A Scripture-Rale to the Lords Table, Title page – To the reader
A Scripture-Rale TO THE LORDS TABLE; OR, OBSERVATIONS UPON M. Humphreys his Treatiſe, Intituled, An Humble Vindication of Free Admiſſion to the LORDS SUPPER.
Tending to diſcover the looſe and prophane Principles therein ſuggeſted.
Publiſhed for the undeceiving the weak, and removing offences occaſioned by it in the Practice of Reformation.
Being the reſult of the Diſcourſes of ſome Preachers in the County of Glouceſter near Stow on the Wold, at their weekly Meetings.
Digeſted by ANTHONY PALMER Paſter of the Church of Chriſt at Bourton on the Water.
2 Tita. 5.22, Keep thy ſelf pure.
Pro. 24.24. He that ſaith to the wicked, Thou art Righteous him ſhall the People curſe.
London, Printed by A. M. for E. Brewſter and G. Sawbridge, and are to be ſold at the Signe of the Bible on Ludgate-Hill, 1654.
TO THE READER.
Chriſtian Reader,
IF thou haſt peruſed that ungodly Pamphlet of Mr Humfreys for Free Admiſſion, and taken notice in it of that maſſe of perverting the Scripture by malice or ignorance, or both; of his ſtriking hands with all the ignorant and prophane enemies of Reformation in the Land; Of his much ſelf-condemning Sophiſtry, tending to deſtroy all Church-Reformation; Of his carnall and little better then prophane reaſoning; Of his pretendod love to the in bewitching thy conſcience into quietneſſe in ſin, that thy peaceable practiſes may help to hold up that ſoul-damning practiſe of mixed communion, and thou ſecurely receive with wicked perſons, till thy conſcience awake, when the varniſh of his Sophiſtry is worn off; If thou haſt alſo obſerved how the devil and his Agents have diſperſed this Heterodox piece like lightning, and ſtirred up deluded ſouls to hug it as Cleopatra did the Aſpes, or Uriah the letter for his own deſtruction; if thou haſt alſo obſerved how many Miniſters through love of eaſe, intereſt, pride, and ambition, have (O thrice horrid wickedneſſe) been active in ſpreading this abomination among their friends and acquaintance, to the great ſcandall of their holy calling; Thou maiſt think we are not ſharp enough in this our anſwer: But we conſidering that we have been our ſeves ignorant in as plain matters as this, before God of his goodneſſe enlightned us, and not knowing Mr H. rentations, conſidering leſt we our ſelves ſhould be tempted, and laſtly in hopes of prevailing with him to be earneſt with God for blotting out his ſin and his Book, that for the time to come he may do nothing againſt the truth, but all for the truth, and the people of God may yet rejoyce in his labours, as now the ignorant, prophane, formall; and ſuperſtitious do, have reſolved to deal with him in a brotherly way.
Bleſſed be God we can waſh our hands from the guilt of any prejudice againſt Mr H. perſon, for we know him not, neither have heard of any that did; and we can with chearfulneſs ſay, Had not the glory of God, the danger of infection by the ſpreading this erroneous Pamphlet, the experience of the hurt it hath already done, the clearing of the Miniſters of England from being all ſuch ſoul-murderers and pleaders for Baal, and laſtly, had we not thought it our duty to bear witneſſe againſt this abomination, verily we had ſaid nothing, but in ſilence bewailed M.H. and the ſad fruit of his labour againſt the purity of Chriſts worſhip; What we have done we commit to the hands of the Lord, that he may glorifie himſelf by it. And we did the rather in the ſtrength of God adventure to oppoſe the cheering up the enemies of Reformation in this deplorable Apoſtacy, becauſe the Lord laid it upon our hearts to tremble at that word of his Eze. 13.22. Becauſe with lies you have made the hearts of the righteous ſad, whom I have not made ſad, and ſtrengthned the hands of the wicked, that he ſhould not return from his wicked way, by promiſing him life, therefore ye ſhall ſee no more vanity, nor divine divinations, for I will deliver my people out of your hand, and ye ſhall know that I am the Lord; we fear the ſad Judgements of God upon the ſpreaders of this Pamphlet, when Chriſt ſhall come to be revenged on the oppoſers of his Kingdom.
We have but few daies before this our Anſwer want to the Preſſe, ſeen an Anſwer to this Pamphlet by Dr Drake (for which we bleſſe God) more ſtrict and acute then ours (intended for our people) which may haply be more ſatisfactory to ſome then ours may ſeem to be; leſt any ſhould ſay We have built upon him or borrowed from him, we can profeſſe we have not borrowed ſo much as a line from him: And truly we can ſay with an honeſt heart unfeignedly, that we long to ſee all the Godly Miniſters declare againſt this piece, for we finde, if men of greater parts and much perſpicuity labour not ſuddenly to daſh this idol out of countenance; theſe convictions in ſuch a caſe (where ſo many cry Great is Diana) will work in the prophane wits of this Nation all manner of concupiſcenſe, Rom. 7.8.
Do not then Chriſtian Reader, (out of a vain fear that by this Anſwer thou ſhalt be drawn into ſeparation from the godly) be ſo prejudiced as to forbear to pouder; neither think thou that we intend to be Sciſmaticall in not complying with Godly Miniſters in a work of reall Reformation, according to the Word of God. The thing herd pleaded for in the Preamble, is the neceſſity of Reformation, as the caſe ſtands, to begin with the minor part, voluntarily uniting together with their own Miniſter to ſubmit to Diſcipline (the major part being deſperately overwhelmed with ignorance, prophaneneſſe, and ſuperſtition, ſtrangers to and forſakers of their Covenant with God in Baptiſm) by conforming with their own mouths their part of the Covenant of God, a thing as our firſt Reformers in the Rubrick before confirmation, as alſo Calvin, Bucer, Dr Fulk, and others affirm to be the practiſe of the Primitive Church, and may be now much more needfull. This is, bleſſed be God, in ſome of our Pariſhes fruitfully embraced.
Reader, We wiſh thee in the Lord to take heed of ſtriking hands with the Abettors of Free Admiſſion, leſt thy end be worſe then thy beginning, and we commit thee to him who is able to keep his from partaking with other mens ſinnes and plagues.
July 15. 1653. Imprimatur, Joſeph Caryl.