the synagogue The Corinthians had the womens vaile in the congregation to signifie subjection and the kisse of peace to signifie love Other Christians had Agapae at the sacrament in the roome whereof the Christians offertory was brought in for pious uses to signifie that love they should have one to another So wee have standing at the beliefe to signifie that it is not a prayer and that wee are ready to confesse our faith kneeling at the commandements to signifie the honour we have to that God that gave it and that wee must be ready to dart up prayer for our obedience and kneeling at the sacrament to signifie an humble acknowledgement of Gods love for so great a benefit And doe wee and all these saints before us set up images to our selves in these ceremonies for religious uâ—e God forbid The practise of these saints when the lawes of God were purely taught and kept teach us that though we my not set up an image to worship God by or in yet may we set up some edifying signes to put us in minde of those duties wee owe to God The Patriarchs may build altars give their children proper names to be admonishing signes of their duties to God and we may set all our sences on work that way We may set up a poste in a darke and dangerous passage that when I goe that way and touch it it may signifie my danger and I may avoide it I may set a watch-man in a towre to give a sound when the enemy comes that he may signifie my enemies approach and I may avoid him I may set up a Sea marke to signifie a Rocke neere that I split not upon it And may not we be as wise for our soules as for our bodies God forbid I am sure he hath no where forbidden it therefore it is not against Christ If it be not against him it is for him saith our Saviour Why then say they have we cast out all the significant ceremonies of Popery Not for their significancy barely but for their weight and measure They are not to them onely as outward garnishments of worship but as proper worship efficacious and meritorious their number stifles devotion and fills it with shewes without substance A cup of water refreshes but an whole Well of water choakes Yea an hundred Sermons weekly would not edifie they would eate out our conscience in our particular callings much more would an hundred ceremonies eate out the substance of our generall callings when a few may much refresh and profit if judgement over-power fancie and affection Yea but say they our significant ceremonies were taken from Idolaters and limbs of Antichrist who have abused them Were this true yet take the drosse from the silver and make a vessel for the finer but it is false Though they have had such as ours and have still yet ours are our owne and were never theirs in speciall Fire and water are contrary yet they agree in their kind they are both elements so ours are ceremonies and so are theirs but otherwise they differ as fire and water they scorne therefore ours and we deride theirs We read of sacrifices offered to Devils yet some of this was sold in shambles and some the Heathens made feasts of It was all the same flesh in kind but not in use The christians did damnably if they went to it when it was sacrificed yea and if they went to their Idol feasts when they blessed an idol it was idolatry but if they bought part of that flesh in the Shambles and eate it or went to their private feasts when they eate of it for ought they knew without reference to the Idol then saith Paul Eate making no question for conscience sake So say we of our crosse Surplice kneeling they were ordinances before Idolators abused them If they take them and blesse an Idol with them be it upon their own pates but if we be invited to them in a better use and not know nor have just cause to suspect any lurking Idolatry why should wee make so many needlesse questions about the use of them Put case such as they are pertained to Idolaters So did Goliahs sword yet David laid it up in an holy place for better use So did bowing belong to Baal prostrating the whole body to Idols kissing to the Calves kissing the hand to the hoste of heaven lifting up the eies stretching forth both hands showting for joy sitting or lying along upon the ground or on a carpet to idols yet all these we may use in the worship of the true God So for our ceremonies such as they are pertained to idolaters but were not idolatrous of themselves The crosse was used as a signe of profession before idolatrie prevailed The white garment was ordained as a cover-sloven in the poverty of the Church kneeling was used as an act of reverence before the breaden God was hatcht And may not we lawfully use them now to shew that we are in communion and fellowship with that blessed and persecuted Church without such noises and schismes Yea but in our worship there is say they as bad as all behinde wee have a stinted worship by that foule idol the common prayer booke and so we worship not in spirit and truth Doe we not worship in spirit when the spirit moves towards heaven as well as the flesh Doe wee not worship in truth when our petitions are true petitions uttered with a true tongue according to the truth of our hearts Doe wee not worship in spirit and truth when with such petitions heart and tongue we seek to God in all places not trusting in any Certainely wee doe and should doe farre better were it not for them who disgrace our common-prayer booke and draw the hearts of Gods people from it Yet those that know the vanity of their words and trust them not know also that they even when they use that booke to send their prayers tâ— heaven by doe pray in spirit and truth God bearing them witnesse by the holy Ghost How can they pray in spirit say they when they use him not what Is there no spirit but our owne Surely there is a publicke spirit and a private spirit The first hath wrought in the holy saints and army of martyrs who have laied up stocks of praier for us generations that follow them and by the blessed providence of God they are come into our hands There wee see how they prayed for us before we were There we learne to pray of them of whom the world was not worthy This spirit we use as well as our owne and it is pitty that any Christian that can pray to God by his owne dexterity of spirit should yet contemne the workings and helpings of the publicke spirit without whom the world had never had such a benefit But alasse say they our spirits are quite stinted when they are fettered with words
truth taught in the Scriptures and is proved thus That which makes a man a true member of a true churh that doth make a true church for members doe constitute the whole but profession of saving truth makes a true member of a true church for Symon Magus upon his profession was admitted a member till he fell away and the Eunuch upon the same profession was admitted too by baptisme and for ought wee know continued for ever Now that we in the church of England do professe saving truth according to the scriptures cannot be denied If the Brownists say that wee overthrow all by thousands of wicked lives in persons in and of our church I am sure that the church of Corinth was worse then ours can be in some things it was too bad with envyings carnall men uncharitable wretches that went to law before infidels scandalizing the weake partaking with Idols heresies abuse of the Lords supper by drunkennesse and contempt of the poore and with detestable incest yet when Paul writes unto them even before the incestuous person was cast out he salutes them all as those that are the church of God Saints by calling and sanctified in Christ Iesus at least by a sanctification of consecration in baptisme and their profession But say the Brownists doth profession make a church of the body of Christ will nothing but the body of Christ serve for a true church Then let them know that Christs body may be taken two wayes for a body of all those that shall be saved and this is the catholicke church which are in communion of saints for life and for a body of those that are in the way of salvation if they be not enemies to themselves as every branch in Christ that beareth not fruit Thus the whole church of Corinth was Christ as well as any other part of the church and in Christ Iesus though too many members of it professed without power For profession brings a church into outward fellowship with Christs body as bad servants with a good master and so into the way of being savingly of the body of Christ if they resist not grieve not quench not or despise not the spirit of grace Secondly for the forme of a true church that is Christ united unto the persons professing his saving truth For as the forme of a man is his soule united to his body so the forme of a church which is the body of Christ is Christ united unto it Now that Christ is united unto our church is proved thus because hee gives the law of union to us as to the body and makes it effectuall for conviction or conversion to serve the living and true God As a king is united to his subjects by his lawes and executions of them for rewards and punishments so is Jesus Christ to our church As the head united gives lawes to the body for safety so doth Christ give lawes to us for our salvation in his word He hath not dealt so with every nation yet blessed bee his name he hath so dealt with us to the joy of our soules True say the Brownists wee have his lawes but doe not answer them in our lives This doth not cut us off being but true in part till Christ hath sued out his bill of divorce no more then the disobedience of a wife makes her no wife the disobedience of a sonne no sonne and the disobedience of a servant no servant Againe Christ is united to us because hee makes his law effectuall for the convincing of all and for the converting of many soules to cleave unto him faithfully VVe are baptized and so put on Christ and are graffed into the similitude of his death and resurrection But as we grow in age many grow in gracelesnesse and forget the covenant of their God Then comes the word of Christ convincing and calls many backe kills sinne quickens grace and converts the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisedome of the just This the Brownists will not deny They confesse that God hath many gracious people amongst us by the word and sacraments VVhence I pray doth this proceed but from the influence and power of Christ united to us I am sure that Christ is the way to heaven and one soule cannot bee converted from the kingdome of sinne to grace but it is by the power and influence of Christs three offices As he is a Prophet hee must be his wisedome to teach him repentance from dead works and faith in Christ As hee is a Priest he must make his attonement betwixt God and him for righteousnesse And as he is a King hee must over-master the gates of hell and maintaine him to himselfe in the way of salvation for sanctification and full redemption Conclude therefore that if wee have the matter and forme of a true church wee must bee a true church against all exception if good conscience judge by the word of God SECT 7. Brownists first exceptions against us about the nature of a visible Church BUt because the Brownists make a great noise in maintaining against us that ours is not a true church therefore take particular view of their pleas against it that wee may see the unjustnesse of their forsaking it I shall by Gods helpe referre them to five heads 1 What they meane by a true church 2 The entrance into a true church 3 The head of a true church 4 The members of a true church 5 The governement of a true church They meane by a true church a set congregation of more or fewer separated from all false waies and having sufficient authority within it selfe for governement in all causes ecclesiasticall and assembling at times convenient for exercise of governement and solemne worship This is the full summe of what I can conceive them to say of a true church in which they would make it up of these foure ingredients First it must be a set congregation which we call a parish and they mislike Every one of these they would have an absolute church depending upon none but Christ and so they deny kings over countries and Bishops over diocesses to bee members of the church except they can shew those particular congregations whereof they are but equall members to be ruled by the joint consent of the whole number or it may bee the greatest part Secondly it must bee separated from all false wayes not onely of Iewes Turkes and Pagans but from all grosse sinnes and sinners which doe pollute the worship of the sincerest service of God Yet surely they would have them better taught and made good that by the consent of the members they might be jointed in at last Thirdly it must have sufficient authority within it selfe for governement in all causes ecclesiasticall that is a plenary power by consent of members to ordaine ministers call or cast them out as the necessity
the tenth part what therfore else can satisfie conscience that it erre not But they will say that â—thes are Jewish ceremonies which are aboâ—ished It is easie to say so but not so easie to prove For Jewish ceremonies are shadowes of things to come the body whereof is Christ Let them shew from Gods word that tythes are so accounted I am sure than God blames the faulty performance and resting in ceremonies but hee never blameth the neglect of ceremonies as of tythes when hee saith ye are cursed with a curse for yee have robbed me even this whole nation in not paying tythes Yea we never read that ever Christ said so much of any Jewish ceremony as of tythes these things ought ye not to leave undone If it be said that this maintenance cannot be proved out of the new testament I say that this wil trouble any man to prove for when Paul proves out of the law that the ministery of the new testament hath maintenance due doth he not say so hath the Lord ordained that hee that preacheth the Gospel should live of the Gospel and how is that As they of old lived at the altar by tythes so we now Againe doth not the Apostle say that tythes are due to the ministery of Christ that lives because they were due to Melchizedech to whom Abraham payed them as a Priest and tythe-taker and type of Christ who therefore should receive them but those that are in his stead to beseech you to be reconciled unto God The same reason that God gives why Levi should have Gods portion because God is his portion is it not true of ministers whom alone hee hath taken to bee ministers of the new testament It is true they are not Priests after the order of Melchizedech as Christ was yet the High-priest of our profession hath ordained us to live out of his portion which must bee his tythes due to him or else our consciences can never bee setled what it is Let them duely weigh this and when they can salve it up well as in the sight of God then may they heare of much more we hate Judaisme as much as they but we cannot beare that title except it be inflicted by Christ himselfe And thus by the helpe of God I have cleared their second exception upon which they separate because wee are not a true ministery SECT 15. The Brownists last opinion upon which they forsake our Church because wee have not a true worship WE are now come thorough Christs helpe unto their last exception against us which concernes the worship of God amongst us as if wee had not a true but an idolatrous worship of the true God This they doe so much detest and so do we too if they can prove it that they cannot with any good conscience have communion with us in it Doe not wee cleave to the onely true God by knowledge repentance faith feare love confidence joy thankfulnesse patience and adoration Doe wee not know God to bee the onely true God and therefore give him his true worship in spirit and truth according to his word Doe we not pray to him knowingly faithfully zealously penitently and obediently desiring to be made better Doe we not preach and heare his word carefully and reverently desiring to know and doe Doe wee not administer the sacraments of Christ and receive them with a desire and purpose to enter covenant with God to bee his people and keepe it unto our lives end Doe we not in all these lament our defects and others labouring to helpe what we can and what we cannot patiently suffer and lovingly mourne till Christ in the day of judgement fanne away the chaffe Doe we not publickely solemnize the Lords day that in the publicke use of Gods ordinances wee may learne to bee better and doe better till wee come to the full age in Christ Jesus How then can it be imagined that wee should not have a true worship Yes say the Brownists your worship is Ceremonial typical and stinted contrary to Christs will who would have you worship him in spirit and truth First they say it is a ceremonial worship will no worshippe please them but a slovenly one unbecomming the person of that God whom wee worship If our ceremonies were part of the worship as they of the Jewes or proper worship as many are reputed in the Church of Rome then they might talke aloud but when they are but outward accidents for the well and orderly carriage of the worship of God what hurt is in them Will it grieve any man to see Christians to worship their God in an humble comely and reverend way Nay would it not vexe any good soule to see them to doe otherwise They say that Christ was more faithfull in the house of God then Moses If therefore Moses prescribed Gods worship onely according to the patterne given much more doth Christ to which it is wickednesse to us to adde Indeed Christ is more faithfull then Moses for the law was given by Moses but grace and truth by Iesus Christ Moses gave a perfect shadow of our reconciliation under types but Christ gives a perfect body which hath nothing but truth in him and not a shadow of things as the things of Moses But what is this to decent ceremonies which are not types and shadowes of Christ and his but onely documents and signes of our humble and reverend respects to God As faithfull as Moses was yet even then had the Jewes ceremonies of order and comlinesse which were not disallowed by God or reprooved by his Prophets There are two sorts of ceremonies such as corrupt the worship of God and such as doe preserve by advancing the worship of God If they had made any types of Christ which God had not made they had corrupted the worship of God as the Brownists doe who when we tell them of the acts of the kings of Iudah about the worship of God they presently without the warrant of God tell us that they were types of Christ They may 〈◊〉 well say that the kings of other nations were types of Christ too because the Jewes were to have Kings according to other nations But when the devout Jewes did by their owne ceremonies labour to carry the worship of God in the most becomming way in this they did preserve the worship of God by advancing it Thus Salomons peace-offering was commanded but his advancement of that service was permitted to himself when he offered two twenty thousand oxen and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep Did he now goe against the faithfulnesse of Moses when he commanded it not Did hre not likewise honour God with the solemnity of seven dayes and seven daies without particular warrant He was commanded to pray but when hee added this ceremony of his owne fit for that time of jubilation to stand before the Altar
those rams-hornes of old when we are in publicke worship There yee have not onely the spirit promised which will lead you into all saving truth convince convert and comfort you till yee are of full stature in Christ but yee have many hands to help you in confession supplication deprecation intercession and giving of thankes There ye have many encouragements to hold on in the way of Christ There is the word to promise sacraments to confirme prayer to procure and many of Gods people to give you the right hand of fellowship till you come to your journeyes end The first step to apostacy is the neglect of publick assemblies As a man that hath an inclination to take wicked courses withdrawes himselfe from good company as Iudas when he went out from Christ and his disciples and yoaked with the high-priest and elders so if a man encline to warp hee declines the assemblies of Gods people as one wearie of such a course But if hee stick unto them his hands are strengthened to hold God fast by the word of precept promise and correction by the sacraments wherein a bargaine is strook betweene God and us by the prayers of our selves and others which bring God neere to helpe and by the examples of others which have a compelling vertue to good as well as ill When therefore yee consider this bundle of profit yee cannot wonder that Gods people have so constantly tyed themselves to watch at the gate and wait at the postes of the doores where publicke worship hath beene prepared Oh that all Gods people that ate good and would be better would lay these things to heart and not forsake our assembling together God workes by these meanes and if wee forsake them wee forsake the hands of the God of strength which are in them stirred up to come and help us Forsake church assemblies and yee turne your backes upon Gods face angels saints and comforting acts of worship Forsake church assemblies and ye sad the hearts of Gods people strengthen the hands of wickednesse and shew no reverence to worship Forsake church-assemblies and yee let loose thousand of temptations upon you against faith and manners the Devill will take you upon his owne ground You wil say happily that great presence and profit is talked of but ye see none nor feele any upon you It maybe so yet without the fault of our assemblies and with the fault of none but your unworthy selves Take therfore this advice in Gods feare and speed better hereafter First come with prepared hearts that is hearts unloaded of the guilt of wilfull sins hearts standing in awe of Gods presence and worshipping in feare and hearts sincerely purposing to bee better Yee know Gods advice lay apart all filthinesse and superfluity of naughtinesse and receive with meeknesse the ingraffed word which is able to save your souls Ye know Peters proposition now are we all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God and Daevids practise In thy feare wil I worship towards thy holy temple Ye know the prophecy that went of you of old and Davids resolution to keepe the law yea to observe it with his whole heart according to grace given Do but you thus and yee shall find presence and profit Secondly bring an humble soule along with you to God house If God doe meete with you in our assemblies hee acknowledgeth a Publican before a Pharisee hee calls no man Benjamin the sonne of his right hand but those whom their owne hearts call Benoni in their humility hee salutes them not Naomi beautifull who doe not humbly feele themselves Marah bitter The humble God wil teach and the humbled God will lift up for he fills the hungry with good things Bring but such senses and yee shall see presence and profit But if yee bee swift to heare and not slow to speak slow to wrath God sends such rich ones emptie away and casts such mighty ones from their thrones Thirdly carry your hearts along thorough the whole service Loose your hearts and loose your comforts in any thing ye do It was sweetly sung of old rejoyce the soule of thy servant for unto thee doe I lift up my soule Let that plummet runne downe to the ground and the wheeles of your actions will not runne to your content Therefore do but you come with prepared hearts humbled soules and binde your hearts for hearty service in the whole and then the presence in our assemblies shall bee for you and the profit for you too as well as for others who are thus vertuous as not to forsake our assemblings together SECT 3. The vice of those that forsake publick Communion 1 of the prophane ALl that can be said will not prevaile with all There are so many vices to overwhelm that as it was of old so is it stil it is the manner of some to forsake our assemblings together The Apostle saw it of old and laboured against it as an enemy to perseverance in the unity of faith and manners we see it stil and must labour against this act of many vices I le speake thorough Gods helpe but of two sorts of persons too neere unto us who give themselves unto this fault the first are prophane the second would be accounted truely religious The prophane shew themselves by foure degrees of forsaking our assemblies The first is coming to our assemmblies like those that are unwilling These that doe so are not altogether withdrawn in body but in heart are too farre from us The godly say let us go speedily and pray before the Lord they are like the Isles that wait for the law because they are willing people But they come as if they were in fetters and bolts like Zachariahs women pressed into an Epha with a talent of lead Lord how slow is their pace as if it were to the jaile or Bridewel The second is loving to be any where rather then in the assembly Surely when any act this though sometimes they come yet they forsake apace Gods people cannot rejoyce in such commers when God told Ezekiel that hee should goe to a rebellious people that were unwilling to submit hee went in bitternesse and indignation of spirit Such needes must be the movings of the heart of the assembly about such commers These thinke not that they should come to doe homage to God as David presseth give give unto the Lord glory strength worship due unto his name They thinke not that hee that despiseth the ministery done in assemblies despiseth not man but Christ therefore they love any meetings rather then them They account church-assemblies rather matters of complement then necessitie They need no soule reparations so their bodies bee fat and well-liking Wee read of one Victorinus of old who would bee a Christian but frequented not christian assemblies But godly Simplicianus met him
admits of no falshood But to cleare this more fully I shall by Gods assistance consider three things 1 What they say true of their owne members and ours 2 What they say false of the members of a true visible church 3 That their dreame of pollution is from their owne braines not from Christs ordinance This they say truely that the members of a true church are saints by calling Profession of saving truth as I have shewed makes such true members and all that so professe themselves though there be much chaffe among the wheate are such saints by calling He that professeth so much knowledge either actually or foederally as admits him to baptisme hath put on Christ And he that hath put on Christ though as an elect vessell as Paul or as one in Christ bearing no fruit and therefore justly to be cut off is certainely a saint by calling There are two sorts of saints by calling such as are sanctified by habituall infusions and actual expressements and such as are so by baptismal profession and many gifts of the spirit and so by consecration to God This may fall upon those that are justly rejected for their hypocrisie and wickednesse These two sorts have ever and ever shall to the end of the world make up the true members of a true visible church This secondly they say falsely that the members of a true visible church are onely such saints as are so regenerated as they have actual communion with Christ in all the acts of saving grace If they would spâ—ake of the Catholick Church It is the number of all faithfull people which are united to Christ by the union of the body head spirit and faith of truth By the first all members are knit together with the head in one body and so receive grace from the head according to the measure of everie member By the second it hath but one head As the body is but one so the head is but one from whence it receiveth the grace of life By the third the whole Church is directed and governed by one spirit which is the spirit of sanctification And by the fourth the whole church receiveth the doctrine once given to the saints which it cleaves unto for ever that in this foundation and love of union it may receive from Christ all saving doctrine with the comfortable fruits of it If they would speake of this catholick church let them draw up the members to that sanctitie which the word and world will affoord Nay if they would speake of such members of the visible church who shall from Christ receive al spiritual blessings in heavenly things and be jointed into the body of Christ till they come to a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ let them speake of all holinesse too so far as our knowledge in part can reach unto in this kingdome of heaven upon earth If further they would speak of such members as are fittest to beare rule in the visible church surely though Iudas be in as well as Peter by Christs his call and yong Timothy can worke the worke of the Lord as Paul doth yet surely they that are best and of ablest gifts are fittest for highest places in the visible church Which because the Brownists perceive therefore they having set up to themselves a governement of all the members which they cannot make good they thinke not onely the holiest persons to bee the fittest but the onely members of their visible churches If lastly they would speake of those that are the greatest comforts and ornaments of a visible church then surely holy persons are For Davids eies runne over with water when members in the church as well as others kept not Gods law yea and it is a fearfull reproach and tending to corruption to them that favour it But when they speake of such members onely in the visible church who are so holy as they imagine to whom if others joyne themselves in spirituall communion they are unchurched this surely hath no ground but in their owne braine This is an undoubted rule that it is Gods will that a mixed company be invited to the wedding of Christ the feast of the gospell which makes up a visible church The wedding of Christ is either compleate in heaven or begunne in the church To that in heaven a mixed company is not invited but conditionally for no uncleane thing shall enter into the kingdome of heaven To this in the church a mixed company is invited and thorough the power of the sweet word of grace comes both to the word and sacraments as Symon Magus to baptisme and the drunken and factious Corinthians to the supper of the Lord. And that it is Gods will to invite a mixed company appeares by texts examples and reasons The text is cleare in Gods commission Goe ye into the high-wayes and as many as ye finde invite to the marriage and also in his servants execution they went and gathered together all as many as they found both good and bad All these were members of this feast till God came and made the separation and when he did come hee blamed not his servants for inviting and guests for being in communion with the unworthy but friend how camest thou in hither But say they what is this kingdome of heaven Is it not the world Doth not Christ himselfe so expound it in opening the parable of the tares The Field is the world It is true hee saith the field is the world but hee saith not the kingdome of heaven is the world Surely the whole world lies in wickednesse and is farre different from the kingdom of heaven in the church· Therfore doth not Christ say the kingdome of heaven is like to the world but it is like unto a man this man is the son of man who raiseth to himselfe a visible church heere This he raiseth not in Jury onely but now the separation wall is broken downe in the world Here by vertue of his Gospel he doth sow the children of the Kingdome according to that promise of old I will sowe her to mee in the earth But the Devill that envies Christs Kingdome not the world sowes the Tares which are the children of that wicked one These Tares grow up in the Kingdome of Heaven which is in the field of the world with the good seed and so long as the Divell is the Divell and envies it will be so And it is Christs Judgement concerning them Let them alone till the harvest least while ye pluck up the Tares yee pull up the Wheate Surely they were other than the weeds of the world out of the Church These might have been plucked up without dangering the Church They were blasted Corne upon one stalke which from the power of the Gospel were called into the Church but degenerated by the
by authority iâ— the face of the Church who of conscience ought to consent and beare witnesse to the doome First the act of an Apostle Deliver such an one unto Satan it may be that he might have power over his body to torment him as appeares in the Stories of Ananias Sapphira Elimas Alexander Secondly the act of a Bishop put away from amongst you that wicked person that being suspended from the preservatives of his soule in the visible communion of Saints he might have a way to bring him to godly sorrow And thirdly the act of every godly Pastour to mourne that if any be called a brother and bee a fornicator or covetous or an Idolater or a rayler or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one eate not that is be so farre from countenancing of him in his sinne that yee take him not into unnecessary familiarity Now how from hence can be picked a popular government of the Church God knoweth I cannot yet reach But yet say the Brownists you may reach thus much to confound you that if Paul would not have you eate with such wicked brothers much lesse would he have you to receive the Sacrament with them for he hath more care of his owne supper than of ours This is certaine that God hath a greater care of his own Supper than of ours and therefore though he be willing that all should come both good and bad yet if they come and stay bad and hee come to try them they shall bee bound hand and foot and cast into hell It is certaine also that wee must have a great care of the Supper of the Lord as we can in our places private persons by private communion of Saints Presbyters by publike preaching by Word and Doctrine and by private exhortations as they can and Church-Officers by presentments and punishments fit But it doth not therefore follow because wee may not eate with them that is converse familiarly and unnecessarily with them that therefor we may not eate the Lords Supper with the Saints because wicked persons are there Their wickednesse we countenance when we keepe company with them our goodnes they countenance when they come into publike communion with us we have no need of their eating with us they shew their need of their eating with us in the Sacrament when we have no power to keepe them backe Yet say they still wee have power to keepe them backe for Paul speaking of the incestuous person saith sufficient to such a man is this punishment which was inflicted of many therefore the whole Church had power and used it against him It is true it was inflicted by many assessors and conseÌ„ters to his doom but not as prime executors of that doome The Apostle saith that the Saints shall judge the world by way of life witnesse consent and approbation yet is it not Christ that is the Judge of wicked and good So though this punishment was inflicted upon him by many by way of consent and approbation yet was it primely inflicted by Paul and his authority in those that declared it Thus have I satisfied my selfe if not others in this point concerning the power of governement which lies not in all the congregation for execution and prime officiating but in the chiefe governours who beare the place of Paul and the other Apostles SECT 13. Brownists exceptions against the persons governing in our Church and against the exercise of their governement PVt case that the power of governement were not in every particular congregation yet our governours are not to bee allowed yea to be banished the church say they They are farre from the sweete moderate spirit of Melancthon one of the blessed reformers who so the Pope of Rome himselfe would have admitted of the Gospel of Christ in truth would have permitted his superiority over Bishops by humane right for the peace and common tranquility of christians under him But nothing will serve these people but the damnation of the Pope and the shame and confusion of all Bishops one and the other And there are three things principally in them at which they except and against which they stumble 1 Their name 2 Their degree 3 Their jurisdiction Why say they should they appropriate to themselvs this name of Bishops which belongs to all other Pastours as well as to them There is good cause for there are two sorts of Bishops first ordinary Bishops such as were all the Elders of Ephesus These must not bee blinde watch-men for if they see not they cannot oversee They must not sleepe and bee secure they must have a great care to keepe safe those that are committed to them that the enemy come not and sowe tares Secondly there are extraordinary Bishops such as have precedence jurisdiction not onely over the flock but over the elders and presbyters which are called Angels such were Timothy and Titus the first ordained Bishops of the churches of Ephesus and Creta as appeares in the postscript of those epistles Which though haply they are no part of the canonicall scriptures yet are they authenticall records of matters of fact to help our understandings in the needfull stories of thâ—se times without which we may think amisse From these they justly assume those names which have beene given to men of their order ever since the Apostles dayes But put case they could not make such aclaime if there be the office shall we quarrell about the names The first man that ever found fault with the name would fame have been a Bishop himselfe but when he found himselfe crossed he comforted himself with this that yet as he was a Presbyter he was equall with them But let no good Christians be unquiet for names if there may bee an agreement in things named The Apostles were called Deacons in Gods language yea and Christ himselfe who came to that end Christ is called the Arch-bishop and the Apostle of our soules The Apostles are called Elders and Elders were called Apostles and Bishops are called Angels What matters it then for names if wee can agree in other things But say they wee doe not agree in other things for these Bishops are in a degree above Presbyters and so there is an unequall ministery in the Church of Christ which should not bee Now surely they have had this from the Apostles dayes yea the scripture mentioneth a superiority in the ministery of the Church first Apostles secondarily prophets thirdly teachers And this is a sure rule that such a ministery as is most like the ministerie ordained by Christ it not being denyed unto us expressely or by consequent and another commanded may be lawfully maintained by us as Christs ministery But such is an unequall ministery in degree as Prophets Apostles Evangelists Pastours and Doctours one above another in larger authority gifts for those that were called
appointed Surely the freedome of spirit stands not so much in freedome of words and in intention of zeale As a servant that delivers his masters message in his masters words may doe it with a free spirit So may a man pray when he takes to himselfe words and not coines them himself The best prayers are those that are delivered in Gods words and are our spirits stinted because we tye our selves to Gods words As Gods Spirit is not stinted when it speakes unto us by the Scriptures read so nor our spirits when wee speake feelingly to God by read Prayers Put case one man pray with a thousand that have large spirits will they say that their spirits are stinted because they are tyed up for the time being to his spirit so nor when wee pray with others Prayers Have wee a spirit better than the Disciples of Christ and doe wee know what will stint them better than Christ yet Christ gave them the Lords Prayer not onely to say after that manner when hee taught the Doctrine of Prayer but also to say when hee taught them the practice of Prayer But say they hath not God given every good Christian a spirit of supplication by which they have a faculty and power to pray The Disciples I hope were good Christians yet they say to Christ teach us to pray Yet know that there is a double power to pray An inward power by which the heart moves and goes out of it selfe after God Christ grace and salvation This power all good Christians have by the spirit of adoption whereby they cry Abba Father An outward power whereby they are able distinctly and judiciously to expresse the motions and desires of their hearts This power all have not and therefore have neede still to have further helpe and direction as our Saviour did helpe his Disciples But surely they may say the Lords Prayer is not a forme of Prayer taught his Disciples or us It is short and imperfect it hath no such glory in it as some other I may thinkâ— it though Christs word be say and none are tyed to this forme of Prayer alone Let all this stand till it be removed It is true it is short and in that is seene the glorious wisdome of Christ but it is most perfect We must pray all manner of Prayers Supplications intercessions and giving of thankes yet all these are comprehended in it Againe there is infinitely more glory in it then in all Prayers made by men If all Prayers be made they have their graynes of weight from hence It briefly comprehends them all and hath the best authority in the world The wisdome of God the son of God the beloved of God made it and expressed it with his tongue in such blessed order as men Angels cannot devise the like It is true that Christ saith say it but there is a saying with the mind and heart as well as with the tongue For there are two parts of Prayer the soule of Prayer when it is presented with understanding heart and spirit and the body of Prayer to helpe our fervencie as when we bowe our knees lift up our hearts with our hands and our eyes are lift up to God and our bones say Lord who is like unto thee and our tongues are the pennes of ready writers Yet hath not Christ tyed us unto this prayer only Christ himselfe hath other prayers beside this and the Apostles many together with the Church and godly particulars Yet by reason of the perfection of it both in matter order and words by reason of the sufficiency of it to supply all wants and by reason of our forgetfulnesse to aske all or halfe it is a sure and comforting way what ever wee pray to use it alwaies with judgement and understanding But say some of them it is of so large extent that wee cannot comprehend it It is true that it is of large extent and therefore we must labor for strength of judgmeÌ„t and memory to put it up from the heart that we may not tumble it over as the manner of some is as if it burnt their tongues But Christs lookes not that we should conceive of every thing in it every time wee use it As there are few prayers wee can make but are of larger extent then wee presently conceive as when we say the Lord sanâ—tifie your sickenesse unto you the Lord blesse you the Lord give you grace there are more things comprehended then presently meantâ— so in the Lords prayer and therefore wee must have docible hearts to understaÌ„d it better better and we must have wisedom according to our apprehension to apply it to severall occasions But say they this or any other stinted prayer are the very cut-throates of devotion and coolers of affections Indeed they are so to wicked hearts Children must bee pleased with novelties and wicked men loath Gods continued favours though it bee Mannah from heaven but if set prayers wrought so of themselves would Christ ever have given a set forme to his disciples Certainely they will be no enemies to devotion if Christians bee zealous and carefull in using them For the constant practise of the saints in scriptures commends them unto us in prescribed Psalmes and formes of blessing And such is the inequalitie of gifts dispensed by Christ unto his people that to some a prescribed forme is necessary when he hath not given them gifts of knowledge and utterance to expresse their desires in any comely way To others necessary too who are able fitly and fully to doe it in private yet are not so faced and tongued that they can doe it with confidence in publicke to all it is excellently usefull that they may not onely have helpe of their owne spirits but of the publick spirit of God working in his church to advance them forward to heaven It is a world of pittie that men that have some great gifts as they thinke should contemn them that have them not though haply they have others better then they To have a gift of expressing our desires in fit order matter and words is a comely ornament yet may it and doth often fall upon an hypocrite it is not of the essence of a saveable Christianâ— but to say wee know not what to pray for as we ought but the spirit helpes me publickly and privately with groanes and sighes that cannot be expressed to say thus I say and to feele the truth of it too is a note of a good Christian and can fall upon none but a childe of the kingdome of heaven But say they put case that others may be helped by set formes of prayer yet is there no reason that a Minister or Presbyter that hath gifts should bee tied to a forme of words Neither is he alwaies but that he should bee tied to common solemne praier as with us there is
That little strength wee have is apt to false us by faith wee stand and still there is something lacking to our faith And thus it comes that wee hardly keepe our feete steady Wee are also too much in love with that way that hath most danger in it The spirit is willing but the flesh is weake and is ready to eate poyson for wholesome foode sometimes out of custome sometimes out of curiositie and sometimes out of an ill appetite wee have got to unwholesome things But if wee doe wisely consider these things in one another wee will bee full of compassion And as they that consider not are full of fierce and fiery censure as Iudah to Tamar bring her forth and let her be burnt not considering his owne guilt so they that doe it are led by the contrary spirit As when wee consider a man aloft who totters is apt to fall and unable to keepe his feete in a setled posture our bowels yearne our flesh drops feare and wee are out of our selves with sudden apprehension so is it with a man that considers his brother hee puts him on by fellow feeling Yea then wee will prudently deale one with another to keep up As wee see dispositions gifts vertues or faults wee wisely fore-thinke how to maintaine the best and prevent the worst Besides this considering brings us to Pauls rule If a brother fall by infirmity not by pride and selfe conceit restore him with the spirit of meekenesse with a tender heart and hand set him in joynt againe For want of this consideration too many Christians are ready to faile The frailety of the flesh the opposition of grace is little considered and so there is neither wisedome compassion or meeknesse to heale Men difference not stubborne faylers for whom there is a rod of iron and weake failers for whom there is a Spirit of meekenesse Men discerne not sinners of custome who are as blacke-moores and sinners overtaken who with stripes must not bee driven quite away and so doe more hurt than good But bee more wise to consider hereafter than before This moved Paul to say Hee that stands let him take heed lest hee fall This moved Iohn to say little children keepe your selves from Idols Yea this mooved CHRIST to say When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Out of such consideration I have laboured to give this revalsion and Antidote And if our forsakers had had it too it might have saved mee a labour and they might with it have had more wisdome meeknesse and compassion and lesse heart-dividing censures The Apostle would have us also make such use of publike assemblies that wee may exhort one another Hee knowes that it is a great worke to continue in love to God his truth and Saints and in good workes Pride is one of the last sinnes that dye It is like a man of a strong heart which hardly yeelds his heart is more in compasse than another mans It will worke it selfe out of lesse sinne and more grace and where pride is there is contention and so lesse truth and love Againe superfluity of maliciousnesse drownes the whole nature of man Even when the head floates with Christ the heart is too much drencht in this It is crossed and will crosse againe like the devils cocke to spurre all opposites and hence also comes losse of truth and love Againe the spirit of a man lusteth after envy This makes the eye evill because God is good It desires to bee in the uppermost forme like the two sonnes of Zebedeus Therefore Ioseph the reformed Prodigall and the last workers in the Vineyard are grumbled at and hence also is lesse truth and love Lastly truth and love enter at a narrow passage and Christ comes not with all his mighty power at first As the Sea is not sifted thorow the narrow crevises of the earth at once so is it with truth and love And as a Conquerour that leaves most of his Armie behinde him subdues not presently so it is with Christ and us Wee are not able to receive his truth and love together neither stands it with his dispensation wee being not extraordinary but ordinary servants who must attaine by industry Hence therefore men dreaming that they have attained when there is much behind doe ill use what truth and love they have and so faile foulely Neither is it lesse difficult to continue in good workes The fountaine is apt to be dry that is a good heart If out of the belly doe not flow rivers of waters of life no waters will runne to the living How soon is this streame dryed up because men live not with Christ the spring-head Besides men are not altogether for gathering this worlds goods to spend it upon their lusts They forget that there is a time to scatter and then they cast not their bread upon the waters they beleeve not that they shall finde it so Lastly men have three bad thoughts that keepe them from good workes They thinke that no man is more worthy to have then themselves Some are wicked and not worthy some are good yet themselves are better some are idle and will live upon the spoile and some are painefull and therefore the better able to provide for themselves still selfe is thought to be the onely man to have They thinke themselves againe the absolute owners of what they have It is their owne as Nabal said why should they give it to others This they willingly thinke not that they are stewards and so are kept backe Lastly they thinke this worlds goods the onely commanders of men and things and therefore they will not put themselves out of them that they may rule all Now because it is so difficult a work not only to continue in good works but in truth and love which must make them excellent therefore the Apostle would have us so improve our selves by the fellowship of publike assemblies that we may be able to exhort one another Such is the inconstancie of nature in all good courses that it is easily apt to change from good to worse Moses was but a while gone and Israel fell to idolatry Paul wondred that the Galathians were so soone turned to another Gospel Yea such is our slownesse in good that we had need be spurred continually Ephesus forsakes her first love Yea and when Christs hearers heard they must be exhorted to heare and when the Thessalonians did edifie one another they must bee exhorted to doe it Men are in a dead sleepe and they are loth to be awaked as the sluggard they thinke themselves able to exhort themselves they love not many masters they see not how frozen they are till their owne hearts smite them as Davids till God raise up some adversary to reproach them or till God take them in hand himselfe by some heavie visitation Therefore saith Paul