Ministry by the Holy Ghost it appears by the words whereto I have called them and yet he saies Separate them for the work which was done accordingly in the next verse 4. They fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them and so sent them away Where you see the orderly proceeding of the Holy Ghost in making the Ministers of the Gospel when he appoints them that were internally called by him to receive an external Calling by the hands of Men. For a Man then to run from his Shop and rush into the Pulpit to leave the Cart and leap into the Chair of Moses to live by the Sword of War and handle the Word the Gospel of Peace and that without Authority is such a presumption as was scarce heard of in the Primitive times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For Laymen to preach saith a Bishop in Eusebius is a thing not heard of before and yet he spoke it of Origen a Man of extraordinary gifts and learning and some judge and that not without cause his many Errours to be Gods just judgement upon him for that his presumption No marvel then if illiterate Idiots Men and Women in our times become the Broachers of so many blasphemous Errours and Heresies usurping that holy Function in which without a lawfull Calling none can expect a blessing I have been long going through the entry of my Text The second partition of the Text. but you see what crouds of Opposites stood in my way which now having passed I shall bring you to the Dining-room the second Partition where are Nuptiae Paratio the Quality of the Feast a VVedding and the fitting and making it ready for the Guests He said unto his Servants The Wedding is ready And first of the Quality of the Feast The Quality of the Feast A Wedding which he intimates in the Wedding more plainly explicates in the fourth verse saying I have prepared my Dinner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek the best thing that I have and that is the sacrifice of Christ's Body sometimes called the Paschal Lamb and the fatted Calf in the Parable of the Prodigal here figured by his Oxen and Fatlings that were made ready for in the sacrifice of these things was Christs death shadowed under the Law So that Christ crucified is all that is here understood and made a Feast for our Souls he being in the Sacrament both Sponsus Convivium Bridegroom and Feast as he was at his Death both Sacerdos Sacrificium both Sacrifice and Priest But before we come to the Dinner How the Bride and Bridegroom were coupled Eph. 5.12 Christus ex purissimis sanctissimis Virginis sanguinibus copulavit sibi carnem animatam anima rationali per Spiritum Sanctum creans Pet. Lomb. lib. 3. dis 3. c. 1. Hos 2.19 it is meet I speak first of the Marriage and shew how the Bride and Bridegroom were coupled together and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Paul saies a great Mysterie for I speak of Christ and his Church Jesus Christ the onely begotten and dearly beloved Son of God is the Son of the great King as you heard He came forth as a Bridegroom out of his Chamber of Heaven and took to VVife the Catholick Church here on Earth Of which mystical Match and matchless Union that Royal Preacher King Salomon made that Nuptial Song of the Canticles The sanctified VVomb of the Virgin was the Chappel where the Matrimonial Knot was tyed The Holy Ghost the Priest that joyned them together by uniting to the Son of God the Humane Nature This his Conception was the inception of the Wedding The Communion betwixt Christ and his Church the Continuation which lasts with his Spouse so long as the World endures I will marry thee to me in faithfulness saith he and in righteousness loving-kindness and mercy And at the end of the World shall be the Consummation of this Marriage when Christ shall come again and take his Bride home to his Fathers house to live with him for ever in Heaven And then it shall be said Let us be glad and rejoyce Rev. 19.7 for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her self ready For this Wedding great feasting was made in Heaven and on Earth The Marriage feasts publick and private The Angels the Friends of the Bridegroom held a Festival of Joy and Gladness in Heaven when they saw this Match go forward Luk. 2. and sung that Nuptial Hymn Glory be to God on high on Earth peace and good will among Men. At the Conversion of a Sinner which to the Bridegroom is the uniting of a Member to his Church Luk. 15. Rev. 3.20 Salmeron tract 23. de parab hac Hic est sensus literalis hujus parabolae quae ad coenam Eucharistiae ad quam vocati sunt omnes pauci acccdunt extendi potest Orig. Euthym. Author imperfecti operis c. sec undum Terinum in Iocum Luk. 14.16 1 Cor. 11.10 1 Cor. 11.24 Do this in â—ememâ—rance of â—e â—ev 19.7.8 is merry chear in Heart and in Heaven Joy in Heaven among the Angels over one Sinner that repenteth and joy in the heart of the penitent Sinner which is that the Bridegroom meaneth when he saies He stands at the door of the heart and knocks by the Finger of his Spirit and if any will open to let him in he will sup with him bringing good chear with him even the comfort that comes of the free pardon of his sins In Heaven and in Heart this Chear is made but the Marriage-feast of my Text may best be applyed to the spiritual refreshing of Souls by means of the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments of the Gospel in the Temple And that chiefly of the Eucharist by the consent of many Interpreters the Sacrament of Christ's Body and Blood exhibited under the signs of Bread and Wine to nourish our Souls to Everlasting Life This is the Feast of Fat things full of Marrow and of VVine upon the Lees which the Lord promised to make to all People in the Mountain of the Lord of Hoasts which is his Church Isa 25.9 St. Luke calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great Supper and St. Paul the Supper of the Lord because first instituted and administred by the Lord himself at Supper-time Of which he gave a special charge to his Apostles and their Successors to act over the mysterious rites thereof for a memorial of him till his coming again at the end of the World when he shall take his Bride and lead her in a Triumphant manner into the Bridechamber of Heaven where the marriage-feast of the Lamb shall be consummated To which the Bride shall dress her self with fine white Linnen which is the Righteousness of the Saints and all the Congregation of Heaven shall sing Allelujah and say Let us 〈…〉 of the Lamb is come and his VVife hath made her self ready But
now shall the Apostles Successors under a pretence of Reformation teach onely and not feed Understand all these pasce's of feeding Ore with the Doctrin of the mouth none of them opere with the example of the works or if that None re Sacramenti with the Sacrament of Christs body and blood which is the onely proper feeding indeed Such Pastors are Ministers of Gods word onely and not of the Sacrament at least not of the supper of the Lord. They have forgotten one part of their function these twelve years together whereby they starve the souls they have taken in Charge The Lord amend it that it be not laid to their charge in the day of judgment THE THIRD SERMON IN my last I made known the good pleasure of God the King to have the marriage feast of his son or the Sacrament of his body and bloud duly made ready for his people according to the practise of the Primitive Church in the purest times After which I made my address to those Ministers that neglect or refuse to make ready this feast and answered their plea on their peoples behalf Now I shall have the opportunity my beloved in Christ to make my application to you You have heard what the readiness of the wedding requires at the Ministers hands 2 Use to the Communicants Now more briefly say what will be expected from thence of you the Communicants And that is a readiness also in you that are called to come to the feast The King said unto his servants Tell them that are bidden I have prepared my dinner and all things are ready come to the marriage ver 4. A readiness there must be of mind to accept his kindness without running another way to the farm on Merchandice And more then that too There must be a Dressing and making of your selves ready answerable to the solemnity of the wedding The King overlooks the guests when they are come in and finding one there without his wedding Garment checks him for it How camest thou in hither not having made thy self ready 11. with thy wedding Garment 12. Nay more then checks condemns him to be manacled and fettered 13. and so cast into utter darkness where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth The heaviest censure that can be pronounced to be excommunicated and cast out into that horrid place of hellish torments No porticipation no presentation ought to be at this feast without due and fitting preparation Gen. 41.14 Joseph changed his garments when he came out of prison to appear before Pharoah King of Egypt put of his sorded habit and put on sweeter So must they do that appear at this banket before the King of Glory They must deponere aponere put off and put on put off the forded habits of their sins and put on a resolution of reformation of life Ephes 4 22.24 or as St. Paul hath it put off the Old man with the deceiveable lusts and by faith put on the new man Christ Jesus which is after God created in righteousness and holiness Colos 3. 12. Put off all these sayes he anger wrath malice 13 and filthy Communication out of your mouths 14. and put on as the Elect of God the bowels of mercy tenderness humbleness of mind meekness long suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another but above all things put on Charity which is the bond of perfection Of which vertues and graces the wedding Garment of Sanctification is woven and wrought though some frame it of Charity and some of faith onely yet the most make it the ornament of the spirits vertues and graces in the conversation without joined with a good conscience cleansed from sin within When God was to come down uppon mount Sinai Exod. 19. to give the Law he commanded Moses to sanctifie the people two dayes before and charge them to wash their cloaths and to be ready on the third day So when the Lord comes to make us a feast of sat things and refined Wine in mount Sion his Evangelicall Church They that set in Moses chair are to teach the people to sanctifie themselves by prayer and examination and charge them to wash themselves by tears of repentance and contrition and so be ready against the time which if they do accordingly they shall not be Shent for coming without their wedding garment As guests thus must we all fit and prepare our selves and not only so but more precisely than ordinary guests Every soul is here at this wedding to present it self as a Bride ready trimmed to meet with her Bridgroom decked with the costly ornaments of Christs active and passive merits which he hath given it and with those pretious Jewels of the spirits gists and graces In a word adorned we must be with the righteousness of Justification and Sanctification But without these how disguised and disfigured do people appear in Gods sight when they come before him with ulcerous sores uppon their consciences and in the uncleanly raggs of their own unrighteousness And if they shall come as men go now adayes with the halting feet of Newtrality eyes blinded through errors and ignorauce ears dear to Gods truth tongues dumb in his prayses with the wry-neck of aversness black-mouths through blasphemy blew-teeth of envy hands full of bloud and bribery They must look for no better welcome than the five foolish Vergins to whom the Bridegroom said Depart from me ye workers of Iniquity I know you not Or the guest here that wanted his wedding garment whom the King commanded to be bound in chains and cast into utter darkness where is weeping and gnashing of teeth But I would be loath to tire out your Attension with a matter of such ordinary Observation you are not unacquainted with the danger of unworthy Receiving which there is no way to prevent but by preparation before you come not by Renegation when you are called They that do so and absent themselves to prevent the danger of unworthiness in Receiving fall into another as bad and incur the Kings censure of unworthiness for Refusing who said unto his Servants the wedding is ready but they that were bidden were not worthy Which leads to the third partition of the text where the King sits in Judicature upon the Recusants Of whom there is The third Partition Observation how dangerous it is to refuse the grace offered in the word preached Zach. 7. Querela Censura The Kings Complaint and his Censure His complaint is that they were biden intimating that they came not or else why should he complain that they were biden when God sends to call us he looks we should come is grieved if we come not The son of God sighed that the tender of his Grace was not accepted Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem that killest and stonest the Prophets how oft would I have gathered thee as an hen doth her chickens under her wings and they would not come
THE KINGS CENSURE UPON RECUSANTS THAT Refuse the SACRAMENT of the Lords Supper Delivered in three SERMONS CONTAINING A Refutation of some dangerous common errors And a Remonstration of the Duties of Administration and Participation of that Holy Sacrament Proving the Necessity of receiving it Reproving the Neglect and contempt of it Disproving the Exceptions and excuses alleged against either the giving or taking of it Set forth to publick view for the hungry and thirsty Souls sake that desire to be satisfyed By Thomas Marshal Minister of the Doctrin and Sacraments of the Gospel 6. Ioh. 53. Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his bloud ye have no life in you 22. Luke 19. This do in remembrance of me LONDON Printed for Francis Cowles in the Old-Baily 1654. To the antient standing Clergy of our Church Presbyterians Independents or by what other Names and Titles else they be distinguished Reverend and Beloved Brethren LEt it not offend you if after so many years distraction and contention to find out a Reformation of things in the Church I mind you to return again to your selves and enter into serious consideration how little good we have done in that and with what ill success we have managed our undertakings whereby through our manifold divisions we have brought contempt upon our persons almost to the levelling of the Ministerial function disolv'd the Unity and defaced the Beauty of the fairest of all the Reformed Churches even in the judgement of * Florētissima Anglia ocellus Ecclesiarum peculium Christiani singulare c. Horrore toti concutimur ad versam hanc pulcherrimam Ecclesiae inter vos faciem c. in the Letter penned by Dr. Deodate to the late Assembly of Divines 1 Cor. 11. Geneva from whence we were to take our pattern exposed the essential marks of the Church to be shot at and beaten down The Doctrine which was pure obscured with many errors The Sacrament which were rightly and duly administred to be many ways abused and disused even those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those reverend mysteries as the antients tearmed the Elements in the Eucharist to be undervalued and vilified by some as Christs bloud and the chalices given by Constantine were by that unhappy Foelix which God avenged with vomitting bloud night and day until he dyed These things as they cannot but sadly afflict the Souls of all good Christians so should they excite all faithful Ministers in their several places to endeavour their Reformation according to the Primitive pattern and institution more particularly for redress of things amiss in and about the Holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper which is the subject of this ensuing discourse to look to the first Institution as St. Paul did in the same case of our Saviour wherein he straightly charged his Apostles and their Successors hoc agere to do this in remembrance of him In which word he gave us a Commission for two things Immitation and Intention Imitation of all his Sacrament alactions blessing taking breaking giving eating and drinking the Bread and Wine and the Intention to do these in remembrance of him or to continue a memorial of his death and passion This was our Lord and Saviours last Will and Testament at his death thus to give himself body and bloud to poor hungry and thirsty Souls under the figures of Bread and Wine and shall we his Ministers take on us to be his Executors and not perform the will of him that dyed profess our selves his Stewards of whom as St. Paul says it is required that they be men faithfu and not dispense the Bread he gave to his family in due season 1 Cor. 4.2 Or shall we take on us to be Christs Amanuenses his Secretaries to draw the Articles of the Covenant betwixt him and his people which we do in our daily Preaching and not confirm it to their souls and consciences if we administer the Gospel without the Sacraments which are the Seals as too many do we give the hand-writing of the Covenant cancelled and defraud the people of their right This they do which follow not the example of his Sacramental actions And besides these others fail in the main Intention Christ bids do this in remembrance of him or of his death and passion which they simply do not which give the Sacrament to none but Proselites of their own Schism and faction and so use the Seal of the Covenant as a badge or cognizance to distinguish the members of their own gathered Churches or Conventicles If both the one and the other he that fails in the action and he that diverts the intention would impartially communicate this holy mystery of Christs Body to the Body of Christs Congregation our rents and Schisms would be sooner drawn up together and the people return to a better union in points of Religion which is the chief scope and endeavour of this following tractat which I present you with to peruse and submit to your impartial censure besecching him that gave the encrease to what Paul planted and Apollos watered to crown your studies with such happy success that you may by them knit the peoples hearts again in the union of Religion and the Communion of Christian love and affection that the Doctrin every where may from the leven of error and Heresy be refined the Sacraments to the right use and administration be restored the rod of Discipline may like Aarons blossom again and be replanted and the face of the Church which is now clouded and obscured may appear again in perfect beauty and be presented without spot or wrinckle at the day of our Lord and Masters second comming to whose Grace at that great day and always he commends you who is Your Brother in all Christian service and love Tho. Marshal The Bridegrooms Invitation to a Wedding Supper c. Matth. 22.8 And he said unto his servants Truly the wedding is ready but they that were bidden are not worthy THE word of God comes to us in Parables 1 Kings 14 3. like Jeroboams wife to the Prophet Ahijah with Cracknells and Hony But disguised and hard to be known There is in them sweetness of Speech but difficulty of Sense So that as none could expound Sampson's Riddle 14 Judges 18. but they that had plowed with his Heifer so it is given to none to expound Christs the antityped Sampsons Parables but them which have set their hand to his plough from which a looking back makes unfit for the Kingdom of God 13 Mat. 11 13. To you saith he it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them all things are spoken in Parables that seeing they may see and not perceive Now by the general sentence of them that expound these Mysteries 1 Tim. 1 17. The Parable of the King that made a marriage-feast for his Son is this The immortal invisible and only wise God is the King His Son
in their Doctrine and fellowship breaking of bread and praiers Christs sufferring once is sufficient for ever Once he appeared in the end of the World to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Heb. 9.26 But his Supper that signifieth his suftering is often to be iterated The Sacrifices under the Law were the daly Figures of his Death to the people till he came into the World So ought this Sacrament to be since he suffered till he comes again at the end of the World 2 Cor. 11 26. As oft as you eat this Bread and drink this Cup of the Lord you shew the Lords death till he come Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as oft implies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an often and not a seldom receiving This did the Apostles daily at first make ready this Feast for their Congregation Acts 2.12.46 For they continued daily with one accord in the Apostles Doctrine Communion breaking of Bread and Prayers where breaking of bread is not meant of Common but consecrated Bread by the common consent of Interpreters Calvin's Reason amongst the rest gives good satisfaction St Luke here relates those things saith he quibus publicus Ecclesiae status continetur Acts 2. wherein the publique state of the Church consists Imo hic quatuor not as exprimit ex quibus vera genuina facies Ecclesiae dijudicare queat Nay here the Evangelist fets down Four Markes or Notes whereby the true genuine Face of the Church may be discerned that is Apostolicall Doctrine Communion among the Members the breaking of Bread in the Sacrament and publike praiers in the Church Hic nobis ad vivum depicta est Ecclesiae imago Here is set out to the life the Image of Christ's Church What face of a Church is there then in all Conventicles and many Congregations where the essential marks of Apostolical Doctrine and Sacraments are wanting Acts 20.7 These two as they met at often in the week-day as to their daily bread so chiefly on the Lords-day as to their Sundaies meal Upon the First day of the week which is the Lords-Day when the Disciples met together to break Bread St. Paul preached unto them The two principall duties of Religion wherewith a Christian Sabbath is Sanctified we find they there exercised the ministry of the Word and the administration of the Sacrament The primitive Christians after them in times of persecution made their breakfast of this bread wine every morning call'd it their Viaticum their wayfaring fâ—re to strengthen the inward man for the long journey in case they chanced that day to die and depart this World into another This Sacrament saith Tertullian commanded of God to all Decoron-Militis we take in antelucanis coetibus in our meetings before Day at the hands of none but the President of the Congregation In Epist And in times of Peace they made it their Sunday dinner and took it every Lords-Day St. Basill saith they communicated in his time foure daies in the week 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the Lords Day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the Wednesday 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the Friday and on the Saturday which was the Jews Sabbath however before his time he saies they received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every Day in the Week St. Augustine's judgement upon the Case of often communicating is worthy to be followed Quotidie Eucharistiam accipere nec laudo nec vitupero to receive the Holy Eucharist every day I neither praise it nor dispraise it Omnibus tamen diebus Dominicis communicandum hortor But I advise that there be a Communion every Lords-Day Qui vero in Natali Domini in Paschate Pentecoste non communicaverint vix catholici credantur But they which shall not communicate at Easter Pentecost and Christmas are scarce to be counted good Christian Catholickes Our Protestant Church of England following the steps of the Primitive had formerly a Communion service for every Lords day in the year and injoyned every Communicant to appear before the Lord at his Table 3 times a year at least in most great Congregations it was made ready 12 times a year and so held as a monethly Feast Monthly Weekly Daily in former ages and better times it was made ready And great reason is there for the frequent participation Reasons if we consider hut the Prerogative of this Feast and the Privileges we have by it First for Prerogative it is above all Feasts Civil Legal or Evangelical that ever were being all way since the first institution accounted the highest and holiest part of Divine service in the Church and had in greatest Honour and Reverence of all Christians for that it sets forth unto us the great Mystery of our Redemption lively representing before our eies that great and effectuall Sacrifice whereof all legal Offerings before were but types and shadows even the suffering of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ upon the Crosse for our sins The breaking of whose Body there is figured in the breaking of Bread here and the effusion of his Blood there expressed in the pouring out of the Wine here His Death and Passion all wholly represented in the Sacramental actions To which to be admitted though upon our knees we eat it is greater honour than to sit at meat with a King or Emperour The high prerogative of this Feast is one special motive to stirre up the devout servants of the great King to prepare it another is the happy Privileges we have by it As first the neerest Communion with God the King and his Son Jesus Christ and the Saints and Angells that can be here on Earth Contemplare obsecro adstat mensa Regia adest Rex ipse adsunt Angeli ministri tu oscitabundus adstas Consider and behold the Royall Table is before thee God the King is there present with thee the Angells waiting on him and thou poor hungry Soul art admitted to eat among them O cogita quali sis insignitus honore quali mensa fruaris O do but think then what honour thou hast to be admitted to feast at a Table with Jesus Christ Secondly Diet for our dying Souls My Flesh is meat indeed and my Blood is drink indeed saith our Saviour and he that eateth my Flesh Iohn 6.55 and drinketh my Blood shall live for ever And there is no such ready way to do that as to eat and drink in this Sacrament where the outward Elements are not only Figures to present but also Instruments which the Lord hath ordained to convey the things signified Christ and all his benefits Thirdly a renewing the Copy of our Pardon We daily sin and had need of a Pardon and that is here offered to be signed and sealed to our Souls and Consciences by the Blood of Jesus Christ Fourthly increase of Grace Faith is here strengthened Hope enlarged Charity confirmed Patience relieved Temperance prooved Chastity corroborated and all other vertues
which they that come to this feast contend for either granted or augmented Pet. Lomb. l. 4. dist 4. Adjutrix Gratia omnisque virtus augetur fomes peccati debilitatur As he said of the other so may 〈◊〉 of this all virtue is increased by it and concupisence diminished Briefly there is peace of Conscience freedom from the fear of Death the bondage of sin and Sathan and the pain of condemnation there is strength against temptation and certain hope and assurance of eternal life and salvation purchased by Christs death and suffering here signified and by this Sacrament signed and sealed He that dusy prepares himself for this Feast communes with his own heart calls himself to account for his by-past actions and errors examines his own state and resolves upon amendment of life so that he must needs grow in Grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ But where this mysticall marriage Feast is not made ready sin increaseth errour and Heresie springeth up Prophaness spreadeth Religion withereth Faith fadeth Hope fainteth Charity dyeth true knowledge of God decayeth Reformation goes backward and the danger of Death and Damnation is incurred And thus having made known the good pleasure of the great King to have the Wedding in readiness for his Guests Application First to the Ministers of the feast I shall now for application address my self first to the Servants that minister and expostulate with them the reason of their remisness or rather refusall to do that part of their office in making the Feast ready and then after that speak a word or two to the Guests to make themselves ready for the Feast when it is ready for them And the servants I mean are not all that minister about Holy things but only those which have polluted the Commemorative Sacrifice of the Lord saying with those prophaning Priests Malac. 1.7 The Table of the Lord is not to be regarded They had no regard to the sacrifice these to the sacrament both figurative Feasts of Christs death they cared not what was offerred these care not though nothing be ministred at all to the people And these are they who have sequestred the bodily bread from the Pastors the right owners and since they came into their places have sequestred at their pleasure also the bread of Christs Body which is the life of their Souls from the Parishioners which were their charges and debarred them quite of that right since the Barres that were an offence to some were taken away From henceforth then let them enveigh no more against the Priests of Rome for abridging the Laity of the Cup one half of the Feast when we have them in England that do a great deal worse and deprive them of all both Cup and Bread too And what 's the cause we might not know a long time but as if we were in a confusion like those tumultuous Ephesians Acts 19. The Presbyterians plea against giving the Sacrament answered some cryed one thing and some another and as they knew not the cause why they were met together so the people might not know the cause why they might not meet together Pretences we hear of some rather than causes which have more of will than weight in them One is the peoples unworthiness but this will not excuse their willfullness in not doing their office First touching the peoples unworthiness through sin and ignorance The King makes ready his dinner and sends out his servants to call the Guests though they that were bidden he saies were not worthy And they that are unworthy in one respect may be worthy in another as you shall hear hereafter If we demand wherin lies their unworthiness now which they themselves counted worthy before they usually pretend though somwhat prejudicial to their late preaching the peoples sin and Ignorance which will not be rectified by this long abstinence from the food of their Souls which would make them grow in Grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ but Ignorance in part Note and sin whereof men repent hinder not any of the efficacy of Christ's death nor make them unworthy of that Sacrament The Disciples were ignorant of many things had many infirmities and sins yet Christ made ready this Feast for them They were ignorant of Christs Kingdome dreamed of a temporal Kingdom hoping to atchieve to themselves great Offices and Honours and this bred great emulation among them Ignorant they were of Christ's Resurrection knew not as yet that Christ must rise from the dead nay I question whether they well understood his Passion The Son of man Iohn 20.9 saith he shall be delivered up to the Gentiles and shall be mocked and spitefully intreated and spitted on and they shall scourg him and put him to death and the third day he shall rise again Luke 18.32 33. Of which St. Luke saies they understood none of these things and the saying was hid from their eyes Nay among these was one worse than any is or can be among us Judas the Traitor a Thief a Devill Our Church seemed to say so that he was there in the Exhortation before the Communion Take heed lest after the taking of that holy Sacrament the Devill enter not into you as he entered into Judas and fill you full of all iniquity and bring you to destruction of Body and Soul St. Augustine saies it and that with reason for it Tunc intravit in eum Satanas quando indigne Corpus Christi suscipiens judicium sibi manducavit bibit Then entered the Devill into Judas when receiving the Body of the Lord unworthily he eat and drank his own damnation And the Evangelists include him among the rest making no mention of his departing till supper was ended When Even was come Jesus sat down with the twelve saith Matthew Matth. 26.25 Mark 14.20 of which number Jndas was one and bade them all drink not Judas excepted Mark saies the Betrayer dipped with him in the dish But St. Luke makes express mention of his remaining after the Sacrament For after Jesus had given the Bread and the Wine Luke 22.19 20. it follows in 21. The hand of him that betrayeth me is on the Table Surely then they that profess Christianity may be admitted to this holy Feast Note though unworthy by reason of sin and ignorance yet this may be done without prejudice to the Minister or Communicants 1 Cor. 11.29 The worst is to themselves who thereby eat and drink their own damnation No Communicants are to be debarred unless openly scandalous and detected That 's St. Augustine's Rule in this case Note Si Christus ipse Judam passus est quem sciebat furem esse nec eum qui accusatus non est abjecit hoc exemplo uti oportet nec eum abjicere qui publice detectus non est If Christ suffered Judas whom he knew a Thief and should betray him and did not refuse him because
none did accuse him this example must we make use of and reject none that are not openly detected of sin and scandalous to the Congregations Many were faulty among the Corinthians but none excommunicated but the Incestuous who was scandalous Tripart hist lib. 9. cap. 30. St Ambrose would not connive in this case at the great Emperour Theodosius who by his rash Edict spilt the blood of seven thousand Citizens the Innocent perishing together with the guilty but excluded him though not in a compulsive but a perswasive way from the Lords Table and Temple for eight Moneths space till he had with tears washed the stain of Blood from his Conscience and given good testimonie of his Repentance And so ought the Governors of the Church indeed to use the power of the Keies and inflict their Censure upon blood-shedders Fornicators and other open scandalous livers to bring them to a sense of their Sins and repentance of the same But to exclude all the Godly and religious as well as the openly vicious and notorious is an act of as litle mercy and discretion to the souls of poor Christians as that of Theodosius was to the lives and bodies of his Citizens he caused the innocent with the nocent to be put to death and these the worthy with the unworthy to be deprived of the bread of life If we had power to raise the faithfull Samuels of our Church which are dead and gone or recall a Councell of the antient fathers I verily believe that none of them upon these grounds would consent to this long suspension of the Sacrament Ours urged much ye know the due and fitting preparation to it and the frequent participation of it excluding none but the ignorant and offensive But the Antients less scrupling simplicity and ignorance gave it to Children and infants That they did so is not unknown in the time of Cyprian Innocentius Augustin and others and that they did as well in Europe as in Africa and Asia That which moved them to it was the saying of our Saviour 6 Joh. 53. Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of man and drink his Bloud ye have no life in you from whence they concluded not onely the spirituall but also the sacramentall eating and drinking necessary for Children and all that would live the life of Grace Besides other reasons they rendred That Children are capable of the benefits of Christs death and therefore ought partake of the signes of it in the Sacrament That they are members of Christ's mysticall body and therefore not to be abridged of that Communion whereby we are all one body Nay Christ say they invited them to his bodily presence Mark 10. saying Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not why should they not then be admitted to the signe of his body And though the modern Divines in all our Churches have changed that custome uppon Consideration of St. Pauls examination which he prescribeth every Communicant 1 Cor. 11.28 Which Children for want of the use of reason and discretion cannot do yet that may be answered like the Anabaptists argument against their Baptism when they plead they are uncapable through the want of saith and repentance namely That such things are required before Sacraments onely in them that have the use of reason and are grown up to years of discretion not in Children I deny not that Children have all the benefits of Christs death in their Baptism which is the proper Sacrament for them But for my part I should rather follow the practice of the Fathers in their charitable judging Children worthy than our Presbyters in their uncharitable censuring all Men and Women under their charge unworthy of that sacred Mysterie Christ ordained to be a means to convey his merits and they at their entrance upon their Ministry undertook to dispense to them in that Sacrament But this is not all the Peoples unworthiness The second pretence Not to give the Sacrament for want of due Fxamination answered but another Exception is they come not to them to Examination and St. Paul saies Let a Man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. Mr. Calvin and his Fellows whom the Presbyterian Reformadoes follow perceiving what a Jewel they have lost of Auricular Confession which hangs still at the Priests ears in the Church of Rome would fain recover this loss and by strict examination before the Communion unlock the Cabinets of counsels and skrew themselves into the secrets of their Peoples hearts the best way that can be devised to keep them in awe under their new Discipline But to make any imperious search or scrutinie into other Mens Consciences is not St. Paul's sense but that every Man should look into his own He saies not Let the Pastors examine the Parishioners that indeed was an antient and usefull way to instruct and prepare the younger sort and such as were to be catechized but as speaking to well-grounded Communicants he saies Let every one examine himself 1 Cor. 11.28 and so eat of this Bread c. In the new constituted Church of Corinth there were Offendors of many sorts and them that had need of purgation as well as we Some that were ignorant 1 Cor. 15.34 Some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame Some that said there was no Resurrection 5.1 Fornicators there were and Contentious persons 6.1 that went to Law before Infidels 1 Cor. 3.3.4 11.21 Carnal persons that were makers of Sects and Schisms given to envy strife and divisions and some that he taxes for Drunkenness and irreverence at the Lords Table And for remedy of these iniquities and enormities he prescribes not an Enquiry to be made by the Presbyters into the Lives and Consciences of these Sinners but that every one who best knows his own iniquity should examin his own heart 11.28 Let every Man examin himself c. And that to teach and exhort the People to do with the manner how is the duty of them that have the charge of Souls and to admonish them of the danger if they suspect them unworthy but not to refuse to make preparation of the Feast for their sakes unless first they come all to them to Catechize and Examination before their Elders A thing which most of themselves are loath to do and turn the point of Examination upon themselves which is the hindrance rather as some suppose For how can he that hath thrust himself into anothers Place and Possession without a rightfull Investiture put that subsequent Interrogatory in the Text to himself Quomodo hùc intrasti which the King did here to him that came without his Wedding-garment and say to his own Soul How camest thou in hither This before that be received which we speak of is a thing to be thought of must be repented of and what is wrongfully detained Augustin must be restored
Si res aliena reddi potest non redditur poenitentia non agitur sed fingitur He that repents before he receives and restores not if he have it in his power is no true Penitent but an Hypocrite and cannot without danger of damnation to his Soul take that holy Sacrament But if we had power to examine them as they would others 3 Their chiefest reason for the cause of their Discipline answered and search the depth of their hearts for the cause of their suspension of the Sacrament all this while from the People we should find it is for the promoting of their intended Discipline Of which they would beget such a reverend esteem in the hearts of Men while they delay it till their Lay Elders be elected and their Classes erected as if the right Administration of this Sacrament depended onely on that rigid Government and all Christians for 1500 years together and more were in some errour to follow Christ's first Institution before Geneva found out this new Invention And how false a Supposition that is will plainly appear if we examine all those Texts in the New Testament wherein the Administration of the Sacrament is recorded without the least mention of this pretended Discipline We have the first Institution of it by our Saviour Matth. 26.26 27. Luk. 22.16 17. where none will say any needfull rite was wanting for the more effectual receiving and we find the Master and his Disciples there with a precept to do this in remembrance of him but no Lay Elders to take the Disciples into examination And yet it may be supposed some there had need to be searched and by the strict rules of their ruling Elders to be secluded for their ignorance as was before intimated and their ambition and emulation This was a pattern for all succeeding Administrations and yet we find neither expression in the Text nor collection from the Text of any Elders doing this office either of admission of any to or of suspension of any from that Sacrament If they have any unwritten Tradition for it they may produce it and we will promise them for affinities sake in Doctrine to be more inclined to credit it than those proofs of that nature which our Adversaries of Rome sometimes make their refuge when they are hard put to it in Disputation From the first go along to the second from the Master's first Institution to the Apostles his Ministers first Administration set down Act. 2.42 They continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship in breaking of Bread and in Prayer Where breaking of Bread by the common consent of Expositors is not understood of Common but Bread consecrated And now the Apostles had a full Congregation of 3000 Souls newly converted ver 41. in which number there was choyce enough for such Church-Officens if their Examination and Approbation had been so absolutely necessary before the Communion a but we find not a word there to make good their Assertion who suspend the Sacrament for want of a setled Eldership to prove and approve of them that are fit to receive it No nor in the third place Act. 20.7 where the first day of the week seems to be set apart for this service of the Sacrament Vpon the first day of the week the Disciples met together to break Bread which is there mentioned tanquanâ— opus diei in die suo as the proper business of the day and yet not a tittle that inferrs a censure passed before by the Elders upon the Receivers The Evangelist tels how upon that day the Disciples came together to break Bread but saies nothing of ruling Elders that appoint who shall eat it And lastly if we consult the faithfull Apostle more copious in 1 Cor. 11.20 than any of the Evangelists in this Mysterie we find him silent in this Office of Eldership for which he had been blame-worthy undertaking as he doth ver 23. to make a true relation of that he had received from the Lord Jesus Christ touching this holy Communion if he had left out so needfull a preparative as that of the Elders whereon the whole Administration dependeth Nay I shall say more it is apparent from that Epistle that there was then no such order in the Church For there was an Incestuous person suffered to come into their Assemblyes 1 Cor. 5.4 5. till St. Paul sent out his Excommunication against him which they were to put in execution in a full Congregation 6.1 There were Contentious persons that went to Law before Infidels Sectaries 1.12 that cryed up their several Teachers Idolaters 8.10 that eat in the Idols Temple Hereticks that denied a Fundamental of Faith 15. the Resurrection of the Body And an instance there is of some overtaken with Drunkenness one of their great exceptions not that fell through infirmity into that sin at some time before but even when they came to that reverend Mysterie 11.21 Some come hungry and some come drunken Now where were the Lay Elders whose Office it is to keep the Door and prevent such prophanation None appear in the Text no nor were at all in that time which makes the Apostle take another course to redress these abuses and apply the remedy to the Conscience of every Communicant 11.28 saying Let every Man examine himself before he eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. He advises not the Ministers in this mixture of many unworthy Receivers to suspend the Sacrament altogether till the Congregation be purged by the assistance of Elders in a Court of Judicature but puts the Case over to the Court of Conscience wherein every Communicant is to censure himselfe and upon his repentance and purpose of amendment take that holy Sacrament Every word in holy Writ that sounded but that way they wrest to maintain their Covenant and if there were any such Warrant the Pulpits would ring on 't to defend their denial of this Sacrament But no Text of Scripture is found for Ministers to deprive their People of this Sacrament for want of Discipline no more than for Parents to withhold Bread from their Children till they have made ready for them a Rod to their minds But though Scripture they have none yet Reasons they have devised some to defend their Supposition which when they are removed there will be no Bar to the Lord's Board but they must come and dispence this Sacrament as well as we And the chiefest of their Reasons I have met with may be reduced under three heads for they are either ex parte Sacramenti ex parte Ministri vel ex parte Convivarum They have relation either to the Sacrament or to the Giver or to the Receivers To the Sacrament lest that should be prophaned to the Giver lest he should be prejudiced to the Receivers which are of two sorts worthy and unworthy lest the one should be scandalized and the other be condemned All which mischief they make account would