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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	lord_n	people_n	word_n	7,267	5	4.0951	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88870	The bramble berry: or, A briefe discourse touching participating in mixt assemblies at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, wherein is most full and cleare satisfaction given to every weak and doubting Christian, both by testimony out of Gods Word, and many invincible reasons and arguments for that purpose, grounded upon the same, wherein is first principally discussed and resolved these three maine questions following: I. Whether the Congregationall assemblies in England be true churches of Jesus Christ, yea or no? 2. Whether it be lawfull to participate at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper among carnall and prophane men? 3. Whether the admitting of ungodly men to the table of the Lord be sufficient warrant for ministers to desist the publike administration of the Sacrament, or for particular members to decline it, or separate themselves? Secondarily, briefe and satisfactory answers given to all the principall places of Scripture alleadged to maintaine a separation from our church assemblies, besides their arguments and allegations sufficiently resolved: set forth for the benefit of the tender conscience. By W. L. a faithfull petitioner and carefull practitioner for the peace and welfare of the church and people of God.	W. L., a faithful petitioner and careful practitioner for the peace and welfare of the church and people of God.	1643 (1643)	Wing L84; Thomason E56_8; ESTC R413	53,887	63

there be many such prophane wretches that thrust themselves into the Assemblies yet the Lord hath his number of chosen ones that both professe and practise obedience to the Gospel for whose sake the Ordinances are continued and the presence of God in them so that the uneven walking of wicked men doth neither take away the benefit of the Ordinances from the godly nor give a nullity to the Church 5. This also is that that will leave them one day without excuse that they sinned in a Land of uprightnesse in the middest of so much light and of enjoyment of so much means and also aggravate their sin that they have presumptuously laid claime to the Ordinances of God and have beene negligent and carelesse to walke sutable hereby they in the Sacrament eate and drinke to their owne damnation and become guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord Christ in trampling his sacred bloud under their feete and crucifying to themselves the Lord of life Object The Church of the Jewes was a true Church and so the Church of Corinth and the rest named they were a people in Covenant with God rightly constituted and there was never a nationall Church since the Jewes were rejected Mr Bal●●●●● ●rounds o● Sep pag. 1●● Ans Religion ever since the fal is all one in substance thogh different in the dispensation and the Church one and the same though different in its manner of government and measure of its gifts fitted to the severall ages thereof the mysteries are varied according to the times but the faith whereby we live is the same in all ages and as God is unchangeable so is the Covenant unchangeable that excepted which was peculiar to the manner of dispensation the confederates and members of the Church one and the same by Gods approbation and so the common nature and essence of all true Churches and essentiall constitution from the beginning to the end of the world In all ages of the Church the members thereof ought to be holy and Saints or they shall not be approved by God Psal 50.5.16 they are Saints who have made a Covenant with God by way of Sacrifice the wicked have nothing to doe with the Covenant the end of the calling of the Church is holinesse to the glory of God at all times and is true in all ages Gen 4.26 Luke 20.26 Mat. 5.16 1 Pet. 2.12 Acts 2.47 And they which are unanswerable to this end or cleane contrary affected they are not called into Covenant or communion with God if in one age of a Church the Scripture ascribe not holinesse to a people for some few sake if the rest be unholy and prophane it ascribes it not to them in any age If in one state of the Church uncleane persons doe pollute Lev. 14.46 4● Hag. 2.12.13 14. 1 Cor. 5 6 7 and unhallow cleane persons and things as a little Leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe this must hold true in every age in its proportion And therefore if ignorant unwise impenitent uncircumcised in hear● and life rebellious and stiffenecked in course and conversation might be in externall Covenant with God and in that respect a separate and holy chosen people with whom the people of God might hold externall communion in the Ordinances of worship then it is lawfull for Christians to partake in the Ordinances of Gods worship though scandalous livers be admitted with whom in partaking we have onely externall communion for if the scandalous were in Covenant in the Jewish Church they may be so now if communion with the wicked defile now it defiled then Lev. 19.17 if the godly might communicate then because they could not cast them out even so may they now if the faithfull be bound now to reprove their delinquent brother and not suffer sinne to rest upon him the same duty concerned them in former times If the Sacraments be now available and of use according to Covenant and promise which God hath made to the faithfull and their seede and no otherwise Gen. 17 7.2●.4 as indeed the Sacraments are all one in the common nature so are they in their use onely available to the children of the Covenant at all times If it be contrary to the maine ends for which the Lord calleth and gathereth a Church and preserveth it upon the earth that wicked and ungodly should be received into Covenant or permitted to continue in the externall society of the faithfull Jer. 5.31 Jer. 9.2.3 Esa 57.3 1.4 it was unlawfull in the Jewish Church as well as now in Christian Churches And therefore if the Church of the Jewes notwithstanding all that hath beene said were the true Church of God when it was corrupt in doctrine manners officers ordinances of worship when the teachers were dumb Dogges Jer. 11.14 Esa 50.1 Jer. 3.11.2.13.11 blinde guides the Prophets prophesied lies the Priests received gifts and the people rebellious adulterous oppressours an assembly of rebels when the Priesthood was bought and sold the Temple defiled the Law corrupted with false glosses and made voyde with sinfull Traditions when errour heresie idolatry oppression stubbornnesse and all manner of sinne was rise among them If for all this they continued the Lords visible flocke and the Lord owned them for his people and the Prophets and faithfull held externall communion with them in the Ordinances of God then the Covenant of God is not disanulled with his people nor the Church unchurched though ignorant profane persons are tolerated in the Assembly nor the godly defiled because scandalous persons are suffered to communicate Besides I would faine know what may be said of the Church of the Jewes in defence of it under the Law that may not in a more ample and large sense be spoken in justification of the Christian Assemblies under the Gospel First for the Covenant made betweene God and them chusing them from other nations to place his name among them and making Covenant with them to be their God and they his people all was upon condition of faith and obedience and this Covenant was made with them onely but the Covenant under the Gospel betweene God and his people is of a farre larger extent reaching to all Nations neither is his presence limited to any one particular place or people as then it was Esa 55.1.2 3 4 5.7 Joel 2.32 John 4.20 21 22 23 24. nor his worship consists of so many burdensome Rites and Ceremonies and legall performances the dispensation of the Covenants and of the worship of God differ but the condition is all one made and built upon faith and obedience as then it was though they by faith saw the Lord Christ yet to come in types figures and shadowes we behold him in his word by faith already come having finished the worke of our redemption and now abides in the Heavens to make intercession for his people God cals people now to him by the Word and by the Spirit

c. that if ever there were a true Church if I may so call it of Antichrist it is the Church of Rome therefore I conclude that that Church which generally maintains fundamentall errours against the very being of the Word the command of God the essence of Christ cannot be a true Church of Christ But of the Church of Rome this and more may be be truly affirmed therefore the Church of Rome is not the Church of Christ Object There are other markes of a true Church as a lawfull Ministery and true Discipline Answ Yea both these are necessary in a Church and we also imply a lawful Ministery where the Word is truly taught and as for a true Discipline it is necessary to the well-being of a Church not essential to the being of a Church the Church is not so well as it ought to be that is defective this way but yet there may be great corruptions in Ministery and Discipline and yet the Church be a true Church of God as a man though he have some infirmity or imbecillity in his body in some one or more members though he be not so perfect a man as he would be or should be yet he may be and is a reall man as in case of the Palsie and the like debility This we know that no true Church can be perfect in this life either in the internall or externall frame thereof As all true Churches from the beginning have done for if not any one man much lesse a whole Congregation and if the Lord be pleased to account the Church to be his when it failes in the internals of the worship and service of God surely we have no reason to thinke so rashly that he will decline and disclaim it for outward defects where the fundamentals are preserved and kept Object The standing and calling of our Ministers as they stand by Bishops is Antichristian and therefore they are not lawfull Ministers Answ It would be something difficult I thinke for those that are of that opinion to prove either their proposition or conclusion to be truth but in answer hereof I say thus much 2 Cor. 4 15 Gal. 1.9 Luke 9.49 1. If they preach the Lord Christ and life and salvation by faith in his name 2. If they show forth the power of godlinesse in their conversations Phil. 1.15.18 3. If they be furnished with ministeriall qualifications Let their calling standing and preaching be allowed by Bishops or not they are no whit the more unlawfull in their standing or practise Ma●k 9.38 39 40. Num. 11.28 29. so Eldad and Meldad they prophesie and Moses allowes them and desires all Gods people were Prophets viz. that they might be able to deliver the minde of God to the people and truly we should not envie though there were a greater number furnished with ministeriall gifts whether allowed by Bishops or not 2. As Bishops are Ministers they are lawfully called and so may have a vote I conceive though with subjection in electing and ordaining preaching Ministers as they are or ought to be men able to judge of mens learnings parts and qualifications for the Ministery for the spirits of the Prophets 1 Cor. 14.32 are subject to the Prophets as for that exorbitant power which they pretend they received from the King as Supreame Magistrate or their usurped authority exercised over the lives liberties estates and consciences of men their great intermeddling with secular and temporall affaires and jurisdiction this though it be unlawfull yet this makes not their callings to the Ministery unlawfull or them uncapable of electing or ordination no more then the abuse of any calling makes the calling unlawfull though men by abuse may make themselves unfit and uncapable of their lawfull callings We must therefore condemne them in what they have done that is unlawfull and unjust but the appointing Ministers to preach the Word of God is a lawfull action and not derogating from their function as I conceive and indeed we should have had little or no cause to complaine of them for this had they beene faithfull in the trust reposed in them and appointed such over and in the Church as were godly learned and painfull and conscionable in their places such who were called by God as well as approved of by them Examp. If there were an order from Bishops that none might pray in his family without order from them would this order from them make our praying in our families unlawfull no surely neither doth their giving orders to Ministers make their Ministery unlawfull as it is lawfull to pray and preach without them so is it with their consent 3. Know the principall call of a Minister is from God for if men be rightly qualified and gifted for the Ministery that they are inabled from God to deliver his minde out of his Word to his people and preach sound Doctrine approved of by the Scriptures and the faithfull who are inabled by the Spirit of God to try the spirits whether they be of God yea or no 1 John 4.1 this makes men lawfull Ministers of the Word of God whether approved by the Bishops or disallowed by them and indeed this is that that Gods people should especially looke after and lesse trouble and puzle themselves about their standing or not standing by Bishops I know if I should aske such men as account such Ministers Antichristian and their callings unlawfull whether the Bishops disallowing or disapproving of one rightly qualified for the Ministery would make him uncapable and unlawfull to preach they would answer as I doe my selfe Certainely no then I conclude that as their disapproving of a man makes him not unlawfull if he be qualified much lesse their allowing or approving of him for God is the great caller and sender and if he send men to preach or call men Ma● 9.38.39 who shall contradict it our duty therefore is to pray the Lord of the harvest to send painfull labourers into his Vineyard Object Our Bishops have placed over us prophane idle and wicked men not fit to take charge of the flocke of Christ yea and many as ignorant as prophane Answ For such as are ignorant and unable and idle these are altogether unfit and this is the great sinne of them that were in authority in the Church to suffer it as for scandalous and prophane livers they also are sinfully thrust upon the Church but if they preach well and truly take paines in the Ministery the viciousnesse of their lives make them not altogether unlawfull in their standings though they are unprofitable by reason of that prejudice which we receive against their practise though their Doctrine be true and this is of our selves and arises of our corrupt hearts to decline and turne our backs upon wholsome truths though delivered by sinfull men Mat. 15 5. Mat. 16 6. 26.65 Isay 57. ● Ezek. 34 3. the Scribes and Pharisees as before were ignorant unlearned blinde

any thing deare Christ an have fallen from my pen distastefull to the tender conscience I desire it may be imputed to my weaknesse and want of time to make things more cleare rather then want of affection to give satisfaction to such a soule for as the meditations are irretoricall and broken so are the peeces a d patches of time spent upon them as my calling would permit And to the end thou maiest profit I desire thou wouldest have patience to reade it first once thorow by reason it is not so methodicall as I could wish it and afterward with more deliberation consider Secondly that thou wouldest not receive prejudice at the meannesse of the Author who intends thy good And lastly I desire the Lord to adde such a blessing as may tend to his glory the peace of his Church and also thy particular satisfaction and edification and I shall be encouraged to ingage my poore Talent for the like furture benefit Thine in the Lord Jesus W. L. A briefe discourse touching participating in mixt Assemblies at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper wherein is most full and cleare satisfaction and resolution given to every weake and doubting Christian concerning these three Questions following to such places of Scripture as seeme to maintaine a Separation from our Church Assemblies COnsidering there are many in this Kingdome and in these dayes of division and distraction that question the truth of the Church and Church Assemblies in England or at least the truth of the Church of England I have thought good by way of Introduction to that which I mainely intend to wit the second Question Whether it be lawfull to participate in and among prophane and ungodly men at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to speake something to the first and onely so much as shall be requisite to make way to the second and third question which by Gods assistance I hope will satisfie the impartiall and indifferent Reader First then concerning the truth of our Church Assemblies that they are true Churches of Jesus Christ I lay downe this as an undeniable truth that that Church or Church Assembly wherein the fundamentall truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is truly taught the Sacraments and Ordinances of Christ dispense ●sufficient means offered to salvation obtained and had and a visible profession of obedience to the same that is a true visible Church of Christ notwithstanding there may be many corruptions in it both in Doctrine and Discipline and members thereof For the proofe hereof I propound the example of the Church of the Jewes the Apostolike Churches of Corinth Galatia and also the the 7. Churches of Asia spoken of by Saint John Revel cap. 1. vers 4. all which are confessed by all to be true Churches of Christ yet divers of them as corrupt as the Churches of England at this day both in Doctrine Discipline and members in one degree or other 1. For the Church of the Jewes Esa 56.10 Mat. 23.16 Mat. 23.3 Mat. 15.14 It was exceedingly corrupt in all three particulars their Priests were ignorant unlearned vicious and prophane blinde leaders of the blinde Christ therefore exhorts the people not to doe after their workes but after their sayings for they said and did not very hypocriticall binding heavy burthens upon others but not touching them themselves with their least fingers proud and ambitious loving the uppermost seates in the Synagogues and made broade their phylactaries all what they did was to be seene of men their callings was also corrupt for whereas the high Priest by the Law ought to have held his Office for his life Exod 29.5 E●ek 22.26 they chose 〈◊〉 every yeare and according to our best expositors they bought and sold the Office for money they were also principall violaters of the Law of God Secondly the people were generally notorious and prophane for at Nazareth they were so evilly disposed and so inraged against Christ that they all rose up to throw him headlong downe the hill whereon the City was built Luk 4 28. See Caparnaum Corazin and Bethsaida how the Lord Christ was against them for their impiety and infidelity Mat. 11.21 22. notwithstanding the great workes Christ had done among them and as for Jerusalem Luke 19.41 Christ beheld the City and wept over it saying Oh that in this thy day thou hadst knowne the things that belong to thy peace See also how they made havocke of the Lords Prophets beating them stoning them c. and as for their affection to the Lord Christ Luke 23.19 they preferre Barrabas a thiefe and murtherer before him Marke 7.8.9 Mat. 21.2 Thirdly for their worship it was filled with superstitious Ceremonies and Traditions and these they preferred before the commands of God the Temple also was prophaned and made a denne of theeves they bought and sold Oxen and Doves and made it an exchange for coyne John 9.12 Mat. 15.4 Mat. 5.21 Mal. 1.8 Deut. 14.2.3 29.10.11 12. 7.6.7 Esa 1.2 3 4 10. Lam. 4.6.22 Ezek. 16.46.47 Also their Discipline was exceedingly corrupt for if any man confessed Jesus to be the Christ he was cast out of the Synogogue their Doctrine also depraved for they made the fifth Commandement of no effect a man might neglect his Parents by giving to the Temple they forbad murther and adultery in the act but allowed them in the heart their Sacrifices also corrupted offering the blinde and lame which were not onely forbidden but hatefull to God in a word the same people that the Lord cals his peculiar and chosen ones he calleth also a stiffe-necked unwise and rebellious people a sinfull Nation yet all having right to the externall Covenant and all joyne together in the externall worship ordinances and service of God yet the scandalous infected not the better part though they had fellowship in externall communion therefore from hence we see a Church may be exceedingly corrupt and yet be a true Church 2. The Church of Corinth was corrupt in Doctrine and Discipline 1. In Doctrine some of them erred in fundamentals 1 Cor. 15.12 1 Cor 7.16 2 Cor. 12.20 21. denying the Resurrection of the dead 2. They held the Doctrine of single life yea Paul himselfe 3. There were amongst them fornicators uncleane and contentious persons 4. Divers prophane persons came to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper some comming hungry some drunke and many of hereticall and schismaticall spirits and opinions which are more hurtfull in the Church of God then prophane men by reason one is an evill that every man knowes the other being an errour to seduce the judgement is more hurtfull and dangerous 2. Corrupt in Discipline 1. Their Discipline was not put in practise for there was fornication among them not onely unpunished but unsorrowed for 2. These Schismes and Heresies continued in the Church and no course taken for the casting them out 3. Consider what the Churches of Asia were 1. Ephesus had lost

her first love 2. In Smyrna divers professed themselves to be Jewes Rev. 2.4 Rev. 2 9. Rev. 2.14.15 Rev. 2. v. 19.20 and were even of the Synagogue of Satan 3. In Pergamus there were divers that held the Doctrine of Balaam teaching to eate things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication and divers that held the Doctrine of the Nicolaitanes 4. The Church of Thyatira though the Lord commends her for her charity faith patience as the other Churches yet shee also suffered Jezabel to seduce people to fornication and idolatry 5. The Church of Sardis had onely a name that shee lived and was dead Rev. 3.1.4 there were but a few names in Sardis that had not defiled their garments by spirituall fornication 6. Philadelphia also had some that professed themselves Jewes Rev. 3.8.9 yet were of the Synagogue of Satan so some render it however she had but a little strength 7. Laodicea a remarkable Church for lukewarmnesse selfe conceitednesse yet poore miserable blind and naked 4. The Church of Galatia corrupt also 1. They were even bewitched with the Doctrine of workes Gal. 3.12.7 thinking salvation had beene by keeping the Law a fundamentall errour for then Christ died in vaine 2. They turned againe to weake and beggerly rudiments observing dayes moneths times and yeares in so much that for their superstition Paul was afeard of them Gal. 3. ● 10.11 that though they professed Christ yet his labour was in vaine bestowed upon them yet all this while none of these evils in any of these Churches made a nullity of the Church but they were called and accounted by the Lord Christ and by the Apostle true Churches of Christ and that upon these three grounds before delivered in the proposition at first laid downe concerning the markes of a visible Church for I speake not now of the markes of an invisible Church as these following and such like 1. To be borne of God 2. To be knowne of God 3. To have the Spirit of God 4. To be joyned to Christ by faith but of the markes of a true visible Church which are these three especially and essentially 1. The preaching of the word of Christ 2. Administration of the Sacraments 3. Visible profession to both And it will appeare thus Acts 13.26 1. If God would make a people to become his people or Church he sends his word the Doctrine of salvation to them Go saith the Lord Christ Mat. 28.19 teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father c. teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you and loe I am with you alwayes unto the end of the world Amen hence is that our Saviour speakes concerning the Jewes John 4.22 Salvation is of the Jewes that is Acts 13.26 the Word and Doctrine of salvation is with them the Word and Doctrine of salvation is sent to this purpose that men may beleeve Acts 18.10 and for the sake of beleevers Paul also is said to preach the Word at Corinth because the Lord had much people there to convert to him 2. The Lord addes Seales of his Covenant to such a people as Baptisme and the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for as Circumcision was a signe of the Covenant betweene God and the Jewes under the Law Gen. 17.1 so is Baptisme to Christians under the Gospel therefore our Lord Christ saith to his Disciples Goe teach and baptize c. And for the nourishment and strengthening his people in his wayes in their graces the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Acts 2.47 Ch. 4.5 3. The visible profession of obedience to the Word of God and the Ordinances of God is the maine marke of a member of a visible Church And the Lord added to the Church such as should be saved that is all that were saved made profession of obedience to the Doctrine of Christ and came into an externall Covenant with beleevers not that all were saved that were added to the Church but the Lord brought them into the way of salvation by making them members of the Church for though none were excluded that would professe Christ and such as were saved were added to the Church yet all that were added doubtlesse to the visible Church were not saved for there was never such a Church upon the face of the earth that had not unsound members true if we take it to be meant of the invisible Church then none are added but such as are saved but very hypocrites professing the faith of Christ are members of the visible Church the Eunuch before he was baptized and admitted into the Church-fellowship made profession of his faith so that both godly and hypocrites must make profession if they will be members of the visible Church Object Doth there not actuall and inward obedience belong to a true Church as well as outward profession Answ Yea to make men true members of the invisible Church but outward profession is the visible marke of a member of a visible Church Object If profession serve the turne then a true Church may consist of hypocrites Answer No it is impossible for the Lord never sends his word to any people but where he hath his owne number to call in therefore Paul preached at Corinth because the Lord had much people there Object But many wicked men who are accounted members of the Church of England doe not make profession of obedience to the Gospel therefore they cannot be of the Church neither can it be a true Church that countenances members that doe not so much as professe Answ Although there be such among our Assemblies yet they are members though unsound for 1. They are borne of Christian parents men professing faith in Christ 2. They are baptized into the Christian faith and so admitted and received as visible members of the Church 3. The most prophane of them especially such as come to the ordinances of hearing and receiving the Sacraments doe verbally confesse Christ though their conversation deny him so that however God hath not given them grace to walke according to their profession yet they doe verbally confesse obedience to Christ and faith in his name they acknowledge no other way of salvation but by Christ nor worship no other God all the outside service they doe is to the true God though it be in a way of their owne perishing there were many prophane ones in the Church of the Jewes and also in Corinth yet true Churches and these most of them in their best tempers and coole bloud will speake well of the wayes of God though in heart they hate the children of God under the notion of hypocrites while they indeed are guilty in the highest degree of hypocrisie by their thrusting themselves into the Assemblies of Gods people claime interest in the Ordinances of God nay in the Lord Christ taking the name of God into their mouthes Psal 50.16 yet hate to be reformed 4. Though

a true man and have a palsie hand Rom. 12.4 5. 1 Cor. 6.15 Ephes 5 30. or a rotten finger and the way to preserve life is to cut off the dead rotten member not to cut off the sound if there should be any of that other opinion I should as the proverbe saith count him a good Chirurgion but a very bad Physitian Mat. 13.24 25. Fifthly to a field wherein is Cockle as well as corne Tares as well as Wheate And though some hold that this parable hath relation to the whole world and by Kingdome of heaven is meant the Gospell of the kingdome yet it may as rightly be applyed to the condition of the visible Church which shall consist of Tares as well as Wheate to the end of the world Yet take it which way ye will see the Lord of the Harvest is very carefull to preserve the Wheate and therefore would not have the Tares medled withall till harvest not that I would so apply it as that prophane men in the Church should not be dealt withal but to this purpose to let men know the way to preserve a Church is not by plucking up the godly or the Wheate but rather to roote out the Tares the weedes the ungodly and let the good Corne stand and grow till harvest to be gathered into Gods barne Sixthly The Ordinances in the Church as the Word and Sacraments and Prayer are compared to the Wedding Feast to which a man should bring his wedding garment when in that Parable of the marriage of the Kings Sonne the King came in he never reproved them that sat● at table that had on these Wedding garments but him that had none takes him and casts him out the rest were not shut from the table because they sate with him that had not on his garment nor reproved for it he sinned and he onely suffered so consequently the beleeving prepared Communicant shall not be blamed for the unbeleeving and impenitent but his sin shall be upon his owne head And as the sinnes of wicked men and their presence at the Sacrament cannot hinder the godly from eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Christ spiritually by faith so they can no way hinder the beleever from life and salvation Joh. 6.54 by this their spirituall feeding upon Christ Whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood shall not perish but have everlasting life Tenthly It will appeare it is unlawfull to separate from our visible and publicke a semblies because the Lord continues his presence among us Let no man be more holy than God For so long as the Word and Sacraments are continued and the visible signes of Gods gracious presence making the meanes effectuall to convert and build up in the wayes of God as the Lord be praised wee have sufficient proofe dayly of we may conclude it is utterly unlawfull to separate They themselves that do separate do confesse they had their conversion in our assemblies and their beginnings of grace though some of them evade it and say not by the meanes in the Church of England but by reading and private conference and the like but we have daily sufficient and good testimony of the benefit received by the Ordinances and meanes of grace continued in our publique assemblies I hope every godly heart among us hath large testimony of the daily heate life and comfort that is found in them we finde that prophesie in the 42 of Isaiah and the 16. verse fulfilled to us and so Isaiah 29.18 where the Lord by the Prophet foretells what he would doe for his people under the Gospell he would bring the blinde by a way they knew not that he would make darkenesse light before them and crooked things straight so in that 29. Chapter In that day shall the deafe heare the words of the booke and the eyes of the blinde shall see out of obscurity and out of darkenesse c. And truely the proofe of the efficacy of the meanes of grace in our publique assemblies hath received the witnesse of many hundreds who have suffered persecution for it and have many of them sealed it with their dearest blood who doubtlesse are now enjoying the blessed fruites of their sufferings for the name profession and Gospel of Christ none of all which Martyrs did ever account in the Church of England the Ordinances of God Idolatrous or Antichristian or till it did wholly apostate and as it now stands it was in Kings Edwards time Iohn 9.25.32 What better witnesse can there be than experience or how is the tree knowne but by its fruites this perswaded the blinde man of the truth of Christs Doctrine even the miracle that he wrought upon him Surely saith he God heares not sinners and I am sure I once was blinde and I now see as I hope many of us in our assemblies can say whose eyes the Lord hath opened and whose hearts the Lord hath changed Let the Separation raile upon our Ordinances Ministers and Assemblies as much as the Scribes and Pharisees against Christ and his Apostles and Disciples and labour to seduce men as they would have done the blinde man whose eyes he had opened I say let them do what they will to reproach us we may truely say once we were blind and we now see and we are sure the Lord hath opened our Eyes by this contemptible meanes and as by vertue of Christs prayer the clay and spittle became effectuall so by vertue of the Spirit of God and the Intercession of Jesus Christ for his poore Saints the meanes of grace becomes effectuall both to convert and to confirme and establish to eternall life By workes Saint James saith faith is made manifest or perfect Jam. 2.22 and so our Saviour saith The workes which I doe testifie of me and as the miracles and great workes of Christ ought to have convinced the Jewes that he was Christ so the many yeares large and plenteous fruite reaped by the publique administrations of the Ordinances in our publique assemblies ought to be sufficient to convince all gainesayers that deny the truth and lawfulnesse of them for surely were not the presence and power of God in the Ordinances they would become dead and fruitlesse 11. If a man were desirous to separate and that it were lawfull where is the Word of God the Gospell of Jesus Christ more fully clearely truely and powerfully preached than in our publique assemblies and in many places the Sacraments as duely and reverently administred And I am confident there are as few false-hearted professors in the Church of England considering the proportion as in the most exact assembly of separation by Professors are meant not onely such as are in externall Communion but such as seem in a more speciall manner to performe godlinesse and of these for uprightnesse they may set forth to most exact assemblies c. of separation 12. Consider Salvation is to be had in the Church of England by the meanes of

can be no warrant for Gods people to separate from the Ordinances of Christ If they shall yet say the corrupt managing and dispensation of them make the ordinances uncleane and Idolatrous I hope there is formerly spoken enough to give satisfaction to that where it is proved lawfull to joyne in mixt assemblies and the unlawfulnesse of separation Rev. 18 ● As for this portion of Scripture where it is said Come out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sinnes and that yee receive not of her plagues We must understand what is meant by this word her and if we examine the 17. and 18. Chapter of this booke of Revelation wee shall plainely finde it to be the scarlet Whore the Pope of Rome so all expositors the whore of Babylon that mother of harlots and abomination of the earth Chap. 16.19 And great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fiercenes of the wrath of God Chap. 17. Vers 1. Come hither saith the Angell to Saint John and I will shew thee the judgement of the great Whore that fits upon many waters with whom the Kings of the earth have committed fornication and read c. read I say the fourth fifth sixt seventh and so to the end of that Chapter Now in the eighteenth Chapter the Lord by St. John foretells the fall and destruction of this great whore of Babylon by reason of her great abominations and gives an exhortation for Gods people to come out of her such as have joyned with her in her sins lest they do also partake of her plagues What warrant this gives men to separate from the ordinances of God and the publique assemblies of Gods people exercised in and about the worship of God I know not we all know that Rome is the very seate of Idolatry both for the matter and manner of their worship their doctrine false in fundamentalls more corrupt then Heathens and Pagans there is no ordinance of Christ among them onely the Word is preached in an erroneous and false way to the people to seduce and betray them from Christ to Antichrist they have ordained Sacraments of their owne worships of their owne nay in a Scripture sense gods of their owne from the assemblies of these Idolaters Gods people must separate not from publique Congregations of Gods worship for as I have spoken at large with us are the ordinances of Jesus Christ the Word of God taught sufficiently to salvation in all that beleeve we observe no other ordinances but what Christ hath instituted and ordained but it is impossible for any man to come to life and salvation by their Idolatrous worships though the Lord may have his number amongst them which have not bowed the knee to B●all yet these were never converted by the false worships ordinances and inventions but by some extraordinary or immediat blessing bestowed upon them from the reading of the Scriptures c. and inspiration of his Spirit c. for Satan never begets children to God Mat. 12.25 nor Antichrist convert men to Christ A kingdome divided against it selfe cannot stand And thus having very briefely spoken concerning those places of Scripture alledged by those that plead for a separation according as my weake talent and short time will permit I will shut up with the fifth and last thing I intended and promised to speake to which is onely to give a few words to avoyde mistakes for I earnestly desire not to offend the conscience of the weakest Christian or to bring upon my selfe that aspersion which some prejudicately would cast upon me For I call God to witnesse that according to that poore l●ght God hath given me I have not beene inj●rious to any knowne place of Scripture or winked at any knowne truth in this discourse but have as earnestly desired and unpartially indeavoured to convince my owne heart of the truth of this point of so great concernement and that makes so great difference among Gods people as for the informing of any other to whom I am in some measure engaged by way of promise or private interest Therefore I desire to deliver my selfe plainely as I can that whatsoever I have spoken upon this subject is neither to dignifie my owne opinion nor to maintaine or pleade for any corruption or abuse in our Church assemblies or dispensation of the ordinances for while I say it is unlawfull to separate from such assemblies for reasons formerly given yet I say not it is lawfull for corrupt and prophane men to bee admitted to the Sacrament onely I have desired to informe my selfe and others how and in what manner they may safely joyne and frequent the ordinances of life and salvation to their comfort though those in authority be remisse in the exercise of discipline and so corrupt in their offices and trust reposed in them But I doe earnestly desire to perswade and stirre up my selfe and all Gods people in all our severall addressements to God in prayer wee would make this on● speciall part of our desires that God would purge the Church of all abuses both in doctrine and manners and settle the ordinances amongst us in their power and purity and I desire not only that Gods people should pray against these corruptions but mourne for the continuance of them and every one according to the bounds and limits of his place and calling to show his utter dislike of them in all lawfull wayes though not by separating which I hope sufficiently appeares to bee unlawfull the premises considered and truely this I have done for these reasons following First to satisfie my selfe and others that were doubtfull in this point of joyning in mixt assemblies lawfully Secondly to make up the breaches and avoyd dissention division which Satan is apt to make between not onely carnall men and godly m●n but betweene the godly themselves which is that that Saint Paul reprehends in the Corinthians 1 Cor. 3.3 and tells them plainely it was an evidence of their carnality and this also hee earnestly exhorts them to by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.10 that they would all speake the same thing and that there be no division among them but be perfectly joyned together in one and the same judgement and in Rom. 16.17 hee intreates them to marke such as cause division and to avoyd them have no unnecessary society with them Thirdly that the enemies mouthes may be stopped not onely the Papists who as I formerly said shoot this as their maine thunderbolt against our Religion the diversity of opinions but also our prophane loose Protestants nay even our civill honest men who take occasion from hence to reproach the wayes and people of God of which wee have too much wofull experience yea and it is a maine stumbling blocke in the wayes of many weake ones that might otherwise bee won to Christ even the devisions among Gods people Ephe.