Name of God I will blesse thy Name saieth hee IT is not without great cause that he mentioneth here the NAME of God For clearing of this wee shall shew you shortly first what is meaned by his Name 2. How great a ground this is to us of praise and blessing For the first A name properlie is not the thing it self which is named but is without it signifying representing and manifesting it Now God who in himself is hid cannot be manifested to us but by his works and word whereby we attaine to the knowledge of him that knowledge of him or rather himself or his divine perfections as they are made known and discovered to us is called his Name When he doth the works of Almightie power wee call him Omnipotent When he doeth the works of Iustice wisdom goodnes c. wee call him just wise good c. And of all these is made up his dreadfull glorious and blessed Name which he hath amongst men So that the Name which God hath amongst us lyeth first inwrapped in his works and from thence by the knowledge and due esteeme of them is convoyed to our hearts whence againe it is published and proclaimed everiewhere To this purpose the Lord being to declare his Name to Moses Exod. 34. 6. The LORD The LORD GOD mercifull gracious long suffering and aboundant in goodnesse and truth Keeping mercie for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin c. Thus the Name of Christ Iesus in whom God was reconciling the world to himself is called Isai 9. 6. Wonderfull Counsellour the mighty God c. and Jerem. 23. 6. his name is called IEHOVA The Lord our Righteousnesse Let us now come to the second point and consider how great a ground of comfort and praise this Name is First it is so great a ground of comfort and consequently of praise that no grace is bestowed upon us nor promise of it made unto us but for this Names sake The Name of God is the originall root and spring out of which all flow and into which all are resolved It is of his goodnesse mercie which is his Name that he promiseth any thing to us and it is of his trueth and power which also belong unto his Name that these promises are accomplished Hence DAVID Psal 25. IT For thy Names sake O Lord pardon mine iniquity for it is great Secondly As wee can have no good but for and through his Name so in it and by it all goodnesse is to be had There is in it infinite sufficiencie of comfort against all our distresses wants and temptations if wee know it beleeve in it and call upon it Are thou perplexed with thy sinnes look upon the Name of God Exod. 34. This is a part of it The Lord God mercifull Hee is the Lord God and therefore able to forgive Hee is Mercifull therfore willing But it may be thou will say thy sinnes have made thee most unworthy of any favour Looke againe upon his Name Hee is Gracious and aboundant in goodnes saieth it Thy sinnes do not so abound but his grace goodnesse superabound If thou say thou hast continued long in sin and often relapsed Look to his Name there is comfort in it against this also Hee is long-suffering and slow to wrath In a word whatsoever be the heinousnesse of thy sinnes whatsoever the circumstances yet there is comfort in his Name and a ground of the hope of pardon for his Name beareth That he keepeth mercy beside him as it were in treasure forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Needest thou refreshment as well as pardon Look to his Name as it is elswhere descrived Hee is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort Who comforteth us in all our tribulations Would thou have peace The God of peace is his name also Would thou have grace to heale thy corruptions Hee is the God of all grace Would thou have wisdome to direct thee Hee is the Father of Lights All this belongeth to his Name In likemanner if wee look to the Name of Christ in whom and for whose sake all good is bestowed upon us by God wee shall find all manner of comforts His Name is The Prince of peace and according to it able to give us tranquillity in all out troubles His Name is the mighty God accordingly He is able to save us to the uttermost though there be nothing but troubls without and terrours within Would thou have his Image renewed in thee Hee is the Everlasting Father A Father to beget his Likenesse in us and Everlasting to preserve it in us To give us wisdome he is the Counsellour and he is Wonderfull to work in us and for us beyond all that we can ask or think even to wonderment and admiration And if our sinnes disquiet us Hee is IEHOVA our Righteousnesse The righteousnesse that is in him is ours aswel ours to save us trusting in him as his to glorifie him Thus we see what matter of unspeakable comfort we have in the name of God as he is God as he is the father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him our Father When all other comforts faile us yet in this Name comfort is to be found IT falleth out somtimes with the godly that they are not sensible of that former comfort of the assurance of Gods favour They cannot bee perswaded of it neither of the truth and sinceritie of the graces of God in them they find not that delyte which before they had in prayer or in other meanes yet when all failleth we find the Name of the Lord to be a strong Tower Proverb 18. 10. and the Righteous flee to it and are saved Yee know the use of a Tower is that when all other fortifications are taken and forsaken when the wals are scaled and houses left men flee to it as to the last refuge so when wee are beleggered with troubles without and terrours within when wee are forced to quite all other holds grounds of comfort yet have we Gods Name to flee unto as to a strong Tower Whatsoever be our distresse we may say to him O Lord there is mercy power with thee that is thy Name In Iesus there is Righteousnesse even our righteousnesse that is his Name And thou hast commanded us to call on thy Name in the time of our trouble To this Altar I flee I take hold on the hornes of it if I perish here will I perish So yee see the Name of God is a most soveraigne ground of comfort Whence DAVID saieth to God Psal 9. 10. They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee And the Apostle Rom. 10. 13. out of the PROPHET Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall the saved Great reason therfore have we to praise blesse it and that for ever and ever This much of the object of DAVIDS praise wee come now to the praise
do the like We profane his Name his Word and other holy Ordinances by the wickednesse of our lives we contemne misregard the greatnes of all his perfections and carry our selves toward him as if there were no greatnes in him at all and so leade others to the like contempt and misregard what a lamentable 〈…〉 this in man All the works of God praise him in their own kinde The heavens declare the glory of the Lord and the firmament sheweth forth his handie work and so it is with the rest of the works of God only man amongst these visible creatures faileth in this dutie albeit of all others hee be most bound God hath made him alone according to his own Image hath loaded him with infinite blessings and all for this end that he should set forth the praises of him Who hath called him out of darknes to his marvellous light His obliedgement to God is many wayes infinite therfore his unthankfulnes is most worthy of infinite wrath punishment Iustly therfore is the wrath of God revealed now against wicked and unthankfull man We will not take the cup of salvation and call upon his Name with praise therfore he justly presenteth unto us the cup of his furie yea the wicked shall drink the dreggs of it hereafter even Everlasting pain which shall make them so drunk and mad that they shall curse themselves and blaspheme God himself This much of the duty mentioned by the PROPHET Beside this wee may learne from the consideration of Gods infinite Greatnesse First That in him alone wee ought to seek the satisfaction contentment of all the desires of our hearts Nothing can be desired by us which is not in him and in him most perfectly All good is in him all truth all beauty all honour and dignitie all power and strength all riches and treasures all joy and comfort all peace and blesse and eternall life which comprehendeth in it That which the eye hath not seen the eare hath not heard and hath not entered in the heart of man to understand So there is in him that which is able fully to satisfie all our desires Why sufferest thou then thine heart to go a-whoring after the creatures all the good whereof is as but a shadow and vanitie when compared with that good which is in him If a man weâ— sitting under a most fruitfull tree where he might have aboundance of most delightsome fruits if he would but look up and stretch out his hand would hee not be thought mad if neglecting this he shall look only to the shadow of the fruits upon the ground follow after it Far greater madnesse is it to follow after that shadow of Gods perfections which is in the creatures when thou might enjoy that true that solide and eternall good that is in God if thou would but look up to him and stretch out the hand of thy soule to lay hold upon him If we had that all which is in this world have not him we have no more but a dreame of happinesse but if we have him suppose wee had nothing else wee should find in him true and solide blesse Let therefore all the desires of our heart bend to this great God the onely center wherein they will find rest Thus David psal 27. 4. One thing I have desired and that I will seek after that I may see the beauty of the Lord all the dayes of my life and enquire in his holy temple And againe psal 73. Whom have I in heaven but thee and in earth there is nothing that I desire besides thee Thou art the strength of my heart my portion for ever Hence our Saviour said to Martha though bâ—ssied in serving himself Martha Martha thou are troubled about many things leaving that good part which shall not be taken away namly to sit at Christs feet to heare his word that our souls may enjoy him But it may be yee will say There is none of us who desireth not God and the enjoying of that great goodnesse which is in him I Ans If thy desire were sincere and true it would bee effectuall that is it would make thee to do all that thou canst for the obtaining of them As in naturall things That inclination which they have to that which giveth them rest perfection maketh them to break through all impediments if they bee able Thus a stone if it had power should break thorow the very earth till it came to the center so if our desire of God were true and sincere wee should do all that is possible unto us for finding of him Now through his grace nothing is impossible and therfore nothing should withold us from him Secondly From the consideration of this infinite greatnesse of God wee may learne that it is a most high and honourable thing to serve him The greater any King is his service is the more honourable Now God is infinitlie greater then any earthly Monarch and therefore his service is far more glorious then that of any earthly Prince Yea it is more honourable to serve him then to reigne in this world For to bee set over men is lesse then to be conjoyned with God to have accesse to his presence that we may present our sutes to him to enjoy his familiaritie and to receive favours from him Hence DAVID who was a king over a mighty people gloried not in that but in this that he was the servant of God I am thy servant saieth he I am thy servant c. And againe I had rather hee a doore keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tents of wickednesse Thirdly This Greatnesse of God should teach us to carry our selves before him in all reverence humility The greater any King is the more he should be reverenced God therefore who is infinitly great is worthy of infinite reverence if it were possible Hence Abram though it pleased God to use him very familiarly said to him Behold I am but dust and ashes and I have taken upon mee to speak unto my Lord. Yea the most glorious spirits the Ceraphims in acknowledgement of his greatnes of their own smalnes nullity cover their faces before him saying Holy holy holy is the Lord God of hosts c. How much more becometh it us vile and sinfull creatures to humble our selves before this infinite Majestie Of our selves we have no good can do none All the good we have is of God that hath joyned with it in us manifold corruptions and miseries Now wee are in health and incontinent sick againe now in joy and incontinent cast down with sorrow now we live incontinent our breath goeth out wee are filled with terrours within and environed with troubles without and exposed to a thousand dangers How vile then should wee bee in our own eyes especially when wee come into the presence of this infinitly great King when he vouchsafeth
is this Peace that is promised here you will say It is not the outward or wordly Peace for this promise is made to men compassed about with worldly troubles and calamities The Church in this song professeth so much her self O Lord our God say they Vers 13. other Lords besids thee haue had dominion over us and againe Like as a woman with child that draweth near the time of her delivery is in pain crieth out in her pangs so have we been in thy sight O Lord We haue been with childe we have been in paine we have as it were brought forth winde we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen So by the way ye may remarke that the people of God notwithstanding of this promise hath not alwayes that outward Peace and Plentie which follow it Our Saviour Ioh. 16. telleth his disciples That though they should haveâ— peacâ— in him yet in the world they should have tribulation So in the time of the Babylonish captivitie which the PROPHET looketh unto there appeared nothing but wrath and warr and blood and miserie in the words actions of God towards his people If the people of God rebell against him and vex his holy spirit Isa 63. He turneth in some sort their enemie fighteth against them If DAVID sinne against God He breaketh his bones turneth his moysture unto the drought of the summer IOB was a perfect man doing good eschewing euill yet when it pleased GOD to exercise hâ—â— that the graces wrought by his Spirit in him might appear be the more perfected He made his terrours to march in array against him and did write bitter things against him making him to possesse the sinnes of his youth Iob 13. He did write as it wer books against him drew as it were in his conscience the characters of his wrath Hence It followeth first that the outward trouble distresse of any people or of any man is not a sure argument that God hateth hath rejected them The Church in the 44. Psal Saieth Thou hast covered us in the place of dragons and hast covered us with the shadow of death For thy sake are we killed all the day and counted as sheep for the slaughter Yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsty in thy covenant Our hearts have not turned back neither have our steps declined out of thy way It is true that these outward troubles are comonly the effects of Gods anger against our sins but that standeth well with his love to our persons For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth Heb. 12. Hence the Church in the 7. of Micah 8. 9. 10. Rejoyce not over me O mine enemie when I fall I shall rise againe when I sit in darknesse the LORD shall be a Light unto me I will hear the indignation of the LORD because I have sinned against him untill he plead my cause execute Judgement for me and she that is mine enemie shall see it and shame shall cover her which said where is the LORD thy GOD. Secondly remarke If Gods own people be not exempted froÌ„ outward troubles and calamities what may the wicked look for If judgement beginne at the house of God what shall the end of them be who obey not the Gospell If it be so with Gods children who are the children of Peace what trouble and indignation shall be to them who are the children of disobedience wrath flatter not thy self therefore with thy present Peace wo to thee if thou continue in sinne and have not made thy Peace with God He hath whet his sword he hath bent his bow and hath made ready the instruments of death The time cometh wherein thou shalt find such terrour in his face that thou shalt wish the hils and mountains fal upon thee rather then that thou should be made to looke upon it All the creatures in like manner shall fight against thee to revenge the quarrell of God none of them contributing so much as a drop of water to quench the heat of thy tongue Now let us proceed and see what is the Peace here spoken of Since it is not the outward Peace as we have said and yet is a Peace promised to the Saints even in this life it must needs be the inward Peace and tranquillitie of the minde which they enjoy here This Peace is nothing else but such a state of the mind whereby it is so disposed that it is not shaken either with prosperitie or adversitie but being stayed on God hath Rest and repose in him whatsoever fall our eveÌ„ as the needle touched with the load stone resteth when it looketh to the North or as the earth or water rest when they come to their own place Of this Peace our Saviour speaketh when he saieth Ioh. 14. Peace I give you my Peace I leave with you This is that Peace of God which passeth understanding which keepeth our hearts minds in Christ Jesus It is so great a benefite that our understanding is not able to coÌ„prehend it It keepeth or guardeth as a buâ—wark our hearts minds our hearts that they turne not away from righteousnes or pietiâ— by any temptation or persecution our minds that they fal not away to errour and that in Christ Iesus that we may abide in him and be more and more joined to him It maketh us fit to discerne the trueth for it clears the minde which cannot see aright when the eye of it is troubled It giveth joy to the heart For a calme and peacable minde is a continuall feast It raiseth up in us confidence and magnanimitie As confidence be getteth peace so peace increaseth this confidence When a man considereth that he is at one with God hath him to be his friend Father who hath a most loving tender care of his children when I say a man considereth weigheth and believeth this hee committeth himself wholly to God that he will guide him aright in al his wayes and defend him against all his enemies Thus ye see what the peace is which here is meaned Now let us see whence it is Thou to wit O Lord saith the PROPHET will keep c. First It is the Lord alone who giveth and keepeth this peace in us Hence it is called The peace of God and he is called The God of peace To proclaime warre or peace hath been accounted the prerogative of Kings Now God is The King of kings Lord of lords and therefore to him alone belongeth to settle peace especially in the soule Hee is the Judge and therefore to him belongeth to pronunce this sentence of peace If a man be arraigned before a Judge his minde is not quieted though all the standers by encourage him and bid him be of good comfort till he heare absolution out of the mouth of the Judge So God is the supreame JUDGE of the World
have read out of all the foure Evangelists The unlearned unconsiderat READER might think That the Evangelists agree not well in relating this Historie but if wee compare them together wee shall find a very sweet harmony and that the cause of the apparent disagreement is only that one hath that which another wanteth Now according to them all this is the Historie Our LORD being arraigned before Cajaphas and his Councell the night before his death S. Peter having followed him to the HALL of the high Priest and having twice denyed him there is now the third time assaulted First about the space of an houre after his second deniall one cometh to him and affirmeth confidently or strongly as S. Luke telleth us and confirmeth his saying with this argument That he was of Galilee where Christ for the greatest part conversed and whence the greatest part of his disciples were By occasion of this some others standing by as S. Matth. and S. Mark importeth urge him in like manner Of a truth say they this fellow was with him for he is a Galilean and his speech bewrayeth him to be such an one There was but one language in the land of Canaan to wit the Syriack at that time but there was a diversitie in the pronunciation and manner of speech betwixt the Galileans and others as there is in our own or any other country betwixt them that are of diverse provinces Notwithstanding of all this S. Peter standeth to his deniall In the meane time There cometh a servant of the high Priest a kinsman of his whose care Peter had cut off as we learn from S. Iohn and he pressed the Apostle more perempterly Did I not see thee in the garden with him saieth he as if he would have said How darest thou refuse how canest thou deny Did I not see thee with these eyes of mine with him in the garden Here the Apostle being brought to a perempter perceiving himself to be in great danger and fearing that he should be arreigned aswell as his Lord and exposed to the cruelty of the Jews aswell as he hee is not content simply to deny him but he doeth it with oaths execrations swearing and cursing that he knew not the man that he did not so much as know what they said Now immediatly while hee is yet speaking the Cock croweth the second time as S. Mark telleth us and Jesus turning him about looked upon S. Peter Whereupon he remembred and called to minde the words of Jesus How hee had said Before the Cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice and thinking upon this he went out and wept bitterly This is the Historie in order In it there are two particulars chiefly considerable First his Fall or sin secondly his Rising or repentance For clearing the first Wee shall consider first his sin secondly the grievousnesse of it and Thirdly shall shew you what use should be made by us thereof But before we enter into these particulars yee are to understand that some have excused or extenuated this sin of Peter that either they thought it no sin or a very small one but this is well refuted by S Jerome If saieth he we affirme that Peter denied not Christ then we give Christ the lie who said Before the cock crow twice thou shalt deny mee thrice To this same purpose holy August in 66. Treatise upon Iohn If Christ spake trueth whereof to doubt is impietie then PETER indeed denied Christ Let us not accuse Christ saieth he to defend Peter let humane infirmitie acknowledge its sin for in him that was Trueth is self there could bee no lie S. Peter himself acknowledged both the sin and the grievousnesse thereof he refuteth his defenders his tears are witnesses against them Let us come now to the first point and consider his sin what it was First in that he denied the LORD he sinned against Trueth and that two wayes first because he denied that he knew him whom indeed he knew very well Secondly because hee break his promise to his Lord which was That he would not deny him though he should die for him 2. He sinned against faith For the commandement wherby we are tyed to beleeve bindeth us not only to beleeve inwardly but also outwardly to confesse For with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnes and with the mouth coÌ„fession is made unto salvation 3. He sinned by perjurie calling 〈◊〉 God and desiring him to bear witnes to his lie 4. He sinned by cursing and wishing all kinde of mischief to himself if he spake not trueth All these wayes he sinned in this his third deniall Now let us consider the grievousnesse of his sin For clearing of this point consider first That he many wayes offended before his deniall First there was in him too great confidence of himself and over-weeâ—ing of his own strength Hence when our Lord. Joh. 13. 36. Said Thou canst not follow me now he answered Lord why cannot I follow thee now I am ready to go with thee both to prison and to death and againe Though all men should â—e offended at thee yet I will never be offended Secondly there was a kind of misbeleeving the words of our Lord for he forewarned him of his fall and yet he would not take heed unto it Thirdly he neglected that commandement Watâ—h and pray that ye enter not into temptation For the spirit indeed is readie but the flesb is weak He was sleeping sound when he should have been watching and praying Fourthly when he followed Christ he followed him coldly a far off did not cleave to him neatly ferveÌ„tly as his true follower should have done Fiftly by entering into the HAL of the High Priest amongst his enemies he did cast himself into danger without necessity or any calling Thus many waies he procureth his own Fall which aggravateth his sin Secondly There are many things concurring in his sinne which doth greatly aggravate it First he not only denied Christ but also he denied him with oaths againe and again and not content with this he cursed and anathematized himself if it was not so as he said The word used in the original signifieth that he wisheth himself to be an Anathema which is as much as one that is accursed execrable and unworthy of the communion of good men and that is devoted and appointed for â—ell The word which the Syrian Interpreter useth signifieth to destroy and abolish in the old Testament coÌ„monly signifieth A thing devoted to God which cannot be redeemed but must needs be abolished and destroyed So the Apostle by this anathematizing or cursing wished all mischiefs to himself both to his body and soule which is no lesse then eternal condemnation Neither did hee simply curse this way but hee did it vehemently as the word used by S. Matth. importeth Suppose there had been no more This cursing was a grievous sin God oftentimes even in this life hath
hearers because of new they were againe instructed the mysteries of christian religion For it was presumed that they who had so grievously fallen had never rightly learned these heavenly mysteries and therefore were taught againe especially concerning the terrour of GODS Iudgements against sinne that they might the more willingly undergo what was injoyned them This done they were received to their repentance wherein for diverse years somtimes for seven more or lesse according to the greatnes of their offence they were exercised with most laborious works of humiliation and mortification TERTUL in the 9 chap. of his book of repentance saieth That they did humble themselves in sackcloth ashes they did lye prostrat upon the ground they did nowrish their prayers with fasting they did weep mourne and cry to GOD and did humblie beseech pastors and all faithfull people to pray for them S. CYPRIAN speaking of this same matter sayeth to them that had fallen That it behoved them to pray earnestly to passe over the day in sorrow to spend over the nights in mourning and teares to humble themselves in sackcloth aud ashes to despise the garment of the body since they had cast away the garment of Christ and to despise the food of the body since they had eaten at the table of the devil they thought not that such works of humiliation could merite any thing at the hand of GOD but they were injoyned as means appointed by GOD to promove unfeigned sorrow and detestation of their sinne which men after great faults especially do not ordinarly attaine unto without those exercises of fasting prayer and humiliation They were injoyned as means of mortifying those carnall lusts whereby they had been stirred up or whereby thereafter they might be stirred up to offend God and as expressions of their sorrow for their sinnes and just indignation against themselves because of their sinnes that so God through Christ might be moved to have pitty upon them that good christians might be assured of their unfeigned conversion and that all who did behold might be edified by their good example as they had been before offended by their fall When all this was done they were not yet admitted to the participation of the holy sacrament of the Body and Blood of our LORD but after a good space of time wherein they had given full proofe of the trueth and sincerity of their conversion Neither was it only those of the meaner sort who did subject thēselves to these ecclesiastical bonds two christian Emperours submitted themselves thereunto The first was Philip the first christian Emperour of whom ye may reade in the sixt book of Eusebius his ecclesiastical historie That when he would have come to the participation of the holy mysteries the bishop to wit Fabianus debarred him refusing to admitt him therunto because of his lowd life till he had made satisfaction by publick repentance which he yeelded unto The second was the glorious Emperour Theodosius He as ye may reade in the 5 book of Theodoret his ecclesiasticall historie 17. chap. after a great murther committed at Thessalonio◠by a rash commandement of his being come to Millane wher S. Ambrose was bishop and intending to enter into the Church and communicat was encountred by S. Awbrose without the Church who freely told him of the grievousnes of his sinne and that though he was an Emperour yet was subject to him who is the LORD of heaven and earth and that those whom he had killed were partakers of that same nature with him and made according to the Image of GOD aswel as he With what eyes saith he can thou behold this temple or how can thou trade upon this holy ground how can thou stretch out these hands embrued with blood or open that mouth which hath commanded so much innocent blood to be shed to receive the sacred Body and Blood of Christ depart therfore said he and adde not a new sinne unto thy former sinne but accept of these bonds wherewith he that is LORD over all hath commanded thee to be bound for these bonds have a power to put away the disease and to restore health unto thee againe The good Emperour hearkned unto him and returning did give himself to mourning and humiliation after he had been excercised thus eight moneths the feast of the nativitie of our Saivour was come in which he begane most grievously to mourne and weep being demanded of one of his chief courteours Ruffinus why he did so alace said he you understand not the evils wherein I am Servants and beggers have accesse to the House of GOD but I am debarred both from the Church Heaven For I remember that sentence of our Saviour Whatsoever ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven Afterward when he was admitted by S. Ambrose the historian saieth That when he entred into the Church he did not stand nor kneel praying but that he did fall down upon the ground saying these words of DAVID My soul cleaveth unto the dust quicken thou me according unto thy word and began to strick his face and to rive his hair and to water the ground with his teares If so great so glorious an Emperour disdained not in such a manner to submitt himself to ecclesiasticall censure is it not strange that every one almost now who is any thing in their own eyes disdaineth to embrace this remedie which Christ hath appointed for grievous offenders S. AUGUST speaking of this purpose saieth in the 49. Sermon of his book of fifty homiles Let no man say I will transact secretly betwixt God and my self I shall have sorrow in mine heart c. Then saieth he The keyes of the kingdome of heaven were given in vaine and in vaine it was said whatsoever yee binde on earth shall be bound in heaven Shal a Senator saieth he be ashamed to do that which the Emperour Theodosius did shall a craftsman or a merchant be ashamed to do that which so glorious an Emperour did I come now to the other sort of excommunication whereby men are bound This is the greater excommunication which is a most fearfull and dreadfull anathema eurse By it a man is wholly separated from the communion of the faithfull in meetings in prayers and in all other sacred fellowship such an one is fully cast out of the Church and cut off from the body of Christ as a rotten and corrupt member by reason wherof he is subjected to unspeakable evils For if he be so cut off from Christs Body he can no more be partaker while he is in that estate of the vitall and saving influence which cometh from Christ the HEAD Being separate from the Body of Christ he can no more have his Spirit then a member of the body cut off from the rest can be quickned with that soul which giveth life to the rest of the body and if a man have not the Spirit of Christ he is not his Such an one