The Lords Table Not for All Comers, Treatise · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
SECT. I.
SU…ely all our forefathers were not all miſtaken, but they gave it forth to all, all along, till within theſe very few yeares, which they had not done, if they had not thought it lawfull to be done.
It is hard to prove this, nay we thinke it is impoſſible; Though we grant that many the excellent of the earth, did give forth theſeIt is hard even for good men not to be c…r…ied dow…e the ſtreame, when at once they goe with the wind of example and tide of Nature. Read Mr. Phil. … Evang. … pag. 227, 228. &c. ſeales to as many as came for them, and that was juſt, as you ſay, to all; And truely much might be ſaid to excuſe theſe excellent of the Earth, à tanto, if not à toto. The tyranny of Cuſtome, as a tide or torrent impetuouſly running all one way, and carrying all with it; The Tyranny of Biſhops alſo, as faſt friends to Chriſt, many of them, as were theſe excellent of the Earth then, and now faſt friends to Anti-chriſt. Indeed Iſſachars—we had almoſt ſaid, curſe (but to all His God turned it into a bleſſing) was upon the good Miniſters, and people, they lay couching under burdens; and this diſpirits both Miniſters and people, ſo that with him in Tacitus, if we may alude to it, gemens, ſequitur tamen, they ſighed, and they groaned, yet they followed the Commandement. And ſurely we may adde this, how did they breath after Reformation in theſe matters? And when they ſaw no amendment, we know whether ſome of them went, for it is knowne in all the Earth; and how did they there, And the faithfull here wreſtle with their God about theſe things? And what thankes can they Render to God for what He hath done in way of Anſwer to their prayers? Time was when another Girded theſe faithfull men, and carried them whether they would not; but now, bleſſed be God, they have a bleſſed liberty, to Gird themſelves in the All-might of their God, according to His Glorious power, to walke whether they would in all pleaſing.
This we deſire to leave upon your ſerious thoughts, what uſe and improvement is made of this liberty? or whether not abuſed as an occaſion to the fleſh, by men of Mr Hs: perſwaſion?
And yet Sir▪ we muſt make bold to tell you, your proofe is naught, and proves nothing, Qu…d … n…n … haereſis eſt etiam v…us conſuciu…o. Je… … Chriſt is …y Antiquity, That He did, and that He …pake, ſaid Igna…ius foreign. T…ll not me it was …ſtoma…ily ſo done, but tell me what ought to be done. foreign, &c. ſo an old Philoſopher reproved his friend A. Ge…. lib. 10. c. 19.What have we to doe with th' examples and wants of our Fathers? they are no rules of our faith, or for our walking; It is not what was done, but what ought to be done If ſuch a proofe may be warranted, what evill may not be approved good and be juſtified? Here the Heretique Eutiches ſic à progenitoribus accipiens credidi &c. "This faith have I received from my Anceſtours, in this faith I was borne, and Baptiſed, and in the ſame I deſire to dye: and yet the ſame faith was an errour, and no faith. Full-up to the ſame words ſaid another as very an Heretique as the former; Quemadmodum ab inſantiâ edoctus ſum, it… Credidi & Credo; As I have been taught from my Childhood, ſo I have beleived, and ſo I beleive ſtill. And the Idolatrous Jewes ſay much the ſame; So we have done, and our Fathers before us, our Kings and our Princes, and ſo we will doe. But Sir, we ſpeake to you in our Jewells words; We ſit not in Judgement to Condemne our Fathers, God onelyonly is their Judge, and He knoweth how to deliver His owne; He was able to preſerve the Buſh in the midſt of the flame; and Daniell in the Cave, in the mids of the Lyons; And the three Chrildren in the midſt of the furnace of flaming fire; and His people Iſraell in the midſt of the red Sea: even ſo was He able to preſerve His owne in the midſt of that deadly time of darkneſſe. Ignoſci potuit ſimpliciter erranti, poſt inſpirationem veri &c. He that erreth of ſimplicity (as our Fathers did) may be pardoned; The times of that ignorance God might winke at. But after that once God hath inſpired the heart, and revealed His truth, whoſoever continueth in his errour, offendeth without pardon of ignorance, for he is over-borne with preſumption and willfullneſſe: Theſe, we have heard, are the words of Cyprian; and this ſhall ſerve for Anſwer to what our Fathers did: their doeings are no preſcriptions for us. The word of our God is the Rule of our practiſe in all things; And we humbly conceive, it lyeth open before us as to this particular, as our Cynoſure or Starre to direct us; whereof anon.
SECT. II.
WE have heard it ſaid, to beare you out in your doings; That lear…ed and Godly men, doe as you doe, at this day in point of admiſſion to the Lords Table.
We oppoſe not here, nor gaine-ſay what is ſaid of their Learning and Godlineſſe. But this we ſay, That your proofe is naught ſtill, and proves nothing. There were learned and Godly men ſure among thoſe thouſands of Iſraell called together by King David for the removing of the Arke, and yet they put it in a2 Sam. …. 1 Chron. 13. Exod. 25. 14. Numb. 4. 15. & 7. 19. Cart, againſt the expreſſe Command of their God, which was that the Levites ſhould beare it on their ſhoulders. Godlineſſe, we ſee, doth not priviledge us from erring, no not in the Higheſt matters, the Concernments of the Lord and His Chriſt. And for learning, the Lord proſper it, and ſanctifie it, that it may be of uſe to His Sanctuary; for this we finde by dayly experience (we will borrow the words of that excellent Expoſitor upon Job)Chap. 4 12. It is Satans worke to ſollicite the Learning of men (even as an adulterer ſollicites the beauty of women) that he may commit folly with it, and beget ſome monſtrous birth of miſchiefe and villany. We proceed to that you ſay in the third place.
SECT. III.
THat Charity commands you to account all that are borne and Baptized in England, Beleivers, Diſciples, and Saints, and upon that ſcore, as their Children are to be admitted to Baptiſme, ſo the Parents to the Lords Table.
As Charitable as Mr Hs: is, who hopes the Beſt of all, ſo he ſaith; and, ſay we if of all, then he hopes the Beſt of the worſt of all; what hope hath he of the Devill? Why, If he be a Devill incarnate, and baptized, he ſhall be admitted to the Lords Table, though truely we know not well what to ſay more, having hinted ſo much to it before; yet this we will add, That Charity dothR…ad Mr. P…lme…. pag. 70, 71 both heare and ſee, and hath a rule, whereby to judge righteous Judgement, as of a tree by the fruits; of M H: his walke in the ſtreete, by his practiſe at the Lords Table; for if naught there, it is our feare, he is good no where; Thus we judge of a man by… Ma…. 16. 1…. his workes. And to the thing in hand, of a beleiver by his faith; of a Diſciple, by his diſcipline; his ſchollar-like ſubmitting himſelfe to the teaching of Chriſt; of a Saint by his holineſſe. But when none of all this is viſible, but the Contrary to all this, They account themſelves Saints, are dealt with as Saints, yet they revile the Saints, hate and perſecute holineſſe: then we ſee not why Charity ſhould make her mantle ſo large, as thereby to Cover that, which is ſo apparent, that it cannot be hid. When the aboundance in the heart, the Treaſure there venteth or broachethit ſelfe, by the eye, tongue, or hand, then it is eaſie to judge, Salvâ Charitate, That the Treaſure within is evill, for it bringeth Matth. …2.forth evill things. The Phyſitian judgeth of th… ſicke mans ſtomacke by his tongue, that is foule, the ſtomack is much fowler, being the Cauſe of the tongues fouleneſſe; When we obſerve the ſmoake breaking-out of the doores and windowes, and from under the tyles, we conclude, there is much ſmoake within and ſome fire alſo, which, if Care be not taken, will breake-out anon. I ſee thy heart, ſaid one through thy hand, which acteth thy heart, bringing it forth to light. We judge the tree by the fruit, which is not raſh, becauſe it is not ours, but the judgement of the word of God. We have heard it often ſaid to Godly Miniſters and people; Ye muſt not judge. They might as well ſay, you muſt not heare or ſee. We may judge and judge the heart too. What an hell above ground that is, where we ſee what an helliſh life there is. We may judge the thoughts of a man not yet turned from ſinne to God, that thoſe are onelyonly evill continually (for ſoGen. 6. 5. we are taught to know our ſelves, that we may loath our ſelves). But now, when theſe evill thoughts have minted or moulded-out themſelves, by words and deeds, then thoughts become viſible. We know the Mint in the heart, and what ſtampe it beareth, for we finde it upon mens words and deeds, which are, as we may ſay, the money that is coyned there: It is probable this laſt ſaid remembers you of Salvian's words; I can tell you anon (ſpeakingSi…lt quiſpiam ſ…i…e quid in templo homin…s C…gitave…ūt vid… quid ſe qu… tu…. …. 3. p. … to his hearers) what your thoughts are now, you are hearing; when I obſerve you, ſo ſoone as you are out of Gods houſe, running every man after his profits and pleaſures; I kn…w full well your thoughts were upon them, while you were within: What the heart thinketh, the hand and tongue minteth, was the Proverb with him; and much the ſame with ours; Words and workes make a cleare Commentary upon the heart: theſe are the hearts Heraulds, proclaiming the fooles fooliſhneſs. Yet indeed ſome of your beleivers, Pro. 12. …3.Diſciples and Saints, are ſo evill, that wee need not (but that we muſt) obſerve either their words or workes, for the ſhew of their I…a 3.C…ntenance doth witneſſe againſt them, and they declare their ſinne. as Sodome, they hide it not. To put a cloſe to this; de …ccultis judicat Deus, God judgeth of things which appeare not, The face of the heart being as viſible to Him, as is the face to us, and the darkeſt roome lightſome; But we may judge of things that doe appeare: As the Church judgeth not of hidden Crimes, ſo neither the faithfull, judge of the Churches by their hidden Hypocriſie, but by their open ſcandalls in doctrine and life, ſaid that excellently learned man Mr Cotton. When ye ſee men wallowing in the pollutions of the world like ſwine in the mire, ye have warrant enough to call them ſwine, and account them loathſome creatures, and to excommunicate them the Lords Table, as yee will ſwine from yours. Wee charge too deeply, if ſo deepe as the heart, before the heart hath opened its owne ſinke, and diſcovered its owne filthineſſe; but when it proclaimes its fooliſhneſſe, as we read, then may we heare it and beleive it.
SECT. IV.
4. YOu ſay you know not why there ſhould not be now as free admiſſion to Baptiſme, and the Lords Supper, as in thoſe primitive times, there was to Circumciſion, and the Paſſeover.
To this we might onelyonly, ſay as before, when you mention to us that Nationall Church, we ſhould mention to you that Nationall Deut. 33. 18.diſcipline. As thus; If ſo be the hire of a whore muſt not be brought into the houſe of the Lord, why ſhould the Child borne of a whore, be brought in thither. But indeed there was proviſion againſt this, for the whore, if the daughter of a Prieſt, was to be burnt with fire; if the daughter of a more ordinary man, thenLevit. 20. 9. Deut. 22. 21. ſhe was to be ſtoned with ſtones, And the Adulterer with the Adultereſſe were both to dye. So Sir, your Argument holds not, nor Can it beare out, as we thinke, this Cuſtome amongſt you, admitting ſuch Infants now (for they are admitted in their Parents right) to Baptiſme, begotten, as is notoriouſly knowne, inVid: Ameſ: de Conſt. cap. 27. l. 7. adultery, and the Parents not ſo much as profeſſing repentance for the ſin; And ſo giving ſome ſatisfaction to the Congregation thereby. Sir, The Lord will require this at theſe Parents hands (for ſo we may call them) ſo alſo at his hands who ſo preſumptuouſly baptizeth their Infants. Nor ſhall it helpe him or them; That though the Child was begot in Adulterie, yet it was borne in wedlocke; So have they plaiſtered over that horrible ſin, for which the Miniſter muſt be as reſponſible, we meane for marrying them, as he ſhall be for Baptizing their Infant, before an acknowledgement was made openly before the Congregation, for ſo openly had they ſinned. But the Lord lookes upon this and tells us with a voyce as loud as thunder, that ſith man doth not, He Himſelfe will be the avenger of theſe things. And if the people Levit. 20. 4.of the Land—&c. for we would leave it upon your thoughts, that if you, or any brother in office with you, have been or are faulty in this matter, ye may heare and feare, and doe no more preſumptuouſly; In the ſhutting up of this we humbly remind you, of your owne Principles, every head of a family (being by our…nf. Bap. 61. principles) an Abraham to his family. But how if he be an Iſhmaell, worſe than an Infidell to his family, how then in point of admiſſion of his Children to Baptiſme, or himſelfe to the Lords Table? muſt he, having blaſphemed the one Sacrament, be priviledged thereby to blaſpheme the other? or having denied and renounced his Baptiſme, as the manner of ſome is, by his workes, making full proofe he hath very ill husbanded that pretious Talent, muſt he be priviledged thereby to deale ſo with the other? Yes ſay you, and accordingly you deale-out unto him. But did your Lord Chriſt deale ſo with His Talents? Math. 25. 28.—But wee referre it to the ſixt Treatiſe.
2. Now as to admiſſion to the Paſſeover, which you are pleaſed to ſay, was free to all, which pleads for the like free admiſſion to the Lords Table. That ſpoken before might ſerve here, But, to let that paſſe, we verily beleive there was not ſuch free admiſſion to the Paſſeover, as you would ſeeme to hold-out, or take for granted; And this our beleife wee ground on the Scriptures of God as we ought, and you expect we ſhould, and indeed Commanded us; which needed not, for God commands us ſo to doe; We humbly conceive there is much in this Scripture we reade; When your Children ſhall ſay unto you, what meane Exod. 12. 26, 27.you by this ſervice? That ye ſhall ſay it is the ſacrifice of the Lords Paſſeover; Wee Collect from hence; That the perſons were to be knowing and underſtanding perſons in the matters of their God, the great Concernments of their ſoules, and ſo knowing and underſtanding, as that they muſt be able to inſtruct and Catechiſe their Children in thoſe High points. Now if you finde the Parents ſuch knowing and underſtanding perſons; you may finde reaſon and warrant enough to admit them to the Lords Table; But if very ignorant, yea Brutiſhly ignorant, for ſuch they are, whom you have admitted, then ſeeke your warrant elſewhere for your admiſſion to the Lords Table; for wee are verily perſwaded you will not finde it from the Paſſeover; The free admiſſion they had to that, Sir, be well aware what you ſay, and as well aware what you doe; Take heed of admitting (we adviſe you in worthy Hilderſam's word…) ſuch as are knowne to the Congregation, to be ignorant, malicious, uncleane, unjuſt perſons, drunkards, Blaſphemers; Make not the houſe of God as a Common Inne, that receives Gueſts of all ſorts, and entertaines all alike. The Gates of Gods houſe are called the Gates Pſal. 118. 19, 20.of Righteouſneſſe; None ſhould preſume to enter into them (at leaſt you ſhould ſuffer none) but ſuch as (in profeſſion and endeavour) are righteous men.
But to your Alligation from their free admiſſion to the Paſſeover; To our ſeeming it was not ſo free as yours is to the Lords Table For firſt, ſome were to be Cut-off, as we read, Numb: 15. 30, 31. The ſoule that doth ought preſumptuouſly, whether he be borne in the Land, or a ſtranger, the ſame reproacheth the Lord, and that ſoule ſhall be Cut-off from among his people, becauſe he hath deſpiſed the word of the Lord, and hath broken His Commandement, that ſoule ſhall be Cut-off, his iniquity ſhall be upon him; Add to this, how deep the Lord Chargeth His Prieſts, Ezek. 44. 7, 8. Yee have not kept the Charge of mine holy things; In that ye have brought into my Sanctuary Children of a Stanger, uncircumciſed in heart, and uncircumciſed in fleſh. Then at the 9th verſe: Thus ſaith the Lord God, No Stranger uncircumciſed in heart, nor uncircumciſed in fleſh▪ ſhall enter into my Sanctuary; which was a type or figure of the Spirituall Sanctuary, the Church of the living God in Goſpell times; Whence it may be cleared we think, That, if ſome were to be Cut-off for their wickedneſſe, and others to be kept off from the Sanctuary, as well for legall, and rather for morall uncleanneſſes, ſcandalous ſinnes, then alſo were they kept off from the Paſſeover; Yet we thinke the example of Good Rulers, as to this m…tter, cleares this further; They had under the Law by Gods appointment, at the time of their ſolemne aſſemblyes, certaine Levites, that were porters, ſet by the Gates 2 Chro. …3. …5.of the houſe of the Lord, that none that was unclean in any thing ſhould enter-in. And it Commands our marke what diligence was enjoyned them in their office; The porters waited at every Gate, 2 Ch…. 5 15.and might not depart from their ſervice. And hath the Lord Chriſt leſſe Care of His ſervice under the Goſpell, than He had under the Law? Judge you: And take this alſo along with you, if pleaſe you, that you may make righteous Judgement; None that had any legall uncleanneſſe upon them might eate the Paſſeover, Numb. 9. 6. And may they be admitted to eate at the Lords Table, who have reall uncleanneſſe upon them? Give your judgement here alſo, but looke up to God, and into His Scriptures before you judge. And if it pleaſe you, let the Scriptures be, 2 Chron: 30. 5. 7. They had not done it a long time in ſuch ſort as it was written. They had not done it as their firſt fathers did it; who had the pure truth Committed to them, and ſo worſhipped the Lord God purely. But they had done it as their immediateforefathers, who were corrupt in their worſhip, and ſo in their practiſe, as theſe had done it ſo did they. Bee you not like your Fathers, and like your Brethren, which treſpaſſed againſt the Lord God of their Fathers, who therefore Gave them up to deſolation, as you ſee verſ. 7. This was good Counſell, if it had been taken well; But it was very ill taken, for when Hezekiah ſent the poſts from Citie to Citie through the Countrey of Ephraim, and Manaſſeh, with this Meſſage, That he would have a reformation, according to the firſt inſtitution or patterne, and would not have them doe as their immediate forefathers had done; It is ſaid verſe 10th; That they laughed the Meſſengers to ſcorne and mocked them: What! may we not doe as our Fathers have done? muſt we now be wiſer than they? Yes, ſaith he, you muſt be wiſer than they, and you muſt doe better than they, elſe you will ſhew your ſelves arrand fooles, and utterly undoe your ſelves; for your fathers were ſtiff-necked, and did not yeild themſelves to the Lord to ſerve Him, and to doe as He bad them; But they would doe as pleaſed them, and was good in their owne eyes, and ſo brought all this evill upon themſelves: You muſt not doe as they did, for then you muſt ſuffer as they did; whom God gave up to deſolation as you ſee. Now read how theſe words wrought with ſome of them; not a few, the Lord by His Spirit ſetting them home, verſ. 11. There was a Reformation in thoſe matters, and things muſt be done according to their firſt inſtitution. We hope it will teach you very much in point of admiſſion to the Lords Table. And yet to ſet home your leſſon, and to helpe you in your choice of fit Gueſts for the Lords Table. Take, in the laſt place, an example from Ezra, Who would have none to joyne with him in the Paſſeover, But ſuch onelyonly as had ſeperated themſelves from the filthineſſe of the Heathen, and joyned themſelves to Gods people, to ſeeke the Lord God of Iſraell, Ezra 6. 21. So much to your fourth objection. You have yet more to ſay to juſtifie your Doings.
SECT. V.
THat you ſee not why you ſhould exclude any from the Lords Table, becauſe how know you whether they mayGod is the onelyonly …wg…ver, and we muſt receive the Law from His mouth. He that will pleaſe God, muſt ſhut all his own Imaginations out of doo…es, and have nothing to doe with th…m. We never diſhonour God more than when we take up…n u… …o ſerve Him o…r own way; and leaving His rule make a rule for our ſelves. Mr. C: on Job 23. p. 405. Ab extra ordinario ad ordinarium non valet argumentum. not be converted there? It is you know Mr Hs: conceite, and we know you have ſaid no leſſe.
To this we ſay, That you give us but your word for this, but give us one word from your God, and we will give you one of our eyes; Then ſearch againe for another word to prove that this ſealing ordinance is converting, and give it us, and we will give you the other eye, ſo for two Scriptures you ſhall have two eyes, deare though they are to us, yet not ſo deare as the truth, the leaſt jóta whereof is of more account with our God, and ſo with His good people, than are the viſible heavens and the earth. Therefore, Sir, Mr Hs: (we would rather mention his name than yours, ſo much we favour you) ſhall not put out our eyes with his conceits, now that he hath put out his owne by his ſenſuality. He ſhall not abuſe us as he doth the Scripture ſhamefully after his manner, touching the Centurions Converſion by ſeeing Chriſt onelyonly upon the Croſſe: It was as mi…aculous and extraordinary, as was the Renting of the vaile and rockes, and opening of the Graves. And he is as well able to prove, That when he laſt adminiſtred this ordinance, he raiſed dead bodies out of the Graves, as that he raiſed dead ſoules, by his adminiſtring to them the Bread and the Wine, which yet is the thing he is to prove, That Converſion, which is the raiſing of the ſoule from its grave, is wrought in this way, we meane by giving out this ordinance; It is true, The people will ſpeake Highly of it, That they never found the Word (of Gods grace) ſo prevailing with them, as was that, they heard delivered to them at the graves mouth, and at the Lords Table; But he that cannot ſee, that this is a meere deluſion, and deviſe of Satan, and our owne heart, which is blind and cannot ſee a farre-off, and will make us beleive a lye, That God will ſtep out of His way and worke extraordinarily for us, while we neglect and turne our backs upon the ordinary meanes, He hath appointed for the turning the heart unto Him; We ſhall ſpeake more to this in another place; for the preſent we ſay onelyonly thus; That this tenet, That Sacraments doe convert, ſenteth ſtrongly of Poperie, and is moſt unſavoury, and loathſome to every good mans heart, being aſſured, That
That the …ord preached is the great Appointment of God, to bring Chriſt and the ſoule together, never to be parted againe. Preaching is the Chariot, that Carrieth Chriſt up and downe the world, here is Chriſt for you, who ſanctifieth Himſelfe for your ſakes, That He might doe for you, and in you all that was to be done, and to ſuffer all that was to be ſuffered, for the ſatisfying of His Fathers juſtice, and the Compleating of an everlaſting Righteouſneſſe, That ye might be Compleate in Him, and wholy ſanctified through the Truth, and throughly furniſhed to every good worke: Then preaching Chriſt Crucified is the Appointment of God for the ſalvation of ſoules; ſo many Scriptures give-in their evidence, that we know not how many: The dead ſhall heare John 5. …5.the voyce of the Son of God (in the preaching of the Goſpel) and they that heare (that is, beleive and obey) ſhall live. Other ſheepe I have (He meanes us Gentiles) them alſo I muſt bring (belongingJ…hn 10. 16. Eph. 5. 14. John 17. …0. 2 Tim: 1. 10. 1 Co…. 18. 21. 23. & 2. 14. to the Election of Grace) but how wilt thou bring them Lord? Thou art in Heaven and they on Earth, they ſhall heare my voice. The preaching which Chriſt bids His Miniſters preach, is no other but Chriſts voice, which bids the ſleeper awake, and ariſe from the dead. It is that whereby the Spirit workes faith in the ſoule: it is that whereby life and immortalitie is brought to light, through the Goſpell. All the Angells in Heaven cannot convert one ſinner, (it is not their office or appointment from God) But the word preached (which the wiſdome of the world counts fooliſhneſſe), converteth all that are converted, being that great Appointment of God for that end. It is juſt ſo with us now, dry bones, when Converſion is wrought as once it was; And as I propheſied there was a noiſe, and behold a ſhaking Ezek. 37. 7. 10breath came into them, and they lived and ſtood up upon their feete, an exceeding great Army: As then ſo now, and to the end of the world, life and immortalitie is brought to light, into our ſoules by the Goſpell; It is the Chariot of Chriſt, of the Spirit of Chriſt, The ſaving knowledge, faith in Chriſt, and this by the preaching of the Goſpell, Thereby the Spirit flowes into the Heart, and all with Him: Faith the mother Grace with all her daughters all at once, and all together; While Peter yet ſpake, the Holy Ghoſt fell on them all, which heard the Word, Acts 10. 44. 11. 15. The Caſe is Cleare; The word preached is the Appointment of Chriſt to quicken the dead; The Sacrament of His body and blood is His Appointment together with His Word to maintaine and quicken that life, when to ſence and feeling it is in a ſwound and fainting away.
This being a point of high concernment to be cleare in, we crave leave to proceed farther in it in way of Anſwer to that may be gathered from the holy Scriptures, againſt what hath been laſt ſaid; That the word of God where it is preached, is the onelyonly meanes in the Spirits hand of Converſion. And indeed (to mention it onelyonly in paſſage here) ſome Godly Miniſters, as is meet for us to judge, doe aſcribe converſion, not to the act of receiving, as the man of your perſwaſion doth; (and truely, we thinke not one godly Miniſter in the world is of the ſame mind with you) but to the exhortations and prayers in uſe at that time before and after the Sacrament is adminiſtred. To this we ſhall ſpeake hereafter in its proper place, where we ſhall tell our perſwaſion as to that matter. So we come to that we intend here.
1. It is ſaid, Rahab the Harlot had faith, and it ſaved her from periſhing, yet living out of the Church ſhe could not heare theHeb. 11. 31. Word.
To this it is anſwered by our Perkins of ſweet and pretious memory, That where ordinary meanes faileth, God can work extraordinarily, by reports and rumours, Joſuah 2. 9, 10, 11.
2. It is ſaid Pauls converſion was without the Word; True; it was very extraordinary, immediate by the Lords owne Hand, yet He would put an honour upon the word of His grace, which He hath appointed for converſion. He ſent Ananias unto him, verſ. 11. though the great work was don; for behold he prayes. And in the next Chapter, Cornelius now converted, muſt ſend for Peter.
3. It is ſaid, 1 Pet. 3. 1. That the husband without the Word may be won; True; Without the word, he may be gained to come to the word, to heare it by the entreaties and perſwaſions of the wife frequenting the meeting place, and by her good example, and Chriſtian carriage, adorning the word, which ſhe had heard, ſhe might by the bleſſing of God, win upon him to goe along with her to the place of hearing; his body was drawn within the Church-doores without the word: but his heart could not be drawn up to God without the word, the Spirit of God and of Glory accompanying the ſame, which is learned Bezaes interpretation there, the ſumme of it. And we conceive that we reade 1 Cor. 7. 16. fals under the ſame conſtruction.
4. Before we can put a cloſe to this, we would put a Queſtion here, and then put it to the holy Scriptures for reſolution thereunto; The Queſtion is, Whether an holy Diſcipline in private houſes, we meane, a godly education there, be not ſufficient to turne the hearts of the Children to God, and to worke in them a true actuall faith?
Before we enquire farther for reſolution hereunto, we would ſay this firſt; That this ruling well his own houſe, having his children in ſubjection, with all gravity, workes marveilouſly upon them, making ſuch impreſſions upon the out…ard man, as that they looke not as if they had been born dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, Children under wrath as well as others. Wee will proceed a little here to witneſſe the honour we give to this Deſpiſed Diſcipline in families; ſurely a family well Trained, diſciplined or Catechiſed, is a very beautifull ſight; as is an Army well ordered, all and every one keeping their ranks, and doing their Duty; A rulers walke before the ruled, if according to the rule, together with his exhorting, comforting and charging every one of them, as a Father doth his children, is very winning, and gaining upon the whole family, to doe as the Ruler in cheife doth; he being truely and indeed religious, his very example is a command aG…n. 18 19., yea a compulſion bGal 2. 14.to the ruled, ſo as his whole family become religious too; they give good hopes that way, at leaſt they ſeemeJ…h. 24. 15. …. ſo; at the worſt they oppoſe not, for then they know they muſt be no longer there; for a Ruler ſits as in a Throne within his own houſe, and ſcattereth away all evill with his eyes—For the proofe hereof we entreat the Reader to conſult with the Scriptures in the Margent; We will note but one example of a Ruler, whoſe carriage was ſo gratious in his family, that he made not onelyonly his family, but his whole Court to be a Nurcery of Religion; which may minde us what Philo Jud: ſpeaks of Joſeph, he made the Priſon, where he was, a little Temple for the Spirit of God to dwell in. And indeed it muſt be ſo; He that knowes how to rule his own houſe well, is in a good poſture of ſpirit for publike rule. The ſame wiſdome, and juſtice, and holineſſe for kinde, onelyonly more enlarged and extenſive, acts in eyther ſpheare, and will regularly move in the little and the greater houſe. The ſumme is, A good Ruler, who is norma publica, is marvelouſly commanding for good, as an evill example is marvelouſly compelling to evill. Whence the complaints of our Godly Miniſters in all ages, which commands our mark and our mourning.
We will ſet downe here our excellent Burroughs his words upon Hoſea 4. 25. Woe to ſuch parents, whoſe children, if ever they come to themſelves, ſhall wiſh rather they had been of the generation of Dragons, and off-ſpring of Vipers, than begotten of ſuch parents. Adde hereunto worthy Mr Burges his words; It is a woefull curſe to be borne of wicked parents, from whom the Children learne onelyonly to curſe, ſweare, lie and rob, prophane oppoſers of God and Godlineſſe. We will read M Baxters words alſo, I know none on earth, that play theReſt. 3. 305. part of the Devill himſelfe more truely than theſe men doe; And if any thing that walks in fleſh may be called a Devill, I think it is a parent that hindereth his childe from ſalvation, being careleſſe of his education; He goes on ſpeaking terrible words to careleſſe and negligent parents, as the moſt are, but our ears are ſealed, and our conſciences ſ…ared, we will not heare.
And ſo much to aſſure us, that a pious education, and holy diſcipline doth much where ever it is, and the want of it doth much miſchiefe; but holy Doctrine doth all, thereby the New Nature is wrought in young and old by God; whereas by holy diſcipline, our old nature is but painted and varniſhed over, which comes now to be proved when we have ſet downe Mr Baxters Pag. 129. 133.words, which ſeeme to us to ſpeak contrary, we will note but one paſſage amongſt many in his booke of Baptiſme.
The Aſſembly, I told you before, that gave in their experiences about the time and manner of Gods working grace in their hearts did moſt give-in that it began as they thought in youth or childhood, & in very few by the Miniſteriall teaching. And for my own part, I think that if ever I had true actuall faith, it was by the benefit of education before ever I heard a Sermon.
We would ſpeak three words to this (1) by way of Caution. (2) By way of ſuppoſition (3) poſitively or Concludingly, as we have been taught by our learned Godly Miniſters.
1. By way of caution, we would wiſh no man to truſt that Converſion, whereof he can give no other Certificate, but that he was virticiouſly educated.
2. Suppoſe that a parent by his holy Diſcipline and pious education had converted his childe by the good hand of God with him; we would aske, hath he done this without the Word? It could not then be called holy Diſcipline, or pious education.
3. But to ſpeake poſitively, and ſo to conclude this point, that the word of the Lord may have in all things the pre-eminence; Education or the bringing up of a childe in the Nurture and admonition of the Lord, is but the externall moulding of a man, not the internall Renovation of his heart: Education faſhions and frames the outſide onelyonly; Converſion, if true, the inſide; Education changeth the actions onelyonly; Converſion not the actions onelyonly, but the Nature alſo; for the effecting whereof there muſt be put forth an exceeding greatneſſe of Power together with the Word; once more, and to doe our Utmoſt to drive it home, we are borne every mothers child, like a wild Aſſes Colt, we love to be free or rather diſſolute; we cannot endure to be ſubdued to order, we would know no Law but our own luſts; nor rule but our own deſire; nor be ſervant to any but our own will: Yet the Law of a virtuous education paſſing upon us we may be brought into ſome good order and under ſubjection; we may be canded over and ſeeme more than Civill: And yet there is as vaſt a difference betwixt what Education doth, and the word preached doth, as there is betwixt Nature and Grace, and that is greater than between a mans Nature and a beaſt. Education may polliſh and beautifie, yea and rectifie Nature, put it into a pretty frame for a time; But the word preached is appointed for this very thing, to change Nature, to put it into a right frame, and to ſet it right for ever; To change a ſinner into a Saint; To make a Beleever of an Infidell. Therefore holy Cowper taking this very thing into Conſideration, That the word preached is the onelyonly meanes of Converſion, would alwayes as he went to Church ſend up this ejaculation or ſhort prayer, Lord bow my eare that I may heare thy word, Amen. He it is, who hath an Almighty Arme, and reacheth it forth by His Spirit with his Word, and ſo maketh it a Converting word, that He in all things may be Glorified through Jeſus Chriſt, To whom be Glory Praiſe and Dominion for ever and ever, Amen.
SECT. VI.
IN the ſixt place we have heard you ſay, that you have done your duty, when you have told your people theirs, and the danger of unworthy receiving, according to the tenour of thoſe dreadfull words they find written, 1 Cor. 11. 27, 28, 29, &c.
THIS is well, but not the whole of your duty, no; nor the leaſt part. They will not beleive that there is any danger in receiving, at leaſt, ſuch you ſpeake of unto them, being in your account, and upon the ſame ſcore admitted to the Table, Beleivers, Diſciples and Saints; why ſhould they Queſtion that, which you doe not queſtion? Let Turkes and Pagans queſtion thoſe matters, and not Diſciples and Saints, we meane Baptized-ones, for eo nomine &c.
But Sir▪ it is good to be ſerious in theſe matters; as to be ſ…rvent in a cold matter is no ſigne of Wiſdome; So to b… c…ld in an hot and fervent Buiſineſſe be vrayes folly W… mak… bold …o put three queſtions to you; Th' one relating to a g…t Lo…d on Earth, ſuppoſing, you to be a ſteward in his houſ… …d le…ve you to make anſwer to this Lord. The other rela…ing to the L…rd of Heaven and Earth, whoſe ſervant you prof…ſſe your ſ…lfe …o be, and a ſteward in His houſe. The third ſhall be put to your owne ſoule, and as to the other ſo to this make you your anſwer, Calling God to record upon your ſoule. The firſt
1. Suppoſing you to be a ſteward to a great Lord on Earth; would he take it well at your hands? That you counſelled yea threatened a rude and raſcall Company, naſty wretches, and not worthy to enter your Lords houſe, much leſſe to approach His Table, notwithſtanding in they would Come, which yet they Could not without your Connivance, and more, and ſit downe with Him at his Lord…hips Table. Anſwer this matter to your Great Lord, and ſo we leave it.
2. You are a ſervant to your great Maſter in Heaven, and you ſay, He hath made you a ſteward in His houſe. Make your Anſwer to Him, Queſtioning you at this great point; why have you been ſo careleſſe what manner of perſons you have admitted to my: Table? make Anſwer to Him, we leave this upon your thoughts alſo.
3. Put it to your owne Soule, Is it enough to warne Men? we cannot doubt but you have been warning proud men and covetous and hypocriticall mockers, and you know whome, and yet they have Come. Doubtleſſe, Sir, you ſhould have reſtrained them from drinking a Cup of poiſon, and from Ruſhing upon their owne damnation. Anſwer this to your owne Soule, and when you are about it, Call God to record therein. Then perhaps you may tremble at Elies doome; I will judge thy houſe for ever, for the iniquity thou knoweſt, becauſe thy Sonnes made themſelves vile, and thou Reſtrainedſt them not, thou didſt not bend thy brow, nor frowne upon them. A good man ſcatters the wicked with his eye, they ſhall not pertake of holy things, of bread ordained for Children. This ſhall ſuffice for that.—If a Lord on Earth will not take theſe doings at your hand, will your Maſter in Heaven? And if your Conſcience, which is as we may ſay the Center of the ſoule, placed betwixt the underſtanding and the will, taking in the Reſult from both: If this your Conſcience acquit you not, God is Greater than your Conſcience, how will you Anſwer Him? It commandeth your ſerious thoughts in debateing theſe matters, and then to give in your Anſwer thereunto.
We would remind you of this laſt ſaid, thereby to Render you the more ſerious, That as a ſteward is not to doe any thing, but according to the minde and will of his Lord: ſo nor are you in Gods Houſe, but according to the mind and will of Chriſt, receiving, whome He receiveth; refuſing, whome He refuſeth; Caſting-out, whome He Caſteth out: whence Paul exhorted the Romans to receive unto them the weake in faith upon this ground, Becauſe the Lord hath received him, Rom: 14. 1, 2, 3. If it be ſaid as a Learned man doth ſay; That the Oeconomy of a Princes houſe is no rule for the Government of Gods houſe, he is well anſwered, That ſurely 'tis a diſgrace and diſhonour to Gods houſe to be more looſely and diſſolutely ordered, than is the houſe of any Earthly King or Lord. And though the Oeconomy of Princes houſes, be no rule for the ordering of Gods houſe, yet, methinks, th' ordering of Gods houſe (the King of Kings) might be a rule or patterne (in ſome proportion) for the Oeconomy of Princes houſes; and ſhould not Stewards of Gods houſe bluſh? That theſe ſtewards ſhould be more Carefull about their Lords houſe, which is but Earth upon Earth, than Gods ſtewards are of His houſe, which is Heaven upon Earth. Rejoyce ye Heavens.
SECT. VII.
IN the 7th place, you have this to argue for the free admiſſion to the Lords Table: You Cannot Reſtraine: It is not in your power to keepe them away: we, ſay you, and they of your way, looke for orders from our Rulers: if they give us power, we ſhall ſee it executed, according as they ſhall preſcribe.
So then without a Civill Sanction, we may not expect Church-Reformation. Our excellent Jewell, ſpeakes, we thinke, fully and not impertinently to this, as Is generally knowne to all the Learned in his Epiſtle concerning the Councill of Trent; we will abſtractTo ſegni…ur S… pi…, a Gentleman in Venice p. 859, 860. a few of his lines, though all are worthy to be heard and read of all men. Then belike, it is not lawfull for any of us to beleive in Chriſt, to profeſſe the Goſpell, to ſerve God aright, to fly Superſtition, and Idolatrie, except they (our Rulers) will give us leave: In humane Counſells it is the part of a wiſe man to expect the Judgement and Conſent of men, But in matters divine Gods word is all in all; The which ſo ſoone as a Godly man hath received, he preſently yeeldeth and ſubmitteth Himſelfe; He is not wavering nor expecting others: He underſtandeth that he is not bound to give eare to (the dictates of men) the Pope or Counſell, but to the will of God, whoſe voyce is to be obe…ed, though all men ſay nay. If, at the firſt, Chriſt and His Apoſtles had ſtaid for a (Civill Sanction) or Councill, when had their ſound gone out unto all Lands?—This is to our ſeeming very applicable to our purpoſe and may anſwer this your plea for a Civill Sanction from the Ruler, thereby to impower you, to keep off the groſſely, obſtinately affectedly ignorant perſons, thoſe ſons and daughters of Beliall (that caſt-off Chriſts yoke) from approaching the Lords Table. If the Rulers would give you power, you would doe it. Poſſibly he may be ſuch an one, that is afraid to hedge-in the Sacrament, and to make it inacceſſible to the ſcandalous and prophane; or to ſettle a faithfull and ſearching Miniſter in the place he lives in, who will, if he will approve himſelfe faithfull, make a difference, between the precious and the vile; for then he knowes, he ſhall but make thereby a rod (of Diſcipline) for himſelfe to drive himſelfe forth from that ſacred Aſſembly. Therefore a Godly Miniſter is not to waite the Rulers pleaſure, or a Civill Sanction, as we ſuppoſe.
But we crave leave to aske: doe not you derogate much fromAlas that a duty ſhould be to be don, but none found to doe it; a power but non to act it; keyes but no hand to hold them, Mr. S…nders, p. 83. the power your Lord Chriſt hath given you, and entruſted you with? and from the Authority of His word? Is not that ſufficient to beare you out in the ordering matters in Gods houſe as Stewards there? All power is given to Me in heaven and in earth, goe yee therefore &c. If the Ruler will doe his uttermoſt for your helpe in theſe matters, moveing orderly, and in his ſpheare; And having the Intereſt of Chriſt full in his eye, he ſhall doe well, and his worke ſhall be accepted; But if he forbeare, be it at his perill. You know your duty, Bleſſed are you if you doe it: You ſerve a Good Maſter able to beare you out, if ſo be you order thing; according to His mind and rule of His word. All power is His originally, and all yours is His derivatively, lay out all for Him which you have received from Him, and feare not the face of the Magiſtrate, ſuppoſed ſetting himſelfe againſt you, you have power over him as a Steward in Gods houſe; he none over you in reference to theſe ſacred adminiſtrations, as the Churches records, rather the ſacred Scripture tells you. And you may be pleaſed to remember this for your great Comfort; If through grace, you endeavour to order matters by the rule of Gods word: God will not be maſtered by His owne guifts, nor make derivative power, too ſtrong for originall power: But bleſſed be God, ye have no excuſe here, the powers on Earth, at preſent, are for you, give encouragement to you. Yet that there may be no miſtake here about theſe two great hands, through which the great God conveyeth ſo much good to his people, Magiſtrates and Miniſters, we crave leave to add a little more; The Donatiſts did aske, as we have heard, what had the Emperour to doe with the Church? To whome it was anſwered, That the Emperour could not rule the Common-wealth, except he governed the Church, for the Church is a Common-wealth. So then, The ordering the matters of Religion belongs to the Care of the Civill Ruler: But then we muſt note There are two things in Religion; firſt intrinſecall within the Church, as to preach, Adminiſter the Sacraments, and to ordaine Miniſters, theſe he ought not to doe. But for thoſe things, which are without, thoſe belong unto him; He is to ſee others doe their duty, and Correct them that doe it not: He ought to ſet all ag…eing, and to reforme abuſes, but not to meddle with things within the Chu…ch aforeſaid, as to execute the ſame, butRead Dr Ow…n his Sermon upon Dan: p. 30. & 49, 51, 52, 53. to over-ſee and governe their executions; and thoſe perſons, whoſe proper office it is to execute them. O it is a ſtately ſight to behold that excellent and ſweet harmon… in ſtate, where the Magiſtrate and Miniſter meet amiably, conſpireing together, who ſhall doe moſt at the ſetting up of the Kingdome of Chriſt, and carrying on His intereſt through the Nation. The truth is, The Lord Chriſt hath been little beholding, to moſt Rulers; that have lived upon Earth, and He hath taken as little care of them, as they tooke little care of His honour. Yet in thoſe ſeirce and perillous times, when the Rulers ſet themſelves againſt the Lords Chriſt: There were thoſe and not a few, who in the power of His might ſett themſelves in the Gap for Him, beareing up againſt all the power of the Adverſarie, deſpiſing it and laughing it to ſcorne. And Luther was one of theſe in former times (not to mention any more, nor the Worthies of the Lord in our late perillous times,) In regard of my perſon, ſaid he, I'le fall downe before any: But in regard of the Truths of Chriſt, which I adminiſter, I looke on the Kings of th' Earth as Nitts or Crumbles of duſt, (ſo he wrote to our Henry the 8th) For a Miniſter that is faithfull in the execution of his office (as ſaid our holy Shepheard) what ever humane weakneſſe there is in him, what ever power there is in others yet he is therein above Churches, Kings or Angells. But Bleſſed be God, at this day, the powers on Farth are for you, ye may be as holy as ye will, as to the performing the whole ſervice of your Miniſtery: Your Lord hath given you power all-ſufficient; And He inſtruct you to ſound diſcretion how to make a Bleſſed advant…ge thereof to His Glory and His Churches good: Amen.
Yet we cannot come off from this common plea which is pleaded by all the herd that have M Hs: for their Leader; Wee have no power to keepe any how wicked ſoever, from the Lords Table, ſay they; we would entreat theſe men to call to remembrance, what the Lord ſaith touching the ſanctifying Himſelfe upon horri…le ſinners, in caſe the Rulers did not We apply it to this in hand,Levit. 20. 4. If men to whom the Lord hath given Authority to reprove, cenſure, and excommunicate wicked men (from communicating at His Table at the leaſt) eyther dare not, or will not doe it; Ile take the matter into My own Hand, Ile doe it ſaith the Lord. And hath not He, with whom is terrible Majeſty, hath He not don it? hath He not executed terrible wrath upon theſe unworthy Receivers at His Table? One fals from an houſe, breaks his bones, perhap; his neck; A ſecond from a tree, or horſe; A third is hurled into the Waters; A fourth is ſuffered to run his own way, and ſo to cut-off himſelfe in the midſt of his dayes; A ſift is his own executioner; A ſixt, and he is many, theſe are la…d in the lap of their own luſts, and now being paſt feeling give themſelves over to laſciviouſneſſe, to work all uncleanneſſe with greedineſſe; joyned to their Idols, and let alone; And hath the Lord dealt leſſe ſeverely with the Stewards of His houſe, who have dealt ſo unbecoming ſtewards there? Some He hath thruſt-out. And thoſe that, through favour hold-in for a time, Is not a viſible ſword upon their arme, (their power is broken) and upon their right eye their underſtanding is darkend. The unfaithfu…l Steward, the Idol-Shepheard ſhall be like an Idol, having eyes but ſe…ing not; He was before a blind S…er ſinfully; and …ow he is a blind Se…r judicially. O the dreadfull wayes the Lord takes in the exerciſe of excommunication! He that inwardly excommunicates His own dear children, as their ſins may deſerve, and caſts them out of His preſence (to uſe the words of that excellent Divine Dr Goodwin)Child of Light p. 137. will He ſpare theſe, who dare out-face him at His own Table (prepared for His own people, followers of Him as deare Children) ruſhing-in thether to receive that with their hands, which they blaſpheme with their tongues, and trample under with their feete; and would deale as deſpightfully with His bleſſed perſon now in Glory, as once their forefathers did deale with Him, when He …abernacled in our fleſh, and was on earth amongſt them: will He ſpare theſe or thoſe Miniſters, Stewards in His houſe, that ſuffer a brutiſh ſottiſh people ſo to doe, alledging for themſelves (but will their allegation be accepted) their Lord put a key into their hands, but they found neyther hand nor heart to uſe it; becauſe the Ruler, forſooth, did not Commiſſion them ſo to doe: Commiſſion them! A Ruler, as wee ſuppoſe, exceeds the bounds of his Commiſſion, for which he will have no thankes from his God, if he ſhall Commiſſion the Stewards in Gods houſe, how to manage Gods matters there; Wee are taught from the Scriptures of God, and from them, that hold thetherto; That in theſe caſes, which relate to Gods houſe, and thoſe ſacred adminiſtrations there; The Miniſter rather preſcribeth the Magiſtrate, than he the Miniſter; He, the Miniſter of Chriſt, rather gives orders to him, than receives orders from him. Therefore to proceed to a cloſe of this; Will the Lord ſpare theſe Stewards in the day when they muſt give an account of their Stewardſhip, who knew not the extent of their power, and therefore cannot know their duty to doe it; their power and their duty being of equal length? We will conclude in Davids words, My fleſh trembleth for feare of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgements.
SECT. VIII.
IN the next place, we have heard that much if not moſt of all the evills of theſe times, is Charged upon the non-admiſſion to the ſealing ordinance; And your ſelfe have not been ſilent this way.
This Charge is moſt unworthy a Miniſter of Chriſt; for the contrary thereunto is moſt true; God is diſquieting of us now; He is viſiting upon us the horrid Contempts offered to His word; The horrible prophanations of His day; The abhominations He hath found committed in His houſe, as to thoſe ſacred adminiſtrations there. And theſe are, as we have juſt cauſe to feare, but the beginning of our ſorrowes, The firſt drops of wrath comming; The Lord God will be prodigall of our blood, becauſe we have been ſo prodigall of His Son's blood, giving it to, or rather caſting it away upon thoſe, who cannot but, like ſwine, trample it under-foot. Prov: 27. 7. Theſe, you know, are Calvin's words. Son of man, Seeſt thou what abhominations are Committed in My houſe? I have ſworne by the excellency of Jacob (by Himſelfe) ſaith the Lord—for you read it every where. Indeed that Bellua multorum capitum, we beaſt-like people, we ſay as much with thoſe rebellious and ſtubborne ones, or much after their manner, Jer: 44. 17. It was never better with us, then when we had our Service-booke, our Eaſter Communions &c. But ſhould not you anſwer us even as Jeremy did; Did not the Lord remember theſe things, and Came they not into His minde? So that the Lord could no longer beare, becauſe of the evill of their doings, and becauſe of the abhominations, which they had Committed.
But with your patience, Sir, Give us leave to aske you Concerning the place where you were borne, and whereunto you wiſh ſo well, and the Good of thoſe ſoules is the Travell of yours; how find you the people there? If they be as bad, as who are worſt, then it is not becauſe they are barred from the Font, or the Lords Table; for there you know the verieſt varlet in the Towne, (if there be any ſuch which perhaps you queſtion) may have admittance with his Children to Baptiſme; and, if he pleaſe may come at the day appointed to the Lords Table, as freely as you may come to an Inne, and ſet up your beaſt in the ſtable; And if you were queſtioned about your owne Towne, where you give freedome enough to theſe fore-mentioned places, the Font, and the Table, for you are of M… Hs: perſwaſion; Wee beleive you could ſpeake little of the good you have wrought among them, by indulging that liberty to bring their Infants to Baptiſme, and anon after themſelves to the Lords Table, ignorant though they are ſome of them, whome ye ſo freely admit, as is ignorance it ſelfe. Nay, Sir, to tell you our faith in theſe matters, we verily beleive, That Miniſters generally all over the Nation, having mightily obſtructed their Goſpell-worke in the Converſion of Sinners, by ſuffering them to Come to the Table of the Lord, there to receive Chriſt in the bread and wine, before they could give any evidence they had received Him by the word of hearing; we meane, by the preaching of the Goſpell: You ſuffer them to ſtep-over the Converting ordinance, and admit them to the ſealeing ordinance, and now you may preach till your lungs are ſpent, and doe no good among them. Indeed this is our faith, and which relating to ſuch things, that are the higheſt concernments of Gods Glory, and good of His people, we may not keepe in to our ſelves. The great worke and buiſineſſe of preaching is, you know, to bring Chriſt and the ſoule together; To call them in, who are without; then to confirme and ſtrengthen them being brought in. Now you ſhould, (it is our faith) waite Gods time till this be done; till He hath, by His Word and Spirit gathered a Church out of a Church (we know this ſounds harſhly in your eares, but why ſhould it ſo) till He hath gathered His Church out of your Church (ſince you make it as wide as the little world in England) till He hath taken them out of the world, and added them to His Church, ſet them in a ſafe *Act …. 4…. foreign.ſure and immoveable ſtate, fa…t upon their Rocke Chriſt, as Mount Zion, faſt for evermore. Doe you goe on now to doe your worke, preach the Goſpell, and leave the Reſt to God, patiently waiting His time. But in the meane time, you ſhall never make us beleive, had you the tongue of an Angell, That wicked and unreaſonable men (for they have no faith, which is the reaſon of the ſoule) are the worſe, becauſe they are denied, the Seales of the Covenant; But much worſe (which may be) becauſe they are admitted to pertake of thoſe before their time; for as once it was, ſo it is now, together with the bread and wine, John 13. 2. & 29. 30.the Devill enters them too, and now ſee them in their walke, and you ſee Devills incarnate; no difference in their walke, for as they ſee him doe, ſo doe they, onelyonly they have fleſh and bones, ſo hath not he.
SECT. IX
IN the 9th place, and ſo to tell you all that hath been, to our beſt remembrance, told us, thereby to juſtifie your doings in Gods houſe, as to the handing forth thoſe ſacred things there, If the people may not be ſuffered to come to the Lord's Table to receive there, as they expreſſe it, They will not come to the place of hearing to receive the word there, drive them from th' one place, and they le drive you from th' other; or, if that they cannot doe, they will not come at you; or, if they doe come, they will caſt your pearles, whereof you are diſpenſers, the word of God, or Counſells thereof, behind their backes, they will not hearken to you.Mat. 7. 6.
To this we would reply theſe foure things, and firſt by way of Queſtion.
1. How would this have ſounded in the Apoſtles eares, Commiſſioned by their Lord to preach unto the Heathen, ſhould theſe Heathen have ſayd to the Apoſtles, If ye will not Baptize us firſt, we will heare none of your preaching; We ſay, how would this have been taken by the Apoſtles, ſuppoſed thoſe Heathen had ſpoken unto them theſe words? Verily, for ſo it ſeemes to u… the Heathen people now adayes, ſpeaking after the rate of thoſe words, before ſuggeſted, ſpeake the very ſame thing; And how u…reaſonable and wicked they ſhew themſelves to be in ſo ſpeaking, is left upon your thoughts, with this earreſt requeſt, that your thoughts may be ſerious.
2 We thinke it will be granted, That the Goſpell is the greateſt Treaſure or Talent of price, that can be entruſted with the Children of men, It is that, which liſteth up a people, (whether ye ſpeake of a Nation, or a man onelyonly, we allude to that in Job) as High as heaven. It is the rod of His p…wer, the …c…pt…r of His …ob 34. …Kingdome, the grand Inſtrument (we will borrow that excellently Learned man's words) whereby He accompliſheth all His …deſignes in the world, whether they be for life or for death, 2 Cor. 2. 16. He hath given that a right to take poſſeſſion in His Name, and authority of all that He will owne in any Nation under heaven. Now if this be rejected by us, we will have none of it, unleſſe upon our owne termes, and order of our own appointment, give us the Body and Blood of Chriſt firſt; As if we would ſay, give us the ſeales of the Covenant, but for the Covenant it ſelfe (opned unto us in the Goſpell) we will have none of that. We were ſaying, If the Goſpell of the Grace of God be put away, Acts 20. 24. Acts 1… 26. foreign. Ma…h. 21. 41.and driven with all our might from us, as that, which is moſt loathed by us, or hatefull to us, we ſhall be miſerably deſtroyed anon, as thoſe Deſpizers, for we are pointed at there—.
But veſtra res agitur You know your Lords order, how tender He is of it, and the judgement that is written ſhall be their portion, who will remove the bounds, that you may not doe like them. Yee can take it into your Conſideration, and put it upon ours, That if This Rich Talent, we called the Goſpell, ſo laded with pearles, be not uſed and improved firſt; no other Talent can; nor can we expect any other Talent given to us (in mercy) no more than we can another Goſpell.
For the Lord doth not ſay as we fooliſhly may dreame, and doe according as we have dreamed; The man hath not improved his Talent, nay he hath abuſed it: What though, give him another Talent; No, Take therefore the Talent from him, and give Math 25. 28.it unto him which hath ten Talents. The onelyonly wiſe God will not doe as His unwiſe Stewards doe (if He will owne them for His) as to Goſpell Adminiſtrations: The man hath denied renounced his Baptiſme, being abhominable and to every good worke reprobate; What though, Admit him to the Lords Table notwithſtanding. Wee will cloſe with this, and ſo come to the next. Till the Word hath prevailed with us, nothing can, till that hath done us good, nothing ſhall. While the word of Chriſt is trod under-foote in the hearing place, ſo is the ſacred Blood, repreſented at His Table: We cannot reject Him at one place, and receive Him at another; our ſoules are as full here as there; and therefore cannot but loath, trample-upon Chriſt that honey-combe Prov. 27. 7.there, as here, as at th' one place of hearing, ſo at th' other of Receiving. Therefore
3. Be not you carefull about this, whether we will heare or whether we will forbeare; Preach the word, be inſtant, in ſeaſon, 2 Tim. 4. 2.out of ſeaſon, reprove, rebu…e, exhort with all long-ſuffering and doctrine; This is your Charge from the Lord, And be you aſſured you ſhall never make us attend with the eare, giving all Diligence, till you have bored the eare; And to bore the eare you have no other meanes for it but to preach the word, thereby to make us obedient in word and in deed. Doe not Entertaine ſuch a thought as this, but ſhew your ſelves men. (1) That we can be brought into Love with the Goſpell, or to receive the Goſpell in love, by giving us admittance to receive at the Lords Table; What can we receive there more than at our owne Table, unleſſe it be a Curſe, having not received Chriſt in the Goſpell firſt? (2) That we can be brought over to Chriſt by any other wayes or meanes, but what are of His owne appointing, for His bleſſing accompanies thoſe meanes, as doth His Curſe thoſe preſumers, who thinke to compaſſe their Ends by meanes they have ſhaped, without the leaſt ſhape of reaſon, according to their owne underſtanding, moſt contrary to Gods word, and an abhorring to His Spirit: Therefore if you have the leaſt hope to prevaile with men, prevaile with God firſt by prayer, That you may take the way He Himſelfe, hath by His Word and Spirit paved forth before you; for be you well aſſured, He will not goe out of His owne rode way to meete with you or your people in your by-pathes. In the laſt place,
4. And to reply a word from the Lord to thoſe ſtout words mentioned at the beginning, They will drive away the Word from them, and the Preachers of the Word, if they will not ſuffer them to receive at the Lords Table.
Heare we what the Lord ſaith to theſe, I will caſt them away as Rubbiſh, filth, and dirt is caſt away: So He ſaith by His Prophet, My God will caſt them away, becauſe they did not hearken Hoſea 9. 17.unto Him; ſuch as will not hearken to the word of God, GodRead Mr. Ca…yl upon Job 8. 20. p. 124. Pſal. 50. 16. will caſt away; why? They caſt God away, when they caſt the word of God away. They caſt the Covenant behind their backes, while they hate Inſtruction; No wonder God caſteth them behind His backe (a dreadfull place for our perſons, but a glorious place for our ſins) For the wickedneſſe of their Doings, I will drive them out of My houſe. They that drive, ſhall be driven with the Tempeſt of the Lord, as the Thiſtle-downe, dried ſtubble, parched leaves or chaffe before the whirle-wind. God will drive them out of doores, when they drive His Truth out of their hearts, for they would drive it out of His houſe, And the God of Truth out of the world. What they cannot poſſibly doe, they will endeavour what poſſibly they can to doe. A good Miniſter will drive theſe from the Lords Table too, they ſhall not come neare that, till it can be made to appeare, The word of Gods Grace hath come neare to them, and ſet them in their right mind. So we have Concluded from Scripture premiſes, and ſo proceed.
SECT. X.
10 IN the laſt place, we crave leave to tell you our Jelouſie as to theſe matters, and we entreate you to account it a godly jealouſie, which is this, That there is ſomewhat more prevailes with you to give ſuch, free Admiſſion, as aforeſaid, than all thoſe nine Reaſons, you have given us before, and this is it (to tell you our Jealouſie) when it pleaſed God to reveale His Son in you (ſuch is our hope) that you might preach Him among the …Heathen (truely we meane, for we muſt be plaine in theſe matters, we call a ſpade a ſpade) your Beleivers, Diſciples, and Saints (heathen they are as you heard and worſe, till your preaching is come unto them in power) have not you with your Brethren, conferred at leaſt with fleſh and blood, what way you are to take with your people in point of Admiſſion to the Font and Lords Table? You muſt Anſwer this to God, ſith you are Stewards in His houſe, and ſhould know how to behave your ſelves there (with regard enough to that holy guile which is allowed you) for certainly to Him you muſt make Anſwer. We humbly in the feare of our Lord tell you our Jealouſie; For this we know (we are fleſh and blood too) perſecution is a very ſore thing to the fleſh, and therefore all its care, deſire, and endeavour is how to Eſcape it; Now there is no way for a man, that will live godly in 2 Tim 3. 12.Chriſt Jeſus to eſcape it, if he will avoid it, he muſt as to that perticular Ceaſe to be Godly, and ſo he Conferres with fleſh and blood; and taking that for the man of his Counſell, he muſt chooſe …ob 26. 21iniquity rather than affliction. It is our Godly Jealouſie, that you and your. Godly Brethren in the ſame way with you, have Conferred too much with fleſh and blood about thoſe ſacred adminiſtrations, and ſo to avoid perſecution, have done as ye doe, given free admiſſion as aforeſaid; If you did not as you doe, you ſhould anger the beſt men in your Pariſh, as they are in account among us now adayes: and ſo you ſhould have their purſes ſhut, and their mouthes wide open againſt you, like Cannons mounted; This is ſore to fleſh and blood, and therefore Conſulting with it; it will direct you another way, to ſave it ſelfe from perſecution; give their Children Baptiſme, and themſelves the Lords Supper; and all ſhall …e well, their purſes ſhall be opened and their mouths ſhutt, unleſſe open to bleſſe and pray for you, dealing ſo kindly with them; but take heed of their bleſſing you, and your bleſſing your ſelfe in ſuch a way with them: and you may remember this with it, That ſome mens Curſing are as good as their bleſſings, and you ſhall proſper better under them; To put a cloſe to this, This is our perſwaſion from what we ſee and heare; ſhould the Goſpell come to us like an Angell, with a ſword in his hand, and with fire in its mouth to kill our luſts and conſume them utterly, yet we ſhould never be troubled about it, no nor regard it in the leaſt, If our Miniſter would give us the Lords Supper, before this killing worke were done; what he did in the Pulpit, he would undoe all at the Table; If he would preach hell to us from th'one place, we would take heaven to us at th'other; he ſhall never make us beleive, That we are heathen and worſe; not, that we are all Children of wrath, and are every day and houre of the day damneing our ſoules, while we are treaſuring up wrath againſt the day of wrath; he ſhall never make us beleive this, while he puts a Cup of Bleſſing into our hands. And yet if he doth not thus, he ſhall be the white and marke for wrath & envy to ſhoote all their arrowes againſt you, which fleſh and blood cannot endure; yet doe not Conferre with it (it is our Jealouſie, …e doe) ye ſhall never pleaſe God then, nor your people for their good to Edification. It is the greateſt enemie we have in the world, the Devill and Satan himſelfe not excepted; ye are no debtours to the fleſh, and owe it nothing but mortification, as ye tell your people we hope. Well thus we judge of the Holy way, and bleſſed are they that walke in it; fleſh and blood muſt never be Conſulted with about it, it is an adverſary, yea a torment to it, as the holy way is an adverſary to the fleſh, and a Torment to the ſame.
Thus we have heard you argueing, the affirmative for free admiſſion to the Lords Table, you will allow us the ſame patience while we argue the Negative, That this free admiſſion to the Lords Table ſo ordinary amongſt us is not according to the mind of God, and preſcript of His word, holding forth our Rule before us, and thus we Argue it.