proved already Why may they not as lawfully command to preach by reading of Homilies as to pray by reading of the Liturgie both which are contrary to the institution of Christ and the holy scriptures The two feet upon which the dumb ministery standeth like Nebuchadnezzars image upon the feet of iron and clay are the book of Common prayer and of Homilies the reading of the former which is the right foot serving them for Prayer and the other for Preaching Which feet if they were smitten as were the other with the stone cut without hands the whole Idole-priesthood would fall and be broken a-pieces as that other image was This objection presupposeth that there is some great affinity betwixt a stinted Liturgie and an idle ministry which is a bare conjecture For in the Primitive church the abettours mainteiners and in part devisers of stinted Liturgies have and for ever shall be renowned in the church of God for their constant continuall and unwearied pains and industry in preaching the Gospel It is a thing notoriously known and confessed that Cyprian Ambrose Chrysostome and Augustine did all of them allow and approve and some of them devise stinted forms of Liturgies and yet who almost for diligence and labour in teaching the people in the wayes of salvation to be compared unto them Of their learning and zeal it is needlesse to say any thing For three of them there is plentifull testimony that they preached every day in the week and yeare at least once or twice without fail Ye heard yesterday Ye shall heare to morrow is common in their tractates and homilies Augustine even to the extremity of his sicknesse preached the word of God in his church cheerfully and boldly with a sound mind and judgement without any intermission at all The like diligence is noted in others who lived before and about those times in all which a stinted Liturgie was in use And generally the Fathers in the primitive church presse the knowledge of the scriptures residence upon his charge diligence in reading meditation prayer and instruction of the people as duties requisite and necessary and by no means to be neglected or omitted of the minister They also exhort the people not onely to heare the word of God but to learn it by heart to instruct and warn one another to sing psalmes conferre religiously begin and end their feasts with solemn prayer reade the scriptures in their houses and discourse thereof one with another for their mutuall profit and edification and to call their families children wives servants friends and neighbours together and to repeat the sermons they heare at church-together after the sermon ended Such exhortations are common and ordinary in them who approved stinted Liturgies Let one of you take in hand the holy book and by the heavenly words having called his neighbours about him let him water and refresh both their minte and his own Being at home we may both before and after meat take the holy books in hand and thereof receive great profit and minister spirituall food unto our souls Gregorie disalloweth that such should attend to singing and modulation of the voice who should apply themselves to the office of preaching Hierome cut short the lessons when whole books were read in order before that so there might he time for preaching Durantus himself misliketh the men that extra modum ordinem orationes multiplicant unde auditores sibi ingratos efficiunt populum Dei potiùs fastidio avertunt quà m alliciunt And Petrus de Aliaco counselleth quòd in Divino officio non tam â—nerosa prolixitas quà m devota integra brevitas servaretur A stinted Liturgie then in it self doth not abbridge nor hinder the liberty of preaching or prayer according to the speciall present occasions nor ought it so to do For when the minister of the Gospel is bound to be instant in season and out of season to teach exhort reprove with all long suffering and patience these necessary and wholesome functions of the holy ministery must not be trust out or hindred And it is not hard to shew the wisedome and moderation of the churches in their prescribed catechismes stinted prayers and exhortations in the administration of the sacraments c. to be such that they have allowed time convenient both for preaching and prayer according as God hath enabled his messengers In these times of this reformation the pains of such whom God stirred up first to preach the Gospel and instruct the people in the wayes of salvation was almost miraculous and yet generally they approved and devised a publick stinted form of Liturgie As for Homilies they were first allowed in the church not to uphold or maintein an ignorant ministery or to supply his defect that should take pains but would not much lesse to shut out preaching but to supply the casuall defect of preaching through the weaknesse and infirmitie of the minister CHAP. V. A stinted form of prayer doth not quench the Spirit THe Spirit of Grace enableth us to pray and maketh requests for us but worketh by means It instructeth us what to ask not in what phrase of speech It stirreth up in us holy desires but giveth not abilitie suddenly and without help to expresse and lay open our hearts in fit method and words significant As the Spirit doth perswade and assure the heart that the scripture is the word of God not witnessing of the letters syllables and words but of the matter and saving truth therein conteined So the Spirit instructeth us to pray by opening our eyes to see our misery and inflaming our hearts with a longing desire of mercy and relief in the mediation of Jesus Christ but it giveth not abilitie evermore to utter and expresse these our desires in fit and decent phrase of speech Abilitie of speech is a common gift of the Spirit which the Lord bestoweth upon good and bad Yea many times gracelesse persons are herein preferred before the most sincere and upright and many an honest heart can cry aloud for mercy who is scarce able to utter one distinct and perfect sentence in fit words and order Let no man except that ministers have better abilities For when the Apostle saith the Spirit is given to help our infirmities who know not how to pray as we ought he speaketh of all beleevers as well others as ministers private prayers as well as publick And whosoever is enabled or provoked to lift up any one sigh or grone unto God or to make apologie for himself in the mediation of Christ in any manner it is by the holy Ghost These things considered I suppose all men will grant 1. That it is lawfull for a man before-hand to meditate on his own particular wants and the necessities of others and that he may more fully understand and more sensibly be affected with them to reade good books which unfold the
particular sinnes against the law of God the state of man by nature and the condition of the Saints and of the church as also to think upon the works of Gods providence and how he is pleased to deal with his people in all places 2. The better to stirre up confidence and affection and to furnish himself with words and matter it is not unlawfull nor unprofitable to reade the prayers of the godly registred in holy scripture or published in other godly books to observe the matter of their prayer their ferventnesse in praying and the arguments wherewith they pressed their suits and contended for audience 3. After a man hath collected matter for prayer by meditation and reading he may studie to digest it into due order and method and to expresse his requests in fit and decent speech and the same so conceived he may utter as a prayer according as occasion shall offer it self The reason may be thus contracted If the Spirit of God doth work by means and stir up good desires but giveth not abilitie to expresse our desires in fitting significant words 〈◊〉 it is lawfull for us to use all godly means to stirr up the graces of God in us and premediate how we may utter our requests in such form and manner as may best serve for our quickning and the edification of others And if the use of a premeditated form of words in prayer do not stint the Spirit in a sinfull manner a set form of prayer cannot be condemned as injurious to the Spirit The Spirit of God is the onely sufficient help which God giveth us to help our infirmities in the time of prayer Rom. 8. 26. Gal. 4. 6. Zech. 12. 10. We confesse most willingly that prayer is not a work of nature wit or learning but of the Spirit of grace True desire or abilitie to pray is not bred in us by nature nor procured and gotten by our study and industry but proceedeth onely from the holy Ghost as the authour and efficient and this is proved by the places quoted But ability to pray standeth in the lifting up of the soul unto God not in the ample expression of our desires according to the various occasions in fit words and pressing them with forcible arguments Prayer is the immediate work of the Spirit But no text of scripture doth in such sense make the holy Ghost the authour of prayer or helper of our infirmities as that it should be unlawfull to make use of outward means to furnish the soul with matter stirre up the graces of God in the heart and blow the coals of the spirit For then we must not reade the scriptures nor other godly books we may not meditate or conferre the better to fit us for prayer Peradventure it will be said the Spirit of God is our onely helper in the time of prayer so that at other times we may use helps to stirre up the graces of the Spirit but not in the time of prayer And if this distinction be found in scripture or by sound reason may be deduced out of scripture we must hearken unto it but if it be of our selves whiles we pleade against the devises of men we maintein devises The Spirit of grace is at all times the sole mover and enabler of us to pray and the use of lawfull helps and such as suite with the nature of prayer are at no time unlawfull As it is fit to meditate and reade before we pray so in prayer it is lawfull to kneel lift up the eyes and hands use the help of the voyce and the benefit of a Christian friend to stirre up affection Therefore for the lawfulnesse of book-prayer we may dispute thus If it be lawfull to use externall helps in time of prayer the better to stirre up affection then book-prayer is not to be condemned for this that the Spirit of God is the onely or sufficient help that God giveth to help our infirmities in the time of prayer But it is lawfull to use externall helps in time of prayer The Spirit alone either immediately or by means sanctified and ordained by himself maketh requests for us yea it is by the immediate teachings and suggestions of the Spirit that all our requests must be put up no other helps are mentioned or can be collected in the present action of prayer I will not stand to enquire how these things can agree together what is meant by the immediate teachings of the Spirit or how the Spirit maketh requests either immediately or by means The Spirit alone and that immediately is the authour of prayer but by means he ministreth varietie of matter order and words But what are we to understand by means sanctified and ordained by himself If means ordained by speciall institution it is too strait and hard to conceive what they be If means allowed by God as those whereby we may furnish our selves with words and matter for prayer as reading godly books conference meditation on the works of God c. a stinted form of prayer is a means sanctified And here I desire it may be noted in what sense a form of prayer is called a means or furtherance not as a means or form of worship properly so called but as in fit words and phrases it presenteth to our minds or memories what we ought to beg agreeable to the word of God as the frame of words and matter kept in memory may be called and is reputed a stinted form A stinted form of prayer quencheth the Spirit It is a quenching of the Spirit to reade another mans prayer upon a book That quencheth the Spirit which is as water to cool or allay or exstinguish the heat of that holy fire which cannot be imputed to a set form of prayer either by authoritie of scripture or sound reason Reading godly books is an exercise profitable to stirre up the graces of Gods Spirit in us were it not a wonder if reading a godly prayer should produce the contrary effect As in the ministery of the word the corruption of mans heart and the hainousnesse of sinne may more lively and fully be discovered for his humiliation then he is able of himself to set it forth so in prayer penned by a goldy andwell experienced Christian the case of a distressed soul may more pithily and amply be deciphred and anatomized then he of himself is able to lay it open And in such case to deny this lawfull help is to take away a crutch from the lame and bread from the hungry In the very act of prayer it is lawfull to use outward helps whereby we may be enabled to pray better and shall it not be lawfull for a burdened soul perplexed with doubtings overwhelmed with bitter anguish to use the help of a book that he might the better unfold and lay open his misery into the bosome of his loving Father The ample and particular laying open of our necessities doth ease the
heart and move affections and when this may be done better by the help of a book in prayer then of our selves how can the use thereof be accused as the quenching of the Spirit It is the Spirit indeed that doth help us in our infirmities but we must use means to stirre up the graces of the Spirit in us He quencheth not the Spirit who laboureth to blow the coals of grace and useth all helps afforded in most ample and particular manner to unburden his heart before the Lord. He doth not substitute his Christian friends in the place of the word and Spirit who not able to lift up his own soul by reason of griâ—vous straitnesse and pressure of heart doth crave his help and assistance in prayer And may not a godly book supply the lack of Christian companion When we are dull and out of order we may joyn with others in prayer for our relief and quickning why then should it be intolerable to make this benefit of a godly book A set form of prayer may be committed to memory and uttered from it doth that also quench the Spirit It is not safe they say for a minister to limit himself alwayes to one form of prayer though devised by himself But if it be a quenching of the Spirit an humane invention forbidden in the second commandment if it cannot be made by the Spirit if it be not that true and spirituall worship which God requireth it is not lawfull ordinarily nor once for minister or private christian in publick or private in case of distresse or otherwise for the objection is generall That all stinted forms of prayer do quench the Spirit and these mitigations of safe alwayes and for a minister are a plain concession there is no force in the reason These stinted forms do quench the Spirit of prayer in that they deprive the church and minister of that libertie of the Spirit of prayer which God would have them use stinting the minister yea all the ministers of the kingdome to the same measure of the Spirit not onely one with another but all of them with him that is dead and rotten Nothing is here objected against our stinted form which may not with like truth be alledged against the reading of a prescribed and set translation the use of the Lords prayer a set form of blessing singing of psalms and baptizing in these precise words I baptize thee c. For in these things it may be said The minister yea all the ministers in the kingdome are stinted to the same measure of the Spirit c. And if in those particulars that form of reasoning be of no weight in this it is but an empty sound A stinted form depriveth not the minister or church of that libertie of the Spirit which God would have them use seeing they may use that notwithstanding as the severall occasions of the church or people shall require If all ministers throughout the Christian world should put up the same holy and just petitions to God in the same phrase of speech as in the words of the Lords prayer they should neither stint the Spirit to one measure nor deprive the church of the liberty of the Spirit seeing the measure of the Spirit standeth not in words and forms but in fervent sighs and groans and they have time and libertie to pray besides as God shall enable them and the present occasions of the assembly require And if it must needs be that in a stinted form the Spirit is stinted to one measure then all stinting of the Spirit is not quenching of the Spirit For the minister doth not quench the Spirit if he stint it in respect of time and occasions Suppose sundry private Christians in the assembly do excell their pastour in the gift of prayer the wife excell the husband the child or servant excell the master or governour is the Spirit quenched in them when it is stinted for the time to their measure in prayer Suppose divers Christians meeting upon occasion the weakest in gifts be put to pray for the rest is the Spirit in them quenched because it is stinted to his measure The question is not of prayer devised by a mans self or of limiting the Spirit in the people but of prayer devised by others and imposed and of limiting the Spirit of the minister the first is lawfull the second sinfull The question is of a publick stinted form of prayer or Liturgie Whether it quench the Spirit in the minister or the people and Whether it quench the Spirit because it stinteth it Whether the form be devised by others or by a mans self imposed or voluntarily taken up that is nothing to the matter in hand but Whether it quench the Spirit because for the time it is limited to that form of words And if we look into the matter it self the Spirit of God may be quenched in a mans self no lesse by the rude customary use of a form devised by a mans self then by a form imposed by others and it may be as prejudiciall to the comfort of Gods people And if we consult the scripture where shall we find this distinction of limiting the Spirit by prayer devised by a mans self or devised of others of stinting the Spirit in respect of time occasion form of prayer uttered out of memory or read upon a book But the distinction it self hath been confuted already together with the assertion That a stinted prayer doth quench the Spirit It cannot properly be said saith one that the Spirit is limited by his own ordinance but when the Spirit of the minister is straitned by forms prescribed to him by men without Gods ordinance and appointment then the Spirit is limited and stinted indeed But this is a bare repetition of what was said before without proof or reason and besides a strange description of limiting the Spirit is nothing but a proof of one thing by the same And here I desire two things may be noted First though many reasons in shew be brought against the use of stinted prayer yet when the matter cometh to the upshot they are barely one and that nakedly affirmed Stinted prayer is unlawfull because in reading book â—prayer he doth not exercise his own but another mans gifts Is this reason good No for in reading scripture out of a translation he exerciseth another mans gifts But stinted prayer is the devise of man A child of twelve or thirteen yeares old may reade a stinted prayer as well as the minister The same may be said of reading the Scriptures But stinted prayer is the devise of man It is unlawfull to stint the Spirit Yet this is done in praying with others But stinted prayer is the devise of man So that all hangeth upon this string for the confirmation whereof nothing is alledged Secondly they take that for granted evermore which should be proved or prove the same by the same as Stinted prayer doth
speech may be used also as occasion shall require For none is absolutely commanded and all things required by the word of God in prayer may be observed in the one no lesse then in the other In this whole answer therefore which cometh so often in the second branch they strengthen our reason as much as can be desired against themselves In the other they look not to the point in hand nor the force of the reason Those forms mentioned 2. Chron. 29. 30. are in the same place expressely said to be composed by those that were Prophets and Seers as in other places of purpose as it were to prevent imitation an ordinary rise to imagery The forms mentioned were given no question by the inspiration of the Spirit and so is the Lords prayer the form of baptizing and other psalmes registred in holy scripture But the application of those particular forms to this on that purpose was not by an extraordinary motion of the Spirit but upon grounds common to others with them upon like occasion or in cases analogicall And if in that respect it be not lawfull to imitate their practice I would gladly know by what warrant we sing the psalmes of David or other holy prophets inspired of God or use a set translation c. Upon what grounds may they compose a catechisme for the edification of the people of their particular charge or gather together and alledge scriptures in their studied sermons either for instruction exhortation rebuke or comfort If they have not warrant from these and such like practices of the people of God it will prove in their construction but the precept or devise of man The composure of those psalmes was by the immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost wherein no man not immediately inspired may presume to imitate them but forms given by inspiration are thus farre for our imitation that we may use the same words or other words devised of our selves to the same purpose sc to expresse and lay open the conceits and desires of our soul Hezekiah did not compose that form but commanded the Levites to make use of it being already composed But how imitation herein should be a rise to imagery I cannot conceive To adde unto or detract from the word of God or his ordinances is great presumption to imitate the Saints in that particular which they did by immediate inspiration and could not do without such inspiration is intolerable boldnesse But where God hath given a pattern of prayer thanksgiving or administration of the sacraments to imitate our samplar in the selfsame words or other words devised by our selves or others is no rise to imagery If this be a rise to imagery every time a Christian maketh use of the Lords prayer in his prayers or the prayers of holy men recorded in scripture he setteth up an image he that deviseth a set form of prayer for one that needeth and he that in case of necessity useth such a devised prayer setteth up an image and every time they pray preach catechize administer the sacraments or meditate of holy things with reference to the scripture they set up images These consequences I am assured they detest let me entreat them to consider whether they do not follow necessarily upon their premisses Those that mean to defend the imposition of a stinted form of prayer to any purpose do what they can to bear us in hand that these prayers are of like nature with those in scripture and speak of them as if the composition and framing of them were by some propheticall or apostolicall Spirit or at least which will be all one in effect by a Spirit or gift extraordinary What opinion the true church of God hath had of a stinted Liturgie we shall see in the next argument But that she hath ever or at any time born us in hand that those prayers were of like nature with those in the scriptures that is given by immediate inspiration or parts of canonicall scripture is an unjust imputation For they know that all reformed churches since the light of the Gospel began to shine forth unto the world untill this day do allow and maintein the use of stinted prayers catechismes confessions and professions of faith a stinted form of singing psalmes c. did ever any of them bear the world in hand that their prayers or composures are propheticall or from an extraordinary spirit Divers godly and learned ministers have soundly and to purpose mainteined the lawfulnesse of a stinted form against them of the Separation in former times did they ever write or speak that the prayers or Liturgie was framed by an Apostolicall spirit I have not seen all men that have written upon this subject upon any occasion and therefore cannot say that never any man did so speak of them but sure I am if any man have so written he is neither the onely man nor the chief which hath set his hand to maintein the expediency of a stinted Liturgie If any one hath spoken unadvisedly the cause hath no credit by his defense nor can it receive prejudice by his weaknesse It hath been objected against some dislikers of a stinted form that they conceit their extemporany prayers to come from the immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost and if a man should rake into every writing and set every speech upon the tentours he might say as much for it as can be said in this particular But at the best this is but to go about the bush This is that which I hold and plead for That by the word of truth a stinted Liturgie or form of prayer is allowable and in some respects expedient CHAP. VII The churches of God have both used and approved a stinted Liturgie THE Jews before the coming of our Saviour Christ used a prescript form of prayer and praise or thanksgiving in the celebration of the passeover and that which they used was as it is probable approved of our Saviour Christ himself The Christian churches of ancient times for the space of this fourteen hundred yeares at least if not from the apostles times have had their stinted Liturgies and all reformed churches at this day do not onely tolerate but approve as very expedient a set form of prayer or Liturgie There is no mention from Moses to Christ of any Liturgie devised by man Which might not have been concealed if it had been for the edification of the church to set up such means of worship as Liturgie read publickly for the prayers of the church That there was no prescribed Liturgie particularly ordained and determined of God is freely confessed but that there was none in use is not proved by the silence of the scripture For the scripture was given to be the perfect rule of faith and manners but setteth not down particular customes or observations according to the generall rules of religion To let passe many take this one for instance The
the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost it doth not become an unhallowed ordinance if the church shall take order that the minister shall baptize in this and none other form in these and none other words When God calleth a man forth to bear witnesse to the truth he must not draw back but give testimony thereunto But when Christ calleth us to worship him according to his will we must not absent our selves for the sinne of others under pretense of bearing witnesse to that we are not called unto We must not violate the ordinances of the Lord to partake in his ordinances But if the matter of prayer be just holy and good a Christian shall violate no ordinance of Christ by his presence but by his absence It is not enough to prove our vocall prayers to be good because the words be good and expresse good petitions but it is further required that it proceed from ability which the Spirit of God bestoweth on him who uttereth the words to fit his request to the present occasion John 4. 24. 1. Cor. 14. 15 16. 1. Pet. 4. 7. Is it their meaning that he that prayeth acceptably hath abilitie to fit his words according to the present occasion or onely that he discerneth in some measure the words of prayer to fit the time and occasion of the people with whom he prayeth If in the first sense the passages of the scripture cited will not bear them out If in the latter it is nothing against the use of stinted prayer Besides when we speak of joyning with others is it necessary to the acceptance of prayer that he which is the mouth of the rest to God should be able by the guidance of the Spirit to utter request fitting the present occasion and in fitting words Suppose he be destitute of the Spirit or of that measure of the Spirit may not the good and holy requests which he putteth up by the direction and help of others be accepted in behalf of them that pray in the Spirit and poure out their prayers before God in holy affiance To joyn with the people of God in prayer and participation of the sacraments is not a matter arbitrary which may be done or left at pleasure but necessary when God calleth and giveth opportunitie And if God hath promised to heare such prayers and by his blessing some good may be gotten by them a Christian must be well advised how he withdraweth himself least whiles he pleaseth himself too much in some scrupulous conceits he prejudice his soul Prayer is Gods ordinance whereunto all Christians are bound to apply themselves a stinted Liturgie is allowed of God provided it be sound holy and pure both for words and matter And if any sinne be committed in the reading or use thereof a Christian may perform whatsoever office the Lord requireth at his hand as a private or publick person without Separation The reading of service and the tedious length thereof doth even tire attention to more quickening ordinances A stinted Liturgie is so to be moderated that 〈◊〉 ordinance of God may have its fit seaâ—â—â— and the length give place to edification For what ordinances God hath conjoyned they must not be rent asunder nor one so advanced as others be neglected Without controversie their profanenesse is to be condemned who out of a loathing of the holy things of God distaste the length of a Liturgie and cry out of tirednesse when indeed all holy ordinances are distastfull Let us therefore consider a little what time the churches of God have taken and allowed for their publick service and what exercises have been there performed that we may truly judge whether the length of a Liturgie is justly to be taxed or the blame of tirednesse to be laid upon our security and carelesnesse Upon extraordinary occasion on the day of a solemn fast the Levites read in the book of the law one fourth part of the day and another fourth part of the day they confessed and worshipped Their ordinary assemblies for publick worship continued for the space of three houres sc from the third houre untill mid-day and from the ninth houre untill the evening It was not ordinary to begin their assembly in the morning but not to break up untill mid-day was ordinary Herein with prayer and exhortation they had their lectures or sections of the law and prophets so large that to reade them distinctly as without question they were would take up a good space of time And if that very service of God in the Jewish synagogues which our Saviour did approve with the presence of his owne person and preaching had so large portions of the law and the prophets together with many prayers used day by day we must not alledge tirednesse when it is but sloth In the primitive church it may be no certain time is noted how long the assemblies continued we must guesse at the length by that which was done in their solemn assemblies When they met together for the worship and service of God the Fathers prayed before and after the sermon wishing to their hearers eternall blessings and entreating of God the pardon of sins c. The scriptures of the prophets and apostles were read quamdiu hora patitur and after the reading of such portions of scripture followed the Sermon or word of exhortation which failed not on the Lords day Their Sermons or as they are called Tractates Disputations Doctrines Homilies Conferences were confined ordinarily to a certain space or time that they might not alienate or weaken the minds of their hearers Hence are those frequent excuses of longer speech and dayly complaints of the straits of time that they could not finish what was begun or intreat thereof so fully as was expedient It may probably be thought the usuall time they took for the Sermon was the space of an houre or thereabouts Before the sermon they read some portion of the Old and New Testament as did the church of the Jews in their Synagogues out of the Law and the Prophets And the lessons which they read did usually yield texts for the Preachers so that the reading it self of the Law the Psalmes the Epistles Gospels reverently used did not prejudice preaching but further it rather The manner was at the first to reade and interpret whole books before them in order unlesse it were on the feasts of the Nativity Easter Pentecost c. when speciall texts were wont to be chosen for the solemnity of those times But those feasts being past they returned to their accustomed task And beside the ordinary exposition of whole books in order it is observed by some that they read the whole Bible from the beginning to the end within the space of one yeare specially in great congregations which were held every day which custome continued untill the yeare of Christ DCCCVI or thereabouts In those frequent congregations
scandalous in that case is not free and voluntary upon mine owne head but necessary in respect of duty enjoyned of God through the enforcing law of meeting the Lord in his holy ordinances and preserving the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace and love If therefore the life be corrupt not from corrupt doctrine but contrary to the doctrine received we must do as the prophets and holy servants of God did in those corrupt times pray mourn exhort reprove threaten give good example but we must not depart or separate from the society where Christ is present by his grace and holy ordinances If because some members of the body be broken lame or diseased the rest that are sound should forsake the unitie of the body that were to destroy the whole and not to strengthen it utterly to overthrow not to seek its recovery One contagious sinner let alone not punished not reclaimed may infect the whole congregation and therefore every member must look warily to his own soul that he take no harm by such bad example and do his endeavour that such incorrigible persons be cast out of the assembly But the ordinances of grace are not defiled to the worthy receiver by the presence of such as should be censured nor must he withdraw himself from the holy things of God because such as ought not are suffered to partake so long as Christ is pleased to bear with their manners and to continue amongst them for their refreshing who in truth of heart draw nigh unto him If a brother be a fornicatour the Apostle exhorteth us not to eat with him Which place doth not onely forbid private and voluntary familiarity but religious also and that both publick and private Neither is there any reason whether we respect the glory of God or our own safety or the avoiding of offense in others or the shaming of the parties why we should avoid civil cōmunion with any and yet hold religious communion with them Neither is voluntary society to be opposed to religious for no society is so voluntary as that which is religious All civil and private society or commerce with a delinquent brother is not forbidden but familiar onely The Apostle teacheth not Christians to be uncivil but to abstein from familiarity with such that they might be ashamed For to eat bread together is a token of love and friendship in phrase of scripture not to partake of or be shut from the table a signe of familiaritie broken off But there is not the same reason of breaking off private familiarity with an offender and separating from the Lords ordinances if he be admitted whether respect be had to the glory of God our owne safety the avoiding of offense or the good of the party fallen For in coming to Gods ordinance we have communion with Christ principally who hath called us thither is there present by his grace and Spirit to blesse his ordinance and with the faithfull who are there met together at Gods commandment in the name and by the authority of Jesus Christ With the wicked we have no communion unlesse it be externall and by accident because they are not or cannot be cast out Internall and essentiall communion we have with Christ and the faithfull onely externall with the wicked Our communion with Christ and his faithfull people is not free and voluntary but necessary enjoyned by God not left to our will or pleasure Our communion with the wicked in the ordinances is unwilling on our part suffered not affected if we knew how to hinder it lawfully God requireth our attendance upon him in his holy ordinances and to joyn with his voluntaries assembled where he is present in the midst among them if we cannot appear before him as duty bindeth but we must have outward communion with the wicked which should be expelled but cannot be kept back by us in this case our communion with God is free and voluntary but our communion with the wicked is suffered onely or held in respect of the will and commandment of God who requireth that service at our hands And if civil commerce with the wicked be not unlawfull when it is necessary why should externall communion in matters of religion defile when it cannot be avoyded but the worship of the most High must be neglected God is not dishonoured on our part when we obey his commandments the godly cannot justly be offended with that communion which God hath established and ratifieth with his own speciall presence there is no danger in spirituall communion with Christ and his faithfull people if we come to the ordinances in affiance fear humblenesse of mind c. as we ought And as for the wicked they can take no encouragement if according to our place and office we exhort admonish rebuke and tell them plainly of the danger of their sin or if any be hardned thereby his bloud shall be upon his own head We have received commandment from God to exhort admonish rebuke watch over one another according to our place and calling but to excommunicate our selves because such as should be cut off are suffered or to withdraw our selves from the ordinances and to depart from Christ because such as hate to be reformed take the covenant into their mouthes or to usurp power to censure and excommunicate which God hath not put into our hands these things are neither commanded nor allowed of God The wicked usurp in that they intrude unto the Lords table and the faithfull usurp if without authoritie they take upon them to expell the wicked or depart themselves And if we search the scripture and move onely as the Lord is pleased to go before us we shall not find that a few private Christians have authority in this case to do either And hence appeareth an apparent difference betwixt externall communion with wicked men in the exercises of religion and private familiaritie For familiarity is merely arbitrary not enjoyned but forbidden affected not admitted onely in case of necessity or necessary attendance nor suffered onely that we might have fellowship with Christ and his Saints in his ordinances of worship nor by accident onely as we cannot expell them or withdraw our selves by the Lords leave and approbation Draw this argument then into form and it runneth thus It is not lawfull to have private needlesse arbitrary familiarity with ungodly men who are called brethren therefore it is not lawfull to repair to the ordinances of grace when the Lord calleth nor there to have communion with Christ and his faithfull people because the wicked are permitted to be present when yet we have neither power to repell them nor leave of Christ to depart our selves How loose this consequence is who doth not see A little leaven leaveneth the vvhole lump One scandalous sinner not reclaimed or cast out polluteth the whole congregation And men must not be blamed if they dare not dip