daies and some would bring into the Church But it had no relation at all to that holy Ordinance for though wicked men which the Scripture cals dogs and swine unfit Receivers may tremble when they dare put their hand to the body and bloud of the Lord Jesus Christ yet notwithstanding to preach such a thing from this Text is little better than to speake untruth in the Pulpit c. Either here is a great deale of ignorance or malice or both discovered 1. Here are pretty odde termes me thinks he reads of some by and by they are many divers of the Romish Church then some of them againe expound it c. the truth is I beleeve he doth not know either how many or how few if he had he would have spoken more modestly 2. He would basely insinuate that they are generally Papists who thinke this Text may be interpreted by consequence of the Sacrament and that they do it to bring in Auricular Confession Both which charges are as notoriously false as can be I wonder who Mr Boatman thinkes Protestants I thinke I have already made it good by testimonies enough that we have some Protestants are of this mind Surely Ursin Chemnitius wollebius Wendelin Zepperus with a multitude of others were no Papists yet they all thinke an Argument may be brought from this Text for Auricular Confession which he seemes so afraid of either he knows not what it is or hath a mind to bespatter holy and Reverend men with falshoods and scandals I am very apt to beleeve Mr Boatman knows so much of Auricular Confession as to know 1. That the Romish Church requires it to be only made to their Priest and if there be any endeavour to bring such a thing now into the Church of all men in the world Mr Boatman and men of his straine should hold their peace for they are the men bring it in we plead for an open triall of Communicants before the Presbytery they say no they will try them alone this comes nearer Auricular Confession 2. But secondly we do not require any confession of secret or more open sins but only that they being proved so guilty they should be unwilling to testifie their humiliation or repentance before they are admitted to the Lords Table so that this whimzie amounts to no more than a gird at the godly Ministers of the Gospell who would bring sinners to a sense of their sins before they are admitted to the Lords Table and it smels ranke enough either of ignorance or malice and signifies nothing But Mr Boatman tels us the Text hath no relation to the Sacrament How doth he prove that Is not the Sacrament an holy thing How proves he it is not here meant Dr Hammond ad locum Dr Hammond ingenuously grants an analogicall relation Now he chargeth me to the purpose To preach such a thing from this Text is little better than to speake untruth in the Pulpit It is not truth but truth to the purpose that men must speake from sacred Texts of the holy Word of God else they fasten that on the Holy Ghost which he never meant or dreampt and it is a dreadfull account which a great many men in the world have to give vainly to attempt to lay any foundation on a Text which is either too weake for it or which it doth not at all concerne It is an easie matter to wring a Text so long by the Nose as to make it bleed againe and all to little purpose Take notice whatsoever may be urged about this Sacred Ordinance from another place and at another time it is not meant here to speake of it here is to speake to no purpose not worth the speaking it is not the sense of the Holy Ghost Here he speakes loud enough and falls upon me pell-mell but with no other weapons than his tongue he charges me with preaching untruth how doth that appeare Mr Boatman saies so and that is all He tels us of fastning somthing upon the Holy Ghost which he never dreampt of No Sir the Holy Ghost doth not use to dreame though fraile man may he carries no sleepy body about with him he tells us It is an easie matter to wring a Text about by the Nose he is much taken it seemes with that phrase but if he will be metaphoricall he should do well
such a prosession as is real or at least not visibly contradicted The Apostles baptized and admitted to the Sacrament such as made a profession of the faith not contradicting it by a lewd life it doth not therefore follow that we must admit to the Sacrament such as make indeed a verbal profession but at the same time in works deny him to whom in words they profess we deny the Sacrament to none who make as much profession of their faith as those did whom the Apostles Acts 2. admitted to the Sacrament The Sacrament ought to be administred to all Saints Argum. 6 But all Christians are Saints Saint Paul calls the Corinthians so Ergo. 1 Here is the same fallacy again The sacrament is to be administred to all Saints That is to all who visibly appear sanctified through the Spirit of grace but all Christians are not Saints in that sense So the minor is false 1. In some sense all baptized persons are Saints as they are separated from Heathens and by their baptism dedicated to God if Saints be taken in this sense the Major is false Children of believing parents are called holy 1 Cor 7. that is Saints federally but yet I hope Mr. Barksdale will concur with the reformed Churches in acknowledging the admission of children the errour of some primitive Churches 3. St. Paul calls all the Members of the visible Church Saints but it will lie upon Mr. Barksdale to prove that he means it of them all viritim I believe it a term applyed to them conjunctim and the Denomination taken à parte meliori Those who were admitted in the Church of Corinth Argum 7 may be admitted in our Churches But disorderly persons were admitted in the Church of Corinth Ergo. The Major presumes the Church of Corinth perfect and that they did nothing amiss the contrary to which is plain from 1 Cor. 5. else the Major is false for wherein the Church of Corinth was sinfully remiss they ought not to be our pattern But Mr. Barksdale tells us They were not blamed for their comming together but for their comming together for the worse Be it so and that which caused this was the scandalous persons amongst them with whom they ought not to have eaten as he told them in the fifth chapter But the Apostle doth not check the Minister and forbid him to offer the Sacrament but onely bids them examine themselves True he saies no more 1 Cor. 11. But it was because he had said enough before 1 Cor. 5.8 10 11 12. Those who may be admitted to join with us in prayers and singing Psalms may also be admitted to the Sacrament Argum. 8 1. Either this Proposition is false or let me assume 1. But Turks and Indians may be admitted to pray and sing with us Yet I hope Mr. Barksdale will not admit them to his Sacrament 2. Prayer and praise are pieces of Natural worship homages due from God as their Creator O come let us worship and bow down and kneel before the Lord our Maker receiving the Sacrament is a piece of instituted worship for those who have interest in Christ as a Redeemer But Mr. Barksdale tells us we sing the hundred Psalm with them We are his flock Sol. So we read in their ears 1 Cor. 6.11 yet it will not follow all of them are washed and justified and sanctified c. Yet they are his flock in the sense of that Psalm he hath made them and he feeds them they are the sheep of his Pasture so he doth the Young Ravens Matth. 6. yet it will not follow they must have the Sacrament They are of the great flock But Christ hath a little flock to whom he will give the Kingdom to these the Sacrament belongs only not are we to give it to any but such as are visibly of this flock A converting quickning Ordinance belongs to all Argum. 9 But the Sacrament is a converting Ordinance Ergo. The Major is granted He proves the Minor because the word is joined with it and if the word alone be much more when conjoined with the other At once to shew the Vanity of this opinion which so prevails in the world that the Sacrament is a converting Ordinance Sol. I argue 1. If it be so then it is proper and consonant to Scripture to go amongst heathens and as soon as we come call them to a Sacrament in order to their conversion as to preach the Gospel to them But surely none ever thought so nor was it ever practised in the world yet what it may be if these principles be well practised I cannot tell 2. Again if it be a converting Ordinance there can be no personal unworthiness sufficient to debar any from it then come Turks Indians Papists Incestuous persons excommunicate persons c. 3. If it be a converting Ordinance I see no reason why the Communicant should be bound to examine himself and so eat or whether he hath skill to discern the Lords body But to answer distinctly 1. When we speak of converting Ordinances we mean Appointments of Jesus Christ for the conversion of souls to himself distinguishing betwixt those things which may be useful ex accidente to convince and convert and what ex instituto is designed to that end Hearing of the word is such Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10. Hear and your souls shall live Isaiah 55. Let any one shew us any Scripture speaking to this purpose concerning the Lords Supper 2. Besides the preaching of the word is one thing but the readin◠the word of Institution at a Sacrament is another thing let Mr. Barksdale prove the latter appointed by Christ for conversion 3. Either the word alone read at the administration is a converting Ordinance or the Word and Elements making up the Sacrament If it be only the word wicked men for ought I know may stay and hear that if he sayes more he must prove it But to his tenth Argument Those whose children may be admitted to Baptism Argum. 10 themselves may be admitted to the Lords Supper But the children of the ignorant and scandalous may be admitted to Baptism Ergo. Though some will deny the Minor yet it shall satisfy me to put Mr. Barksdale to prove the Major 1. Children are baptized in their parents right I see no reason why it should necessarily be the immediate parent 2. Besides there is no self-examination pre-required to baptism 3. The children of the legally unclean were not forbidden circumcision 1. But the parent must have a personal right to the Lords Supper 2. He must examine himself and so eat 3. Of old if he were legally unclean he must not eat the Passover What we cannot help we must do But we cannot help promiscuous admintstrations Argum. 11 The Major is questionless true ultra posse non datur esse But the Minor is false Cannot must be expounded Physically or Morally if he means of the first we can help it Ambrose would not administer till Theodosius
Apostle had told them of another Remedy Not keeping the Feast not eating with them doth it follow that because the Apostle doth not repeat it again here therefore that is no remedy Self-examination is a personal Remedy but there are other Church remedies which the Apostle commandeth the use of as well as this Mr. Timson quaeries whether the remedy be not such I suppose self examination is that he means as the most ignorant and the unregenerate may make use of so far as to prevent the judgement threatned and receive benefits thus he openeth himself in the seventh quaery So then this query amounts to this Whether a man be bound before the Sacrament to examine himself any otherwise than an unregenerate person and the most ignorant person professing and owning true Religion may do about the meer notion of the Sacrament the institution c. The Question is here concerning the nature of that self-examination which is the duty of him who would partake worthily at the Lords Table for when we have determined that we shall easily judge whether an unregenerate or ignorant person be in a capacity to do it Pag. 21 22. Mr. Timson is strongly enclined to believe that they are onely bound to examine themselves concerning the premises and that Divines stretch this precept too far to expound it of any other because he conceives the Apostle sutes the remedy to the malady Mr. Humfry submits his Judgement to other Divines in this thing in his Rejoinder p 6. 7. onely subjoineth three honest cautions I cannot subscribe to Mr. Timsons inclinations that the self-examination mentioned 1 Cor. 11.28 must be limitted by the premisses 1. Then it will follow that the Apostles mind is a communicant should onely ask himself First Whether he takes his own Supper before the Lords Supper v. 21. Secondly Whether he knows that what he doth is Christs institution v. 23 24 25. Thirdly Whether he knows the Lords body from common bread as Mr. Humfry and Mr. Timson expound that phrase of discerning the Lords body v. 29. so let a man examine himself and he may come thinks Mr. Timson this indeed is short work But surely 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will not be satisfied with such a jejune interpretation whether it be verbum forense as some would have it Surely Magistrates examine malefactors more strictly or verbum mecchanicum as others will have it The Goldsmiths tryal of his Gold is a more searching trial the Apostle expounds it 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith or no prove your selves 3. That another kind of Examination is here required hath been the concurrent Judgement of all Divines especially those of the reformed Churches which makes Mr. Humfry tender the leading the way to this loose interpretation and to submit to their unanimous judgment I heartily wish he had shewed himself as tender concerning the business of suspension which he might have done upon the same principle 4. But if they be to examine themselves no more than whither they discern the Lords body we conceive it enough for it will ly upon Mr. Humfry and Mr. Timson to prove that the discerning there meant is no more than the distingu shing betwixt that feast and their Love-feasts discerning must imply knowledge I cannot discern the Lords body from another thing if I do not know it I must know it as a body sacramentally 2. as the Lords body it will necessarily imply a knowledge of the sign and of the thing signified in the Sacrament a knowledge of the two natures in the Lord Jesus Christ and of what he hath done and suffered for me and of the nature of the Sacrament and what is held forth in it to the soul And from hence will easily follow an answer to Mr. Timsons 6. query That Ignorant persons though pro formâ they do own the Christian Religion yet are not in a capacity to examine themselves so as to prevent the Judgement or receive the benefit Mr. Timsons 8. query is Whether a careless neglect or incapacity to perform this duty doth excuse and give a writ of ease from that precept Do this in remembrance of me 1. When Mr. Timson hath proved that that precept is an universal precept that concerns every individual person that is baptized and in a capacity to exercise reason we may possibly tell him that his incapacity or careless neglect makes him doubly guilty and so doth not give a writ of ease but only laies another action upon him We conceive that precept only to concern the Disciples of Christ and none but true disciples Though I do not see what Mr. Timson can make of it if we say all within the Church are obliged by that precept in sensu composito that is first to examine and then to eat but not in sensu diviso Nor will it much trouble us which Mr. Timson saies p. 23. where he saies The Apostles were bound to call upon those to whom they preached to observe all that he had commanded Either that Argument will prove that they were to call upon Pagans children c. to come to the Sacrament or else it saies nothing but this that we are bound to call upon all to observe such things as he hath commanded them respectively and then it still remains to prove that Christ hath commanded an ignorant profane person while such to come to the Sacrament For Mr. Timson's query p. 24. Whether any instance can be given of any under the Law admitted to the other Ordinances yet debarred the Passeover we conceive there may It will pose Mr. Timson to prove that those who had touched the dead body of a man might come at no ordinances but we can prove that they might not come at the Passover Num. 9. Nor is that whimzy of his p. 25. at all better by which he would prove the receiving the Sacrament a duty incumbent upon all because included in the first table For besides that it will pose Mr. Timson to prove that the specifical duty of receiving of the Lords Supper is commanded in the first Table If it were yet I hope preaching the word is so also which yet is not a duty enjoined to all but those only who are appointed thereto Whether it be sense or no I cannot tell sure I am it hath no great strength of reason that he saies self-examination is a private duty and so subordinate to the Publique Who denies it but if he means that we must not neglect the publiqu because we cannot perform or have not performed the Private Besides that we question whether upon such an incapacity or neglect the publique be a duty we conceive that where a private duty as commanded in order to prepare us for the publique we cannot without sin perform the publique before we have performed the private cleansing was the unclean persons private duty yet till it was done we think he might not come to the Passeover For his
Responsoria Bipartita SIVE Vindiciae suspensionis Ecclesiasticae ut et Presbyterii EVANGELICI A double Reply containing a Vindication of the antient practice of the Church according to the rule of the word suspending the ignorant and scandalous from the Lords Supper As also of Ecclesiastical Presbyteries as the subject of Church Government The first in answer to one M. Boatmans challenge of all the Ministers on earth to make suspension of any but Turks Jews Pagans and excommunicate persons from the Lords Supper appear from Scripture In answer to whom the said censure is justified by several arguments from Scripture and the universal practice of the Church the Magisterial vanity also of his Sermon Decem. 13. and March 28. in Peters Church in Norwich is discovered by animadversions on each In which answer also some objections of Erastus Mr. Prin and Mr. Humfry are collaterally considered and answered The second part in answer to Theophilus Brabourn who hath talked something in a little pamphlet against the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord of his Church and Lord of the Sabbath against whom it is proved he hath said nothing to any purpose but to discover his own weakness To which is prefixed an Epistle giving account of the whole and fully answering whatsoever Mr. Thomas Morshall in his three Sermons lately printed upon Mat. 22 8. Mr. Barksdale in a letter of his dated May 26. 1652. and printed with a disputation at Winchcomb Nov. 9. 1653. and Mr. Timson in his late book in answer to Dr. Drake have said in these for promiscuous communion By JOHN COLLINGS B.D. and Pastor of the Church of Christ in Stephens Parish in Norwich In ipsa Catholica Ecclesia magnopere curardum est ut id teneamus quod ubique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditum est hoc est enim vere proprieque Catholicum Vincent Lirinensis con haer cap. 3. London Printed by H. Hills for Richard Tomlins and are to be sold at his house at the sign of the Sun and Bible neer Py-Corner To all those who love the Lord Iesus in sincerity especially such of them whose lot is cast in the City of NORWICH Beloved Friends and Brethren IT is not for my own sake nor for the sake of those who are my Brethren in the work of reformation here or elsewhere that I am come out into these lists both my self and I suppose all of them could either have been content to have come up to Mr. Boatmans principles and practice and so endeared our selves to all our people or at least have born with patience the names of Pharisees Dremers such as do things wiser ages never thought of Recusants Presbyterian Reformadoes Calvins fellows which are the Rhetorical terms that M. John Boatman M. Thomas Marshall have bestowed upon us securing our selves in the assurance of our innocence and pittying their ignorance who if they had been better acquainted with the Scriptures and the practice of the Church would have spake more modestly Nor is it for their sakes because I think they have said any thing worth the answering We know 't is an easy thing for one to stand in a pulpit and cry out against the way of God as a Pharisaical way a Pharisaical invention a dream an impleding Scripture and to set upon the Title page of a book The Kings censure of Recusdants he that hath but got a mastery over his conscience and a bold face may do such things cheap enough In the mean time we know the Gentlemen will eat their words when they are challenged for them It is for your sakes dearly beloved Brethren and for our Lord Jesus Christs sake and for his Churches sake that we cannot be silent for the Lords sake whose sacred Ordinance we cannot with patience see prostituted and his blood counted as an unholy thing For his Churches sake that what she hath believed and practised in all times and ages might neither be judged heresy or novelty for your sakes that you may not be seduced by the great adversary of reformation or any that drive on his designs though possibly not wittingly into an alienation of heart from and an enmity to the great work of the Lord in cleansing the Sanctuary and refining of Zion which we have hoped the Lord is about in England and hath been for some years yea and for their souls sake who are angry with us that we will not let them eat and drink judgement to themselves towards the good of whose souls our bowells yern and we are loth that by our means they should increase their guilt and more and more harden themselves to eternall ruin was it not my beloved Brethren the burthen that lay upon the souls of the old Non-Conformists that there was no bar to keep any from the Lords Table but one which superstition made was it our just grief then that we had no bar and is it our work now to remove the bars yea the Lords and the Churches antient land marks shall not the Popish faction rise up in judgement against us at the last day and say Aquinas Vasquez Bonaventura Lord we disputed whither a secret sinner might be received to the Sacrament and these reformers plead for open sinners receiving yea and the Prelatical party which we condemned shall say Lord we gave the Minister authority to keep any from the Sacrament for any notorious sins yea for speaking against the prayer book or the Kings authority in things Ecclesiastical These pretend to reform us and cryed out against us yet do not only admit but plead for the admission of such as speak against Jesus Christ the great King of Zion Thus we have justified our Elder Sister Sodom and our younger Samaria yea neither of them would plead for the wickedness which we do This hath brought me into the lists now I am there I shall desire but fair play If our adversaries can prove all primitive Churches and modern Churches in an errour and themselves onely in the right though we must needs be concluded to err with good company yet I hope I shall not stop my ears against due conviction But we must crave leave to try them with the two weapons of Scriptural Reason and Antiquity to prove that we are not cowards in this Cause of God Since my book was sent to the Press three others have came to my hands all pleading for promiscuous communions I crave your patience for a backblow for them much of them I have answered before hand I shall subjoin a few animadversions more upon what they have in them An answer to Mr. Thomas Marshall The first contains two or thee Sermons preached by one Mr. T. Marshall on Matth 22.8 As I discern in him a spirit which from any Sober man deserves rather flight than answer from those ill favoured passages p. 21. where he chargeth us with sequestring first the bodily bread from the Pastors and then the bread of Christ from the peoples
his book to sell but that were the way to make the sent of his book spread it self further I shall therefore promise thee nothing but silence If but a rational School-boy shall send me word that he judgeth me answered in any one point it is ten to one but I may vindicate my self otherwaies I shall think him more an object of pitty than any revenge for this age tels us there are some who both want wit to write and discretion to hold their peace And now my dearly beloved friends I am almost tyâ—ed with Polemical writing and I will not promise you much more of that nature I have endeavoured in two or three treatises to vindicate some truth viz. Concerning the Divine Ordinance and Office of the Ministery in my Vindicâ—ae Ministerii Evangelici and answer to Mr. Sheppard 2. The preheminecy of the Lord day above Christmas day in my answer to Mr. Fisher c. 3. The divine right of Church Government in the hand of the Ministers and Elders against Mr. Brabourn And now this divine ordinance and antient practice of suspending the ignorant and scandalous from the Lords Supper These scufflings have hindered me from some things possibly more profitable I have part of a discourse neer ready which I have promised the world concerning Temptations if my adversaries disturb me not I shall in the next place apply my self to that work I have been willing to let it sleep while I dispatched this because by this I hope I may be useful to the whole Church and in that but to particular souls which I desire may be my excuse to you But I fear lest the City should run out at the gates Bowing therefore my knees to the God of peace and truth that you may be guided into all truth and established in the right ways of the Lord I rest Chaplyfield-house in Norwich July 16. 1654. Your Cordial friend and servant in the work of the Gospel I. COLLINGS To the Right Wor ll John Mann Esq Mayor of the City of Norwich Much Honoured Sir AS the Influence which that eminent place in this City to which God hath called you and the Engagements which your goodnesse hath laid upon those few Ministers in it who have laboured against great opposition to promote an Ecclesiastick Reformation have justly challenged our observance to you so your eminent appearing not only for it but in it accepting the Office of a Ruler in one of the Congregations of it and your appearing for the restoring of that eminent servant of Christ to his Pastorall charge there again where these unhappy flames of our division have kindled which by the piety and prudence of that Reverend man would have been prevented hath challenged for you the more speciall Dedication of this Tract What you shall find in it the Preface will tell you And the Preface is that alone which needs your Patronage nor should that stand in need of it if some men had not the confidence to deny that the Sunne shines at noon-day whether what is there related be truth or no your selfe can in a great measure satisfie the Enquirer For the substance of the Booke when you have examined it I shall be content you should dismisse it your protection and shall my selfe attend the vindication of it from its adversaries who are ordinarily more clamorous then argumentative If my paines may contribute any thing Sir to encourage your perseverance in that good worke to which the Lord hath quickned you to put your hand as it will be a great matter of encouragement and joy to all of us who are working for the Lord in the refining of Sion while we are almost stifled with the drosse which the corruption of former times hath begot so it will be a great addition to your crown in the day of the Lord and a great crown to him who is Chapâ—yfield house April 19. 1654. SIR Your most humble and much obliged servant in the Lord Iesus J. COLLINGS The PREFACE To my Christian Reader IT is growne into a fashion for him who entertaines the world in a Book to parley first a little with his gueft at the threshold And although the righteous Judges of Areopagus needed no such complement yet I cannot but judge it a little necessary in this sinfull time and the more in regard of the different complexions of mens perswasions disposing them to faction and to judge unrighteous judgment from the dictate of some particular prejudice What thou art into whose hands my Tract shall come I cannot tell I shall only endeavour to cleare thy eyes from the mist that prejudice and particular affection may have cast before them and be ambitious no further to reconcile thee to me then unto truth It treats of an unpleasing subject The divine Right and Primitive practise of suspending such from the Supper of the Lord who as yet have not their senses exercised to discerne between good and evill and cannot discerne the Lords body such as were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of old and such who since their Baptisme have returned with the dog to the vomit and are yet with the Swine wallowing in the mire of their lusts This is the great bone of contention in the Church of God this day every one would be fellow commoner with the Saints at the Table of childrens bread and those who have not grace to make them worthy yet want patience to beare a being judged unworthy of the highest Gospell-priviledges Reader I suppose thou canst not be so unjust to thy owne reason but to thinke that if the godly Ministers of England durst consult with flesh and bloud that could furnish them with strong Arguments drawne from the augmentation of their livelihood in places where it is arbitrary and from the universall love of their people to compell them into Master Humfryes or Master Boatmans faith Alas what doe we get by our stricter dealings with the soules committed to us except the frownes and reproaches of such whom we durst not cast the holy thing of the Sacrament before It is Gods will that Religion and humane Policy should now and then divide and we humbly submit to God and desire rather to be faithfull Stewards for him then providers for our selves and ours Surely there is so much ingenuity at least in some of the godly Ministers of England as would intitle them to a desire of the love of all and so much earthinesse in all their hearts as exposeth them to some temptations to use all endeavours for a comfortable subsistence in this life If any of them neglects both that and this and chuse rather to venture the begging of their own bread then to throw the childrens bread to dogs rather to prostitute their owne names and lose their interest in the hearts of some people then to prostitute the Lords sacred Ordinance and give his name to a reproach as in this they come short of Chrysostome who professeth he would rather give his
owne bloud to the prophane then the body and bloud of Christ and of Ambrose who ventured the losse of his head as well as the love of Theodosius so it will not need much of thy charity to interpret their actions conscientious pieces of self-deniall for the interest of their deare and blessed Saviour yea and of their soules too who are kept away it being certaine if Iudas were at the Sacrament which can never be proved the next worke he did was to hang himselfe through horror of conscience and for that sinne of unworthy receiving in the Church of Corinth Many saith the Apostle were sick and weak and many fallen asleep How unjustly therefore we are raged against who durst not give the bloud of Christ to those to drinke who are in a burning feaver of open lusts and so dangerous a knife into the hands of those whom we see distracted with sinne and in a spirituall Delirium We hope any equitable standers by will judge and measure our actions by the duly and orderly practise of Physitians in bodily tempers considering we are ready as to such Patients to allow them what they will drinke of the Barley water of Repentance which we conceive more proper for them and are ready to restore their knives to them when they shall by any moderate account given us let us know that God hath restored them so much of his Image in spirituall wisdome that they will not murther their precious soules with them And we doubt not but if ever the Lord shall give them an heart to repent and restore their desperately distempered soules to health in that day it shall be no more griefe of heart to them that they have been kept away then it is to the recovered Patient that his Physitian denyed him flesh and wine in his feaver or a knife in his distraction and at that time we shall expect their thanks in the meane time we shall beare their rage and reproach with paience knowing it is for the Lord we suffer it For the Lord who suffered more in the shedding of his bloud for us then we can doe in the vindication of it and preserving it from being prophaned by unhallowed mouths If it pleaseth the Lord they dye in their spirituall distempers and go raging to their graves we must be content to expect our thanks from our Lord and Master at the great day and our vindication there except Reader thou wilt shew thy felfe so ingenuous and judicious as in thy thoughts to acquit us As to the subject of this Tract the truth is so much hath been said in the defence of what I plead for of old by all the Schoolmen and since by Calvin Vrsin Zanchy and by Reverend Beza and Master Rutherford in answer to Erastus and by learned and Reverend Gillespy in answer to Master Prynne besides what hath been spoken by Master Philip Goodwin in his excellent Book called the Evangelicall Communicant and by many others that were it not for the importunate clamours of those who would get that by their importunity and clamorous tongues and pens which the justice of their Cause and strength of their Arguments will not allow to them nor gaine for them both my selfe and others might have had an eternall supersedeas for this Worke. I scarce find any thing in Erastus and Beza but what I meet with in the Schoolmen nor any thing in Master Prynne or Master Humfry considerable but what I find in Erastus That if our Brethren of the contrary perswasion would not have troubled the world with their opinions without answering first what had been said against them we had long ere this time had our Quietus est for I durst undertake to yeeld him the cause who sufficiently answers but one Book wrote upon this subject viz. Master Gillespies Aarons Rod blossoming so that the truth is the advantage our opposites have of us in this point is mostly upon such as have not knowledge of what hath been said against their opinions or are not supplyed with money to buy the Books nor able to gaine time to read them or upon such whose particular engagements and over-much love to the whimzies of their owne braines or malice or prejudice at least to the truth or love to their cursed lusts which yet they would keep and have the Sacrament too and be thought unworthy of no Gospell-priviledge hath outlawed their Reason and so stopt their eares that they are made incapable of a boaring with the sharpest and most convincing Arguments that Scripture and Reason can afford and thus they only captivate those who are first led captive by their owne lusts Possibly thou wilt be inquisitive to know what hath made me write if I have judged enough already said I must crave a little of thy partience to satisfie thee as to this I have often thought that it would be a rare expedient in order to the ending of all controversies of these times relating to the order of the Church if some judicious man would out of all the considerable Books wrote upon each Controversie within these twelve or thirteen yeares candidly state each Controversie and transcribe the Arguments relating to them with the Exceptions and Answers given to any digesting them in a due method and it might please the civill power then to Enact That no one should write more upon any of those Questions but should be engaged either to bring New Arguments on the part he would defend or vindicate those brought on the part he would defend from the various Answers given to them Were this taske but imposed upon new Scriblers the world would be lesse full of impertinent Discourses and Disputes would not run as they doe in infinitum I doe not pretend a specimen of such a Worke I have neither purse nor Library nor time fit for it But the truth is as I find in Mr Humfry and heare from Mr Boatman nothing more then Erastus long since said and hath been more then once already answered so I have not studied for a new Argument but out of severall Authors have rallyed up an old force and have candidly told thee what hath been by any whom I have met with said against them as also what hath been answered in their defence All being admitted to the Passover as some conceive Iohn Baptists universall Baptisme Iudas his being admitted to the Lords Supper The generall invitation to the Wedding Supper in the Gospell some being drunke at the Lords Supper in the Church of Corinth No evident testimony in Scripture for Suspension 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are all old tooles and scarce newly whetted Yet what hath Master Humfry said or what doth Master Boatman say more But for the more particular occasion of this Tract I must desire of thee Reader to understand that in this great City there are as I take it about thirty Parishes within the Wals to none of which excepting only two one of which hath about thirty pounds
ration all an institution at least against such an adversary Softer words would have been better for one that had no harder Arguments for his opinion Nay more he desires nay he challengeth with as much humility as we can thinke he hath after he hath so boldly charged all the Churches of God as Dreamers Pharisaicall Dreamers c. any to shew him the least footsteps for it from the Word of God This challenge he shall see anon is accepted We will try what a combatant our Goliath is he tels us he speaks not besides his Book I know not what is in his Book but I shall prove anon he speaks besides Gods Booke and besides his Book too if it were the Bible he had in the Pulpit but possibly it was Master Humphrio's Rejoinder But he tels us he hath Reasons anon shall come forth yea and those terrible ones too such as shall amaze our consciences Let us see what they are Trace the footsteps Sect. 4 and they are very rare in Scripture too that Christ hath laid downe in such a case as this and till you have searched them beleeve that a great deale of pride and more uncharitablenesse and worse then both hath been the cause of suspending so great an Ordinance so long and maring such a breach in the Church of God I find but once in the Booke of God that it speaks directly in it and then it speaks of no other remedy for all exorbitances committed in the Church but Let a man examine himselfe c. If you find any show them It is a moore Dreame and Invention of men which they pretend to implode the Scriptures and lay a barden on our shoulders and an intollerable yoke I say a Pharisaicall invention and I speake plainly and home When the Aprstle had taken a survey of the great enormities of some he speaks Not a Word more and that upon a fault which I beleeve not any man was guilty of in the English Church viz. They were drunke at the Sacrament and we doe not sind that he did suspend them cast them out or excommunicate them only the Apostle fatherly and Apostolically adviseth them to take a better care for the time to come 2. Secondly admit what some pretend that there is just reason to suspend some from the Sacrament whom it would never trouble the wisest heads in this Age for it never entred into the heads of former Ages to tell what distinct crimes they are for which any are to be suspended You are mistaken if you thinke for every whimzy gimeracke or trifle that comes in a mans head a man must be kept fram the Sacrament The Apostle indeed adviseth the Corinthians to excommunicate the incestuous person but the businesse was so highly aggravated that the sinne was not so much as named amongst the Heathen It is not every trifle because a man is not of such a mans opinion in point of State-affaires though I hope you are all of a mind now therefore he must be kept from the Sacrament not because such or such a Pharisee saith a man keeps company with Publicanes and sinners and so one himselfe but not so though called so therefore he must be debarred from the Sacrament What is all this from God I dare safeâ—ier say from the Devill What out of a private and particular prejudice and he hath hath taken it hath a little power that way and interest in Admission therefore the Party must be kept from the Sacrament Quis talia fando I had almost spoken something that had been a Solecisme Did ever the Lord Jesus Christ thinke on earth this should have been done in his Church and I tell you the Holy Ghosts straine No either he must be convicted and adjudged or I dare pronounce of him that denies it him on any other score That he is a bold intruder on Christs Authority Are those the amazing reasons we heard of I wonder Here 's amazing language and boldnesse and confidence here 's nothing looks like a Reason but only that the Gentleman doth not read that the Apostle in 1 Cor. 11. that the Apostle gave no other order but Let a man examine himselfe But what if Christ himselfe gave other order Mat. 7.6 and by his owne example admitting none but his Disciples and the Apostles Acts 2 admitting none out such as were prickt at the heart c. And what needed the Apostle in the eleventh Chapter give order further when in the fifth Chapter he had plainly forbidden them to keep the Feast with old Leaven viz. scandalous sinners as ver 6. and to eat with any call'd brethren that should be fornicators covetous idolaters railers drunkards extortioners for the Corinthians being drunke at the Sacrament There is nothing but our Translation serves Master B and we translate the same word otherwise John 2.10 of that more afterwards But he tels It will pose the wisest heads to find out for what sinnes any should be kept away that is another dispute We are now disputing whether any should or no according to Master B's Doctrine if a man had sinned the sinne against the Holy Ghost he should not this is all that looks like Reason and here 's a poore pittance of it but besides this Reader 1. Here 's an impudent falshood affirmed in a Pulpit That it never entred into the heads of former Ages to suspend any thou wilt find I have proved it the constant practice of the Churches of God in all former Ages 2. Here is a bold expression of Suspension He tels us againe that it is a meere Dreame an Invention of men a Pharisaicall invention 3. Here is an impudent aspersion cast not only upon the eminent servants of God in former times and Churches and Councels but upon the generality of godly Ministers in this Age whose judgment practice hath been to suspend the ignorant and scandalous from the Lords Table Master Boatman tels the people that They goe about to implode the Scriptures to lay a burthen and an intollerable yoke so all Christs Ordinances are to men captivated by their lusts on their shoulders That they make themselves wiser then any former Ages That they are bold intruders on Christs Authority Dost thou thinke Reader that he hath not said to himselfe My tongue is my owne and I will speak The best of it is we thinke it no great slander Let it run to its excesse of riot Fourthly here is a malicious insinuation That we keep men from the Sacrament for whimzies and gimeracks and trifles and differences in State-matters and particular prejudices Those who doe any such things are engaged to speake for themselves I know none but abhorres these calumnies But yet I am at a losse for the reason should amaze our consciences Another Reason which few understand Sect. 5 but I would many did who suspend the Sacrament it would make them looke to it and about them is That the Church of Rome hath got more these two yeares by
so rationall as to grant me this or else he will be bound to deny the Sacrament to all women Baptisme to all children and the Lords day to be a Sabbath So that the question is this Whether supposing a Church have a Presbytery it be in the power of that Presbyterie The Question stated having found some persons baptized and not excommunicated grosly ignorant or scandalous in the name of the Lord Jesus to warne them for a time to forbeare communicating at the Lords Table and if they presse unto it to deny it to them by declaring the Church hath no Communion with them or the like c. In the proving the affirmative part of this Question 1. I shall not trouble my selfe to prove they may doe it I shall sufficiently prove that in proving They ought to doe it for though a thing may be lawfull and yet not expedient yet a thing cannot be necessary and yet unlawfull Nulla necessitas peccandi we are not necessitated to sin 2. I shall not enter into a particular enquiry what degrees of ignorance render a person obnoxious to this censure nor yet what vitious qualifications in point of scandall doe it it is enough for me if I prove it concerning any how notoriously ignorant or erroneous or scandalous soever provided they be not absolutely excommunicated for if any one sort of sinners either ignorant or haereticall or scandalous except Turkes Jewes Heathens and excommunicate persons may have this Ordinance denied to them though they presse to it Mr Boatman's confident challenge will be answered and he engaged to make it good or recant for his rashnesse and presumption The question being thus stated I accept this Bold challenge and shall prove it by this principall syllogisme which shall be the head of my ensuing Arguments To those to whom it may not lawfully be given it may lawfully be denied But there may be some Baptized persons in the Church to whom it may not lawfully be given Ergo The Proposition cannot be denied except we will say that we are necessitated to sinne for if there may be some to whom we can neither lawfully give the Ordinance though they come nor lawfully deny it to them we are obliged to sinne there being no medium between them two I shall therefore prove the assumption by severall Arguments viz. That there may be some Baptized persons not yet absolutely cast out of the Church to whom the Sacrament of the Lords Supper may not lawfully be given CHAP. II. Containing the first Argument from Mat. 7.6 From whence is proved that this Ordinance is an holy thing and so not to be given to Dogs nor cast before Swine My first Argument is this Holy things may not lawfully be given to Dogs Argument 1 nor Pearles lawfully cast before Swine But the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is an holy thing and a Pearle and there may be some in the Church who in Scripture phrase are Dogs and Swine Ergo. THis is no new Argument Erastus pretends to answer it so doth Mr Prinn and Mr Humfry The summe of all I meet with answered to it is this 1. Say some The Sacrament is none of the holy things there spoken of 2. All sorts of sinners that are scandalous are not the Dogs and Swine there meant so that the Argument as they say is a fallacy à dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter To reinforce it against all their weake Cavils two or three things must be opened 1. What holy things are here spoken of 2. Who are the Dogs and Swine here spoken of 3. To whom this precept is directed Let us examine all these three a little 1 Q. What holy things are here spoken of It is a good rule Where the Law doth not distinguish we should not Our Saviour Jesus Christ speakes not of this or that Holy thing but sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is a bold presumption in us to restraine it without Scripture-warrant I think therefore every sober Christian will grant me these two things 1. That all those holy things and Pearles are here forbidden to be given to Dogs and cast before Swine which the Scripture doth not elswhere plainly allow to be given to Dogs or Swine else they will be obliged to shew us another ground of restraint 2. I hope it will easily be granted to concerne such holy things as God hath betrusted us to give out for it is to men Christ speakes Things are called holy in Scripture upon a fourefold account 1. In respect of consecration when a thing is set apart for Gods service 2. In respect of inherent purity Thus God is holy and his grace as holy 3. In respect of a divine signature and impression upon them Thus every command and every Ordinance of God is holy 4. In respect of a designation and subserviency of it to an holy use or end in this sence also are all the Ordinances of God holy And doubtlesse these are the holy things here spoken of and so all grant Upon the two last accounts saith Chemnitius the Ordinances of God are rightly called holy Now the Ordinances of God are of two sorts 1 Private 2 Publick Chemnit harm cap. 51. Private Ordinances are institutions of Christ to be performed by private persons either in order to Gods glory or our brethrens good such are private instructions and exhortations each of other Private prayer private admonitions frequently commanded by God in Scripture The publike Ordinances are publike preaching and expounding Scripture before the Church performed by persons in Office to it publike Prayer Church censures c. It is without all question that the Ordinances of God are the Holy things here forbidden to be given to Dogs or cast before Swine But the question is whether all these Holy things be forbidden here to be so cast or onely some I say there is no reason but we should understand all those Ordinances which in other places of Scripture are not commanded to be given to all My reason is this because it is boldnesse in us to restraine what God hath not limited And hence I perceive that some who have been inclined to thinke that some one Ordinance is especially meant here yet dare not exclude others So Mr Jeanes Mr Ieanes p. 125 126. 2 ed. of his book entituled Th◠want of Church Government c. though he thinkes admonition and reproofe are chiefly meant supposing the words not to be a compleat precept in themselves but to relate to the precedent words yet he tels us he will not deny but it may be extended and applied to the giving of the Lords Supper And Chemnitius determines it an unjust restriction to restraine it to reproofe Besides that admonition may be given to Dogs yea to such Dogs as are shut out of the doores of the Church 2 Thes 3.15 He is not to be counted as an enemy but admonished as a Brother with whom we
to regulate these argumentations Their rules are these I will examine the truth of them as I goe along Propositions therefore wherein the greater is proved to be denyed because the lesser may be true 1. Erastus saith it may be true in gifts In donis non autem in poenis Confirm thesâ— l. 3. p. 250. but not in punishments Mr Rutherford tels him it is true enough for us if it be true in gifts for fellowship with the Saints is a guift and priviledge and surely if one may have not the lesser priviledge he may not have the greater Rutherford's divine right of Presbyt p. 366. 2. It must also hold in punishments when the lesser is inflicted for the cause of the higher is it not a good argument think we such a man condemned to dy must not come into the Castleyard till his Execution Ergo much lesse may he go where he list about the Country Secondly saith Erastus Erast ibid. Mr Prin. p. 11. this Argument is true iâ— things of the same kind but not in things of diverse kinds So Mr Prin so Mr Humfry If this be true saith Mr Gillespy the Scripture is ful of false Logick Num. 12.14 If Miriams father had spet in her face Gillespy Aarons rod. l. 3 c. 7 Rutherford proves both these of the same kind lib. praediâ— ib. should not shee have been ashamed seven dayes how much more when God hath smitten her with leprosy Hag. 1.4 You have built to your selves ceiled houses how much more ought you to have built the Lords house Jo 3.12 If I have told you earthly things and you beleeve not how shal you beleeve if I tell you heavenly things 1. Cor. 6.3 Know yee not that we shall judge Angels how much more things that pertaine to this life Now mark Reader how Mr Humfry hath united this knot by accusing God himselfe Jesus Christ his Prophets his Apostles all of false arguings Thirdly saith Erastus Erast ibid. Mr Prin. ibid. it must be in things that are free not in such things that are not of our owne power one being commanded of God and the other not as these are But first Erastus should have done well to have told us first where we are commanded to eat with scandalous sinners at the Lords Table Secondly ibid. saith Mr Rutherford he should have proved that it is a thing free to us to doe or not to doe to have civill Communion with scandalous sinners wee alwayes thought we had not been free in that point but enjoined to a negative Lastly saith Mr Gillespy what becomes of that Scripture Argument then Gillespy ibid. How much better is it to get wisdome then Gold and understanding then Silver Wisdome surely is not in our owne power to get 4. Mr Prin ibid. Mr Prin adds another case wherein he thinks this Argument not concluding in case the two things compared fall not under the same precept which is the case here But Mr Gillespy rightly tels him this is new Logick for not to reproach Gods name is forbidden in the third precept not to reproach man under the sixth and ninth But I hope this is a good Argument if we may not reproach our neighbour much lesse may we reproach our Maker My Gil. l. 3. c. 7. And it is surely as good if we may not have an intimacy of civill Communion with scandalous sinners much less may we have the nearest Church fellowship and Communion with him Thus have I done what indeed was done before at least gathered together what have been said by divers more able to strengthen this Argument CHAP. V. VVherein a fifth Argument is brought whereby is proved that hitherto none bath brought any Scripture precept or president sufficient to warrant promiscuous administration of the Lords Supper I proceed to a fifth ARGVMENT What the Officers of the Church have neither any precept obliging them to doe nor president to justifie them in doeing that in the worship of God is sinfull and unlawfull for them to do THE proposition standeth upon this bottome That nothing is lawfull in the worship of God but what we have precept or president for Which whoso denies opens a door to all Idolatry and superstition and will-worship in the world Besides the Sacrament of the Lords Supper being a piece of instituted worship we are in the Administration of it to be guided according to the precepts given upon the institution and for the Administration of it and according to the example of the Lord Iesus Christ and his Apostles The example of Christ who first instituted it and gave us an example for the perpetuall celebration of it and of the Apostles who being the first who celebrated it questionlesse did it in the purest Order and most conformely to the will of Christ with which they were best acquainted Now I assume But for the Officers of the Church to give the Sacrament to such as are visibly scandalous though they be not excommunicated is for them to doe that in the worship of God which neither any precept nor example of Christ or his Apostles will justify them in doing Ergo. It is enough for us to affirme the minor till our opposites produce some precept or example of Christ or his Apostles justifying them in this practice In regard some are pretended I shall turn aside a little to examine the precepts or examples offered in the cause 1. Some think that our Saviours words Mark 14.23 Drink you all of it containes a command given by our Saviour to all to drink of the Sacramentall cup and so vertually a command to his Ministers to give it out promiscuously But let us before we grant this examine who those All were The twelve saith Mr Humfry we will examine that more strictly anon By all there out of all question are meant no more then all present and these were no more then the twelve if all of them which wants proofe too But suppose all the twelve were there yet not one of them was discovered to be a scandalous sinner but even Iudas himselfe was both in the Disciples eyes and in Christs eyes acting not as an omniscient God but as a Minister of the Gospell a visible Saint Which was the answer as I remember of Bonaventure I am sure of Halensis and Salmeron long since and is the generall answer of our Divines to that cavill Nor hath Mr Humfry in his Rejoinder said any thing to prove Iudas then scandalous for though as Erastus noted before him he had then treason in his heart and supposing that to be true which Erastus and Mr Humfry so much plead but I searce beleeve that he had before covenanted with the High Priests yet all this was secret and he was not discovered till upon Christ giving him the sop he asking is it I Christ said thou saiest it and that reply of Christ was before as some think Grotius well observes that Christ did but whisper
intruders upon Christs Office Pharisees Bedlams Hot-spurs Spiritually proud Hypocrites This is but barking and grinning for want of teeth fit to bite and thus they may vapour a little under the protection of an impudent forehead proclaime their want of learning and breeding too to the world and shew their teeth against Gospell reformation and deceive some poore filly soules first led captive with their own lusts but they will not deserve any sober mans taking further notice of them then when he goes to God to say on the behalf of their poore soules Father forgive them they know not what they do See many more Arguments shortly propounded in learned Zanchies Epistle ad Fredericum tertium de Excommunicatione as also in Vrsini compendium doctrinae Christianae p. 2. de clavibus q. 3. sect 11. CHAP. XI QUEST 2. Whether ministeriall or privative Suspension be deducible from Scripture yea or no. I Opened the termes of this Question before In short it is thus Whether in no case it be lawfull for the Pastor of the Church not having a formed Presbytery if he knows any of his Church to be ignorant or scandalous to deny to them the Sacrament of the Lords Supper though they be not excommunicated nor juridically censured Before I speake to this Question that I may not be mis-interpreted I will crave leave to premise some few things 1. I grant that the most regular and orderly way of administring the Ordinance of the Lords Supper in Congregations is by the triall and judging of all the members by a Presbytery consisting of the Minister and Ruling Elders I looke upon Elders as an Ordinance of Jesus Christ and Officers equally betrusted with the Minister in all acts of jurisdiction and to a regular and ordinary suspension questionlesse an act of Jurisdiction is required 2. I plead not for the sole power of Jurisdiction to be in the hands of a single Minister this were to set up an Episcopacy yea more than an Episcopacy almost a papall power in every Parish as I thinke Ruling Elders are equally with him betrusted with the power of Jurisdiction and Government so I thinke they must joyne with him in juridicall suspending c. 3. I speak this and the sourth as my own private judgement and shall not go about to impose such a perswasion upon others not knowing what upon further thoughts I â—y selfe might judge in these cases but at present only thus limiting my question I plead not for Ministers power in such places where are persons fit to be chosen as Officers who shall refuse the Office or people who shall refuse to choose I thinke in such a case a Minister may lawfully forbear the administring the Ordinance and giving Gospell-Priviledges to those who despise any Gospell-Ordinances or shall deny any Gospell duty yea I cannot tell whether a Minister could discharge a good conscience in administring at all to such a people till the Lord had changed their hearts and convinced them of their duty and their sin in refusing it being a scandall to all well ordered Churches 4. I would not plead strongly for his power in this thing in a Congregation who had none fit to choose but were scituated so nigh to some rightly organized Church that they could conveniently go and partake there I rather thinke it the Ministers duty in such cases to perswade those who in his Congregation are fit for the Ordinance to joyne themselves to such a Church as to that Ordinance and were it my own case if I saw that Church walked orderly and kept the Ordinances pure I my selfe would not only perswade my people so to joyne but my selfe rather so joyne than set up any extraordinary course 5. In case there were a formed Classis of Triers either established by the Civill power or by a voluntary agreement of the godly Ministers in a County which used to meet so neare the Congregation that the godly people could go and submit to their triall I do prefer this before a Ministers single Examination and Judgement But in such a case as this now Where there is in a Congregation a godly Minister and a competent number of godly people to make up a Communion at the Lords Table and these people are willing to do what in them lies to put themselves in order and to choose Elders and wish from their soules that they had some to choose but at present they have none nor are like to have any suddenly nor are nigh any Organized Church with which they can enjoy the Ordinance nor any Classis to which they can approve themselves Whether now in such a case as this the Minister may not administer the Ordinance and not only admonish the ignorant and scandalous to keep away but take account of his peoples knowledge and take all due courses to be informed of their lives and if he finds any ignorant and scandalous that notwithstanding admonition will presume to come whither he may not yea whether he ought not to deny the Elements to him 6. I heartily wish that either by the Civill power or a voluntary act of the people parochiall Congregations were so united that in every Precinct there might be found persons fit for Officers 7. I thinke in such cases a Minister should act with a great deale of prudence I would in such a case do nothing as neare as I could without the satisfaction of the Community I meane not being acted by their vote but stating the businesse to them first at some meeting and if it were possible gaining their consent and approbation And these things premised I humbly conceive that a Minister of the Gospell in such a cause may by vertue of his Office wanting a Presbytery deny the administration of the Elements to any such as he shall judge ignorant and be able to prove so scandalous as if he had a Presbytery he might be juridically suspended I shall humbly propose my grounds for my opinion in it which yet is not mine alone In such a case as this a Minister may either wholly omit the Ordinance or else administer it promiscuously to all be they never so ignorant or scandalous or else thirdly by his own power thus deny it to such as he finds so But in such a case he may not wholly omit the administration of the Ordinance nor secondly administer it promiscuously Ergo. The disjunction cannot be denied for there is no fourth expedient can be found but the way of our dissenting brethren and but some of them neither that all the members should have power which I can never yeeld to till they can tell me whoshall be the Ruled if all be Rulers But of my Brethren who are of the Presbyterian perswasion there are two different opinions 1. Some thinke that in such a case he is bound wholly to omit the administration till he can have a Presbytery I must crave leave to dissent here And I thinke Mr Jeanes hath said enough to