of discretion and professing the true Religion The Doctor hath written very understandingly and informingly concerning the Covenant and the manner how it is sealed and yet he fals off in his conclusions and applications excluding the unregenerate in the Church from the Sacramentall seals whom yet he allowes to be objects of Covenant grace saying that only the elect and persons effectually called are the objects and yet he intimates that the elect unregenerate are the object of initiall grace and that grace and faith be a part of the Covenant sealed by the Sacrament and yet he would not have those receive that have not this faith and grace though promised in the Covenant and sealed in the Sacrament But if the elect before conversion be in the writing and in the Church then Sacraments seal to them but doubtlesse God hath his elect to call in the Church else we cannot tell where they are if not under the ordinary means of their calling And therefore there can be no danger in sealing that part of the Covenant to such And doth not the Doctor himself and others act accordingly in administring the seal in Baptisme Are they within the Covenant then by vertue of a visible profession in their parents and upon that account sealed with the Sacrament of Baptisme and yet grown to years denyed the same seal of the Supper If they had right then how comes it to passe they have none now The Doctor saith Because of their antifederall wickednesse they prejudice themselves and deprive themselves of covenant right and that those that are in the state of nature are out of the Covenant and the grosly ignorant are such c. And therefore to be denied the sacramentall Seal To which I answer It 's hard to such that any born in the Church of Christian Parents they continuing to uphold an externall profession of the true Religion are out of the Covenant how ignorant or wicked so ever they be For if there be a more immediate object of those promises of giving the first grace in the Church where the ordinary means of working that grace are then persons in the state of nature and unregenerate in the Church are the immediate object of those promises before others out of the Church But there is a present and immediate object of those promises in the Church that are under covenant ordinances except the day of Gods giving the first grace be past in the Church Therefore those in the State of nature and unregenerate in the Church are the present and most immediate object of those promises in the Covenant of Gods giving the first grace As for those in the Church that have the first grace already they cannot be the proper objects of it in the promise and those that are out of the Church not having the ordinary means of putting those promises into performance cannot be the present and most immediate or most likely objects For as touching the state of Paganisme the Apostle intimates plainly That they are strangers from the Covenants of promise without hope and without God in the world Ephes 2.12 Therefore the unregenerate in the Church are the present and most proper objects of those promises and consequently of Sacraments that seal to the truth of those promises And for those that will not allow men in the state of nature and unregenerate to be of the Church they will allow the Covenant a full object in the Church And for particular sins and personall miscarriages in the Church we are to make no difference in the regenerate and unregenerate there being the same rule to guide us in dealing with both But let none mistake me when I say the unregenerate in the Church are the immediate and proper objects of the promises of the first grace I do not mean that all such in the Church must necessarily have that grace given them but such there are in the visible Church which by nature are as bad as any others and in no consideration differ from the worst of men considered in themselves but are simple sinners wholly lost with the rest of fallen mankinde That which makes the difference is out of themselves it 's the meer good will and pleasure of him that worketh all things after the counsell of his own will giving grace to whom he will of those that in all respects are equall in sin and misery So that when we shall come to judge of persons in the Church under the most evident characters of unregeneracy yet we may not exclude them from being objects of covenant grace and mercy nor from the seals and pledges of that grace and mercy during their abode in the Church and the Churches indulgence toward them In a word nothing excludes from covenant relation but the sin against the Holy Ghost which I fear many of our blasphemous Sectaries are guilty of and positive unbelief such as was in the hardned and obstinate Jewes who denyed the holy One and true Messiah sent among them obstinacy and Apostasie in the justly excommunicated renouncing the Christian Religion hating to be reformed by the Churches censures these things exclude and nothing else And this might suffice for answer to the Querie but I shall adde two or three arguments more 1. The very nature of the Sacrament of the Supper is a visible Gospell representing Christ crucified to sight and all the other senses by instituted signs which more ordinarily is carryed to the ear by the word but in this all the senses are made the inlets to the soul carrying the knowledge of Christ crucified to the understanding heart and conscience And I think the unregenerate in the Church have as much need of being taught Christ crucified by the visible signs as any others and they have as much need of the benefit and advantage of their outward senses as the regenerate and more they being more dull and slow of spirit to understand or to be affected with the meaning and end of this service then they are 2. The main end of this service is to keep a continuall fresh remembrance of the death of Christ and that satisfaction made by him by which all the same blessings of the Covenant are procured to fallen man Christs bloud was shed for many for remission of sins that he might gather into one the children of God scattered abroad in all the world and in all ages of the world is the end of his death Joh. 11.52 And the Sacrament is to be observed in remembrance of that by all those that professe hope of being saved through the merits of his death which the unregenerate in the Church do and cannot be excluded from the number of those many Christ shed his bloud for and therefore it is proper for such to remember the death of Christ in order to their spiritual good whom we cannot exclude from being the sheep he died for 3. The actions of taking eating and drinking are naturall actions of the body in reference to
terrour belongs c. I shall in answer to this objection Solut. promise severall things 1. That Sacraments are of no other signification then what they are appointed to signifie by the Word 2. That what Sacraments signifie that only they do necessarily teach and nothing else 3. That the subject of Sacramentall teaching or that which they chiefly teach is Christ crucified together with all the benefits that come thereby to the visible Church included in that particular blessing of remission of sinnes 4. That the main end of the whole service is to bear in our mindes a continuall remembrance of the death of Christ the meriting and procuring cause of all grace and glory bestowed upon baptized man 5. That the Administration of the Sacrament is appointed in the Church as well to be a means of grace as a pledge to assure thereof To all this adde what hath been said before concerning the unregenerate in order to the Sacrament and then make it out he that can that the language or administration of the Sacrament to the wicked or unregenerate remaining in the Church doth strengthen the hands of the wicked more then the Word may do or promise them lies in the name of the Lord. I grant that false conclusions and applications may be drawn from the truest premises in the Word and so likewise from the use of the Sacrament through mistake of our selves but it doth not therefore follow that the Word or Sacrament promiseth lies to the hearer or receiver when through an ignorant deceitfull heart they misapply the Word or Sacrament For there are generall truths held forth indefinitely to all in both though all do not rightly apply the same And the very same that is said of the Sacrament may be truly said of the Word as to the particular in hand when rightly dispensed to men in the Church Is not this the great and most true assertion of the Gospell worthy to be received of all men That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 And also to seek and to save that which is lost to call to repentance to justifie the ungodly and to die for enemies who yet in other places are called sheep his Church and friends according to Gods electing love and gracious purpose And is not this Gospell to be preached to every creature in order to the working and effecting these ends of grace and salvation in such as are sinners absolutely and lost in themselves and simply ungodly And dare any say this is to promise lies to the ungodly and sinners in the Church and so to strengthen the hands of the wicked that they may not return from their wickednesse And what is the Sacrament given and received but a visible representation of the death of Christ and satisfaction made by him for sinners to put us in remembrance of all this and which opens a door of hope to all in generall and a peculiar comfort to them that can from their experience of grace received with Paul apply this to themselves Christ came into the world to save sinners whereof I am chief I know what is usually put in against this generall assertion of the Gospell limiting the same to penitent sinners sensible of their being lost and of being enemies c. But doubtlesse out of some mistake and such as doth reflect somewhat upon the publick Ministery to which I would not be any way in the least degree injurious but because such like quotations in Mr. H. are excepted against by the reverend Doctor I shall crave leave to expresse some of my thoughts in vindication of him The Doctor saith Christ came not to call the righteous that is such as think themselves so but sinners to repentance that is saith he such sinners that are sensible of their sinfulnesse sick and lost c. But will not this then follow that all naturall men dead in trespasses and sins thinking themselves righteous whole and in the right way and that they have need of nothing with the Laodiceans not knowing that they are wretched and miserable poor and blinde and naked are out of the number Christ came to call and so by consequence he came to call none at all because all by nature are sinners under the forementioned Characters and black qualification of insensiblenesse of sin and misery and high thoughts of themselves And therefore the Doctors sense is not like to be the true sense and meaning For we know what counsell Christ gives to the Laodiceans who were such conceited senslesse sinners Rev. 3.18 And how that he gives life to quicken them that are dead in sins and trespasses Ephes 2.1 And is sent to give repentance to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and remission of sins Act. 5.31 For to say he gives repentance to the penitent and life to the living as he doth if the Doctors sense be right is not the sense of the Gospell nor indeed a truth in its proper sense without the advancing of the power of nature too high And therefore such supernaturall conditions or qualifications are not required to put persons into a capacity of receiving the benefits of the Gospell Covenant it being the supernatural benefits and blessings of the Covenant that make any to be such It 's true supernaturall grace precedes glory and the first grace precedes the growth and increase therein but it is naturall depravity sinfulnesse and miscry that necessarily precedes the first saving grace so that that cannot be a condition of the first grace that is either the first grace it self or growth therein The Covenant in this case is absolute and inconditionall but then I conceive the Covenant to be conditionall in other respects in an easie and favourable sense thus The tenour of the Gospell to people that never yet imbraced nor owned the Doctrine and ordinances of the Gospell runs thus He that beleeves shall be saved but the wrath of God abides upon those nations people and persons that either have not the Gospell in the tender of it or being tendred receive it not But those that upon the tender receive the Gospell so as to credit the truth thereof and willingly come under the lawes and worship injoyned forsaking all false religions and joyn with the professors of the true such are reckoned for beleevers and come under the promises of grace and glory upon that account And therefore the Apostle sends salutations to all that in every place call upon the name of the Lord both theirs and ours and he applies that of the Prophet in this case Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved 1 Cor. 1.2 Rom. 10.13 That is such people are under the promises of salvation in opposition to those that call not upon the Name of Christ Jesus the Lord at all as Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the families that call not on thy Name I look upon belief
of the truth as the only means of ingraffing the unbeleeving Jew or Gentile into the true Olive or visible Church of Christ out of which is no salvation because they have not the ordinary means of attaining the same And where the means is the Word profits not when it is not mixt with faith in them that hear it The Jew beleeved not the truth of the Gospell at all And he that comes to God must beleeve in the first place Heb. 11.6 that God is and then that he is a bountifull rewarder of them that diligently seek him And that leads me to the next thing namely to conceive of all those that are in externall convenant with God in regard of their being in possession of the Divine oracles and ordinances precepts and promises that all such are under all the commands of Jesus Christ and the observance of those commands seems to me to be the condition of the Gospell and the grace thereof to be attained unto in the use of instituted means and wayes appointed by Jesus Christ in order to that end And I do also conceive that not only half promises and it may bees but whole promises seem to respect persons in the Church doing but the morall reasonable and externall duties Aske and ye shall receive knock and it shall be opened unto you seek and ye shall finde If you that are evill know how to give good things to your children much more will your heavenly Father give the Spirit to them that aske it even to them that have it not Hear ye deaf and see ye blinde that ye may see Isa 42.18 And again hear and thy soul shall live Isa 55.3 Cease to do evill learn to do well and then come and let us reason together though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool Isa 1.16 17 18. And after the Lord was pleased to express the greatest freeness of his grace to the house of Israel in promising to give to them a new heart and to put his spirit in them and to make them his people he addes yet will I be required of for this by the house of Israel to do it for them Ezek. 36 26 27 28 37. And as the Lord hath made many promises to the use of means so the use of means is ordinarily successefull and blessed to attainment of grace I do not say that any by the use of means deserve grace or that God is bound to give grace to all use of means or that he gives grace to any for the use of means and reasonable serving of God The blessing of grace is promised and also given freely according to the good pleasure of Gods own will And both the means the blessing upon the means is a fruit of Christs purchase by his bloud The like may be said of those in whom the promises of the first grace are performed they ought diligently to apply themselves to the use of all good means and walk in all holy waies of Christian obedience for further growth and increase therein All men stand bound to imploy all their abilities and to put forth themselves in all reall endevours to improve their talents either of common or generall endowments or more peculiar blessings of supernaturall grace according to the advantages and opportunities given them and shall be accountable to their Lord for them this is the tenour of Scripture and thus man is bound to do whether God give the blessing or no duties belong to man the issue is the Lords man is bound to him but he is free to do whatsoever he pleaseth in heaven and in earth And yet it 's true also that the promises of eternall glory and blessednesse belong only to those that are actually justified and sanctified and do patiently continue in weldoing Rom. 2.7 And this I think is neither Antinomianism nor Pelagianism but the tenour and scope of the Covenant of grace to man So then if we consider men under sin and misery being in the Church they are under the commands of the Gospel which justifies their observance of those commands in hope of a blessing And according to promises in that particular case the unworthy guesse in the parable was not sentenced for his being unworthy and without the wedding garment when he was commanded to come to the feast for so were all that were bidden as well as he but his partaking of the Gospell and having liberty to sit down and eat of every dish of that feast of fat things and yet at the end of the feast being found to be one not having a wedding garment this was damning and for this he was sentenced to be bound hand and foot and to be cast into utter darkness where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 22.11 12 13. This is a place usually misapplyed for it proves no more then this That of those that have the advantage of Gospell administrations some may and do perish for not having the grace of the Gospell Many are called but few are chosen But this by the way I will return to the other part of the objection made by the Doctor against Mr. H. free admission which is this namely That it makes sad the hearts of the godly to see the ordinance profaned c. To which I answer Why should the hearts of the godly be made sad because unregenerate persons join with them in duties of homage and worship and are willing to join with them in the use of the Word and Prayer as well as the Sacrament as means of a blessing Why should any be grieved that wicked men and sinners are objects of Redemption Covenant blessings and mercy shall the eye of any be evill because God is good in sending Christ into the world to save sinners Should not all remember that they themselves were such though now through free grace they be washed and sanctified and justified Christians that are partakers of this grace are all this by vertue of Electing love Redemption and Covenant grace None of us by nature were any better then our fellow sinners It was the meer good pleasure of God in Christ that hath made us to differ And what have any that they have not received and that in the use of the same ordinary means you stomach at in others your fellow sinners Where would you have sinners to seek Christ Jesus but in the Temple Where shall they finde him but where he is Christ bids all that will come and take of the true bread and water of life freely Rev. 22.17 He doth no where discourage any from coming to him O that Ministers would rather woo sinners and seek by all fairnesse and love to draw them to wait upon Christ in the way of all his ordinances in order to blessing then causlesly upon mistake to discourage them and take them off from endevouring after their duty of remembring the love of
Christ in his laying down his life for sinners but I must contract But then saies the Doctor If this be so Object let all come pell-mell and then where is the reformation so much indevoured after of late To this I answer Solut. That if by coming all pell-mell be meant all though they come to mock at or openly to abuse the ordinance I say it doth no way follow from what I have asserted nor from any thing Mr. H. hath said For he hath very well stated the question and excepted infants distracted and justly excommunicated persons and these being excepted if he or I say let all come that will I think it neither to be absurd nor dangerous seeing that Christ when he offers himself and the thing signified in the Sacrament saith Let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Rev. 22.17 Why may not we say of all of years under Church indulgence whether Presbytered or not Presbytered they offering themselves to receive are not to be denyed the Sacrament for supposed incapacity or unworthinesse Besides Mr. H. hath given a rationall account of his own practise to acquit himself from such reproachfull expressions as are used against him namely That he hath done his utmost de jure that all come prepared And that none may charge him with arrogance he modestly and humbly breaks out into this patheticall expression But woe is me if I justifie my self who am a man of unclean lips and dwell among people of unclean lips eminent only in failings By which words he doth not detract what he had said before but only shewes that though such were his frailty that he as all other failed and came short in every duty yet he had not willingly neglected or wholly omitted any duty in that respect which Christ requires of him And so whether Mr. H. or the Doctor favours most of pride and vanity let the intelligent and sober judge Now to the other part of the objection namely Where is the reformation so long indevoured after if we allow of such a free admission I answer 1. I would learned men did more study by the right means and in the right way to reform a true Church labouring under some corruptions in Doctrine worship and discipline which is our case 2. I would fain know whether the debarring of Church members of years and not excommunicated from the Sacrament be a means of reforming approved in the Word 3. Whether the want of discipline do justifie a totall neglect or suspension of Sacraments in order to reformation 4. Whether separation in the Church be a good expedient to further the reformation of the whole 5. Whether to abolish the essentials of Church discipline in the use thereof for some exorbitant abuses be a good expedient to reform the thing 6. Whether denying the Sacrament to those whom the Church cannot justly proceed against the positive excommunication be any furtherance to reformation 7. Whether there can be any reformation of the Church in that respect untill discipline be restored and uniformly exercised in the same and if so whether the Sacrament must be suspended till then and whether it be any thing towards reformation so to doe 8. Whether the very nature and being of reformation in the visible Church stands not only in the externall conformity to the indisputable Lawes of Christ their head constraining all to an uniformity thereunto When these few queries are answered either by the reverend Doctor or any other that holds the Church of England a true constituted Church as to its essentials and being if I live and God enable me thereto I may take occasion to make a further and more direct answer to that latter part of the objection concerning reformation In the mean time I shall go on to vindicate Mr. H. in what he asserts touching excommunication and censures of the Church For what he hath asserted concerning these is by the Doctor charged to be false bloudy tenants c. And here I shal first assert what I conceive is truth and then answer to what the Doctor hath said 1. I conceive that none are proper objects of excommunication but such as are in the true Church of God and in fellowship with the Saints in all acts of communication and worship publick For what have I to do to judge them that are without them God judges 1 Cor. 5.12 2. That no one is to be excommunicated but in case of violating some manifest and known Law of Christ and that violation peristed in to obstinacy after a judiciall triall conviction and patient waiting of the Church for his reformation 3. That none may exercise the key of Ecclesiasticall Discipline but such persons in office to whom all the keys of Christs Kingdome are committed being appointed by him to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments as well as exercise discipline 4. That no single pastour alone but such as are so in an association as to derive authority from the whole can exercise Church censures authoritatively and that every Presbyter in generall is not to have a part in this power but some in speciall chosen by the whole Church which are more eminently qualified and fitted for the exercise of Ecclesiasticall rule and government 5. That excommunication when it is just is a solemn ejecting or putting out of obstinate sinners in the Church from all acts of communion and worship of God in the publick congregation untill by repentance they manifest both their shame and sorrow for their sin and upon the manifestation of this and publick promise of amendment the Church ought to be satisfied therewith and the penitent offender to be restored and regularly admitted to all externall Church priviledges again 6. That those have much to answer for that were the occasion of laying Gods vineyard waste by throwing down the wall and plucking up the hedge of discipline established before they were agreed of another warranted by the Word to be set up in stead thereof By this time they may both see their folly and feel the smart of it in the evil effects and consequences Well having laid down these propositions let me a little apply them and shew you what will follow upon the truth of them And first if the first be true as I conceive it is then those that never were admitted to the Lords Supper are not in a capacity of these censures of the Church nor to be amended by them what ever their enormities be If the second be true then none in the Church may be censured for ignorance or for the omitting of doubtfull duties especially that of submitting to Church examination in order to the Sacrament If the third be true then not only the common members but the ruling Elders will be called in question for usurping the key of Discipline they not having power to exercise the key of Doctrine and Sacraments If the fourth be true then we may take notice how little
and Church priviledges and be incouraged unto Church communion in all the waies of Christ that so they may come under Church discipline the best remedy to reclaim the obstinate and wilfull offenders 6. I wish the gifted brethren were better imployed then in unchurching our Churches and gathering Churches out of them it were a work more proper and acceptable either to be content to exercise their gifts to the edifying and building up of that Church in which they received them or else to goe into the infidell world as the Apostles did and preach the Gospel and plant Churches there The Scripture Raile Examined REader since I parted with what I had written in answer to Doctor Drake in the foregoing discourse there came to my hand Mr. Humfreys Rejoyner in vindication of himself a work very well performed by him wherein the truth formerly by him asserted is better cleared and confirmed to the satisfaction of many souls fearing God and breathing forth their earnest desires after the settlement reformation and uniformity of the Church of God in England according to the Word of God Be not prejudiced against his book by other learned men who have and still do appear with much bitternesse and passion against him more to affright with words and humane dictates meerly then with matter of grounded truth according to the sense of the holy Scripture witnesse that book put forth by some Ministers of Glocester-shire intituled A Scripture Raile to the Communion Table I confesse the title is good for we do acknowledge there ought to be such a thing but not in their sense as I hope shall appear by the discovery made in this short discourse following in which I shall wave what hath been already written in answer to D. Drake by Mr. Humfrey and my self and take notice only of some things in the Scripture Raile which have not yet been spoken to that I know of And this I shall do as briefly as I can because I would not anticipate him whom it doth more nearly concern And first of all because I would not leave the weak and incautelous Reader deceived with vain and groundlesse words in reading this Scripture Raile let this be noted that I take Scripture discipline to be the only Rail for the Communion Table which I hope both the Author reproached and my self earnestly desire may be set up and all our indevours tend as conducible means to that end as being assured that the first stone in the building of the reformation as to our case is holy discipline And whether their principles or ours tend most to that I hope to make appear to sober and unprejudiced Christians And the way I shall take shall be to discover some of these Gentlemens unbrotherly dealings with Mr. Humfrey first in perverting his sense Secondly in setting up a Raile to the Lords Table by perverting Scripture and so making that Raile to be a pretended discipline meerly 1. They have damned and censured his Book to be an ungodly pamphlet in which is a masse of perverting Scriptures tending to destroy all Church reformation little better then carnall and profane reasoning sophistry a heterodox piece abomination a vile piece with divers other such hard censures language enough to affright any from ever looking into it that have any care of their souls to avoid their own destruction in complying with that soul damning practise of maintaining mixt communion as they call it I must confesse these men seem very confident in reproaching and censuring both the Book and the man but in this their indeavour to make it thus vile and odious to the world they have not the least evidence of truth or strength of reason to evince it that I can finde in their Book And it will so appear if you minde what is Mr. H. scope and end in his discourse and what are the principles upon which it is founded As 1. That the visible Church of Christ consists of men making a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and so are Saints by calling what ever they are in truth while they so professe and adhere to the true worship the means and matter of which are hearing the word receiving the Sacrament and prayer and of these many are called and few are chosen 2. That all of these of years come under the obligation of Christs commands and are bound to do their duty homage to Christ their Lord as well as they can according to Mat. 28.19 20. 3. That all such ought to submit to Church discipline and not to be excluded from any observance nor denyed any Church priviledge untill they be judicially proceeded against and debarred by vertue of positive excommunication 4. That Ministers by vertue of their function and office may lawfully administer the Sacraments to Church members though they be ignorant and scandalous he doing his duty as well as he may in preparing them in the want of Church discipline These I dare boldly affirme are the main things asserted in that little despised piece which with a sober spirit the Author hath soberly discussed and cleared from the common exceptions made against it by men of different mindes for which his pains first and last I verily beleeve the Church of God in England have great cause to be thankfull to the Lord of the harvest for sending such a faithfull plain-hearted labourer amongst us the sweet temperature of his spirit so adorned with wisdome charity and such a peaceable frame bespeaks him taught of God the true sense of his will in his holy Scriptures rather then his reproachers 1. Touching the visible Church what evill hath he done in asserting it to consist of men making a profession of faith in Christ Wherein doth he dissent from the most orthodox writers in all ages in judging the Church of England a true Church It is confessed by the adversaries and also that a parochiall congregation where the Word is truly preached and the Sacraments administred according to order being a part of the whole is a true Church likewise And this is also confessed by these Gentlemen for they grant that our parochiall Churches are true Churches in a large sense and that is enough as to this and so I hope there is no evill in this first position 2. For the next thing by him asserted namely that all of years in a parish being baptized come under the obligation of all Christs commands it is proved by the text before cited Mat. 28.19 20. And that in order to the Lords Supper Do this in remembrance of me is a known duty belonging to every particular member of the Church in common with all other parts of the worship and service of God And is it then profane reasoning to urge Church members to do their duty and homage in this particular more then in all others To this these Gentlemen have said but little that I can finde to take off what is urged by Mr. H. As for that of the Passeover Mr. H.
duties are common and universall to all of the same relations and sex And what though it be not the duty of all Church members to preach and administer Sacraments yet it is the duty of all Ministers what ever so to do But Mr. H. argument is If all other service lie in common it is an intrenchment upon the common liberty to put an inclosure upon the Sacraments And if the Sacrament come under the obligation of the first Table as a part of Gods worship it is equally binding to all and so in common with the rest of worship notwithstanding any thing yet made out to the contrary It is true affirmative precepts do not binde to every moment of time but that will not justifie a carelesse and wilfull neglect at any time And whereas it is said that Church members are not bid absolutely to come but so to come it seems strange to me I had thought that all precepts of worship had been absolute to persons of years in the Church of Christ And do this in remembrance of me is absolute and the principall duty however the Doctor is pleased to call it carnall Divinity and a setting up the form above the power of worship For in every duty there is a forme which is heedfully to be observed and it 's impossible there should be the power of godlinesse without the form To obey the voyce of God in regard of the matter injoyned seems to be the main as respecting reasonable man and when there is an externall conformity to the commands of the Lord such are said to walk in the waies of the Lord failings in the manner there will still be both good and bad are under a necessity of failings and miscarriages in every thing which is to be imputed to the common frailty of man fallen But not 〈◊〉 what God commands at all is voluntary rebellion and that which the Scriptures most usually threaten severe judgements unto But I hope the Doctor doth not mean that the celebration of the Lords Supper is the form and self-examination the power which yet he seems to do by his exceptions against making receiving to be the principal the other but an accessary To which exceptions I say First that this duty of examination of our selves is a private duty and the private is subordinate to the publick Secondly This duty was prescribed occasionally as a remedy to that particular case of making a breach upon the materials of divine institution and order and therefore a means to further them in the right observance of the Supper and we may most safely say the end is most principall the means lesse Besides where the duty ceaseth in some respects it is not to be urged in those respects but it 's clear there is not the same reason for point of offending in the Church of England as there was at Corinth about the Administration of the Sacrament the work of our congregations demeaning themselves more reverently and orderly in a way sutable to the carrying on of that service in regard of the externall part according to the rule of institution And therefore that duty is not to be urged upon ours with the same necessity of danger of eating and drinking unworthily as to the Church of Corinth It is true their ignorance and not discerning of the Lords body represented by the instituted signs was the cause of all their other miscarriages But some may say Object Doth it not therefore follow that the ignorant amongst us do necessarily run upon the same danger of miscarriage I answer Solut. we know they do not for ours many of them rather erre on the other hand by putting too much holinesse in the consecrated elements then by using them as common things such hath been the education of the most every where that they conceive this Sacrament to be a most holy ordinance of God appointed for the good of their souls And therefore out of fear and reverence they do demean themselves orderly and regularly conform to the externals of the institution Had the Corinthians come up to that conformity of Sacramentall actions and order that ours generally do we should not have read of their punishment for unworthy receiving as I humbly conceive nor of their being urged so to come for that principall duty is not to be neglected though through carelesnesse the other be But then saith the Doctor It is a sen to disswade men from doing their duty Object be they never so vile To which I say Solut. the Doctor knowes there be other waies to reform such enormities He instances in perswading to forbear duties of homage and worship but not only Mr. H. but many other sober Christians Ministers and others judge that all the visible subjects of Christs Kingdome are under the obligation of his commands And do this in remembrance of me is one not to be restrained to sex sunction or any particular relations but to be observed in common by all the baptized of years under Church indulgence And if the Doctor hath any thing further to say that may give satisfaction in that point my self and others will be very thankfull 9. And so I come to the last Querie propounded namely whether there be any thing in the nature language actions or end of the Sacrament in that place of the Corinths or elsewhere incongruous to the actuall receiving of the unregenerate in the Church Before I come to answer directly to the Querie I shall lay down these six propositions 1. I conceive that Sacraments in generall and this in particular were instituted for the spirituall good of the visible Church of Christ comprehensively taken in which every particular member is included 2. That the visible Church of Christ consists of persons regenerate and unregenerate professing the true religion and their seed 3. That the unregenerate in the Church are the only proper and immediate objects of the most sundamentall promises in the Gospell Covenant of the giving the first grace 4. That the whole administration of the Covenant belongs to those in the Church that are the immediate objects of the absolute promises in the Covenant they being of years of discretion to use the same in order to the Lords putting the promises into execution and performance 5. That whom the promises of grace do respect to them the use of the Sacraments do belong Sacraments being visible representations of the death and bloud of Christ on which those promises of grace are founded and by which they are confirmed 6. That those in the Church and of years whom we cannot exclude from covenant relation we may not exclude from the Sacraments they being visible seales and pledges of Covenant love to that people that are in possession of Covenant administrations of divine Ordinances of worship as ours are These being truths as I conceive they all are I think it will follow that there is nothing in the Word against the receiving of the unregenerate in the Church being of years
committing of some grosse and scandalous sinne is made by God an occasion of conversion shall any take warrant therefrom to commit scandalous sins c. To all which I answer That all which he hath to that purpose is argued from meer mistakes he taking for granted all along that the unregenerate in the Church do necessarily eat and drink unworthily in the Apostles sense whereas I conceive the contrary hath been already fully declared And therefore it would be well if he would see his mistake and alter his judgement that others might not be in danger of being misled by him In the mean time what he hath charged Mr. H. with in point of excommunication untruly may be retorted upon himself justly It is a cruell assertion a bloudy tenent c. And that not only in his depriving many souls of the benefit and spirituall good of so blessed an ordinance but in his detracting also from the goodnesse grace and power of God in that ordinance as if Christ had appointed it in the Church rather for the hurt then for the spirituall good of his visible subjects they partaking thereof conformly according to their present capacity Object But then saith the Doctor If it be a convering ordinance we may administer the Sacrament to the Heathen to convert them to Christianity for if it will convert those in the Church that have but the form to the power of Religion then it will sure convert the Heathen at least to the form if it will do the greater much more the lesser To this I answer Solution That an argument drawn from the greater to the lesser must be of things of the same kinde and so of men under an equall capacity else it will not hold I can throw a stone over a house can I therefore throw a feather this is lesse then the other and yet though the same arme and strength be put forth it will not do it The fallacy of the argument lies in this That there is not the same capacity of receiving good by the Sacrament in both the formall professing Christian is not in such an incapacity of receiving good by that ordinance as the Heathen are We know that to Heathens that never heard of Christ or at least do not acknowledge him their redeeming Lord so as to come under his Lawes no not so much as Baptisme the outward elements are but meer civill things And they might be easily perswaded to take and eat of those elements of Bread and Wine in order to the good of their bodies but not for the good of their souls before they own Christ to be their Lord Redeemer and Saviour till then they know not what these things mean But those among us educated in the true Religion do acknowledge Christ their redeeming Lord and they do know in some measure what these things of God mean so that the Sacrament in an ordinary way may work some proper effect upon the one but can have none upon the other without a miracle Besides it is clear enough that as no uncircumcised persons were to enter into the Sanctuary or to eat of the Passeover so no unbaptized person is to partake of the holy Supper in that Communion Were there the like ground of denying the Sacrament to the ignorant and scandalous persons under Church indulgence that there is of denying it to infidels this controversie had been at an end before this time It cannot be denyed but excommunication is appointed in the Church to convert and reduce the obstinate and wilful sinners therein doth it therefore follow that we may exercise this means of conversion to Heathens out of the Church What can be more absurd Nay what have we to do to judge them that are without 1 Cor. 5.12 The Doctor knowes well enough that different premises will not bear the same conclusions and the truth is for want of making premises equall according to Scripture presidents we have run upon false conclusions to instance in some 1. Because we finde in Scripture the distinction of beleever and unbeleever used to distinguish the Church from the World how commonly is the same used to make a distinction in the Church amongst us who in Scripture sense are all beleevers for it is evident that an unbeleever in the Scripture sense is either a Pagan infidell or an unbeleeving Jew that absolutely renounces Christ under the notion of a false Christ a deceiver a devill c. refusing to obey his Lawes or to expect salvation by him 2. Because we finde that these unbeleevers are under wrath Aliens from the common-wealth of Israel strangers to the Covenants of promise without hope and without God in the world Ephes 2.12 Which was true of the Ephesians before they received the Gospell that therefore the unregenerate in the Church are under the same condition though they beleeve in a true sense though not sincerely and are under the Covenant and persons to whom the adoption and the giving of the Law and the service of God pertains as once to the Jewes Rom. 9.4 34. finding warrant in the word to separate from the Infidell and idolatrous world especially in matter of worship therefore they conclude we must separate our selves from the unregenerate in the Church 4. Because we finde that some beleevers have by their unworthy and undecent behaviour in time of administration profaned the Sacrament to their own perill and judgement therefore we conclude First That those whose persons are unworthy as not being regenerate eat and drink unworthily Secondly That some other unworthy actions of Christians committed before their comming to the Sacrament renders them uncapable of worthy receiving and consequently renders them liable to judgement therein 5. Because we finde in the Scripture some excommunicated for foul and scandalous sins and blasphemous opinions therefore we conclude we may exercise Church censures for any sin even for omission of such duties as are dubious whether injoyned in the word or no but I have done with these false conclusions There is one objection more which the Doctor makes against Mr. H. Free Admission to which I desire to speak something The objection is this Object That Mr. H. Free Admission strengthens the hands of the wicked by promising them lies in the Name of the Lord and makes sad the hearts of the righteous whom God would not have made sad by their profaning the ordinance c. And this he endevours to back with the language of the Sacrament or words which the Minister uses in the delivering of the Sacrament to particular persons by his words and action giving and tendring Christ and all his benefits of grace and glory to the wicked as well as to the godly the which grace and glory the Sacraments are appointed to assure and confirm c. When as in the preaching of the word it is farre otherwise the Minister therein not dispensing the same to all alike but preaching comfort to whom comfort belongs and terrour to whom
Churcher All the Churches of the Gentiles were not only converted to the faith by the Apostles but also put into an holy order and way by ordaining them officers to rule and feed them in the Lord. And as it was in the Jewes Church under Moses and the Prophets there was a receiving of Proselytes aliens converted and they became Jewes by religion so it was in the times of the Apâ—stles they made nations and cities and countreys proselytes and they became Christians with the Jewes and there was but one law rule and way for all that wâ—â—e imbodied into the Church And there was graâ—â—ing int◠〈…〉 off from the same Church still all along to this day I have been too long in this but I will be shorter in the next Fifthly that the Church of Christ since the coming of Christ in the flesh is under the same and in some respects greater â—riviledges then under Mâ—ses and the Prophets This will appear to be a truth if we conâ—â—der thâ—â— Jesus Christ is and ever was the mâ—â—â—ting â—â—ule of all blessings and privilâ—dges unto the Church in all times and ages of the world that the Church hath ever been in possession or expectation of On the account of his transaction with the Father all the promises of covenant blessings of grace and glory made to Abraham and his seed are founded and thereby confirmed and so consequently to all that are of his faith for so saith the Apostle They that are of the faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham even all the Gentiles that receive the Doctrine of faith so as to initiate them into that Church of which Abraham was the father it being first formed up in his family and the Govenant freely made with him and sealed to him by the Sacrament of Circumcision I say all that are of Abrahams faith are blessed with him Hence it is that the Apostle to the Ephesians hath many expressions to the same purpose Chap. 1.3 Blessed be God who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in Christ And in the second chapter it is clearly intimated that there was a time while they were in their state of Paganisme that they were Aliens from the Common wealth of Israel strangers from the Covenants of promise without hope and without God in the world But now saith he you that were afar off are made nigh by the bloud of Christ Ephes 2.11 12 13. But now in Christ Jesus you are of the Commonwealth of Israel children of the Covenants and Promises and have as much interest hope of good from God through Christ as the Jewes who by descent were the naturall seed of Abraham And therefore were now no more strangers and foreiners but fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God vers 19. The reason of all is Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for ever in spirituall things as to the Church and their seed And therefore he is said to be the Minister of circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the promises made to the fathers and that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercies Rom. 15.8 9. as being made sharers in all those promises of free grace made to the fathers and their naturall seed Nay we may observe how the Apostles do usually apply the severall promises in the Prophets to particular cases in the Churches of Christ in their times But it may be asked Quest what were the priviledges of the Jewes Church under Moses and the Prophets The Law of the Passeover did oblige all the congregation of Israel upon their lives to observe it in the season Our Supper of the Lord is the same to us that the Passeover was to them for the substance as hath been proved having the same meaning and end The people of the Jewes as mixt as ours are if not worse in respect of good and bad regenerate and unregenerate and so as uncapable to make a spirituall use thereof The Church under the Law and the Prophets before the coming of Christ in the flesh and since the same which Jesus Christ and his Apostles only reformed in point of externall administration first owned by the Jewes unto which Church so reformed all beleeving Gentiles are added and graffed into it as the stock and so partake of the same spirituall and externall priviledges with them they and their seed so long as they continue to adhere and cleave to the outward means of salvation in order to that end and from these premises will follow these conclusions First that the same obligation lies now upon all Christians to observe the Ordinance of the holy Supper that did lie upon the whole congregation of Israel to observe the Ordinance of the Passeover and the Law of the Passeover may teach us so much and in some respect is still in force For so long as the equity and reason of a command or law remains the command and law it self remains for the substance of it but the equity and reason of that command concerning the Passeover still remains in respect of the Lords Supper succeeding in the room of the Passeover and therefore should guide and direct us in the administration thereof as touching the subjects or persons that ought to receive And then secondly if all that were in the Church of the Jewes came under the obligation of all the commands of God to that Church respecting the members in common and that both good and bad then all that are grassed into the same Church come under the obligation of all the Lawes given to the same Church and respecting the members in common now as well as then even all good and bad Thirdly the same exceptions that which all as he hath stated the thing are bound to observe I need not stand upon this Answ because I have already been somewhat large upon that Scripture where they say the Apostle requires such qualifications in my former discourse to which I reserre the reader Yet because these men have something which the Doctor hath not I shall hint a little at something of theirs I must confesse I judge the main stresse of the controversie to lie in that eleventh chapter of the first to the Corinthians And there need be no question but the Corinthians were injoyned by the Apostle to observe this ordinance of the holy Supper in remembrance of Christ for vers 2. he commends them for remembring him in all things and keeping the ordinances as he delivered them to them So that their keeping and observing of this ordinance as well as the other as to the thing it self was well done by them but then when he speaks to their miscarriages about the manner of performance he praises them not but reproves them for their wofull abuse of the ordinance in their excesse disorderly and unreverent behaviour in the very act of receiving or while they were together for that end They made a breach upon the very externals of that service using the
and live unto him according to the grace they have received from him 3. That the scandalous in the Church are to be dealt with under the notion of offending brethren whom they that are spirituall ought by private admonitions and Christian counsell and wise and seasonable reproofs to restore in the spirit of meeknesse Gal. 6.1 And the person or sin of any member not to be nominated in publick while there is any reasonable hope in charity of amendment by the private means provided the offence be not already publick and infamous to all in that case I think though the offender be penitent and ashamed yet he ought to be rebuked before all that the rest may fear and the congregation be satisfied And that it is only in case of obstinacy and hating to be reformed notwithstanding all possible means used by the Church for their reformation that the authoritative act of excommunication is to be issued out against any member The Apostle did more often threaten and shake the rod then make use of it The administration of publick censures should be carried on with that solemnness and mourning over the offender that might shew a reall unwillingnesse to put the same in execution if any other means would humble and break the heart of an obstinate transgressor And though there may be in the Church a readinesse to revenge all wilfull disobedience yet a readinesse to forgive also as they shall see cause 4. That none ought to usurpe the power of the keyes of Christs visible Kingdome or take upon them the power of stewards and to be Judges of Christs subjects that have not a clear warrant in the Word for the same lest they be judged For my part I must confesse I utterly reject as impious and against all rule and order for the common members to claim an interest in the exercise of the keys either of Doctrine Sacraments or Discipline save only to be obedient in declining familiarity with those that are justly excommunicated and all communion with them in worship and to be witnesses to attest what they know against an offending brother when it is necessary to prove the fact and conviction of his obstinacy I professe I wonder that any acquainted with the holy Scriptures should plead for any other power to be allowed to any of the common members I cannot see how this should be but that some men drive on designes of their own factious framing rather to hinder the setting up of discipline then any way to advance it What dismall divisions separations and confusions what prejudices heart-burnings and bitternesse do such practises every where necessarily occasion between Pastours and their people while the better part must withdraw from the rest and set up Discipline among themselves chuse their own officers and use a language beyond the ordinary and think they are in a fine posture when alasse they are out of their station and all they do is but erecting waies of their own chusing and setting up altars to sin some of Jeroboams craft to keep the people from worshipping at Jerusalem And the truth is members that separate from the body are not like to live long What strange exorbitances very often are the consequences of such uncharitable zealous waies And how can it be avoided if the power of the keys reside in the common brotherhood but the major part of a parochiall congregation may chuse their own officers set up Discipline and judge in the Church and what reformation is then like to follow may easily be imagined Doubtlesse all Church members as such stand upon a levell in point of externall priviledges for we do not finde different priviledges of those that are members of the same Church planted together into the same visible body by baptism and so by consequence women and children ignorant and scandalous persons shall have power to judge the rest nay they may create and ordain their own officers and consequently take upon them all Gospell administrations for if the keys reside in them originally so that they may make Ministers c. then they themselves are much more such and may do the works they are to do The effect cannot be greater then the cause But they will say Object the power of the keys resides not in all but in worthy and compleat Church-members or beleevers that have the spirit of sanctification c. I know no such distinction in the Word of God Answ Look upon the Church of the Jewes they were a holy nation a kingdome of Priests a peculiar and royall people in generall without distinction of worthy and unworthy compleat and incompleat And doth not the Apostle Peter use the same words and apply them to the scattered strangers embracing Christianity 1 Pet. 2.9 And doth not the Apostle give equall titles to all those to whom he writes and to all in every place that call upon the name of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 1.1 2 3. If we never read of any such distinction in Moses and the Prophets nor finde any such used by Christ or his Apostles why should any plead for it in our congregations but that they would see more then all that ever were before them But the keyes were given to the twelve as beleevers Object and that which is given to them as such is given to the whole kinde of beleevers in the world Solut. That the twelve were impowered with the keyes of Christs Kingdom is beyond all dispute and that they were beleevers when they received that power is as certain but that the Lord Jesus gave the keyes to them as such is denyed And they might as well say they were given to them as men for they were men when they received them But the truth is that though there were many Disciples and beleevers beside the twelve yet of his meer good pleasure he gave the keyes of his Kingdome to the twelve only not to the rest that beleeved as well as they He hath set some in the Church Apostles Pastours and Teachers not all And we know the twelve by vertue of that authority received preached and baptized and ordered all the affairs of Christs Kingdome during their age they planted severall Churches and ordained them Elders and Deacons they were the instruments for the propagation of the Gospell in almost all places Doubtlesse after Jesus Christ had received all power in heaven and earth he put the twelve only in commission to build his Church and they ordained Elders and Deacons and gave order to some others as Timothy and Titus to ordain and directed them also to commit the same power to able and sit men in after ages to teach others c. And in the seven Churches of Asia the Angell of every Church is writ unto and blamed or commended according as they demeaned themselves in their places in opposing errour or cleaving to the truth But we never finde that the common brotherhood or membership were impowered with the keys either by
Christ or by his Apostles or any that drived authority immediately from them and therefore they have it not at all and to intrude themselves and assume unto themselves things of such an high nature is a most insolent boldnesse and they may fear to perish in the gainsaying of Corah and his company 5. I cannot conceive how there should be any true discipline practised in our Churches without the speciall assistance countenance and power of the civill Magistrate as the state of things are in England For almost all of all sorts are either carelesse or impatient or erroneous and not willing to come under discipline And although these Gentlemen say it is our own fault and why do we not set upon it beginning with the minor part yet this is very ill nay absurdly advised For as I said before I beleeve I shall never see true discipline exercised in the Church of England untill the Lord so move upon the hearts of our Rulers as to make them instrumentall to put the Church into that capacity which ordinarily cannot be without a nationall assembly of learned grave moderate and godly Divines chosen if possible by the whole and carryed on without tumult And that a profession of faith if not already done may be so clearly drawn up in respect of fundamentals in doctrine and worship according to evident rules of holy Scripture as may be established to be the publique profession of the Nation which all whatsoever should with peaceable spirits submit unto And also that the subjects of the keyes in a nationall Church may be more clearly determined and liberty of conscience better stated and bounded that the reformation of the whole may grow up together at least in all the externals of Christian obedience Otherwise how shall discipline be practised if carnall and loose Christians shall be left at liberty whether they will come under it or no Now I say while they are within the visible Church and Kingdome of our Lord Jesus and professe his Name in hope of eternall life why should they not submit to all his Lawes as the way and means appointed of that blessed end And the same grounds that do warrant the restraining offenders from evill and the forcing of them to do their duty in reference to some of the Lawes of Christ do warrant the doing of the like in reference to all the rest of his royall Lawes What is more sutable then that they that reign and rule only by Jesus Christ should put forth their power and improve all their interest for the advancing of Christs Scepter over all I confesse these Gentlemen have some unhappy expressions questioning our Church members because as they say the main instruments of bringing them to the true Religion in England were such as carryed it on by a civill power when the outward calling ought to be by the word only which the most of our common people never had they say Answ 1. I wish our Governours had that holy and grounded zeal for the reformation of what is amisse now in the Church that our first reformers expressed in point of reformation in their generation 2. We must distinguish of a twofold state of Church membership or the way of bringing people to be Church members 1. Aliens of years are to be discipled and called by the Word before they may be baptized and received into the Church and so it was in the Apostles first planting of Churches But 2. The seed of persons so called are by vertue of the Gospell Covenant members borne and upon that account are baptized and when they come to years are as much under the obligation of all holy observances as those that are called by the word So it was in the Church of the Jewes in respect of all that were circumcised so that Church membership is and may be pleaded from birth priviledge Gal. 2.15 We who are Jewes by nature c. 3. Our first reformers did not force Heathens to receive and professe the Protestant Religion but reduced baptized erring Christians unto that obedience and reformation which their Baptisme and profession did oblige and ingage them unto according to the examples of godly Kings and Prophets amongst the Jewes in case of defection and irregularity I might produce divers instances of this holy and religious care and zeal in reforming but those that are acquainted with the Scripture can remember the histories of them And orthodox Divines do generally hold that the Baptisme of a Papist is valid and need not be repeated And it need not be doubted but upon that ground the King of Spain or the French King if the Lord should give them a heart throughly convinced of and affected with the truth might reduce their subjects if they were able to that conformity to the Lawes of Jesus Christ which their Baptisme doth oblige them to Rome it self upon such a reformation might become a true visible Church without any repeating either of the ordination of their Ministers or their Baptisme Were all that superfluity of naughtinesse from time to time contracted in Doctrine worship and discipline purged out and all administrations made conformable to the Lawes of Jesus Christ as it was with them for some hundreds of years from the Apostles times we could not tell what to object against them but might have communion with them Say that we heretofore were a member of Rome received all sacred ordinances from them having now repented of the evils and abominations which the holy things of Christ were polluted with and reformed them according to the institution what can be objected against us though we were put in possession of the ordinances of Christ by means of the civill power 4. If an argument drawn from successe be of any force in any case surely in supernaturall and spirituall events above any other and we are not left without innumerable evidences of the divine operations upon the souls of many in our Nation through the blessing of the Lord upon the use of those holy administrations of the Covenant which our first reformers with zeal care and power brought our fathers under blessed be God for this unspeakable gift This for the fifth thing proposed concerning discipline 6. The sixth and last is this That holy discipline is so to be ordered that the edification of all may be best furthered and preserved and the objects of Church censures may be healed rather then hurt by them Sometimes the Church must rebuke some that the rest may fear and sentence some few most notorious offenders when many deserve the same punishment rather then indanger the peace union and edification of the Church punish and chastise what they can with the health and safety of the whole and with patience bear and forbear when the remedy is like to prove worse then the disease Lawfull things are not alwaies expedient nor consist with charity It is a good saying of Cyprian mentioned by Calvin Let the Church mercifully correct what they