Suspension Suspended — William Prynne

Suspension Suspended · William Prynne

Queſtion 1.

WHether Ministers or Presbyteries Juriſdictionall Suſpention of ſcandalous Church-members from the Lords Supper onelyonly who deſire to receive it, without excluding them from all other publick Ordinances (as Prayer, Preaching, Reading, Fasting, Catechiſing, ſinging of Pſalmes, Baptizing of Infants, &c.) he a divine Inſtitution, vested in them by the Word of God, and the very will and appointment of Jeſus Chriſt?

For my part, with ſubmiſſion to better judgements, I hold the negative, upon theſe enſuing Reaſons.

My firſt Reaſon is, becauſe there is no direct precept or preſident in the Old or New Teſtament yet produced by thoſe who aſſert the contrary, to warrant any ſuch ſuſpenſion of ſcandalous perſons from the Lords Supper onelyonly, without a concurrent ſuſpenſion of them from all other publick Ordinances, and that in caſe onelyonly of obſtinate impenitency.

If any ſuch be to be found, I ſhall deſire them to informe me thereof, (ſince I could never hitherto upon my exacteſt enquiry, find out any ſuch) and then I ſhall either cleerly anſwer, on ſubmit unto it.

My ſecond Reaſon is, Becauſe all and every the Texts produced for probate of the contrary opinion, & of Excommunication to be a divine Institution, directly militate againſt it, arguing a totall ſuſpenſion, excluſion from all publick holy Ordinances and Church-aſſemblies, for ceremoniall or morall uncleanneſſes, not from the Paſſover or Lords Supper onelyonly: I ſhall give you a taſte of ſome of the principle Texts whereon ouraSee Maſter Rutherfords divine right of Church government, cap 3. to 15. Oppoſites rely, that you may diſcerne how cleerly they make againſt them.

The firſt is, Levit. 13. 3, 4▪ 21, 26, 31, 46. & cap. 14. 3, 8, 9, 11. He that was infected with the plague of Leproſie among the Iſraelites, was to be bSee 2 Kings 7. 3, 4. cap. 15. 5. 2 Chro. 26. 20, 21, 23.ſhut up by the Prieſt, and during all the time of his Leproſie▪ and uncleanneſſe he was to dwell ALONE WITHOUT THE CAMPE, (for feare of Infecting others:) Upon which ground Miriam, when leprous, was ſhut out of the Campe ſeven dayes, and after that, received in againe, Numb. 12. 10. to 16. Ergo, he was ſecluded from all publick Ordinances and religious ſociety, not from the Paſſeover or Lords Supper only, if putting out of the Camp imply ſo much.

The ſecond is, Numb. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4. And the Lord ſpake into Moſes, ſaying; Command the CHILDREN OF ISRAEL THAT THEY PUT OU… OF THE CAMPE every Leper, and every one that hath an Iſſue, and who ſoever is defiled by the dead: both male and female ſhall be put out, without the CAMPE ſhall ye put them, that they defile not their Campe, in the midſt whereof I dwell: And the children of Iſrael did ſo, and put them out without the Campe. Ergo, they equally ſecluded them from all publick Ordinances, Sacrifices, and their common ſociety, not from the Lords Supper or Paſſeover alone; if this putting out of the Campe were an Eccleſiaſticall cenſure and excluſion from Gods Ordinances and ſociety of the faithfull, as is pretended.

The third is, Levit. 16. 26, 27, 28. Numb. 19. 3, 7. cap. 31. 19. 24. Deut. 23. 10. to 15. where we read of others, who for other ceremoniall uncleanneſſes and nocturnall pollutions, were to goe out of the Campe, and not to come within it till they had waſhed themſelves, and then when they were cleanſed, and the Sunne was downe they might come into the Campe againe. Ergo, during the time of their excluſion they were equally debarred from all publick Ordinances whatſoever, and not admitted unto any other Ordinance more then to the Paſſeover, Numb. 2. 6. to 13.

From theſe Texts, muchcMaſter Rutherfords divine right of Church-government, cap. 5 and elſewhere. urged for proofe of an Eccleſiaſticall Juriſdiction, veſted by divine inſtitution and the will of Jeſus Chriſt in Prieſts under the Law and Miniſters and Presbyteries under the Goſpel, to excommunicate and ſuſpend from the Lords Supper ſcandalous and unclean perſons; I ſhall onelyonly propound four Queſtions to the Objectors of them, wherein I deſire ſatisfaction.

Firſt, Whether the Camp of the children of Iſrael was not rather a Type of their Religious Civill State and Republick, then of their Church? and the excluſion of Lepers, and thoſe that had Iſſues, with others out of the Campe, for theſe naturall infirmities and ceremoniall uncleanneſſes, were not rather a temporary civill ſequeſtration to prevent infection and diſeaſes in the Camp, then an Eccleſiaſticall cenſure of Excommunication orſuſpention from the Tabernacle and publique Ordinances uſed in it, to prevent ſpirituall infections of the ſoule, or prophanation of the publick Ordinances of Gods worſhip? The reaſon why I propound this Quere is, becauſe Exod. 37. 7. to 12. expreſly reſolves, that the Tabernacle of the Congregation, repreſenting the Church of the Jewes, wherein God himſelfe manifested his ſpeciall preſence in the Cloud and Pillar, where all publicke Sacrifices and duties of Gods worſhip were performed by the Priests and people, and where God met with Moſes, and anſwered him and the people face to face, was not placed within the Camp of the Iſraelites, but a farre off without it, witneſſe the expreſſe words of the Text; And Moſes took the Tabernacle and pitched it WITHOUT THE CAMPE A FARRE OFF FROM THE CAMPE, and called it the Tabernacle of the Congregation: And it came to paſſe, that EVERY ONE THAT SOUGHT THE LORD, went OUT unto the Tabernacle of the Congregation, which WAS WITHOUT THE CAMPE, &c. Which is likewiſe fully ſeconded, confirmed by Numb. 11. 24, to 30. And Moſes gathered the ſeventy men of the Elders of the people, and ſet them round about the Tabernacle, and the Lord came downe in a cloud, and ſpake unto him, and took of the ſpirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the ſeventy Elders: And it came to paſſe, that when the ſpirit rested upon them, they propheſied and did not ceaſe: But there remained two of the men in the Camp, and the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad; and the ſpirit rested upon them, and they were of them that were written, but went not out (to wit, of the Camp) unto the Tabernable, and they Propheſ…ed in the Camp: And there ran a young man and told Moſes, and ſaid, Eldad and Medad doe propheſie in the Camp; and Joſhua the Son of Nun▪ the ſervant of Moſes, one of his young men, anſwered and ſaid: My Lord Moſes forbid them: And Moſes ſaid unto him; Envieſt thou for my ſake? would God all the Lords people were Prophets, and that the Lord would put his ſpirit upon them: And Moſes gat him into the Camp, he and the Elders of Iſrael. compared with Levit. 17. 3. to 7. By which it is moſt cleere, that the Tabernacle ſtood without the Camp, where they uſed both to ſacrifice and propheſie, not within it: Hence it is, in regard the Tabernacle was placed, and all the Ceremoniall Sacrifices under the Law killed and ſacrificed to God without the Camp, that Chriſt himſelfe, of whoſe paſſion they were Types, ſuffered without the gates of Jeruſalem (typified by the Camp) that his death might the more exactly anſwer to theſe Types; as the Author to the Hebrewes thus reſolves, chap. 13. 10. to 15. We have an Altar, whereof they have no right to eat, which ſerve the Tabernacle; for the bodies of thoſe Beasts whoſe blood is brought into the Sanctuary by the high Prieſt for ſinne, ARE BURNTdNumb. 19. 3 11. Exod. 23. 13, 14: Levit. 4. 11, 12, 21. c. 8 17. c. 16. 26, 27. WITHOUT THE CAMP; wherefore Jeſus that he might ſanctifie the people, SUFFERED WITHOUT THE GATE: Let us GOE FORTH THEREFORE TO HIM WITHOUT THE CAMP, bearing his reproach: For we have here no continuing City, but we ſeek one to come. If then to be put out of the Camp, were to be ſecluded from the publick ordinances, and excommunicated from the ſociety of the faithfull, as our Oppoſites moſteMr. Rutherfurds Divine right, &c. p. 179. confid…ntly affirme▪ Then the Apoſtle by this exhortation, Let us goe forth therefore unto him WITHOUT THE CAMP, bearing his reproach; ſhould excite Chriſtians to excommunicate and ſuſpend themſelves from all publick Ordinances and Chriſtian ſociety with Gods people, which were a madneſſe to affirme. Wherefore this Champion argument for proofe of the divine inſtitution of excommunication among the Jewes under the Law, and of ſuſpention from the Lords Supper among Chriſtians under the Goſpell, muſt be quite caſheered, thruſt of our Oppoſites Camp as Leprous, and excommunicated out of all their Presbyteries for an Ienoramus. If then the Tabernacle of the Congregation, the place of Gods ſpeciall preſence and publick worſhip, whether all the Prieſts and people reſorted to adore him, with their Oblations, ſacrifices, Prayers, was thus ſet up quite without the Iſraelites Camp, ſome good …stian…e from it; and no part thereof, nor placed within it; I may probably, if not infallibly conclude from thence, That their Camp was rather an Emblem of their Religious ſtate and Republick, then of their Church; and the excluſion of theſe ceremonially uncleane perſons from it, rather a temporary disfranchiſement or baniſhment to prevent corporall infection and diſeaſes, then any Eccleſiaſticall cenſure of Excōmunication or Suſpention, to prevent ſpirituall infection, or puniſh morall pollution and publick ſcandalous ſinnes; The rather becauſe MaſtereThe Divine Right of Church-Government, p. 241, 242. Rutherfurd and others affirme, that excommunication and ſuſpention from holy Ordinances is expreſſed in the Books of Moſes by another phraſe, to wit, byfLevit. 19. 8. c. 18. 29. c. 22. 3. c. 23. 29. Numb. 9. 13. cutting off from Iſrael, or from the CONGREGATION of Iſrael (that is, from the Tabernacle of the Congregation, where the Iſraelites aſſembled to worſhip God) as they interpret it, Exod. 12. 15. 19. Levit. 7. 20, 21, 25. chap. 12. 4. 9, 10, 14. a thing different from, and not the ſame with putting out of the Camp, which moſt▪ reſolve to be a civill cutting off by death, not an Eccleſiaſticall by excommunication, as is cleer by Gen. 17. 14. compared with Exod. 4. 24, 25. Levit. 20. 3, 5, 6, 17, 11. Numb. 4. 18, 19. However, let it be one or other, it intimates and proves a totall cutting off for the preſent from all pubblick Ordinances, and the ſociety of the faithfull, not a bare ſuſpention from the Paſſeover or Lords Supper onelyonly.

Secondly, I ſhall demand, Whether the excluſion of theſe uncleane perſons out of the Camp was executed either authoritatively or miniſterially by the high P…ieſt, Prieſts, or Levites, who, for ought we read, had no judiciall or miniſteriall authority in the Camp it ſelfe, but onelyonly in and gSee Numb. c. 3. & 4.about the Tabernacle; or not rather by the Field Officers or Marſhals of the Camp, ſince the command of removing them out of the Camp is expreſly given (not to the Prieſts and Levites, but) to the children of Iſrael; and the children of Iſrael did accordingly put them out of the Camp, Numb. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4. And if ſo, then what ſhadow of argument can be hence deduced for any Eccleſiaſticall Juriſdiction veſted in Prieſts or Presbyters by divine right, to excommunicate ſcandalous ſinners, or ſuſpend them from the Sacrament? True it is, that the Prieſt was to judge who was a Leper, and to ſhut him up in a houſe when removed out of the Camp, Levit. 13. 3, 4, 21, 26, 31, 36. but not to turne or put him out of the Camp, which our common Law writ, De Leproſo am…vendo proves, it being directed to the Sheriffe, Mayor, and Temporall Officers, not to Eccleſiaſticall perſons. If then this putting of theſe uncleans perſons out of the Campe proves any Eccleſiaſticall Juriſdiction veſted by Divine Inſtitution in any perſons to Excommunicate or ſuſpend ſcandalous ſinners from the Lords Supper, it is onelyonly in the Chriſtian Magiſtate or people, not in Prieſts or Presbyters, as is pretended.

Thirdly, whether the thruſting of Lepers and other ſuch like uncleane perſons out of the Campe, be any infallible Argument, that they were thereby totally ſecluded from all acceſſe unto the Tabernacle of the Congregation, till they were readmitted into the campe? ſince the Tabernacle where Gods publick worſhip was celebrated, ſtood not within, but without the Campe, as I have proved. If not, then it warrants no Excommunication, nor ſuſpention of uncleane for ſcandalous perſons from any publique Ordinances, and ſo is moſt impertinently produced for proofe thereof. If yea, then it ſecluded them from all publique Sacrifices and duties of Gods worſhip alike, or from the Paſſeover onelyonly, o… ſome other particular Sacrifice? If from all alike, then it warrants my concluſion, that no ſcandalous perſon is to be ſuſpended from the Lords Supper, but he that is likewiſe excommunicated or ſequeſtred from al other publick Ordinances: If from the Paſſeover, or ſome other particular Ordinance onelyonly, not from all in generall (which cannot be proved) then it is no proofe of an Excommunication from all publique Ordinances and the ſocity of Gods people, for which ſome now over-confidently alleage it.

Fourthly, Whether thoſe who were thus ſhut out of the Camp for ceremoniall or corporall uncleanneſſe, were not admitted to waſh and purifie themſelves (in thehExod. 30. 18 19, &c. c. 38 8 c. 40. Laver, ſtanding between the Tabernacle and the Altar, as is probable) and likewiſe to offer their Oblations, Treſpaſſe and Sinne Offerings in the Tabernacle before their re-admiſſion into the Camp? as is more then probable, if not infallible by Numb. 19. 1. to 11. Levit. 14. 1. to 33. Deut. 23. 10, 11. If ſo, then their excluſion out of the Camp was no excommunication or ſuſpention of them from the Tabernacle and all publick Ordinances in it, as is pretended; Yea, then it neceſſarily followes, that ceremoniall and corporall (much more then morall) uncleanneſſes, are to be expiated and purged away by admiſſion to publick Church Ordinances, not ſecluſion from them: True it is, that by Levit. 7. 20, 21. & chap. 22. 4. to 16. That perſon which had any ceremoniall uncleanneſſe on him, was prohibited to eat of the Sacrifice of the Peace Offerings, which pertaine unto the Lord, under paine of being cut off from his people; but yet he might bring a Sinne Offering, and a Treſpaſſe Offering to the Lord, as is cleeriLevit. c. 1. to c. 8. by other Texts. All which conſidered, theſe Texts much inſiſted on by Maſter Rutherfurd and others, will prove no power veſted by divine authority in Prieſts or Presbyters, to excommunicate or ſuſpend men from the Lords Supper.

The fourth Text produced, is 2 Chron. 23. 19. And Jehojadah ſet the Porters at the gates of the Houſe of the Lord, that none which was uncleane in any thing ſhould enter in: If this Text (with that of the 2 Chron. 26. 19, 20. coupled to it) make ought for excommunication of ceremoniall uncleane perſons from the Temple, and all publick Ordinances of Gods worſhip there ſolemnized, as ſome pretend, (though here is onelyonly a keeping, not casting out of the Temple of ſuch, by Jehojadah his appointment alone, not by any divine inſtitution that we read of, and that by the Porters only, whok1 Chron. 9. 17 18. c. 15. 18. c. 16 38, 42. c. 23. 5. c. 26. 1. 12. 2 Chron. 23. 4 c. 34 …3 c 35. 15 … 7 7. …. 7. … 45 c 1… …9 … 4…. 11. were not Priests but Levites; out of the houſe of the Lord it ſelfe, not out of the Court before it, where we read of Oblations offered up to God on the Altar as well as in the Temple it ſelfe; 1 Kings 8. 64. 2 Chron. 7. 7. nor yet out of the Sinagogues, the places of Gods ordinary worſhip) yet certainly it makes point blank againſt any bare ſuſpenſion onelyonly from the Paſſeover or Lords Supper, (not here particularized) ſince here is a totall excluſion of uncleane perſons from the Temple it ſelfe, and all publick Ordinances performed in it not from ſome alone, even in the Objectors opinion.

The fift is, Ezek. 44. 7, 8, 9. Thus ſaith the Lord God, no ſtranger or uncircumciſed in heart, nor uncircumciſed in fleſh ſhall enter into my Sanctuary, of any ſtranger that is among the children of Iſrael. In reſpect of which command, the Jewes accuſed Paul, Acts 21. 28, 29. for bringing Greekes into the Temple, and polluting that holy place. Which Text, if it make any thing for excommunication (as ſome pretend, though others upon good reaſon deeme the contrary, it ſpeaking onelyonly of excluding uncircumciſed Heathens, not any uncleane or ſcandalous circumciſed Iſraelites out of the Temple at Jeruſalem, not the Jewiſh Sinagogues, nor of ſecluding or excommunicating any baptized Chriſtians under the Goſpel from the Church though uncircumciſed either in the fleſh or heart) yet certainly it proves nothing for any ſole ſuſpention from the Paſſeover or Lords Supper, ſince ſuch ſtrangers were totally ſecluded both from the Temple and all Ordinances therein uſed, not ſuſpended from one Ordinance alone, but admitted to all others.

The ſixt Text is Matth. 18. 17. If he neglect to heare the Church, let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican: that is, as ourlMaſter Rutherfurds Divine right of Church-Government, cap. 8. and Due right of Presbyt…ries c. 4. ſect. 5. p. 187. Oppoſites expound it; a perſon cut off and ſecluded from the viſible Church and people of God, and all communion in holy Ordinances, as Ezek. 44. 7, 8, 9. Acts 21. 28, 29. Epheſ. 2. 11, 12. inſinuate. Which if objected for proofe of ſuſpention from the Lords Supper onelyonly, not from other Ordinances, then the meaning and ſenſe of the place muſt be no more but this; Let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican; that is, let him be ſuſpended onelyonly from communicating at the Lords Table, once a monethmonth, a quarter, a yeer, but let him conſtantly reſort unto, and communicate in all other Ordinances and duties of Gods worſhip every Lords day and Lecture day, without the leaſt ſuſpention or impediment, which Heathens never uſed to doe, and very few Publicans: A very pretty expoſition of this much controverted Text.

The ſeventh Scripture is, John 9. 22, 34, 35. chap. 12. 42. chap. 16. 2. Where we read, that thoſe who profeſſed Chriſt, were put, or caſt out of the Synagogue by the Jewes: Ergo, they were debarred from preaching, reading of the Word, prayer and all other publjck Offices of Gods worſhip uſed in the Jewiſh Sinagogues, not from the Paſſeover or Lords Supper onelyonly, never adminiſtred in any Sinagogue that we read of in Scripture: And to intepret putting out of the Sinagogue, to be nothing elſe but a bare ſuſpention from the Lords Supper, without any excluſion from other Ordinances, is a meer Bull, and miſerable perverting of theſe Texts, it being an unlawfull act done by the unbeleeving Jewes, not againſt ſcandalous offenders, but faithfull beleevers and profeſſors of Jeſus Chriſt.

The eighth is the 1 Cor. 5. where the Apoſtle writes to the Church at Corinth, To take away from among them the incestuous perſon; to deliver him to Satan: To purge out the old Leven that they might be a new lump; not to keep company with a Brother that is a fornicator, &c. with ſuch a one no not to eat; and to put away from among themſelves that wicked perſon: From which place ourmMaſter Rutherfurds Divine right of Church-Government. c. 4. qu. 1. p. 238. to 240. Oppoſites inſtruct us, That to deliver to Satan, is to caſt out of the Church, and to declare ſuch an offender to be of the number of the wicked world, of which Satan is Prince, and to be purged out of the Church, leaſt he ſhould infect the Sheep, and Christians are not to beare company with him, nor to eat with him; and he was judged to be caſt out as a heathen and Publican, and deprived of the comfortable communion of the Saints, and of the prayers of the Church, and meanes of Grace. Ergo, by their owne argumentation, confeſſion, expoſition, this Text enjoynes a totall excommunication from all publick Ordinances, meanes of grace and communion of the faithfull, not a naked ſuſpention onelyonly from the Lords Supper, with free admiſſion to all other Ordinances: But if this Text be meant of a Suſpention onelyonly from the Lords Supper, then the delivering of that incestuous perſon to Satan, the purging out of the old leaven, the not keeping company, the not eating with him, the taking and putting away of him from among them, muſt be all reduced to this one negative act; not to admit him to the Lords Table once a monethmonth, a quarter, a yeere, yet to communicate with him in all other Ordinances every day and week in the yeer, without ſcruple or ſcandall: an interpretation as point blank againſt the very words and meaning of the Text as may be.

The ninth is Rom. 16. 17. Now I beſeech you Brethren marke them that cauſe diviſions and offences, contrary to the Doctrine ye have received, and avoid them: To which I ſhall annex,nMaſter Rutherfurds Divine right of Church-Government, p. 249▪ 269, &c. 12. qu. 8. Mr. Walkers Modell of the Government of the Church. p. 17. 2 Theſ. 3. 14. And if any man obey not our word by this Epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be aſhamed: And 2 John 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine, receive him not into your houſe, neither bid him God ſpeed. Which if meant of publick communion, converſation in Ordinances of Gods worſhip with Schiſmaticall, Hereticall, ſcandalous Chriſtians, as well as in private; prohibit communion with them in all other publick Ordinances, as well as in the Lords Supper; but if appropriated to a ſingle ſuſpention onelyonly from the Lords Table, then they muſt run into this abſurdity; that to avoid ſuch perſons, not to keep company with them, not to receive them into our houſes, or bid them God ſpeed, is onelyonly not to eat the Lords Supper with them, and to ſuſpend them from it alone; which neither the words nor meaning of theſe Texts will beare.

The tenth is Tit. 3. 10. A man that is an Heretick, after the firſt and ſecond admonition, reject: That is, as ouroMr. Rutherfurd and Mr. Walker, ibid. Oppoſites interpret it, excommunicate and caſt him out of the Church: But if objected to prove a bare ſuſpention from the Euchariſt, then reject muſt ſignifie, ſuſpend him from the Lords Table onelyonly, not from any other Ordinance, he may preach and broach his hereſies ſtill, to poyſon and canker others: To which I ſhall ſubjoyne, Rev. 2. 20. Notwithstanding I have a few things againſt thee, becauſe thou ſuffereſt that woman Jezabel to teach and to ſeduce my ſervants to commit fornication and to eat things ſacrificed unto Idols: Which if it proves ought for excommunication, yet certainly makes nothing for a ſole ſuſpention from the Sacrament, but againſt it.

The eleventh is the 3 John 9, 10. Neither doth Diotrephes himſelfe receive the Brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the Church: that is, excommunicates them, as all accord. Which if objected for proof of ſuſpention of ſcandalous perſons from the Lords Table only, then not to receive the Brethren, and to caſt them out of the Church, is meerly to debarre them from the Lords Supper onelyonly; which the words will no wayes beare.

The twelfth is the 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, let him be Anathema Maranatha: Admit this Text to containe the higheſt degree of excommunication in the Church, as manymMaſter Rutherfords divine right of Church-government, p. 372. with others. dogmatize, yet to interpret Anathema Maranatha, to be no more but let him he ſuſpended from the Lords Table, is to contradict all Expoſitors, and to ſpeak little better then pure nonſenſe.

Theſe ſeverall Texts of Scripture produced by our Antagoniſts for proof of Excommunication by divine inſtitution, doe utterly ſubvert the maine thing they now contend for, to wit, a divine Authority veſted in Miniſters & Presbyteries not to excommunicate ſcandalous impenitent ſinners from all Ordinances and Chriſtian ſociety, but barely to ſuſpend thoſe they repute ſcandalous, from the Lordr Supper onelyonly, though they deſire to receive it, without ſequeſtring them from any other publick Ordinances, to whomnDoctor Drake in his ſixteen Anti-queries, in the Preface and p. 6. ſome of them are likewiſe ſo indulgent, as to aſſert in print, that a ſcandalous perſon, yea Heathen may be preſent at the Lords Supper, and all the Sacramentall actions, and that with a great deale of profit, onelyonly they muſt not actually receive the outward Elements: But when we demand a proofe from Scripture for juſtificarion of this new Paradox, they c…n produce none at all.

My third reaſon is, becauſe it is directly contrary to the very end of Chriſts pretended giving excommunication to the Church, which in oDivine right of church-government, cap 4. ſect 4. qu. 5 p. 76.Maſter Rutherfurds owne words is thus expreſſed: The power of Excommunication is given by Chriſt to a Congregation, not upon a poſitive ground, becauſe it is a viſible institute Church, or as it is a Congregation; but this power is given to it upon this formall ground and reaſon; Becauſe a Congregation is a number of ſinfull men, who may be ſcandalized and infected with the company of a ſcandalous perſon; this is ſo cleere, that if a Congregation were a company of Angels, which cannot be infected, no ſuch power ſhould be given to them, even as there was no need that Chriſt, as a member of the Church, either of Jewes or Christians, ſhould have a morrall power of avoiding the company of Publicans and ſinners, becauſe he might poſſibly convert them; but they could no wayes pervert or infect him with their ſcandals and wicked converſation; therefore is this power given to a Congregation, as they are men, who through frailty of n…re mey be levened with the bad converſation of the ſcandalous, who are to be excommunicated, as is cleere,If a little body of a Congregation in a remote Iſle have power from Chriſt to cut off a rotten member, leaſt it infect the whole body, ſhal… we doubt but our wiſe Law-giver hath given the ſame power to a greater body of many viſible Congregations, which is under the danger of the ſame contagious infection? 1 Cor. 5. 6. Your glorying is not good, know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Therefore are we to withdraw our ſelves from Drunkards, Fornicators, Exportioners, Idolaters, and are not to eat and drink with them, verſe 10. and from thoſe who walk inordinately and are diſobedient, 2 Theſ. 3. 12, 13, 14. And from Hereticks, after they be admoniſhed, leaſt we be infected with their company; juſt as nature hath given hands to a man to defend himſelfe from injuries and violence, and hornes to Oxen, to hold off violence; ſo hath Chriſt given the power of Excommunication to his Church, as ſpirituall armour to ward off and defend the contagion of wicked fellowſhip: Now this reduplication of fraile men which may be levened, agreeth to all men of many conſociated Congregations, who are in danger to be infected with the ſcandalous behaviour of one member of a ſingle Congregation, and agreeth not to a Congregation as ſuch: therefore this power of Excommunication muſt be given to many conſociated Congregations, for the Lord Jeſus his Salve muſt be as large as the Wound, and his meane muſt be proportionable to his end.

Since then by M^r Rutherfurds owne aſſertion,oMaſter Walkers Modell, &c. p. 18. and others concurrent ſuffrages who write in defence of Excommunication, the very ground and end of inſtituting Excommunication in the Church, is to prevent infection, contagion, by the company, bad converſation and wicked fellowſhip of ſcandalous perſons, and to cut off a rotten member, leaſt it infect the whole body: It muſt neceſſarily follow, that contagious ſcandalous Church-members continuing obſtinate and impenitent in their ſins, ought not to be ſuſpended barely from the Lords Supper, but likewiſe from all other publick Ordinances and Chriſtian ſociety, as well as it; nay, rather from any other Ordinance then from the Lords Supper, upon theſe enſuing grounds.

Firſt, becauſe the Lords Supper is now more rare and infrequent then any other publick Ordinance, adminiſtred in few Churches above once a monethmonth, in many not once a quarter, nay ſcarce once in a yeer or two, in theſe late unhappy times, an… then but once in a day; whereas we have prayers, preaching, reading of the Word, Baptiſme, ſinging of Pſalmes, expoſition of Scriptures, Catechizing in many Crurches every day of the week, at leaſtwiſe morning and evening in all or moſt of our Churches, every Lords day, if not on week dayes too; beſides publick monethly Faſts and frequent Thankſgivings: Now there is farre greater danger of infection, contagion by ſcandalous ſinners in converſing with them in theſe common publick Ordinances every week or day almoſt morning and evening, & in keeping company w^th them in private (of which few or none make conſcience) then there is in eating and drinking with them at the Lords Table once a month, a quarter, or happily ſcarce once a yeer, as common reaſon will informe us; therefore we ſhould rather exclude them, from thoſe publick Ordinances wherein they daily or weekly at leaſt converſe with us, then from the Lords Supper, whereat we more rarely meet or communicate with them; it being a ſtrange kind of madneſſe or folly to ſhun the company of a Leper, or one infected with the peſtilence▪ one half houre onelyonly in a monethmonth or yeere, at a Supper, and yet to fit with him at, Breakfaſt and Dinner two or three hours every day or week.

Secondly, becauſe few or no ſcandalous perſons are ſo deſperately wicked or cauterized (as experience informes us) but when they come to receive the Lords Supper they will promiſe a great deale of repentance, of reformation, and behave themſelves very piouſly, devoutly in outward ſhew, laying aſide all their ſcandalous courſes on the whole day at leaſt whereon they receive it, and come with ſome preparation thereunto: In which regard, there is the leſſe danger of deriving infection from them in and by this Ordinance of any other, whereas they come uſually to all other Ordinances without any examination, preparation, promiſe of repentance or future reformation, making no ſuch conſcie…ce of abſtaining from their ſinfull courſes on Lecture dayes or Lords dayes, as they doe on Sacrament dayes, comming unto them with, and in their ſcandalous fin…: therefore they ought rather to be ſuſpended from all other Ordinances then from the Lords Supper onelyonly, at which they are leaſt contagious, and ſeeme to be moſt Penitent, moſt Reformed both in heart and Life.

Thirdly, thoſe who are truly pious, or at leaſt not ſcandalous, are leſſe capable of receiving infection, contagion from ſcandalous ſinners at the Lords Supper, then at other publick Ordinances; becauſe as thoſe ſcandalous perſons are then leaſt ſcandalous, and moſt reclaimed in their carriage, ſo theſe holy Communicants, in regard of their ſolemne preparations to the Sacrament, their previous examinations of their own hearts, lives, their ſerious Vowes, Covenants to watch and warre more againſt all ſins, al occaſion of ſin for the future; and of thoſe heavenly meditations which take up their thoughts, ſpirits, are leſſe capable to be infected or polluted by them, then at other common Ordinances, to which they come not with ſuch ſolemne preparations, watchfulneſſe, ſeriouſneſſe and Antidotes againſt ſins contagion, as to the Lords Supper.

Fourthly, ſcandalous perſons converſe with fewer Chriſtians at the Lords Table, to which but few reſort, and thoſe well antidoted againſt their contagion, then they doe at any other Ordinances, to which all promiſcuouſly ruſh without diſtinction or much ſolemn preparation; therfore there is more danger of contagion in admitting them to, and greater reaſon to ſequeſter them from all other common Ordinances, then the Lords Supper onelyonly.

Fiftly, it is every way as ſcandalous and contagious to others, as dangerous to ſcandalous ſinners themſelves, to admit them to other ſacred ordinances, as to the Lords Supper. Firſt, becauſe the ſame Texts which ſuſpend them from one Ordinance, ſuſpend thē equally from all others, as the premiſes. Pſal. 50. 16, 17. Mat. 7. 6. chap. 15. 26, 37. evidence, therefore it is as ſcandalous, as unlawfull to admit them to any other, as to the Lords Supper. Secondly, becauſe the ſame ſins, ſcandals equally diſable, unſit them for the holy performance of one Ordinance as another, Pſal. 50. 16, 17. Pſal. 66. 18. Prov. 1. 28. chap. 28. 9. chap: 15. 8. chap. 21. 17. Iſa. 1. 10. to 21. chap. 58. 1. to 8. chap. 66. 3. Jer. 7. 7, 8, 9. chap. 14. 12. chap. 11. 11. Ezek. 8. 18. Micah 3. 4. Job 27. 9. John 9. 31. 1 Pet. 2. 1, 2. For example, drunkenneſſe, whoredome, covetouſneſſe, murther, malice, pride, and the like, as much diſable, unfit Chriſtians to pray, read, heare, meditate, ſing Pſalmes, Faſt, as to receive the Lords Supper; and ſuch mens praying, hearing, faſting, is as unacceptable to God, as unprofitable, as ſinfull, as dangerous, as damnable to themſelves as their ūworthy receiving. Thirdly, becauſe the defect or want of ſaving faith and Gods ſpirit makes all Ordinances alike ineffectuall to us, and unacceptable to God; we can no more pray, ſing, faſt, heare or read the Word of God with profit or acceptance without faith and the aſſiſtance of the ſpirit, then we can receive the Lords Supper, as is cleer by James 1. 5, 6, 7. chap. 5. 15. Rom. 8. 26, 27. John. 6. 65. 1 Cor. 14. 15. Epheſ. 6. 18. Heb. 4. 2. chap. 10. 38. chap. 11. 1. to 40. But eſpecially by Heb. 11. 6. Without Faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God; and Rom. 14. 13. He that doubteth is damned if he eat, becauſe he eateth not of Faith, FOR WHATSOEVER IS NOT OF FAITH IS SINNE. Fourthly, becauſe all Gods Ordinances are holy, if not of equall holineſſe; the Word, Prayer, Preaching, Faſting, &c. are all holy as well as the Sacraments, and to be kept from prophanation as well as they, Mat. 7. 6. Therefore impenitent, ſcandalous perſons ought to be excluded from the one as much as from the other. Fiftly, becauſe they have the ſelfe ſame right to one Ordinance of God as to another, and the ſelfe ſame command to communicate in, or abſtaine from the one as from the other, as they are viſible actuall members of the viſible Church, to which all Chriſts Ordinances are bequeathed, and wherein they are to be diſpenced to all that doe unfainedly deſire them: He that commands us topHeb. 3 7, 12 13. c. 4. 2, 3. Luke 8. 18. hear, and to take heed how we hear; to qJames 1. 6, 7. c. 5. 15.pray, and to pray in faith, nothing doubting; commands us likewiſe, Take, eat, this is my body, &c. Drink ye all of this &c. Doe this, as oft as ye doe it in remembrance of me, &c. But let a man examine himſelfe, and ſo let him eat of that Bread, and drink of that Cup, &c. 1 Cor. 11. 23. to 34. therefore all viſible members of the viſible Church, indued with competent knowledge to examine themſelves, muſt be admitted to all Ordinances alike, or ſuſpended from all alike, ſince the Scripture makes no difference herein, and allowes us no more liberty to abſtaine from, or neglect one Ordinance then another, nor gives Miniſters, Presbyters any more power to ſuſpend men from one then from another, as is evident by the forecited Texts, compared with Pſal. 119. 6. 1 Theſ. 5. 21, 22. James 2. 10, 11.

From all which reaſons I conclude, that a judiciall ſuſpenſion of ſcandalous obſtinate ſinners from the Lords Supper onelyonly, without excluding them from all other ſacred Ordinances as well as it, is no divine cenſure nor inſtitution ſufficiently warranted by the Word of God, though our Divines now eagerly contend for it as a ſuch; the execution whereof they plead to be veſted by divine authority in Presbyters and Presbyteries, but by what Scripture charter, I am yet to ſeek.

The cheifeſt argument and reaſon I can meet with to juſtifie this ſole ſuſpention of ſcandalous perſons from the Lords Supper onelyonly,Objection 1. but not from other publick Ordinances, is this;rDoct. Drakes ſixteen Antiquaeries, p. 6. Maſter Walker Maſter Palmer & others. Suſpention from the Euchariſt, is a ſtep and degree to Excommunication, and they who have power to doe the greater may doe the leſſe; he who hath power to hang, hath alſo power to mulct or ſcourge; and why ſhould nor they have power to ſuſpend from one Ordinance, that have power to caſt out of the Church, and ſo to keep back from all Ordinances?

I anſwer,Anſwer 1. Firſt, that the Scripture no where preſcribes any ſuch ſuſpention from the Lords Supper onelyonly, much leſſe doth it make it a ſtep or prodromus to a totall Excommunication, as I have formerly evidenced; therefore Presbyters or Presbyteries have no divine authority to preſcribe or make it ſuch, if they will keep to their owne principles,sSee Maſter Rutherfurds divine right of Church government, ſect 1, 2, 3, 4. cap. 1. qu. 1. &c. That the Scripture ought to be the onelyonly rule of all Church Diſcipline, for whatſoever is not of faith is ſinne, Rom. 14. 13. Secondly, that where the Scripture commands a totall Excommunication from the Church and all publick Ordinances in it, there Miniſters and Presbyters have no more authority to ſuſpend from one alone, and give free admtitance to all the reſt, thentSam. 15. 2. to 34. Saul had to ſpare Agage and the beſt of the Sheep and Cattle: or vJoſh. 7. i. to 16.Achan to ſave the Babiloniſh Wedge and Garment; xNumb. 31. i. to 20.or the Iſraelites to ſpare the Moabitiſh women, when God commanded them to be all destroyed, for which ſinfull partiallity they were ſeverely checked, puniſhed. Now the Scripture commands a totall excommunication of obſtinate ſcandalous ſinners from all publick Ordinances whatſoever (if from any) as the Texts forecited manifeſt, and our Oppoſites in their diſcourſes concerning excommunication confeſſe; therefore they cannot without ſin and contempt of Gods command, exclude them onelyonly from the Lords Supper, and yet freely admit them to, and communicate with them in all others. Thirdly, to anſwer Maſter Doctors miſtaken Law; Where a Judge by the Law (as in caſes of Treaſon, Murder, Burglary, &c.) hath power, and is preſcribed to hang the party offending, there he cannot exchange or extenuate the penance at his pleaſure, by inflicting a mulct or whipping; w^ch puniſhments muſt be inflicted only when and where the Law inflicts them, not for capitall offences, as all our common Law-books, Lawyers will informe him; our Judges being bound by Oath, to judge onelyonly according to Law, not arbitrarily at their pleaſure: If then Judges may not alter the penalties preſcribed by the Lawes of men, much leſſe may Miniſters or Presbyteries change or mitigate the cenſures preſcribed (as they now contend) by the Law of God himſelfe. Fourthly, ſuſpention from the Lords Supper onelyonly, without ſequeſtration from all other Ordinances together with it, is but a meer groundleſſe Invention io juſtle out the cenſure of excommunication ſo much contended for, and ſtrip it naked of all its terror and Majeſty: for if excommunicate perſons may reſort freely to heare the Word and to all other publick Ordinances but the Sacrament, yea be preſent at all the actions of the Sacrament it ſelfe, and be ſecluded onelyonly from the actuall participation of the Elements, it will make Excommunication nothing formidable, yea quite ſubvert the very end, uſe and ſubſtance thereof, to make ſcandalous perſons aſhamed.

Reply.But our yMaſter Rutherfurds Divine right of Presbyteries, p. 227, 273, 274, 280, 281Antagonists reply; That an excommunicate perſon may freely bee admitted to heare the Word, and ought not to be excluded from it;zSixteen Antiquaeries, p. 6. Where (writes the Doctor) is it ſaid that an excommunicate perſon, ſhall not have ſo much as the priviledge of one that is without? 1 Cor. 14. 24, 25. Might an Infidell heare the Word for his converſion, and ſhall an excommunicate perſon be denied the benefit of that Ordinance? I grant by excommunication he is as an heathen, but why he may not have the priviledge of one that is without, I deſire Master Prynne to instruct me, and I ſhall thank him for it: We deny not but the meditation of Christs death, the words of institution, and the Sacramentall Elements and actions may doe much (towards converſion) and let Master Prynne ſhew me in Scripture, why either an excommunicate perſon or an Infidell may not be preſent at all theſe, yet neither of them may be admitted to partake of the Ordinance, &c.

Rejoinder.To this I rejoyne, Firſt, that Maſter Rutherfurd cites many Canoniſts and others in the ſame place to prove, That excommunicate perſons ought not to be preſent at Prayers, Preaching, or any other publick Ordinance, the generall opinion of Antiquity and the Schooles; nay, he proves from Ezek. 44. 7, 8, 9. & Acts 21. 28, 29. That unconverted Heathens were prohibited to come into Gods Sanctuary, or enter into the Temple at Jeruſalem; and that thoſe who are thus excōmunicated as Heathens, are in this ſenſe perſons quite excluded the Church and Common-weale of Iſrael, as Heathens were, Epheſ. 2. 11, 12. elſe no excommunication could be evinced from Matth. 18. 17. Let him be to thee as an heathe; therefore Heathens, whiles ſuch, were excluded from the preaching of the word de jure, in Chriſtian Churches and Congregations, of which they were no members: True it is, the Apoſtles were commanded to preach the Goſpell to all Nations and Infidels to convert them, Matth. 28. 19. Mark 16. 15. But whether Miniſters at this day have the like Commiſſion, or are to admit meere Infidels ordinarily to heare the Word in their Congregations, is not yet reſolved, neithr will the 1 Cor. 14. 24, 25. evince it, which ſpeaks of ſuch Ministers onelyonly, who were endued with the ſupernaturall gift of miracles and tongues for the converſion of Infidels, which are long ſince ceaſed. Secondly, admit that Heathens and Infidels, if they caſually come into Chriſtian Churches to heare the Word ought not to be excluded, but admitted to heare it, yet it followes not that excommunicate perſons ſhould therefore be admitted into the Church to heare the Word preached, whiles actually excommunicated for their obſtinacy and incorrigibility in ſcandalous ſins; Firſt, becauſe they are judicially, by way of publick cenſure and puniſhment, actually cut off from, and excluded out of the viſible Church, and ſequeſtred from all publick Ordinances, all Chriſtian ſociety, for ſcandalous offences, till their repentance and readmiſſion, as is cleere by the premiſed Texts, and moſt Canoniſts, Caſuiſts, School men, who write of Excommunication, which meere Heathens who deſire to heare the Word that they may be converted, are not: therefore during this cenſure and their impenitency, they ought not to be admitted entrance into the Church, or to be preſent at any other Ordinances in it till their readmiſſion, though Heathens may, who are not judicially excluded. To illuſtrate this by an inſtance of like nature; If a native Engliſh man be by lawfull ſentence baniſhed the Kingdome for any crime, or a Free-man of London expelled the lines of Cōmunication for his Delinquency till his conformity, it is not lawfull for the one of them to return into the Kingdome, or the other to come within the City, till their ſentences be revoked; yet Aliens and Forreigners may freely enter the one and other without reſtraint, becauſe there is no ſuch ſentence of baniſhment or excluſion paſſed againſt them: So a ſcandalous impenitent Chriſtian caſt out of the Church, baniſhed the ſociety of Chriſtians, and excluded all publick Ordinances by a legall ſentence, ought not to be admitted till repentance, though a meere Heathen may. Secondly, becauſe an impenitent, obſtinate, ſcandalous Chriſtian, by Paul's owne reſolution, is more to be avoyded then a meere Heathen without the Church; witneſſe 1 Cor. 5. 10, 11, 12, 13. I wrote to you in an Epistle, not to keep company with fornicators; yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or with extortioners, or with Idolaters, for then ye muſt goe out of the world: But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a Brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an Idolater, or a Rayler, or a Drunkard, or an Extortioner, with ſuch a one NO NOT TO EATE (of which few make any conſcience that preſſe this place ſo much:) for what have I to doe to judge them that are without, doe ye not judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth: Therefore put away from among you that wicked perſon. In which words the Apoſtle informes us, Firſt, That ſcandalous Chriſtians arezWhich Maſter Ruthe…furd affirmes, Divine right of Church Government, p. 357. worſe then Heathens that are ſcandalous in the ſame kind: Secondly, That Chriſtians in ſome caſes may keep companyaSoe 1 Cor. 10. 27, 28. and eat with the one, but not ſo much as keep company or eat with the other: Thirdly, That they ought to judge, cenſure, put away from among themſelves the ſcandalous Chriſtian, but not the Heathen; which had the Doctor well obſerved, he would never have deſired me to inſtruct his ignorance in this kind: Fourthly, had the Doctor conſidered Matth. 7. 6. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither caſt ye your Pearles before ſwine, leaſt they trample them under their feet, and turne againe and rent you: ſpoken principally of the preaching of the Word, not of the Lords Supper, then not knowne nor inſtituted: Or Matth. 10. 14, 15. Mark 6. 11, 12. And whoſoever ſhall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that houſe or City, ſhake off the duſt of your feet for a testimony againſt them: Verily I ſay unto you it ſhall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgement, then for that City: Or Acts 13. 45, 46, 50, 51. But when the Jewes ſaw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and ſpake againſt thoſe things that were ſpoken by Paul, contradicting and blaſpheming: Then Paul and Barnabas waxed ſ… bold and ſaid, It was neceſſary that the Word of God ſhould firſt have been ſpoken to you, but ſeeing you put it from you, and judge your ſelves unworthy of everlasting life, loe, we turne to the Gentiles: But the Jewes ſtirred up devout and honourable women, and the chiefe men of the City, and raiſed perſecution againſt Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts; but they ſhook off the duſt of their feet againſt them, and came unto Iconium: Or Luke 14, 16, 17, 24. A certaine man made a great Supper, and bade many, and ſent his ſervants at Supper time, ſaying to them that were bidden, Come, for all things are now ready; but they all with one conſent began to make excuſe, &c. So that ſervant came and ſhewed his Lord theſe things: Then the Maſter of the houſe being angry, ſaid to his ſervant, Goe out into the lanes and ſtreets of the City and bring in hither the poore and the maimed, and the halt and the blind, &c. and compell them to come in, that my houſe may be full; For I ſay unto you, that none of thoſe men that were bidden, ſhall taſte of my Supper: Or Luke 19. 41. And when he came neere the City, he wept over it, ſaying, if thou hadſt knowne, even thou, at leaſt in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes; with ſundry other Texts of this kind: He might have learned from them, That ſuch Chriſtians who contemne and neglect the Goſpel and word of Grace when offered to them, may be juſtly deprived of and ſecluded from them, when as others, though Pagans, may be admitted to enjoy them, according to that expreſſe Text Mat. 21. 33. to 45. where the Lord of the Vineyard, when his ſervants were beaten and his ſon ſlaine by the husband-men from whom he required fruits; threatens he will miſerably destroy thoſe wicked men, and will let out his Vineyard to other husband-men, which ſhall render him their fruit in due ſeaſon; Chriſt himſelfe thus cloſing up the Parable, with reference to the obſtinate Jewes; Therefore I ſay unto you, the Kingdome of God, ſhall be taken from you, and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof; which you may read fully executed and ratified, Rom. 11. 7. to 26. 1 Theſ. 2. 15, 16. Iſa. 5. 1. to 8. This Objection therefore will no wayes fortifie our Oppoſites weak Cauſe, but confirme my tenets.

But it is ſecondly objected by our Antagouists, Objection 2. b M…ſter Ruthe…f…rds Divine right of Presbyter…e…, p. 361, 362, 524, 525.that the Word may and muſt be preached to meere Pagans and Infidels, to convert and inſtruct them; but the Lords Supper is not to be adminiſtred to ſuch, as all acknowledge: Therefore there is a vaſt difference in this reſpect between the preaching of the Word, and receiving of the Lords Supper; and ſo by conſequence, ſcandalous perſons which are as Heathens, may and ought to be ſuſpended from the one, though they be admitted to the other.

I anſwer,Anſwer. Firſt, this Objection, if examined, is but a meere fallacy, and inconſequent, the controverſie not being, Whether Infidels, Turks and Pagans ought to be admitted to the Lords Table before they publickly embrace and profeſſe the Chriſtian faith? But, Whether ſcandalous Christans externally embracing, profeſſing the faith of Chriſt, endued with competent knowledge, profeſſing, unfain…d repentance for their ſinnes paſt, promiſing reformation for the future, and earnesily deſiring to be admitted to the Lords Supper, may by any institu…io… or appointment of Jeſus Chriſt be ſuſpended from it; when not ſecluded from, but admitted free acceſſe to the Word, and all other pulick Ordinances? Therefore to argue thus, the Lords Supper ought not to be adminiſtred to Turkes and Infidels; Ergo, not to ſcandalous Chriſtians, is a meere Nonſequitur, and departing from the point in iſſue. Secondly, the reaſon why the Lords Supper and Baptiſme ought not to be adminiſtred to Turks and Pagans before their externall converſion to the Chriſtian faith, though the Goſpell may be preached to them, is not becauſe preaching of the Goſpel is a converting Ordinance, and the adminiſtration of the Sacraments onelyonly a confirming, but not converting Ordinance; (as is pretended;) but becauſe the Sacraments (as allcCalvin, Peter Martyr, Aretit…, Jewel, Beacon, Paraeus, Willet, others, and Maſter Rutherfurd himſelfe, Divine right of Presbyteries, cap. 4. ſect. 5. p. 212. Divines accord) are badges of our externall Christian profeſſion; yea, ſolemne Covenants or Oaths to oblige us to yeeld all obedience and ſubjection unto Chriſt, and distinguiſhing ſignes to difference Christians from all Infidels and Pagans in the world; therefore not to be adminiſtred to any but ſuch who actually embrace and profeſſe the faith of Chriſt, and are admitted members of his viſible Church; whereas the bare externall hearing of the Word preached (wherein the hearers are only paſſive, but no wayes active or ſtipulative, unleſſe they embrace it) is no ſuch badge or emblem of Chriſtianity, nor ſuch an externall Oath of Alleagiance to tye us to the obedience of Chriſt, as Baptiſme and the Lords Supper are, which belong to none but ſuch who profeſſe themſelves Chriſtians and are members of the viſible Church of Chriſt. Thirdly, It is generally agreed by all orthodox Divines, that Baptiſme and the Lords Supper are by the will and appointment of Jeſus Chriſt, given not ſimply and ſolely to the elect and inviſible Church of Chriſt, (certainly knowne to God alone, not to any Miniſters or Presbyteries upon earth) but to all the viſible members of the viſible Church, not cut off from it by a legall Excommunication, or hindred by ſome naturall diſabilities, who have a true right to, and intereſt in them, though not actually regenerated and endued with ſaving faith. Upon which grounds MaſterdDue right of Presbyteries, cap. 4. ſect. 6. throughout. Rutherfurd, and MaſtereA defence of Infants Baptiſm…, part 3. p. 106. to 130. Marſhall expreſly maintain, the lawfulneſſe of baptizing the children of excommunicate perſons, Hereticks, Schiſmaticks, and Christians unregenerate, even for the externall profeſſion of the Christian faith by their ancesters, though their immediate Parents be Hereticks, or perſons excommunicated from the viſible Church: Which being granted, reſolved as an undoubted truth in the Sacrament of Baptiſme, muſt likewiſe thus farre hold in caſe of the Lords Supper, That a viſible member of the viſible Church endued with competent knowledge, and not actually excommunicated, ought not to be ſuſpended from it for any pretended ſcandalous crime, in caſe he deſire to receive it, ſince his very memberſhip in the viſible Church intitles him thereunto, as well as himſelfe or his children to Baptiſme, and gives him a right to receive it,Objection 3. yea makes him guilty of ſinne, in caſe he neglect to participate thereof, when publickly invited to receive it, as our ow…e Homilies concerning the receiving the Lords Supper reſolve: which fully anſwers this fallacious Objection.

Thirdly it is objected,fMaſter Rutherfurds div…ne r…ght of Church-Government c. 5. & Due right of Presby … ries c. 4. ſect 5 That the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a Seale of Grace, and of the Covenant of Grace, as it is a Sacrament, which the preaching of the Word is not; therefore ſcandalous perſons ought to be ſuſpended from it, though they be admitted to the preaching of the Word and other publick Ordinances, elſe we ſhould put a ſezle unto a blank.

I anſwer,Anſwer. Firſt, that the Lords Supper is by no Text in Scripture ſtiled a Seale, or Seale of Grace, or of the Covenant of Grace, though many Divines (without any Scripture authority) ſtile it ſo. Secondly, it is true, that Circumciſion is once onelyonly in the Now Teſtament, to wit, Rom. 4. 11. ſtiled, The SIGNE of Circum…iſion, A SEALE of the righteouſneſſe of faith, which Abraham had yet being uncircumc…ſed: WhencegCalvin, Peter Martyr, Paraeus and Doctor Willet on Rom 4. Aretii Problem. Locus, 77. Ameſii Bellarminus Enerva us, Tom. 4. qu 4. and others. Divines inferre, That Baptiſme and the Lords Supper are both Sacraments and Seales of Grace, and of the Covenant of Grace: But that it ſhould hence neceſſarily follow, that Baptiſme and the Lords Supper are Sacraments, are Seales of Grace, and of the Covenant of Grace (though never ſo called in Scripture, nor yet the Paſſeover) becauſe Circumciſion is called a Signe and a Seale of the righteouſneſſe of faith, which Abraham had yet being uncircum…iſed, is expreſly denied byhStapletoni Antld. p. 225. Pererius Diſput. 4. num. … Bellarminus, l. 2. c. 10. De Sacram. Remonſtr. in Apol. c. 23. Epiſcopius Diſp. 29. Theſ. 8. Smalci. cont. Franzium Diſp. 9. p. 199. Socin. de offic. Hom. Chriſt. c. 4 and others ſome, doubted by others, and cannot infallibly be inferred thence, for ought appeares to me. Thirdly, admit the Lords Supper be a Seale of Grace, as Circumcſiion was of faith, yet in what ſenſe, or in what reſpects it is or may be iSee Willets ſix-fold Comentary on Rom. 4. qu. 7.ſtiled a Seale, and what kind of Seale it is, is queſtioned by many, and very difficult to determine. Origen thinks Circumciſion was called a Seale of the righteouſneſſe of faith, becauſe in Circumciſion was ſealed and lay bid the righteouſneſſe of faith, which ſhould afterward be revealed and unfolded in Chriſt, and a Seale to the unbeleeving Jewes, ſhutting them up in unbeliefe, untill they ſhould be called in the end of the world: Chryſostome, Theodoret and others, expound it to be a Seale, that is, a teſtimony onelyonly of faith received: Aquinas thinks it was called a Seale, becauſe it was an expreſſe Signe, having a ſimilitude of the thing received: Others affirme it was tearmed a Seale, becauſe it distinguiſhed the Iſraelites from other people, as Seales distinguiſh one Merchants Goods and Letters from another: But Calvin, Paraeus, Fayus, Aretius, Peter Martyr, Marlorat, Willet, and the ſtreame of moderne Divines tearme it a Seale, becauſe it is a viſible confirmation of Gods promiſes to his people, as Kings and other m…ns Seales confirme their Patents and Deeds, being added to them for better aſſurance: And in this laſt ſenſe our Divines generally tearme Baptiſme and the Lords Supper, SEALES, that is, externall viſible confirmations of Gods promiſes: Indeed though I find not the Lords Supper or Baptiſme called Seales in Scripture, yet I read therein of a ſix-fold uſe of Seales. The firſt is, to conceale and cloſe up things from publick view, as Cant. 4. 12. Iſa. 29. 11. Job 41. 15. Dan. 9. 24. chap. 12. 9. Revel. 10. 4. chap. 22. 10. chap. 5. 1. to 10. chap. 6. 1. In which ſenſe the Greekes tearme Sacraments Mysteries or hidden things, the phraſe uſed by Paul, Eph. 3. 9. chap. 5. 32. andkDecana Dom. & Baptiſmo Se…m. Bernard, with others, ſtiles a Sacrament, Satrun ſecretum, a ſacred…ſecret. The ſecond, to preſerve, ſhut up, and keep things ſafe, Deut. 32. 43. Dan. 6. 17. Job 34. 16. chap. 37. 7. Matth. 27. 66. Job 14. 17. The third, to distinguiſh one thing from another, 1 Tim. 2. 19. Revel. 7. 3. to 9. chap. 9. 10. The fourth, to appropriate things, and mark them for our owne, 2 Cor. 1, 22. 2 Tim. 2. 19. chap. 7. 2. to 8. Epheſ. 1. 13. The fift to authorize and give commiſſion, John 6. 26. The ſixt, to confirme, ratifie, aſſure charters, Dee… Promiſes, Covenants, Nehem. 9. 38. Eſter 8. 8, 10. chap. 3. 12. Cant. 8. 6. Jer. 32. 10, 15, 44. Dan. 6. 17. 2 Cor. 1. 22. Epheſ. 4. 3. 2 Tim. 2. 19. 1 Cor. 9. 2. In ſome of theſe ſenſes the Lords Supper may perchance improperly be called a Seale by way of alluſion, but yet not properly and directly, ſince Maſter Rutherfurd himſelfe puts many differences between it and a civill ſeale, Due right of Presbyteries, c. 4. ſect. 5. p. 212, to 218.and Chriſt himſelfe ordained it not to be a Seale, but Remembrance, memoriall, repreſentation of his Death and Paſſion, as is cleer by Luke 22. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 24, 25, 26. This is my Body which is given for you, Doethis IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME; This cup is the New Testament in my blood, this doe ye as often as ye drink it in REMEMBRANCE OF ME, For as oft as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup, YE DOE SHEW THE LORDS DEATH TILL HE COME. Now being a Remembrance and Repreſentation of Chriſts Death by divine inſtitution, which hath no Analogy with a Seale, which ſerves not to commemorate or repreſent any thing, and being no where tearmed a Seale in Scripture; I conceive it farre more proper to ſtile the Lords Supper (as thekBiſhop Jew…ls Defence of the Apology, part 2. cap. 13 Diviſ. 1. p. 251 Fathers uſually doe) a Figure, Signe, Remembrance, Memory, or Repreſentation of Christs Death, then a Seale; which phraſe is the originall ground of mens bare ſuſpention from it. Fourthly, It is admitted by all, that Baptiſme is a Seale of Grace, and of the Covenant of Grace, as well as the Lords Supper; I would then gladly be informed by our oppoſite Brethen, by what authority, will and appointment of Jeſus Chriſt, thoſe who are admitted to be partakers of one of the Seales of Grace, and whoſe children by their owne reſolution ought to be admitted unto Baptiſme, even for theſe their Parents externall profeſſion of Chriſtianity and memberſhip in a viſible Church, ſhould be thus ſuſpended, excluded from the Lords Sxpper, the other Seale, not being totally ſecluded from all other Ordinances, having as good a title to the one Seale as the other, to the Lords Table as to Baptiſme or the Word it ſelfe? If they reply, as uſually they doe, that it is, becauſe we muſt not put a Seale unto a blanke, nor give the Seale of grace to thoſe that have no grace. I anſwer, Firſt, that this reaſon is a meer whimſey of their owne, warranted by no Scripture. Secondly, it is contrary to Scripture, their owne practice and confeſſion; wholMaſter Rutherfurds Due right of Presbyteries, c. 4 ſect. 5. Maſter Marſhals De…f …ce of Infants Baptiſme. grant; Firſt, that the Sacrament and Seale of Baptiſme may and ought to be given to the perſons, yea Infants of thoſe who externally profeſſe the christian Religion, though they be not truly regenerate, yea to the infants of Ignorant and Scandalous Chriſtians, though excommunicate, even for theſe their Parents externall profeſſion of Chriſtianity. Secondly, that unregeherate perſons who are not ignorant or notoriouſly ſcandalous, cannot be ſuſpended from the Lords Supper, but muſt be admitted to it, if they deſire it. Thirdly, that in this caſe a Seale is not put put unto a blank, for if their very baptizing at firſt was no ſealing of a Blank, then by the ſame reaſon, their receiving the Lords Supper cannot be ſo. Now that their baptizing was not ſo, I ſhall prove by Maſter lA defence of Infant baptiſm London, 1646. (Dedicated to the Aſſembly of Divines) p. 117, 118.Marſhals owne reſolution, approved by the Aſſembly; You conclude (writes he againſt Maſter Tombes) that if there be not a promiſe of theſe ſaving graces to Infants, in vaine are they baptized, and the Seale is put to a blank.

My meaning is indeed according to the ſenſe of the Directory, and according to that direction I doe pray, That God would make Baptiſme to be a Seale to the Infant of adoption, and the reſt of the ſaving graces of the Covenant; yet I utterly deny your conſequence, that unleſſe there be abſolute promiſes of ſaving grace to infants, the ſcale is ſet to a blank; for give me leave but to put the ſame caſe; Firſt, for the Infants of the Jewes, was the ſeale put to a blank with them, or had they all promiſes of ſaving graces? Secondly, let me put the ſame caſe in growne men, who make an externall viſible profeſſion, and thereupon are admitted to baptiſme; can any man ſay, that all the ſaving graces of the Covenant or the ſpirituall part of it, is promiſed to all viſible profeſſors? is it not abundantly knowne, that in all Ages, even in the beſt times, even in the Apostles time, multitudes were baptized, to whom God yet never gave ſaving graces, and therefore never promiſed them? for had he made a promiſe, he would have performed it: But I ſhall deſire you a little to conſider the nature of a Sacrament, in what ſenſe it is a Seale, and then you need ſtumble at this no longer; Theſe three things are neceſſary to be distinguiſhed: Note.Firſt, the truth of the thing ſignified in a Sacrament; and ſecondly, my intereſt in that thing; and thirdly, my obligation to doe what is required in or by that Sacrament: I ſay therefore, that in every Sacrament, the truth of the Covenant in it ſelfe, and all the promiſes of it are ſealed to be Yea and Amen; Jeſus Cbriſt became a Minister of the Circumciſion, to confirme the Promiſes made unto the Fathers; and ſo to every one who is admitted to partake of Baptiſme, according to the Rule which God had given to his Church, to administer that Sacrament, there is ſealed the truth of all the promiſes of the Goſpel, that they are all true in Chriſt, and whoſoever partakes of Chriſt, ſhall partake of all theſe ſaving promiſes: this is abſolutely ſealed in Baptiſme; but as to the ſecond, which is intereſſe meum, or the receivers intereſt in that ſpirituall part of the Covenant, that is ſealed to no receiver abſolutely, but conditionally; in this particular, all Sacraments are but Signa conditionalia, conditionall Seales, ſealing the ſpirituall part of the Covenant to the receiver upon condition, that he performe the ſpirituall condition of the Covenant; thus our Divines uſe to anſwer the Papists; thus Doctor Ames An…wers to Bellarmine, when Bellarmine diſputing againſt our Doctrine, that Sacraments are Seales, alleages, then they are falſly applyed oftentimes; he di… wers to Bellarmine, Sacraments are conditionall Seales, and therefo…e not ſeales to us but upon condition: Now for the third thing, the obligation which is put upon the receiver, a lo… or tye for him to perform, who is admitted to receive the Sacrament; this third, I ſay, is alſo abſolute, all circumciſed and baptized perſons did, or doe ſtand abſolutely engaged to performe the conditions required on their part, and therefore all circumciſed perſons were by the circumci…on obliged to keep the Law; that is, that legall and typicall adminiſtration of the Covenant which was then in force, and Infants among the reſt, were bound to this, though they had no understanding of the Covenant, or that administration of the Covenant, when this Seale was administred to them: Now then, ſince in Baptiſme there is ſuch an abſolute Seale of the truth of the Covenant of Grace in it ſelfe, a conditionall Seale of the receivers intereſt in the Covenant, and an abſolut… obligation upon the receiver to make good the Covenant on his part; IS THERE ANY REASON YOU SHOULD SAY, THAT THE SEALE IS PUT TO A BLANK, WHERE THE SPIRITUALL PART OF SAVING GRACE IS NOT PARTAKED OF? This anſwer of Maſter Marſhall to Maſter Tombes (approved by the Aſſembly of Divines, and Commiſſioners of the Church of Scotland, to whom it is Dedicated) in the caſe of Baptiſme, gives a full anſwer to the ſelf-ſame objection of our Antagoniſts in caſe of the Lords ſupper, they being both Sacraments and Seales alike, and ſubverts the very maine foundation of Suſpention onelyonly from the Lords Table; for if the Lords Supper be in truth a Seale of Grace, as is alleaged, yet ſeeing it is onelyonly a conditionall Seale of the receivers intereſt in the Covenant, but an abſolute Seale to every worthy and unworthy receiver of the Covenant of Grace in it ſelfe, and an abſolute obligation to make good the Covenant on their parts, as Maſter Marſhall determines, and Maſter Rutherfurd himſelfe concludes againſt the Anabaptiſts, in his Due Right of Presbyteries, cap. 8. ſect. 5. p. 214, 215, 216. Nay more (which I ſhall adde) if it be a viſible memoriall, Remembrance and Repreſentation of the Paſſion of Jeſus Chriſt to every receiver, a badge of diſtinction to difference Chriſtians from Turks, Pagans, Inſidels, Jewes, and a ſtrong incitation and engagement to them to many Chriſtian vertues duties, as namely to Faith, Hope, Charity, Thankfulneſſe, Mortification of their carnall luſts, Patience under the Croſſe, unfained love to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt and all his members, hatred of, and watchfulneſſe againſt ſinne, and univerſall obedience to Chriſt, (asmAretius, Calvin, the Harmony of Confeſſions, and Maſter Rutherfurd himſelfe, Due right of Presbyteries c. 4. ſect. 5. p. 212. Divines unanimouſly accord;) and if it be in truth but a meere viſible Word, or Preaching of the Goſpel and Chriſts paſſion to the eye, as all accord, no ſcandalous unexcommunicated perſon ought to be ſuſpended from it, that is not actually ſuſpended from hearing the Word and all other publick Ordinances; the rather, becauſenDoc…or Drake in his ſixteen Anti-queries, in the Preface and p. 6. Doctor Drake himſelfe aſſerts, That not onelyonly a ſcandalous Christian, but a very Heathen may be preſent at the Lords Supper, and heare the prayers and exhortations, ſee the Elements conſecrated, and all the Sacramentall actions, and that with a great deale of profit, if the Lord pleaſe to ſanctifie theſe things to him, yet neither of them may be admitted to partake of the Ordinance it ſelfe, or outward Elements, though of all the concomitants and actions of it; a prettty novell, Popiſh whimſey, contrary to Antiquity, and the practice of the pureſt times, who admitted none to be preſent at the Sacrament but ſuch as did actually receive it, as Thomas Beacon proves at large in his Catechiſme, vol. 1. f. 462. Finally, it is aſſerted by all ouroMaſter Rutherfards Due right of Preſbyteries, c. 9. ſect. 9. &c. 4. ſect. 5. p. 186. Oppoſites, That the true Saints of God endued with ſaving faith, may fall into ſcandalous▪ ſinnes as well as unregenerate perſons; for which they may be juſtly ſuſpended from the Lords Supper, though admitted to other Ordinances: Now ſuch cannot be ſuſpended from the Lords Supper, if they deſire to receive it, as it is a Seale of Grace, becauſe they have a true intereſt in the Covenant of Grace, and by reaſon of their frailty and lapſe into ſinne, have more need of this confirming, ſealing Ordinance to ſtrengthen, encreaſe their graces, and fortifie them the more againſt all future relapſes after their fals, then before: Wherefore this Objection extends not unto ſuch.

To cloſe up my Anſwer to this grand Objection; admit the Sacraments to be ſuch Seales of the Covenant of Grace, as Divines now make them, I would then be reſolved by them; Firſt, Whether the Covenant of Grace and promiſes of ſalvation, which God hath ratifiedaHeb. 6. 1…, to 20. with an Oath, and by the death and paſſion of Jeſus Chriſt, b2 Cor. 1. 19, 23.in whom all the promiſes of God are Yea, and in him Amen, to the praiſe and glory of God, be compleat, firme, valid in themſelves, without theſe Seales annexed to them; or meerly void and null in Law, as Kings, or mens Deeds and Charters are without a Seale to ratifie them? If firme, valid, compleat without them; then how are they ſeales and ratifications of the Covenant of Grace, as ſeales are of royall Charters? If incompleat, infirme, invalid; that were extreamly derogatory to the Covenant, promiſes themſelves, to the Oath, the truth of God, the death of Chriſt, yea directly contrary to Gen. 17. 7, 8. Exod. 6. 4, 5. Levit. 26. 42. 1 Sam. 16. 15, 16, 17, 18. 2 Chron. 6. 14. Nehem. 1. 5. chap. 9. 32. Pſal. 89. 28, 29, 34. Pſal. 105. 10. Pſal. 111. 5, 7, 8, 9. Iſa. 54. 7. to 11. Iſa. 55. 3. Iſa. 61. 8. Jer. 31. 31. to 38. chap. 33. 20, 21. chap. 50. 5. Ezek. 37. 26, 27. Heb. 6. 17, 18. chap. 13. 20. Therefore they are not properly ſeales. Secondly, Whether theſe Seales are inſeparably annexed to the Covenant and promiſes of Grace in the Old or New Teſtament, as parts or parcels of them, as ſeales are annexed to Charter? If yea, then ſhew us to what Covenants and promiſes, and in, and by what Texts they are thus inſeperably annexed; and how any can be ſaved or made partakers of the benefit of the Covenant and promiſes of Grace, who doe not actually receive theſe Seales of Grace; when as your ſelves, with allcHarmony of Confeſſions, ſect. 13. 14. orthodox Divines muſt grant; that many who were never baptized, and infinite who never received the Lords Supper, are and may be ſaved, and are made partakers of the Covenant, the promiſes of Grace, without receiving or enjoying theſe Seales of Grace. If no, then how can theſe be tearmed, Seales of the Covenant and promiſes of Grace, which are not inſeparably affixed to them, as ſeales are to Charters? ſince many receive the Covenant and promiſes of Grace without theſe Seales, and others receive theſe Seales without the Covenant or promiſes, the benefit whereof they never enjoy. Thirdly, By what reaſon, or upon what ſolid grounds they can deny the Seales of the Covenant and promiſes to thoſe very ſcandalous or ignorant Chriſtians once a moneh, a quarter, a yeer, to whom they every day or week, without any ſcruple, preach, tender, hold forth the very Covenant and promiſes of Grace, to which they ſay theſe Seales are annexed? Can men have an intereſt in any Covenant, Deed, Charter made, tendred … them, and yet have no right nor intereſt in the Seals annexed to them? an intereſt in a Coporation Patent, or Charter of pardon, and yet no right nor intereſt in the ſeales thereto affixed? This certainly is a monſter, a ſoleciſme in Law, why not them in Divinity too, eſpecially in this point, wherein Divines turne Lawyers, and allude to Law aſſurances? If then they will grant the Lords Supper to be a Seale of the Covenant and promiſes of Grace, they muſt either deliver and give this Seale to all thoſe viſible Church-members, to whom they daily preach and tender the Covenant and promiſes of Grace, which is the maine (the Seale being but the cAccoſſorium ſ…quitor principale.A…ceſſary, which neceſſarily followes the principle, as Lawyers determine) or elſe deny to preach or tender the Covenant and promiſes to thoſe to whom they deny the ſeal and ſo by conſequence muſt exclude all ignorant, at leſtwiſe ſcandalous Chriſtians from hearing the Word read or preached, as well as ſuſpend them from the Lords Supper; which by their own aſſertition is but a Seale, and appendant to the Covenant and Promiſes of Grace, and muſt not be divided from them.

Fourthly it is objected,Objection 4. pAntiquaeries, Maſter Rutherfords divine right of Church-government, p. 523, &c. Anſwer.That the Lords Supper is no converting Ordinance, to conferre and bege…grace where it is wanting, but onelyonly to confirme it, where it is already wrought; therefore ſcandalous perſons ought to be ſuſpended from the Lords Supper, though admitted to the preaching of the Word.

I anſwer, Firſt, that I have ſufficiently re…ted this ObjectionqSee a Vindi…ation of four ſerious Queſtions, pag. 40. &c. elſwhere, and proved the the Lords Supper to be a converting Ordinance to beget grace, as well as a confirming to encreaſe it, by reaſons not yet anſwered; and (as I conceive) unanſwerable, which I ſhall not here repeat; yet becauſe rSixteen Antiquaeries, the Preface, p. 1. & 6.Doctor Drake and others (out of their ignorance or wilfulneſſe) ſtile this A NEW PARADOX AND MISTAKE OF MASTER PRINNES, as if I were the firſt broacher of this truth; I ſhall onelyonly adde ſomething de novo for refutation of their miſtake.

Firſt, it is moſt apparent, that in the Primitive Church the Lords Supper was administred to Christians every day, at l…aſt every Lords day, and that the Ministers and Fathers in thoſe times preſſed all their Auditors to a frequent participation of this heavenly Banquet; upon this very ground, that thoſe who alwayes ſinne, might alwayes receive the medicine of this heavenly Sacrament againſt their ſins, and daily receive it, that they might be daily healed by it; and becauſe nothing was more effectuall to an holy and unblamable life, then the frequent participation of it: This is irrefragably proved by Justin Martyr, Apolog. 2. Ignatius, Epiſt. ad Epheſianos; Tertullian, Apologia; Ambroſe, de Sacramentis, l. 4. c. 6. l. 5. c. 4. Augustine, Epiſt. 108. ad Januarium Ep. de Eccleſiaſt. Dogm. c. 53. & in ſoan. 6. Tract. Hierom ad Lucinium Epiſt. Chryſostom Orat. de B. Philogonio & Hom. 6. ad Pop. Antioch. Cyprian de Caena Domini: Gratian de conſecrat. Diſt. 2. Ivo Carnotenſis Decret. pars 2. c. 24. to 35. Durandus Rat. Diu. Offic. l. 4. with sHarmony of Confeſſions, ſect. 14.ſundry others, and largly manifeſted by Thomas Beacon in his Cat…chiſme, vol. 1. f. 463. When this pious cuſtome began to be diſcontinued, we find divers Decrees & Canons made to enforce them to a frequent reception of this heavenly repaſt; sPlatina in vita ejus, and The Becons Catechiſme, fol. 463.Anacletus Biſhop of Rome decreed, That Christians ſhould receive the Euchariſt every day, and that thoſe who would not thus communicate, ſhould be excommunicated: But ſome of his Succeſſors finding people more backwards to this holy Ordinance then formerly, condiſcending to their humours in ſome ſort, enjoyned by their Decrees, That ALL perſons ſhould, if not more frequently, yet at leastwiſe thrice every yeer receive the Lords Supper; to wit, at Easter, Pentecoſt, the Nativity of Chriſt, and every Lords day in Lent; witneſſe the Decrees of Pope Fabian & Silverius, recorded by tDe Conſect. Diſt. 2.Gratian,vDecretalium pars 2. c 27, 29, Iv… Carnotenſis; and xIvo Carnotenſis, Decret. pars 2 c 28. Lutheri Carechiſmus majorSaint Hilary decreed, That if a mans ſinnes were not ſo great as that he were to be excommunicated, non debet a medicina corporis Domini ſeperari, he ought not to be ſequestred from the medicine of the Lords Body; unde timendum eſt ne DIU abſtractus a Chriſti corpore, alienus remaneat à ſalute; nam manifeſtum eſt vivere, qui corpu… attingunt Chriſti, &c. Beſides theſe, the ySurjus Concil. Tom. 1. p. 712. Gratian de Conſecr. Diſt. 2. Ivo Decret. pars 2. c 33.Councill of Agatha about the 440. yeer… after Chriſt, decreed, That ſecular men who rece…v…d not the Lords Supper in Christs Nativity, Easter and Pentecoſt, ſhould not be reputed Catholicks, nor numbred among Catholicks; which is ſeconded by ſundry other forraigne Councils, as zBochellus decret, Eccleſ. Gal. l. 2 Tit. 7. c 5. l 3. Tit. 1, c 20, 23, 24, 93, 95, 103, 104, 105, 106, 138.Synod. Turon, 3. ſub. Kar. Magno. Concil. Burdig, 1582. Concil. Bitur, 1584. Aquenſ. 1585. Theodulphus Aurelian, Epiſt. An. 835. Synod. Carnot, 1526. Concil. Rhomenſe, 1583. & Synod. Paris 1557. Yea, our owne ancient Britiſh Councils, as aSpelmanni Concil. Tom. 1. p 519, 548, 615, 616.Concil. Aenhamenſe Generale, An. 1009. the Eccleſia…icall Lawes of King Knute, An. 1032. with other ancient chapters, preſ…ribe, that every Pariſhioner ſhould receive the Sacrament at leaſt thrice every yeer: and the Bubrick in the old Common-Prayer Book after the Communion, w^th the 21 Canon, made Anno 1505▪ enjoin, That EVERY PARISHIONER ſhall receive the Lords Supper at leſt three times every yeer, of which Laster to be one; And that in Cathedrall and Collegiall Churches, where be many Priests and Deacons, they ſhall all receive the Communion with the Minister EVERY SUNDAY AT THE LEAST, except they have a reaſonable cauſe to the con…rary: Yea, our learned bIn his Catechiſme, vol. 1. f 461, 463.Beacon reckons up this as a great abuſe, and POPISH INNOVATION; that whereas: the Lord Chriſt Jeſus would have the holy communion of his bleſſed. Body and precious Blood to be oft times received of the: faithfull for a remembrance of his death and paſſion, and for the worthy, earneſt, diligent conſideration of this inestimable benefit which we have obtained of God the Father, through the Sonne his paſſion and death: the custome of the Popes Church is, that the people receive the Sacrament uſually but once in the yeer, that is to ſay, at Eaſter; bygSee … p. 542. … 550. to like purpoſe. which meanes the commandement of Chriſt is broken, the Sacrament is neglected, the death of Chriſt not ſo earneſtly remembred, the people become unthankefull, diſſolution of life breaketh in, vice increaſeth, vertue decreaſeth; which he condemnes as contrary both the Scripture and Antiquity; informing us, That among the Greeks, even at this day, if any man abſent himſelfe from the Lords Table by the ſpace of fourteen dayes (except be can render a reaſonable cauſe of his abſence) he is excommunicate, and put from the company of the faithfull; and that in all thoſe mighty, large, populous Kingdomes under that moſt puiſſant King Prceious John, the holy communion of the Body and Blood of the Lord hath from the beginning been DAILY ADMINISTRED TO THE PEOPLE, and yet is at this preſent day, as Hiſtories make mention: All which, as it juſtly refutes and cenſures the late unwarrantable, that I ſay not impious, popiſh, tyrannicall practice of ſundry of our Miniſters, who (I know not out of what new whimſeys & pretended ſcruples of conſcience) contrary to Antiquity, Scripture, Law, the conſtant practice of the Church in all Ages, refuſe to adminiſter the Sacrament to their Pariſhoners for whole yeers together or more, denying this heavenly Ordinance of Chriſt, as well to the religious among them who deſire it, as to the ignorant, ſcandalous, prophane; proſtituting this Inſtitution of Chriſt himſelfe to their owne ambitious deſignes, to encroach a juriſdiction over it and their peoples conſciences by this irreligious ſtratagem, no wayes juſtifiable before God or men; ſo it yeelds me an unanſwerable argument to prove theſe two concluſions, neceſſarily ſlowing from the premiſes.

Firſt, that the Lords Supper, by the judgement of Antiquity and the practice of the Church in all Ages, belongs to all viſible members of the viſible Church, able to examine themſelves, not actually excommunicated, though they be not truly regenerated; becauſe all of them are thus equally enjoyned frequently to receive it, as well as to heare the Word.

Secondly, that the Lords Supper by the reſolution of all theſe Fathers, Authors, and the Chriſtian Church in all Ages, is a converting, regenerating, as well as a confirming or ſealing Ordinance; for ſince every pariſhoner and member of each Congregation being of yeers of diſcretion, was thus exhorted, obliged to receive it at leaſt three times every yeer, under paine of excommunication and not being reputed a chriſtian; the greateſt part of whom, as the Scripture and experience informe us, were unregenerate perſons, not inwardly converted, and void of ſaving faith; the eating of this heavenly Banquet could not be preſcribed unto ſuch, as a bare ſealing or confirming Ordinance of ſaving grace already received, much leſſe as a meanes of their condemnation or aggravation of their ſinnes; but onelyonly as an inſtrument of their inward converſion and regeneration, to beget ſaving faith and ſpirituall life within their ſoules, and unite them unto Chriſt.

Hence the cBochellus de cret… Eccleſ. Gal. l 3. Tit. 1. c 2. p 356.Synod of Lingon An. 1404. defines thus; Sacramentum Sanctae E… chariſtiae eſt excellentiſſimum Sacramentum, pro eo quod non ſolum IN EO GRATIA CONFERTUR & ſanctificat, ſeu ſanctitatem cauſat, ſicut alia Sacramenta; ſed etiam quia continet in ſe actorem totius gratiae & ſanctificationis, Dominuin noſtrum Jeſum Chriſtum. Hence the Synod of dBochellus de eret. Eccleſ. Gal. l 2. Tit. 1. c 34 p 152, 153.Sennes, An. 1521. refuting ſuch who deny the power of conferring grace to the Sacraments, not onelyonly proves, Baptiſmi Sacramentum ſua virtute conferre Gratiam, ſtiling it, Lavacrum regenerationis quo denuo naſtimur; but likewiſe reſolves thus of the Lords Supper; Quis autem VIVIFIC UM neget Euchariſtiae Sacramentum, quod tam apertis Scripturae testimoniis comprobatur? Calix enim benedictionis cui benedicimus, nonne communio ſanguinis Christi eſt? & panis quem frangimus, nonne participatio corporis Domini eſt? &c. Quibus luce clarius constet, hoc ſacroſanctam Eucharistiae Sacramentum non ſolnm GRATIAM CONFERRE, &c. Which thus interpreted and ſeconded by the Synod of eBochellus ibid. c. 32. p. 148Paris, Anno 1557. may paſſe for orthodox truth; Sacramentum juxta nominis etymologiam, id ſignificat QUO QUID SACRATUR. Sacramentum itaque ex more Catholicae Eccleſiae, dicitur ſacrae rei ſignum externum & ſenſibile, efficaci ſignificatione, inſinuans internam & inviſibilem gratiam Dei, aut effectum gratuitum ex divina institutione ad ſalutem mortalium destinatum: Sacramenta duabus potiſſimum de cauſis a Deo eſſe instituta videntur. Ʋna eſt, ut ſint inviſibilis ſanctificationis inſignia & externa ſigna Christiani, ini, illius quae magnae Congregationis, quae eſt Eccleſia, ſigilla, ne Domini familia, aliarum gentium admixtione, fiat incerta: Altera cauſa eſt, ut Sacramenta ipſa non tantum ſignificent, ſed etiam ſanctificent & conferant inviſibilem Dei Gratiam; non propria aliqua rerum externorum vi, aut merito miniſtri, ſed Domini ſecretius operantis quod instituit. Itaque etſi decet bonum eſſe Sacramentorum ministrum, tamen malus etiam poteſt utiliter diſpenſare. Quum dicimus Sacramentum cauſam eſſe justificationis nostrae, intellegimus non principalem ſed instrumentalem, & ſine qua res fieri non ſolet, quamvis ſine ea fieni poſſit; nec enim virtus Domini & potentia alligata eſt Sacramentis. Eccleſiae Sacramenta, ſunt a Christo in morborum animi remedium & curationem instituta; quorum haec vis eſt, ut ſacros ſanctoſque faciant, qui ea digne ſuſcipitunt; quando non ſigna quidem ſolum ſunt gratiae, ſed ipſus cauſa; his non modo ſignando ſed & efficiendo ſanctitatem Chriſtus nobis conferre voluit. Sacramenta igitur non tantummodo ſigna ſunt quae infuſam gratiam contegant & occultent, ſed quae efficiant, & reipſa preſtant & cujus notae ſunt & ſigna; eſt autem Sacramentum divinae gratiae ſignum & …igura, acinſtrumentalis cauſa, efficiens inſtrumētaliter quod ſenſibiliter figurat. Henc… fBochellus ibid. c. 5. p. 142.the Councill of Burdeaux Anno 1582. defines the like in theſe termes: Cum Eccleſia nihil habet precioſius, nihil ad aeternam ſalutem conſ… quendam magis neceſſarium, quàm â Christo instituta Sacramenta, quibus omnis juſtitia vel INCIPIATUR, vel caepta augeatur, vel amiſſa reparatur, ac Domini Dei gratia, quam ipſa Sacramenta, ſeu vaſa quaedam divina continent, eamque ritè ſuſcipientibus CONFERUNT, nobis abunde communicetur, paſtores omni ſtudio & diligentia commiſſum ſibi Chriſtianum populum exhortare debent ad frequentem Auguſtiſſimi Euchariſtiae Sacramenti uſum: And ConciliumgBochellus ibid. c▪ …. p. 14…. Bitur, Anno 1584. concludes thus; Cum per primum parentem violata eſt originalis juſtitia in qua creatus fuerat, & peccato ſuo omnes p…ſt…r…s infecit, &c. Providus Deus ſingulls morbis ſingula adhibuit remedia; Sacramenta ſcilicet, quibus▪ peccata remittuntur; …ominis vita reg…vr, …ides augetur, & totius Eccleſiae politia continetur ac conſervatur: NAM SPIRITUALEM HOMINI VITAM CONFERUNT BAPTISMUS, EUCHARISTIA, &c. By all which it is apparent that the Lords Supper and Baptiſme are converting as well as confirming Ordinances, and were ſo reputed in moſt hSee Occam, … 4. ſent. qu. 1 & Aretius Problem. Theol. loc 76.former Ages till this preſent.

Secondly, it is undeniable that Juſtin Martyr, Dyoniſius Arcopagita, Athanaſius, Baſil, Ambroſe, Cyprian, Auguſtine, Bernard and other Ancients from Gal. 3. 17. Rom. 6. 3. Eph. 5. 26. Tit. 3. 5. 1 Pet. 5. 31. ſtile Baptiſme, the Sacrament of divine Generation, the laver of Regeneration, A New Birth, the Regeneration of the ſoul, the Mother of our Adoption, &c. and call Baptizing, giving Gods Grace; denying it, denying Gods Grace, as MaſterhDefence of Infant. Baptiſme par. 1. &… Marſhall proves at large, and many of them hold That thoſe who dyed without Baptiſme could not be ſaved; Yea, moſtiIn 4 ſent Diſt. 1. 4. & …n the… Treatiſes of baptiſm Papiſts hold, and many Proteſtants aſſert, that Baptiſme is not onelyonly a badge, but inſtrumentall meanes of our regeneration and firſt converſion unto God; and if this Sacrament be a converting as well as a ſealing Ordinance, then the Lords Supper by like reaſon muſt be ſo too.

Thirdly, all Popiſh Schoolmen, Writers, Councils unanimouſly aſſert, That Sacraments (eſpecially Baptiſme and the Lords Supper) not only confirm, but confer and beget grace, even the very firſt grace of converſion and juſtification, and that either in a phyſicall way ex opere operato (as moſt of them affirme) or as kMaſter Ruther…urds Due right of Presbyteries, c. 4. ſect. 5. p. 212.morall cauſes (as others teach) and that they are the veſſels in and by which the merits of Chriſt are conveyed to, and conferred on us: Witneſſe Paſcatius Rathbertus, de Corpore & Sanguine Domini, c. 3. Aquinas, Durandus, Occam, Bonaventura, Scotus, Media Villa, Brulifer, Egidus Romanus, Joan de Carthagena, Hadrianus Florentius, Dom. à Soto, Holcot, Gabriel Biel, Aliacenſis, and other Schoolmen, in lib. 4. Sent. Diſt. 1. Alenſis, Summa Theologiae, pars 4. qu. 5. mem. 3. Art. 5. Aquinas p. 3. q. 6. 2. & 63. Art. 6. Greg. de Valentia, in 3. part. Thomae Diſp. 3. qu. 3. & de Offic. Sacr. c. 2. Vaſquez. in 3. Thomae, Tom. 2. Diſp. 132. c. 4. Tannerus in Thom. Tom. 4. Diſp. 3. qu. 3. dub. 5. Gamachaeus in 3. part Thom. qu. 62. c. 5. Sum. Angelica. Tit. Sacram. Victor l. 6. De Sacramentis, parte 9. cap. 2. Henricus quod l. 4. qu. 37. Gabriel Biel Super Can. Miſſae, Lect. 85, 86. Petrus Binsfieldius, Enchirid. Theologiae pars 1. c. 2. 6. Joan de Lugo de Sacram. Diſp. 4. ſect. 4, 5. Bechanus Theolog. Scholaſt. pars 4. Tract de Sacram. qu. 7. Bellarmine De Sacram. l. 2. c. 1. to 6. & 11. the Councill of Trent Seſſ. 7. Can. 5, 6, 7, 8. de Sacramentis, with ſundry others. Therefore this is no new opinion invented by me.

Fourthly, thoughlSee Harmony of Confeſſions, ſect. 12, 13, 14 Calvin, Inſtit. l. 4. c. 13, 14, 15. Peter Martyr in Rom. 4. Aretius Problem. Theol. …o cus 76, 77 Willets Synopſis Paſmipi cent 2. Err. 97. 98. Ameſius, Bellar. Enerva …s Tom. 3. c. 5. Proteſtant Writers unanimouſly and juſtly oppoſe the Papiſts in this, That the Sacraments by a phiſicall vertue, or ex opere operato, confer grace, yet they generally grant, that they are the meanes, Organs, or inſtrumentall cauſes of conferring, confirming grace, through the concurrence of Gods Spirit working in and by them, as well as by the Word, where they are worthily received by faith; but that they originally beget ſaving grace, faith and ſpirituall life in ſuch in whom they were formerly wanting, is denied by ſome of them, yet affirmed by others: Indeed the Author of the Confeſſion of mHarmony of confeſſions, ſect. 12. p. 279, 280, 281. l. 4. c. …4.Bohemia, nDecad. 5. Serm. 7Calvin, oTract▪ Theol▪ p. 350, 357.Bullinger, Ʋrſinus, ſeem to deny the Sacraments to be converting Ordinances, but confirming onelyonly: Yet others (eſpecially the Lutherans) hold the contrary. Peter Martyr in his Commentary on Rom. 4. writes, That one chiefe end of the Sacraments is, Ʋt accendant in nobis fidem, Dei; and that they doe CONFERRE GRATIAM in that ſenſe as Paul cals the Goſpell, the power of God unto ſalvation; quod ſanè nihil aliud eſt▪ quàm vim & potentiam Dei qua peccata remittit, GRATIAM LARGITUR, & denique ſervat his inſtrumentis & mediis uti ad ſalutem noſtram: Ad quod efficiendum quemadmodum utitur verbo Evangelii, & praedicatione Sacrarum Literarum, ita etiam adhibet Sacramenta: Per utraque enim praedicatur nobis liberalis Dei prom…ſio. Therefore in his opinion the Word and Sacraments are both alike converting Ordinances.

Martin Luther in hishIn concordia Lutherana… p. 378. leſſer Catechiſme demanding this queſtion. What doth it profit us to eat and drink the Lords Supper? returnes this anſwer; Id indicant nobis …c verba, pro vobis dat…r… effunditur in remiſſionem peccutorum: Nempe, qu…d nobis per verba illa in Sacramento, REMISSIO PECCATORUM VITA, JUSTITIA ET SALVS DONENTUR, Ʋbi enim remiſſio peccatorum eſt, ibi eſt & vita & ſalus: Therefore heaSo doe his followers; ſee Brochman, lyſt. Theol. To n. 3. de Sacram. c. 21. qu… 1. & 6. deemed it a regenerating and converting, as well as a confirming Ordinance: A…etius, Problem. Theolog. Locus 77. Sect. 7. determines thus; Deo permittend… eſt libera agendi facultas; aliàs regenerat an…è, aliàs poſt, aliàs iPlane nemo dubita…e debet quod in alvo Baptiſmi, priuſquam Infans a fonte ſurgat, ſpiritu… ſanctus in animam renaſcentis in funditur, &c. Paſcatius Rathhertus de corporo & ſanguine Domini, c. 3.IN BAPTISMO; ſio aliàs antè Coenam, aliàs poſt, aliàs IN ILLA CONVERTIT AD VERAM P…NITENTIAM; ſed quotquot regenerat & convertit ad veram paenitentiam illa bona in eis obſignat uſu Sacramentorum: Hence Augustine in Pſal. 73. torms them, Sacramenta DANTIA SALUTEM: And Hilary l. 8. de Trinitate, writes thus of the Sacramentall Elements, thus accompanied with the ſpirit; Haec accepta atque exhausta EFFICIUNT, Ʋs nos in Christo & Christus in nobis ſit: Therefore by their reſolutions the Lords Supper and Baptiſme are converting as well as confirming or Sealing Ordinances: Yea, Victor Antiochenus in cap. 14. Marci, together with Chryſostome andkSumma Theolog. pars 4. qu. 11. Artic. 1. ſect. 3. Alenſis, affirme, That Chriſt admitted Judas to his Supper for this very reaſon, That he might leave no meanes unattempted to reclaime, convert and reduce him to a ſound…nind; which cleerly proves it to be a converting Ordinance in their judgments.

The opinion of Augustine is notorious, that the Sacraments both of Baptiſme and the Lords Supper are ſo neceſſary, that none could be ſaved without them, and therefore …e and the Church of Carthage maintained, That not only Baptiſme, but the lEpiſt. 23. contra Pelagianos Hypognoſt▪ l. 5. cont. duas Epiſt. Pelagii ad Bonefacium, lib. 1. c. 22. & l. 4▪ c. 4. contr. Julianum Pelag. l. 1. & 2. Tit. 3. 1 Pet. 3.Lords Supper alſo ought to be given unto Infants, elſe they could not be ſaved: I ſhall quote but one place of his inſtead of many: De peccatorum Meritis & Remiſſione, & de Baptiſmo parvulorum, l. 1. c. 24. Optimè Punici Christiani Baptiſmum ipſum nihil aliud QUAM SALUTEM, & Sacramentum corporis Christi, nihil aliud QUAM VITAM VOCANT; Ʋnde, niſi ex anti qua, ut existimo, & Apostolica traditione, qua Eccleſiae Christi inſitum tenent, praeter Baptiſmum & participationem Dominicae menſae, non ſolum ad regnum Dei, ſed nec AD SALUTEM ET VITAM AETERNAM poſſe quenquam hominum per…enire? Hoc enim & Scriptura testatur, ſecundum ea quae ſupra diximus: Nam quid aliud tenent, qui Baptiſmum nomine ſalutis appellant, niſi quod dictum eſt; Salvos nos fecit per lavachrum regenerationis; Et quod Petrus ait, ſic & vos ſimili forma Baptiſmus ſalvos fecit:…oan. 6. Q…id aliud etiam qui Sacramentum menſae Dominicae VITAM vocant, niſi quod dictum eſt; Ego ſum panis vitae qui de Coelo deſcendi; & panis quem ego dedero, caro mea eſt pro ſeculi vita: Et, Si non manducaveritis carnem filii hominis & ſanguinem biberitis, non habebitis vitam in vobis: ſi ergo ut tot & tanta divina testimonia continunt, NEC SALUS, NEC VITA AETERNA ſine Baptiſmo & cortore & ſanguine Domini cuiquam …peranda eſt, frustra ſine his promittitur parvulis. After which he concludes; Proindè parvuli ſi PER SACRAMENTUM QUOD AD HOC DIVINITUS INSTITUTUM TUM EST, IN CREDENTIUM NUMERUM NON TRANSEANT, profectò in his tenetris (peccatorum) rema…bant: Therefore by his and the Church of …arthage reſolution, yea thelSee Capit. Karol. & Ludovici, l. 1. c. 161. Churches judgment from the Apoſtles dayes (it being an Apostolicall tradition embraced by the Church, as he avers) theſe Sacraments are the originall primary meanes both of converſion, ſpirituall life, and ſalvation, and ſo converting as well as confirming Ordinances. Cypriam de Coena Domini, writes, That the Lords Supper, Ad totius hominis vitam ſalutem qu… profic…, ſimul medica…mentum & holocau…ium ad ſanandas infirmitates, & purgandas miquitates existens▪ Therefore a converting Ordinance as well as a confirming. Cyrill of Alexandria, De Juſtificatione in Chriſto, lib. 3. affirmes, That Death fed upon men on earth untill the institution of the Lords Supper, wherein we eat the living Bread from Heaven; from which time death hath ceaſed, and the inhabitants of the holy City, the Church, are perfected unto ſanctification by that living bread: Therefore in his opinion, it is a means of our ſpirituall life and ſanctification, and ſo a converting Ordinance: The ſayings of the Fathers to this purpoſe are almoſt infinite; I ſhall therefore pretermit them, challenging my Oppoſites to produce any ſolid Antiquity to the contrary, to prove them not converting as well as corroborating inſtitutions.

Neither is this Doctrine a ſtranger in our owne Church; for Biſhop Jewell in his Defence of the Apology of the Church of England, part 3. ch. 15. Diviſ. 2. p. 349. determines thus: But TO BREED AND ENCREASE FAITH IN US, there are more wayes then can be reckoned: Some men are moved onelyonly by the hearing of Gods Word; ſome others by the beholding and weighing of Gods Miracles: Justinus the Martyr was firſt allured to the faith by the cruelty of the Tyrants, and by the constancy and patience of the Saints, &c. Among OTHER CAUSES, THE SACRAMENTS SERVE SPECIALLY TO DIRECT AND TO AYD OUR FAITH; For they are, as Saint Auguſtine calleth them, Verba viſibilia, viſible words and Seales, and testimonies of the Goſpell, &c. Our learned Thomas Beacon in his Catechiſme, f. 425, 426. thus defines a Sacrament; A Sacrament is an holy Action and exerciſe of Chriſts Church IN which the redemption and partaking of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt IS GIVEN TO US through the Word, and the Signes INSTITUTED FOR THIS PURPOSE OF GOD.

After which he propounds this pertinent Queſtion: What need have we of Sacraments, ſeeing we have the holy Ghoſt and the ſacred Scriptures of God to lead us unto all neceſſary truth, which can abundantly informe us of the grace, favour, mercy and good will of God towards us? Which he anſwers thus:

Chriſt the wiſdome of the Father, knowing our groſſeneſſe and dulneſſe in understanding matters that belong unto our ſalvation, wiſhing our health and commodity, and minding to remedy and help this our great infirmity, and to bring us unto ſome knowledge of Gods mysteries, that we may be ſaved, hath not onelyonly given us his holy ſpirit to informe, instruct and teach our inward man, but to make us perfect both in body and ſoule; he hath alſo given his Word to instruct our eares, and his Sacraments to ſerve our eyes: For whatſoever the holy Ghoſt ſaith inwardly unto us, the very ſame doth the Word of God unto our eares▪ and the Sacraments to ſerve our eyes, preach, declare and ſet forth outwardly,Note. that we may be taught both corporally and ſpiritually. Againe▪ who knoweth not that things ſeen with eyes are more ſurely fixed in the minds of men, then thoſe things which are onelyonly heard? And therefore a Sacrament may right well be called a viſible word: For whatſoever the word is to the eare, the very ſame thing is the Sacrament to the eye: The Word of God ſaith to mine care, the Body of Chriſt was broken for thee; the very ſame thing doth the Sacrament preach to mine eye, while in the holy action of the Lords Supper, I ſee the bread broken and the wine ſhed: Therefore Chriſt the Lord to informe and instruct our outward ſenſes, ordained theſe outward ſignes and Sacraments, that by the conſideration and beholding of them, the thing might the more eaſily ſlide into our minds, which hath been inculked and beaten into our ears through the voice of the Preaher: If we had been without bodies, Chriſt would have given unto us thoſe ſpirituall gifts nakedly and ſimply, which are given to the faithfull in the deliverance of the Sacraments; but foraſmuch as we have bodies joyned to our ſoules, therefore in ſenſible things he doth communicate unto us the gifts of grace; and this hath been the property of God not onelyonly in the New, but alſo in the old Teſtament.

If then the Sacraments be but viſible words, which preach the ſelf-ſame things (yet in a more lively and ſenſible manner) to our eyes, as the Word preached doth unto our eares, as this Author, with allmCalvin, Melanchton, Peter Martyr, Zerchius, Aretius, and others. Orthodox Divines, andnDue right of Presbyteries, c. 4. ſect. 5. p. 121. Maſter Rutherfurd himſelfe, unanimouſly accord; it muſt needs follow, that the Sacraments (eſpecially the Lords Supper) moſt lively repreſenting Chriſts paſſion to us, muſt be a converting Ordinance, as well as the Word read or preached: Upon which grou…d, the Ancient Catholick Fathers (as our owneoConcerning the Sacrament part 1. p. 189 190. Homilies reſolve) ſtiled the Lords Supper; A comfortable medicine of the ſoule, the ſalve of immortality, and ſoveraigne preſervation againſt death, the Pledge of eternall Health, the defence of faith, the food of immortality, the be…lthfull grace, and the conſervatory to everlasting life; therefore they deemed it a converting as well as con…irming Ordinance. Maſter Richard Ward in his Commentary upon Matthew, pag. 399. in the written Copy, writes, Sacraments doe not conferre Grace upon all, nor by a phyſicall power give grace unto any; but ſometimes GOD IN AND BY THE SACRAMENTS CONVEYES GRACE INTO HIS ELECT CHILDREN, and ſometimes by the Sacraments confirmes grace which he hath formerly conferred.

Not to multiply Authorities in ſo cleer a caſe, the very Directory it ſelfe (compoſed by the Aſſembly, and ratified by both Houſes of Parliament) pag. 25. enumerates the Word and Sacraments among the ſpeciall meanes of Grace and ſalvation in theſe words; To give thanks to God for all his benefits, and eſpecially for▪ ALL MEANES OF GRACE, THE WORD AND SACRAMENTS▪ And for this Sacrament in particular, by which Chriſt and all his benefits are applied and ſealed up unto us; making them both equally in the ſelfe ſame manner meanes of grace, and coupling them both together in the ſelfe ſame predication; therefore if the Word be a meanes of begetting grace where it was wanting, and of obtaining ſalvation, the Sacraments muſt be ſo too. In fine,pDue right of Presbyteries, c. 4. ſect. 5. p. 217. Maſter Rutherfurd himſelfe writes thus: You ſay, Sacraments doe not make a thing that was not, but confirme a thing that was before; while you would ſeem to refute Papiſts, who vainly …each, that Sacraments ex opere operato doe conferre grace, yet doe you make the Sacrament but a naked ſigne, and take part with Arminians and So…nians, whoſe very Arguments in expreſſe words you uſe; for if a Sacrament make not a thing which was before, and if God give not, and really produce, conferre, exhibit grace, and a ſtronger meaſure of faith and aſſurance of remiſſion of ſinnes, at the due and right uſe of the Sacrament, the Sacrament is a naked ſigne, and not an exhibitive Seale; but if Chriſt give, and in the preſent exhibit as ſurely remiſſion of ſinnes as the Infant is waſhed with water, as our Divines and the Palatinate Catechiſme teacheth, and the Confeſſion thereof and the Synod of Dort teacheth, then by the Sacrament of Baptiſme (and ſo by conſequent of the Lords Supper) a thing …s made that which it was not before; therefore by conſequence it is a regenerating and converting Ordinance. This he more plainly expreſſeth inqMaſter Rutherfurds divine right of Church-Government, p. 523, 524. another diſcourſe in thoſe tearmes: Maſter Prynne might have ſpared his paines That the Lords Supper is a converting Ordinance, becauſe it applies Chriſt to us; WE GRANT IT TO BE A CONVERTING, QUICKNING AND LIVELY APPLICATORY ORDINANCE: But how? He may know, that whatever Ordinance addeth a new degree of Faith, OF CONVERSION, of living Application of Chriſt and the Promiſes, MUST BE A CONVERTING ORDINANCE; but it is ſo converting, that it is a confirming Ordinance, and neceſſarily it preſuppoſeth faith and converſion already wrought by the Word; it is not a firſt converting Ordinance, ſo as is the Word, &c. I ſay not this as if the Church could give the Supper of the Lord to none but ſuch as are inwardly and really regenerated, but to ſhew that the Church taketh ſuch as are externally called, to be internally called, whence they diſpence the Supper to them.

In which words, we have a moſt cleer confeſſion, That the Lords Supper is both a converting and quickning Ordinance: But yet this muſt be controlled with a diſtinction not found Scripture or Antiquity: It is ſo a converting Ordinance, that it is a confirming Ordinance: I grant it: So is the reading and preaching of the Word▪ it converts, yet ſo as it confirmes and edifieth us too in our moſt holy faith, yet it is a converting Ordinance.

Yea, but it is not the firſt …erting Ordinance; it is not the meanes of our firſt …nverſion from formall profeſſion to inward embracing the Goſpell: For the Word muſt goe before; and not ſimply the externall Letter of the Word, but the Word firſt beleeved and received by the efficatio…s working of the holy Ghoſt, &c. This is onelyonly affirmed, but not ſubſtantially proved by this learned Divine, who takes upon … to limit God and his Spirit, ſo as to deprive them of their abſolute … to work and beget grace by the Sacraments when and where they pleaſe, as well as by the Word; and confines the Spirits firſt inward converſion of men onelyonly to the Word,rJohn 3. 7▪ … Who breatheth where and in what Ordinance …e listeth, the breath of ſpirituall life into our ſoules. True it is, the Word preached i… the firſt ordinary and moſt uſuall meanes both of externall and internall converſion, but yet the Sacraments as well as the Word are very frequently made the inſtruments, though not of externall converſion of m…n from Paganiſme to Chrſtianity (not here in queſtion,) yet of carnall ChriſtianssSee Ta… in Thomam, Tom. 4. Diſp. 3. qu. 3. Du. 50 firſt inward and reall converſion from ſin & ſatan unto Chriſt, and a m…ſt effectuall means both of begetting, encreaſing grace and ſpirituall life in their ſoules, as I have elſwhere largely evidenced.

HenceaLoci Communes printed 153…. Lo… de Sacramentis. Phillip Melanchton (in a Book Dedicated to our King Henry the VIII) though he deny, that the Sacraments ex opere operato conferre grace and justification; yet he expreſly reſolves, that they were principally inſtituted to be ſignes of Gods good will towards us, incurring into our eyes, that they may admoniſh us TO BELEEVE the promiſe propoſed in the Goſpell: Thus we conjoyne the Sacrament and promiſe; now as the promiſe is to be received by faith, ſo alſo in the uſe of the Sacraments faith ought to be added, which may aſſure us, that thoſe true things ſhall happen which are propounded in the promiſe: Auguſtine aptly compares the Word with the Sacrament, when be ſaith, The Sacrament is a viſible Word; that is, As the Word is a certaine note which is received with the eares, ſo the Sacrament is a ſpectacle or Picture which runs into the eyes: As therefore the Word is a note ſignifying ſomething of the will of God, and as God is laid hold on in the Word upon our beliefe, ſo likewiſe is he apprehended in the Sacrament when we beleeve: Wherefore as the Word is an instrument by which the holy Ghoſt is effectuall, as Paul ſaith, The Goſpell is the power of God to every one that beleeveth: Alſo, Faith is by hearing, &c. So BY THE SACRAMENTS the holy Ghoſt IS EFFECTUALL; namely, when they are received by faith; FOR THEY ADMONISH AND MOVE US TO BELEEVE AS THE WORD DOTH: Therefore by his reſolution the Sacraments are converting Ordinances, and meanes of begetting grace as well, and in like manner as the Word, and not confirming Ordinances onelyonly of grace begun. Yea, he bIbid▪ loc. de Sacramentorum numero.poſitively affirmes, (and ſo did our Engliſh ApoſtlecDialogorum l. 4. c. 1. f. 101. …imiliter praedicatio verbi▪ Apoſtolici; Videtur eſſe Sacramentum …o quod eſt▪ …ignum ſanctitatis auditorii, & ita ſignificanter in …ide Scripturae in jung … exerc…ium alte…ius Sacraments, &c▪ John Wickliffe long before him) That the very preaching of the Word is a Sacrament instituted in the G…ſpell▪ Maximè autem placet mihi Ordinem, ut vocant, inter Sacramenta numerari, mod… ut intelligatur ipſum ministerium Evangelii, & voca…io ad hoe ministerium docendi Evangelium & adminiſtrandi Sacramenta, &c▪ Hoc modo numerare Ondinem inter Sacr…menta… fuerit utiliſſimum, ſcilicet, ad illustrandam dignitatem miniſteri… verbi…: And he addes, That Prayer likewiſe may be called a Sacrament, becauſe it hath great promiſes anne…ed to it. If then Sacraments doe onelyonly confirme grace where it is begun before, not confirme and beget grace where it is wanting, then by this new Divinity, neither the Miniſtry of the Word nor Prayer ſhall be converting and regenerating, but onelyonly confirming Ordinances▪ Since in Melanchtons and Wickliffes opinions (to omit… others) they are and may be called Sacraments as well as the Lords Supper or Baptiſme; which Wickliffe dDialogorum l. 4. …. 1.termes, primum Sacramentum CONFERENS GRATIA▪ PRIMAM SPIRITUALITER GENERANTEM: Aſſerting likewiſe in the ſame Chapter, Etſi diffinitio Sacramenti ſit, ſacrae rei ſignum, videt…r quod omne ſignabile ſit e…iam Sacramentum: Quià omnis creatura ſignat ſuam creationem, & etiam creatorem, & ſic rem ſacram ſignat, & Deus multas ſacras creaturas ſignat & ſeipſum: Quod ſi Sacramentum ſit inviſibilis gratiae viſibilis forma, ut fimilitudinem gerat, & cauſa exiſtat: Cum viſibilis forma in propoſito ſignat quamcunque formam, vel quidditatem ſenſibilem; videtur, quod quaelibet ſenſibilis creatura SIT ETIAM SACRAMENTUM, quia eſt viſibili… ſorma inviſibilis gratiae creatoris, & geret ſimilitudinem Idaearum, & cauſa exiſtit ſimilitudinis ſuae, & intelligentiae creaturis: Quomodo ſunt ergo ſolum ſeptem Sacramenta diſtincta ſpecivocè? Which I wiſh my Oppoſites to conſider, who advance the Sacraments ſo much above the Word w^ch makes them Sacramēts, and appropriate the tilet of a Sacrament onelyonly to Baptiſme and the Lords Supper, from w^ch they exclude and ſuſpend all ſcandalous perſons (& their children too fromeApology of the Churches in New-England againſt the exceptions of Richard Bernard, ch. 8. See Mr. Rutherfurds due right of Presbyteries c. 4. ſect. 5 p. 221, &c. Baptiſme in New-England) upon pretence they are onelyonly confirming Ordinances, Sacraments and Seales of grace; upon which pretext, they may as well ſuſpend them from the Miniſtry of the Word and prayer, and from the uſe of any of Gods Creatures, which may be termed Sacraments as well as theſe, if theſe two eminent Divines miſtake not.

I ſhall cloſe up this point with the reſolution of the whole Church of England, both in the Articles of Religion, compiled and publiſhed in King Edward the VI▪ his Reigne, Anno 1553. Artic. 26. refined and confirmed by Act of Parliament, Anno 1562. in Queen Elizabeths Reigne, Art. 25. of Sacraments; which determines thus: Sacraments ordained of Chriſt are not onelyonly badges and tokens of Chriſtian mens profeſſion, but rather, they be certaine ſure witneſſes and EFFECTUALL SIGNES of Grace and Gods good will towards us, by the which he doth WORKE INVISIBLY IN US, and doth NOT ^f ONELYONLY QUICKEN,The holy Spirit doth ſeale Chriſtians, Eph. 1. 13 c. 4. 30. Rom. 8 10, 11. Yet it regenerats and converts them tos, John 3. 6. to 9. Rom. 8. 10, 11. 2 Cor. 3. 18. So doe the Sacraments by its concurrence with them. but ALSO STRENGTHEN AND CONFIRME OUR FAITH IN HIM: Therefore by our own Churches reſolution, which all our Miniſters have actually ſubſcribed to; the Sacrament of Baptiſme, and the Lords Supper too, is both a converting and regenerating Ordinance to quicken and beget, as well as a confirming Ordinance to ſtrengthen and confirme grace; and ſo it is no New Paradox of mine, but an ancient reſolved truth, yea the very received Doctrine of our Church, and of the Churches of Chriſt in former Ages; and the contrary opinion a meere upſtart errour, maintained purpoſely by ſome Divines (againſt their owne ſubſcriptions, if not their conſciences too,) to juſtifie and ſupport the ſole ſuſpention of ſcandalous perſons from the Lords Supper, as a Divine inſtitution by the will and appointment of Jeſus Chriſt; which elſe would neceſſarily fall unto the ground, if this maine pillar of it be ſubverted.

As for Maſter Rutherfurds, Objection 5.Doctor Drak…s▪ and others maine reaſon to the contrary, That no man can receive the Lords Supper worthily, unleſſe he come unto it with a true lively faith, and ſincere repentance; which graces he cannot enjoy without he be firſt really converted, elſe he eats and drinks dam…ation, not converſion to himſelfe: Ergo, This Sacrament is no firſt converting, but onelyonly a confirming Ordinance.

I anſwer,Anſwer. Firſt, that the argument is but a meere fallacy, which will either nullifie all Ordinances, or prove no Ordinance (no not the preaching of the Word or Prayer) to be converting, but meerly confirming; for the very preaching of the Word will neither profit, nor externally nor really convert any that heare it, unleſſe they heare it with faith, as is reſolved by Heb. 4. 2. But the Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it, & Rom. 1. 16, 17. Heb. 11 4. 6. Mar. 16. 15, 16. 1 Pet. 2. 1, to 9. So Prayer without Faith is vain, ineffectuall, & receiveth nothing from the Lord, Jam. 1. 5, 6. ch. 5. 15. Ergo, by this reaſon (if allowed) a man muſt have ſaith and ſpirituall life wrought in him before he can either heare or pray with profit as he ought, and ſo muſt be firſt converted ere he can heare the Word or Pray: What then ſhall we conclude hence, that men neither may nor ought to pray, heare or receive the Lords Supper untill they be actually regenerated and inſpired with ſaving faith? God forbid; for then Godſhall have no worſhip, and men no publick Ordinances: we muſt therefor know, that God hath appointed both the Word, Sacraments and Prayer, as the ordinary meanes or inſtruments whereby he begets true ſpirituall life, faith and grace within us, by the effectuall concurrence of the ſpirit in and with them; whereupon he frequentlysIſa. 55. 1, 2, 3. Pro. 8 32, 33, 34. c. 9. 3, 4, 5. c. 7. 1, 2, 3 James 1. 56, 7. 19, 18, 19, 21. 2 Tim. 2. 25, 26. commands us, to reſort unto the Ordinances with care and conſcience, to the end we may be convert…d, and quickened by them when we want grace, as well as ſtrengthned or confirmed when we have grace begun within us: Hence is that ſpeech of our Saviour, John 5. 21, 24, 25, 26. For as the Father raiſeth up the dead and quickneth them, even ſo the Sonne quickneth whom he will: He that heareth my Word, and beleeveth on him that ſent me, hath everlaſting life, and ſhall not come into condemnation: Verily, verily I ſay uno you, the hou…e is comming and now is, THAT THE DEAD (in ſinne and naturall corruption) SHALL HEARE THE VOYCE OF THE SONNE OF GOD, AND THEY THAT HEARE IT SHALL LIVE. Which is thus ſeconded, Eph. 2. 1. to 8. And you hath he quickned (to wit, by the Word and other Ordinances accompanied with the Spirit) WHO WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINNES; But God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, EVEN WHEN WEE WERE DEAD IN SINNES HATH QUICKNED US together with Chriſt, and hath raiſed us up together and made us ſit together in heavenly places in Chriſt Jeſus, &c. For by grace ye are ſaved through Faith, and that not of your ſelves, it is the gift of God, &c. a pregnant Text: As Chriſts ſpeech to Lazarus lying dead and buried in his grave, to wit, Lazarus come forth; was the inſtrumentall meanes both of his raiſing from the dead, and comming forth of the grave accordingly, John 11. 43, 44. And as his words to the dead Rulers Daughter, Mark 5. 4…, 42. Damoſell ariſe; and Peters ſpeech to dead Tabitha, Acts 9. 40, 41. Tabitha ariſe, were the inſtrumentall meanes and cauſe both of their raiſing and reviving; and as Gods command in the very firſt creation, Let there be light, &c. was the inſtrumentall cauſe of creating light and all other creatures before they had a being:Geneſis 1. So the Word, Sacraments and Prayer are Gods ordinary inſtruments whereby he quickens thoſe who are dead in ſinnes, and begets ſaving faith with other graces in ſuch who formerly never had them, by his Spirit working in and by theſe meanes: Hence is that notable ſpeech of Chriſt to Paul, Acts 26. 17, 18. Now I ſend thee to the Gentiles, to open their eyes, and to turne them from darkneſſe to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, and inheritance among them that are ſanctified by faith that is in me. Theſe Ordinances doe not find us living, worthy or regenerate, but make us ſuch; doe not preſuppoſe faith and repentance already in us, (for what ſhould work them?) but the contrary; and therefore are ordained to beget faith and ſpirituall life even in thoſe who are dead in ſinnes, Mark 16. 15, 16. 2 Tim. 2. 25, 26. Acts 16. 14, 15. ch. 2. 37, 38. chap. 10. 44. Eph. 2. 1, &c. and after that, to confirme and ſtrengthen all ſpirituall graces wrought within us; by meanes whereof, when wrought, the Ordinances which firſt inſtrumentally begat them, become more profitable and comfortable to us then before: This is ſo cleer, that MaſtertDue right of Presbyteries, c. 4. ſect. 5. p. 285, &c. Rutherfurd is forced to confeſſe, That the Church may, nay ought to give the Sacraments of Baptiſme and the Lords Supper, even to ſuch as are not truly regenerated, if they externally profeſſe the Goſpell, as well as preach the Goſpell to them, (though contradicting himſelfe, as I conceive, he affirmesvWhich Maſter Rutherfurd affirmes, Divine right of Church-Government, p. 280. elſwhere, That to come to the Lords Supper is not commanded to all, not to Pagans, not to children, rot to the unregenerate, BUT ONELYONLY TO THE REGENERATED;) Of which no other reaſon can be given, but that they are meanes of begetting, as well as encreaſing grace, and converting as well as confirming Ordinances, from which none who deſire them (if not actually excommunicated for obſtinate impenitency and contempt againſt the Ordinances) ought to be ſecluded, unleſſe naturall diſabilities hinder them.

HencewConcordia Lutherana p. 542. to 250. Martin Luther in his Greater Catechiſme, exciting men by many arguments to the frequent receiving of the Lords Supper, the neglect whereof makes our devotion and love to Chriſt grow every day colder and colder, cauſeth us at laſt-to grow bruitiſh, yea extreamly to conte…ne both the Sacrament and Word too, as he there avers from his own experience (which I wiſh thoſe Divines who put off and deny the Sacrament to their people for moneths, nay, yeers together, would now at laſt conſider;) removes one maine Objection which deterred many from the Sacrament (to wit, their owne unworthineſſe ſinfulneſſe and unpreparedneſſe to receive it) with this encouraging argument; That this Sacrament was not instituted for thoſe that are worthy, and purely cleanſed from their ſinnes, but cloane contrary, even for miſerable and wretched ſinners, ſenſible of nothing but their owne unworthineſſe: Therefore let ſuch a one ſay, Lord, I would very willingly be worthy of this Supper, but yet I come unto it induced by no worthineſſe of mine owne, but trusting on thy Word alone, becauſe thou haſt commanded me to come, &c. For the Sacrament is not to be looked upon as an hurtfull thing, from which we ſhould run with both our feet, but as a ſaving and wholſome medicine, which may heale thy diſeaſes, and give life both to thy ſoule and body: Why then doe we ſo ſhun it, as if it were a poyſon (as ſomexMaſter Rutherfurds Divine right of Church-Government. pag 252, 253, 254 &c. A brotherly & friendly cenſure▪ p. 6, 7. An Antidote againſt foure dangerous Q…aeries, with others. Divines now tearme it, to ſcarre people from it) which being received, would bring preſent death unto us? Yea, but ſome may ſay; I am not ſo ſenſible of my ſinnes and unworthineſſe as I ſhould be: To ſuch as are in this condition, I can give no better advice, then to looke into their owne hearts, and to ſee whether they be not fleſh and blood, and may not ſay with Paul, Rom. 7. I know that in me, that as in my fleſh dwelleth nothing that is good: In ſumme, by how much the leſſe thou art throughly ſenſible of thy ſinnes and defects, the more reaſons thou haſt of comming, and frequent ſeeking help and phyſick. The ſubſtance whereof is but this: That the frequent receiving of the Lords Supper is an effectuall meanes toySo the Lutherans generally hold. Hinkelman, de Anabaptiſmo, Diſp. 9. c. 1. Er. 6. beget and work repentance, ſenſe of ſinne, ſpirituall life, health, true grace within us when we want them, as well as to encreaſe, confirme them when we have them; whence it is generally tearmed by Divines, A MEANES OF GRACE; therefore we muſt frequently reſort unto it in obedience to Gods command, as well to obtaine faith, repentance and ſpirituall graces by and in it, when wanting, as to corroborate and augment them when wrought in us.

Secondly, this Argument neceſſarily implies, that the Sacraments muſt be adminiſtred to none but the Elect and truly regenerate: For ſince none are endued with ſaving grace, faith, repentance, but onelyonly the Elect, and none ought to be admitted to the Sacraments but ſuch who are endued with ſaving grace, faith, repentance, as the Objection concludes; It inevitably followes, that none but the elect and perſons truly regenerate, muſt be admitted to the Sacrament: But this the Objectors themſelves deny and refute, both in the caſe of Baptiſme and the Lords Supper too: Hence Maſter Rutherfurd determines in his Due Right of Presbyteries, ch. 4. ſect. 5. pag. 185. The Church may orderly and lawfully give the Seales of the Conant to thoſe to whom the Covenant and promiſes of grace doe not belong in Gods Decree of Gods Election: refuting the contrary opinion as Anabaptiſticall:xDefence of Infant Baptiſme. part 3. Maſter Marſhall doth the like, and that upon theſe grounds:

Firſt, becauſe Chriſt and his Apoſtles admitted divers to Baptiſme and the Lords Supper, who were never elect or truly regenerate, as Judas, Simon Magus, and others. Secondly, becauſe no Miniſters without ſpeciall revelation, buty2 Chron. 6. 33. 2 Tim. 6. 19. God alone infallibly know who are Elect and truly regenerate, zJer. 17▪ 9.the hearts of men bring deceitfull aboue all things, andaMat. 22. 14. many called, but few choſen▪ and ſo they cannot tell certainly who to admit, or who to ſeclude from the Sacrament: Upon which ground MaſterbDefence of Infant Baptiſme p 111. & 140. Marſhall himſelfe concludes thus againſt Maſter Tombes: And truly Sir, whoſoever will grant that a Miniſter in applying the Seale, muſt doe it de fide, in faith, being ſure he applies it according to rule, muſt either grant ſuch a right as I plead for, that many have right to be viſible members, and be partakers of the externall administration of Ordinances, though they be not inwardly ſanctified; or elſe he muſt by revelation be able to …ee and know the inward converſion of every one he applies the Seales unto, for certainly … hath no written word to build his Faith upon, for the ſtate of this or that man: And for my owne part, when once you have diſproved this, that there is ſuch a viſible memberſhip and right to externall Administrations as I have here inſisted upon, I ſhall not onelyonly forbeare baptizing Infants, Note.but the Administration of the outward ſeale to any, what profeſſion ſoever they make, untill I may be de …ide aſſured that they are inwardly regenerate. Thirdly, becauſe Chriſt hath ordained the Sacraments to be means of distinguiſhing Christians from Pagan…, yea, to be an accidentall means of b… Cor. 11. 27 28, 29. 2 Cor. 2. 25, 26. Articles of the Church of England, Art. 29.aggravating mens ſin, ingratitude, damnation, and to leave thoſe without excuſe who unworthily receive them, which end ſhould be wholly fruſtrated, if unregenerate Chriſtians ſhould be ſecluded from them; therefore this argument which ſubverts our Oppoſites owne Tenet, and with the Anabaptiſts appopriates the adminiſtration of the Sacraments to the Elect alone, muſt wholly be exploded as falſe and dangerous.

Wherefore the Objectors muſt be driven of neceſſity to renounce this Objection, together with that ofcIn cap. 4. 2d Rom. p▪ 39. 2. & Explic. Catech. qu. 81. Art. 1. Paraeus, which ſeduced them, Sacramenta non ſunt instituta justificandis, ſed justificatis; hoc eſt non infidelibus, ſed converſis; which if meant onelyonly of perſons inwardly converted, is an errour; if of Pagans not converted, as he perchance meanes it, is quite miſtaken by the Oppoſites.

Finally,Objection 6. dSee Maſter Rutherfurds d…vine right of Church-government, c. 5 qu. 1. p. 242▪ 243. &c. 15.they object. That the Priests were to put difference between holy and unholy, between uncleane and cleane, Levit. 10. 10. Hag. 2. 11, 14, and that they are checked by God himſelfe, Ezek. 22. 26. for putting no difference between the holy and prophane, the uncleane and cleane: Ergo, Church-officers and the Miniſters of the Goſpell have power by the will and appointment of Jeſus Chriſt, not onelyonly to excommunicate, but likewiſe to ſuſpend ſcandalous and ignorant perſons from the Lords Supper.

I anſwer,Anſwer. that the Argument is a meere Nonſequitur: For firſt, theſe Texts belong only to the Aaronicall Priests under the Law,eHeb. 7. 11. to the end, &c. 8▪ & 9. & 10. Aboliſhed by Chriſt, not to the Miniſters of the Goſpell: Secondly, they ſpeak onelyonly of c…remoniall Holin…ſſ… and prophanneſſe, cleanneſſe and uncleanneſſe, fActs 10. 10. to 17. Col. 2. 14. to 23. 1 Tim. 4. 5.abrogated by Chriſt, not of morall: Thirdly, not of perſons morally holy or unholy, cleane or uncleane; but rather of me…ts, or creatures ceremonially holy and unholy, clean and uncleane, or at leaſtwiſe of perſons, meats and creatures promiſcuouſly, only as ceremonially clean & uncleane: Fourthly, the putting of difference here mentioned, was not any actuall ſecluding unclean… perſons from the Paſſeover or Lords Supper, or ſuſpending them from all publick Ordinances by any judiciall power veſted in the Prieſts, but onelyonly the Prieſts inſtructing of the people what was holy and unholy, clean and uncleane, as is evident by Levit. 10. 10. That ye may put difference between holy and unholy (things) uncleane and cleane (things:) But how was this to be done? OnelyOnly by inſtruction, as the next words manifeſt; And that ye may teach the children of Iſrael all the Statutes which the Lord hath commanded them by the hand of Moſes; (viz. concerning the holy and unholy, uncleane and cleane creatures, mentioned in Levit. 10. & Deut. 14.) compared with Ezek. 22. 26. Her Prieſts have broken my Law, and have defiled my holy things, they have put no difference between the holy and prophane, neither have they ſhewed the difference between the uncleane and the cleane: and Ezek. 44. 23. And THEY SHALL TEACH MY PEOPLE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HOLY AND PROPHAN…, AND CAUSE THEM TO DISCERNE BETWEEN THE UNCLEANE AND THE CLEANE: So that the Prieſts putting difference between holy and unholy, cleane and uncleane in Lev. 10. 10. is both by the t…nth verſe, and theſe Texts of Ezekiel expreſly interpreted to be nothing elſe, but a teaching or ſhewing the children of Iſrael to put a difference and to diſcerne between the holy and prophane, unclean and clean things preſcribed by the ceremoniall Law; not a judiciall power or Eccleſiaſticall juriſdiction to excommunicate unholy and uncleane perſons from the publick Ordinances, or ſociety of the holy and cleane, much leſſe a power to ſuſpend them onelyonly from the Paſſeover or Lord Supper, as is pretended by the Objectors: This I ſhall further cleer by Haggai …. 11, 12, 13. the place objected: Thus ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, Aske now the Prieſts concerning the Law, ſaying, If one beare holy fleſh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt doe touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or any meat, ſhall it be holy? and the Prieſts …nſwered, No: Then ſaid Haggai, if one that is uncleane by a dead body touch any of theſe, ſhall it be UNCLEANE? And the Prieſt, anſwered and ſaid, It ſhall be UNCLEANE: And by Levit. 20. 25, 26. Ye ſhall therefore PUT DIFFERENCE between CLEAN AND UNCLEAN BEASTS, and between UNCLEANE FOWLES AND CLEANE, &c. And ye ſhall be holy unto me, for I the Lord am holy: and Levit. 11. 46, 47. where after God had made a large deſcription what fleſh, Birds and Beaſts were ceremonially uncleane and not to be eaten by the Iſraelites, and what cleane and to be ea…en by them, he concludes thus; This is the Law of Beaſts, and of Fowles, and of every living thing that moveth in the waters, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, THAT YE MAY PUT A DIFFERENCE (not the Prieſts) between the uncleane and cleane, and between the Beaſts that may be eaten, and the Beaſts that ought not to be eaten: If then this be the genuine meaning of theſe Texts, as is cleer in my apprehenſion by paralelling them together, then all the argument that can be thence deduced is but this inconſequent:

The Aaronicall Prieſts were to teach the people to put a difference between Beaſts, Fowles, Meats that were cleane and uncleane, and between things holy and unholy by the Leviticall Law.

Ergo, Presbyters and Presbyteries under the Goſpell, have a judiciall Eccleſiaſticall authority veſted in them by the will and appointment of Jeſus Chriſt, to ſuſpend ignorant and ſcandalous perſons from the Lords Supper, and excommunicate obſtinate ſinners from the Church and publick Ordinances.

What ill logick, ſenſe and coherence is in this argument, I referre to the meaneſt capacity to determine: Yet this is all theſe Scriptures yeeld our Oppoſites for proofe of excommunication or ſuſpention, though they much inſiſt upon them; they might as well, or rather better argue hence, that the people themſelves, not the Prieſts, ought to excommunicate or ſuſpend ſcandalous perſons from the Lords Supper, becauſe the people were to put a difference between creatures cleane and uncleane, and the Prieſts themſelves were but to teach the people to put the difference between the holy and unholy, cleane and uncleane, as theſe Texts reſolve; the rather, for that the Apoſtle Jude in his Epiſtle verſe 1, 22, writes to all Chriſtians who are called and ſanctified (not to Miniſters and Presbyteries) to have compaſſion of ſome, MAKING A DIFFERENCE, and others to ſave with feare, &c.

Fiftly, admit the Prieſts had power to put a difference between holy and unholy, cleane and uncleane perſons as well as Beaſts, by vertue of theſe Texts, as is pretended; yet putting a differerence is no infallible proofe of a power veſted in them (much leſſe in the Miniſters of the Goſpell or Presbyteries) to excommunicate unholy or uncleane perſons, or ſuſpend ſcandalous or ignorant ones from the Lords Supper onelyonly, ſince every private Chriſtian is to put a difference between ſpiritually holy and uncleane perſons, and thoſe that are morally unholy and uncleane; yet it followes not thereupon that he may judicially excomm…icate or ſuſpend them from the Sacrament; the Miniſters and private Chriſtians muſt put a differente between ſuch as theſe: Firſt, in their affections and eſteem of them; they muſtgJohn 13. 34, 35. Eph. 1 15 c. 5. 2. 1 John 3. 11, 14. Pſal. 15. 2. love and honour the one, buth2 Chron. 19 2. Pſal. 15. 4▪ Pſal 139 21, 22. Prov 29. 27. 2 Kings 3 13, 14. hate and diſreſpect the other: Secondly, in their carriage towards them, they muſt iTitus 1. 13. c 2. 15. Luke 13 3, 5. Levit 19 17. Eph 5. 11admoniſh and ſharply rebuke the one, denou… cing Gods judgements againſt their ſins, butkIſa. 41. 1, 2. Col. 3. 16. Gal 6. 1, 2. exhort, encourage and comfort the other with Gods promiſes; they muſtlPſal. 16. 3. Pſal. 101. 6. Acts 2. 44, 44, familiarly converſe with, and lovingly embrace and delight in the company of the one, but avoid allm1 Cor. 5. 9, 10, 11. 2 Theſ 3. 14. 2 John 10, 11. Tit. 3. Pſal. 101. 4, 7, 8. familiar converſation and intimacy with the other: Such a putting of difference as this between holy and unholy we admit of, but any other then this, is no wayes warranted from theſe objected Texts.

I ſhall therefore conclude from all the Premiſes (till convinced by better Scripture Authorities, Arguments, Reaſons, then ever I could yet meet with in any Forraigne or Domeſtick Writers;) That Suſpention of ſcandalous perſons from the Lords Supper onelyonly, who deſire to receive it, without excommunicating them from all other publick Ordinances and Chriſtian ſociety, though it be ſomewhat ancient in the Church, introduced, preſcribed at firſt by the Canous nSee Concil. Ancyranum, can. 5, 6, 7, 8. Nicaenum 1. can. 11, 12, 13. Eliberinum can. 1, 2, 3. A relatenſe 2. can. 11, 12. apu… Laur. Suriam. Concil. Tom 1.of certaine Councils, in ſpeciall caſes of Apoſtacy in times of perſecution, as a meere Eccleſiaſticall puniſhment of humane inſtitution, as the Canons themſelves demonſtrate (which ſeem very unreaſonable or fictitious) andoDe Rebus Eccleſiaſt. cap. 17. W…llafridus Strabo intimates, who termes it, A ſanctis Patribus conſtitutum, a conſtion of the Fathers, not of Chriſt; (in which ſenſe I oppugne it not, nor as preſcribed by the Parliament in a prudentiall way) yet it is no Divine Cenſure or Inſtitution; and that there is no power to inflict any ſuch ſuſpention veſted in Miniſters, Presbyteries, or Church-Officers by the will and appointment of Jeſus Chriſt revealed in the Scripture, as many now moſt confidently averre both in Preſſe and Pulpit, without any ſolid reaſon or authority to juſtifie their aſſertion.

Wherefore conſider ſeriouſly what I have written, and the Lord give us underſtanding in all things, that we may no longer diſturbe the peace both of Church and State with any groundleſſe pretended divine Cenſures and Juriſdictions, which Chriſt never exerciſed, nor inſtituted in his Church, nor deprive the people of thoſe divine repaſts at the Lords Table, which ſhould be frequently adminiſtred to them for their converſion, edification and ſpirituall conſolation, upon meer new crochets and grounds of conſcience, never once inſiſted on heretofore, till this new project of claiming an Eccleſiaſticall power of ſuſpention from the Lords Supper onelyonly, by the will and appointment of Jeſus Chriſt, was ſet on foot; but reſt ſatisfied with the Apoſtles reſolution and councell, with which I ſhall conclude, Rom. 14. 16, 17, 18, 19. Let not then your good be evill ſpoken of; for the Kingdome of God is not meat and drink (I may adde, nor yet Excommunion nor ſuſpention from the Lords Supper, as ſome now make it) but righteouſneſſe, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghoſt; for he that in theſe things ſerveth Chriſt is acceptable to God and approved of men; let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edifie another; not domineer or tirannize one over another, and the Lords Supper too.

Alenſis Summa Theol. par. 4. qu. 22. mem. 1. Art. 4. Pluribus conceditur clavis abſolutionis, quàm gladius excommunicationis; quiâ pauci ſunt qui ſciunt hoc enſe percutere; undè propter periculum, paucorum manibus tradi debet.

FINIS.

Errata.

Page 1. line 8. dele one. p 4 l 20, for 2 read 9. l 36, for 37 r 33: p 5 l 40, thruſt ou…. p 7 l 3, for, or. p 11 l 31, Churches. p 12 l 44, unfit. p 13 l 44, dele a. p 23 l 27, Charters. p 25 l 42, the, to: p 27 l 33, conferunt. l 44, all, many.

In the Margin. p 5 l 2, 23 r 29. l 10, 179, r 278.

End of the text · William Prynne, Suspension Suspended (1646)

Suspension Suspended, Tract · Part

p. 3Queſtion 1.

Errata.

Queſtion 1.