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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	aaron_n	cause_n	time_n	17	3	2.5278	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80157	Provocator provocatus. Or, An answer made to an open challenge made by one M. Boatman in Peters Parish in Norwich, the 13th of December, 1654. in a sermon preached there at a fast, in which answer these questions are spoke to. 1. Whether juridicall suspension of some persons from the Lords Supper be deducible from Scripture; the affirmative is proved. : 2. Whether ministeriall or privative suspension be justifiable; the affirmative also is maintained. : 3. Whether the suspension of the ignorant and scandalous be a pharisaicall invention; a thing which wiser ages never thought of, as Mr Boatman falsly affirmed. In opposition to which is proved, that it hath been the judgment and practice of the eminent saints and servants of Christ, in all ages, of all other reformed churches in all times ... / By John Collings ...	Collinges, John, 1623-1690.; Boatman, Mr.	1654 (1654)	Wing C5329A; ESTC R232871	174,209	280

Policy should now and then divide and we humbly submit to God and desire rather to be faithfull Stewards for him then providers for our selves and ours Surely there is so much ingenuity at least in some of the godly Ministers of England as would intitle them to a desire of the love of all and so much earthinesse in all their hearts as exposeth them to some temptations to use all endeavours for a comfortable subsistence in this life If any of them neglects both that and this and chuse rather to venture the begging of their own bread then to throw the childrens bread to dogs rather to prostitute their owne names and lose their interest in the hearts of some people then to prostitute the Lords sacred Ordinance and give his name to a reproach as in this they come short of Chrysostome who professeth he would rather give his owne bloud to the prophane then the body and bloud of Christ and of Ambrose who ventured the losse of his head as well as the love of Theodosius so it will not need much of thy charity to interpret their actions conscientious pieces of self-deniall for the interest of their deare and blessed Saviour yea and of their soules too who are kept away it being certaine if Iudas were at the Sacrament which can never be proved the next worke he did was to hang himselfe through horror of conscience and for that sinne of unworthy receiving in the Church of Corinth Many saith the Apostle were sick and weak and many fallen asleep How unjustly therefore we are raged against who durst not give the bloud of Christ to those to drinke who are in a burning feaver of open lusts and so dangerous a knife into the hands of those whom we see distracted with sinne and in a spirituall Delirium We hope any equitable standers by will judge and measure our actions by the duly and orderly practise of Physitians in bodily tempers considering we are ready as to such Patients to allow them what they will drinke of the Barley water of Repentance which we conceive more proper for them and are ready to restore their knives to them when they shall by any moderate account given us let us know that God hath restored them so much of his Image in spirituall wisdome that they will not murther their precious soules with them And we doubt not but if ever the Lord shall give them an heart to repent and restore their desperately distempered soules to health in that day it shall be no more griefe of heart to them that they have been kept away then it is to the recovered Patient that his Physitian denyed him flesh and wine in his feaver or a knife in his distraction and at that time we shall expect their thanks in the meane time we shall beare their rage and reproach with paience knowing it is for the Lord we suffer it For the Lord who suffered more in the shedding of his bloud for us then we can doe in the vindication of it and preserving it from being prophaned by unhallowed mouths If it pleaseth the Lord they dye in their spirituall distempers and go raging to their graves we must be content to expect our thanks from our Lord and Master at the great day and our vindication there except Reader thou wilt shew thy selfe so ingenuous and judicious as in thy thoughts to acquit us As to the subject of this Tract the truth is so much hath been said in the defence of what I plead for of old by all the Schoolmen and since by Calvin Vrsin Zanchy and by Reverend Beza and Master Rutherford in answer to Erastus and by learned and Reverend Gillespy in answer to Master Prynne besides what hath been spoken by Master Philip Goodwin in his excellent Book called the Evangelicall Communicant and by many others that were it not for the importunate clamours of those who would get that by their importunity and clamorous tongues and pens which the justice of their Cause and strength of their Arguments will not allow to them nor gaine for them both my selfe and others might have had an eternall supersedeas for this Worke. I scarce find any thing in Erastus and Beza but what I meet with in the Schoolmen nor any thing in Master Prynne or Master Humfry considerable but what I find in Erastus That if our Brethren of the contrary perswasion would not have troubled the world with their opinions without answering first what had been said against them we had long ere this time had our Quietus est for I durst undertake to yeeld him the cause who sufficiently answers but one Book wrote upon this subject viz. Master Gillespies Aarons Rod blossoming so that the truth is the advantage our opposites have of us in this point is mostly upon such as have not knowledge of what hath been said against their opinions or are not supplyed with money to buy the Books nor able to gaine ti●e to read them or upon such whose particular engagements and over-much love to the whimzies of their owne braines or malice or prejudice at least to the truth or love to their cursed lusts which yet they would keep and have the Sacrament too and be thought unworthy of no Gospell-priviledge hath outlawed their Reason and so stopt their eares that they are made incapable of a boaring with the sharpest and most convincing Arguments that Scripture and Reason can afford and thus they only captivate those who are first led captive by their owne lusts Possibly thou wilt be inquisitive to know what hath made me write if I have judged enough already said I must crave a little of thy patience to satisfie thee as to this I have often thought that it would be a rare expedient in order to the ending of all controversies of these times relating to the order of the Church if some judicious man would out of all the considerable Books wrote upon each Controversie within these twelve or thirteen yeares candidly state each Controversie and transcribe the Arguments relating to them with the Exceptions and Answers given to any digesting them in a due method and it might please the civill power then to Enact That no one should write more upon any of those Questions but should be engaged either to bring New Arguments on the part he would defend or vindicate those brought on the part he would defend from the various Answers given to them Were this taske but imposed upon new Scriblers the world would be lesse full of impertinent Discourses and Disputes would not run as they doe in infinitum I doe not pretend a specimen of such a Worke I have neither purse nor Library nor time fit for it But the truth is as I find in Mr Humfry and heare from Mr Boatman nothing more then Erastus long since said and hath been more then once already answered so I have not studied for a new Argument but out of severall Authors have rallyed up an old

Ordinance by giving it to scandalous sinners Suppose an impudent Queane should come to one and tell him if he would not marry her she would turne whore were this a good Argument thinke you to perswade a Gentleman to marry her or rather eo nomine to refuse her Master Boatmans reason is just such another Now Reader thou seest what the startling Reason we heard comes to a meer poker in reality just nothing Againe to the Exhortation I beseech you make no evill use of what hath been said because it is the truth and nothing but the truth of God And I say againe that it is not in the power of any particular Minister or Congregation without cleare conviction and Condemnation to keep a man from the Sacrament if he will rush no man hath any thing to do with him And if you will rush do your bloud be on your own soules I have quitted mine hands this day before God and his people Looke to your selves if your consciences tell you that you have not owned the Gospell that you have been ashamed of Religion that you have walked in evill If your conversation bespeake your irregularities I beseech you reforme refraine It would be the greatest happiness and joy that ever I met withall in all my life to have that scoffe become a reall truth that you might prove all Saints at St Peters that I might be able to present you to God as your Pastor an holy and unblameable and peculiar Congregation Brethren I beseech you labour as much as in you lies by considering and laying to heart what hath been said to refraine from those lusts which have been prevalent in your spirits In the next place to you that have not run into the same excesse of riot and I blesse Godwith and for you but I have one exhortation to give you that you would be pleased to fill your soules with charity Look to your selves beleeve every man his Brother better than himselfe this is Evangelicall counsell Some will say I see such and such profane advise them hast thou done that If not thou hast sinned against the Gospell and his sin is not so much his as thine dost thou cry out of him and hast not prayed for him particularly admonished him and soberly that for the time to come he would take a better course hast thou done it with moderation meeknesse sobriety tendernesse and seasonably restored thy brother overtaken Raile not revile him not cry not out against him make not his private sin publike let not every one take notice of it of which thou takest notice do not sin against thy Brothers soule But some are not yet satisfi d if the profane be admitted and the Sacrament be administred promiscuously the Ordinance will be defiled A pretty dreame Is not the Word as soone defiled because a profane man heares it As soone that may as the Sacrament what is another mans receiving unto thee if thou receivest worthily I do not remember the Scripture tells us that any man got any hurt by the man that came without the wedding garment nor did any man ever the more shun the roome or cast him out only indeed the Master came and he turned him out Let the profane take heed lest they be turned out Christ may find them out For this cause many are sick and weake c. and he may cast them into utter darknesse But although Christ hath this authority I know no Minister hath any such What have we to do if it be thus Only these two things and I desire you especially of this Congregation to joine with me in an humble and serious confession to God of our former practises 2. As heartily to renew solemnly your Covenant made in Baptisme against the flesh the world and the devill you know how guilty you have been all of the breach of it That once done I will take upon me on good grounds to call you holy to the Lord and seriously invite you to this worke In this last Paragraph the greatest part of it is something better than ordinary men of this Gang could not so securely raile against examination by Eldeships and enquiries after the flock if they did not pretend for a great deale of zeale for private examination There were some of old that to devoure widdows houses the better made long prayers I wish that all the pretended strictnesse of some for selfe-examination be not only a vizard to mock the world with while they rob the Church of the divine Ordinances of Presbyteries and Suspension c. But yet in this Paragraph First he ownes all that he hath said before and tels his people It is the truth and nothing but the truth of God apply this to all he had said before That Suspension was a dreame a meere dreame a pharisaicall invention for which was not the least footstep in Gods word that no power under heaven hath any seeming or semblable authority to keepe any from the Sacrament that will press to it on their own score That those who do it are proud uncharitable intruders upon Christs Office that former Ages never thought of it all this is the truth he saith and nothing but the truth of God yea and he saith it againe That it is not in the power of any particular Minister or Congregation without cleare conviction and condemnation to keep any away what he meanes by Conviction and Condemnation he told us before three or foure times over they must be Excommunicated Whether a single Minister hath power or no is a question some make but Mr Boatman hath no reason for he owneth no Eldership and the Rubrick allowed it to a single Minister in some cases but he had expounded himselfe before No power on earth can do it And in the very next words here If he will rush no man hath any thing to do with him And now he tels his people If they will rush they may their bloud he upon their soules he hath quitted his hands c. Thus Mat. 26.24 Pilate when he had condemned Christ tooke water and washed his hands saying I am innocent of the bloud of this just person see ye to it It is a good wish he wisheth that the scoffe might become a reall truth that all were Saints at Peters The scoffe he referreth to we know not unlesse it were one raised by one of his own friends who having got their Pastor amongst them to a cup of Sack and a pipe of Tobacco merrily told an honest man that such a night their Pastor and some of Peters Christians were at such a place conferring together whence some called those who frequent such meetings Peters Christians But the wish was good His next counsell is good only he should have told his people that if the offence be notorious and publike that private admonition shall not need precede Him that sinneth openly rebuke openly saith the Apostle He feares some will thinke the Ordinance is defiled if the

therefore to let you know that I accept your challenge and in opposition to what you said shall be ready when and where you please so it be before a competent number of witnesses to maintaine against you 1. That the suspension of some persons from the Sacrament besides Turkes Jews and Heathens and those who are cast out of the Church by Excommunication is grounded on the Scripture and deducible from it 2. That it is so far from being a pharisaicall dreams that it hath been the constant judgement of the Servants of God in all times of other reformed Churches and our own ever since the beginning of reformation Either of these Sir I shall maintaine against you either in a more publike or private dispute More privately if you thinke fit before as many Ministers as will come twelve private Christians chosen by each or more provided the number chosen be equall on both sides Or more publikely in the Church and in what Church you please such Laws being first agreed on as are fit to regulate such a dispute If you accept either of these let me know the time and place provided it be not on my Lecture day and I shall be ready to appeare in this cause of God against you And to this I expect a sudden answer otherwise I shall thinke my selfe bound to let the world know that as your Charge savoured of too much Pharisaicall pride to condemne so many as Pharisees dreaming Pharisees too So your challenge was but the noise of an impotent Bravado and to deliver the Truth and Churches of God from your Scandalls in a way commensurate to the offence Only I desire you to remember it is not my challenge but an accepting of your challenge and that I shall contend not for Masteries but for truth and in the meane time be Your friend in what I shall not dishonour God and prove the truths adversary J. C. Subscribed For Mr Iohn Boatman present these When my two friends brought him this Letter and told him the import of it and from whom it came he taking the Letter satis pro imperio bid them tell that Trifle he would answer him at at his next turn bid them tell that simple Fellow he would answer him insomuch that one of the Messengers a little troubled at the rudenesse of his language bluntly told him Better words would become his mouth They come away not doubting but he who was so big in words to whom we were such Trifles would have shewn himselfe something in deeds and have thought that his rude Language at least would have engaged him to dispute That night he sent me this Letter Superscribed These for Mr John Collings Batchelour in Divinity Sir YOur unchristian incivilities have been so many to me a meere stranger that they might easily have provoked a very patient man yet I have forborne and they shall worke no other effect upon me for the future I will not gratifie you nor your backbiting companions so much as to be angry For your Charge in your termes it is all false and for your foule language I shall say no more but the Lord rebuke you What I delivered I shall justifie then you shall see that there was neither the lapse of the tongue nor an errour of mind For the dispute you mention I do not intend magno conatu nugas agere which must needs be considering what a strange Spirit you shew your selfe to be of I have seen often enough what issue these publike contests have had If you write and appeare in publike for such a thing you intimate which I know you love to do if any thing there sufficiently reflect upon me or truth I know what I have to do In the meane while till I have satisfaction from you for your grosse deportment which concernes me as a Gentleman a Christian and which is more a Minister of the Gospell I shall avoid you as a wrangler and one that loves contention which is very much against the spirit of John Boatman Pastor of St Peters in Norwich teneat cornicula risum Reader I hope thou wilt judge this Letter did not deserve an answer and if I durst not have trusted thee with my credit against this adversary thou shouldst not have seen it but I perceive it mis-represented in the world and cried up as the meekest humblest Letter c. Now read and I shall make thee who ever thou art my Judge only take a few notes to help thee better to understand it 1. I did a little wonder at the Superscription that he should own me under the Notion of a Batchelour in Divinity I confesse I have performed the exercises required of him who takes that degree in our Schooles and the University hath pleased to give me their Seale to let others know that they have been pleased to conferre that degree upon me but for Mr Boatman sure indignus est qui dicat of all men he should have taken no notice of it having so liberally in the morning called me Trifle simple fellow c. especially considering that himselfe is not yet Batchelour of Arts. 2. In the beginning of this Letter he tels me of unchristianincivilities I have offered him I never yet came in his company how I should use him so uncivilly I know not My nature doth dispose me to as much civility I hope as anothers and I would be loath to be uncivill to mine enemy much lesse to a stranger I professe Reader thou hast heard all I have been ever guilty of and I referre it to thee to consider whether it were uncivill for a Minister of the Gospell in a City hearing of one called to a place of eminency in the City as he had occasion to enquire of him especially being one who lived at three or fourescore miles distance and was not known in these parts and to informe the people faithfully what he heard If I hearing the man was no graduate no Minister nay far more which I shall conceale though as to other things I shall not desire to asperse him did perswade my friends amongst the people to be deliberate in their choice and first to enquire I hope this was so far from incivility that it was my duty I appeale to all the world to charge me with any other incivillities than these which I apprehend my duty 3. Thou feest Reader he denies the charge how justly judge by the Notes of the Sermon before surely he hath a great measure of confidence to deny what he so often inculcated but he adds he denies it in those termes what termes he meanes I cannot tell Logicall termes are proper to a question and so the termes are two The Subject Suspension The Predicate that it is a dreame of the Pharisees I thinke thou wilt find these the termes in his Sermon But perhaps he meanes Grammaticall termes Letters and Syllables and words if he did it is a pitifull shift 4. But it had been enough to me

to satisfie people upon a Lords day soone after my Sermon being done before a great Congregation I made a short and mild speech to my people to this purpose That they had known that it had been the judgement and practice of us who laboured in the worke of the Gospell amongst them to suspend the ignorant and scandalous from the Supper of the Lord for which we conceived we had sufficient ground from the Word of God and in it we acted but in a conformity to the practice of the Servants and Churches of Christ in all Ages to the practice of the most reformed Churches and this was the declared judgement of our Church ever since the very beginnings of Reformation But in opposition they had lately heard it delivered in this City in a publike Auditory that for Suspension it was a dreame yea a Pharisaicall dreame an invention of men to implode Scriptures and those who practised it were openly charged as such who would implode Scriptures lay an intollerable yoake on mens shoulders such who were intruders on Christs authority and did that which entred not into the heads of wiser Ages for which was no authority in the Word of God c. and an open challenge was made to us to defend the known judgement of our and other reformed Churches the truth of God as we hoped it would prove and our own practice And I perceived people would not be satisfied that any of us durst encounter him who had so defied us though enough had been done to satisfie them Considering therefore that it lay upon us especially in these times to vindicate the truth and our practice and in some measure our persons from the reproach of men That their mouths might be stopt I would read a Letter to them which my selfe had sent him and the answer which the over-confident Author of the Challenge returned by which they might judge whether or no we durst appeare in the defence of that piece of truth which we beleeved and according to which we had walked desiring them to make no other use of the Letter than this to which purpose I read it After this I read the Letters how his uncivill Letter was resented there are enough to speake who were present After this we heard no more of their Brags only some were so simple as to tell their friends that Mr Boatman scorned to dispute here but if I would dispute at the University in the Schooles he would then answer me either not knowing the order there or forgetting that Mr Boatman is not in a capacity to dispute there except in a Sophisters Gown upon some philosophicall question This is Reader the true Story of this Contest I shall refer thee to judge in it what could we do lesse than accept his Challenge And what milder Message than that in my Letter could be sent to let him know I was ready to accept it Since this I must confesse some of his friends have been with me and told me that he disclaimes that he holds any such opinion As that none ought to be kept away from the Sacrament but those who are excommunicated and that if I write against that opinion it nothing concernes him I shall but feigne my selfe an Adversary c. we have nothing to do with what he saies in private his publike declared judgement and practice is contrary what he said thou hast read and he saies he will justifie what he said Nay upon my knowledge he hath maintained it in private too to those he thinks he is able to grapple with I know he hath in like manner told some Reverend Ministers and godly people that he hath conversed and is acquainted with all his people that he turnes away many and admits none without examination but such as have before approved c. But how notoriously false this is and so very unworthy of one who calls himselfe a Minister we who are upon the place know and could give him instances if need were of some notoriously scandalous admitted but none who were refused so far as I ever upon the strictest enquiry could heare of and of some who told him they were never at the Sacrament before but were examined no more than what is your name Where dwell you Are you single or married And then they were told That he hoped they were fit and so they were dismissed which forme of questions is merrily called by some Mr Boatman's Catechisme This is the ground of my present undertaking Now let me tell thee what thou shalt find in the ensuing Tract I have divided it into a Discourse upon three Questions Quest 1. Whether Juridicall Suspension distinct from Excommunication be deducible from Scripture I have proved that it is by severall Arguments upon some of which I have enlarged In the last Chapter on the first Question I have put foure or five Arguments which some Reverend Authors have brought I do not insist much on them we have no great need of them I have sent them out only as Probationers with their Letters of Recommendation from some Reverend men one of them is the issue of my crude thoughts concerning the nature of the Sacrament which I apprehend strong meat In the handling of that Question thou wilt find one Chapter containing a digression tending to prove that Judas was neither at the Supper nor at the eating of the Paschall Lambe and that he had not then made his compact with the the High Priests And to prove that Christ kept the Passeover and instituted his Supper two nights before the Jews that yeare and that he suffered the second day after his apprehension Possibly in that discourse which thou mayest judge over criticall thou maiest find some new Notions know I am not confident of them though I see nothing against them but much seemingly for them If they hold I hope we shall be told no more of Christs giving the Sacrament to Judas or of his eating the Passeover or compacting with the High Priests before that time and so being supposedly scandalous though a secret compact would not make him so since I finished that discourse communicating it to a Reverend friend he lent me a criticall discourse concerning the day of Christs celebrating the Passeover wrote by Ludovicus Capellus Ludov. Capel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad amicam inter se Johan Cloppen Collationem c. p. 120. in answer to Cloppenbu gius I have read it over He determines Scaligers and Causabons opinion most probable that Christ celebrated the Passeover that time not the same day the Jews did the grounds of which he shews p. 61 62. ad p. 74. Some new Notions he hath about the reason of the Jewish-Translation of the day that yeare c. But I find nothing in him either to establish or rationally to destroy my opinion I leave it to thee Reader to judge if I have not probabilities on my side and demonstrations will hardly be produced on any side My

Gillespy gives these reasons in the negative 1. Gillespy ibid. Dr Drakes Bar c. page 6. Mr Prins vind p. 24. Gil. p. 441 c. Rejoinder p. 9. p 446 445. Saint Iohn saith Iohn 13.30 That he having received the sop went immediately out This is likewise Doctor Drakes fourth reason To this Mr Prin excepts but is sufficiently answered by Mr Gillespy Mr Humfry likewise excepts that the Supper Iohn 13. was not that at which the Lord instituted the Sacrament but two dayes before though the best authority he hath for it be a marginall quotation which surely was not wrote there by the infallible finger of God It is a materiall exception we will scan it anon 2. Mr Gillespies second Argument was because it was not probable Christ would have said to Indas this is my body which is broken for thee This Argument he vindicates from Mr Prins exceptions 3. Dr Drake p. 6. ibid. ibid. A third Argument he useth which is Dr Drakes fifth Arg. is because all those comfortable expressions Christ used while Iudas was there were with exceptions Iohn 13.10 11. You are clean but not all So ver 18. ver 21. which were left out at the Supper To these Mr Humfry replies what all did Christ never speake graciously to Judas amongst the rest R●joind p. 9 10. Pray see at leisure Wee may look long enough where after this time he spake comfortably to him wee desire Mr Humfry to shew us But as for Iohn 13.10 11 18 21. he saies it is not in him to answer them I suppose hee meanes God shall give an answer ●f peace But he tels us Christ saith he is a Devill but I have chosen him to what to be an Apostle he was not apparently so when he chose him He saies that Christ saies Iudas was not clean yet he washes his feet but the Text saies it not 2. Suppose he did this was but to teach him humility and charity not to entitle him to the Lords Supper 4. Dr Drake adds Because Christ knew him to be a reproba●e To this Mr Humfry onely endeavours to little purpose to fasten a contradiction on the Dr because the Doctor had said before supposing he had knowne him to be so yet Christ as a Minister probably would not exclude him Let the Doctor speak for himselfe 5. Dr Drake adds a fifth Because Christs blood was shed for the remission of those who received Mr Humfry answers 1 Iohn 2.2 And not for ours onely but for the sins of the whole world that is the Pagans as well as the Jewes viz. such of them as being fore ordained to life should beleeve but what is this to the purpose What Mr Humfry meanes by holding universall redemption as to the visible Church so far as reacheth to the tenour and tender of the conditionall Covenant though not of the absolute is too profound for me to fathome Universall redemption Conditionall Covenant Two Covenants one absolute another conditionall are notions in Divinity I doe not understand and think them hardly reconcilable to truth if to sense they are the canting language of those that would supply Franciscus de Sancta Clara's place as to reconciling us and Arminians and are no better then Arminianisme minced for the better digestion Dr Drake also hath another Argument which Mr Gillespy also hints because Christ promised to arinke new wine in his Fathers Kingdome with those who received To this Mr Humfry answereth But he doth not say with all Let him remember that and shew us where it is said that all the twelve were present at the institution of the Supper There is thus much spoken all which possibly will not compell but surely in good natured people it will induce some little perswasion of a probability that Judas was not there Let us now heare what is pleaded on the Traitours side 1. Mat. 26.20 It is said he sate down with the twelve Mar. 14.17 He came with the twelve Luke 22.14 He sate down and the twelve Apostles with him Here 's three Evangelists asserting it they cry But what doe they assert that at their first sitting downe the twelve were all there who denies it the question is not whether they sate downe together but whether they rose up together whether they are the Sacrament together Iohn telling us that Judas went out assoene as he had eaten the sop John 13.30 But Luke tels us that after the institution of the Supper Christ said behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the Table and Lukes Gospell is true Dr Drake answers that there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke puts a piece of the story behind which should have been before Mr Humfry out of his pretended zeale for Saint Luke who he saies could not else speake truth saith that though the Scripture sometimes puts a whole story after another which in order of time was before it yet where shall we find such an histerology as to take a piece of a former story and joine it to another as a part of it to which if it be taken as belonging it becomes a manifest falshood Mr Humfries rejoind p. 12 13. and saies we will not abate a jot or tittle of the truth of Saint Lukes Gospell That those words of Saint Luke should have been placed before is plaine 1. From St Luke himselfe for their hands were now all off the Table the Supper done and the last cup drunke besides he adds ver 23. that the Disciples all wondred who should doe the thing now surely they knew before this time or else Iudas as Mr Humfry would have him could not be scandalous at this time his fact not known to his Disciples 2. St Matthew plainly placeth them before the Administration of the Supper Mat. 26.20 21 22 23 24. So doth Marke ch 14.18 19 20 21. So Saint Iohn Io. 13.21 22. which plainly proves it an histerology in Luke 3. Nor is it as Mr Humfry would insinuate a taking a piece of one story and joining it to another which would make it false but onely a misplacing of a piece of the same story which is no unusuall thing amongst the Evangelists 4. Nor will it amount to so much as an invalidating the truth of Lukes Gospell which we desire to be as tender of as Mr Humfry any more then the order he pleades for would invalidate the truth of the other three Lukes being dictated by an infallible spirit doth not oblige us to beleeve every punctilio of order to have been as he describes it contrary to the testimony of the other three Besides Iohn saith plainly he went out But he tels us we are mistaken in Iohn 13. for that was a Supper I know not when nor where two dayes before the Passeover and for this he cites a marginall quotation in our Bibles pointing him to Mat. 26.2 which he bids us look 1. I must confesse this well proved would be something to his purpose

as David Let the righteous smite me c. they will returne evill for good they will ruine you if it be possible for going about to save them they will undoe you because you are so pittifull and mercifull to their erring and straying soules as to bring them to the right and true way Paragr 3 The whole Text briefly amounts to this Mr Boatmans sum of the Text and pretended vindication of it That it is to no purpose to deale with men of irreprovable and dog-like spirits these are not capable of reproofe and divine admonition and holy counsell you may saith our Saviour do it but it will be very uselesse it will do no good it is a folly it is very dangerous you will be losers and neither God the Gospell the truth or your soules will have gaine you may have a reward in heaven not only when you do but when you suffer for Christs sake yet however take heed of the persons you deale with and labour to do it in such a way as may not make sinners seeme dogs and swine unto you Indeed I read of some that wrest this Scripture and among many divers of the Romish Church they some of them expound it thus and tell us it may by consequence be reduced to the Sacrament and tell us they are not fit to come to the Sacrament that will not make auricular confession and it is a fond trick that is got up againe in our daies and some would faine bring into the Church but it hath no relation at all to that holy Ordinance For though wicked men which the Scripture calls dogs and swine unfit receivers may tremble when they dare put their hand to the body and bloud of the Lord Jesus Christ yet notwithstanding to preach such a thing from this Text is little better than to speake untruth in the Pulpit It is not truth but truth to purpose that men must speake from sacred Texts of the holy Word of God else they fasten that on the Holy Ghost which henever meant or dreamt and it is a dreadfull account which a great many men in the world have to give vainly to attempt to build any holy foundation on a Text which is either too weake for it or which it doth not at all concerne It is an easie matter to wring a Text so long by the nose as to make it bleed againe and all to little purpose Take notice whatsoever may be urged about this sacred Ordinance from any other place and at another time it is not meant here to speake of it here is to speake to no purpose not worth the speaking it is not the sense of the Holy Ghost I come to the conclusion Doctrine The Doctrine which I shall gather hence is this Paragragh It is the duty of every Christian especially of every Minister to take heed to whom and how they deliver divine truths lest delivering them to obstinate and irreproveable men they labour in vaine and they trample upon them This truth is not once only hinted to us in Scriptures you shall find it was the care of all the Children of God in all Ages and the speciall care of Christ himselfe not to deliver sound and saving truths to some sorts of men sometimes looke how cautelous holy David seemes to be Psal 39.1 2. he makes it one of the highest points of wisdome to consider before whom he uttered words that concerned Gods glory and did not while the notoriously obstinate incorrigible and irreproveable were present these instead of understanding more would turne their backs hate instruction be scoffers and mockers at the sacred truths of God To this end and purpose we find how that unlesse in case of speciall Commission and God commanded them to speake home with the hazard of their lives they were alwaies very wary and prudent to whom what of and how they declared the mind of God you may see it at large at your leisure in Isaiah Jeremiah Exekiel you find God speaking of a rebellious stiffenecked people bids the Prophet meddle no more with them pray not for them as if he had said it will be vaine and uselesse altogether successelesse our Saviour Christ when on earth knowing the inveterate hatred of the Pharisees against the great truths delivered light being come into the world c. when he was among these men many times he would make no answer and when he did it was in darke sayings at a distance in Parables as wrapt up into the third heavens and all to let us see caution must be used in dealing with the wicked and obstinate in divine matters things sacred that concerne Gods glory and the honour of men Paragraph 5 For Reasons I need give you no more than what our Saviour Christ doth and the next businesse is to shew you the reason why dog-like and swine-like men make so little of precious truths and are so unreasonable as to go about to destroy men for endeavouring to do them good and then the application For I le dwell only this day on the Text. Reasons First Truths not wisely dispensed holy reproofes not warily managed are trampled on There is nothing men had need have a greater care of than the honour of Divine Truth Now this is not only hazarded by prostituting sacred truths to this sort of men presently but adventuring on that is the cause they mock and scoffe and will not be reproved We by experience find it brings truth into disgrace makes them vilifie them and slight them by a nod with the head a winke with the eye a shake of the head and it will be very well as our Saviour Christ saith if there be not a spurne with the foot Now saith he never let such precious truths as these be hazarded to contempt and scorne take not such holy paines that might be otherwise imployed and more to purpose it makes them look with an evill eye scorne and scoffe It renders Religion odious and ridiculous to them they cannot see or rather will not see or heare but stop their eare with the adder and although there be an amiable lustre reall excellency and an inexpressible vertue and glory in them yet to them they appeare ridiculous We have examples enough of this in Scriptures John Baptist came into the world and spake for this purpose to see if he could reclaime an erring Generation It is true his words were not altogether ineffectuall Jerusalem and a great part of Judea go out to him yet marke what our Saviour Christ saith he came not eating or drinking and they said he had a devill This was all he got for his paines in abundance the man was mad he was a prating fellow he lookes like one that had lived indeed all his daies in a wildernesse as one out of his wits Our Saviour Christ comes in such a manner as would win the most refractary and hard heart and the most obstinate sinner with meeknesse patience tendernesse pitty he was