the worthy receiver It doth the first as a signe the bread and wine of the Lord these proclaime to all comers that Christ is to bee had in the use of them if they bee so disposed as they should to take him It doth the second as a seale the bread and wine which is the communion of the Lord. These proclaime to the faithfull that they shall not onely have bread and wine but Christ the Lord as that Mannah that came downe from heaven to feede them to eternall life The wicked Christian hath a right unto it as it offers grace which he hath truely offered to him on Gods part in his invitation if hee will take it on Gods condition The same right that Simon Magus had to baptisme have wicked Christians to the supper of the Lord. He professed himselfe to believe in Christ upon Philips preaching and he had a right to baptisme and was baptized It is true that baptisme is a sacrament of our ingraffing into Christ and the Lords supper of our growing into Christ But he that is a baptized Christian and hath understanding to examine and judge himselfe cannot be denyed his right to this sacrament as wel as to that Both are but the seales of one covenant and whosoever receiveth the word of Christ and professeth to accept it by faith hath a right to the offers of the grace of Christ in both the sacraments but not to the exhibiting of it if the barre of impure unbeliefe lyes betwixt God and his soule If secondly you aske what benefit this wicked man can have by this sacrament I answer hee hath the benefit of profession he doth receive Christs liverie of servants and doth submit himselfe to his ordinance and acknowledge his publick authority for the benefit of his church And this is a glorious benefit in it selfe for a christian to weare Christs badge But hee doth not receive the benefit of the body and bloud of Christ with the benefits of them to life For if he did thus eate his flesh and drinke his bloud hee had eternall life He brings his soule to the sacrament without the conditions of the covenant written upon it and so though he accept of the offer of grace in the signe yet hee carries not away the seale of it no more then Iudas did from the passeover His right and benefit therefore will bring little comfort to him at the last when his reckoning comes Thirdly this wicked man having a right to it and a benefit too such as it is to him you aske what separation Gods word will warrant from such communicants I answer that I cannot finde in the word of God that any separation was made in the sacrament by the godly from the wicked not cast out for their unworthinesse All the â—ewes that were circumcised and not cast out of their synagogues were to eate the passeover or dye the children that could eat as a sacrifice of thanksgiving and growne persons as a sacrament seale of Gods covenant So all christians that are not infants mad-men fooles and excommunicates who cannot examine and judge themselves or are after conviction notorious offenders and so cast out are not repellable if they come from the sacrament of the Lords supper It is true wee reade much in the writings of men of suspensions from this sacrament even of those that were neither children fooles mad-men demoniacks nor excommunicate persons by private ministers but I would see this for the right of it soundly proved by the undoubted rule of Christ I have read also that the blessed Fathers in the wary discipline fit for their times did not onely proclaime before the sacrament by their Deacons depart ye that are novices possessed and under your penance for your crimes but would not also admit any but the believers and the baptized so much as to see the sacrament I have reade also of the cautelousnesse of those holy men in admitting penitents to the Lords table As they first admitted them into the limits of the church next to lye down as humble suiters to forget scandall at the church porch next to heare but not stay prayers next to heare and stay prayers too next to see the sacrament of the Lords supper but not to receive it and lastly when they were sufficiently humbled and edged to those high mysteries they were admitted to the Lords table These courses had high and excellent use in those times when they were to lift up the honour of the sacrament in the sight of infidels and hold close such christians as played fast and loose with Christ as peace or persecution came And though they had not particular warrant from God yet it being done decently in order and for edification of the body had warrant sufficient from that generall rule As I have reade these things of times past and admire them so I know for the present that it were a glorious and comfortable thing if none but holy persons would draw neere unto this holy table as wee deale withall our communicants by way of exhortation and perswasion from the danger of Iudas This certainely is fullest of joy when Christ meetes with none but his faithfull servants and not one unworthy to trouble the day But if wicked Christians that are not lawfully convicted and are not notorious in law though they bee notorious in fact whether these when they will offer themselves to the sacrament as Christs servants professing his name to their owne hurt be to bee separated from by the word of Christ this is the question I know we may by way of admonition before hand tell them of the danger and by way of perswasion presse them better to prepare themselves but wee may not for their sakes discommon our selves from the table of the Lord. If it were the table of devils away we must goe but being the table of Christ if others abuse themselves at it without our fault wee must accept of Christs love and leave it to Christ to punish him or them that doe dishonour them You know many theeves in this christian common-wealth will you therefore separate your selves from the common-wealth because these theeves are in common body with you No you will leave them to the lawes of it to bee punished and as it lies in your lot doe your best to further it but you will not forsake the common-wealth So must you doe to the table of Jesus Christ The blessed Apostle saith we have received power to edifie not to destroy And if wee should fall out with Christs supper for wicked mens sake and separate from Christs ordinance because wicked men will not use it as they should and breake off from many godly persons because more wicked persons are not excommunicate for any thing I know we may more destroy then edifie But say the Brownists holy things must not bee cast to dogs and swine the childrens bread must not be
servant therefore neither the Apostles nor their successors must as Lords rule over the flocke of Christ or over one another Stay heere Christ affoords no such conclusion Hee is pleased to oppose not Kings and Bishops which are in excellent subordination either to other but Gentiles and Christians and he doth not abolish magistracy from Christianity for then his Apostles were ill schollars who taught that higher powers are ordained of God and that they must be obeyed by all under them neither would he abolish an inequality of ministery in the Church for hee himselfe I hope had superiority over his disciples ye cal me master and Lord and ye say well for so I am yea and hee himselfe made first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly teachers which implies an order degree and subordination either to other neither doth hee heere forbid that his disciples should bee utterly excluded from dealing in any matter of right in the Common wealth for then they could easily have replied Lord wee desire not to meddle in secular affaires but to have superiority over one another in the Church But hee labours to prevent the wicked customes of heathen kings in Christian Common-wealthes and Churches that is their ruling by their owne lusts and wills and their ruling for their owne ends without respect to the peoples goods This is to play the Lords to domineere over the people as if they were their vassals and themselves had all Lordship paramount that could bee imagined Now can any man not soaked in malice or prejudice say that our Bishops rule thus like heathens with force and crueltie when they governe according to the lawes and Canons of Church and Common-wealth Is not this to rule with the consent of the people in the lawes of the Common-wealth and with the consent of the presbyterie in the Canons of the Church Yea but now for the exercise of this governement of the Church it is say the Brownists fearefully abused by the Bishops in three particulars 1 In shouldering out such officers in the Church as Christ hath ordained 2 In imposing oathes upon good men to accuse themselves 3 And in base usage of the high censure of excommunication Put case all these were true were this a sufficient cause of separation was Christ no master when his purse-bearer betrayed him and the rest of his servants runne away from him Is his â—eamelesse coate to bee rent in sunder because some of those about him have cast some spots upon it Because they may if they will accuse themselves will they therefore accuse Christ as if his bounty in our Church were not worth the injoyment Because one thing is not well used in the punishment of vice shall all things be neglected and spuâ—ned at that are amongst us for the maintenance of vertue yea shall the holy spirit of God assistant in the meanes of salvation amongst us be belyed as if all the grace they have gotten amongst us were no grace till they had discarded us as some of them doe But let us take a viewe of the particulars and see whether it be so or no and how far First they say that Bishops justle out Christs officers out of the Church And who are these They tell us first of Elders lay governing Elders who should have power in the censures of the church and all matters of order Indeed they had wont to tell us of these much But since Master Smith once of their Church hath pulled downe that tottering wall by proving that there can bee but one sort of Elders proved from the scripture that is Pastours whose governing duty is to feede the flocke of God and that the Apostle to Timothy doth not import a distribution of officers but commendation of severall workes in one office teaching that Elders are to be honoured for two workes well-ruling and laborious teaching as he proves by severall texts compared And since they weigh that a true Church may stand without them because otherwise the first Church of Christians from the death of Christ till these supposed Elders are ordained were not a true Church And especially since they have brought in their new parish discipline whereby all power of governement is in the whole congregation they are not backeward to confesse that a true Church may be without them and that they doe not much stand upon that exception against us as once a Pastour of that Church confessed to mee Therefore neede not I use more words about that But yet they claime their Doctours and Deacons which they say the Bishops have banished out of the Church Indeed wee reade of Doctors to teach the word of God and if in every congregation if maintenance were answerable there were one in whom were the word of knowledge and another in whom were the word of wisdome if these gifts meete not in one man wee would not mislike it But that this must be so as a distinct office and officer in the church this we deny For teaching and preaching may meete in the same officer whether Pastour of charge or Doctour of the chaire Christ went about teaching and preaching the Gospel Paul and Barnabas continued teaching and preaching Timothy must teach and preach And these the Apostle doth not make severall offices he disjoines them not but couples them together Pastors and teachers to signifie that though they bee divers gifts yet they may be and are often coupled in one man And for Deacons which is a name given to ministers and to Christ himselfe wee reade indeed of certaine men not called Deacons there whose worke was to minister to the necessity of the saints that the Apostles be not driven to leave the word of God and serve tables but have not we such who take care for the poore that the worke of the Lord by us be not hindred Are not our Church-wardens and overseers the same for substance of office if they would be also alwaies the same for conscience But say they wee have not the Deacons of Christ I am sure we have Deacons for the assistance of the worke of the ministery who serve it for a better degree if they perofrme it wisely But that Deacons should be such brethren who doe alwaies attend the businesse of the poore and not belong to ministeriall order is without ground mark their qualification which needed not for such a worke men full of the holy Ghost mark their ordination which was with imposition of hands a ceremony ministerial marke their practise Stephen preached and Philip preached and baptized too marke their description they must be proved and found fit and if they performe their office well they shall purchase to themselves a good degree to ascend higher to be Presbyters yea and to be Bishops also And are not our Deacons such were they not yet can wee not bee denied to be a true Church seeing after the
lashed who would rashly father it to such a breach yea and they tell us that they will have their name from scriptures not from men and will be called they of the separation In this I am yet glad that they love the scriptures more then men and I humbly pray that all that would be accounted good men would not tell us what this good man and that held and said but what Jesus Christ hath left to be held in the sure word of God that their faith may not stand in the wisedome of men But yet before we believe them we must know in what scripture their name of separation stands We reade indeed that God saith to Israel I am the Lord thy God which separate you from other people which Salomon thus expounds thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth But are not all christians separated thus as well as they from Iewes Turkes Heathens Israel was not separate from raigning sinne and sinners but for profession and service of the true God For even then God said of them yee have tempted me these tenne times and have not harkened unto my voyce this evill congregation are gathered together against mee thou art a stiffenecked people thou hast provoked me to wrath and I was angry with thee to destroy thee and I hope all christians are of no worse separation then this We reade againe that Paul at Ephesus departed from the wicked and separated the disciples It is well it was an Apostle who had an universall Jurisdiction by immediate Call and not private persons who may not doe as hee It was well it was Paul who went to Jewish synagogues to have spirituall communion and preached none other thing but that which Moses and the Prophets did say should come to passe and not his owne dreames But for his separating the disciples we reade he separated them from divers not from all and that from those that were hardened and believed not and spake evill of faith in Christ before the multitude as the text saith What is this to our church wherein they cannot find one member that believes not in Christ at least doctrinally nor one that speakes evill of the way of believing in Christ though thousands justly speak evill of their way which is the thing in question Wee reade also againe that renowned place come out from among them and be yee separate and touch no uncleane thing and I will receive you saith the Lord. For what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse and what agreement hath light with darknesse But this will not affoord them the name of separatists neither Looke to the persons that must be separated from They are heathenish Infidels unbelievers Idolaters in utter darkenesse and so not acknowledging the true God And are wee in the church of England such Doe wee not prâ—fesse saving truth Doe we not look from the first to the last to bee saved onely by Christ If any professe they know God and by workes deny him yet shall not all things be pure to them that are pure Looke next to the persons that are charged to separate They are the christian Corinthians to whom the Apostle gives sweete words The church of God called to be saints a gracious people by Iesus Christ called to the fellowship of Gods son in Christ Christs owne begotten in Christ Iesus thorough the Gospell the seale of mine Apostleship in the Lord whom I praise because yee keepe the ordinances and who are full of godly sorrow with the signes of it yet will these Corinthians justifie the church of England by their wicked vices both in publicke and in their private meetings as I shall if God please shâ—w hereafter Consider now that this christian church which was commanded to separate from heathens in their Idol-feasts and abominable atheisme was yet in something worse then the heathens themselves yet doth hee not teach them to separate one from another in christian duties of piety and charity but to redresse each other as they could and onely to separate from the heathens that they may be all knowne to be professed and not dissembled christians Looke lastly to the matter the Apostle treateth of It is to warne christians from having fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darkenesse and to reprove them in their places in word judgement affection and conversation That with which they must have no fellowship Paul termeth unrighteousnesse darknesse Belial Idols The way whereby they may have fellowship with them he termes yoaking concord partaking and agreement And it plainely appeares that it is as murh as if he had said yee that are christians must not be with the unrighteous men of darkenesse sonnes of Belial and Idolaters as if ye were yoaked in their society living at one partaking and agreeing with them in their wicked course How I pray can they raise a name of separation to themselves from hence except they can prove that all of us live in unrighteousnesse and darknesse in league with Satan and in idolatrie and that we as paires and couples are linked together and partake of these evils or how can we justly give them that name of Separatists except wee will grant our selves to bee such let them bee from their first father Brownists and because they will be of the number and manner of those some that forsake the assembling of our selves together therefore let us with a good conscience and as quiet a spirit as their cause will permit examine their grounds by the word of God SECT 6. Of the Brownists opinions upon which they forsake our church 1. Because we are not a true church These grounds of Brownisme they referre to three heads to wit our church our ministery and our worship 1 They deny us to have a true church 2 They deny us to have a true ministery 3 They deny us to have a true worship If this charge were true surely they might say as David to Eliab Is there not a cause But whether it bee not most false let a good conscience guided by the word of God Judge First they deny that wee have a true church And though wee being in possession and they labouring to cast us out we might put them to the proofe yet shall I by Gods helpe tender them this one reason among many to prove that we have a true church Where there is the true matter and form of a true church there is a true church For this cannot be denied that the matter and forme of a true man make a true man that is the body and soule united so must it be in the church But our church hath the true matter and forme of a true church and therefore is a true church It is denied by the Brownists that wee have such matter and forme and it is proved thus first for the matter The true matter of a true church is such as professe saving
teaching them to observe what ever I have commanded and I am with you alwaies to the end of the world The promise is as the charge to the Apostles and their successours and not to the people in businesse that concernes them not Againe I will give thee the keyes of the kingdome of heaven saith Christ to Peter in the name of the rest and therefore makes good his word to them all he sent them inspired them and then said whose sinnes ye remit or retaine shall be remitted or retained It would be strange after this commission to heare of a power of governing in the people especially seeing for the executing of it Christ gave officers to his church and not to his church power to make them hee gave them to his church to bee in Christs stead to direct and rule by his word and not to bee directed and ruled by it Therefore if any thing be out of order he blameth them not the people I contended with the Rulers and nobles saith Nehemiah and to the Angels of churches speakes Christ sharpely for things amisse And for the people Christ would not have them rule but to be subject to magistrates and spirituall overseers This I am confident of that there cannot one precept or practise be given that the people should or did rule in the church but under their guides and teachers except Corah and his accomplices who were swallowed up in wrath As for that text tell the church and that other of the incestuous person we shall meete with them in their proper places In the meane time know that the sonne of man hath left his house and given authority to his servants for edification not for destruction and not to his house which is the church The people are still called sheep brethren houshold of faith spouse and children but their teachers are knowne by the name of Elders Overseers and Fathers on whom the governement lies But say the Brownists the saints are answereable to the kings of old who are to have power ecclesiasticall in their hands Indeed they are so called but not in respect of any outward power over others more then before but of inward power to rule by the annointing of Christ over their own pride and corruption This they will not doe and so speake evill of them in authority and advance themselves above the pitch which God hath given there It is a brave thing to rule and who would not doe so But if they were Davids weaned childe they would rather bee subject by doing and suffering then lift up themselves to high places of governement from whence they may fall to their shame and sorrow Lastly whereas they put into the end of their assembling not onely the exercise of governement whereof they have none and preaching prayer sacraments which are good indeed if done by right persons and in right manner but prophecying too surely herein they walke not with a right foote according to the truth of the scriptures They make prophecying an act of some private persons whereby as the spirit moves them they put in in publicke their verdicts with their Pastours and Doctours about the sence doctrine and application of the scriptures propounded but how Christs word makes this good to them I cannot see nor ever shall Indeed the Apostle speakes of prophecying but as of an office of some persons then not of an ordinary gift now He saith let the prophets speake two or three and I am sure that prophets have an office to prophecy Hee saith also prophecying is a speaking to men to exhortation edification and comfort and I pray what can the highest gift of preaching doe more If they may preach why may they not administer the sacraments seeing both goe together They cannot say that to preach is an act of office and to prophecy is an act out of office For where the Apostle speakes expressely of prophecying according to the proportion of faith hee doth speak as plainly of offices as of gifts If therefore they will prophecy let them shew their calling to that office and then vent their gifts Doe they doe it by vertue of their generall or speciall calling They deny any speciall calling and wee denie that they doe it by vertue of the generall calling of a christian because that gives not the office How much better were it for them to follow the word of Christ no man taketh this honour to himselfe but he that is called of God as Aaron then by jumbling ordinary and extraordinary gifts and offices together to utter things for want of knowledge wisedome reading and doctrine unworthy of the great God of assemblies Thus have I considered the foure parcels of which the Brownists make up a true visible None of which singly nor all jointly can make our blessed church not to be so because they are made up of divers falshoods already discovered Let us now take better view out of Gods word what a true visible church is that in it we may see our owne A true visible churth is men called and united in the profession of the truth according to the scriptures This is alwaies where there is a true visible church either planted or continued or restored If it be nationall it is a company of people professing truth in an whole land as the churches of Iudea Samaria and Galile with those of Asia If it be Parochial it is a company of people professing the truth in a towne or parish as in those where the Apostles ordained elders in every church If it be domesticall it is a company professing the truth in a family as in Philemons house and others It is true that the truth may bee more purely professed in one church then in another more purely in Smyrna and Philadelphia which were praised and lesse purely in Ephesus Sardis and Laodicea which were dispraised It is true also that some churches may be in infancy and so lesse perfect as that in Creta where Titus was left to redresse things amisse and those churches of the Gentiles which must not bee troubled for feare of a rent and some of riper age as that at Ierusalem where Iames was Bishop and the Apostles held a councel and so had a more setled forme of governement and that of Philippi which had their Bishops and Deacons But if they joine to professe the truth of Christ they are true visible churches First they ramble as sheep without a shepheard without God without Christ Christ makes himselfe knowne unto them by the preaching of the word They assemble as those that professe to seeke salvation that way some more closely some more loosely They publickely submit to the word of God and Sacraments and calling on the name of the Lord. These persons thus professing make up a true visible church either in a kingdome city town or
admits of no falshood But to cleare this more fully I shall by Gods assistance consider three things 1 What they say true of their owne members and ours 2 What they say false of the members of a true visible church 3 That their dreame of pollution is from their owne braines not from Christs ordinance This they say truely that the members of a true church are saints by calling Profession of saving truth as I have shewed makes such true members and all that so professe themselves though there be much chaffe among the wheate are such saints by calling He that professeth so much knowledge either actually or foederally as admits him to baptisme hath put on Christ And he that hath put on Christ though as an elect vessell as Paul or as one in Christ bearing no fruit and therefore justly to be cut off is certainely a saint by calling There are two sorts of saints by calling such as are sanctified by habituall infusions and actual expressements and such as are so by baptismal profession and many gifts of the spirit and so by consecration to God This may fall upon those that are justly rejected for their hypocrisie and wickednesse These two sorts have ever and ever shall to the end of the world make up the true members of a true visible church This secondly they say falsely that the members of a true visible church are onely such saints as are so regenerated as they have actual communion with Christ in all the acts of saving grace If they would spâ—ake of the Catholick Church It is the number of all faithfull people which are united to Christ by the union of the body head spirit and faith of truth By the first all members are knit together with the head in one body and so receive grace from the head according to the measure of everie member By the second it hath but one head As the body is but one so the head is but one from whence it receiveth the grace of life By the third the whole Church is directed and governed by one spirit which is the spirit of sanctification And by the fourth the whole church receiveth the doctrine once given to the saints which it cleaves unto for ever that in this foundation and love of union it may receive from Christ all saving doctrine with the comfortable fruits of it If they would speake of this catholick church let them draw up the members to that sanctitie which the word and world will affoord Nay if they would speake of such members of the visible church who shall from Christ receive al spiritual blessings in heavenly things and be jointed into the body of Christ till they come to a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ let them speake of all holinesse too so far as our knowledge in part can reach unto in this kingdome of heaven upon earth If further they would speak of such members as are fittest to beare rule in the visible church surely though Iudas be in as well as Peter by Christs his call and yong Timothy can worke the worke of the Lord as Paul doth yet surely they that are best and of ablest gifts are fittest for highest places in the visible church Which because the Brownists perceive therefore they having set up to themselves a governement of all the members which they cannot make good they thinke not onely the holiest persons to bee the fittest but the onely members of their visible churches If lastly they would speake of those that are the greatest comforts and ornaments of a visible church then surely holy persons are For Davids eies runne over with water when members in the church as well as others kept not Gods law yea and it is a fearfull reproach and tending to corruption to them that favour it But when they speake of such members onely in the visible church who are so holy as they imagine to whom if others joyne themselves in spirituall communion they are unchurched this surely hath no ground but in their owne braine This is an undoubted rule that it is Gods will that a mixed company be invited to the wedding of Christ the feast of the gospell which makes up a visible church The wedding of Christ is either compleate in heaven or begunne in the church To that in heaven a mixed company is not invited but conditionally for no uncleane thing shall enter into the kingdome of heaven To this in the church a mixed company is invited and thorough the power of the sweet word of grace comes both to the word and sacraments as Symon Magus to baptisme and the drunken and factious Corinthians to the supper of the Lord. And that it is Gods will to invite a mixed company appeares by texts examples and reasons The text is cleare in Gods commission Goe ye into the high-wayes and as many as ye finde invite to the marriage and also in his servants execution they went and gathered together all as many as they found both good and bad All these were members of this feast till God came and made the separation and when he did come hee blamed not his servants for inviting and guests for being in communion with the unworthy but friend how camest thou in hither But say they what is this kingdome of heaven Is it not the world Doth not Christ himselfe so expound it in opening the parable of the tares The Field is the world It is true hee saith the field is the world but hee saith not the kingdome of heaven is the world Surely the whole world lies in wickednesse and is farre different from the kingdom of heaven in the church· Therfore doth not Christ say the kingdome of heaven is like to the world but it is like unto a man this man is the son of man who raiseth to himselfe a visible church heere This he raiseth not in Jury onely but now the separation wall is broken downe in the world Here by vertue of his Gospel he doth sow the children of the Kingdome according to that promise of old I will sowe her to mee in the earth But the Devill that envies Christs Kingdome not the world sowes the Tares which are the children of that wicked one These Tares grow up in the Kingdome of Heaven which is in the field of the world with the good seed and so long as the Divell is the Divell and envies it will be so And it is Christs Judgement concerning them Let them alone till the harvest least while ye pluck up the Tares yee pull up the Wheate Surely they were other than the weeds of the world out of the Church These might have been plucked up without dangering the Church They were blasted Corne upon one stalke which from the power of the Gospel were called into the Church but degenerated by the
supersowing of Satan into wickednesse in life and doctrine and so became as these Tares which grow up together with this good seed till the Harvest Thus the Text is cleare Next for examples looke to all the visible Churches that ever were and they stand for a mixed company In Adams house there was a Cain in Noahs a Cham and in Christs a Judas But say they these were cast out It is true some way or other but while they were in they were true members of the visible Church as those that could plead Wee have eate and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets Have we not by thy Name prophecied and by thy Name cast out Devils Yet in the Harvest because they were onely outward not inward members they shall heare depart from mee I know you not to wit to save you and bring you to life As the Temple in Christs dayes was the house of God and yet by the mixture a denne of theeves so may the visible Church now be Gods Temple and the habitation of Devils In the Church of Corinth there were carnall people an incestuous beast denyers of the Resurrection and drunken and uncharitable partakers of the Sacrament of the Lords Body and Bloud yet a true visible church of God then yea and after when of all these wicked ones none was cast out but that one incestuous person So in the Church of Galatia there were false brethren that crept in revolters from the Faith of Christ who bewitched others with false doctrine against the foundation yet was it saluted and was a true Church of God If it seeme strange to men who would ingrosse all religion to themselves yet it doth not to Christ who would have done otherwise but did not for these causes First in respect of the Gospel it is the sweet message of salvation which cannot but allure all sorts Who doth not desire salvation so long as they like the termes and conditions they come heare and receive and though they had rather have it upon their owne conditions yet they desire salvation by Christ and so all sorts are mixt Besides the Gospel hath a double use to be a savour of life unto life out of Gods intention and to be a savour of death unto death out of mans abuse So long as God intendeth his grace that bringeth salvation and appeares unto all men and man abuseth it to sin that grace may abound there cannot but bee a mixt company Secondly in respect of God He is willing to manifest his divine goodnesse to all both Iewes and Gentiles in tendring the meanes of grace He would have a ground of his mercy to spare wicked hypocrites for the godlies sake and it is fit that he have arguments of justice within the Church that the godly may feare and not sinne So long as this goodnesse of God holds and the reason of Gods state and government there will be a mixed company Thirdly in respect of the godly They must be tryed and exercised in faith wisedome and patience Heresies must bee amongst theÌ„ that they that are approved might be knowne As the Canaanites were left among the Israelites to prove them so are wicked professors among those that are good yea the goodnesse of the godly by this meanes is made more perspicuous As it is a more grievous fault not to bee good among the good so it is an high and excellent praise to bee good among those that are wicked as Zachary Elizabeth Ioseph the blessed Virgin Symeon and Hannah in bad times and in a corrupt Church Fourthly in respect of Satan and ungodly men God will not banish Satans malice no not out of the Church here therefore as of old so still he permits him to sowe his tares And hee would have the wicked to have many cords to draw them to Christ to bee more justly confounded If the Word Sacraments Prayer and the Examples of good men in the communion of goodnesse prevaile not with them their sentence will be manifested to be more just when it shall be said binde them hand and foot cast them into utter darknesse where shall be wayling weeping and gnashing of teeth So long as God hath godly men in the Church to be tryed and to be glorified so long as Satan hath malice and the wicked are under arguments of just conviction there will bee a mixed company Lastly in respect of the Church and the use of the Supper whereunto it is invited Christ hath committed unto his Church the exercise of censures according to the severall carriages of members If there were to be none but good loosing would be enough but seeing there are to bee good and bad binding is necessary also And that this is provided for members is certaine For saith Paul what have I to doe to judge those that are without And for the use of Christs supper whereto wee are invited it is to give both the unions with Christ The union of profession and outward covenant when men professe themselves to be Christs and therefore come to the covenâ—nt in the word and seales of it in the sacraments from which yet alas men for their sinnes are daily cut off and the union by power and inward covenant when men in Christs wayes are Christs indeed and therefore come to the covenant and seales with an humble purpose to abide with him for ever So long as the church hath censures to exercise upon her unruly members and both these unions with Christ hold true there will be a mixture in the visible Church But say the Brownists it is true there may bee a mixture admitted to the hearing of the word but not as members of the Church yet And why so Surely if they heare and consent unto it though in hypocrisie God accounts them in covenant and then who shall deny them to be members Moses lâ—id before the face of Israel all the words which the Lord commanded him and the people answered all that the Lord commands we will heare and doe This many of them did in hypocrisie and therefore God complaines O that there were such an heart in them yet marke what the Lord said to Moses and Moses to the people To Moses God said write these words for after the tenour of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel and to the people Moses said thou hast avouched this day the Lord to be thy God and to walke in his wayes and the Lord hath avouched thee to be his peculiar people Say I pray which of our members doe not thus readily professe who will say that he will not heare God and do his will If they doe it in hypocrisie woe unto them if they doe it in profession they are in outward covenant as Gods people if they are in covenant who can denie them to bee
by authority iâ— the face of the Church who of conscience ought to consent and beare witnesse to the doome First the act of an Apostle Deliver such an one unto Satan it may be that he might have power over his body to torment him as appeares in the Stories of Ananias Sapphira Elimas Alexander Secondly the act of a Bishop put away from amongst you that wicked person that being suspended from the preservatives of his soule in the visible communion of Saints he might have a way to bring him to godly sorrow And thirdly the act of every godly Pastour to mourne that if any be called a brother and bee a fornicator or covetous or an Idolater or a rayler or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one eate not that is be so farre from countenancing of him in his sinne that yee take him not into unnecessary familiarity Now how from hence can be picked a popular government of the Church God knoweth I cannot yet reach But yet say the Brownists you may reach thus much to confound you that if Paul would not have you eate with such wicked brothers much lesse would he have you to receive the Sacrament with them for he hath more care of his owne supper than of ours This is certaine that God hath a greater care of his own Supper than of ours and therefore though he be willing that all should come both good and bad yet if they come and stay bad and hee come to try them they shall bee bound hand and foot and cast into hell It is certaine also that wee must have a great care of the Supper of the Lord as we can in our places private persons by private communion of Saints Presbyters by publike preaching by Word and Doctrine and by private exhortations as they can and Church-Officers by presentments and punishments fit But it doth not therefore follow because wee may not eate with them that is converse familiarly and unnecessarily with them that therefor we may not eate the Lords Supper with the Saints because wicked persons are there Their wickednesse we countenance when we keepe company with them our goodnes they countenance when they come into publike communion with us we have no need of their eating with us they shew their need of their eating with us in the Sacrament when we have no power to keepe them backe Yet say they still wee have power to keepe them backe for Paul speaking of the incestuous person saith sufficient to such a man is this punishment which was inflicted of many therefore the whole Church had power and used it against him It is true it was inflicted by many assessors and conseÌ„ters to his doom but not as prime executors of that doome The Apostle saith that the Saints shall judge the world by way of life witnesse consent and approbation yet is it not Christ that is the Judge of wicked and good So though this punishment was inflicted upon him by many by way of consent and approbation yet was it primely inflicted by Paul and his authority in those that declared it Thus have I satisfied my selfe if not others in this point concerning the power of governement which lies not in all the congregation for execution and prime officiating but in the chiefe governours who beare the place of Paul and the other Apostles SECT 13. Brownists exceptions against the persons governing in our Church and against the exercise of their governement PVt case that the power of governement were not in every particular congregation yet our governours are not to bee allowed yea to be banished the church say they They are farre from the sweete moderate spirit of Melancthon one of the blessed reformers who so the Pope of Rome himselfe would have admitted of the Gospel of Christ in truth would have permitted his superiority over Bishops by humane right for the peace and common tranquility of christians under him But nothing will serve these people but the damnation of the Pope and the shame and confusion of all Bishops one and the other And there are three things principally in them at which they except and against which they stumble 1 Their name 2 Their degree 3 Their jurisdiction Why say they should they appropriate to themselvs this name of Bishops which belongs to all other Pastours as well as to them There is good cause for there are two sorts of Bishops first ordinary Bishops such as were all the Elders of Ephesus These must not bee blinde watch-men for if they see not they cannot oversee They must not sleepe and bee secure they must have a great care to keepe safe those that are committed to them that the enemy come not and sowe tares Secondly there are extraordinary Bishops such as have precedence jurisdiction not onely over the flock but over the elders and presbyters which are called Angels such were Timothy and Titus the first ordained Bishops of the churches of Ephesus and Creta as appeares in the postscript of those epistles Which though haply they are no part of the canonicall scriptures yet are they authenticall records of matters of fact to help our understandings in the needfull stories of thâ—se times without which we may think amisse From these they justly assume those names which have beene given to men of their order ever since the Apostles dayes But put case they could not make such aclaime if there be the office shall we quarrell about the names The first man that ever found fault with the name would fame have been a Bishop himselfe but when he found himselfe crossed he comforted himself with this that yet as he was a Presbyter he was equall with them But let no good Christians be unquiet for names if there may bee an agreement in things named The Apostles were called Deacons in Gods language yea and Christ himselfe who came to that end Christ is called the Arch-bishop and the Apostle of our soules The Apostles are called Elders and Elders were called Apostles and Bishops are called Angels What matters it then for names if wee can agree in other things But say they wee doe not agree in other things for these Bishops are in a degree above Presbyters and so there is an unequall ministery in the Church of Christ which should not bee Now surely they have had this from the Apostles dayes yea the scripture mentioneth a superiority in the ministery of the Church first Apostles secondarily prophets thirdly teachers And this is a sure rule that such a ministery as is most like the ministerie ordained by Christ it not being denyed unto us expressely or by consequent and another commanded may be lawfully maintained by us as Christs ministery But such is an unequall ministery in degree as Prophets Apostles Evangelists Pastours and Doctours one above another in larger authority gifts for those that were called
immediately did excell those that were called by men And among those that were called by men where might bee a rising to an higher degree according as they profited in faith and godlinesse Therefore Paul saith that they that use the office of a Deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree Therefore may wee lawfully maintaine a superiority in the ministery of Christ now But it may be they would not stand so much upon this because for ought I can finde there is some inequality betwixt their pretended Pastors and Doctors but that there is a Iurisdiction in our Bishops not onely over the flock but over the compresbyters their brethren It is true there is so and that justly without which wee should have as many religions as parishes and for that I say this Such jurisdiction as is patterned or prescribed in the epistles to Timothy and Titus is worthily exercised in our church of Christ If it bee said that that jurisdiction was personal in them this takes away the comfort of doctrine in all the otheâ— epistles for it may be as well said that the rules of faith and doctrine in them are personall and belong to that age But as this cannot be said so nor that for those rules tended to the government of the house of God and were to be kept to the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ Now that that jurisdiction patterned or prescribed in those epistles was episcopal appeareth thus Set aside matters matrimonial and testamentary which are the wise donation of princes for the conscionable ordering of such affaires and the jurisdiction of Bishops doth stand in two things principally First in ordination for the ordaining of ministers Titus was left in Crete to ordeine elders and the Apostle would have Timothy lay hands rashly on none that is ordaine But say they these ordeined not as Bishops but as Evangelists But this they must prove that they were Evangelists strictly so called Evangelists were immediately called so waâ— not Timothy for according to his good report and the prophesies that went of him for his great use of the church hee was ordained by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Yea but say they that Paul bids him doe the worke of an Evangelist True but may they not as well prove Timothy to be an Apostle because hee did the worke of the Lord as Paul did know therefore that Evangelist may be taken three wayes for a penner of the Gospel by divine instinct so the Apostles were Evangelists For a preacher of the Gospel by divine instinct so they are accounted so properly And for a preacher of the Gospell by ordinary diligence and assistance and thus Timothy an Evangelist may be a Bishop to ordaine though not properly as a preacher yet as made a great overseer for that use But say the Brownists Bishops claime ordination to themselves alone so did not Timothy and Titus who did it with the eldership Whether these did it alwaies with the assistant presbyters is not yet proved there being no set law knowne to us then nor I doubt ever will Indeed for our Bishops they ordaine Deacons alone and so they may according to ancient custome and neither I nor they know any thing against it But for the ordination of Presbyters as it was in the primitive Church so our Lawes require that the Bishop should have his assistants the power of ordaining being in him and the liberty of approbation in these Secondly the jurisdiction of Bishops stands in redressing things amisse Titus was left in Creta to redresse things amisse not onely in the people but Presbyters Over Presbyters I say they had a power to command as Paul saith to Timothy I left thee at Ephesus that thou mightst charge some that they preach no other doctrine to judge therefore he saith against an Elder receive not an accusation under two or three witnesses which was a juridicall proceeding and to silence as occasion is offered for whose mouthes must be stopped saith Paul to Titus Which power if it be onely by verball conviction as every Minister of the New Testament is bound to doe as he is able and not by reall suspension as hee is over Presbyters the precept is altogether in vaine and idle For words doe but breed words and contentious spirits will never have an end But say they the Apostles would not suffer themselves to be silenced no more should wee If we cannot doe our office in publike we should doe it private This is true of the Apostles and they did well in it but there are two sorts of Preachers such as were immediately called who had their gifts and matter and calling immediately from Christ these none but Christ can silence they are his elect vessels as Paul to carry his Name And such as are immediately called who have their matter and gifts by reading and industry and their calling by and from the testimony of man Now because some mens sinnes goe before and some mens follow after they that gave power and testimony according to appearance may according to after appearance take testimony away from the unworthy except they could prove themselves Apostles But yet say they grant all this true yet are there divers exceptions against our Bishops what such as may justifie a separation Let us heare them Put case Timothy and Titus were Bishops yet were they not such as ours that is Diocesan Bishops what then were they parish Bishops I wish them read in Church stories of the best times without which they can never understand some passages of scriptures of the practise of the Church I am sure this they should finde that Timothy and Titus had some compasse of jurisdiction allotted wherein there were Churches at least according to cities wherein there were many presbyters to be overseene and ordered and what was this but a Diocesse which as the Church increased increased with it But these say they for all that had no princely authority and Lordly command over their brethren That is true neither is this absolutely necessary to the calling or of the essence of it yet doth it not overthrow it but adorne and strengthen it when it is well used If a Bishop were called a beggar it doth not overthrow his calling so neither if he be called a pallace who knowes not that that proceeded from the favour of our Princes that they might be Barons of the parliament to direct the conscience in deepe matters of state But say they this is against the word of God Be not Lords over Gods heritage saith Peter and saith Christ the Lords of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority over them but it shall not be so among you but whosoever wil be great among you let him be your minister and whosoever would be chiefe among you let him bee your
Booke it hath three degrees the Beginning Middle and End of it In the beginning of it there is reading of Psalmes principally to raise up our affections and of other Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament to confirme our judgements in the truth and to helpe us to search whether things heard are so or no. There is confession of our faith that wee may professe it as a briefe rule from Scriptures to try whether we stand in the faith whereto we may referre the truths of faith in the Scriptures And we have Prayers wherein wee are not long at once or with a breath but have distinct and divided salutations praises and Petitions for our selves chiefe members and the Church that we may the better hold out unto the end without distractions All this I am sure none if they understand can justly blame Onely there is one thing worth notice which doth hardly relish to some fewe and can by no meanes be indured by the Brownists and that is the Litany This stickes most because they are more carefull to make objections against it then answers for it that they may have comfort and peace with us Therefore with Christs helpe I shall indeavour two things to shew the reason of the name and how they may satisfie themselves against such scruples as may arise It is called a Litany which is an humble prayer whose use is most for adversity It comes of a word that signifies to supplicate from whence comes suppliant prayers The ancient Churches were full of them as I could shew which usually beganne with Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us and why should ours be empty seeing wee would be accounted as good Christians as they There are divers exceptions against ours therefore let us see next how they may satisfie themselvs against them There is no Church that I know but must have a favourable construction of some things and so must ouâ—s yet in this I see not but that all excepters may be fully satisfied The exceptions that I have yet met with are against the manner of this prayer and against the matter of it Against the manner they say that it is with repetitions of the people and interlocutary passages As for that I finde that in the scriptures God hath commanded publicke prayers that is that Presbyter and people should pray but he hath not commanded any forme or manner to carry their prayers in but onely that it bee done to edification Therfore he hath left that free to the wisdome and judgement of the governours And this we have often experience of that if a continued prayer be but halfe so long some will bee nodding before it bee done whereas if they be kept busie by the matter in hand they are more vigilant But say they he hath given us the Lords prayer all in one length and set Amen in the latter end This is true yet marke he said to his disciples when yee pray say Our Father and Amen too and hee hath not told them in what manner they should say it when they pray together whether one should say the Petitions and the rest Amen or whether all should say the Petitions and Amen too In this he hath left them to edifâ—cation and us also But it is said that some parts of the Litany are so said that the reader shewes onely what they must pray for and the people make the suite as when they say from such and such a thing good Lord deliver us and this seemes to bee absurd That the people should make it without the minister is not injoyned that the minister doth not intend and make the suite is false except hee bee carelesse and wicked As the people say Amen aloude and the minister saith it too though happly not so loude so the minister intends and saith Good Lord deliver us though the people in turnes exceede in voice Against the matter of this prayer many things are objected few things weighed and nothing proved but evident quarrels There are exceptions against words and phrases and against suites conveyed in them The wordes and phrases are by thy crosse and passion by thy pretious death c. Which some of them out of the leâ—ity of minde call conjuring some out of worse cal swearing as if none could out sweare the Litany Let them take heede how they blaspheme the piety of Gods servants It was none of Elies goodnesse when hee reproached the prayers of Hannah as if shee were drunke when shee made them Let them apply this to themselves It will not be denied but that Christ brought us a great benefit by all these For what hee did as a publicke person hee did for us and our salvation in one degree or other Now what is this but a praying that all these acts and passions of Christ in their vertue and merit bee applyed to us by Gods love that wee may finde the profit of them But now the suites that wee convey in the words of that good Prayer are troublesome to them both when we sue for things and Persons As for things wee pray against two things which they doe not like against sudden death and against the sinnes of our forefathers As for the first there is a double sudden death sudden in time and sudden for want of preparation God hath said that hee will come before that wee are aware like a thiefe in the night His will bee done wee pray not against that But wee pray that his comming may not be so sudden but that through wisdome given we may set our houses in order and bee as the wise virgines having our lampes and oyle in a readinesse and from such sudden death good Lord deliver us As for the sinnes of our forefathers which being dead are now out of the state of forgivenesse wee pray not that their sinnes bee forgiven them but that they bee not remembred to be punished in us God punisheth to the third and fourth generation and the Psalmist saith Let the iniquitie of his fathers be remembred before the Lord and let not the sinne of his mother be blotted out that their posterity bee cut off and in the generations following their names bee blotted out And because these comminations have conditions of Repentance annexed to them doe not wee well to repent and cry to God remember not the iniquity of forefathers for feare of those sinnes that have gone before us But yet they like not the Persons that we pray for when wee say that God would have mercy upon all men For Christ saith he prayed not for the world but our Church cares not whom they pray for Indeed because wee finde that wee have a Precept pray for all men and an holy practise Let the People praise thee O God let all the People praise thee therefore wee doe as wee are bound in praying for all men
They are but seers and sufferers in it not doers of it If therefore wee can satisfie our selves in the doing of it that wee may preach IESUS CHRIST unto them in the Churches peace they have cause to thanke us and to thanke GOD for pacifying our consciences for their good and not cry out against us and runne away from us O but they cannot abide to see that idolatrous and abominable Crosse to passe over poore Childrens faces without either reason or religion There is reason for it because it depends upon the commands of superiours and reason wills that they bee obeyed in lawfull and possible things There is Religion for it because it is but a ceremony testifying our communion with the primitive CHVRCH which gloryed in and was persecuted for the Crosse of CHRIST and good Religion hath never beene against such things As to testifie Communion with believing Iewes even the Gentiles abstained from stranguled and bloud so to testifie our Communion with the believing Gentiles of old wee retayne that signe still which they used in the face of their Persecutours to signifie that they were ready to confesse that LORD who dyed for them on the Crosse What though the Church of ROME did afterwards fearefully abuse it yet it is certainely to us neither abominable not idolatrous Wee use it not as a signe from GOD to men as the Sacraments are nor as a signe from Men to GOD as bowing in Prayerâ— is but as a signe from Men to Men as that old kisse of love For as that did signifie Christian concord and agreement so this our hope if the Childe lives that it will fight under the banner of CHRIST therefore if the Childe bee ready to dye this signe by good order is omitted The Church of ROME useth it both for Consecration Benediction and Operation effective of I know not what feates but wee use it to none of these purposes If it bee sayd that the Child by that badge is dedicated to GODS service in our use of it as the CANON runnes yet the sence must not bee contrary to the commanded use Therefore as wee are sayd to wed with a ring which is nothing but a declaring of a marriage knot by giving and receiving of a ring and by joyning of hands and as the Priest was said to cleanse the leaper by the appointed meanes when hee did onely declare and pronounce him to bee cleane so the Crosse is no dedicating signe for that is done in Baptisme which receives it into the Congregation of CHRISTS flocke but onely declares to the hope of the CHURCH that it shall so live to CHRIST I see not but this may satisfie the soule of any good Christian knowing what I said before of ceremonies concerning the use of the Crosse in our good Church As for the Godfathers and Godmothers answering in the name of the childe though it seeme unreasonable to them yet is there excellent reasons for it They know there were questions and answeres in Philips baptizing of the Eunuch which hath ever beene continued in the Church because of the covenant in Baptisme And though infants cannot answer yet are there three reasons why their sureties should The first is ecclesiasticall the second civill and the third divine The Church reason is because it might put the whole congregation in minde of what was done by them when they were baptized they entered covenant with God As the Prophet spake to the dead altar to admonish living Ieroboam O Altar Altar heare the word of the Lord so doe wee to infants to admonish all that heare â—t The Civill reason is because by the 〈◊〉 of Guardianship the Guardian answeres for the Pupil under their charge and by this takes upon him an obligation of dutâ— his power and promise of faithfulnesse as hee can and what he doth stands in law as his pupils act Now because our sureties in Baptisme are such therefore they answere for children and what they doe professe to doe is accounted the infants act to which hee is bound as wee see in the civill covenant betwixt David and Ionathan and their seedes for ever The Divine reason is because in the very substance of Baptisme which is a signe and seale of the covenant of grace there is an interrogation on GODS part for repentance and beliefe of the GOSPEL and on our parts a repromission or answere of a good conscience which is opened and expounded by these questions and answeres If notwithstanding these reasons they seeme yet to bee unreasonable it is enough they know them and they must stand till they can from sound grounds overthrow them from the word of Christ Thus by GODS blessing I have finished the three grounds upon which our forsakers leave us and I hope I shall satisfie them in this that wee have a true CHURCH a true MINISTERY a true WORSHIP and that they for any thing I know have no just cause to say otherwise If yet they persevere and multiply scandal and schisme they must once againe remember the blessed wordes wee beganne with Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as yee see the day approaching SECT 17. The use to bee made of the constancy of some and forsakings of oâ—her consideration exhortation because the day is approaching IT is the course of too many to cleave to the assemblies but they are never the better They onely stand to outward profession but grow not in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Hence is it that if never so many of them stand they cannot incourage them nor if never so many fall away they cannot wisely consider them and exhort unto faithfulnesse Therefore the Apostle would have us such knowing and wise Christians by the helpe of publicke assemblies that wee may wisely consider one another and weightily exhort one another that wee may keepe one another in sound knowledge and pious practise There are three things which wee shoud consider in our selves our aptnesse to fall the difficulty of our standing and our love to that way which is most dangerous Though God set us not justly in slipperie places yet are apt to slide away continually Wee carry about with us the foolish and unwise flesh which makes us unwarie and so we are soone caught in a deceitfull net There are questing snares of gaine and questioning snares or frivolous and idle things which end in noyse and tumult without profit and thus wee are apt to fall We as hardly keepe our standings we are children and doe not play the men We are a mixture of weakenesse and must have Gods good spirit lead us or downe wee goe Satan is principality and power by whom the winde rises and the rayne falls and the flouds come and then our house if it bee not strongly founded goes to wrack
members before they are cast out But they dreame of other members who must bee chosen into their congregations for governement as those that have a full right from Christ to give voices for ordinations elections excommunications absolutions and the like as if all the members of a common-wealth must bee counsellours if not kings but where will they finde in Christs word that none are members of a visible church but those that are admitted members for government I cannot tell except they have a new testament not knowne to us It is true that Peter calleth Gods people a chosen generation a royal priest-hood an holy nation But I hope he doth not write to any particular visible church but to the dispersed saints in divers churches that were elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father None will deny these to be true members of the churches where they live and if they doe deny others who have not such high graces as these had to be members of a visible church as well as they though notwithstanding their profession to bee servants of Christ they flatter with their mouth and lie with their tongues because their heart is not right with God neither are they stedfast in his covenant they must denie the whole course of scripture which must judge them at the latter day But say they how can the wicked bee members of the church of Christ seeing Christ is not their head Christ hath told no man thus For though he be not their head by infusion of saving and sanctifying graces of the spirit unto eternall life yet is he their head as they are his members by professed governement A good husband is the head of a wicked wife and a good king is the head of wicked subjects so Christ is the head of wicked members to draw them to better courses or to have them brought forth to bee slaine before him because they will not that hee rule over them as he should But say they the visible church is the kingdome of heaven and wicked men are not the members of that The kingdome of heaven stands in righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost of this kingdome they are not members But the kingdome of heaven is like unto a net that gathered of every kinde of this kingdome they are members till Christ cast away the bad in the end of the world They are not in this kingdome by the power of godlinesse they are in this kingdome by profession and presence among and with the meanes of salvation till the kingdome be removed from them But say they wicked men are dead and how can dead members bee members of a living body Iust as an unfruitfull or rotten branch is a branch till it be cut off that bough is dead say wee yet is a bough That member is gangrenated yet is a member till the Chirurgions knife comes and hath done its office Sardis was a true visible church yet had but a name to live but was dead so may wicked men be in the church as members for outward communion but not for inward comfort Well say they put case that wicked Christians are members of the visible church till they are cut off yet they should bee cut off in a true church whereas they continue in yours and are not cut off Put case this charge were true yet Christ learnes not to argue from thence that ours is no true church This may make us a corrupt church but not a false one How many wicked members were in the only church of God in Christs time yet he separates not from it as a false church For as a tree or man or beast may have corrupt members yet not be false creatures in their kindes so may it bee in a Church And rashly to separate from such members will not prove the correction of them but their hinderance in good when they see themselves contemned without conviction and judgement Thus are they put further from the Kingdome of Heaven and made seven-fold the child of hell more to the hazard of all But this is false that ungodly men are not cut off from our true Church They are cut off two wayes by acts of the state and acts of the Church The State when they are judiciously tryed cuts off many of them by the Gallowes and in the Church they are cut off three wayes Ministerially when by declaring Christs pleasure what they should be and denouncing his wrath against them for what they are the vile are separated from the precious as those that have no actuall right to the salvation of Christ professionally when Gods good people pray against their wickednesse reprove it complaine against it and practise otherwise in wills affections and whole courses and are payed for it with their reproaches and persecutions and lastly Ecclesiastically when by processe and publike tryall they are cast out of our Synagogues and assemblies If all tast not the bitternesse of this censure when Church-officers remember not the Oath of God and so through feare favour and affection bring them not before the Churches tribunall yet many doe to be examples to all as in the Church of Corinth whereof many wicked persons one incestuous beast was cast out But say they you should separate from them all at least in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper The Apostle Paul saw all the disorders in the Church of Corinth yet taught not a separation in this Sacrament but gave this rule of remedy Let a man examine himselfe and to the Galatians he saith Every man shall beare his owne burthen Though in duties of charity we must beare one anothers burthens yet in rendring of accounts we must beare our owne Which were it well observed it would make them more carefull to reforme themselves then curiously to pry into and censure others Againe put case wicked persons come to our Communions of the Body and Bloud of Christ wee should not separate from them but they should separate from us It is but theirs by their profession but it is ours by our power of grace When things are naught wee must separate but when they are good wee must stay in our owne right It was sinne in Israel to separate from the sacrifices for the mixture of Elies wicked sonnes whom God would destroy But because this doth sticke so much with them and their partners that wicked men come to our Sacrament of the Lords Supper I shall therefore by Gods helpe cleare these three particulars 1 What right a wicked man hath by vertue of the gospel to this sacramēt 2 What benefit he can have from it 3 VVhat separation Gods word will warrant from such receivers For the first the sacrament hath a double office to offer grace to them that will receive it according to their profession and to exhibit this grace offered to