Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	body_n	holy_a	soul_n	16,669	5	5.2335	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91314	A vindication of foure serious questions of grand importance, concerning excommunication and suspention from the sacrament of the Lords Supper, from some misprisions and unjust exceptions lately taken against them; both in the pulpit, by a reverend brother of Scotland, in a sermon at Margarets Church in Westminster, before the Honourable House of Commons, at a publike fast there held for Scotland, on the 5th of September last: and in the presse, by three new-printed pamphlets, by way of answer to, and censure of them. Wherein some scripture texts, (commonly reproduced for excommunication, and bare suspention from the Lords Supper onely,) are cleared from false glosses, inferences, conclusions wrested from them; ... / By William Prynne of Lincolns Inne, Esquire.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1645 (1645)	Wing P4124; Thomason E265_5; ESTC R212424	79,558	71

and use of excommunication is onely to reforme or amend mens lives and turn them from the power of satan unto God And is not this diametrally contrary to that end to deliver them over to the very conduct and guidance of satan who l rules only in the children of disobedience precipitates them into all sinful courses with a ful c●●●re and is so farre from learning men not to blaspheme that he fils their hearts and mouthes with naught but lyes and blasphemies This interpretation therefore I cannot approve Neither doe I read or beleeve that any Presbytery or Church hath or doth claime any authority in these dayes to deliver any man to Satan Wherefore to deliver a man unto satan I rather cōceive to be meant in two other senses more agreeable both to the letter and scope of these Texts and the interpretation of the Fathers on them The first is either to deliver up a man corporally by way of punishment into the actuall possession of the Devill onely in respect of his body not soule so as the Devill thereby might actually possesse macerate torment and afflict his flesh as he m used to vex those whom he did corporally possesse which the Scripture plentifully manifests till he were sufficiently punished and then be dispossessed of the Devill againe by those who delivered him into his power and restored to the bosome of the Church the Apostles and others n in their age having a power not onely to cast out and dispossesse men of Devils but likewise to deliver men up by way of punishment to o be corporally possessed by the Devill which as I conceive was the ground of that common imprecation too frequent in lewd mens mouthes when they are injured or provoked by any man the devill take you or Tradatur Satan● This kind of delivering men over to satan was peculiar onely to the Apostles and some others in that age but ceased since and so cannot be drawne into practice among us A godly Christian by way of punishment may be for a season thus delivered unto satan for the mortifying or destruction of his flesh and carnall corruptions and yet still continue a true child of God in respect of his soule and spirit p which the holy Ghost doth alwayes possesse though the Devill possesse his body as he had possession of Christs body though not of his soule and spirit when he led him into the Wildernesse to be tempted and carried him from place to place And this I take to be one genuine sense and scope of these two Texts Secondly there is another sort of delivering men up to satan somewhat different from the former which suits very well with the words and sense of these Scriptures and that is when a man by Gods immediate permission is delivered unto satan to be tortured afflicted and vexed by him either in his body by sicknesses botches diseases or in his mind by cares feares perplexplexities and discontents or in his estate and family by losses and crosses of all sorts as q Job was of purpose to mortifie his flesh and carnall members to humble his soule and bodie before God that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord his sinfull life reformed and he hereby lessoned no more to blaspheme or dishonour God In this sense God many times delivers over his children as he did Job into their Adversary satans hands to scowre away all their drosse and crucifie their old man the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof without giving their hearts and spirits into his power which he still reserves intirely to himselfe as he did lob's and theirs whom the Devill cast into prison and into tribulation for ten dayes that they might be purifid and have their robes of corruption washed quite away and made white in the blood of the Lamb Revel. 2. 10. chap. 7. 14. And in this sense no doubt the Apostles by Gods permission had power to deliver men over to satan one of whose r Messengers Paul had sent to buffet and humble him least he should be exalted above his due measure for the destruction of the flesh But how farre the Church or Ministers of God have any authority at this day actually to deliver any scandalous persons thus to satan unlesse it be by way of prayer or option I submit to others who now claime this power to determine However in these two last senses which I conceive most genuine these Texts are no solid proofes at all either of excommunication from the Church or suspension from the Sacrament since a Christian may be delivered over to satan in both these senses and yet not actually excommnicated or suspended from the Sacrament The fourth difference is this Whether 1 Cor. 5. 11. If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or cov●tous or an Idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such a one no not to eat be properly meant of excommunication or suspension from the Sacrament or not to eat with such at the Lords Table upon any tearmes Some Opposites confidently averre others with my selfe deny it and that upon these grounds First because there is not one sillable of receiving the Lords Supper or eating at the Lords Table spoken of in this chapter and in the 10. and 11. chapters where the Apostle professedly treats of the Lords Supper and receiving that Sacrament he speakes not one word of secluding any members of the Church or Christians from it but onely exhorts men carefully to examine themselves before they come to receive it least they eat and drink their owne damnation become guilty of the body and blood of the Lord and draw downe sicknesses and diseases upon themselves affirming expresly ch. 10. ver. 16 17. The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ for we being many are one bread and one body for WE ARE ALL PARTAKERS OF THAT ONE BREAD If ALL were then partakers of this bread certainly none were excluded from it in the Church of Corinth but as the Israelites under the Law did ALL eat the same spirituall meat and ALL drink the same spirti●all drinke though God were displeased with many of them who were idolaters tempters of God fornicators murmurers and were destroyed in the Wildernesse 1 Cor. 10. 1. to 12. so all under the Gospell who were visible Members of the Church of Corinth did eat and drink the Lords Supper to which some drunkards whiles drunken did then resort as is cleere by the 1 Cor. 11. 20 21. which Paul indeed reprehends verse 22. Therefore this with such a one no not to eat cannot be meant of excommunication or suspension from the Sacrameut Secondly if we look upon the catalogue of those with whom the Corinthians were forbidden so much as to eat we shall find railers covetous persons and extortioners therein mentioned as well as idolaters fornicators drunkards and if all such must be

Jewes Church though they were execrable to the Jewes by reason of the●r Tax-gathering and Oppressions yet we never read in Scripture that they w●re excommunicated or cast out of their Sinagogues but contrarily that they went up into the Temple to pray as well as the Pharises and were more acceptable to Christ himselfe who never excommunicated but received and conversed with them then the proud Pharises were Luke 18. 11. to 15. ch. 3. 12. chap. 7. 29. chap. 5. 27. 28 29. chap. 15. 1 2. chap. 19. 2 c. Mark 9. 11 12. Matth. 10. 3. Marke 2. 15 16. Therefore these expressions can no wayes warrant or imply any excommnnication or suspension from the Sacrament Fifthly the words runne onely let him be TO THEE as a heathe● man and a Publican not to the whole Church and all others professing Religion which might have intimated something in behalfe of the Opposites and therefore ●o ground excommunication from the Church or suspension from the Sacrament on this Text which the Papists and others have very much abused is to extract water out of a flint and palpably to wrest the Scripture from its genuine sense Object And whereas some object that the n●xt ensuing words verse 18. Verily I say unto you what soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven c. doe necessarily infer the preceding words to relate to Ecclesiasticall censures and the power of the Keyes as they phrase it Answ. I answer first that these words have no coherence with or dependence on the former but are a distinct sentence of themselves because spoken onely to and of Christs Disciples as is evident by the Parall●l Text of John 20. 23. not of the Jewish Church much lesse of their Councell or Sanhedrim meant onely by the Church in the former verse as is already cleared Secondly the this binding and loosing is not meant of excommunication or suspension from the Sacrament as some would fancy it but onely of binding and loosing mens finnes by preaching the Gospell and denouncing pardon or remission of sinnes and salvation to penitent and beleeving sinners but judgement and damnation to obstinate impenitent sinners as is evident by comparing it with Matth. 16. 19. Marke 16. 16. John 3. 16 17 18 36. chap. 12. 48. Luke 13. 3. 5. Rom. 2. 16. Acts 2. 38. chap. 3. 19. Therefore some clearer Text then this must be produced to found excommunication or suspension from the Sacrament and Ecclesiasticall Discipline upon by those who contend for it Jure divin● Thirdly whether 1 Cor. 5. 5. To deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus and 1 Tim. 1. 20. whom I have delivered unto Satan that they may learn not to blaspheame be properly meant of excommunication or suspension from the Sacrament Some of our Opposites peremptorily affirme it but produce no shadow of proofe for it others speak dubiously of these Texts as needing a large debate and therefore prudently wave them with a rhetoricall preterition as the late Reverend Preacher did I for my part humbly conceive that to deliver to Satan is a thing somewhat different from excommunication and suspension from the Lords Table My reasons are these First if to deliver a man to Satan be the self-same thing with excommunication or suspension from the Sacrament as some affirme then every excommunicated or suspended person should during his excommunication or suspension either in a literall or sprituall sense at least be in their judgement in the actual power of Satan though a true child of God whom e Christ himself hath rescued out of the jawes and pawes of Satan since such a one may be actually excommunicated suspended from the Lords Table for a season not onely injuriously but upon just grounds and yet not inthe Devils actuall power or possession but in Christs John 10. 28 29. Secondly if to deliver unto satan were the same with excommunication then it would have some proportion and coincidency with other Scripture phrases produced for proofe of excommunication as put away from among you that wicked person and the like forecited with which it hath no 〈◊〉 Thirdly our Opposites generally grant f that Excommunication belongs onely to the Presbytery or whole Congregation not to any one particular person be he Bishop Minister or other whereas Paul himselfe deliv●●ed Hymeneus and Phyletus unto Satan as the words whom I have delivered c. import without the concurrence of any other Fourthly many members of the visible Church are spiritually under the g ●ower of satan and taken captives of him at his will though still within the Church and not actually excommunicated therefore to deliver men over thus to satan and no more cannot be properly tearmed excommunication Fifthly nor can it be meant meerly of suspending people from the Sacrament for then children and others debarred from the Sacrament by reason of their nonage or any other naturall dis-abilities should be as much delivered over to Satan as any scandalous persons What this delivering of men over to satan is hath been much controverted among Divines Many who take it to be meant of excommunication and an act of discipline established then in the Church for all future ages interpret it to be not onely a casting of a man out of the Church h wherein Christ reigns into the world of ungodly men among whom satan rules but likewise to give a man over to be guided in his spirit by the word spirit of satan as the Church and those within it are led guided by the word and spirit of God explaining it by Ephes. 2. 2 3. 2 Tim. 2. 26. John 14. 30. John 8. 44 1 John 3. 8. But this exposition seems to me both false and improper First because these scandalous sinners even whiles they were in the Church were i led and acted by the spiret of satan in committing those scandalous sinnes for which they were excommunicated and therefore their excommunication cannot thus deliver them over unto satan who tooke them captive at his will but leaves them in his hands in the same condition as before Secondly such a delivery unto satan as this to be guided acted in their spirits by him and no more tends nothing at all to the destruction of the flesh but rather to the pampering of it much lesse to the reforming of the life or the saving of the spirit in the day of the Lord Jesus but rather to aggravate and encrease mens sinnes Thirdly it 's confessed that a godly man may for some notorious sinnes or scandals be actually excommunicated as well as other wicked persons now such a one God never k gives over to be led and ruled by the unclean spirit of satan but he always leads them by his own holy spirit which ever dwels and rules within their soules and is never dis-possessed by the Devill Fourthly all accord that the end

heare and multiply damnation to themselves in the other 2 Cor. 2. 14 15 16. Mat. 10. 14 15. Mark 16. 15 16. Luke 8. 18. Heb. 2. 1 2. chap. 2. 7 8. chap. 6. 6 7 8. The rather because that oft alleaged Text of Matth. 7. 6. Give not that which is holy unto dogs neither cast you your pearles before swine least they trample the● under their feet and turne againe and teare you is properly meant of preaching the Word t●o administing the Sacrament unto such as is evident by Mat. 10. 14. Mark 16. 15 16. Acts 13. 46. 51. And whether any reason can be given by our Opposites why such as these should be admitted by themselves to heare the Word without any scruple guilt or participation of their sinnes and yet be totally secluded from this Sacrament under paine of being guilty of their unworthy receiving To this pressing demand our Antagonists answer v●riously putting sundry groundlesse differences between the preaching of the Word and administration of the Sacraments which I shall severally examine First they say that a Minister preacheth the Word to many unprofitable hearers not knowing them to he such in hope to convert and profit them if there be any such in the Auditory so also he gives the sacraments to some unworthy receivers not knowing them to be such with an intention to doe them good and in such cases he is blamlesse Thus far then there is no such difference as is surmised But ●f he give the holy seals of Christs body and blood to scandalous and impenitent persons he knows he gives them damnation to eat and drink and is half sharer with them in the sinfull act so that though unworthy hearing and receiving be equally damnable to the hearers and receivers yet not equally dangerous to the Ministers I answer to this latter clause wherein the difference is pretended First that the Minister doth as certainly know that if he preach the Word to obstinate scandalous impenitent sinners he doth but preach damnation to them in his Sermons as that he doth give damnation to them in the Sacrament Mark 16. 16. Heb. 6. 6 7 8. Matth. 10. 14. 15. and those whom he certainly knowes to be such scandalous and impenitent receivers he cannot but know ●o be first impenitent scandalous hearers since the Sermon preceeds the Sacrament Therefore if he be guilty of their sin or damnation in giving the Sacrament to them he must be likewise in preaching to them Secondly this evasion is built upon two false principles First that a Minister may and doth ●ertainly know that if he give the Sacrament to one who hath been formerly an impenitent scandalous sinner but now comes openly and confesseth his sinnes promiseth reformation for time to come and is desirous to receive the sacramentall signes of the pardon of his sinnes with the rest of the Congregation with expresse promise and desire to become a new man as all receivers ever externally doe that he gives him damnation to eat and drink This I am certaine no Minister can infallibly know or affirme because he knows not the present change or inclination of his heart or whether God by ●his very duty may not really convert him Secondly that the Minister who sorewarnes men of the danger of unworthy receiving and admonisheth the Communicants seriously to examine themselves and come prepared to the Sacrament or else to forbeare is guilty of the unworthy rec●ivers sinnes which I have already disproved Therefore this diversity vanisheth into smoke Secondly they alleadge That the Lords holy table in the holy Communi●n 〈◊〉 a place of Gods more holy presence then the common Auditory where we come neerer unto God and receive with the Word and Promis●s particularly appli●d to 〈◊〉 the seales of o●r co●●union with Christ and of our right and int●res● in him and all his benefits But preaching to a co●●on Auditory is a generall pr●pounding of the Word and Promises to all not a particular application of it to any therfore there it ●ore danger and greater sinne in admitting ●●worthy receivers to the Lords table then in preaching to them at app●ares in Aarons two sonnes Levit. 19. 1 2 3. and Uzzah 2 Sam. 6. 7. To which I answer first that the beginning of this distinction is just the late Archbishop of Canterburies Doctrine in his Speech in Starre-chamber so much distasted in former times who produceth this for a reason why we should bow to the Table and Altar not to the Pulpit pag. 47. We must bow towards the Altar as THE GREATEST place of Gods presence on earth I say THE GREATEST yea GREATER THEN THE PULPIT for there it is Hoc est corpus meum this is my body but in the Pulpit t is at ●ost but Hoc est Verbum meum this is my Word and A GREATER REVERENCE NO DOUBT is du● to the body then to the Word of the Lord and so in relation answerably to the Thr●n● where hii body is usually present then to the Seat whence his word useth to be proclai●ed which I have elsewhere at large refuted proving Gods presence and Spirit to be as much a● really present in other Ordinances as in this from Matth. 28. 20. and other Texts Secondly this passage proves this Sacrament to be as converting yea a more converting Ordinance then preaching of the Word which my Antagonists positively deny Thirdly in the preaching of the Word there is or ought to be a particular Application of it to all the Auditors severall consciences sinnes conditions as well as in the Administration of the Sacraments witnesse experience and Acts 2. 23. 37. 38 39 40 41. chap. 3. 14 15 17 19. Matth 24. 45 46. Luke 12. 42. therefore this is a difference without a diversity Fourthly the examples of Arons sonnes and Uzzah are impertinently alleaged since they relate not to the Sacrament and rather respect unworthy Ministers then Communicanst Thirdly they Object that the Minister in giving the Sacrament to knowne impenitent sinners pr●acheth ●ost palpable lyes against his owne conscience when he s●●h The body of Christ was broken for you and his blood shed for you when as in preaching the Word the Ministers of Christ propound the truth to wicked men generally but not partic●larly apply any word of co●fort or pro●ise of blessing to any ●●profitable hearers b●t ●pon condition of repentance To this I answer first that the Minister doth not administer the Sacrament to any knowne impenitent sinners under that notion but onely as penitent sinners truly repenting of their sinnes past and promising purposing to lead a new life for the future as the exhortations before the Sacrament and their publike confessions before the whole Congregation manifest Secondly he useth these words The body of Christ which was broken and the blood of Christ shed for yo● c. not absolutely but conditionally onely in case they receive the Sacrament worthily and become penitent and beleeving receivers as they all

to scandalous sinners to convert them from their sins but the sacrament of the Lords supper is no converting but onely a sealing and confirming Ordinance instituted not to beget but ●ncrease faith and rep●●tance where they are formerly b●gun and therefore not to be administred to such to whom they can seale no pardon of sinne nor covenant of grace The same distinction hath likewise been used in a Sermon at Wool-chu●ch and is subscribed to by all the three printed Answers to my four Queries To which I answer first that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a converting as well as a sealing Ordinance For the better cleering wherof we must distinguish of two sorts of conversion and sealing which our Antagonists to delude the vulgar have ignorantly wilfully or injudiciously confounded First there is an externall conversion of men from Pag●●is●e or Gentilisme to the externall profession of the P●ith of Christ which is ordinarily wrought by the preaching of the Word or extraordinarily by miracles without the Word preached in reference to those without the Church but ordinarily effected by the Sacrament of Baptisme in reference to infants of Christian Parents borne within the Church which Sacrament both admits and makes them members of the visible Church without the preaching of the Word of which infants are not capable Acts 2. 37. to 43. 1 Pet. 3. 20 21. Joh. 3. 5. 1 Cor. 7. 14. Secondly there is a conversion from a meere externall formall profession of the Doctrine and faith of Christ to an inward spirituall embracing and application of Christ with his merits and promises to our soules by the saving grace of faith and to an holy Christian reall change of heart and life In this last conversion the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is not onely a sealing or confirming but likewise a regenerating and converting Ordinance as well as the Word There is likewise a double sealing if we admit this Sacrament or Baptisme to be Seales though never once stiled Seals in any Scripture text 1. A visible externall sealing of the pardon of sin Gods promises in the blood of Christ to our outward sences 2. An internall invisible sealing of them by the Spirit working in by the Word and Sacraments to our soules In the first sense this Sacrament is a seale to all receivers even to those who are scandalous and unworthy who receive only the outward elements In the second sence only to worthy penitent beleeving receivers who receivethe inward invisible grace as wel as the outward signes The first seales all Gods promises and a free pardon of all our sinnes onely conditionally if we truly repent lay hold on Christs passion merits promises and apply them to our soules by a lively saving faith and sincere repentance the second seales them to us absolutely because we have thus embraced and applyed them These distinctions premised we may easily discover the falsity of the Antagonists surmise That this sacrament is no converting but onely a sealing Ordinance and that onely to true beleevers and worthy receivers to whom alone it seals the pardon of sinne and promises of the Gospell for proofe whereof they produce neither reason nor Scripture but their owne bare confident groundlesse assertions which I shall thus refute because it is a very common dangerous error First our Antagonists unanimously grant that the Sacrament belongs to all unscandalous members of the visible Church capable of self-examination and not actually excommunicated to close Hypocrites morall carnal Christians not really regenerated converted yea to scandalous persons unconvicted whom they professe no Minister hath any power to suspend from the Sacrament upon his owne particular private knowledge of their guilt If then the Sacrament be onely a sealing or confirming ordinance of true grace when and where it is already begun then it were altogether impertinent and ineffectuall unto civill carnall Christians Therefore do ubtlesse it is and was intended by Christ for a conv●rting Ordinance to all such as these to turne them from their evill wayes and work saving grace within their hearts since it can have no other proper primary effect in such Certainly God and Christ bestow no Ordinances upon men in vaine therefore their intentions in instituting this Supper even for such visible morall unregenerate Christians as well as reall Saints must necessarily be for their conversion not their confirmation and sealingonely in that sense as they interpret it Secondly all Ordinances of Christ that tend to edification confirmation or encrease of grace are more or lesse conducent to begin or beget grace converting as well as strengthening Ordinances the preaching reading hearing of the Word which comfort strengthen and build up men in grace doe likewise by our Antagonists free confessions convert and beget grace why then should not the Sacrament doe the like ●ince Gods spirit equally breathes and works in all his Ordinances and may and doth regenerate and beget grace in mens souls by what Ordinance he thinks best working in and by every Ordinance as well as by any The rather because Christ instituted this Sacrament to be frequently received when a● Baptisme only is but once administred for this very end that those who often fall into sin through infirmity may likewise by this supper often rise againe be refreshed comforted and get strength against their sinnes and corruptious And is it not then a converting as well as a co●firming Ordinance fit for sinners to resort to The Sacraments are by all Divines whatsoever and the very Directory page 52. ever enumerated among the MEANS OF GRACE and SALVATION why then should they not be meanes of converting and begetting grace as well as strengthning and consirming it as your selves affirme Thirdly the very receiving of the Sacrament even in unregenerate persons is for the most part accompanied with such particulars as are most effectual to convert beget grace in mens hearts As first with a previous externall serious examination of their own hearts and estates between God their owne consciences for which there are divers pious rules and directions published in printed books of devotion which most Communicants ordinarily read and make use of before their resort to the Lords Table Secondly a solemne searching out of all their open or secret sinnes and corruptions past or present accompanied with a serious particular private confession of them a hearty contrition and humiliation for them private prayers to God for pardon of yea power and strength against them secret purposes Vowes and resolutions for ever to relinquish war strive fight against them and avoid all occasions which may ensnare them in them Thirdly sundry pious soul-ravishing meditations both in regard of their sinnes Gods mercy and justice Christs merits death passion the end and use of the Sacraments c. which make deep temporary impressions on their hearts spirits and work an extraordinary change both in their resolutions minds spirits conversations for the present and many times for

with it Doubtlesse if this Sacrament be not a converting Ordinance in this regard I know not any which can be so reputed Eighthly all accord that our owne corporall externall a afflictions are many times without the Word the meanes of our repentance and conversion unto God and the Scripture is expresse they are so If then our owne afflictions are or may be a converting ordinance then much more the Sacrament wherein the afflictions of Christ himselfe are so visibly set forth before our eyes Ninthly that Ordinance whose unworthy participation is a meanes of our spirituall obduration must by the rule of contraries when worthily received be the instrument of our mortification conversion salvation But the unworthy receiving the Sacrament is a meanes of our spirituall obduration and damnation 1 Cor. 11. 27 29. Therefore its worthy receiving must needs be an instrument of our humiliation mollification conversion and salvation Tenthly the severall ends and purposes for which this Sacrament was ordained and of which it minds men when ever they receive it prove it to be a sweet regenerating and converting as well as a confirming Ordinance As first the keeping of Christians in perpetuall memory of Christs death and propiciatory sacrifice on the crosse of purpose to convert and reconcile them unto God 1 Cor. 11. 26 27. Gal. 3. 1 Mat. 26. 28. Secondly the ratification and sealing of all the Promises Covenants of Grace unto the receivers souls 2 Cor. 1. 20. Thirdly to be a pledge and symbole of that most neere and effectuall communion which Christians have with Christ and that spiritual union which they enjoy with him 1 Cor. 10. 16. Ephes. 5. 25. to 35. Fourthly to feed the Communicants soules in assured hope of eternall life Fifthly to be an assured pledg unto them of their spirituall and corporal resurrection Sixthly to seal unto them the assurance of everlasting life upon their sincere repentance and embracing of Jesus Christ for their only Savior Seventhly to binde all Chistians as it were by an oath of fidelity and obliege them forever to the service of Christ who died for us to this very end that whether we live we should live unto the Lord or whether we dye we should dye unto the Lord that living and dying w● should be ever his Rom. 14. 7 8 9. 2 Cor. 5. 14. to 19. from whence it is called A Sacrament or Oath by Divines Now I beseech my Antagonists to informe me how it is possible that a Sacrament ordained for such and so many spirituall ends every one of which is most powerfull to operate upon the flintyest heart and obduratest spirit should not in all these regards both in Gods intention and Christs ordination be a converting as well as a sealing ordinance since that which doth seal all these particulars to mens soules and represent them to their saddest thoughts must needs more powerfully perswade pierce melt relent convert an obdurate heart and unregenerate sinner then the Word it self when but nakedly Preached which comes not with such advantages upon impenitent hearts as this Sacrament doth in all these respects Eleventhly I would but demand of the opposites what true conversion is Is it not a sincere universall turning of the whole frame of a Christians inward and outward man from the love and service of the world flesh devill sin unto the cordiall love service obedience of God in Christ And is there any Ordinance engine instrument so probable so prevalent to effect it as this Sacrament in all the forecited respects certainly none at all Twelfthly to spend no more arguments in so cleere a case I appeale to every Christians conscience whether their own experience will not ascertaine them that the Sacrament is a converting ordinance turning their hearts from the power and love of sin to the service love of God and Christ and strengthning them against their corruptions temptations as well as much as the Word if not far more And cannot many thousands of converted Christians experimentally affirme that their preparations and approaches to this holy Sacrament were the first effectuall meanes of their conversion yea that they had not been converted had they beene debarred from it for their former scandalous lives For shame therefore disclaim this absurd irreligious paradox for which there is not the least shadow of Scripture or solid reason If then the Sacrament be a converting as well as a sealing ordinance then questionlesse no unexcommunicated scandalous person who is fit to heare the Word and joyne in any other converting ordinances as Fasting Prayer c. ought to be debarred from this it being one of the most effectuall principall meanes which Christ himselfe b who invites all heavy-laden sinners to come unto him hath instituted for their reall conversion Is it not I pray you a Soul-murthering tyranny for any Ministers or Officers of Christ without an expresse divine Commission from him to keepe backe any who externally professe his name and are not utterly cut off from the society of the faithfull and all other ordinances from this most effectuall lively meanes of their conversion comfort or salvation to hinder them from taking spirituall physicke because they are spiritually sicke of sinne May not the Sacrament thinke you convert them as speedily as probably as the bare Word If men be corporally sicke we will use all meanes and debarre them from no one cordial or receit that may probably restore them to health and shall we not doe the like with sin-sicke soules If you say the Sacrament may prove poison to them therfore we dare not give it them May not nay wil no● the Word other Ordinances prove poyson to them likwise as probably as i● and yet you admit them without any scruple or dispute to them Nay let me a little retort the objection Is not this Sacrament of Christs own institution the wholsomest medicine the comfortablest cordial to purposly ordained by him ●●r sin-sick-dying soules And is any potion more likly to recover revive strengthen them then this Will you then adventure to detaine it nay plead you must of necessity under paine of mortall sin and damnation to your selves deny it unto those who need it most and earnestly cry out for it because it may possibly through their present indisposition of spirit which is only infallibly knowne to God not you prove dangerous or mortall totheir soules when you deny it not to other civil carnal Christians to whom it is as deadly as poysonous every whit Is any Parent or Master so unnatural or sottish to deny his children servant wholsome meat drink to feed their bodyes because perhaps they may turne to crudities diseases as they doe in many or because they may possibly abuse them to excesse and riot and so quite starve them for want of nourishment And shall any Ministers be so irrationall or inconsiderate as to deny the Sacramentall food and nourishment of mens soules unto them onely because

previous publike admonitions reprehensions rebukes contemned or neglected and full conviction of their scandall and impenitency may and ought to be excommunicated suspended not onely from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper but from all other publike divine Ordinances whatsoever and the society of the faithfull till publike satisfaction given for the scandall and open profession of amendment of life accompanied with externall symptomes of repentance And they contest with me for a suspension of such sc●ndalous persons onely from the Lords Supper without any totall excommunication from the Church and all other publike Ordinances for which I must profess● I can see no ground at all in Scripture or reason but Scripture and rationall grounds enough against it and quite subverts excommunication Secondly I affi●m that no visible member of a visible Church professing sorrow for his sins able to examine himself and desirous to receive the Sacrament may or ought of right to be suspended from it but such onely who are actually excommunicated from all other Ordinances or at least notoriously guilty and convicted of some publike horrid crime of which all the Congregation or Presbytery have legally taken notice and are ripe for a sentence of excommunication then ready to be pronounced against them so farre as to suspend them from all publike Ordinances In such a case as this where the fact is notorious the proofs pregnant the sentence of excommunication ready to be pronounced against them as persons impenitently scandalous and incorrigible perchance the Presbytery or Classis may order a suspension from the Sacrament or any other Ordinances before the sentence of excommunication solemnly denounced if they see just cause but not where there is a bare accusa●ion without any notoriousnnesse of the fact or witnesses examined to prove the scandall for thus to suspend a man upon a meere accusation or surmise before witnesses produced were to pre-judge him as guilty before hearing of his cause or probat of the offence or accusation which may be false a● well as true for ought appeares to the Presbytery This was all I meant by this new addition to the second Impression of the four Quares or judicially accused pendente lite wherein the third Answerer to these Quaeres so much triumphs as if he had wo●ne the field by this short addition saying that our Ministers and the Assembly desire no more power then this which I shall readily grant them with the precedent limitations which will take off all his flourishes on it and so we are both accorded provided that this power be claimed by no divine Right but only by Parliamentary authority and humane institution To close up this discourse I shall onely propound these four New Quares to all my Antagonists and leave the further consideration of them to the saddest debates both of the honourable Houses of Parliament and Veverable Assembly who perchance may seriously advise upon them First Whether a bare excommunication or suspension from the Sacrament or other Ordinances if not backed with the authority of the civill Magistrate when these censures are slighted or contemned be not likely to prove an impotent invalid ineffectuall meanes to reclaime impenitent obstinate sinners especially if they once grow common triviall and inflicted upon many together which made it so contemptible under the Pope and Prelates Whether it be not farre better safer profi●abler for Christians in point of conscience and Christian prudence to admit such scandalous persons to the Sacrament not actually excommunicated who earnestly desire to receive it and externally profesle repentance and amendment of their lives though they thereby eat and drink judgement to themselves and become guilty of Christs body and blood then under colour of keeping back such to deprive them or any sincere true hearted Christians of the benefit and comfort of it to whom really it belongs t● the very breaking of their hearts and wounding of their spirits which hath been the ca●e of some and may be of more if Christian moderation compassion charity prudence be not most predominant in every Presbytery Doubtlesse better it were a thousand reprobates and obdurate sinners who will not be restrained by threats and admonitions should eat unworthily to the damnation of their soules then one worthy Communicant or sincere hearted Christian be deprived of that right and comfort of the Sacrament which belongs unto him Secondly whether the suspending of such persons from the Sacrament being no Ordinance of Christ for ought appeares to me nor expresly warranted by any Scripture president or precept without a totall suspension of them from all christian society other Ordinances will not be ● means to harden prophane obdurate scandalous sinners if it be once made ordinary and generall rather then to reforme convert amend them And whether their admission to the sacrament accompanied with serious previous ad●onitions exhortations to them against unworthy receiving and persevering in their impenitent courses after the Sacrament received and publike serious reprehensions for their former evill courses b● not a farre more probable way and meanes of reclaiming converting them from their evill wayes then any bare suspension from the Sacrament without any concurrent suspension from all other Ordinances and Christian communion can be My reasons for propounding this Question are very considerable First be●ause such obstinate scandalous sinners as experience teach●s make no great conscience at all of receiving the Sacrament from which for the most part they voluntarily suspend themselves for sundry months nay yeers together out of meer prophanesse in case they may be freely admitted to other publike Ordinances It being onely the totall exclusion from the Church and all Christian society not any bare su●pension from the Sacrament which workes both shame and remorse in excomunicate persons as Paul resolves 1 Thes. 3. 14. 1 Cor 5. 13. compared with the 1 Cor. 5. 1. to 11. Secondly because we find this an experimentall verity that the most prophane and scandalous sinners that are when they intend to receive the Sacrament will many of them like loose c Italians in the Lent season for a day or two before at leastwise on the very day they receive it and some dayes after demeane themselves very penitently and devoutly in o●tward appear●nce yea openly and privately promise and vow to become new creatures to give over all their sinfull courses and never to returne to them againe and for the ●eason seem to be reall converts yea no doubt many d●boist persous have been really reclaimed converted even by their accesse and admission to the Sacrament who if actually suspended from not admitted to it would have grown more obstinately impenitent dissolute in their lives and never have entred into any serious examination of their evill wayes courses nor promised such newnesse of life as they doe at time● of receiving by their admission to the Sacrament Thirdly all our Antagonists grant that the Sacrament is a solemne Vow or Covenant which obligeth all