Scripture which is evinced from it by necessary consequence if it be there either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If Mr Boatman or any other will deny me that any thing is to be proved from Scripture but what is there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He makes our Saviour a very insufficient Logician who thus proves the resurrection Mat. 22.32 33. Mat. 22.31 32. and his Auditors very weake who the Evangelist saith were very well satisfied with the proofe And those who agree with the Anabaptists in that whimzy will be bound to reconcile that of St James James 5.4 to truth Iames 5.4 by shewing us where the Scripture saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The spirit that dwelleth in you lusteth to envy Yet the Apostle saith the Soripture saith it But I will suppose Mr Boatman 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 The Question stated it be in the power of that Presbyterie 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 Argument 1 My first Argument is this Holy things may not lawfully be given to Dogs 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 concorne 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
as David Let the righteous smite me c. they will returne evill for good they will ruine you if it be possible for going about to save them they will undoe you because you are so pittifull and mercifull to their erring and straying soules as to bring them to the right and true way Paragr 3 The whole Text briefly amounts to this Mr Boatmans sum of the Text and pretended vindication of it That it is to no purpose to deale with men of irreprovable and dog-like spirits these are not capable of reproofe and divine admonition and 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 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 henever 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 Doctrine The Doctrine which I shall gather hence is this Paragragh It is the duty of every Christian especially of every Minister to take heed to whom 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 sacred 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 Paragraph 5 For Reasons 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 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. Reasons First Truths not wisely dispensed holy reproofes not warily 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
to convince you if you refuse Thus he doth not only preach placentia but Placets too Surely he doth pretend something to an Enthusiastick spirit he could never else set off meere saies with such a confidence Sect. 3 In the next place he comes to tell what is meant by trampling This he saith speakes the ineffectualness of such holy and savoury truths So then our Saviours Reason is this Give not holy things to dogs and swine because they will prove uselesse and ineffectuall to them From whence I argue If then the Sacrament will be uselesse and ineffectuall to profane men that holy thing must not be given to them The reason holds as much for that as any Ordinance if not more In his third Paragraph he comes to sum up his fancies Animadv on Paragr 3. which he calls the sum of the Text That it is to no purpose to deale with men of irreprovable and dog-like spirits they are not capable of reproofe and divine admonition and 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 saith 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 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 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 Anricular 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
PROVOCATOR PROVOCATVS OR An answer made to an open Challenge made by one M. Boatman in Peters Parisâ—â—n Norwich the 13th of December 1654. in a Sermon preached there at a Fast in which Answer these Questions are spoke to 1. Whether Juridicall Suspension of some persons from the Lords Supper be deducible from Scripture the Affirmative is proved 2. Whether Ministeriall or Privative Sâ—spâ—nsion be justifiable the Affirmative also is maintained 3. Whether the Suspension of the ignorant and scandalous be a Pharisaicall Invention A thing which wiser Ages nâ—ver thought of 〈◊〉 Mr Boatman falsly affirmed In opposition to which is proved That it hath been the judgment and practice of the eminent Saints and servants of Christ in all Ages of all other Reformed Churches and our Church in all times To the whole Discourse is prefixed a Narrative Preface giving account of the occasion of this Tract containing the Notes of a part of Mr Boatmans Sermon preached Decemb. 13. with Animadversions upon it with the Authors Letter to him after the preaching of it to let him know he would accept his challenge and dispute with him and Mr Boatmans uncivill Letter refusing to dispute There are subjoyned two Appendices The first clearing up from Antiquity the severall Orders of the Catechumeni and Poenitentes which were in the Primitive Church suspended and not excommunicated as is fully proved The latter containes a Vindication of the first Argument upon the first Question from an impertinent Discourse of Mr Bâ—atmans in a Sermon March 28. where you have the said Sermon and Animadversions discovering the Magisteriall vanity of his interpretation of Mat. 7.6 and the Author is vindicated from the charge of delivering untruth from that Text. In the managing of the severall Arguments on the first and second Question there is also full answer given to what Erastus Mr Prinne or Mr Humfry have excepted to them By John Collings B. D. Preacher of the Gospell in Norwich Sciendum enim à sanctis Patribus ab hoc vel maximè constitutum ut mortaliter peccantes à Sacramentis Dominicis arceantur ne indignè ea percipientes vel majori reatu involvantur ut Judas quem post panem temerè à Magistro susceptum Diabolus dicitur pleniùs invasisse ut crimen quod prius scelerata praemeditatione conceperat jam sceleratissimo consummareâ— effectu vel nè quod Apostolus de Corinthiis dicit infirmitatem corporis imbecillitatem ipsamque mortem praesumptores incurrant ut à communione suspensi terrore ejus exclusionis quodam condemnationis Anathemate compellantur studiosius paenitentiae medicamentum appetere avidius recuperandae salutis defideriis inhiare Walafridus Strabo lib. de reb Eccles cap. 17. London Printed for William Francklyng Bookseller in Norwich 1654. Collegium Jesu Cantabrigiensi J700 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 SIR Your most humble and much obliged servant in the Lord Iesus J. COLLINGS Chaphyfield house April 19. 1654. 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 guest 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
party of the people elected him as their Pastor one hundred and eleven having before subscribed Master Carter a new Call promising to wait a yeare for him Diverse godly people dissented from the Election openly and the rather because he refused to satisfie them concerning his Ordination I shall referre to my Reader to enquire other passages concerning his Election About three weeks after Michaelmas he came to reside but before this he had declared himselfe for Episcopacy somthing plainly we suppose he was of another judgement when he preached at Hull He had also by this time declared himselfe to a Reverend Minister in the City for promiscuous communions and within a day or two after told a godly man pinching him upon that point that he should well see he was not for promiscuous communions soon after his comming to reside we had heard he had declared himselfe privately against Ruling Elders Presbyter haud amo te nec possum dicere quare Hoc tantùm possum dicere non amo te For his judgement in that point or indeed in any other it is not much considerable for we doe not thinke he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we can easily beleeve that we have more to say yea that more hath already been said to prove the divine Right of that O ficer in the Church then Mr Boatman can answer About the beginning of December after about six weeks residence amongst a people he had never seen before except as a guest for a forth-night nay and as I remember of that six weeks he was absent for a fortnight too He declares he intended to administer a Sacrament on Christmas day some honest people of his Congregation being dissatisfied at it went to him and told him so in regard of the superstitious conceit of that day which many in this City have One of his friends told me they had prevailed with him so far as that the next day he would unbid it againe but in stead of it the next Lords day in stead of unbidding it girding at those who had received this offence he openly proclaimes foure Sacraments together The first upon the eighteenth day of December the second upon the five and twentieth c. and proclaimed likewise a Fast Preparatory to them upon the thirteenth of December At which Fast Reader thou must thinke there was much people to see which way he would row though they needed not if they had considered the wind and tyde For my selfe I was not there having with some other of my Brethren refused to heare him who refuseth to let us know by what Authority he preaches and conceiving that the Pastorall Right to that people belongs not to him besides other things which discover him to us to be no friend to any kind of Reformation At his Fast he preached on Rom. 14.12 His discourse in the forenoone was harmlesse in the afternoon he disgorged himselfe I shall give thee a short account of that part of his Sermon which concernes this businesse as it was taken and given me by an ingenuous judicious Schollar from his owne mouth in short hand and by one who was before that Sermon much his friend An Account of the latter part of Mr Boatmans Sermon preached at St Peters in Norwich upon the 13th of December 1653. upon Rom. 14.12 being a perfect count of his Sermon from his last Use With short Animadversions upon it Sect. 1 SIxthly and lastly though I said but rather forgot when I said that that should be the last Take this Lesson from the point all in generall viz. the Apostles advice 1 Cor. 11. Judge your selves consider your selves aright lay things aright to heart condemne your selves else God will condemne you Passe a particular account with your selves but that you will say is impossible Who can tell his errors or number his infirmities Doe it as far as you are able and in a generall way take the whole burthen on your soules licke the dust cry out with Job I am exceeding vile humble your selves in dust and ashes And let me make the last Use more particular to alarum you to a preparation to the great Ordinance of the Lords Supper if you must give an account to God as you have heard of all your carriages and enjoyments of all the precious Ordinances of the Gospell of which the Word and Sacraments are not the least but of the highest nature then put your selves into a posture of humiliation thinke with your selves O God! how often have we eaten unworthily It is not one of the least serious thoughts I have entertained a great while together in relation to this Ordinance the generall want of it amongst the people of God in the Church of God it filleth me with wonder that it hath been so long suspended and almost all the Pastors of the Church of Christ so amused either their minds disturbed or their hearts hardened or by one way or other diverted that it hath been too void of the spirituall food of the Gospell The world dictates and cryes out one against such a Pastor others against such and such persons but will you have my verdict The sinne of Pastor and people in the enjoyment of that great Ordinance is the cause and ground that God hath found out a way and by a way of his owne finding out which a man would have thought at first should never have prevailed which hath hindred the people of the enjoyment of that great Ordinance of the communion of the body and bloud of Christ. Let this humble us This Paragraph containes little in it to the present purpose hitherto he is making way for his work but yet in this loose discourse to passe by the Tautologies and Grammaticall Errors here are some passages that speak not much of a Divine as to say That God hath found out wayes to hinder people of his Ordinances God indeed doth sometimes give up his people to spirituall judgment but it is scarce truth to say God finds out wayes for men to walke contrary to his will in surely man finds them out though God suffers them to walke in them But let us heare a little further Sect. 2 And you of this Flocke I beseech you by the mercies of Christ looke to it as you will answer me at the great day nay which is more to Jesus Christ himselfe how you approach Looke to your soules hearts and consciences you have lived under the Ministry and Administrations of able Pastors so long together and should you be ignorant of the rudiments of Religion I would not for a thousand worlds attribute so little to your constancy and your paines especially in such times nor in former viz so much as makes you capable of and fit for the Sacrament For my owne particular I question not your duty but beseech you according to the knowledge you have received seriously to prepare your selves take heed bethinke your selves humble your selves for your miscarriages heretofore in the enjoyment of
profane be admitted this he calls a pretty dreame and saies the Word is as much defiled c. To this I shall speake hereafter with Mr Boatmans leave though the Ordinance be not capable of any intrinsecall pollution yet the Communion is defiled by enduring profane persons in it 1 Cor. 5.6 if the Apostle knew what he said yea and the people that communicate are defiled if they do not their duty admonishing them informing the Church c. to be sure the Officers of the Church are defiled for it was their duty to have kept them away But Mr Boatman doth not remember any man got hurt by the presence of him that wanted the wedding garment nor shunned the roome for him only the Master came and turned him out 1. Before this will prove any thing to the purpose he must prove that the Supper there mentioned was the Lords Supper otherwise this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Secondly he must prove that that Guest did not only want the wedding garment but that he wore an open filthy garment an hypocrite wants the wedding Garment yet I know none say the presence of hypocrites defiles a Communion why because man cannot judge the heart but the question is whether the presence of gross sinners defiles the Communion or no 3. None saies the bare presence of a scandalous sinner defiles the particular soule of a private member but it defiles the Officers and the Communion 4. Mr Boatman doth remember the Master turn'd him out So it is Christs will belike none should be there but such as have the wedding garment and the question is whether he now he is ascended hath left us sufficient power to do his will as to such wanters of the wedding garment as our eyes can discover 5. Holy Mr. Ambrose thinks that Christ Ambrose his Media p. 260. turning out him who wanted the wedding-garment is a good Argument for to evince our duty to turne away such as appeare to us to want it we being in Christs stead his Embassadours Stewards c. But Mr Boatman tels us againe we have no such authority we will anon joyne issue with him in that point In the last place he exhorts his people to confession and renewing their Covenant and then he pronounceth his people all Holy to the Lord. I hope he meant in the largest sense of holinesse This Reader is a perfect account of that whole part of his Sermon which gave occasion to this ensuing Tract I confesse for my own part I heard it not no more did scarce any of our Ministers some of us being resolved first to be satisfied That he hath authority to preach which we have very good grounds to suspect he hath not but these notes were given me upon my desire by an ingenious young man who is a Schollar who tooke them in short hand from Mr Boatman's mouth and gives me leave Reader to tell thee that he will justifie that they are a true account of that part of his Sermon to Mr Boatman or any other I saw the severall other Notes taken by others though more imperfectly because taken in long-hand which yet have the same passages concerning Suspension and those who practice it If they be denied thou shalt have them in the next attested by six or seven more In the meane time I appeale to such Christians in this City as heard that Sermon whether those passages concerning Suspension and those who practice it be not faithfully recorded My selfe was that day employed in a meeting with other Ministers of the City I was no sooner returned home at night to my Study but there came to me foure or five honest men exceedingly troubled at the Sermon one of them almost in a rage professing he never heard so much audaciousnesse in a Pulpit they were indeed all very much troubled and read me their Notes The next day was my Lecture day in which I was to preach a preparation Sermon to the Sacrament perceiving that we had been so boldly challenged and so rudely reflected upon I thought it my duty to take notice of it and in my Sermon in thesi spake to it 1. Proving that Suspension of the ignorant and scandalous from the Lords Table though they were not Excommunicated was justifiable from Scripture 2. Proving that it was so far from being a pharisaicall dreame that it had been the judgement and practice of the Servants and Churches of God in all ages and of our owne ever since the first dawnings of Reformation amongst us in the daies of King Henry 8. This was carried to him and I heare that on the Lords day which was his first Sacrament day he was taken up with admiring the bold face of them who should say any such thing c. and that he quoted the Discipline of the French Church as a witnesse against Suspension how truly we will examine anon By this time the spirits of his friends were up and a great cry there was about the Towne that we could talke but durst not dispute with this new Champion he had challenged us all c. and in particular this was laid to my charge I confesse I had so much pride as to thinke him an adversary something below me but yet to stop his friends mouths and especially to vindicate the truth and Ordinances of God and our own practice from him by the advice of two or three Reverend Ministers upon the twentieth of December I drew up this ensuing Letter in the presence of two Reverend Ministers and read it to them and they approving it upon the 21. I sent it to him by the hands of two honest men his Parishioners The Letter follows Verbatim Sir I am credibly informed by the mouths of more than two or three witnesses which yet had been enough to have establish'd the thing that in a discourse this day seven-night you did first confidently maintaine 1. That Suspension distinct from Excommunication was a dreame of the Pharisees Secondly as confidently 2. Challenge any Minister in the world to shew you any ground for it from Scripture And had these things been spoken but once charity might have judged them Lapsus linguae but being repeated againe and againe and with a great deale of difference and averred and renewed since in private as I am assured all must conclude them errores mentis Nor have I heard it only as inculcated from your selfe againe and againe but from divers others who possibly some of them had need be of that large perswasion that you offer to dispute with any in the defence of it Sir I know not wherefore God hath set me in this City but to stand up for his glory and for the defence of his truth and Ordinances and though I have not been a man of war from my youth yet I must not now stand still and heare you defie the Churches and Servants and Ministers of the living God as Pharisaicall dreamers and this day after day These are
to be so before the Ordinance can be denied to them Secret things belong to God But to say that by Dogs here are only meant persons actually excommunicate is a meer shift to avoid a strong argument and but an idle dreame which hath no reality of truth in it and is justifiable neither from this Text nor any other Scripture But these men who are so zealous for the profanation of an Ordinance are observed very lazy as to the preserving the purity of Ordinances They must be excommunicated before you keep them from the Sacrament saith Mr Boatman so saies Mr Humfry but why doe not these tender men then take a course to declare such to be Dogs and Swine as are so and to cast them out Mr Boatman hath an Eldership established in his congregation why did he not first call them together and inquire the state of his slock and cast 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 sed 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 be trusted 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 some 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. â—51 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 Sacrament is secundum institutionem Christi cum ecclesiâ uti cupiunt il â—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. 81. 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 thriee 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 jeor 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
it would plainly prove that the sop was eaten by Judas two dayes before the Passeover was celebrated or the Lords Supper instituted and that Judas two dayes before was discovered scandalons to all the Disciples and that two dayes before he deserted Christ and the other Disciples onely if Mr Humfly could prove this it would stand him in hand to prove his coming back well to eat the the Passeover or the Supper 2. But we will yield him nothing he bids us look the margent of our Bibles the place we insist upon is Io. 13.30 where our ordinary Bibles have nothing in the margent so that in obedience to him we must tell him we have enquired but non est inventum in Bibltis nostris Indeed to the first verse of that chap. is affixed in marg Mat. 26.2 But thirdly he dreames that the Supper spoken of where Iudas had the sop was a Feast two dayes before the Passeover Indeed we read Mat. 26.1 2. Mar. 14.1 of some consultation of the Chiefe Priests two daies before the Passeover to take Christ But that there was any supper besides this at the Passeover will pose Mr Humfry to prove CHAP. VI. Containining a digression in which there is an attempt to prove that Christ did eat the Passeover two daies before the Jewes did eat it that yeare and that he was not crucified till the second day after he was apprehended and that at the Passover there was but one supper as is plaine by the comparing the Jewish order of celebration with the story of the foure Evangelists concerning this and that Iudas was not present at the Passeover nor the Supper IT seems to me very conducible towards the clearing of this matter of fact whether Iudas received the Supper or no to find out 1. What day Christ celebrated the passeover and instituted his supper 2. To examine the Iewish order of celebrating the Passeover and to compare it with what the Evangelists have concerning Christs actions in it Towards the first I shall offer these following considerations 1. It is cleer from Scripture that the time God set for the celebration of the Passeover was the 14 day of the first month at even Ex. 12.18 19. Lev. 23. v. 6. Num. 28.16 17. 2. It is as cleer that it was to be 7 dayes in all which time they were to eat no unleavened bread 3. Dr Lightfoots Temple service cap. 12.4 The Lambe at least for the first Passover was taken up the tenth day whether this held or no is doubted and by many denyed it was at first Ex. 12.7 4. It is cleare that the Jewes reckoned the beginning of their day from the setting of the Sunne the night before 5. When the daies of unleavened bread should have begun it is cleer Lev. 23 6. on the fifteenth day they were to eat unleavened bread that is from the evening succeeding Sun-set the fourteenth day Therefore Ex. 12.18 19. it is said on the fourteenth at evening you shall eat unleavened bread which fourteenth at evening was the beginning of the fifteenth and that is clear for they were to end the 21 at even and to hold but seven daies Grotius in Mar. 6. Dr Willet in Ex. 12.9 7. Grotius saies there were eight daies of unleavened bread So Iosephus tels him But Dr Willet tels us Iosephus must not be credited in it it being expresly against Scripture Rupertus is in the same error but we must not yield it 6. Yet because on the fourteenth day they kill'd the Passeover and at even began the first of unleavened bread it is plaine they called the fourteenth day the first of unleavened bread and so saith Dr Lightfoot it is called in Scripture Dr Light Tem. service cap. 12. in the New Testament and so it is called both by Mark and Luke The first day of unleavened bread when the passover was killed Saint Luke when the Passover ought to be killed So that in strict account the dayes of unleavened bread began not till the Sun-set of the fourteenth day yet in vulgar reckoning they began before and the whole fourteenth day was so called 7. And I conceive for another reason which both Buxtorf and Dr Lightfoot hint us ibid. Buxt synag Iud. cap. 12. and that was a custome the Jewes had to send an Officer assoon as ever Sunne was set on the thirteenth day to search for leaven in all houses which he did narrowly with Candles and this search continued till the next day at noon at which time they threw what they found this way and that way Hence I conceive the whole space of time from the thirteenth at Sun-set till the fourteenth at Sun-set was called the first of unleavened bread not that it was strictly so but that it was called so from this fashion And in this Grotius in Mat. 26.17 Grotius agrees with me though not upon this reason It is plain both by Mark and Luke that the fourteenth day is called the first of unleavened bread which fourteenth began at Sunset the thirteenth day 8. For the time in which Christ celebrated the Passover and instituted his Supper it is plaine from the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.23 it was the same night in which he was betrayed For the day wherein he was crucified Beda de ratione temporum Dr Wil. in 12. Ex. qu. 11. Beda tels us that no Christian must doubt but it was the fifteenth day of the month Dr Willet saith it is the received opinion But Learned Scaliger with others conclude the contrary It is certaine that the day whereon he was Crucified was the day or day before the preparation to the Jewish Passover and Sabbath Mat. 15.42 Luke 23.54 Iohn 19.14 42. 9. Scali de emend temp l. 6. p. 566 That he was Crucified before the noon of the day is cleare from Mar. 15.25 it was about the third houre And Mat 26.45 46. after he had been some time on the Cross was the sixth houre when the darkness began Now the Jewes reckoning their houres from our six to six the third houre was nine of the clock at which time saith Mark he was Crucified and the sixth houre was twelve of the clock at which time the darkness began and lasted till three 10. For the better finding out therefore of the night wherein he was betrayed in which he instituted the Supper saith St Paul Let us consider what the Gospell saies was done from the time of the institution of the Supper till his death Some think that excellent Sermon Iohn 14.15 16. was preach'd in the chamber where he administred the Supper Some think it was as he was going to the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane Certaine it is it was after the Supper On the mount of Olives he sings an hymne after this he goeth to Gethsemane and is in an agony prayeth thrice besides that prayer John 17. After this Mat. 27.1 2. Mar. 15.1 2. Judas comes and apprehends him he is carried before
repentance so Cyprian after which as the Magdeburgenses prove out of Cyprian they were examined and judged by their particular Churches after which upon their confession of their sins there also they were admitted It is more than probable that Novatus his heresie which was broached about this time gave occasion to the Church to mitigate their Censure of Excommunication and denying the Communion till death to some sâ—andalous sinners For Cyprian tells us that his Predecessors had resused to reconâ—ile Adulterers at all to the Church and if I mistake not the same was determined concerning Apostates I thinke Albaspinaeus proves it Novatus say some Albaspin Obs l. 2. Obs 21. denied that any falling after baptisme could be restored by repentance Albaspinaeus saith it is a mistake for his Errour was That he denied that Christ had given power to the Church to absolve or restore any In opposition to whom the Church remitted something of her former severity and instead of Excommunicating or denying the Sacrament till death which before were very frequent â—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 Discipâ—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 Saâ—rament 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 former 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 yea fifteene daies too much Ib. Can. 58. Ib. Can. 59. 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