injoyned to observe And the new administrations were not then in being 3. It could not be meant of the Lords Supper because it was not instituted then nor of two or three years after therefore those whom he preacht unto and meant by the word yea could not be in a capacity to give that holy thing at all 4. By Dogs and Swine cannot be meant Disciples and those that were followers and adherers unto Christ for to them is this counsel and moderate merciful caution given I do not deny but this place is applyable unto all times in the Church upon the same or like reason and occasion but I think this place is nothing at all to the Controversie in hand for I know of none that will plead for the admission of such that will rent you for giving them the holy Supper And as that is no reason why they should deny it to ours so not the sense of the place as by dogs were not meant professors and followers of Christ then so not now but by dogs must needs be understood cruel persecutors of Christ the truth of precious doctrine that he taught and was believed by many And therefore when he first sent forth his Disciples to preach the Kingdome of heaven only to the Jews Christ gives them the like counsel Behold Matth. 10. I send you as Sheep among Wolves be ye therefore wise as Serpents and innocent as Doves And when they persecute you in one City flee to another And shake the dust off your feet against those that will not receive you but are ready rather to rent you You see our blessed Saviour compares the unbelieving Jews Scribes and Pharisees and Priests unto Wolves which are a kinde of wilde dogs the which strengthens the sense I have given Tell me where the Prophets or Apostles are forbid to warn reprove admonish the Church though never so corrupt in their publick dispensations or forbid to administer the holy Sacraments unto them from the like reasons as in the Text. The Prophets were to give warning and tell the people of their sins and of Gods judgements for their sins the Pastors and Elders of their several flocks are to feed the flock of God and to teach them all observances prescribed by their Lord. And see that their people know observe and doe all things that Christ commands ruling over them as the heritage of their Lord and not as if they were of Belial Dogs and Swine whom they may shut out of doores and starve them at their pleasure Having given this sense which I doubt not but is nearer the mark and lesse lyable unto exceptions then Mr. Collins his sense will appear to be And is applyable to men of reproveable spirits now and in the Church too unto private Christians that upon their necessary journey or otherwise may possibly meet with such that will not bear reproofs be it performed with never such wisdom but will either fly in the face or reproach and scorn their reprover In such like cases Christ doth warrant his peoples silence Indeed Mr. Beteman hath done well upon this text and although it were not very civil for Mr. Collins to print his brothers Sermon without his consent and that at second hand too himself not hearing it at all Yet I doubt not but his printing of that Sermon hath done much in taking off what he so freely asperses and reproacheth him with in his long narrative preface But in such cases as before the Church were she in a capacity might use her power to reform such rayling dogged offenders Mr. Collins queries 1. What is meant by that which is holy which was forbid to be given 2. Who are the Dogs and Swine here spoken of 3. To whom this precept is directed His answer to the first is That all holy things and pearls are here forbid c. which the Scripture doth not elsewhere plainly allow to be given unto Dogs and Swine Secondly He sayes he hopes it will easily be granted to concern such holy things as God hath betrusted us Ministers to give out His reason is For is is to men Christ spakes How can Mr. Collins be assured Answ 1 that all holy things are here meant when Christ saith only to private men that he preacht unto Give not that which is holy unto the dogs Were private hearers in a capacity to give all holy things This interp retation will please some men in these exorbitant times that put no difference between persons in the Office and Function of the Ministry and private gifted men Private reproofs instructions admonitions is that which is holy and answers the Word for Christ doth not say give not all holy things speaking in the plural number as Mr. Collins doth nor doth he say give not that which shall be holy hereafter unto the dogs within my Church as Mr. Collins would have it but he saith Give not that which is holy c. speaking in the present tense and then judge whether the holy Supper be here meant that was not yet instituted nor prophesied of Nay see how our Author is intoxicated with his own fancy that he fetches first such a compasse to include it in and then so narrows the text again that he excludes all other holy things out of it and will allow no other thing to be meant but the holy Supper only which is not to be given unto dogs saith he this is a fine fetch to prove suspension indeed if it would hold 't is certain the Sacrament was not spoken of in this text at all Whereas he saith He hopes it will be granted him that the text concerns all such holy things as are betrusted unto Ministers by God himself for it is men that Christ speaks unto See his reason Answ we must grant him that the text concerns all holy things which Ministers are intrusted with to dispense because they were men that Christ spoke to as if all men were intrusted with publike Ordinances And he cannot prove that any of his hearers were in Office to dispense holy things if he could he would have said Ministers for men but I shall proceed and come to his second query What is meant by Dogs and Swine His answer to this is something large in giving the opinion of the learned but I shall not meddle with his authorities but to what himself saith in his 15 16. pages wherein he shews that the Scriptures call some men dogs in several respects but I shall only examine those which concern the argument in hand namely who are Dogs and Swine in the Church of Christ whom Ministers are forbid to give the Sacrament unto and allow them the benefit of all the other Ordinances To his 1 2 3. account let the indifferent reader look unto his quotations and he will be satisfied that they concern not the argument in hand His 4. is Wicked men both in the Old Testament Prov. 26.11 and in the New 2 Pet. 2.22 are called dogs
baptized people to make out their argument and own invented way against such manifest demonstration which cannot otherwise be answered and yet for the zeal of the Churches peace and priviledges we defend in behalf of her members we are counted the greatest enemies to the Church none deserve worse of the Church then we no not Ranters Quakers Antitrinitarians Anabaptists Brownists that destroy all the Church is in possession of through the gift of his grace for there are some amongst all others that deserve bad enough sure but we deserve worse then all these if this good man say true As for looking at a worldly interest he hints at I have as little cause as ever had any man I have what I lookt for before I ingaged to have many tongues and pens against me even of them I esteem my very good friends which thing I have put my self upon with no small reluctancy of spirit what the Lord intends by it for good or hurt I am not certain but content to submit to his pleasure and further guidance in the Controversie being well assured of this that I shall not loose my labour of zeal and love for the Churches peace and edification I shall speak one word more to vindicate my self and friends from this heavy censure The question shall be put to the judgement of the learned and sober in the Church of England Whether Mr. Saunders himself gives approbation of or Mr. Humfry or my self deserves worse of the Church of God If we doe not deserve worse of the Church then the Author himself approves of I hope the judicious Reader will forgive us the wrong and what himself hath published will acquit us And I doubt not but when our principles and theirs are laid together and compared impartially as I have given some discoveries in these followings sheets it will not be very difficult to judge whether they or we deserve worse of the Church of God And so I will leave Mr. Mantons hard censure to himself and others that shall read both to judge between us I should hardly have troubled you with these sheets had not that passage much provoked me nor would I hinder that reverend Gentleman ingaged he may rejoyn more deliberately if he see cause I think I have done enough to caution the Reader of lesse judgement from being taken with this Author with whose smoothnesse of expression and plausible pretences his Reader may quickly be intangled and carryed away with a sound of enticing words that have no truth nor solid reason in them I shall now upon the sudden come to examine the main of his Book And my way will be first to examine what himself relates of their way Secondly I shall examine the state of the question and the proofs urged to defend it answer his arguments queries and motives and then conclude Mr. Saunders tels us what their way is There is a Church formed in one of our Congregations according to the rule of the Word In the choyce of a Pastor Officers and Members other Ministers and people are joyned to this society in which we are like to walk till we can see truth or reason against us pag. 121. To this something may be yeelded Answ 1 as namely that where a people is destitute of a faithful Pastor they may choose one that is qualified for the carrying on the whole work of the Ministery in the Church And the people to submit unto him as ruling over them in the Lord I mean so far as his Office and Function doth authorize him according to rule to admonish warn rebuke and command Then something is to be denyed untill further proof of their practice appear As namely 1. That he that is a Pastor of a particular Congregation and Church or flock unto which he was either lawfully sent and inducted by the Church or came in by the consent of the people over whom he is I say for such a one to joyn himself to another Church as a common member and to hold constant Communion in the Sacrament with that Church and altogether neglect the administring of the Lords Supper to that people he is Pastor of I utterly reject as that which the Scripture doth no where allow but is contrary to reason order peace and edification of his people if it doth not imply a forsaking his Pastoral relation and duties 2. I would gladly see it made out by Scripture that one that is a Pastor of a Church already may be chosen a Pastor again either by the people he is Pastor unto or by others that have lawful Pastors over them already if this practice be permitted in those that are confessed by the Author to be true Churches which they dare not separate from What a deluge of disorder confusion must necessarily follow Can a man be a Pastor of a select company out of several Churches and a Pastor to his own people in general he was first related unto denying the Lords Supper to them that are properly his own flock give it as Pastor to other mens flocks and charge Or can a man be Pastor of a true Church and an Officer of another Or a particular private member in constant Communion with another in acts of worship These things have need of sugred words indeed to make them passe yet this is represented unto all with the common guise of every Sect to be according to the rule of the Word when Mr. Saunders hath given us his proof to make good these paradoxes hinted at and further declared and explained their way we may have occasion more strictly to examine it in all the particulars of it In the mean time I can conceive no lesse of their way but that it makes such a rent in their several Congregations that most properly and justly is called Schism pleading necessity will not help you especially when it 's of your own makeing running upon sundry mistakes and taking principles upon trust for truth that the holy Scriptures no where teach brings most knowing men under these straights overwhelming the Church with distraction division and confusion Besides there is no necessity to sin upon pretence of reforming that Reformation that is begun by sinfull means is not of God nor can never tend to the Churches good Arguments drawn from pretended necessities are of little strength in a sober rational dispute however prevalent they are conceived to be when accompanyed with the sword How can those Ministers think they have done their duty in administring the holy Supper to their respective Congregations by drawing a few of their own members with them to receive it in another mans Congregation They may as well think they have done their duty in preaching to their own Congregation by a constant drawing a few of their people with them to hear another man preach and if the other be their Pastor as to some in the way they are in cannot be denyed why should not such members constantly attend him in all
TO RECEIVE THE LORDS SUPPER The Actual Right and Duty of all Church-Members of Years not EXCOMMUNICATE MADE GOOD Against Mr. COLLINS his Exceptions against The Bar Removed written by the Author And what Right the ignorant and scandalous tolerated in the Church have to the Lords Supper declared Many things belonging to that Controversie more fully discussed tending much to the peace and settlement of the Church AND ALSO A ful Answer to what Mr. COLLINS hath written in defence of Juridical Suspension wherein his pretended arguments from Scripture are examined and confuted To which is also annexed A brief Answer to the Antidiatribe written by Mr. Saunders By JOHN TIMSON a private Christian of Great Bowdon in Leicestershire Those members of the body which we think lesse honorable upon those we bestow more aboundant honor That there should be no Schism in the Body 1 Cor. 12 23 25. London Printed by E. C. for Tho. Williams at the Bible in Little-Britain and Will. Tomson at Harborough in Leicestershire 1655. The Authour to the Reader HOw weak and unable I am for the managing of the least truth and how unfit to appear in publick in its defence I am very sensible and filled with fears and perplexing thoughts in my very soul lest I should do any thing but for the Truth and for the peace of our unsetled Church or should be injurious to so good a cause which I am drawn out I doe not well know how to vindicate Who is sufficient to defend the Truth I tremble to think how many precious and choyce Servants of the Lord and faithful Labourers in his Vineyard are against me in what I publish I reverence and esteem those of the Presbyterian judgement above others in some considerable respects and verily judge them conscientious men and such as I look upon as best qualified for promoting the Gospel truth and the Churches peace And although my returns to Mr. Collins be somewhat round yet I hope I doe not much reflect upon most of the Presbyterian judgement notwithstanding his seeming to write in the name of all of that perswasion I do professe my study was to speak my very heart in this Controversie and to provoke different mindes to give some stronger grounds for their opinion and practice assuring my self that a great deal more must be said against that Free Admission to the Sacrament which I plead for then any of late have said before either Mr. Humphrey or my self will be answered and many thousands in the Nation which I hope fear God will be satisfied I may safely say with a good conscience it is more the clear conviction of my judgement and conscience that perswades me to appear in this controversie then any private interest or affectation of opinion or spirit of contradiction or basenesse of that spirit either â—o humor or flatter the common multitude I am perswaded it is the very simplicity of holy Truth which I have undertaken to defend leading directly to the Churches Peace and Reformation Truth seeks no corners but is invincible and intire in it self it may be over-born at a push but will recover again and vanquish all the dark parts of man O that we had such impartial and unbyased spirits as to receive all truth in the love of it Let me intreat my Reader to weigh things met with in this controversie deliberately and then I doubt not but of whatsoever judgement he be he will confesse my principles and arguments are rational and much the drift and scope of plain Scriptures And if he will but grant me Infant Baptism he will finde it a hard task to overthrow any of my building as it is stated He may see with what clearnesse and ease I have answered to what is excepted against my first book in the reading of this and also to what is brought in defence of Suspension as distinct from Excommunication as it is stated by Mr. Collins Indeed he pleaseth himself with telling his Reader my principles are both large and rotten but if he think to goe but an inch narrower he will finde it a most difficult task to free himself of that charge laid against the Pharisees the making void the Commandements of God by their Traditions He cannot go a jot narrower but he must uncovenant undisciple and unduty those which he cals Church members the doing of which plucks up all that the Church stands upon and levels Christians not Excommunicate with the Pagan world in point of right and actuall duty of receiving This is so irrational that it stands Mr. Collins upon to doe his utmost to give some satisfaction therein which if he doe he must make good from the Scriptures those things which he so often begs As 1. That the Lords Supper is strong meat only 2. A seal to justifying faith only 3 And that every unregenerate person in the Church that receives eats judgement to himself more then in any other Ordinances of Word and Prayer he doing in each what he can to decline and avoid profanenesse 4. That a Church-member of years under Toleration of the Church is no believer or disciple under actual duty as a Christian 5. That to the different state of the Church as consisting of regenerate and unregenerate is under different rules and duties as to publick worship 6. That more knowledge and holinesse is required to the Lords Supper then to Baptism in persons of years 7. He must prove Suspension distinct from Excommunication a Church censure and for what sins 8. That some baptized of years mentioned in the Scripture have been denyed the Sacrament of the Supper for ignorance or for not having fruits of holinesse answerable to the Christian Profession and yet allowed the liberty of all other Ordinances in the Church as members 9. He must prove a Pastoral or Church tryal by examination of Church-members fitnesse or unfitnesse necessary to admitting to the Sacrament and more such like things before he can justly debar any from the Sacrament more then from the rest of Church priviledges and duties If he can make good all or any of these things by the Scriptures so as to take off what we have excepted against them then he may doe something towards giving satisfaction in this Controversie otherwise in plain terms I would have him to sit still and let others who may think to doe somewhat in order to it put forth their strength For I am willing my grounds and principles should be tryed to the utmost I had rather be put to shame a thousand times then upon mistake in any thing I should dissent from godly men and draw any into errour But yet I would have you to know that these grounds and principles on which my judgement is built have been so long received and chewed upon and examined and tryed by general rules of Scripture and Reason that I shall not easily be removed For I dare boldly say the substance of what I write I received not from Erastus
Church But Reader I will detain thee no longer in the porch only let me intreat a candid and charitable conceiving of my sense drift and end in what I have written I would provoke none but leave the probability of what I have asserted from Scripture and reason to the consideration of all Only this let me tell thee by the way That Suspension as it 's stated by Mr. Collins I judge to be sufficiently confuted in the latter part of this Book What himself or any other may doe further in stating it and proving it by Scripture or reason deduced thence I know not I think whosoever undertakes it will finde it a hard task to make this good That some Church-members of years and indued with reason shall and ought to be denyed the Communion of the Lords Supper and yet be allowed the liberty of all other Communion in acts of worship as Church members at that present And though I doe not in plain terms prove it an invention of men yet I conceive I have so removed the arguments and reasons it 's pretended to be built upon that it doth not yet appear to be the Ordinance of Christ and so by consequence that it is but a Tradition of men Jesus Christ commands all that are Disciples Church-members to observe all his commands from which none that are baptized can be excluded without equal authority to that of Christ Suspension from the Sacrament only must first be proved an Ordinance of Christ before any may be suspended from it For no authority on earth can disoblige from actual duty but the same that doth oblige to duty I mean no authority can doe it but that of Christ in giving the power of the keys of the Church to binde and loose authoritatively To conclude let none deceive themselves in reading this Book as if it were intended for defence of promiscuous Communion for what I intend therein is to justifie a lawful Communion in the Lords Supper according unto the rules of the Law and Gospel and sure that is the most pure Communion that is most agreeable to rule as the case now stands in our Church Mixt Communion properly is to admit an Infidel Jew or Pagan unbaptized to the Sacrament that denyes or knows not that Christ is come in the flesh or to admit the Excommunicate before they have given satisfaction to the Church by their repentance and amendment of life If I should plead for such a Communion then it would reflect upon me to my reproach shame But I plead not for this but for Church discipline to reform the disorderly in the Church Juridically I would have the Church still to preserve the form of all necessary duties of worship though they cannot bring up all to the power of godlinesse as is desirable Better to keep up Religion though but in the right form then not at all What reason can any have to discourage from any religious form of true worship under this pretence that they come not up to the inward power which is undiscernable for the most part Form and power are inseparable in the true Religion where the Lord gives his blessing That place of Timothy is usually misunderstood in our times for it is clear they had not so much as the external form of true Christian Doctrine and Worship but such a form of godlinesse as Heathens have or may have for it was spoken of false teachers and seducers that usually make pretences of a form of godlinesse of their own devising and deny or be enemies to the form of godlinesse which is according to truth commanded of God for they are such as resist the truth men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the doctrine of faith God never blesses false forms of worship with his powerful presence working grace in them that out of strong delusion have invented those forms but forms of his own prescribed worship are the power of God to salvation to whom he will Now I crave pardâ—n of all sober men for this my so bold attempt to clash with so many able solid Divines as I shall be judged to do I reverence all and should patiently wait and without contending submit to all were the Church in a setled state but we having run into such endless divisions and separations it concerns every one to study and indeavour the regaining of the settlement peace and edification of the whole And I could wish that men of â—ober principles who have an eye at the same end would be more serious in weighing the grounds we build upon and the weapons we fight with in managing this controversie I could wish that able and learned men would throughly search and more deeply dive into this controversie for I know that unlesse a great deal more can be said against Free Admission as it is stated then I could as yet ever hear of contrary mindes will be forced either to yeeld or else they will run themselves upon such rocks as will quite break the constitution of our Church But prove all things and impartially incline to own and imbrace that which brings the fullest and nearest evidence of truth and solid reason to thy understanding And the Lord give us at least to see where the truth and the Churches peace lies and establish the same among us which is and shall be the prayer of him that longs to see that day John Timson The most principal things handled in this Controversie are contained in these few questions 1. WHether all Church-members of years not Excommunicate have a true right to the Lords Supper or no. 2. Whether any Church-members may lawfully be denyed the Lords Supper for ignorance and state of unregeneracy according unto Gospel rule 3. Whether Church-members as such in relation to the Covenant be not personally worthy during their abode in the Church and in that sense worthy receivers though otherwise they be actually unworthy 4. Whether it is the duty of all Church-members of years to receive the Lords Supper as to hear pray read sing c. 5. Whether the promises of first grace be not included in the Gospel Covenant which Sacraments seal And the unregenerate in the Church be the only objects of those promises 6. Whether the Church is to judge of her members worthinesse or unworthinesse in order to admitting to the Lords Supper more then to all other acts of publick worship 7. Whether the Sacrament can be denyed to be a converting Ordinance in the Church 8. Whether Juridical Suspension be an Ordinance of Christ or an invention of man ERRATA Reader among many lesser faults which have escaped in the printing by reason of the Authors absence there is one great fault pag. 143. in 12 13 14. The distinction there mentioned is this Hearing of faith preached was and is the ordinary means of the faith of Heathens but the whole work of the Ministry is the ordinary means of sincere believing in the Church And p. 239. l. 10. after probable
supply means of instructing them in the. PAg. 4 lin 7. read unto p. 13. l. 27. r. privative p. 1â— l 6. r. reaching p. 29. l. 8. for il r for it p. 31. l. 12. r. Vzzahs p. 31. l. 14. r. answer p. 50. l. 10. r. undvoidable p. 64. l. 15. r. examen p. 71. l. 1 3. r. a knowledge p 89. l. 14. r. propositions p. 98. l. 12. r. leavened p. 99. l. 21. r. chain p. 100. l. 27. r. visible p. 116. l. 2. r. adjourned pag. 138. l. 28. supply in after doth p. 156. l. 9. r. uneldered l. 30. supply of the whole Church after settlement p. 161. l. 9. r. privative p. 166. l. 2. f. examination r. argument p. 170. l. 2. r. irreproveable p. 189. l. 7. supply an ordinance of after give p. 199. l. 6 dele it p. 216. l. 3. f. first r. fift p. 249. l. 15. f. power r. prevalency p. 275. l. 21. r. suspition p. 280. l. 1. f. know r. how p. 286. l. 27. f. which r. when p. 298. l. 32. r. to persecutions p. 312. l. 29. r. think p. 327. l. 8. put in profitable after that is l. 16. r. themselves To Receive the Lords Supper the actual Right and Duty of all Church-Members of years not Excommunicate BEloved Christian friends Although I judge that I am not as yet answered by Mr. Collings there being enough in my Book to answer him and vindicate it self from whatsoever is as yet objected against it to the Judicious and impartial Reader yet with respect unto Mr. Collings who is esteemed a Gentleman learned and worthy according unto his title and some profitable labours for the Churches good And also for the further satisfying both of the weak and plain minded Christians As also the confirming of those my friends that cordially imbrace my Book and adhere to the truth asserted therein And that the controversie it self may come to some clearer issue and something more may be discovered in order unto peace and truth and reformation in the Church of God in all humility and respect unto different mindes I crave leave once more soberly and freely to present my thoughts unto further consideration for I judge that Mr. Collings hath been too hasty in concluding that my main principles are rotten that I have made the ground of my discourse by what he hath said in answer thereunto for the truth is he hath not in the least disabled any one main thing I have asserted nor is willing to keep to the question as it 's stated nor answer to any purpose where the main stresse of Controversie lies but trifles about Infants and distracted and Pagans and the excommunicate the admitting of which aâ— such not any in our times plead for And therefore he might have said lesse to these and more to those that the thing in controversie concerns namely Whether the unregenerate or ignorant and scandalous members in the Church being baptized and of years not excommunicate may be debarred the Lords Supper they expressing their desires to receive and proffering themselves I answer in the negative all along that they may not be put by Mr. Collings seems to be offended with my charging the Reverend Doctor with unbrotherly dealing A thing saith he that my self am more guilty of which I think is hardly so unlesse the worthinesse of the person my opinion strikes at doth so much the more aggravate the thing As for my not taking notice of Mr. Humfreys reflections as he cals them it may be better excused as to my self and friend then the other can 1. Because that part of the Book which concerned the Doctor was finished and gone from me towards the Presse before ever I knew of Mr. Humfreys rejoinder 2. When I did read it over I thought his returns to such bitter censures and invectives against him were very pathetical yet humble and melting and well becoming a sober charitable Christian and fellow-labourer with the other in the holy Gospel 3. I have heard many godly and learned in the Ministery acknowledge that his returns are humble and charitable and yet quick and rational As to Mr. Collings quotation of the two last pages of his rejoynder I conceive that Mr. Humfrey little thought that any would be so uncharitable as to take his Allegorical reproof and caution in that unfeemly sense that Mr. Collings will force upon it there being not any Scripture uncapable of a rational application And those that are impartial and sober can judge no lesse of that And for those six or seven dissatisfactions of mine concerning the practice of some Presbyterians unassociated I know not how I should have expressed my self more modestly then by professing my self unsatisfied giving so many hints as I have clearly done against those things I charge them with And I am sure if the main principles in my Book stand firm as I think they will for any thing yet said against me Mr. Collings will not be very zealous for ruling Elders nor Suspension distinct from Excommunication Church examination of her members into actual receiving nor leaving out without any judicial proceedings But to the matter it self let us see what he hath said against that First his demand is What it is that gives one right to the Sacrament of the Supper he knows the answer will be Church membership either this alone or something else if this alone then Infants and mad men and drunkards must come say what they can if they say not Church-membership alone doth give a full right then many of their arguments fail 1. Answ That Church membership alone gives one a legal right to the Lords Supper according unto Gospel rules the which right is a true right and that sufficient unto free admission of all in the Church but then this right is to be distinguished into a real right in point of title and a right of actual possession and injoyment the former right respects all Infants born of Christian Parents the latter right belongs unto all Church-members of years that are baptized and in a rational and Church capacity actually to enjoy their right An heir in his infancy hath as true a right unto his Fathers land he being dead as an heir at full age but yet it doth not follow that a childe under age shall be left actually to manage his right himself in that state as an heir at one and twenty We know the Apostle saith it An heir under age differs not from a servant though he be Lord of all Yet such is the the consequence of Mr. Collings touching Infant Communion if we grant them a true right as members in point of title and a remote right actually to injoy assoon as they are in a natural and rational capacity then saith he they as members must come say what we can to the contrary Although Mr. Humfrey and my self have shewed a clear difference between Infants and distracted and the ignorant at age in several particulars The
11. and that the rather it seems because as he sayes all my superstructure stands upon the foundation that I have there laid page 23. at latter end I confesse I judge the stresse of all the controversie hath been occasioned upon mistake of the Apostles scope sense in that chapter and therefore have endeavoured by severa queries upon the place Answ with my answer to them conjoyned pag. 14 15 16 17. of my Book to give you the sense of the place Which I hope hath and will satisfie many distressed consciences which have beeâ— perplexed too much through some mistakâ— of our latter Divines former ages anâ— Churches as some of my friends have tokâ— me since do much favour the sense that have given of the place And it seems tâ— me that Mr. Collings is put to a stand whâ—â— to say to it as for that great thing of applying the danger to unworthinesse of persons Mr. Coll. whiâ—â— troubled us all he confesses he sees no great hanâ— is like to come of it if it be granted that thâ— Apostle there doth not primarily speak of personâ— unworthinesse but actual And again he saith 'T is not much material to dispute whether thâ— Apostle there spake of habitual unworthinesse â— only actual That there is a personal unworthinesse himself must grant he saith or else Turkes an excommunicated persons cannot be excluded Here you may see a very fair concession from Mr. Answ Collings I would we had found him as ingenuous in other things that we might have been all of a minde but though thiâ— place doth not prove it he would have uâ— conceive that some other places doe in order to the Sacrament And it is a thing that I must grant else Turks and the excommunicate cannot be excluded I will examine his Scriptures anon and shall first deny that which he will force me to grant his reason is worth nothing or else Turks c. I grant that there is a personal unworthinesse in Turks and Pagans and in the excommunicate also conditionally but doth it therefore follow that there is a personal unworthinesse in the Church that professe themselves a people in Covenant with God and have the Lord for their God Here you may observe again how Mr. Collings is levelling Church-members with the infidel world it 's strange to me that a Batcheler of Divinity should not be able to make difference between a Pagan and a Christian What 1 Cor. 7.14 did he forget that foederal holinesse that differenceth the clean from the unclean He queries Whether every unregenerate man as such be personally unworthy he believes he is I seeme to doubt he saith Without doubting that there is no personal unworthinesse in the unregenerate in the Church simply considered in it self Answ for all such are in Covenant relation the which relation is personal they are a consecrate people to the Lord and are in that sense holy in opposition to the infidel world that still lyes in profanenesse those whom God hath chosen to bear his name and are entred into Covenant with God Let no man account common and uncleaâ— commonizing such a called professing peoplâ— with the Pagan world c. as is the humor and sin of these times for personâ— unworthinesse cannot be in the Church 〈◊〉 long as a persons relative worthinesse remains Indeed we may distinguish of a persons worthinesse in the Church it is either relative meerly or else real and relativâ— together The former is sufficient for thâ— acceptance of the Church unto all Gospeâ— Ordinances the latter is that which hatâ— its praise of God it being called the ciâ— cumcision of the heart c. the other but oâ— the letter only Rom. 2.20 But Mr. Colling saith there is no need of disputing this Although I know the main cause of this conâ— troversie occasioned by this very thing Tâ— what end is your Bar but to exclude the unworthy Why have you devised such strange things as to make it strong meat 〈◊〉 seal to faith a strengthening and a nourishing Ordinance c. contradistinct from all the rest in the Church excluding it from being a means of conversion which you allow to all the other Ordinances in the Church To what end is your suspension and hindring persons more from this then any other To what end are your proving and trying of such that generally professe the same religion your selves preach though harmlesse and honest as to men yet may not be admitted I say to what end is all this but that you are afraid of personal unworthinesse And it is the only thing to be disputed for we are all agreed about actual unworthinesse that let a man be a godly man yet if he sin scandalously he is to be censured it and so of the unregenerate if they be obstinate our difference about actual unworthinesse will be in what cases the Church may exercise the rod for what sins but he tels us pag 27. That every Church member is by us to be lookt upon as habitually worthy unlesse by some actual miscarriage he declares himself actually unworthy But the question is Answ whether Mr. Collings will grant that those in the Church that they finde by their miscarriages to be actually unworthy they judge to be habitually worthy and let him tell us plainly that they keep back no man from the Sacrament for habitual unworthinesse if he can and say truth but for actual miscarriages onely Let him plainly answer me in that and then I may tell him more of my minde in the mean time let me tell him that I much fear his charity to Church-members savours of excesse and exceeds all due bounds Take habitual worthinesse in his own sense as he expresses himself in the same thing thus Yet we believe their Church-membership is not that which makes them thus worthy but their into est in Christ which charity obligeth them thus believe untill by some fruits they discover the oâ— trary Then it will follow Answ That all Infants born in the Church a habitually worthy not from their Covenaâ— holinesse that gives them the priviledge 〈◊〉 membership but from their interest in Chrâ— as beleevers Let him try if he can convinâ— the Antipaedobaptist of that That charity which obligeth us thus 〈◊〉 believe of all Church-members is true 〈◊〉 charity obligeth no man to believe that whiâ— is false Then it follows that those that are haâ— tually worthy from their interest in Chrisâ— may fall away from that habituall woâ— thinesse they have from their interest 〈◊〉 Christ This strongly implyes that they hold thâ— no one should be continued a member of thâ— visible Church but such that are habituall worthy from an interest in Christ Anâ— thus you may see how their extremity oâ— charity runs them into an extremity of râ—gor and censorious dealing with Church members at length Let the impartial Reader judge how true it is that Mr. Colling hath said 'T is not much material to dispute whether
so to use the remedy as to prevent the judgement and to receive benefit by the Ordinance where God gave a blessing pag. 13. The Bar removed I doe not finde that Mr. Collins hath much to except against what I have answered to these two queries in my Book pag. 19 20. He grants what I have said is true but yet he sayes in case of scandalous sinners in the Church self examination is not enough but there is something to be done by the Ministers and officers of the Church he grants self examination a personal remedy but there are other Church remedies which the Apostle commandeth the use of as well as this 1 Cor. 5. I am ready to yeeld it Answ that there are Church remedies and judge that his quotation 1 Cor. 5. is so for the reforming scandalous brethren And that those that are justly delivered up to Satan or cast out of Christian Communion by the authority of the Church should not only be debarred the Sacrament but all publick Ordinances and all civil society so far as our particular callings will possibly admit of but yet I am far from thinking that the Apostle ever meant that delivering unto Satan and to put from among themselves that wicked person was no more but exclude him the Sacrament And I verily believe that the same censure that was put into execution by the decree of the Apostle was made a general rule for the Church touching their dealing with all scandalous brethren in the Church as plainly appears in the 10 11 12. verses of that chapter the which I shall more clearly speak unto when I come to examine the grounds of suspension laid down by Mr. Collins He saith He cannot subscribe to my inclination that self examination mentioned 1 Cor. 11.28 must be limited by the premises in the context as the institution repeated doth import with some other directions and cautions given in cure of their malady c. He might have done it for any strength of reason he can give to the contrary Answ for if those two things hold which I have pincht upon That the Corinths were not blamed nor punished for personal unworthinesse at all Nor 2. for any other actual offendings but meerly for their profaning the Ordinance of Christ in the very time of administration for this cause only some are weak sick and some are dead vers 30. I say if this hold as I believe it will what reason can any man have to judge that the Apostle intends more in this place then the reforming of them in those particular sins they were punished for and blamed for If they were punished for coming to the Sacrament in an unregenerate state or for want of the knowledg of God in Christ for want of love of God and of Jesus Christ of men or for any other want or miscarriage save only this so exprest in the context examination might have been urged accordingly but they being not so much as blamed for any such things in order to the Sacrament no not in this chap. or elsewhere what shew of reason can any man have to be so severe in urging of examination as a duty of that necessity that if they be not able to discern the mysteries of the Kingdome of God and to approve themselves to God to be sincere as to such particulars which are only necessary for admittance unto heavenly glory or else if otherwise they come they will but eat and drink their own damnation When in my answer I have limited this duty of self-examination to the context as if the Apostle had said unto them You being fully convinced of your former woeful abuse and profaning this holy Ordinance of Christ you must now judge and condemn your selves accordingly and approve your selves according unto the right rule prescribed unto you in the institution received from Christ understanding within your selves what this holy observance doth mean and so come and demean your selves with reverence and good order sutable to Gods Ordinance and then he tels them they should not be judged of the Lord. This saith Mr. Collins is short work indeed pag. 29. What though it be short of the ordinary lasts of some men that will extend this duty to an infinitum Answ yet until Mr. Collins or any other can confute it I shall judge it right work and no whit short of the sense oâ— this place the which were it justly applyed to ours as it ought to be they being members of the same visible body and under the same rule and priviledges of the Church and not offenders in that kinde I think a shorte work would serve did not men upon mistakâ— affect to make themselves more work the they have warrant for from their Lord. But thus he saith The wrod in the Gree will not be satisfied with such a short and seaâ— interpretation Magistrates examine malefactor more strictly and the Goldsmiths tryal of his gold a more searching tryal the Apostle expounds iâ— 2 Cor. 13.5 You must excuse me as touching the Original Answ I am not able to examine it I wish could I am afraid the truth will be prejudiced through mine inabilities yet as I aâ— informed this makes but little to his purpose the same word being so often used iâ— the New Testament and that upon differenâ—â— accounts as Rom. 2.18 chap. 14.18 and the 16.10 2 Cor. 7.11 10.18 the 13.7 Phil. 1.10 2 Tim. 2.15 by some of these places you may see we are to approve of the things that are excellent and good and holy so as to put forth our endevours in pursuance of them and to decline the contrary which is all one with 1 Cor. 11.28 the Apostle would have the Corinths to approve themselves to the rules prescribed them and so come 2 Cor. 13.5 is a different thing to 1 Cor. 11.28 there the Apostle perceived that they questioned his authority of Apostleship and required a proof of Christ speaking in him the which saith the Apostle they need not goe far for a proof of Christ in accompanying his Word by him towards them is not weak but mighty vers 3. and hence he bids them examine themselves whether they be in the faith prove your selves that Christ is in you and that would be a sufficient proof of Christs speaking in him and of his Ministerial authority Thus you may clearly see although here is the same word yet it 's used upon a far different occasion and therefore it doth not expound 1 Cor. 11.28 as Mr. Collins would have it Next he saith That another kinde of examination is here required hath been the concurrent judgement of all Divines especially those of the reformed Churches c. I heartily reverence the concurrent judgement of all Divines and it is my grief that I differ from them in some things I wish that the authority of man do not cloud the truth from some for my own part my inabilities are such that there can be no danger of swaying
their children unto baptism if no promise belong to him to make use of as his is not his childes baptism a considerable use The absolute promise of the first grace to the unregenerate is the main encouragement to the use of means for the attainment of grace This is that which opens a door of hope unto all and as they are sinners destitute of the work of grace they may rightly goe to God and pray for a new heart and for his Spirit to beget regenerating grace it their gracelesse spirits Oh turn thou us Lord and we shall be converted unto thee for thou never saidst to the seed of Jacob Seek yee my face in vain And we are the seed of thy Church and people whom thou hast promised to be a God unto and to make us thy people for thy names sake forsake us not but put forth 〈◊〉 work of thy mighty power to open our hearâ— to receive the grace of thy promise we 〈◊〉 objects of and without which we are undouâ— I say ask and you shall have for the Lorâ— will give his Spirit to them that ask it Anâ— this I hope is of good use to the unregenerate it 's a special ground to pray for renewing grace themselves and likewise for other that have grace to pray for them as Minister for their people and parents for their children c. Exclude them from these promises and you exclude them from your prayers for we have no warrant to pray for that which God doth not promise to give My fifth proposition That the Sacraments being visible representations of Christs death on which those promises are founded and by which they â—ne confirmed the use of the Sacraments belongs to those whom those promises doe immediately respect Unto this he hath nothing considerable but what hath been answered already only he grants the main of this And yet sayes that Sacraments are seals as well as signs 1. Sacraments are seals as they are signes Answ and not otherwise 2. They are but representatives of the real seal that confirms the absolute promises namely the death of Christ and so not seals properly but by way of resemblance giving the name to the signs that is only proper to the thing signified namely the death of Christ it being all one to imagine the Sacraments real seals of the Covenant with real presence If I mistake not hence it will follow That which the death of Christ is a seal of Sacraments are seals of but the death of Christ is a seal of the promises of first grace which respect the unregenerate in the Church therefore the use of these seals belong to them I see not but that the Sacraments as they are seals to confirm the truth of the Covenant in which are included promises of first grace to the unregenerate in the Church the unregenerate may use the seals for their incouragement to wait upon God in the use of that and all ordinary means in hope of the blessing of regenerating grace according to what is promised in the Word and sealed in the Sacrament who else should use the seals if not those that have a right unto what is sealed should not But then he saith It is false that the use of the Sacraments belongs to such as the promises of first grace doe respect for then the use of the Sacrameâ— belongs to Heathens but the use of it belongs 〈◊〉 those only who by faith apply the promises So long as any creatures are without to letter Answ and external administration of thâ— Covenant and have not so much as accepted of the outward tender and made eâ—trance therein by baptism they are strange from the Covenant of promise and without a literal ground of hope and without Goâ— I have shewed the difference already 〈◊〉 though I have granted elsewhere that thâ— Heathen are objects of the promise of 〈◊〉 grace in some remote sense yet it 's hard 〈◊〉 say of any Nation in special so long as thâ— Lord is pleased to withhold the ordinaâ— means of their conversion from them thâ— they are objects of that promise This is certain truth where the Lord hath a peopâ—â— to save he will either send his Word to 〈◊〉 them or bring them under the Word by soâ— providence or other to that end as for thoâ— that are left to wander in their own Idolitrous wayes there is no hope to such If 〈◊〉 Gospel be hid it 's hid to them that perish Anâ— whereas Mr. Collins saith The Sacrament belongs only to those who by faith apply the promiseâ— Alas this he takes for granted although be knows we have denyed it upon confiderable ground Take faith in his sense can any man imagine that all the people of the Jews were able by faith to apply the promises yet they were all bound to keep the Passeover Conceive how improbable it were that all that submitted unto baptism in the Apostles age were able by a true saith to apply the promises yet none were denyed the Supper that came under Baptism Doth Mr. Gollins think that all in our Church are able by a true sincere faith to apply the promises Yet we administer baptism unto their children a seal of the same promises upon the account of their parents And I verily judge that the parents are in as good a capacity for the holy Supper as their children are for holy baptism If the childes right may be derived more remote then much more the Parents of that childe as being a generation neerer that right If the promise include the grand childe much more his own childe And wherein is the holy Supper a different seal of the Covenant from baptism So that in giving Baptism to their child you clearly yeeld their right to use the Supper provided they be not excommunicated But Mr. Collins argues against me thus in his late Book pag. 104. Those who if they were Heathens might not be baptized though they be baptized and in the Church ought not to be admitted to the Lords Supper But those who are ignorant and scandalous if they were Heathens should not be baptized Ergo I grant his minor is true Answ that ignorant and scandalous Heathens should not be baptized But I deny his Major that ignorant and scandalous Christians are Heathens Suppose them unbaptized which they are not for I will suppose that their Covenant relation holds still though they were unbaptized they being the issue of persons in the Church and they never as yet have renounced the Covenant but adhere to the publick administration thereof which may be the case of some in these exorbitant time for there are many a growing up to year of discretion that through the delusion 〈◊〉 their parents are unbaptized the which 〈◊〉 think are no Heathen being Christians born nor cut off from Covenant relation noâ— Church-membership notwithstanding their parents wickednesse to dispute them ouâ— of the Covenant and consequently ouâ— of the Church and so from baptism a priviledge thereof
supposes faith It 's sufficient for our opinion because all in the Church doe accept of the Covenant and have faith And we doe not plead for Heathens untill they believe and come under baptism But surely the death of Christ confirmed the everlasting Covenant out of which faith with the fruits thereof freely flow And I think Sacraments are no other wayes seals then they are signs of his death as it is said This cup is the new Covenant in my bloud the cup was not really the new Covenant but a sign thereof representatively as I have hinted before Yet surely saith Mr. Collins those that are in a state of unbelief are not in Covenant though they may be objects of Gods first free grace Answ If they be not in the everlasting Covenant they cannot be said to be objects of Gods first free grace for doubtlesse God gives grace to none that are out of that Covenant himself grants that the elect are enrold in the everlasting Covenant and many of them may be in the Church I hope though in a state of unbelief in his sense and doubtlesse it is for the elects sake that we have an external administration a Church consisting of most bad that his elect may be gathered out of all sorts of sinners and others left without excuse is this wise contrivance of the ever blessed God And hence this mingled state of good and bad must grow together untill the harvest experience doth tell us what precious wheat hath sprung out of the roots of wicked tares And wicked tares have sprung out of the roots of the choycest wheat let that convince us Mr. Collins saith That argument about baptism hath been answered again and again The argument is this If parents that are ignorant and scandalous in the Church be so much in Covenant as to give their children right unto holy baptism a seal of the Covenant then themselves have right to the holy Supper it being but the seal of the same Covenant The antecedent is granted by Mr. Collins and all that are friends to his judgement and yet they deny the consequence because they say more is required to the Lords Supper then unto Baptism Unto this I answer It cannot be proved that in in the Apostles days more was required unto the Supper then to baptism of persons of years it 's clear enough that which prepared them for baptism brought them into the Church And that being once within they had the priviledges of the Church accordingly is without question Lesse is required unto Covenant seals of persons born in the Church they being free born to all the priviledges of this spiritual Corporation then of those that are aliens and strangers by birth these obtain their freedom upon the terms of faith and repentance The ignorant and scandalous are in as good a capacity of the Supper of the Lord as their children are of the baptism of the Lord they being under Church indulgence First They are in an active capacity of exercising the understanding heart and conscience memory with all the externals required unto that service their children are meerly passive for the other Secondly Parents are in possession of the feals of themselves but their children before baptism are not Parents in the Church derive as much right from their Ancestors as their children doe untill they be discovenanted if not more as being a generation neerer that right If parents Covenant relation be sufficient to give right to the seals for his childe then surely for himself Besides the contradiction in the other opinion of Mr. Collins as first he pleads the Covnaâ—nt for the parents unto their childrens baptism and then disputes them out of Covenant in his admission unto the holy Supper They shall be accounted believers as to the one but unbelievers as to the other The promise is to them and their children in order unto baptism but then in order to the holy Supper there is no more promise belongs unto them then unto Pagans And there is no promise made to any that have not faith to apply them and so exclude children from the promise too at last for they have not such a faith as to apply the promises Thus you may see he is a Presbyterian in practice and an Anabaptist in opinion For if his judgement be true about baptism then it 's false about the holy Supper if his judgement be true about the Supper then it 's false about baptism for both are the same seal of the same Covenant exhibited only by different figns People had need be well setled and satisfied of themselves in these times that keep their station in the Church where they have such Teachers and meet with such opinions that destroy all The truth is our straightnesse in the one and largenesse in the other doth destroy it self and doth occasion most intelligent Christians either to fall off from Infant baptism or else to restrain it to those that are judged fit to be received into holy Communion in the Lords Supper Had it not been for our own scruples about admitting to the Supper casting off the most of Church-members from Communion under the notion of ignorant and scandalous we had never known of these exorbitances in the Church which now we suffer under by the separations It is an easie thing for Mr. Collins to say the argument is answered again and again not telling us by whom nor how But if it be not better answered then he hath done it in his answer to Mr. Barksdel he must answer it again or else it must be unanswered and cleave close unto him still as such a Church-rent that he will never free himself of unlesse he alter his judgement which he will finde the readiest way of the two In his 15. pag. to Mr. Barksdels 10. argument for free admission he puts in three exceptions He grants children are baptized in their parents right but yet can see no reason why it should necessarily be the immediate parent True for sometimes it may fall out Answ that both parents may be excommunicate or turn'd Apostates in these cases it 's not necessary but otherwise being of the true Christian Church and faith the ignorant and scandalous being in actual Church-membership and baptized give as true a legal right to their childs baptism as any other member what ever so long as their own right holds their childs right doth also and that immediately from them is to the sober unquestionable Indeed if parents be never so really godly and unbaptized their childrens right to baptism must either be derived from Ancestors or else have none at all a visible peofession of faith in persons baptized gives a true right for their childe to the Sacramental seal and consequently for themselves to the same seal of the Supper there was the same danger for the neglect of the Passeover as for circumcision He saith further There is no self-examination prerequired unto baptism but to the Supper a man must
distinction above We know in the Church Not the hearers of the Word but the doers thereof shall be blesied in their deed persons in the Church are bound to observe and doe all that Christ in his Word hath commanded upon that account they have the promise of his gracious presence and if the Sacrament be an Ordinance of Christ for the good of his Church why may we not exspect the presence of Christ in blessing this for the spiritual good of his Church as all the rest Mr. Collins must give stronger reasons to deny it a converting Ordinance then these or else he had better have said nothing me thinks Mr. Gillespie might have furnished him with a greater strength then so Next he saith Either the Word alone read at the administration is to convert or Word and signes making up the Sacrament if the Word only he thinks wicked men may stay and hear that if we say more we must prove it This Answ as it is no argument to prove the negative so it need not be answered for his main thing in this is to bid us prove that the Sacrament is a converting Ordinance in the Church the which I conceive is clearly done already And when Mr. Collins is able to exclude the Sacrament from the work of the Ministry in the Church and exclude Word and Prayer in order to the Sacrament from that work and end of converting in the Church and can exclude this Ordinance from being a spiritual instrument in the hand of the Spirit of Christ to quicken whom he will and can exclude the unregenerate from Covenant relation and membership and allow them no other priviledge in the Church for their spiritual good then unto Infidels c. I say when he hath performed this task soundly and substantially it 's possible he may make the vanity of our opinion that are for the affirmative to appear and put us upon further proof untill then let the Judiclous Reader judge of the arguments between us whether ours or his be most rational and satisfactory as they are deducted from general rules of Scripture and reason And by this time I have given you an account of all that Mr. Collins hath excepted against the first part of my book I doe not know of any material thing I have omitted to answer in particular but indeed not so much for any great cause I had thus to doe in what he hath said to loosen the foundations and principles upon which my whole building stands but from a desire further to clear up the thing in controversie and to reduce the controversie into a narrower compasse In the close of Mr. Collins answer he collects about seven rotten pillars as he cals them out of the whole of mine and pens them down as he pleaseth and then bids others judge of them taking it for granted that he hath discovered them to be rotten and false And that my Book hath not much truth in any one page of it It 's possible that there may be some things in my Book that are doubtful Answ 1 and that upon the piercing tryal of some grave Divines of deeper Judgements may be discovered unsound or rendered weak but I am confident that Mr. Collins hath made no such discovery in any one thing that he hath excepted against I humbly conceive that whosoever undertakes to answer the main grounds and principles I build upon for free admission to the Sacrament they must deny our Church and Baptism or else destroy themselves by their own inconsistences let their parts be what they will And I wonder that any of the Presbyterian judgement should contend with me for they doe but discover their own nakednesse and give occasion unto Brownists and Anabaptists to reproach us so that I professe I am afraid to speak what I should in some things I shall give you a breviate of the principles I build upon in the managing of this in controversie That the Eternal God hath created all mankinde for himself and hath decreed the blessed and everlasting happinesse of some with all the wayes and means for that end with his eternal purpose not to give special grace unto the rest but in his wisdome and providence doth so order and dispose of the means effectually in respect of sin and the punishment thereof to the infinite glory of his Justice in the just condemnation of the wicked world That for the Elects sake Christ was promised after the fall and came into the world as the only means of Gods putting into execution his eternal purposes concerning their salvation the whole creation and race of mankinde is preserved successively in their generations for the being and gathering of Gods Elect unto grace and glory That Jesus Christ is the only meriting and procuring cause of the Gospel Covenant freely made and published unto some of mankind of free choice That this Covenant of grace is of a large comprehensive extent including the parents and their children in their generations for ever to them that have entred into it by profession and baptism and doe not renounce iâ— or apostate from it That the Covenant of Grace consists it promises of giving the first regenerating grace Secondly in promises of growth in grace Thirdly In promises of rewarding graces with comfortable blessings temporal and spiritual in this life and with eternal glory iâ— the world to come That the Church of God on earth is so constituted by the will and pleasure of God that in it might alwayes be sutable objects oâ— those different promises included in the Gospel Covenant unto which the natural issue of Christians in the visible Church doth well agree That Sacraments as they represent the death of Christ are seals confirming the truth of the whole Covenant of grace made and published to the visible Church only That Sacraments are instituted and intended only for the Churches use in order to the spiritual good thereof in general which includes the use of every one in particular That all in the Church come under the the obligation of all instituted worship prescribed of which Sacraments are a principal part That Covenant relation is either personal or parental the former founded upon profession of faith and holy baptism the later derived really and wholly by succession That a positive profession of faith explicitely is necessity unto admission unto Church-membership of those that are Heathens born but Church-membership is the birth priviledge of all born of Christian parents in the Church That to be Saints Believers Disciples a Brother and within is understood by Church-membership That during the state of Church-membership every member ought to enjoy the external priviledges of that Church whereof he is a member in particular untill he voluntarily fall away by final apostasie or be justly cast out of all Church Communion by an authoritative act of Church censures That those that derive their Church-membership from that great Charter of Covenant relation with the Church and have it confirmed
because as the dog filthily licks up his vomit again c. That of Solomon is this Answ As a dog returns to his vomit so a fool returns to his folly Every fool is not a wicked man yet every wicked man is a fool in Scripture sense I think but it doth not follow that every wicked gracelesse man is a dog though he may have some properties like the properties of a dog but this is a different property from that in the text and nothing to the purpose That of Peter is meant of Apostates falling from the Truth and profession of faith once embraced like those that St. Paul prophesies of men shall arise from among your selves speaking perverse things and shall draw disciples after them such as these Peter speaks of that turn from the Truth unto Error and upon that account take upon them to be Teachers that they may vent their damnable heresies c. and so fall away from the true Church either to their former vomit of Heathenism or to wallow in the mire of their former sensuality such need not to be suspended that fall off from the Church of themselves This will not reach the argument in hand as to our case His 5. is Heathens are called dogs Mat. 7.27 and we will yeild the argument so far His last is Sinners in general are called dogs Phil. 3.2 Beware of dogs where he means false teachers rightly called dogs saith Musculus This is fine Answ false Teachers are rightly called Dogs from his quotation as he proveâ— by reverend Musculus and yet this he quotes to prove that sinners in general are called dogs What are all sinners in general false Teachers Then the grossely ignorant are too And if false Teachers that pervert and trouble the Church be rightly called dogs then offending brethren that adhere to the doctrine and profession of the Church are but falsely called dogs for they are to be admonished as brethren Let Mr. Collins shew us some Scriptures to prove that Church-members disciples or any one that is called a brother and within that is an object of Church-censures is any where called a dog Doth not himself say that one that was excommunicate was to be admonished as a brother according unto 2 Thes 3.15 And doth not the Apostle allow a disorderly member the title of a brother And would not have such counted an enâ—my or dog which Mr. Collins makes of all sinners in general as before And so himself too if he be a sinner which I believe he will confesse that he is but me thinks if Mr. Collins will allow a disorderly stubborn sinner under excommunication to be a brother for so he takes that quotation then he hath little reason to count a member under the indulgence of the Church a dog or a swine The truth is he is so miserably out I think he did not know what he writ and he had need have a better head then mine to bring all his ends together in this argument they are so wide one from another and the Church and World so confounded into one that I cannot tell what to make of him For if we say saith he that by dogs are meant the Heathen as Mark. 7.27 Then either those only or those amongst others 2 If we say the latter then they yeeld it What doth he mean by Heathen amongst others Answ but the ignorant and offending brethren in the Church Thus you see they must be the dogs in the text or else he will make Heathens of professing Christians in the Church to doe it I but if we say that the Heathen are the only dogs to whom only holy things should be denyed then holy things may be given unto Persecutors and the Excommunicate 1. Answ I have denyed that all holy things are there meant and given my reasons 2. That the text is not directed unto Ministers properly but unto private Believers or hearers of Christ 3. That which is holy is to be understood of private reproofs and admonitions which for the safety of their persons living amongst such Dogs and Wolves as the unbelieving cruel Pharisees Priests and people of the Jews then so called by Christ And here they are cautioned not to meddle with them c. 4. This counsel is directed unto the whole Church or Brotherhood touching their dealing with others that were Persecutors and fierce dogged enemies to the Christian profesfion and is not at all applyable to persons in the Church in respect of publick administrations the which all in the Church are commanded to observe nor is our Saviours reason of any force for any in the Church lest they turn again and rent you nor applyable to the publike Ordinances for there is not any that will rent you for administring unto them the Word Sacrament and prayer in the Church if any will doe so let the Church judge them for it 5. I grant that by dogs is meant cruel persecutors that at any time shall rent and ruine the persons of those that professe the true Christian Religion And this may be done by some that are not Heathens for there are many mis-believers and false teachers that where they are backt with power as in the Papacy are cruel dogs against the Professors of the true Religion but yet it does not follow that any that profeesse themselves members of our Church are the dogs meant in the text It 's true we have had our differences amongst our selves about some circumstances and inconvenient Ceremonies about the ordering of Worship And our first Reformers put us in a way for discipline confirmed by the Supreme Authority of this Nation And those that had the exercise of the Churches discipline have been severe in punishing those that have not been obedient unto her commands and we know they abused their power in some cases too much under the pretence of singular good ends Namely the order peace unity and edification of the whole to prevent the common mischief of factions schisin divisions erroneous doctrine and the like without which in a Church these evils will abound Now I say it is not very handsome for Mr. Collins that professes himself a younger son of the Church to account the Rulers of our Church Persecutors much lesse the common people for adhering unto their Governours and Teachers as they shall have better Rulers and Teachers I question not but we shall finde them better disposed how ever this is a far different case to the cruel unbelieving Jewes and Hereticall bloudy Papists and yet neither of them Pagans 6. I affirm That as all other Scripture so this in special is written for our learning and use and it alwayes holds in the same or like cases or reason Whether unto the desperate irreproveable Ruffian in the Church or of the bloudy Persecutors out of the Church Jews Turks or Papists and yet I say also that whomsoever upon tasting of them we finde them of peaceable spirits whether they be in the Church or
out of the Church we should reprove instruct admonish and warn every sinner to flye the wrath to come And this we ought to doe towards all in our places and callings as private Christians And hence I conceive that Mr. Collins is hugely mistaken that stretcheth the metaphor of dogs to any kinde of sinners that the Scriptures compare to dogs for other kinde of properties of dogs as worthlesnesse greedinesse barking or licking up their vomit c. the text is of such dogs that will tear and scorn you for the best counsel you can give them for the good of their souls And me thinks that the same ground Mr. Collins goes upon to allow all the other holy things unto Heathens the Excomunicate c. might satisfie him as rationally to allow the Sacrament unto the ignorant and scandalous in the Church all that he pleads to the other is from some other Scripture warrant and I appeal unto the Impartial to judge between us whether Pastors and Teachers of their respective flocks be not as much bound by Christs command to administer the holy Supper unto their particular flocks consisting of Church-members disciples baptized and not excommunicated as to administer the other holy Ordinances unto Heathen the Excommunicate c. I think I have said enough as to the former from Mat. 28.20 to give full satisfaction Let me tell our Author and the world that although it be sufficiently taught in the holy Sciptures to deny the unbaptized and Excommunicate the holy Supper yet this text in debate doth not forbid it at all to those that are without or under Church censures much lesse doth it forbid the Sacrament to those that are within which is the thing Mr. Collins quotes it to prove And thus in short I have answered to the main of Mr. Collins strength as touching this place And I humbly conceive have broke his argument drawn from this text to make good his principal Syllogism pag. 4. That there may be some baptized persons in the Church not cast out to whom the Sacrament may not lawfully be given And he must quit himself a great deal better then in his book to make good his two propositions from this text before he can conclude any thing for his purpose And truly I think it was an acceptable service both to God and the poor Church in Mr. Boteman who so presently addrest himself to redeem a captive text so wofully wrested to perplex and disturb the poor Churches peace in seting up an invention of men which Jesuâ— Christ commanded not And for his assumption That the Sacrament is a holy thing and a Pearl and there may be some in the Church not cast out who in Scripture phrase are Dogs and Swine Ergo c. It 's true Answ 1 the Sacrament is a holy thing but it doth not therefore follow that it iâ— that which is holy meant in the Text nor forbid to be given upon that reason our Saviour gives for fear of being rent c. And though it be granted that there are some in the Church that are such kinde of dogs that are irreproveable that will not endure a private reproof it will not follow that therefore they are not to be reproved Ministerially by persons in Office in their publick preaching nor that they may not authoritatively be reproved and admonished and censured by the Church Juridically for their desperate rayling dogged miscarriages if there be any such offending brethren why are they not dealt withall according unto the right rule Matth. 18. 1 Cor. 5. If any persons in the Church be objects of Excommunication I judge such are and then judge whether Suspension be sufficient where Excommunication should and ought to take place provided they be obstinate otherwise Church admonition may be a sufficient remedy to reform such scandalous sinners Hence judge how pertinent this text is made use of to prove suspension of some from the Sacrament that as members of the Church may be allowed Communion with the Church in all other spiritual acts of worship How this proves Suspension of some distinct from Excommunication I leave to the freedome of your own Judgements to judge of In the next place without any wrong to the Author I shall examine his third Scripture argument deducible from 1 Cor. 5. rather choosing to follow the Apostles order in this Epistle because by answering of this first it will save me some labour in my answer to his second 1 Cor. 10.17 His Argument is this It is unlawfull for the Officers of the Church to give the Sacrament to such with whom it is unlawful for themselves or their brethren to eat But there may be some in the Church not cast out with whom it may be unlawful for the Church to eat Ergo. I question the truth of his first proposition Answ 1 by distinguishing of a friendly familiar unnecessary eating and of a true necessary eating Now in a civil sense I may not have friendly unnecessary familiarity with scandalous brethren though not cast out but may withdraw from all friendly unnecessary familiarity from such as a means to bring them to shame but it does not follow therefore that I upon my necessary occasions in my Calling must shun such but that I may set such a one a work and admit him to my Table he being not cast out though scandalous or a poor man may work for a scandalous rich man and eat at his Table with him c. or upon a journey and divers such cases with relations c. Therefore the same persons that I may not eat with the same persons I may eat with so that if the Apostle in 1 Cor. 5.11 mean but civill eating his first proposition is not good nor very clear which he would have his Reader to believe without any doubt or proof If we may eat with a scandalous brother not legally cast out as before then we may have company and eat with such at the Sacrament because giving and receiving at the Sacrament is our necessary duty as professing Christians and Church-members which I have sufficiently proved before the which the worst offenders in the Church may not carelessely neglect so long as they are in a Church capacity to receive and that capacity remains untill the Church authoritatively have put them out of Church Communion as Members And then and not until then are scandalous brethren disobliged from publick duties of worship and hence his argument that he draws from the lesser to the greater is fallacious and that must needs be the bottome of his argument For there is but few Interpreters otherwayes expound it but of a civil eating And himself seems most confident in that argument in its place And therefore he should have proved his main proposition namely That it is unlawful to give the Sacrament to those in the Church not Excommunicate with whom in some cases it is unlawful to eat in a civil sense And for to take it for not
some spiritual Gospel Feast and the Supper is a part of the Gospel Feast the relation the text hath to the Passeover and the liberty of Communion with an incestuous person in the other Ordinances 1. Is he sure that all Mosaical Feasts were then out of use 2. That their Feasts of Charity may have no reference to this Feast Jude tels us that scandalous loose heretical persons in the Church were spots in their Feasts of Charity And this scandalous person is said to leaven them and nothing more opposite to their Feasts of Charity then to feast together with malice and wickednesse 3. Is there no difference to be put between that one Sacrifice of Christ himself once for all and the Paschal Lambe an outward sign thereof that the Apostles analogie must needs be restrained unto the Sacrament succeeding The rest have been answered Let him prove that the Sacrament is any where called a Feast it doth not become him to give Jesus Christ a nick name I must confesse for my own part I most incline to those that understand by keeping holy Communion in the Profession of the Gospel thoughout the whole course of our lives not denying but that the Sacrament is involved in this General of a holy life And my reasons are these The Apostles motive thus to keep the Feast holds unto all holy duties and to all times for Christ is always our Passeover that was sacrificed for the Church We have alwayes cause of purging out the old leaven out of our own hearts and lives and purging of our selves from all sinful connivence and indulging of scandalous brethren that leaven the whole when Church discipline is carelessely out of coldnesse neglected The rule or remedy prescribed in the text as touching scandalous offenders to amend them is upon that particular occasion drawn out into a general that holds always as I shall make good in answer unto his next argument drawn from this text But what if I should grant him what he can never prove that by Feast is meant the Sacrament only will it follow that scandalous brethren must only be left out or barely denyed the Sacrament only when the Apostle chides the Church of Corinth for not grieving it so as to provoke them unto zeal to put away that person from among them vers 2. Besides if such scandalous sinners in the Church as the Apostle reckons up ver 11. ought not to be excommunicate then not any at all and is it safe for the Church to deny such the Sacrament only whom they ought to Excommunicate and put out of all Communion whatsoever Suppose the Church had done no more but put that wicked person from the Sacrament doe you think they had put that Apostolical sentence into execution vers 4.5 Let him prove that ever any Church in the Apostles age suspended their members from the Sacrament only as he would have it The truth is he affects to draw up many syllogisms but he is not able to prove any one of them I could wish he would either study his things better or else give over his writing about this controversie His second Argument from this text is this If there be some in the Church not yet cast out by Excommunication who are Fornicators or covetous or Idolaters or Raylers or Drunkards or Extortioners then there may be soâ—e in the Church with whom a Christian ought not to eat the Lords Supper But there may be such in the Church Ergo He sayes the Minor will easily be granted the Major is grounded on 1 Cor. 5.11 And he further sayes all that can be said in this case is that the eating there forbidden is not eating the Lords Supper so saith the friends of my opinion If no more can be said and proved but that Answ 1 it 's enough to break his argument But he is a little too confident and looks too overly upon the Text. For 1. the proof of his major doth not say that in the Church of Corinth there were such But if a man that is called a Brother be a Fornicator c. which implyes that there may be such in a true Church as well as a Brother that was an incestuous person Suppose that there be such in a true Church doth not the Apostle reminde them of the rule how the Church should deal with such namely as with the incestuous person with such no not to eat vers 11. and then gives the reason vers 12. for what have I to do to judge them that are without Doe not ye judge them that are within but them that are without God judgeth therefore put from among your selves that wicked person There was one of their Church that was actually guilty others might be as any shall be guilty of such and such scandalous sins at any time in the Church the Church ought to judge them by putting them out of all Communion as in that particular case of incest If such as the Apostle nominates for scandalous brethren be not objects of excommunication not only my self but all reformed Churches in Christendome are hugely out Can any have the least shew of reason to conceive that the Apostle should be so severe against an incestuous person and the Church for not putting him away from among them vers 2. and say nothing to their conniving and indulging an Adulterer Idolater c. That were then such guilty persons known amongst them as he for incest or that suppose there were such can we imagine that they were suspended from the Sacrament only as a sufficient punishment for those sins as Mr. Collins would And so uppon the matter lose this Ordinance of Excommunication except it be for incest Beloved Friends I beseech you mark the Apostles order and scope and you may easily conceive his sense he had wrote an Epistle unto them before not to company with fornicators covetous Extortioners or Idolaters of the world but upon this occasion of a members miscarriage in the Church in this Epistle he mollifies with lenity his former Epistle and tels them now yet not altogether forbear company with such such of the world for then you must goe out of the world but now I have written unto you not to keep company not to eat upon another stricter account if a Brother be such a one as an Infidel Pagan is put them out of your Communion altogether And thus he drawes out a general rule from this particular case of the incestuous person leaving the Infidel world to the judgement of God but sets up a judging in the Church for the destruction of the flesh that scandalous Brethren may be reformed and their souls saved in the day of the Lord Jesus as I have spoke already And if I mistake not Reverend Calvin speaks to the same purpose upon the same place in his 12. chap. 4. book 5. Section Of his Institutions Upon the second end of Excommunication 'T is true he sayes in the administration of the Supper choise
Church I proceed unto his sixt Argument If there may be some in the Church not yet cast out with whom the Communion of the Church cannot be pure then there may be some in the Church not Excommunicate whom the Officers may not without sin admit to the Lords Supper But there may be some such in the Church Ergo His proof of the proposition is 1. That it is the duty of the Officers of the Church to keep the fellowship of the Church pure This he saith none will deny but if any be inclined to deny it he should doe well First To think to what end the rod of discipline is put into their hands Secondly How to expound 1 Cor. 5.7 and those many other Texts that look this way pag. 86 87. 2. That it is their special duty to keep the fellowship of the Church pure as to this Ordinance as this was proved before from 1 Cor. 5.8 so it 's câ—ar from reason it 's apparent that of all other Ordinances this Ordinance alone is appointed for such as have something of grace in them Answ 1 I grant that it is the duty of the Rulers of the Church to use all necessary and lawful means to preserve the purity of Church Communion in all acts of publike Worship I grant that they are in a special manner to take care to keep the Communion of the Church pure as to this Ordinance of the Sacrament but still I deny that this is to be done by suspension from the Sacrament and allow them the priviledges of all other publique Communion in the Worship of God as members That 1 Cor. 5.7 8 13. hath been examined already and proves no such thing let it be proved that the Communion of that Church was leavened for admitting one that was scandalous to the Sacrament or that their Communion is that Ordinance was polluted by their connivence towards him or that to deny him the Sacrament was a sufficient remedy both to reform the offender and to purge out the old leaven wherewith they were leavened if the Text will bear none of these things what is it quoted for The Rod of Discipline it 's expressed clearly from the text was to reform the sinner with the salvation of his soul and the Church by doing her duty is correcting with this merciful end did clear and purge her self from that sinful connivence and toleration of such a one And if this purging was not by excommunication then I am out if it was then Mr. Collins is quite out in quoting it and he hath said nothing in laying the foundation of his argument as to the keeping of the Sacramental Communion pure by Suspension I beseech you mark for in this very argument many are very much perplexed as if the only end of discipline were to preserve the Communion of the Church pure only at the Sacrament and as if the greatest impurity of Communion in the Church lay in the admitting of ignorant unregenerate scandalous brethren unto the Sacrament whereas I dare be bold to affirm that to receive the Sacrament is as much the duth of any such as they are Church-members and within as any other duty of publike worship whatever and their obedience in that observance is as well pleasing and acceptable unto the Lord they coming as prepared as they can as any observance in the Church And if it was not for the correcting of such things that are in their own nature sinful such as are nominated 1 Cor. 5.11 there would be no need of Church discipline The main end of discipline is to reform that which is evill in Church-members and to encourage unto well doing that every member may be obedient in all things And for Mr. Collins to say that the Sacrament alone is appointed for such as have something of grace in them is only his bare saying and doth clash with the command of Christ as also with the peace edification charity and unity of the Church But he sayes further The Word is called the bread of life and it is to be offered to dead souls Heathens were ever admitted to hear and profane persons are the objects of discipline The Excommunicate may hear and ought to be admonished as brethren That he knows not wherein the Officers can have any work to keep the Communion of a Church pure if not in this Ordinance aâ— to this the Scripture saith it cannot be pertaked of worthily without examining our selves and discerning the Lords Body It 's true Answ 1 the Word is the Bread of Life and doth quicken dead souls where God gives the blessing doth it follow that the Sacrament the visible Word of Life is not appointed unto that end where God gives the same blessing Heathens may hear true What then therefore Church-members may not receive Or 2. Therefore Church-members may hear but the question is whether he will allow a Christian to hear as a member or as a Heathen The profane are the objects of discipline What them Must they not pray hear receive untill they be cast out by it Are they objects of nothing else How are they objects of discipline that were never admitted unto the Sacrament Can you suspend them from that they never had wherein are such more objects of discipline then those that are without who may hear and pray and be present at every Ordinance as well as the other that are within Then he saith The Excommunicate may hear and ought to be admonished as brethren Very good it 's well the Excommunicate may have the title of Brethren but as ill that those in the Church whom we cannot charge with obstinacy untill it be Juridically tryed shall have the odious tearms of Hogs and Dogs profane c. He knows not wherein the Officers of a Church can have any work to keep the Communion of the Church pure if not in the Sacrament What doth all their work lye in that Answ 1. Is no care to be had how men profane all the other Ordinances by their sleeping talking laughing and disturbing the Minister and others in holy Worship 2. Is not care to be had that the doctrine be holy and sound even the Word of the Lord that is taught That the Worship of Prayer be performed with soundnesse of words sutable to the necessities of the people and with such devotion and affection becoming Worship 3. Is not care to be had that the Sacraments be rightly administred according unto the institution without superstitious addings unto or detracting from them 4. Is not care to be had to admonish rebuke the unruly and to excommunicate the obstinate to reform and amend them in order to their spiritual good And is this and the former no work if the Officers may not suspend from the Sacrament only The truth is he puts so much in this that he makes nothing of all other work that the Scriptures clearly teach allow him but suspension which he hath unnecessarily ingaged himself to prove and he
Israel were accepted of in their keeping the Passeover although many of them did eat the Passeover otherwise then was written for some that were unclean did eat thereof 2 Chron. 30.18 19 20. 6. It was the will of God that declared that such things upon a man should be unclean and all things he touched should be so by his institution only but there is no such thing declared by the will of God touching moral uncleannesse in the Church as to debar them the Passeover or any other Ordinanceâ— all his and other mens quotations have been sufficiently examined as to this and fully answered unlesse it be one of Mr. Collins Deut. 23.18 Thou shall not bring the price of a whore or the price of a Dogge into the House of the Lord for any vow for these are abomination to the Lord if not the price then not the Whore or Dogge He argues from the lesser to the greater Answ Doth it follow that because they might not offer any of those two for any vow that therefore they might not bring their Lambe in its season to the House of the Lord and offer it before him according to Gods command It was an abomination to doe those things that God forbad therefore it is abomination to doe that which God commands that 's all the text will prove as to debarring of the moral unclean from the Passeover Away with such trifling and impertinent applications of holy Scriptures The truth is men of his judgement must do more then they have yet done I had almost said more then they can doe or else had better never to have said any thing about this argument drawn from the Analogy of the Passeover all that man can say against us from that doth but discover their own weaknesse in fighting against the Truth His tenth Argument It 's a sin in a Minister to declare those one visible Body who are not one body with visible Saints but scandalous sinners are not one body with visible Saints And be that gives the Lords Supper declares those to whom he gives it unto to be one visible Body Ergo. 1. Answ Is it a sin to say the visible Church is the visible body of Christ and this visible body consists of good and bad Wheat and Tares c. Is it a sin to declare this 2. Are not all that are baptized into one Body of that Body and are not the scandalous in the Church baptized and is it a sin for one to declare that the baptized are one visible body with visible Saints What is a visible Saint but a baptized visible professing Christian that is a member of the true visible Church Is not an offending brother a brother and within while he is within If the Sacrament of baptism doe initiate into that one body and the Sacrament of the Supper bespeaks them so too that are baptized Is it a sin for a Minister to give the Sacrament to such by declaring that which is true and which no man can deny that holds our Church a true visible Church Who can you say is not a real member of Christ in particular And one that he dyed not for The Apostle affirmed it of all in the Church of Corinth that they were one body What if Gillespy will not be perswaded the Apostle would say it of all we finde it so written and I think it safe to be perswaded of the truth of what is written the authority of Scripture shall perswade with me before the authority of men His eleventh Argument The Sacrament is not to be given to any who are not Christs Disciples but scandalous sinners are none of his disciples Ergo. The Major is true Answ but the Minor is to be distinguished into scandalous sinners out of the Church and such like sinners in the Church to the former it 's granted but to the latter it 's denyed What are Church-members but Disciples What are all that professe the true Christian Religion and only call upon the name of the Lord Jesus in hope of eternal life by him but Disciples if they be not Disciples and within then they are Heathens and without whom the Church have nothing to doe to judge in order to their amendment and if they be without and strangers from the Covenant of promises why doe you baptize their children or presse them to any duties of Gospel worship as incumbent upon them as Christians If they be Christians and within why should they not have their proper titles and priviledges of that estate If you can make them neither within the Church nor without then it 's possible you may doe something in this argument and when you have done that I doubt not but you will be answered His 12.13 arguments I have answered in my answer to what he hath excepted against The Bar removed His fourteenth Argument It is unlawful to partake of other mens sins Ephes 5.7 But he that gives the Sacrament wittingly to an ignorant scandalous person partakes with him in his sin Ergo. I grant his Major Answ but deny his Minor because giving and receiving the Sacrament is a most necessary duty of worship which both Minister and people stand mutually ingaged to observe and perform as any other duty of worship in the Church and the Sacrament being given and received with that reverence and order according to the form of holy institution there is no sin as to the matter it self and as for the manner as in every thing we fail all so in this and if this were sufficient to forbear the Sacrament then we must give over all worship In all duties better to doe as well as we can then not at all so that it follows that those that deny the Sacrament to those that are bound to receive it are partakers of their sin in not allowing them to doe their duty for ignorance and other offendings doe not excuse from precepts of institute Worship and the holy Supper more then all other Gospel Worship while persons are within Shall mans impotency and iniquity pull down Gods authority If in all other duties of Gospel Worship such had better obey as wel as they can then neglect Gods worship altogether it 's but a begging the question to deny it in the observance of the Sacrament It 's true a Minister may be guilty of his peoples ignorance and may fear and tremble at that guilt if he neglect all or any due and probable principles of the true Religion that may in some measure prepare them to profit by every Ordinance in the Church But having done his duty he need not fear to give them the Sacrament but tremble at the neglect of that administration and discouraging weak and ignorant Christians from it True it is also that a Minister and the Church may make themselves accessory to the sins of offending brethren in the Church by their carelesse indulging of them in their evill wayes by not reproving admonishing censuring c. by which sinners
The substance of this is much to be doubted of Answ unlesse our common people were more ignorant then the common people in Rome or Italy who are taught that Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion and I think the most of Orthodox Protestants were more grieved about the gesture determined by the Church and those superstitious rails and turning the Table Altarwise and the insufficient administrators then at our free admission of Church-members Suppose all he saith were true is there no way to reform but to remove the foundations of the Churches established doctrine worship and discipline and innovate wayes of our own politick choosing different to all other setled reformed Churches as himself confesses Say our malady in a great part was ignorance could not they begun reformation with a more then ordinary diligence in teaching and instruction and friendly admonition in the carrying on all Gods ordinances in love reverence and unity taking all advantages to promote knowledg in which in time we might have hoped to see some good proficiency in the growing up of the whole together by the goodnesse and blessing of the Lord. For it 's certain that the Scriptures teach not any thing about the censuring of Church-members for ignorance simply and to deprive Church-members of the benefit of Gods Ordinances for causes lesse then the Scriptures do warrant is no reformation but rather an usurpation upon the priviledge and right of a Church-member Say again that loose and scandalous members was another part of our malady is the denying the Sacrament to a multitude of such sinners the only way to reform them What care such for the Sacrament so long as it 's the ordinary case of most and they may have the liberty of all the other Ordinances in the Church as members How is this like to reform their persons when they may be let alone to be loose and profane if they doe but keep away from the Sacraments Such a kinde of reforming that was never read of in holy writ nor in any Orthodox Authors Had it not been better to reform according to Scripture rules and precedents we judging all in the Church adhering to the Protestant Religion Church-members to have prest them unto all Christian observance and to have dealt with them as those that are within and to have proceeded against some unto the like admonitions and excommucation Juridically Gods way is alwayes best and we may groundedly hope to have his way attended with a blessing of successe in the amendment of the worst sinners amongst us It 's a pitiful shift to prevent our strictest professors from running into the Brownists Congregations to practise their principles and so become like them in making admission to the Lords Supper upon a publike profession of faith the only ground to unite and imbody the visible Church into Ecclesiastical Communion and so in gratifying some few in their error require such terms unto actual receiving of necessity that the baptized in the Church of years are no where bound to submit unto nor in a capacity to come unto And yet are under the obligation of actual receiving unlesse in plain tearms you will unchurch them and so unduty them and speak out as the Brownists do But I think enough hath been said already as to this and therefore I shall now take my leave of my Reader having done with the main things in Mr. Collins late Book as it opposes free admission to the Lords Supper And I hope Mr. Collins may seriously conceive himself soberly and rationally answered as to Juridical Suspension distinct from Excommunication as himself hath stated it He hath taken some pains to prove it in the power of a single Minister to suspend from the Supper but I think it needlesse to examine him or answer him in that for I know that Mr. Collins will have work enough to maintain that Suspension from the Lords Supper which he cals Juridical he might first have tryed how he could have come off with this before he had shewed himself so forward to goe about to prove that which is so denyed by all that are Orthodox and sober And I know were there any thing in what he hath said of private Suspension considerable and worthy of a consutation that learned Reverend Gentleman Mr. Joanes whom he attempts to answer would call him to an acount of his forwardnesse of Spirit to Lord it over Gods heritage and to be a Pope in his own Congregation FINIS A BRIEF ANSWER TO THE ANTIDIATRIBE WRITTEN By Mr. Saunders Minister of Hollesworth in Devonshire Wherein his chief Strength in Defence of Separation in a Church and Examination in order to admitting To the LORDS-SVPPER Is Examined and the way he defends proved to be SCHISMATICAL LONDON Printed by E. Cotes for William Tomson at Harborough in Leicestershire 1655. ABRIEF ANSWER To Mr. SAUNDERS ANTIDIATRIBE IN the midst of these unhappy and dividing times in the Church of God I know not how such a worm as I should improve a few hours better after redious lâ—bor in my honest calling then by remembring the happy and ever to be desired Peace and Reformation of renowned Zion As it is my daily prayer so it is a part of my dayly care and study to endeavour that the Churches peace and truth may meet in one And hence it is that I so often appear against those who upon dangerous mistakes destroy and pluck up the main principles and foundations on which the Churches peace and reformation should stand and consist in How sad are our miseries like to be in the end when those that are our professed friends are ever hatching of new unheard of wayes of Separation and Schism Amongst others this unhappy Author doth bear his share by defending such a way that is rarely met withall and yet cryed up to be the way of truth and reformation according unto Gospel rule The way he defends in brief is this some certain Ministers and Christians have agreed to form up a Church in the choyce of a Pastor Officers and members in some one place The tearms agreed on unto admission to and exclusion from the sacred Communion of this Church as to the holy Supper is either a publick profession of faith or submitting to a Church examination in giving an account of their knowledge and faith unto satisfaction c. and so likewise as to practise they require not only a freedome from things scandalous but some real demonstrations of the faith of holinesse unto admittance This way it appears hath been rigorously carryed on against the consent of some able Ministers in those parts And something is excepted against their way by a solid reverend Gentleman I judge with several demands and queries and objections for them to answer and clear in defence of their way and practise Mr. Saunders in behalf of the rest hath taken some pains to give satisfaction unto others professing himself ready to stand or fall as the truth is with him or against
publick administrations as their duty And with what conscience can such live upon the Churches maintenance that forsake their function and duty to their Congregations And if they make the Sacrament the distinguishing Ordinance between the Church and the world as the Author cals it some where then no wonder they are so tender who they admit into the Church and thus upon the matter they look upon the greatest part of their Congregations as Heathens unbelievers whom the duties of Christianity doe not concern In another place he saith an unregenerate person is far from being a disciple c. and therefore not a Christian for the Disciples were first called Christians at Antioch And hence they devise ways and bars to keep them from the Lords Table equall unto a Heathen But me thinks they might easily perceive their mistake for baptism of old was accounted the only distinguishing Ordinance as circumcision between the Church and the world and the only separating and distinguishing Ordinance in the Church is Juridical Excommunication which they make no use of for Mr. Saunders saith they Excommunicate none if they judge their people Church-members and within if they have any scandalous crime against them why do they not begin reformation by casting out the obstinate according to rule they are all for admission of members when they should be for ejecting in the work of reforming If they be for admission into Church Communion they must begin with baptism and I think the tearms they stand upon in order to the Supper will sooner be made good in order to baptism of grown ones then to those that are initiated into the Church already by lawful baptism I have writ enough to this already the truth is if my judgment fail not Mr. Saund. doth but shuffle when he speaks of our Assemblies to be true Churches some of them one while they are true Churches and have both matter and form which are the main essentials of true Churches agreed upon by al only he saith but not without great disorder at present Discipline being interrupted as I suppose he means And he must needs speak this in behalf of our Parochial Churches for he makes mention of the Churches of England of which some he will undertake to prove to be true Churches against those that deny all for matter and form to be true pag. 127. And yet in the very same page he contradicts himself in saying We doe not say our Assemblies are Churches as Parishes but that they are Churches in Parishes and in that sense Parish Churches and in the page before he thinks the truth of some of our Churches as to their Essence he can prove A Church may be in a Parish as well as in a Country or City as Ephesus Corinth yea as well as in the World By this you may conceive what a good friend he is like to be to our Parish Churches against Anabaptists and Brownists that although he accounts them rigid Separatists they will grant that there are some Parishes in England that some that are godly and real members of Christ dwell in them which they will confesse are the matter of a true Church Nay there may be a rigid separate Church in fellowship and order in a Parish as well as in a Countrey City World And in this sense they are Parish Churches What shifts are these but why doth he not speak plain to the case in question and clearly speak his judgement of our Parochial Congregations as they are baptized and adhere to the publick Ministry in general consisting of good and bad nay the most very ignorant and in some thing or other either scandalous offensive or remisse Will he prove such Parishes in their Precincts and outward bounds to have both the matter and form of true Churches If he would doe so I shall imbrace him as friend of the Church And one would think in his 128. page that is his sense by what he infers for baptism saying That all Infants born in our Churches are to be baptized for Congregational Churches as they are called baptized all their Infants and then If it be objected that sundry of the parents are ungodly whose children we baptize he asks whether they can deny baptism to the childe of any member how offensive soever before the sentence of cutting off passe upon him So he answers of ours These supposed wicked ones whether as carnall or profane are not excommunicated what therefore should hinder their childrens baptism Hence he owns all in our Churches that are baptized members Christians and within for I suppose he would not plead the baptizing of the children of those that are Infidels and without that are no objects of Excommunication And yet in other places they are far from being Disciples Church-members c. Nay he saith as to baptism we suppose our Churches to be true but sick and corrupt pag. 126 but wherein corrupt if all be true you publish 129. pag. wherein you adde to what you said before Besides the children are not baptized in their Parents right alone but in the Churches where the childe is born a member being holy federally by birth and therefore to be baptized You prove the Subjects of our baptism lawful the Ministâ—â— and baptism it self for matter and manner I presume wherein is it sick and corrupt then I could wish you were more steddy in your judgement consonant to your self and honest to your Reader But to reply upon your own grants if all children born in the Church he holy foederally by birth then it follows that all parents in the Church of whom they are so born are believers for the Apostle affirms that only of the children of believers 1 Cor. 7.14 And then if all parents in the Church be believers why doe you not administer the Lords Supper to them for actual receiving is the undoubted duty of all believers how you will deny the consequence I cannot tell I pray you consider well of my Answer unto Mr. Collings for I must be very brief to yours Again if our Churches be true Churches and all it consists of lawfully admitted into it Then it will follow 1. That while they are within they are to enjoy all external priviledges of our Church according unto Gospel rule which is one and the same unto all Church-members as such This is so rational and clear that all that separate from us own and practise it untill a member by Apostasie fall off or be Juridically cast out of Church priviledges 2. That Pastors of true Churches are to attend their several flocks in a constant exercise of the whole ministerial work they are designed unto by the Church that ordained them such 3. That forming a Church in the choyce of a Pastor and Officers members in a true Church already formed according unto rule as to the essentials thereof at least is a work not only superfluous and absurd but Schismatical and pernicious breaking the peace and union of that
Church they are of by making unnecessary rents and divisions in it It is not separation from a Church but separation in a true Church causelesly that is properly a Schism absolute separation from a true Church is properly apostasie in an Ecclesiastical sense I take it Hence his distinction of separation from a true Church and separation in a true Church where the ordinary means of salvation is and the fruits thereof as himself confesses of ours is groundlesse and wicked The first sort come under the censure of the Apostles John and Jude 1 Epistle of John 2.19 Judes general Epistle vers 19. The last sort are detected by St. Paul 1 Cor. 1.10 11 12. Chap. 11.18 19. Rom. 16.7 Act. 20.30 1 Cor. 12.23 24 25. chap. 14.33 Now I shall a little touch upon what this new formed Church requires of persons they admit into Sacramental Communion with them And I will give you the question as themselves have stated it Whether in the reforming of a long corrupted Church Mr. Saund. it be necessary that all the members thereof doe submit to some examination or tryal of their knowledge before they be admitted unto the Lords Supper This question they fear not to maintain in the affirmative Here they suppose corruption in our Churches and therefore with men well satisfied with their present frame and temper not looking on them as under any such disorder as we suppose with such we desire not much to dispute we can expect little of reason or truth from men of that minde This question is but ambiguously stated Answ 1 and should be further explained as to the particular branches of it for as to our Church in respect of doctrine it must be spoken with thankfulnesse that long hath the light thereof filled our Horizon as himself confesses pag. 6. and this Examination is only in reference to sound knowledg the means whereof the Church was not corrupted in so as to deserve the denomination of a long corrupted Church in that respect For generally the principles that were taught and received by the people were Orthodox that the people cannot in reason generally lye under the Suspension of heretical knowledge for they have been so long habituated to sound words in respect of several Creeds which very frequently were professed and assented unto in our assemblies with such plainnesse of Catechising c. that in respect of the ordinary means of the peoples knowing in a competent sense which is the subject matter that examination and trial only relates unto in the question that the Church cannot be truly said to have been a long corrupted Church And then that clause in the question as to us is needlesse which indeed upon the matter is the very cause of the question that being taken away makes the question fall for then the question will be Whether in a reformed Church as to knowledge examination be necessary in all we admit to the Sacrament And I judge this the most proper question by what himself hath acknowledged of our Church in respect of purity of Doctrine the only means of sound knowledge to her members they being generally educated and trained up therein from their youth so that as to knowledge the Church was not corrupt That many of her members have but little knowledge and are weak in the faith is confessed and is their sin but whether it be such a sin that the Church may chastise with discipline I very much doubt of they being otherwise not tainted with scandalous offending And how a Church-member should be denyed a necessary duty of institute worship without some proper act of discipline I cannot tell I confesse had the generality of our people been poysoned with Popish heretical principles touching the holy Supper and all other worship there had been a rational cause of the question as he hath stated it and a ground sufficient to be suspicious of the knowledge of most whether that little most know were true or false Orthodox or heretical And if upon complaint or tryal they should be found heretical and will not be reclaimed I think such come under the chastisement of the Church but this is not our case nor question If by the word necessary in the question be meant a duty incumbent upon all to submit unto and that every one must stand to the trial of their Pastor and Officers in respect of their knowledge before they can lawfully be admitted unto the Lords Supper It will be denyed and the Author must give us stronger proofs and arguments for the affirmative then what he hath urged in his Antidiatribe we shall examine his proofs anon I should grant him that it might be necessary in respect of some benefit and help to a more profitable receiving if people would come off in such a prudential way only to that end they may be prepared better but to make use of it to that end as either to disswade them from their duty or exclude them from a necessary duty of solemn worship out of a perswasion that their knowledge is incompetent this I utterly dislike as rash and groundlesse I grant that the Church actually impowered with the exercise of true discipline may and ought to convent any of her members before them complained of or suspected for matter of scandal and examine them and finding them guilty and impenitent may censure them but the question intends another thing I grant that self Examination is a necessary duty in order to receiving and that may satisfie the question as it 's stated for that is some examination to receiving as his expression is when this is indevoured of professing Christians although they neglect that which is Pastoral it 's a question whether they deserve to be excluded or no. But to reply If Church Examination be a necessary duty to all admission As he would why not unto every time they come to receive For that examination that the Apostle enjoyns holds to every time the holy Sacrament is administred but they require it but once and that only upon a supposition of a general corruption of our Churches p. 22. But were not the Church of the Jews as generally corrupt as ours at some times and yet at such a time did not as godly men as your selves call all to observe the Passeover without such a way of examination you plead for think of Josiah Jehosaphat Hezekiah Nehemiah c. You confesse the Passeover and Supper are the same for substance and in answer to the first objection you say Christ had communicated with his Disciples before in the Passeover therefore he needed not examine those that were admitted before If your reason be good I ask what need you examine those that have been admitted to the Louds Supper before Nay what need you examine those that are admitted unto holy Baptism before that are of years not excommunicated That which was necessary unto Baptism was sufficient to admission into the Church where Sacramental Communion only is
The very Ordinances set up in the Church to convert the promises made to the Church in order to that end and our own experience of some fruit thereof may discover the vanity of that conceit namely that there shall be no regenerate or wicked in the Church And he that shall resist such manifest demonstration I think he understands but little of the truth and nature of the Gospel Covenant and the blessings of grace and mercy that are conferred upon sinners in the Church from it I pray you Sir why is it not Gospel-like for sinners in the Church to partake of all Gospel Ordinances of Worship What is the Gospel it self but good news to sinners And what do all the Ordinances tend to but to bring sinners home to God And I hope he is no enemy to holinesse as our Author intimates pag. 154. that would have Ministers to allow Jesus Christ the liberty of his own appointments in the Church to unite unto himself all those he dearly loves and dyed for But Mr. Saunders tels us That God looks now for a more real and spiritual people and will not own such for his people that are gracelesse what ever their profession may be quoting Camero But what a strange assertion is this Answ and how derogatory to the Gospel Covenant and diminishing the grace and goodnesse thereof to sinners in the Church who are the people of God and holy federally by birth as himself confesseth And will God now disown them for his people that are gracelesse by nature then we may cast all Infants out of the Church and so from baptism For it will hardly be made good that Infants by nature have real inherent grace then what hope is there left for gracelesse professing people under the Ordinances if God will not own such they are left destitute of all hope for who can own God and come to him by the power of Grace untill the Lord own them for his people by giving them that grace first But what reason can any of sober principles give that God will not now in the Gospel times own such a gracelesse professing people for his people as he hath done before the coming of Christ in the flesh For 1. Is not Jesus Christ the Author and procurer of all spiritual blessings to faln man and always the same yesterday to day and for ever 2. And was not the Gospel Covenant as to the substance of it alwayes the same to the visible professing Church and to their seed Is it straightned in respect of grace and mercy towards man since the coming of our Lord more then before Or doth it run upon such tearms now as that not any may come under the outward administration that have not real grace Or will you have none come under Gospel worship and duties that professe Christianity that have not real grace What rocks doth that assertion dash against 3. Is not the visible Church the same all being grassed into the same Olive and Vine and planted together into the same body by baptism as the Jew by circumcision Doe you think that a different administration only made such a different Church and consequently requires such a different subject in admission into it as yours imports What was there in the old administration that should in reason indulge so great a latitude as to the subjects more then in the new Those that can tell us wherein the mystery of this lies should doe well to give us the discovery for my part I must confesse I judge both the Old and also the New meerly external as in the letter both fitted for reasonable man as instrumental to conveigh a blessing of grace unto whom the Lord will of those that in obedience yeeld what homage they are able unto their Lord. Whosoever entred this great Covenant of grace that the visible Church alwayes hath and is in possession of came alwayes under the restipulation thereof as his duty which is this to observe and doe all that the Lord requires to be done at that time and age that any person lives in so shall ye be his people and the Lord will be your God The Lords Covenant with his Church doth always oblige those that have entred into it to all that obedience that at present is in force by the Lord. A Jew by nature was under all that God commanded them and a Christian by nature is under all that God commands now A Jew by nature and profession had all the Church priviledges of a Jew In like manner a Christian by nature and profession hath all the Church priviledges of a Christian only with greater advantage forasmuch as the priviledges of the Christian Church are more clear and spiritual tending more unto the spiritual profit and edification of the whole And what reason besides the good pleasure of God can any man give why the Lord should vary in these different administrations Most certain it is that since Christ was manifested in the flesh and justified in the Spirit and ascended into glory greater hath been the advantage both of knowing and believing in the Son of God in comparison of attaining unto knowledg and faith in Christ by those that had but some darke obscure discoveries of him by types and shadows for men now to say that God looks for more at our hands then of them is rational But to affirm that the Lord in Gospel times will not own a Christ-professing people that have not real grace is altogethere groundlesse and a little too peremptorily spoken without better proof then Camero And it 's too harsh to affirm that a meer want of reall grace doth discovenant a Christian professing people and that God will disown them for his people upon that account they being holy federally by birth and upon that account baptized and thereby put in possession of the Sacramental Seal which himself will grant And would the same men but argue as rationally from the state of the Jews Church as touching grown ones as they doe of Infants this Controversie about who shall be admitted to the Sacrament would have been frivolous But now Mr. Saunders hath done with the texts which he saith Conclude positively for their practice in gathering and distinguishing their Communicants by examining What all these lights will doe being set up together who knows So likewise Answ 1 I have now done with examining of what you have concluded from these several texts for your way and I hope I have given both your self and every sober unprejudiced reader clear and rational demonstrations that there is not so much as one of these 15. texts that will prove examnation a necessary duty unto the Lords Supper as it 's stated Nor hath Mr. Saunders so much as applyed them for the most part to prove the question So little is his own confidence of the pertinentnesse of his own quotations for some of them he hath applyed to prove suspension and others to prove excommunication which in order
cals them are forbidden but who in the Church are they I would gladly know the Apostle speaks of some that did eat and drink unworthily but it doth not follow therefore that their persons were unworthy because some of their actions were I have insisted largely upon this in answer to Mr. Collins The truth is how can they be said to be forbidden that are of the Church and baptized and as such are under the command of all institute worship Nay it 's a question whether Excommunication doe disoblige from precepts of worship although the Church may lawfully deny them the benefit of all worship in the punishing of impenitent scandalous sinners for their amendment A prison doth not excuse a Fellon from duties of publick worship when he by his own sinning hath brought himself justly under that restraint And in his saying Any proper and sufficient way to the exclusion of the unfit I know no way but Juridical censures of the Church that is proper according to the Gospel rule Juridical Admonition and Excommunication the Word hath prescribed directly and that only is proper and sufficient for the exclusion of the unfit as for any other way to be proper that is no where to be found in the Scripture and neglect to doe as it is written is but a raw sancy of a mans own framing and punishable by the Scriptures as is clear in the case of Nadab and Abihu Levit. 10.1 2. they invented a proper and a sufficient way in kindling common fire to consume the Sacrifice of Incense the fire of the Tabernacle being out through their own negligence but the Lord destroyed them with fire from heaven for presuming to offer that which the Lord commanded not For where the Lord himself prescribes a way the Church is bound only to that way not any way but that only of Gods own prescribing will he be pleased with God will be sanctified in them that come nigh him Now then I say when we upon Church reforming through the subtilty of some and carelessenesse of others have lost the exercise of the Churches discipline being out of actual possession through our own default as to the edification of the whole shall any be so bold now as to invade this authoritative power and assume to themselves without the consent of the Church the exercise of discipline and under that pretence use any way that is but proper and sufficient to exclude the ignorant and scandalous from the Sacrament when the Lord hath prescribed a direct way what is to be done with the scandalous in the Church Again that the Ark should be fetched unto its proper place was an end commanded yet any proper and sufficient means subservient thereunto were not warrantable but that way and means only that God had appointed and you know David swerved from the prescription in fetching back the Ark but the Lord made a breach upon them for it in smiting Vzzah that he dyed This way was proper and sufficient to attain the end yet they were punished for it The Lord made a breach amongst them because they carryed not the Ark according to that order God had prescribed in the Law It 's a dangerous and desperate attempt to invent ways and means of exclusion of Christs visible subjects from their native rights otherwise then it is written There is a clear rule for Juridical Excommunication and in what cases and by whom to be exercised and let that satisfie all untill they can finde further order from the Scriptures to warrant their other proceedings under the notion of discipline in this giddy age The Reader may sufficiently by this see the weaknesse and vanity of the way and practise defended by the Author I have fully answered the texts of Scripture and the reasons added as seconds to warrant their way they must either finde out a better warrant then is yet produced or else as the ten Tribes were jealous of the other two and a half Josh 22. when they heard that the two had erected an Altar of their own heads conceived they were in a superstitious rebellion in forsakeing the wayes of the Lord and so to provoke the Lord unto anger to punish the whole Congregation as in the matter of Peor and Achan so may we be jealous and suspicious of these new invented wayes so vigorously acted in by our brethren which tend so evidently to make division and schism in the Church and is such an impediment that doth obstruct and make void all hopes of attaining unto that discipline that God hath prescribed for the health and welfare of the whole Church They cannot say as the two Tribes of their Altar It is not for sacrifice but for a witnesse to the other Tribes that their children had part in the Lord and in the Altar that he had commanded to be built for sacrifice and worship For the way that Mr. Saunders defends is for worship and held forth as necessary to the prejudice of professing Christians that have any interest in the Lord and in all his commanded worship that you exclude them from and upon the matter discovenant them and their children from having a part in the Lord. Doe you think it but a small evill to your professing people to deprive them of the benefit and blessing of Gospel appointments instituted by the Lord himself for the spiritual good of his visible Church of which your people are members and within What know you but it may lye heavy upon your souls if ever you be reduced into straights and tryals to think of the wrong you have done to your peoples souls in withholding that from them which was necessary You think now the fault is your peoples and that they keep themselves away from the Sacrament they may be admitted if they will for you say it 's more for want of a will then of capacity that they are not admitted But by your leave Sir may I presume to speak one word on the peoples behalf you impose such laws and ties upon their consciences in order to admission that you cannot in the least make good by the authority of your Master you pretend very much to his authority in those very things which are meerly your own fancies and inconsistent with your own principles otherwayes I dare boldly say that you are in such a way and stickle to defend it too that you will never while you live be able to produce one plain text of Scripture allowing it its own sense to justifie either the forming of your Church or to prove any one thing of what you stand upon as necessary to admission you have quoted 15. texts to prove examination and suspension only and not one will in the least favour you as hath bin discovered already and in your laying down necessary things to qualifie unto receiving you quote about sixty texts and I have searched after them I dare say it and justifie it too that there is not one text of all that number
his mercy and blessing to their souls are discouraged and hindred by these pretenders to reform They shut up the Kingdome of Heaven against poor souls that as sinners would be entring in and adhering to their Saviour They forbid whom Christ commands to serve him in this Ordinance and in reforming of their Churches they make void the commands of Christ by their own traditions which wayes tend more to the destruction and confusion of Churches then in the least the reforming of them His fifth is Crossing the desire of the godly in the land and the actings of the State herein The desires of the godly were Answ and still are for the reformation of the whole according to the Word of God and when they see evident demonstrations from the Word to justifie a more general admission to the Lords Supper then upon mistake have been thought of they will be satisfied in their desires accounting those desires irregular that have bin drawn out without Scripture ground Better such desires should be crossed then attained His sixth Degenerating from the Primitive times and all true antiquity That the Virgin Primitive times in the Apostolical Churches admitted all to the holy Supper that came under baptism Answ and were received into the Church is so evident that no sober man will deny as hath been shewed already and for after times if they acted otherwise they are as much to be questioned for swerving from the first precedents as we â— As for that Antiquity that is newer then the Scriptures this Author is no adorer of it as himself writeth The Fathers were divided in truth and united in error The principle of Antiquity yeelds but a popular and fallacious argumeent pag. 6.9 and therefore he might have spared this quotation of Chrysostom in his Homily 83. Let us keep away all without exception that we see to come unworthily But what he meant by unworthily who can tell and what he meant by keeping away whether as a single Minister or by the Churches Jurisdiction is a query But did ever Chrysostome forsake his Church as Pastor and joyn himself as an Officer or member to another Pastor and Church And in stead of administring the holy Supper to his own Congregation or using any acts of discipline to amend them leave them out and separate some few with him to receive the Sacrament in another Church See whether Christ or his Apostles or Chrysostome will justifie your own practice all that you have yet pretended from the Scripture to warrant your way hath been sufficiently examined and confuted His last The want of making some separation as to the Lords Table hath given occasion to some to forsake our Congregations Master Cotton Bloody Tenent 1. â— The want of right and solid principles as touching the constitution and first reforming of our Church hath given the occasion of the Brownists separation from us for they in New England doe not scruple the administring of the Sacrament to a scandalous member tolerated by the Church till censured Juridically and for them that own our Church and Ordinances for true they might be rationally satisfied upon the same principle 2. The want of right principles as to the Sacrament hath wryed more of the godly minded then otherwayes would be as men come to embrace truer principles and conceptions of this holy Ordinance according to the Scriptures they will be more tender of making unnecessary separations and rents in the Church 3. It is a wonder that our common principles in order to the Sacrament doe not hurry all knowing consciencious men into some separations or other sith it 's said the unregenerate are far from being disciples believers and the Sacrament is a cup of poyson and for the confusion and damnation of such souls they are guilty of the murder of Christ c. And that they have nothing to doe with the Covenant and therefore the Sacrament is but a seal to a blanck when administred unto them These erroneous principles doe more distract and trouble the poor Church then men are willing to understand or decline the unnecessary stirs that follow thereupon His second motive contains The great advantages got by acting in some courses of discipline But he should have told us what courses of discipline he means whether any course that men can invent or that which the Scriptures only teach What shall we think of that course themselves are acting in Doth theirs were it generally taken up enable us the better to defend the truth of our Churches as he tels us pag. 162. Must we run into a schism Answ and become like unto our adversaries in unchurching our Parochial Congregations and gather or form up Churches out of them as you to defend the truth of our Churches what is this but to yeeld the cause and betray the Church to defend the truth of a separate Congregation and so to end the quarrel in becoming like unto our reproaching adversaries of Brownists and Anabaptists c. I doubt not but we shall finde friends to defend the truth of our Churches as to their being as they are formed up already and grafted into the true Olive root and branch And I think none are more perfidious to our Churches then those that forsake their former station in the Church and form a new with the specious pretences according to Gospel rule What doth this imply but that our Churches are false and not according to Gospel rule What beside their own word can free them from rigid and absolute separation That which follows We shall have the better satisfaction in our Consciences whilest God is our witnesse that we have taken pains drawn losse upon our estates stirred up the envy of the multitude for his service sake And who hath required this at your hands Answ Where is it written that you should act as you do If you meet with sufferings for your irregular actings what thank have you It 's not the goodnesse of the men or ends but the goodnesse of the cause that makes a Martyr and brings solid comfort to the souls of Gods people all sects are apt to blesse themselves in what they suffer by contrary mindes but this and the rest that follows is but weak and beg'd too I come to his answer of objections pag. 164. 1. Object The stirs and troubles where any such separation is made 2. The separation defended is the same with schism and absolute separation pag. 165. His answer is We must follow peace with men as it may stand with holynesse and no otherwise and indeed from a high rash or absolute separation there are dangerous consequences but from that which is moderate and warrantable no such dangers saith he To this I reply 1. That keeping the peace of the Church of Christ is more urged and prest home amongst Christians then to other men in the world Christ came to make division between the Church and the world but left a legacy of love and peace to
doe as Mr. Saunders opens his minde in and hath published it against the learned Assemblie and all sober men he saith Thus the Minister by his own authority without Elders may put back such as he knows to be unfit But if by his authority he may put back the unfit then by the same authority he may as well Excommunicate if by authority he means the authority of rule in acts of discipline but if he only understand his Ministerial authority in a case of necessity I think it not so insolent as the other although it is a hard task to justifie either from the rule or free themselves of doing evill that good may come c. And Mr. Saunders will finde work enough to justifie their own way from Schism he had not need entice others to as bad But he saith further the Minister is impowered and Commissioned as to all Ordinances by Christ whether to this Sacrament to act solely or alone is a question Answ What should hinder but that one alone may administer the Sacrament by vertue of that Ministerial power as well as in all other Ordinances of Worship I know not Scripture that requires acts of discipline in order to the Lords Supper more then to the rest of worship in the Church Those that can finde any such Scripture may do well to publish what they know 6. Query He asketh who are fit to come to the Lords Table and what qualifications may be justly required And gives his answer 1. Concerning knowledge he stands not so much upon the muchnesse as the soundnesse of it save this it must be so much as may let in Christ into the soul c. But he is not clear and distinct in prescribing the least measure of such a knowledge Answ that lets Christ into the souls of some persons for it 's supposed that some have Christ in their souls in their Infancy 2. Christ first comes into a dark soul that hath no other but a passive reception and he alone brings true and saving light with him 3. If no more knowledge be required to actual receiving of the Sacrament then to a passive reception of Christ where Christ pleaseth by his Spirit First to take hold on souls we may consent to this but if he mean so much light and faith whereby a man is capable actually to apply some further spiritual blessing by Christ it requires proof the bare sayings of men meerly are not competent to weigh with the Churches peace and truth so much concerned in this practice 4. How weak is all that they can say in defence of this qualification to admission to the Lords Supper when ours are all baptized and within and therefore under the actual observance of this duty as any other himself saith well of a wicked mans praying thus Their presence at the duty can be no sin while 't is that they are commanded to doe though at present their own evils make them unable to doe as they should pag. 126. would men say but the same of this of the Sacrament it 's not sin to receive while 't is that they are commanded to doe though at present they through ignorance and other wants cannot receive as they should I say would but men thus judge and say of the Sacrament there being the same reason for it as is proved clearly in another place this controversie would be ended and all parties pleased Besides there is not any law or rule in Scriptures to warrant the punishing of ignorance or unregeneracie in the Church with the deprivation of a common priviledge belonging to members in common of the same kinde never was such a thing heard of in the Apostolical Churches that any were censured for ignorance in excluding them from the Lords Table or from any other Ordinance in the Church If you judge ours within and baptized and of years and yet exclude them the Sacrament for want of knowledge I dare be bold to say that you venture to doe that which you have neither Scripture precept nor counsel nor precedent for How you think to be born out in such a bold presumptuous practice against the clear command of Christ you may doe well to consider of it His quotations are so impertinent for his purpose that it will be but losse of time and labour to examine them I admire how men dare so notoriously mis-apply the holy Scriptures 2. As to practice he saith These four quallifications seeme necessary to admitting to the Sacrament 1. They must be no companions of drunkards or any other wicked livers 2. They must be such as frequent and delight in the society of godly people 3. Such as are not known to be guilty of any known sin 4. Such as perform all religious duties as well in private as in publick c. 1. Answ That these are qualifications or duties required of all professing Christians is granted That receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is so also it being a publick duty of worship incumbent upon all in the Church and comprehended in his last cannot be denyed 2. That these qualifications are necessary in order to Gods glory and our Salvation is confessed but that they are necessary in order to receiving to the Sacrament upon good grounds is to be denyed untill better proof 3. These qualifications are necessary to prove our spiritual states by and to know in what condition we stand in before the Lord. But the Scriptures quoted doe not in the least urge them as prerequisite unto the Lords Supper more then to all other worship They that have this Book let them search and see if they can finde one of these sixty texts that hath so much as a sound to prove any of these qualifications laid down pag. 172. necessarily prerequisite in order to the Lords Supper And if you cannot finde one of so great a number for his purpose had it not been more for his repuration as he is a Minister not to have quoted them then thus absurdly to misapply them to justifie a way themselves have inconsiderately chosen It 's the usual road of those that have strong fancies and weak judgements to multiply texts of Scriptures impertinently If this Author shall think it necessary still to defend their way I much desire that he may shew himself a workman that need not be ashamed by dividing the pure truths of God aright one clear and rational deduction from the holy Scripture properly applyed either for suspension or examination or excluding the ignorant would doe more to justifie the separations that some venture to make amongst their people in order to the Sacrament then multitude of texts impertinently alleadged as hath been discovered Nay it 's a strange thing and to be wondred at that the same men that doe satisfie themselves touching Infant Baptism upon the Analogy of Circumcision Covenant relation according to the state of the Jews Church without any expresse rule in the New Testament in respect of precept or
precedent And yet the same men will except against the Analogy of the Passeover notwithstanding we have clear precept and precedent in the New to warrant the baptized of years to receive the Lords Supper If the same men should be as exceptions against the Analogy of Circumcision to Baptism as of the Passeover to the Lords Supper they would utterly throw away the cause and run to the tents of our adversaries both weak and worthlesse is that of Mr. Saunders in reply to Mr. Humfry upon the Analogy of the Passeover pag. 185. The Passeover had an external benefit which all did partake of therefore a right to that Ordinance so far as external but the Lords Supper is a more spiritual Ordinance no type The wicked were tearmed Gods people then not so in the New See Camero 1. Answ Doe not the Anabaptists say the same of Circumcision it was more carnal then baptism more typical and annexed to external promises and so would spoyl the Analogy and may we not say of this Author that his hath been sharpened at their forge 2. It concerns the Author to make good the first thing asserted That all had an external benefit by it more then what was eaten and drunk to the satisfying of nature for all that came under the Law of the Passeover were not in Egypt to partake of that benefit of preservation when the first born of the Egyptians were slain What think you of the generations that were then to come successively untill Christ Nor were all the Egyptians smitten with that death but the first born only Besides what external benefit were this to the Aliens and strangers that were Proselytes and came under Circumcision they were as much under the Law of the Passeover as the Israelites and yet did not partake of that external benefit and therefore that was not the thing that gave them right as he pretends And whereas he saith the Lords Supper is more spiritual it is to be proved the Passeover having the same Author appointing it for the same spiritual use and ends in the Church with the holy Supper The external Ceremonial part of the one and of the other both alike carnal and his granting that both are the same for substance as to the use and end doth crosse and contradict this of his here let it be proved that the unregenerate and wicked in the Church are not to be tearmed Gods people now Doe not the Apostles give equal titles to all in the Church calling them Saints and such as were brethren and within although scandalous and stubborn and if the unregenerate and wicked in the Church are not to be tearmed Gods people how are their children holy federally that being affirmed only of the children of believers which himself grants which is crosse to Camero And the truth is the arguments we urge from the Passeover Covenant relation state of the Jews Church Gospel precept and precedents the right of membership the love of Christ to sinners are so solid and full of strength that all that oppose us will be ashamed at last There is no need of any further examining of what is writ by this Author in answer to Mr. Humfry for had he consulted with what was written of late before his came out he might have spared that part as unnecessary he having but little that's new considerable in the controversie If the Author want work let him answer Mr. Humfreys rejoynder or the last part of my first Book not yet answered or make good his own so clearly confuted if he can Or else return to the Church in feeding his own flock and be quiet endeavouring to heal the breach which by an unnecessary separation he hath sinfully made in his Church I shal now take my leave of my Reader and end with some Apologizing reasons why I have appeared so stiff in opposing of these petty irregular reformings 1. Because they have no foundation to stand upon from the Scriptures 2. Because they hinder and obstruct the Reformation of the whole Who will desire or endeavour after a uniformity of true discipline if these private petty wayes will attain the end without it 3. Because Suspension and Separation makes void Juridical Excommunication the only separating Ordinance in the Church and now upon the matter is wholly lost in Church 4. Because these new contrivances tend to wicked division and schism in the Church and a complying with that wilde Principle of tolerating every Sect and way to the scandal of the whole 5. Because these groundlesse partial reformings do make us insensible of our malady and so carelesse of the right remedy 6. Because this groundlesse pretended discipline runs private Ministers upon intruding the power of Jurisdiction which as private Ministers they are not impowered with at all untill the Church have chose and designed them unto Ecclesiastical rule and Jurisdiction for all are not competent for that work nor is it necessary that all should bear a share in the exercise of Church censures and policies I confesse I judge that not any Minister in the Church can justly assume an authoritative power of Jurisdiction in his Church by vertue of his Ordination and Induction And lastly what Reformation can be rationally expected when those that should be intrusted with the exercise of discipline are wryed in their judgements about the censures of the Church and in what cases to correct and who should have the exercise thereof Whether every Presbyter in general or some peculiarly chosen and set apart for Ecclesiastical rule and order only What work would have been made in the Church by this if the Presbyterian principles had been put into execution We should have had but few Communicants in many of our Churches had that rigid way of Examination and power in the Eldership to suspend upon pleasure gone on When the Lord of his Church is pleased to blesse this poor distracted English Church with so great a blessing as true and holy discipline is he will both qualifie and furnish us with instruments fit for that work in the mean time let us pray and wait and use all good means we can to possesse so great a mercy as may truly tend to the Reformation of the whole without the hurt or prejudice of any part of Christs visible Church FINIS Books that are to be sold by Thomas Williams at the Bible in Little Brittain A Chronicle of the Kings of England from the Romans Govrnment unto the raign of King Charles containing all passages of Church and State with all other observations proper for a History the second Edition enlarged with notes and a large Table A compleat Christian Dictionary shewing the Interpretation of the proper names the several significations and several acceptations of all the words in the Bible with the addition of above four thousand words and phraseâ— with a description of the properties of Beasts Fowls Hearbs Trees c. A book of great use unto Ministers Masters of families all private Christians the sixt Edition The Art of Distillations with the choycest preparations performed by way of Distillations with a description of the best Furnaces and vessels used by ancient and modern Chymists also divers Spagerical Experiments and Curiosities the anatomy of gold and silver with their preparations and vertues the second Edition to which is added the London Distiller shewing the way to draw all sorts of Spirits and Strong waters The New Light of Alchymy by Sandevogius with nine Books of Paracelsus of the nature of things with a Chymical Dictionary Glaubers Philosophical Furnaces or a New way of distilling in five parts with the tincture of Gold and Aurum Potabile the first part of his Mineral work Spots discovery of Witcheraft shewing the power of Witches contracting with Devils Spirits or Familiars and their power to kill torment and consume the bodies of Creatures with the knavery of Conjurors Inchanters Figure-casters Astrologers the vanity of dreams with all tricks of Jugling and Legerdemain and many other secrets Vade Mecum A companion for a Chirurgeon shewing the use of every instrument belonging to a Chirurgeon with the cure of all green wounds the vertue and quality of all medicines useful with the way to make them with directions for Crowners how to make Reports with a treatise of Bleeding A Vindication of Mr. Humfreys free Admission to the Sacrament being an answer to Dr. Drakes Bar done by John Timson
were morally unclean in his sense and what doe my principles plead for more in the Christian Church if I plead but for the same now that upon their lives was injoyned then even by the Lord himself I hope he will not charge it upon me that I make God unlike himself but if he will make the New Testament so contrary to the Old as to say the whole Church may not observe the Lords Supper his opinion will hardly be reconciled with the unchangeablenesse of the faithful true and living Lord God Thus I have given you to understand that the legally unclean were not lookt upon as unworthy to eat the Passeover at all And the sense that I have given upon 1 Cor. 11. pleads no otherwise in favour of the morally unclean as he cals them then the Old Testament doth injoyn One hint more let Mr. Collins prove that the legally unclean were expressely forbid the Passeover I am sure Moses knew of no expresse prohibition and therefore was at a stand when the case was brought before him and could not tell what to direct whether the unclean might keep it or forbear untill he had enquired of the Lord what they should doe Besides when the Passeover was rejourned to the last day multitudes did eat it that were not cleansed and were accepted of And the Lord said 2 Chron. 30.15 17 18 19 20. If any man of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body or be in a journey a far off yet he shall keep the Passeover unto the Lord Numb 9.10 here you see is an expresse command for the unclean man to keep the Passeover He kept the same Passeover at Gods appointed season as well as the rest of the Congregation for God appointing and sanctifying another season for them in special made the service the same in it self and to them And yet for all this what adoe have our late Divines made about this I could wish we might hear no more of it unlesse they can make better use of it then Mr. Collins doth Now I have answered three arguments that made him so hard of digesting this truth That the Corinthians were not punished for personal unworthinesse but for their actual offendings at the time of administration For the further helps of this hard digestion and edification and satisfaction of my Christian friends I she freely speak my heart for the clearing upoâ— this in question according to my measure for I know well enough that our mistake about worthinesse and unworthinesse of person in the Church hath done more hurt is this Church then all the Bishops ever did Our holy Apostle in 1 Cor. 7.14 haâ— clearly and sully exprest himself about habâ—tual worthinesse that if but one of marrias state were a believer the other infidel person was sanctified by the believing party and tels us that if it were not so their children they had between them were unclean but now are holy meaning that upon thâ— faith and entring into the Covenant of thâ— one their children enter covenant with thâ— parent and upon that account are a holy feed and federate with their parents in the priviledges of the Church as it was in the state of the Jews Church Why surely if the branches were holy then the root was holy also Now I say how can it be imagined that the Apostle will have the children holy even of those persons that in chap. 11. he judged personally unworthy Sure if the children were foederally holy then their parents were too for the right of the childe is derived from the believing state of the parents that was sufficient to free them from unworthy eating in respect of their persons And therefore the Apostle concludes that all things are sanctified to the Church by the Word and Prayer To the pure all things are pure but to the unbelieving and impure is nothing pure Here is a clear difference between the professing Church and the infidel world all is clean to the one but nothing clean to the other And therefore the Sacrament could not be polluted by the believing Corinths in respect of their persons It will follow then that it was profaned by their evill actions only The Apostle understood the nature of the Gospel Church better then those I have to deal with in this controversie He understood the right rule and accordingly reduced all unto it He distinguisheth between clean and unclean believer and infidel all was clean to the one and nothing clean to the other that except the Corinths had admitted Infidels unto the body and bloud of Christ to pollute it personal unworthinesse could not be the sin for which they were punished Heathenish uncleannesse the uncircumcised might not eat thereof I tell you this is that which hath undone us of late we make the same difference in the Church that the Apostle made between the Church and the world And all those Scriptures on which this difference is declared by the Apostle our Divines usually apply to the different state of persons in the Church the regenerate and unregenerate and accordingly would be dividing their people anâ— are as fearful many of them to admiâ— an unsound believer to the Sacrament as a uncircumcised Infidel but I hope those exorbitant distempers that some desperately plunge themselves into from the same mistakes will make sober men consider a last I know no such language used in Scripture concerning persons of the Church as thâ— any Church-members should be personally unworthy to use Gods Ordinance and â—serve God in his own appointments Indeeâ— for persons to reject the tenders and invitations of the Gospel to oppose and persecute the messengers that publish lise and salvation by Jesus Christ such are said to be unworthy of eternal life Act. 13.46 the Apostle Paul again tels the unbelieving Jews That it was necessary that the Word of God should have first been spoken unto you but seeing by envy contradiction and blaspheming vers 45. you put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of eternal life loe we turn to the Gentiles for sâ— hath the Lord commanded So our blessed Saviour Matth. 10 11 12 13 14. gave the twelve Commission to Preach that the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand c. they were rather to goe to the lost sheep of the house of Israel then to the Samaritans And when they came either into City Town or Family they were to salute it and preach peace unto them but if they were not worthy their peace should return and to those that would not receive them and hear their words they were to shake off the dust of their feet against them vers 14. with a grievous judgement threatned vers 15. against such people that refuse the Gospel when it is tendered unto them These are said not to be worthy that reject the Gospel wholly as the unbelieving Jews did which implyes those that receive the Gospel and believe the truth thereof and professe their subjection
unto it being of no other religion then what the Gospel teacheth they may be said to be worthy whatever they are for sincerity and truth so again Matth. 22. concerning the invited guests to the marriage Supper which set forth the fat things of the Gospel administrations and the grace thereof the messengers were sent to call in the guests that were bidden but they made light of it and would not come and some went to their farms and others to their merchandize and others abused the servants that invited them c. Then the King was wroth and destroyed those murderers and said to his servants The wedding is ready but they that were invited were not worthy vers 8. This was meant of the unbelieving Jews that totally rejected Christ and would never come under his external administrations set up in his Church in order to salvation they are said you may see not to be worthy or unworthy but the Gentiles that came in though soâ—â— came absurdly and perished too at last yâ—â— there is no such thing said of them no the were worthy though they consisted of gooâ— and bad The invitation priviledged allâ— come there is no pleading I am unworth to come but refusal was that which the unworthinesse consisted in only From the hints of Scriptures we may conceive there no such thing as personal unworthinesse â— order to observance and duty of persoâ— in Covenant relation which all are the have entred Covenant though but in the parents untill they renounce the Covenanâ— or for their hating to be reformed by thâ— Churches just censures they be discovenanteâ— conditionally that if they never repent 〈◊〉 return to their obedience in a right way the are gone forever Now then I say if tâ— Scriptures charge not any with unworthynesse of person but such as I have instanced in who can imagin that the Churâ—â— of Corinth was punished for that I would gladly know of Mr. Collings of any other learned man where the Scriptureâ— threaten punishment against personal unworthinesse simply Or where can they give an instance that ever any wese punished for habitual unworthinesse at all in the Old or New Testament If you cannot finde such a thing in all the whole Bible what reason can you have to judge that the Corinths were punished for personal unworthinesse It 's true the sin of our natures derived from the first man is punished with death for we al dye in Adam but this natural death is a common lot appointed for all good and bad It 's appointed for all men once to dye Heb. 9.27 And we see death reigns over Infants that have not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression Rom. 5. but in this both original sin and death that follows thereupon is of unavoidable necessity by the decree of God So likewise as actual sin is the transgression of the law he that so transgresseth is lyable to the punishment of that law 1 Tim. 1.9 10. And the whole Law it self is made for the lawlesse and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for murderers for whoremongers for lyars and for perjured persons c. that is for the punishment of all wilful disobedience of men And so it is said of the Church If you will walk contrary to me I will walk contrary to you You have I known of all the families of the earth yet the Lord will punish them for their sins And wherefore doth living man complain for the punishment of his sin Lam. 3.39 all the punishments threatned in the Word and inflicted either by God or man were for actual offendings but we never read of any coming to the Ordinances that were punished for a meer want of regeneration circumcision of the heart an interest in Christ c. This is a case the Lord hath alwayes pityâ— and promised the cure of unto his Church forasmuch as no man can convert and reneâ— his own soul of himself nay of thosâ— that have the means and use the ordinarâ— means of their salvation as the Jews diâ— It 's said not of him that willeth nor of bâ— that runneth but it is God that sheweth mercy Râ— 9. Habitual unworthinesse in that respeâ— is unavoidable and is the common stateâ— all by nature as well them that are born the Church as those that are born out of iâ— Ephes 2. but the Covenants of promise aâ— made to the Church for the cure of this dâ— praved state And the Lord hath set up 〈◊〉 Ordinances of Word Sacraments and Prayâ— in the Church as the ordinary means foâ— men to use in their conversion and salvation revealed in the promises of the Covenant the neglect whereof is usually punishe with blindenesse and profanenesse not diligent frequenting of them But what iâ— God doth punish habitual or natural uâ—â— worthinesse it being an effect of Adams defection What is that to the Church that iâ— bounded by a rule May they contrary tâ— all rule judge of it and punish it therefore with suspension from the Sacrament Our blessed Saviour rebukes this rash humour in men saying Judge not lest you be judged It 's clear enough that we may judge of mens actions and finding them transgresfors we may punish their persons but we have nothing to doe to judge of mens persons let them be good or bad as to their persons that is nothing to us we must leave them to stand or fall to their own Master for what have we to doe to judge another mans servant But if either be found transgressors so far as their offendings come within the Churches cognisance to punish let them impartially doe it without respect of persons in the Church We read that those that are appointed to judge amongst their brethren Deut. 1 16 17. are to judge righteously between every man and his brother without respect of persons in judgement to hear the small as well as the great not fearing the face of any man for the judgement is the Lords and the cause that is too hard for man to judge of was to be brought before the Lord and he would hear it there is a rule given to judge of causes and actions between brother and brother And yet in point of causes and things external that brethren might differ in these might be too hard for men to judge of How much more hard is it to judge of the spirits of men within them whether they have an interest in Christ or no surely if in the other much more in this we are to refer it to the Lord besides you may see in judging about things which concerns the Church Matth. 18. 1. It must be of evill actions only 2. Upon sufficient proof 3. And in case of obstinacy refusing 〈◊〉 hear the Church c. before any judgement can issue out against them Tell me hoâ— you can apply this rule to personal unworâ— thinesse Can this be attested upon Oath oâ— is the Church able to convince any in particular of it Or is it