is rendred in the same Epistle that they do fully know the life conversation of every man And therefore it is e Diatrib cap. 11. injudiciously spoken that ordination necessarily follows election for an irrational or meer arbitrary dissent when no just exception could be put in bar against a man could no more hinder a mans ordination then such a peevishnesse now a-days can hinder the marriage of one whose name is publisht in the congregation Ab ordinatoribus plebs docenda non sequenda saith Caelestinus The cloze of this point might well have beene an Apology for speaking so much of it in this place had not the Text led me to say something and the necessity of the times together with the present occasion constrained me to this prolixity For the office of the Ministery and the power thereunto belonging are very much undervalued and laid very low by many who differing among themselves in principles doe as in a common interest joyn together to cry downe and degrade them In order to a two-fold liberty The one is the liberty of prophesying or preaching as any man is able to set up the trade in opposition to which they conceive the Ministers do stand for their own livings and power sake The other is the liberty of their lusts and ways of loosenesse and these are such upon whom the feare of the Ministery is fallen whose Spirit cannot bear too free reproofe nor their courses a too close observation And hence it is that some of them having learning doe set their wits on worke to rout this office and the power thereof by bafling the evidences of the word and endeavouring to dispute the Scripture out of doores which though God hath not pleased to deliver Systematically in a way of absolute precept or demonstrative clearnesse in every particular yet ought to be regarded in the hints and consequences and implications which afford foot-hold to a good conscience and not to be out-wrangled for our ends and lusts sake as being the becke of that great God who is able to becken us all into nothing others that calculate by the Ephemerides of policy doe discover or imagine future inconveniences which may arise from the indiscretion passion weakenesse of the Ministers and if they will but goe on to play that Cannon a little further they shall find it will batter and overthrow all Magistracy or any goverment that is managed by men others whose tongues are sharper then their arguments fall foule upon the ministry and poure treble contempt upon it in lieu of double honour never was ministry more blessed and witnessed unto from heaven by the successe and fruitfullnesse of it in bringing in and bringing up a people unto God though some of their chickens are caught and carried away by kites or have forsaken them as duckes forsake the hen that hatched them never more contemned That which the f Collat. Carthag 3. Donatist objected sometime to Austin is now rife againe tu quis es Filius es Ceciliani an non who ordained you you are the brat of Cecilian are you not whom they pretended to be a traditor or to have given up the holy Scripture to the fire so they say to the Ministers whose sons are you is not your pedigree by lineall descent from Antichrist is not he the top of your kin he that hath but halfe an eye may see the reason why the Wolves would have the Sheep to quitt their dogs The ministry if encouraged and supported to doe their duty will be next under the Parliament who we hope will doe theirs the greatest bulwarke or banke against the inundation of errour haeresy and blasphemy whose increase is the occasion of this humiliation It is the lot of the Ministers of the reformed Churches to be grund betweene two Mil-stones in the first reformation the popish Champions fell pell-mell upon the calling of the a Non missi non vocati non consecrati Bristow mâ—tiu Ministers of the reformed Churches pretending it to be null ac proinde nulla ecclesia and consequently saith b Non ab episcopis ordinati ac proinde nulla ecclesia Greg de Valentia Tom. 4. disput 9. quâ—st 3. punct 2. in sine Gregory de Valentia the Churches no Churches because they were not ordained by Bishops The same conclusion is now undertaken That the present Ministers in this Church are not lawfull Ministers upon a medium quite contrary that is because they were ordained by Bishops nor are those who are ordained by Presbyters in much better account with the objectours for they are in the same line of pedigree being but once more removed from the stocke great-grandchildren to the Pope The cauills of the Papists have been long agoe laid to sleepe by the answers of c Mornay of the Church chap. 11. Sadrel de legitim â—ocat Minister reform 〈…〉 Minist Anglicaâ—â— learned men who have distinguisht betweene the corruptions in the persons ordaining or in the fieri of ordination and the substance and validity of ordination in facto esse and the very same answers which were made for the first reformers and the Ministers ordained by them are of as full force for the Ministers now in being with us and the Ministers ordained by them nor can our Ministery fall by this argument now used against us without the fall of all ministery in the Churches of Christ in all times and places where Bishops had a hand in ordination and if the Scripture doe settle the power of ordination in a Presbytery or in the Elders of the Church it can never be made good that a Bishops hand who is also a presbyter being joyned with others can anull the ordination as neither is Baptisme a nullity because administred by a Bishop and haply with some corrupt ceremony used in the administration thereof I proceed to the second point which I will touch but breifly and reserve the use of both and of that which followes untill the close of all Doctrine 2 These false teachers are they that bring in damnable Heresies Tertull de praescript Stuprant veritatem adulterio haeretico They defloure the truth by haereticall adultery not onely those that teach without commission but such as have a calling to teach doe by doctrines of errour bring in damnable haeresies as it s said Acts. 20. 30. Also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw Disciples after them-They called Paul because he was a zealous teacher of the Gospell a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarens Acts. 24. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies one that is the first man of the ranke it is a military word and I wish that our military men had not transfused errour into the severall parts of our body If it be said that many of those who are charged with teaching of errours or haeresy are holy men I answer that a holy man cannot easily be a haeretick nor are all the errous of
patience possess your souls but you must needs be subject for this was the case of those Christians to whom the Apostle writes this lesson If the tree drop thorough you must not cut it down for it 's not your tree and it may yeeld better fruit If the fire burn the house you must not quench all the fire in the town for the Community receives benefit and the ordination is of God Thus far I have showen that neither the principles nor interests of Christianity do carry the least tincture of indisposition against Magistracy and why then is the scripture so solicitous in inculcating upon them this duty of subjection 1. The reason that respects the Christians of those times is that so great was the provocation offer'd to this profession at that time that the pot had need to be cooled for running over never was any religion of any kinde so universally and implacably entertained with causless outrage which showes both the diabolical spirit of the enemy and the verity of the Christian Religion 2. The other respects Christians of all times for they by their Christianity have such Dignity priviledges and liberties of spiritual nature that through pride and corruption are very obnoxious to be abused to carnal liberty and as the next verse saith made a cloak of wickedness especially if a wary distinction be not kept between obedience and subjection for obedience to their commands is often unjust because the thing commanded is unlawfull but subjection respects the authority which is the image of God and not to be resisted So much for the general The first particular reason is That so is the will of God I shall not enter into distinctions about Gods will here may be conceived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the will of his pleasure according to which his purposes his providences and their effects are ordered and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12. 13. the good and acceptable will of God which orders our actions and obedience for obedience respects not as obedience the matter of a command that it be profitable or pleasant but the will of the Commander from whence it hath the denomination of obedience The will of God is 1. the highest reason 2. The most obliging of a Christian 3. The most proper reason for subjection The will of God is the highest reason as the command is the highest rule there must be some supreme will for there is no order sine relatione ad aliquid primum as in the order of causes I will hear the heaven the heaven shall hear the earth the earth shall hear the corn and that shall hear Jezreel Hosea 2. 22. so in the scale of Magistracy one rank is above another untill we arise up to the supreme for there is in every Common-wealth whether in one hand or in more some supreme wherein there must be some arbitrariness in legislation or law-making 2. The will of God is most obliging of a Christian whose prayer is fiat voluntas Domini It hath the greatest awe upon him above all interests and all reasons it is the welspring of all saving grace and the presence and favour of God accompanies our obedience to his will the father hath not left me alone John 8. 29. for I do alwayes those things that please him 3. It is the most proper and preponderating reason that can be given for this relation of Magistracy and subjection 1. The ordinance of Magistracy is of God the powers that be are ordained of God Rom. 13. 1. 2. This ordination is for the good of man for he is the Minister of God for good the heathen could say the Common-wealth is not for the Magistrate but he for the Common-wealth and therefore they are called Healers Shields Comers c. 3. It makes all sufferings tolerable even though the Magistrate use us harshly for it is the will of God 4. It makes Christianity acceptable to Nations because it yields subjection to government who otherwise would be extirpate and rooted out c. And this the first reason the second is that the will of God is that we put to silence the ignorance of foolish men In handling of which I should have handled these points 1. There will be calumnies cast upon Christianity 2. They are ignorant and foolish men that calumniate Christianity 3. It s Gods will that we should stop the mouth and put these calumnies to silence 4. It s practical godliness of conversation of which subjection to Authority is a part that puts to silence the mouthes of profane men that are opened against Religion for he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this point I would have spoken a little to have shewn that it is not an opinionative profession but a practical conversation that gains reputation to Religion and cleares off seandals but Religion without honesty is but for the stage brings Infamy from very Heathens hardens men in their sins opens the mouth of scandals causes an enemy to blaspheme and heaps discomfort on our selves So much for the reason verse 15. now to the preoccupation of the objection We are free verse 16. and the points are three 1. That part of Christianity which is most obnoxious to abuse is Christian liberty 2. The abuse of this liberty is to make it or use it for a cloak of wickedness looseness sedition 3. The right use of this liberty is the imployment and exercise of it in Gods service 1. This part is most obnoxious to abuse the sound of the name suggests to carnal ear a carnal liberty True liberty is a power to do what we ought not what we will I confels Christianity is a free state but the freedoms of this city of God this kingdom of Christ are as the city and kingdom is not of this world A Christian is free from servility of a legal spirit by the spirit of Adoption from the yoak of legal bondage by Gospel doctrine from dominion of sin by renewing grace from condemnation and curse by the right of Christ and all through the redemption or price that ransomed him into freedome But as to his outward condition no man his condition is better by Religion He that is a slave is not made free He that hath no title is not entitled to another mans property but a sanctified use of his own He that is a private man is not made a Ruler much less is a wicked man let loose to lust and licentiousness The bond of filial subjection to parents of servants to masters of subjects to magistrates is not dissolved but strengthened and sweetened by Christianity we are free from dominion of mens lusts not of mens laws 2. The abuse of this liberty is to use it as a vail or cloak of wickednesse and wickednesse under such a cloak is double iniquity The zelots among the Jews who were the greatest vipers that ever breathed had the Temple the Religion the freedom of that people for the cloak of their horrible outrages And we
's one thing to know simply and another to know judicially and known it must be either by evidence of fact or confession or conviction if it be and yet appear not it is as if it were not De non existentibus non apparentibus eadem ratio if it come to that passe that the offendour put himself upon conviction then the processe must be Secundum allegata probata in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word must stand saith our Saviour upon this point If I were to judge the fact which I my self do know but yet it is not proved I durst not make a censure but should rather Exuere personam judicis induere personam testis And as Jerome saith Cont Ruffin lib. 2. A single witnesse is not to be believed Ne Catoni quidem No though he were Cato You would be loath to lose your horse your goods but upon sufficient conviction and I hope you think that to lose your right to the Sacrament is a greater losse I like well of that of Durand Lib. 4. Dist. â— Qu. 5. §. 7. Aug. in 1 Cor. 5. If any be a brother out of Austine We cannot prohibâ—re à Communione any man but he that either confesses his sinne or is convict of it before the secular Judgement or in the face of the Church You see what a sufficient hedge the Scripture and Reason hath made about the right of a Communicant Sixthly No private person by any private Authority can dispossess a visible member of his right of Communion As in the Common-wealth Justice is necessary but private persons doe not bear the Sword It 's unreasonable that a man laying claime to the Ordinance should at any mans private discretion be denied What inconveniences and mischiefes would this fill the Church of God with How full of scandals This would not heal scandals but make them Nor can I warrant or encourage any private or single Minister ordinarily to assume the power of jurisdiction to cast out of the Church as it once did Diotrephes 2 Epist of John vers 10. and I say ordinarily because Saint Paul deliver'd to Satan Hymenaeus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1. 20. For the Pastour is not Dominus but Dispensator Sacramentorum as Alensis saith not the Head of the Sacraments but the Steward And it would goe very ill with the best Communicants many times if the power lay in that hand He that preaches against them would make no bones to forbid them the Table and they that least deferved it should feel the severity most but our Saviour his Rule is Tell the Church and that Matth. 18. rebuke which was given to the incestuous Corinthian was inflicted by many 2 Cor. 2. 6. It 's true The Minister may alone performe the executive part and pronounce the words as the Crier doth the Proclamation and peradventure withdraw his hand from reaching forth the Sacrament to a scandalous person but that is no act of Jurisdiction or casting out the scandalous person as I shall it may be shew anon Seventhly The Church it selfe doth not ordinarily cast out a meritorious sinner without previous Admonition and hearty seeking of a lost Sheep for there are few that would cut off an unsound Leg or Arme before they had tried all wayes And our Saviour saith If he neglect to hear the Church Matth. 18. 17. as implying That the Church deals with him by Exhortations and entreaties such as may overcome his obstinacy rather then punish it and had rather heal him than cut him off And so in the first generall Position I fortified the Sacrament against undue Intrusion And in this second I have fortified the Right of the Communicant against unjust invasion And having shewed you the truth of this Point in two generall Positions The first was That this Ordinance is barred and lies not open to all that may intrude The second was That the right of a visible Church-member is hedged in and cannot be hand over head invaded and taken away from him Now I shall shortly shew you what Use may be made of all this CHAP. XVIII The Vses which are to be made of the two last Theses §. 1. THat the truth lies between these two I say between a forcible Entry or violent Intrusion unto this Ordinance and an unjust invasion of the Communicants right For both the Ordinance it self and right of the Communicant are hedged in As in all Corporations whosoever will may not intrude into the freedom nor yet the rights belonging to that freedom be taken away but in an orderly way That which God hath made common we may not inclose or make several vâ—z the Gospel or preaching thereof and that which God hath made several we may not make common that is this Sacrament As he cannot allow this Table to any that are not of the house so neither can we turn out of the house such as have right to come to this Table Some are displeased that they should not have the same right to the Word and to the Table No for as thou art a sinfull man thou hast a right and duty to hear the Gospel though an Heathen but not to this Sacrament till thou be a Christian and duly qualified professour of Christ Are you not pleas'd that God gives you a nearer and more inward admittance unto Communion and fellowship with Christ than to Jews and Infidels and such as are called Christians but little better than they Would you not have him make more of his children than of common servants While you would raise up a right unto wicked men to Gods inner Ordinance you do but depresse and lay low the difference and favour which he vouchsafes to his Covenant people A King may send a Proclamation of pardon to rebels while the Sword is in their hand but he seals it not to them or invites them to his Table till they submit and accept conditions §. 2. No private grudge or distance or animosity of any man in authority can warrant the dispossession of any just right of a Communicant to this Ordinance I have told you already We are not Lords of the Sacrament but Stewards the Table is the Lords Table not ours No servant can upon any private grudge against his fellow-servant forbid him the house or table provided by the Master No private Citizen can forbid the priviledge and rights of freedom to his fellow-citizen This is but the exercising of private revenge by the way of Gods publick Ordinance and to prostitute the same to our envy and malice The King said to his servants binde him hand and foot that hath not the wedding-garment and take him away Matth. 27. 13. The King said it Let all the Lords servants take heed of casting out any but upon the Lords warrant and upon his command I should tremble that my self or any else should make my Office serve my private spleen neither can any man lose his right upon my supposition or
then had we plenty of victuals and were well and saw no evil He would seem to speak a Paradox that should say It 's better as we are then as we were Oh that there was not this error in our hearts Oh that we did know his ways For I was grieved saith God with that generation and said They do always erre in Heb. 3. 10. their hearts and they have not known my ways that is they consider not my dispensations towards them for good in bringing them out of Egypt and in this wilderness our condition in Egypt being considered might justly make our wilderness a happiness to us especially if we remember that God having brought them once out did not again bring them back into it Israel returns back no more though many of the carnal mutineers desired it The Churches may be pursued and warred against by the enemy that enslâ—ved them the witnesses may suffer under the tyranny and power of the beast but they shall no more return into captivity to her sit down by her flesh-pots or to be under her tasks 3. Israel is happy in the Wilderness because they have therein the Covenant renewed the Tables thereof are given to them the Tabernacle is set up the Ordinances are instituted and appointed Religion is reformed and the things that concern the House of God are made according to the Pattern And all this was done while Israel was in the Wilderness This is Gods time to give and the Churches time to receive the holy Ordinances In the wilderness I gave them my Statutes and shewed them my Judgements moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths Ezek. 20. 10 11 12. when God had Israel as I may say alone in the wilderness and under his hammer there see how he deals with them He settles his own Ordinances brings them into the bond of his Covenant before he brings them into their affluence of Milk and Honey That it is the Happiness of Israel to be thus furnished with Gods Ordinances and brought into his Covenant is not necessary for me to prove see Psal 147. ver 19 20. Rom. 9. 4. But that this is the time when God doth it and promiseth to do it you may see Ezek. 20. 35. 37. I will bring you into the wilderness c. and I wil cause you to pass under the rod that is bring you into my possession Levit. 27. 32. And I will bring you into the bond of the Covenant and I will purge out from among you the Rebels and them that transgress against me c. ver 38. When God hath his people in a wilderness then he may do what he will with them then he wil bring them into his Covenant and then will he purge out the Rebels from among them as the Apostle observes he did 1 Cor. 10. 5. And all these things happened unto them for types or examples unto us ver 11. Rebels shal be purged out and the people of God shall be brought into the bond of his Covenant and that when the Lord hath brought them into a wilderness Now then Moses and all Israel consider Magistrates Ministers and all the people this is the time this is the way wherein God is about to make you happy It 's your work and duty to receive and entertain the Ordinances from his mouth and hand to set up his Tabernacle and build unto him an Habitation and then will he bring you into a condition flowing with Milk and Honey 4. Israel in their wilderness condition are happy in the extraordinary presence of God with them to supply and support them at such a time never were there more cleer pledges and tokens of Gods presence with of his power and protection over Israel then when they were in the Wildernesse there Manna comes from Heaven the Rock follows them the Cloud is over them the enemies that fight against them are strangely subdued the Sun stands still whiles the work is doing When God brings his people into straits he will work wonders for them Extraordinary cases have extraordinary applications made by God unto them Till they came to eat of the old corn of the land the Manna did not cease Josh 5. 11. We cannot have great experiences until we come into extremities great deliverances presuppose great dangers when Christ is in his Agony and the Disciples sleep there appears an Angel from Heaven strengthening him Lu. 22. 43. 45. When the Mariners cast Ionah over-board the Lord prepared a great fish to swallow him Ionah 1. 17. God doth as it were put himself to extremities when he puts his people into them Thou hast considered my trouble thou hast known my soul in adversity Psal 31. 7. I shall say no more upon this but only that which we find Hos 2. where the Lord having spoken terrible things to his declined people from the ninth verse to the end of the thirteenth doth in the 14. verse come to this resolution and conclusion I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and what then I will speak comfortably to her and I will give her vineyards from thence and the Valley of Achor for a door of hope and she shall sing there as in the days of her youth and as in the day when she came up out of the Land of Egypt There is you see in the wilderness God speaking comfortably and Israel singing joyfully 5. Israel is happy not only in fruition of God but in acting for God It is a question whether a mans happiness do rather consist â—n fruition and enjoyment of good things or in doing and acting out of a right principle the Philosopher seems to define happiness rather by operation and working according to vertue then by fruition of good things and it is out of question there is no greater happiness then in being Instruments and Agents for God God makes you as happy if he please to use your purse as if he fill it if he please to lay out your lives as if he save them It 's hard to beleeve and relish this but there is reason for it that a mans happiness should consist in that wherein he is active as well as in that wherein he is passive that is in his returns unto God as well as in his receipts from him So that upon the whole matter It may seem that in what estate soever Israel be whether in a Canaan estate or a wilderness estate they are and they may truly be pronounced Happy when they are like the bush all on fire God is in the bush and they are not consumed and it may justly be to their great comfort that all his Dispensations towards them are in order to the fulfilling of his Covenant He keeps Covenant with them or keeps them in his Covenant by all his Dispensations whether he create good or evil If Paul have a thorne in his flesh it is to take down his puffing up above measure If after successes he give us a check it is
the bringing in and planting of Israel into Canaan for then were their enemies found lyars unto them and they did tread upon their high places but yet this Promise is extensive to Israel now as then so far as that victory over all opposites and oppositions shall stand on the Churches side It is to be observed that Moses describes the happiness of Israel in these words by that which was as yet future Thine enemies shall be found lyars Thou shalt tread on their high places Much of our happiness lies in reversion It 's said of those prodigies of faith Heb. 11 that some of them died in the faith not having received the Promises ver 13. and that all of them having obtained a good testimony by faith received not the Promises ver 39. All of them happy notwithstanding There is a great inheritance in remainder to be inherited by faith and patience Heb. 6. 12. Happy are they who are within the intail The Church shall reap her greatest Harvests in the latter days The scorching Sun that at present beats upon the corn-fields doth but ripen the fruits which shall be gathered in full sheaves in their season 1. Israels enemies shall be found lyars that is 1. Either they shall fall into a consumption and be attenuate and wast away as it was said of the house of Saul it grew weaker and weaker there is some such signification of the word Ps 109. 24 Or 2. They shall promise to themselves great things saying I will pursue I will overtake them and swallow them up I will divide the spoile my lust shall be satisfied upon them as it is Ex. 15. 9. but they shall be found lyars for they shall bring forth a lye as big with child as they are with mischief and so we have hitherto found true in our experience The enemy is but a lyer God hath blown upon their counsels and frustrated them Or 3. They shal be found lyars unto thee that is shall be subject in despite of their hearts Ps 18. 44. Strangers shall lie unto me they shall feign obedience and subjection being so convinced of Gods hand with his Israel or feeling it so against themselves that they shall curry favour and like Gibeonites fue to make their peace and shrowd themselves under the protection of Israel and this I conceive to be the most natural sense of this expression Thine enemies shall lie unto thee And thence I shall observe That the prosperous success of Israel will make many hypocrites who will feigne reconciliation and submission and therefore a watchful eye must be upon them because they are but lyars dissembling themselves until there come an opportunity and revolution of things when they will turn Samaritans again It 's no resting upon their pulling in of their horns but in the cutting of them off nor can there be any security to you but only in leaving them no power to hurt 2. Israel shall tread upon the enemies high places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon their neck so the Greek translation Enemies to the Church may have their high places but the Promise will bring them under her feet It was literally fulfilled to Israel in respect of Canaan The Idol-gods worshipt usually in high places cannot protect them the strength power forces magnificence of the enemy must come down under Israels feet this Promise will have effect Thou shalt tread on their high places Let not Israel be proud of the Promises but with humble confidence expect them All enemies must come under Christs feet and if under his feet they cannot be over our head If any shall laugh at this Promise as unlikely as Sarah once did at that Promise which seemed improbable because the Church is few and weak He may by the same reason laugh at a worm threshing the Mountains into chaff and of the rams-horns blowing down the walls of Jericho no matter though the instrument be as contemptible as the Jaw-bone of an Asse so that it be in the hands of a Sampson that God who makes the Promise hath a hand strong enough to bring it to pass I shall now draw drown that which hath been said into Application sutable to the occasion Vse 1 Let Israel see God and admire him and cast upon him all the glory of their Salvation and victories This who is like to thee is applyable both to God and to Israel Israel saith of God who is like unto the O Lord among the Gods who is like to to thee Ex. 15. 11. a fit Motto for your Ensigns as it was for the Maccabees and God saith of Israel Who is like to thee O people God is a quis sicut tu among the gods Israel is a quis sicut tu among the people such mutual commendations do God and his people cast upon each other There are many rivulets which by their confluence make up such a stream as may turn the wheel of our praises this day If we do search out the works of the Lord as it is said Ps 111. 2. The works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein and it may well be said of them that have pleasure therein for otherwise when the hand of God is lifted up men will not see might we not be convinced of Gods finger here if we would survey all circumstances and not Atheistically deny or perversly wrangle against the manifestations of God but it is the great unhappiness of many amongst us that even with such spectacles they cannot read God in his works It is too late for the Egyptians to say God fights for Israel when they are inclosed in the Sea and cannot get back again they might have acknowledged it sooner had they not been hardened and who knows but that check which God hath lately given us in the North may not freez up some again that did begin to thaw and yeeld They that will be hard and stiff shall not want occasion while we are in this wilderness He that will stumble shall not want a stone in his way If Pharaoh can but see that the like is done by the inchantments of his Magitians as Moses did then is he where he was For our parts it ought not to take off our praises for the receipts we have had from God though as they say of the Nightingal we have a thorn at our breast whilst we sing for yet will we sing the Lords Praises and gather up the crums of his mercies which he hath let fall at Scarborough Plimouth Shrewesbury Weymouth sic positi quoniam suaves miscetis odores these flowers make a good Nosegay though there be one Bryar in it Scarborough was given to us at the time of the Treaty when Weymouth was taken from us which helped to make the end of the Wallet to hang the more even Shrewesbury and Weymouth were two great Ports of Armies to be powred forth upon us The one from the Welch the other from the outlandish parts God
by Hesychius as they doe also f So also in Scripture Acts 1. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reckon or give sentence though there be no use of counters or little stones and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee chosen to a place or to obtaine a possession though there be no use of any Lot therein accordingly to which a man may bee said pedibus ire in sententiam though he have no feet to goe upon but because we would not rest in generals let us examin what was the act of Paul Barnabas in this place for it is plaine that they put forth some particular act g Ephes 1. 11. when ' its said they ordained for them or unto them Elders did they ordaine by imposition of hands as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in the Greeke Fathers and counsells who may be thought to understand the language It is not unlikely that those very men that had been sent forth upon this expedition by imposition of hands fasting prayer should iâ— the like manner ordaine Elders for so the very texâ— in hand couples together ordaining of Elders in every Church praying with fastings or did they elect Elders for them as h Grotius in locum Grotius seemes to interpret it but those that contend for that sense of the word to signify election will not easily disgest the interpretation and the truth is They that argue the peoples election of Ministers from the election of the seven Acts. 6. which the Apostles permitted to the people there cannot easily grant that Paul and Barnabas did assume it to themselves here because it gives away the question namely election by the people or did Paul and Barnabas joyne with the Disciples in election If it had been said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it had been something to the purpose but it is not said they chose with them but they ordained for them Elders in every Church And for that which Grotius saith Credibile est c. I'ts to be thought that the consent of the people went along also the reason that he gives namely because in a lesser matter their consent was sometime taken in quite overthrowes that which is contended for ex vi verbi out of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in the text and we know that where the Apostles Elders and Brethren concurred in an act they are all named Acts. 15. 23. which as here it is not said so it cannot hence be proved or in the last place if it be said that the word translated ordaine signifies an ordination upon a previous or antecedent election of the people then ' its cleare that election doth not thrust out ordination nor the act of the people justle out the act of Paul and Barnabas and so that engine workes not by this Text which is so much clearer for ordination than election as the act of Paul and Barnabas is more expresse then that couchant act of the people which is pretended to lie hid in the same word which if it be taken in one simple sense signifying either generally to constitute or ordaine and so relate to the act of Paul and Barnabas without thrusting into the notion of the word either imposition of hands which may be made good elswhere in Scripture to have beene used in ordination or election by the people which cannot be made good elsewhere or signifying election by suffrage and so relate both to Paul Barnabas and the people as if they all concur'd in election or vote and that was all they did both these significations the word will beare though not the Text but if it carry twins in the belly of it and import two divers acts different in kinde and so relate to some act of Paul and Barnabas differing from the act or suffrage of the people then must that signification be proved by good examples lest it bee found never to have beene so used before Luke used it so but I hold my hand from further prosecution of this Scripture and offer to you one observation more tending to cleare the point in hand and that is out of Acts 6. where it is cleare that there was an election of the seven and as cleare that the constitution or ordination of them was reserved unto the Apostles vers 6. Looke yee out seven men whom wee may appoint or constitute over this business the people elected the Apostles ordained vers 3. 5. But the election is not called the constitution or ordination for that the Apostles are said to doe and how did they doe it vers 6. when they had prayed they laid their hands on them ordination by imposition of hands was the constitutive act The peoples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 6. and the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 3. are not all one that poore criticisme would never have beene borne if the f Diatrib p. 10. Author of it had but set the words together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the people set or presented the elected before the Apostles they did not ordaine them before the Apostles but presented them to be constituted and ordained by them over that business unto which they were chosen vers 3. There is not a more usuall word in the a Arist politic passim Acts 7. 10. 27. 35. Mat. 24. 47. 25. 41. Lu. 12. 14. Acts 6. 3. Titus 1. 5. usually wâ—â—â—â—he preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying the place or the subject matter of their office goverment greeke tongue to signifie the making of a Governour or setling one into an office or praefecture then this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is also used for the constitution of Elders and Church Officers in the new Testament which wee call ordination If you please to consult the practise of antiquity in the point of election of Bishops ab ordine plebe as they use to say by the Church officers and community you shall finde 1. That election was never set so high as to give checke to ordination nor accounted that wherein the mission or sending did consist but as a preparative to ordination by way of good testimony of the person to bee ordained 2. When you have searcht all records as b Spalato derep eccles lib. 3. cap. 3. they are laid together by a very learned hand the result and summe will be this that election had the force only of a nomination presentation postulation or consent so as a Minister could not bee obtruded invitae ecclesiae upon a Church whether it would or no if they were able to put in a just exception against him for which end the person to be ordained was first to be proclaimed or as I may say asked in c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Chalced. can 6. the Church for the very reason of Cyprians d Cyprian Ep. 68. Edit Pam. speech that the people principally have power to chuse the worthy or refuse the unworthy
they should principally affect to be God ordains the Magistracy which we must necessarily obey in things lawful you design the Magistrate that we may the more willingly submit and so there is a divine and humane creation both 2. To you nameless Sir into whose hand the Lord Mayor that now is shall resign up the sword of his authority which with much wisdom and moderation he hath thus far executed and honoured Remember that this great people are yours to serve and observe your just commands and you are their servant to serve their just rights and priviledges They chuse you supreme in this orb and sphear not sole you are to be Coâ—sul not Dictator the Honourable Aldermen and the right Worshipful Common-Councell have also their shoulders under this burden Be you incouraged to give up your self to publick use and to the interest of this renowned City neither betraying her liberties through cowardize nor hazarding them in rashness And if there should arise cross winds under your government remember that you are Piloâ— of a ship not fraught with your own goods but with the lives liberties and welfare of the whole City and so as your wisdom may dictate to you labour in such emergents to put them into a safe harbour if it may be And let your courage and diligence run out against those flagitious sins that undermine the peace of our Common-wealth swearing drunkenness whoredome and their nests I say their nests for the best reformation of such birds is to pull down their nests And because there are amongst us a certain sort of Pagans in Christendom that use not the means of faith but under the colour of liberty take a liberty for no conscience for lust and filthiness remember that remember is the first word of the 4th Commandement which God committed to parents to masters to governours to see observed for he that is a Magistrate without care of Relion may be compared rather to a herdsman of cattle then accounted a governor of christians It may be your sword will not reach all of this sort but you must know that the moral acts of a Magistrate may work much his tongue his frown his word of counsel and reproof in all which he may worthily exercise his zeal for God And finally let Magistracy and Ministry support one the other for when one of these twins decay and dye the other will not long survive in any slourishing condition FINIS SVBJECTION TO MAGISTRATES BOTH Divine and Subordinate Presented in a third SERMON Preached at the Election of the Lord Major of London on Michaelmas day 1655. By Richard Vines Preacher of Gods Word at Laurence Jury London Rom. 13. 1. Let every soul be subject to the higher power for there is no power but of God The powers that be are ordained of God LONDON Printed for Abel Roper at the Sun over against St. Dunstans Church in Fleetstreet 1656. Subjection to Magistrates both Supream and Subordinate The Third Sermon at the Election of the Lord Major of LONDON TITUS 3. 1. Put them in minde to be subject to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates c. SUbjection to Civil Magistracie even that which obtained in the world at that time prest upon them of Christian profession with such cogent Arguments as are used by St. Paul Rom. 13. 1 2 c. and by St Peter 1. Epist Cap. 2. vers 13 14 15. doth perspicuously intimate that which Calvin observeth what adoe the Apostles had to contain the new World of Christianity within the true bounds of this duty which he calls in my text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obedience to Magistracie For 1 The aspect or influence of Civil Authority at that time Heathenish was very malignant to Christianity 2 The Gospel liberty unto which the Christians were called was by many Pseudochristians stretched beyond the line and mistaken or misused unto scandal and abuse 3 That old ferment of the Jews being a mutinous and seditions temper against all Forreigne and Gentile authority in defence of their own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had with either Jewish Fables Titus 1. 14. spread into the Island and inflamed the natural humour thereof which as one observed was always seditious and whose infamous character given of them by Epimenides one of their own even a Prophet of their own the Apostle verifies Titus 1. vers 12 13. The Cretians are alwayes lyars evil beasts idle bellies Whether some particular Reason at that timeindisposed Christians to subjection unto Magistracie or whether the universal pride of man aspiring Adam-like to a condition above himself be the reason that every Absalon aspires to be made Judge and every thistle or bramble aspires to be a King I shall not now enquire but observe that not onely the Apostles do inculcate this point of subjection but also in this text the Apostle charges the local Minister to put the Christians his Auditors in minde to be subject to principalities and powers to obey Magistrates and so leaves the Doctrine as by entail upon all Ministers and the duty upon all Christians in all times In the Anatomy of this text there will arise four considerable parts which I will form up into as many points of Doctrine 1 Who the Remembrancer is whom the Apostle doth charge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to put them in minde and that is Titus and all Colleagues with him in the Ministerial Office the Apostle one of the highest authority Ecclesiastical provides for the maintenance of the highest authority Political in the Common-wealth and if the people will submit to the Minister of Doctrine it may be presumed they will subject themselves to the Magistrate who is the Minister of God for government this first part I sum up into this point 1 That the Minister of the Word ought in his place and office to endeavour that the Scepter of Majesty in the highest the Sword of Magistratical authority in the lower hand be kept in possession of their rights and dues which are subjection and obedience of the people 2 Whose Remembrancer the Minister is and they are Christians by their profession who come to his crib to feed Not heathens who neither acknowledge any authority of God in the Minister nor are much moved to this duty of obedience for conscience towards God but rather for fear whereof I mean the punishment the Magistrate himself not the Minister is the proper executioner or Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the text put them in minde and so the second point is No Christian who is by his Christianity municeps Coeli a freeman of Jerusalem hath by his Christianity any priviledge that may exempt him from or loosen the bands of that civil Authority which is over him no though it remain unchristian 3 These things wherewith Christians must be charged in relation to civil authority are summ'd up under two heads subjection obedience put them in minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The one of these calls for subjection to
and help forward the growth of their graces to an early maturity Those that are professed Christians baptized-Church-members whether they live in open practice or fall under the guilt of some gross and scandalous sinne are for that time as they be impenitent to be secluded from or not admitted unto this Communion and this is an adjudged case in Scripture 1 Cor 5. where one for terrible incest notoriously manifest detested by very Heathens remained in the Communion of the Church through neglect of their duty which the Apostle reproves and having shown what power they had of judging such as were within members of their Church enjoyns them to purge out the leaven and to cast out from themselves that wicked person and least any perverse gainsayer should restrain this power to this one sin the Apostle saith ver 11. If any that is called a brother be a fornicatour a covetous or an idolater or a railer or a drunkard or extortioner the Church hath power to judge them that are within But what is this to the Sacrament enough verily for he that is cast out of the house is certainly cast out from the houshold table and the abstention from Communion so much named in Cyprian or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or seclusion Forbâ—s 631. mentioned in the Canons and whatsoever word is used for this casting one out of Church-communion here if any where it operates and works in forbidding the use of the Table where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Church society and communion is as for instance Divorce though it extend further yet signifies nothing at all is no Divorce if not a thoro or mensa from bed or board so this restention is nothing it works nothing I speak not of a private avoidance of familiarity with wicked persons which lies on private persons if not to this seclusion from the Table I shall not further urge the example of the old Testament which debarres the uncircumcised and the unclean for the time from the Passeover and I deny not that under that worldly Sanctuary and those carnall Ordinances as they are called Heb. 9. 1 10. Legall uncleanness might debarre when spirituall and morall did not as now morall filthiness may when legall uncleanness is not for that uncleanness under the Law had a spirituall signification and though it was not alwaies sinne yet it signified morall pollution as the leaven which was held Hag. 2. 13. execrable and must be cast out at the Passeover is spiritually applied to another meaning by the Apostle 1 Cor. 5. Purge out the old leaven ver 7. for Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us the old leaven that is the wicked and incestuous person Beza Slater alii out of your society and malice and wickedness out of your lives ver 8. and therefore the Argument which is drawn from the signification of the legall type is not so contemptible as a Learned man of M. Huâ—frey late would seem to make it since the Apostle seems to argue from the leaven cast out at the Passeover as I have hinted § 7 §. 7. The evidence of Reason The third evidence is that of reason which was this that such as have no right to eat or have lost for present right or capacity should not intrude themselves I say those that have no right and they are those that as the Apostle saith Eph. 2. 12. are meer strangers to the Covenant for in reason the Covenant must go before the Seal and not the Seal before the Covenant and therefore they were Disciples to whom Christ said Take and eat not aliens or strangers to the Gospel-Covenant whereof it was ordained a Sacrament infidels or unbeleevers which answer to the uncircumcised were debarred the Passeover Or else they are such as having had both right unto and use of this Ordinance have afterward lost their capacity for the time by some gross and enormous crime which hath brought them under sequestration or deprivation by the censure of the Church and these answer the unclean under the Law who having right to the Passeover as Church-members were yet forbidden the use during such uncleanness for against such is the key turned and the door shut untill and unless by their repentance for their sinne they be restored to their right and the sequestration be taken off for so in the ancient Churches while the Lapsi lay under pennance and were in the School of repentance they could not communicate the Crier said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrysost hom 3. in Ephes and if the same Authour and the same place may be heard ye shall learn from him the very two sorts which I am speaking of There ought saith he to come to this Table neither any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of them that are not initiated and entred Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor any of those that are professours and members but unclean or flagitious whose sinnes are such ut judicatur excommunicandus as it 's said in Austin Epist 118. ad Januarium Now there is reason that such as lie in manifest and enormous sinne without repentance should either forbear or by the Church be forbidden access to the terrible mysteries as Chrysostom often cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them 1. That they should forbear being made acquainted what a fearfull sinne they boldly adventure upon viz. to be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord the very naming of it being able to strike terrour and what danger they rush themselves into of eating and drinking damnation to themselves as it were professedly seeking and solemnly setting their hands to their own ruine for though every sinne have death the wages of it yet for a man to provoke his own destruction and solemnly seal it upon himself is most fearfull Who would not tremble to eat such a sop as should be presently followed with Satan or to eat such forbidden fruit as is sawced with this bitter sawce Morte morieris Thou shalt die for if this bread enter into a man filthy and polluted Calvin Instit lib. 4. ca. 17. Majore illum ruina praecipitat and he that hath purpose to sinne gravatur magis saith Austin he is De Eccles Dogmat cap. 35. loaden with a greater guilt He takes poyson both by reason of his guiltiness of other sinnes and of the abuse of the Sacrament saith Bernard And therefore let Serm. de caena 2 men consider what they are like to reap that either ravish and force or secretly think themselves well if they can steal the Sacrament for he that is in mortall sinne sinnes mortally as Alensis saith and Pars 4. Qâ— 46 that because as the Schoolmen say Committit falsum Aquin. 3. pars Quaest 8. Estiâ— lib. 4. distinct 12. in Sacramento he commits a falshood in this Sacrament professing himself to come to and receive Christ to whom he is an enemy and a stranger he mocks God solemnly And therefore as
Mr Selden De Synodecis p. 254. saith If Judas that had a deliberate purpose of betraying Christ had of himself therefore gone forth because he was so unworthy certum ipsi laudi fuisset verily it had been a credit and commendation to him to have forborn and indeed there would appear some conscience in such forbearance whereas there appears nothing but blindness boldness pride custom c. in a dangerous intrusion I cannot encourage men to forbear this Ordinance nor allow the excuse of those that flatter themselves in such forbearance by their sinne as I have heard some they cannot come to the Sacrament because they are not in charity Sinne may be an impediment but it is not an excuse if you be in manifest and flagitious sinne ye may not come but that sinne excuses not for you ought to finde a third way that is to repent and lay aside your sinne that you may come Let a man examine himself and so let him eat saith the Apostle As in the Marriage feast Matth. 22. he that came without his wedding garment was cast out and they that pretending excuses came not are said not to be worthy v. 8. What then is to be done this third to have a wedding garment and come too Instance a drunken servant that forbears to wait at his Masters table because he is drunk but yet that is no excuse for he ought to be sober and wait also And this answers a captious fallacy or objection which may be made by some There is reason that the Church should forbid openly criminous persons from access to the Lords Table 1. It would be not only contra veritatem but contra charitatem to make such partakers of the holy Supper They are the words of Learned Grotius Grotius de imperio p. 229. who cannot be suspected to speak partially in this cause but to speak the sense of Antiquity Against truth for the seal saith he is not to be applied to him to whom the thing signified manifestly belongs not and therefore in the Churches of old it was wont to be proclaimed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy things to holy persons And Chrysostom shews that one with a loud and terrible Homil 17. ad Hebr. voice pronounced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for pearls are not to be cast to swine Against charity it is to suffer a blinde soul that discerns not the Lords body to fall into the pit which we have left open No mother would suffer her childe to eat that which may be poyson to it no shepherd would call his sheep into such pastures as will certainly rot them no friend would put a sword into the hand of a furious man no Physician would reach water to an Hydropick that eagerly thirsts for it It was charity as well as duty in that Jehojada 2 Chron. 23. 19. that set porters at the gates of the house of the Lord that none that was unclean in any thing should enter in The diseased or dropick man is angry and frets sore against those that keep water from him but they are his best friâ—nds that do it 2. The admittance of ignorant malitious unclean scandalous drunkards blasphemers and such manifest works of the flesh of which it 's said that those that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Gal. 5. 19 21. will render the Lords Table a common Ordinary a common lane a common shore and fill the Church of God and the society of Saints with all prodigious lusts and heresies as if it were a stie of unclean swine and what an ulcerous body would that Church be where such a common liberty doth reign when so many spots should be in your feasts of love Jude â—2 so much old leaven to leaven the lump by their example when as the Apostle in the case tels us a little leaven would do it and therefore purge it out saith he purge out 1 Cor. 5. 6. that leaven while it is little For as when the multitude a major part of a Town or City becomes infected who shall shut them up Si contagio peccandi multitudinem invaserit saith Austin then farewell all censures And therefore if any shall encourage the Church to keep as I may so say open house in this Grotius de imperio pag. 233. case doth little less considering the corruption of men that would account such a liberty a warrant than if I should counsell you to plant weeds in your Garden or bring stones into your Vineyard 3. This would give occasion and advantage to separation and put into the hands of men an argument to withdraw from such society and communion and to rend themselves off from the body so corrupted not that I justifie separation upon such ground as I intend to shew hereafter for the people were blame-worthy that abhorred the offerings of the Lord for the wickedness of Eli his sonnes 1 Sam. 2. 17. and yet their wickedness was to be abhorred which gave the occasion Wo be to him by whom the offence cometh The Matth. 18. 7. mouth that blasphemeth the truth and way of God is wicked but the sin of him that opens that mouth is also to be condemned We are told Ezra 6. 21. that all such as had separated themselves from the filthiness of the Heathen of the Land came to the Passeover and if we separate not from the filthinesse of the Heathen there are many that will separate from the filthinesse of the Church and we shall in vain call them back into a house infected with the plague when once they are broken out 4. The Church hath little or none other way as the Church to keep the holy things from being profaned to correct the sins and lapses of her children Ezek. 22. 26. to preserve it self from being gangren'd to defend and wipe off scandals but this way of privation of priviledges and calling of the peccant from her Communion shutting this door against rebellious children and what should the Church have done all the while the Civil Magistrate gave no assistance if they had not used this power of their own to maintain themselves free from scandals and heresies and to keep the credit of their corporation which otherwise would be the most contemptible corporation in the world and of no better credit than Algier or any City of miscreants for if God have deposited his Word and Ordinances with his Church and committed them to it the case is hard if they might not put to the door against unjust invaders of her priviledges as if one should commit a Vineyard to be kept and not allow a hedge to be made about it Now all men know that almost all the coercion or correction that lies in the Churches hand is the debarment of priviledges of the Church that is of the Sacraments for the Word lies open to all as the outward Court to all comers and as for civil punishments they are neither proper nor the Churches
the rod belongs to Moses And whereas it may be said The Church hath the word of God and by that they denounce judgement declare sinne wound the profane prohibit the unworthy from this Table I grant it and it is a necessary and proper means but withall I say If a City or Common-wealth have Laws proclaimed and expounded and penalties set forth and declared but no execution of any restraint or punishment no power to correct or punish I need not tell you how full we should be of thieves and felons for all that Thus much be said in confirmation and maintenance of my general Position That the Lords Supper is a barred Ordinance which I have endeavoured to make good by evidence of Fact by evidence of Scripture and by evidence of Reason for the satisfaction of your scruples if any be and the settling of animosities Much more might have been said and argued upon the point For if the very Heathens in their idolatrous Sacrifices by their light of reason did no lesse as appears by their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Callimachus Callimachus and Procul ô procul este profani in Virgil Away away all you that are profane If both Heathens and the Church of God had some that did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 survey the Sacrifices that they had no blemish that might disable them from being presented to God If in the Olympick games or masteries Chrysost hom 17. ad heb the Crier made Proclamation If any man come out and accuse this Coâ—batant or Antagonist that he is a thief a slâ—ve c. being a dishonour for a Gentleman a Free-man to enter lists with such a fellow If the old Druids in France had a form of Excommunicâ—tion Caesar Commentaries out of their Society and it was accounted a mighty punishment If the Essens a Sect among the Jews in Christs time had it in use to cast out of their Society such as were offensive as Josephus tels us If the Synagogues had a form of dissynagoguing offences Grot. de imp pag. 232. though they abused it as all Church-censures are when they spare the carrion-Crows and vex the Doves I say if all this and much more why then should this be accounted a new and unreasonable either Doctrine or practice I end this point with a request That every one of you would rather labour and study to prevent all occasion of using this course than to remove the old Land-marks §. 8. Who may not be denied this Ordinance The second general Position is this That though Thesis II. this Sacrament be a barred Ordinance denied to some yet it cannot be denied to any baptized visible Professour of the Gospel but upon such grounds and in such manner and order as God hath appointed or allowed And this takes off the odium and terrour of the former point This settles and quiets all mistakes of them For God is not the Authour of confusion but of order and peace in all the Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14. 33. Let all things be done in order ver 40. And therefore the Apostle when he had enjoyned Timothy To rebuke them that sinne before all that others may fear 1 Tim. â— â—0 doth in the next words lay a serious charge upon him To observe these things without preferring one before another and to do nothing by partiality Would you call that a well-govern'd City a well-order'd house or rather a Cycleps den where every one may cast out another and he himself as the Rabbies in the latter end of the Jewish State ridiculously excommunicated one the other As promiscuous accesse is not to be allowed so neither promiscuous denial As one may intrude and usurp the Lords Supper rashly so he may be as rashly forbidden As there is an ignorant and scandalous rushing in so there is an ignorant and scandalous thrusting out The door may be open'd and shut both errante clave If I say that a gangren'd leg or arm may and must sometimes be cut off Doth it follow that for every sore before healing plaisters be used we must runne to the Knife or Axe Or if I say a robber or murderer may be put to death must I therefore have him to the next tree without further trial or judgement The case is plain but particularly handled thus 1. It cannot be denied to a repentant sinner one that doth renew his purpose of amendment and after his fall with Peter bewails it bitterly whatsoever his sins have been for which he hath been punisht or censured Repentance doth dissolve the bands and pull away the barre from the door repentance prevents the punishment I le cast them into great tribulation except they repent as it prevents so it restores a man as Ezek. 18. 30. Repent so iniquity shall not be your ruine This was the Novatian rigour and errour they would not allow lapsed Christians that had fallen into sinne the benefit of repentance and restoring to the holy Table but leave them to Gods mercy for to the peace and communion of the Church they must not return But the Orthodox Churches did allow repentance to be medicinal Yea the very Church-censures were not intended to be mortal but to be medicinal viz. that sinne might be destroyed but the soul saved 1 Cor. 5. 5. and here is a difference between civil sentences of death and Church-censures If a man be condemned to die for felony his repentance doth not acquit or restore him from the sentence of death but it restores a man to his Church-priviledge that had lost it it is Tabula post naufragium like a plank or board after a Shipwrack which saves from drowning him that gets to it Object Some may object That this is an obvious and easie Engine to open any door that is shut for if a man make a verbal profession of his repentance and say I repent of my sins and that is to my self you know not my heart I demand my right Answ The Discipline of the Church is not to be exposed to mockery nor is it a meer external Pageant I will know saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 20. not the speech of them that are puffed up but the power For the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power Hypocritical and superficial expressions signifie nothing but the powerfull work of grace and regeneration which changes the heart and because the Objection may be made by some ex animo intending to shew with how easie a word as Nollem factum or I repent to blow the door open to himself therefore I answer it That though I should rest in a serious profession of faith and repentance which is not pull'd down again by a wicked life or scandalous sinne As Philip rested in it when the Eunuch answer'd him I believe that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God Act. 8. 37. and so was baptized yet when a man lies under the charge of our censure for some scandalous sinne the case
it be said of me as Cicero said of Cato His opinion of and affection to the Commonwealth is excellent good but he is offensive Quia loquitur tanquam in Repub. Platonis non tanquam in faece Romuli because he speaks as if he were in Plat◠his Commonwealth not as in the dregs of Romulus So you may say that I speak as if I was in the Primitive Church and not in the dregs of corruption which profanenesse and superstition have brought in upon us but notwithstanding the Clock that goes false must be reduced by the Sunne-dial and not that by the Clock that erres We may justly complain of and bewail the evil genius of the times and men that if they can hear novelties every Lords-day from some ambulatory Preachers and they also can vapour up and down with two or three Sermons calculated to serve any Meridian do not either look for or prize a setled condition of Ministry and Sacraments in the Church but rather cry So would we have it Let every man do that which is right in his own eyes and we little think that so many breaches and distractions are amongst us because we seek not the Lord after the due order It was an old complaint that the coming in of the world into the Church was the decay of Christianity while Emperours were Heathen and persecutions of the very name Christian were frequent the Discipline was vigorous when men came in to Christianity with no other resolution than to suffer for it and made account to save nothing by it but their souls the Discipline was able to keep them in compasse but when Christian Emperours came in and set the broad gates open to the world then they throng'd into Christianity for fashion interest preferment as all do now upon custom example education and hence is the decay and corruption of Discipline Atheists Epicures Libertines every one under form and colour of Religion providing immunity and impunity for their own lusts which having said and thereby pointed with my finger to the sore which I cannot heal I shall answer to the Question §. 2. 1. The strait is great where there is not a just and orderly power to separate or sever the precious from the vile to deny their bread to children or to cast the childrens bread to dogs and there will be found a great deal of self-denial necessary in this case The affirmative command of giving the Lords bread to his children and the negative command of not casting pearls before swine are both to be observed and the only expedient that I know is that both Minister and people do the duty of their place without usurpation of further power than they have by Gods warrant and then all will be as well not as it might but as it can as it was in Hezekiah his Passeover in the second moneth 2 Chron. 30. Many in the Congregation were not sanctified vers 17. Many came out of the Tribes of Israel which had not cleansed themselves they did eat the Passeover otherwise than it was written vers 18. Here you see it was not so well as it ought but it was as well as it could at that time and therefore Hezekiah pray'd The good Lord pardon every one that prepares his heart to seek God though he be not according to the purification of the Sanctuary and the Lord healed the people vers 20. And therefore to speak more particularly to the point I cannot counsel but bewail the intermission of the Lords Supper in such Churches where there are a number of worthy Communicants at least visibly though there be no power of juridical exclusion of the unworthy The Helvetian or Switzerland Churches claim to be Churches and have the notes of Word and Sacraments though this order of Discipline be not setled among them and I am not he that shall blot out their name There is an expresse command Do this and a very great obligation There is an excellent benefit of this Ordinance which if it stirre up the thirst of Gods people to desire or rather claim it at the Ministers hand I see no ground for the refusal I know the Sacraments of ordinary use were intermitted in the wildernesse wholly or mostly and they were recompensed with extraordinary 1 Cor. 10. but that arose on another occasion than this I speak of for alas How many Churches in England or if you will good Christians in them shall everlastingly be deprived of this high Ordinance and the benefit of it shall lie under the temptation of separation shall lose this mark of a Church and shall in effect be equally debarred of this Communion with Christ as wicked men are and that also not for any default of theirs but for their unhappiness of being planted in a Vineyard that wants a wall or hedge §. 3. 2. A particular Church having administration of the Word and Sacraments is not bound alwayes to want a hedge pale or door unto the Supper of the Lord in case the Civil Power is not pleased to intermeddle or interpose in these affairs but are as I conceive bound to use all warrantable means to preserve their society from infection and scandal and the Ordinance from undue invasion by giving up themselves to such inspection as God hath entrusted it with and themselves have chosen and by associating themselves with other Churches of God that the unity may be preserved of the body of Christ for the Arch is firm by the mutual support of the stones and their joyning to the top-stone For the Church is a body or society with which God hath deposited his Ordinances and given it power to meet and assemble themselves together for performance of them and it were a wonder that they should not have a power of exercising them in a right manner I do not arrogate unto the Church any the least power of outward force or coercion for that belongs to him that bears the Sword who if he do not give effect to the censures of the Church yet they have their effect by the consent of the Church it self Ex Disciplina confederata as they say which is that by which he that consents to be of that body is subject to the Laws and Rules of it and is cut off if he prove a rotten member To give light to this point How stood the Discipline of Synagogues from which I am apt to think our Christian Churches took much of their pattern They had a power to discommon their own members and it seems to me that their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or agreement among themselves was that which gave effect to their censures Joh 9. 22. And what is the government of Colledges Corporations and petty Courts in Countrey-villages where the by-Laws and amerciaments and penalties are by agreement north warting the municipal Laws of the Commonwealth He that will enjoy the priviledges and freedoms of such a body must be subject to the Rules and Laws of that society and
so the Christian Churches under Heathen Emperours could do no more but disfranchize their own members from the priviledges of the Church of which body they had by their own consent come in to be members and so submitted themselves to them The Emperours gave not this power to the Church but God who gave them his great Charter to be a City and Corporation of his own did eo ipso give them this power without which they might be a Cyclops den or chaos but not a regular Society And upon this ground as I conceive the Apostle reproves the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6. 1 Cor. 5. for not doing those things to prevent scandal which they were impowred and enabled to have done as a Church of Christians And if any man had been of such stomack or disposition in those times as not to have cared a straw for those Church-censures so long as the Civil power toucht him not in purse body liberty it was enough to proclaim him fitter for to be a Heathen than a Christian For it 's admirable to consider as it is most evident That a Church censure a Suspension from the Communion of the Church wrought more sorrow and trouble and heart-breaking than the fire and faggot of the persecution In conclusion and upon the whole matter as he said of the Romans they must redire ad casas return to their poor shepherd cottages again So I say that in case of this necessity when the Civil power contributes not assistance or furtherance to the Church she must consider the case of the primitive Churches and what intrinsecally belongs to her to do as a corporation or body of Gods making with no other power of self preservation from scandals of members but purging them out nor from injuries of forreiners but suffering §. 4. 3. Every particular member of the Church ought to withdraw or refrain from such conversation with a scandalous brother as may either give occasion of scandal to others or infection to himself The Apostle allows civil commerce or entercourse with Heathens and Infidels if we live among them and the bonds of natural and civil relations or duties must not be violated on pretence of Christianity but an arbitrary familiar and intimate society or fellowship with them that live or act scandalously doth but soil our selves harden them offend sober Christians It 's a caution much inculcate in Scripture Withdraw from every brother that walks disorderly 2 Thess 3. 6. Have no company with them that they may be ashamed vers 14. Turn away from such wicked formalists as have no power of godlinesse and under the form of it are so wicked 2 Tim. 3. 5. With a brother that 's scandalous no not to eat 1 Cor. 5. 9 12 Them that cause divisions and scandals mark and avoid them Rom. 16. 17. These and the like expressions some Learned men draw into consequence to prove that which we know rather the name of than the nature of the thing Excommunication Others understood Grot. do Imp. p. 231. by them Nullum actum privato majorem no act greater than private avoidance of company which is that I now speak of For in the primitive times when the Heathens observed of Christians how they loved each other and when the Christians had in use certain remarkable testifications of this love by their feasts of love and holy kisse c. It was a mark or note of reproof and shame to be shunned and avoided by the brethren for scandalous sinne and it was medicinal to him that was so avoided and in that regard a duty in conscience and charity to be performed and I would that all distances created amongst brethren by passion and envy were reduced to this then we should finde that though we had not power to separate an offendor from the Church yet the separating of our selves from him would work much good and be in some measure an Excommunication For it is certain that a great part of the effect thereof lies in the non Communion or withdrawment of the people from him that 's scandalous and as certain that if we flatter and encourage the sinnes of men by our samiliarity and fellowship Excommunication it self would be but a lost Ordinance and of no effect For it is my opinion That if Excommunication greater and lesser as they are called was in full proportion reduced into practice yet except the people that are members of the Church did make conscience of imparting their fellowship to such as were cut off it would be little better then a wooden dagger and rather serve to create passion and fury than humility and shame in them § 5. 4. The Ministers duty is by Doctrine to declare the sinne and danger of undue intrusion to the Table of the Lord which is a ministerial prohibition of the unworthy a comminatory seclusion though not juridical a power of the Keyes And this is openly denied by none who speak out of conscience and not unreasonable lusts The Apostle in this Chapter takes this course in terrible expressions pronouncing and denouncing judgement to the unworthy other holy and famous Worthies of the Church in their generations do rather thunder than speak Better that a milstone was hang'd about his neck and he cast into the sea than that a man with an impure conscience take and eat this morsel saith Cyprian or the Authour De Caena and so Chrysostome pours out himself in his Homilies and Sermons on this point with great sharpnesâ—e and accounts this which is done with the voice a seclusion or keeping of men back Hom. 13. ad Hebraeos and so it is and Pag. 467. Homil. 83. in Mat. Hom. 86. ad pop Antioch Tract 62. in Jo. Amb. ad Heb. 10. may justly be called for it is a ministerial prohibition of the unworthy Chrysostom compares this sinne with theirs that slew Christ Austin sinne of Judas Ambrose with the sinne of the Jews Basil makes the Question Lib. 2. de Bapt. cap. 3. Whether it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without danger to come not purged from filthinesse of flesh and spirit and answers it by the unclean persons coming to holy things making that uncleannesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 typically to denote moral uncleannesse which I rather note for his sake that slights this Argument And therefore let all Ministers be stirred up to use this prohibition the more and the rather when other is wanting in discharge of his duty to God and mens souls which though it be not better liked than the practical seclusion yet men are more patient under it I hope out of conviction of conscience and not because they may notwithstanding this lie still in the croud without that particular mark which the actual seclusion sets upon them § 6. 5. The Minister that dispenses the Sacrament by giving it into the hand of the Communicant may in this case with more reason suspend his own act and withdraw his hand from one that he sees
representing the mystical union of Christ and the Church is therefore a Sacrament There must be a promise and a command of God added to the visible creature whereby the use of it to such a purpose is warranted and authorized therefore we must look higher than the outward elements or their power An Axe is more than iron A Seal is more than wax Gods institution renders the creatures of bread and wine which as Bellarmine notes though two elements are but one instrument or seal usefull to spiritual effects not by elevating their natures as the iron or wax being instruments are not elevated to any efficacy as physical instruments but by appointing their use and working by them therefore that Question How can bread and wine How can water reach or touch the soul is impertinent for it refers to a natural causation but moral relation needs no contact there is a benefit follows upon the right use of them which comes not through them tanquam per canalem but from God by the use of such means as an estate is convey'd from the donor by a seal of wax 2. The benefits and blessings promised in the Covenant of Grace are sealed and the graces of the Covenant are improved in a believer by this Ordinance Christ Christ crucified or rather in crucifying together with such benefits as are immediately sealed in his death reconciliation redemption remission of sinnes as on Gods part offered to a sinner are here obsignate and sealed And faith in Christ repentance from dead works c. are here exercised excited confirmed renewed the main fundamental and essential benefits and graces which are in most necessary order to salvation are here in act not such things as some Christians have and some have not But the common necessaries of the Covenant both on Gods part and ours without which no Christian can be saved And therefore I cannot but wonder that many well-meaning souls should fix their eyes on such benefits or gifts to be given in this Sacrament as are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a Christian but eminencies of some and not of all they look for gifts of prayer of memory freedom from passions some Parts or Endowments which they see others excell in and if they gain not these they gain nothing they are unworthy c. Alas that you should so mistake I tell you Covenant-benefits Covenant graces the radicals the vitals are they which receive improvement here here is Christ offer'd and faith is quickned here Christ crucified is exhibited and here repentance is renewed the main benefits that God can give the main graces that we can have such as are essential without which salvation is not This I would have observed for the honour of the Ordinance and the quickning of addresse to it And another thing also viz. That when you hear us use the words exhibit convey conferre afford grace or spiritual benefits You are to understand that this is not per modâ—m emplastri seu medicae potionis not as a natural agent but per modum sigilli or Sacramenti in a way proper to a Sacrament As we say an estate passes by the Seal that is is assured or confirmed or as we say the promise or contract passes by a Ring words which every one understands and doubtlesse the benefit and fruit of the Sacrament is afforded in a peculiar way As the Word besides begetting grace doth also increase and confirm but not in the same way as the Sacrament doth as it may be the same bargain that passes by promise by oath by earnest by seal yet these are several wayes of certioration so it 's the same grace that 's nourisht by the Sacrament as by the Word but the way is divers That of the Sacrament is by way of sign and seal that of the Word by way of Promise or Covenant-agreement nay the two Sacraments themselves do dâ—ffâ—r in their proprieties Baptism seals the Covenant by way of initiation and the Lords Supper by way of nutrition or augmentation God did not make or multiply Ordinances at random without their distinct and peculiar use for the exhibiting to us the same Christ the same graces the same benefits as men have several wayes of assurance making one to another §. 5 §. 5. What is done to a Worthy Receiver by Christ So much generally For the particular we shall consider 1. What is here done 2. What is hence received For the first There is here done by Christ two things and answerably two things by a believer in Christ Two things principally are here done by God or by Christ 1. Christ crucified is really exhibited to the faith of a believer 2. The gracious Covenant which God hath made in Christ is sealed to a believer 1. Christ crucified together with all those benefits More particularly that ensue upon his death is really exhibited to a believer for there is not a meer representation or empty figure but a real and true exhibition of Christ himself as broken for our sinnes The word accipite Take ye Eat ye does evidently confirm it to us If there were only a resemblance or figurative representation then See ye were more properly said but Take Eat this is my body plainly shews that Christ himself is here given to a believer I think we look so much on the representation that we forget the exhibition and therefore should labour to conclude that Christ himself as in the state of a redeeming Saviour is truly and indeed holden forth and presented to our faith as verily as any benefit can be offer'd and holden forth by one man to another This body and bloud was really offer'd up to God for us which is in this Sacrament really offer'd and applied to us by our faith Answerable to this exhibition of Christ himself the believer performs an act of Communion 1 Cor. 10. 16. partaking of the body and bloud of Christ in a spiritual sense for spiritual nourishment increase and building up for the new creature is fed and maintain'd by Christ and by vertue of union with him we have communion as the Vine-branches by their union with the Vine receive sap and nourishment So as we have not graces without Christ nor benefits without Christ but first in order of nature we have union as members of him and then of his fulnesse we receive For a Christian is like a branch that hath nothing of its own but what it receives from the root as it self springs from the root so the increase and growth of it is from the root also He is as the Moon which as appears in the Eclypse hath no light of it self but increases and comes to full as it receives from the Sunne Let no man think that a believer hath no further use of Christ after his first believing and receiving of him for then this Sacrament would not be usefull the effect whereof as Durand saith is not absolutely necessary to salvation as if one could not be