The Lords Table Not for All Comers, Treatise · Chapter 3

The Lords Table Not for All Comers · Treatise · Chapter 3

p. 35CHAP. III.

SECT. I.

THey are not to be admitted to feaſt at the Lords Table, who turne their backes upon the feaſt of the Goſpell: we meane thus; They muſt not be ſuffered to Come toT…t feaſt to which ſinners are invited, is one… the declaration of the Word and mind of God in the Goſpell; The word of grace i… the greateſt feaſt which God makes his people, Mr Ca…yl upon Job 23. p. 411.Job 23 the Lords Table, there to receive Chriſt Jeſus the Lord in the bread and wine, who reject Him and make light of Him in the tenders and offers of the Goſpell; We ground this upon thoſe knowne Scriptures, whereon we ſhall dwell a little, Math: 22. 2.

p. 36Luk: 14. 16. where we have the Lord of Heaven and Earth, the King of Glory intending to His Church and people the higheſt preferment, that is imaginable. He will give His Son, the Heire of the Kingdome to be His Bridegroome. Now becauſe there is a marveilous diſproportion, as her preſent Caſe is, betwixt this Bridegroome and the Bride, as vaſt a diſproportion as is betwixt Heaven and Earth, yea we may ſay Heaven and hell: and at as huge a diſtance they ſtand too, This Bridegroome and this intended Bride, as heaven and hell doe, and ſuch a gulfe betwixt them. Beſide all this, This intended Bride is a very ill-favoured and froward peice, and as proud as ſhe is uncomely, and as willfull alſo as will it ſelfe; and, as ſure as death, ſhe will refuſe life, ſhe will have none of the match; He ſhall not be her Bridegroome; who then? Any but Hee; and the truth is (but nullum tempus occurrit Regi) The Lord of time may take His own time, and when He pleaſeth) ſhee hath made her own choice and is married already, and wonderouſly ſhee is ſatisfyed in her match: But now here's much to doe, firſt to breake this match, and make it null, then to make it an abhorring to her ſoule, that ſhee was ſo haſty, carried-on ſo headlong in the buiſineſſe of ſo high Concernment, and then to make her fitt and prepared for her Bridegroome; then to give her free and full and hearty conſent to Come together, never to be parted more. Now to effect all this God the Father maketh a ſumptuous and glorious feaſt like Himſelfe, the Lord of glory, wherein He holds forth to the world the abundant riches of grace and of glory by His Sonne Jeſus Chriſt. And this we doubt not to call the feaſt of the Goſpell, whereby this Bridegroome maketh love to His Bride, That ſhall be; and, becauſe He is too high and ſtately, yea and too glorious too, to woe in His owne perſon, beſides that His terrour would make her afraid, Prov. 9. 3.Prov 9:3He hath His Para-nymphs and ſpokes-men for Him, who are His Maidens, Miniſters, and Preachers of His Goſpell. And this we take to be the ſcope of this Parable, which you know, Nihil probat ratione circumferentiae, ſed tantum ratione Centri, we muſt obſerve whereat it drives, and wherein it Centers: And we take in two rules here firſt: for the ſenſing of parables and ſimilitudes; and then one thing, which is ſpoken againſt the arguing therefrom.

p. 371. We obſerve their true ſcope and intendment, and not toIn il…is quae metaphori…è dicuntur, non oportet accipere ſimilitudine … ſecundum omnia. wrench and tenter it beyond that; which, were againſt the Rule, we not angariari parabolam, in Compelling it to goe farther then it would.

2. What things are ſpoken of God foreign after the manner of men, are to be underſtood foreign in a ſenſe becomeing God; now in the third place.

3. We would take off an objection here before we proceed to our Argument drawne from this Parable, That there is no argueing Theologia Symbolica non eſt argumentativa. Dr. Owen. p. 440.from Parables, Similitudes are not argumentative; True; ſaith that excellent man, Similitudes argue not, beyond th'extent of that particular wherein their nature, as ſuch, doth conſiſt. The intendment of Chriſt in every parable is warily to be obſerved; Therefore, though a Learned man, Aquinas himſelfe, as we have heard, hath ſaid as aforeſaid, and better Divines than he; yet by his leave and their favour, we thinke the ſpeech is neither Logicall, nor Theologicall, that is, as we are told neither good Logicke, nor good Divinitie: Not good Logicke, for Comparata etiam ficta arguunt, and if they doe argue, then they are argumentative and prove ſomething, as ſure as operating is working; Nor Good Divinity for if all Scripture be profitable foreign,2 Sam. 12. 1, 22 Sam 12:12 Sam 12:2 foreign, for doctrine and reproofe, then Symbolica alſo arguing by parables: If not, why would Chriſt and ſome Prophets2 Tim. 3. 16.2 Tim 3:16 before Him, and John th' Apoſtle after Him, delight ſo much in Symboles and parables, if they were not doctrinall, and argumentative; Theſe things we thought neceſſary to premiſe before we could argue from the Scriptures; firſt to cleare the ſenſe of them, and what their ſcope is, and that we have good warrant to argue from them; and ſecondly, to make it cleare that M^r H^s: is cleare beſide the ſcope; when he will have the feaſt there to be ſolemnized at the Lords Table, belike becauſe Luke calleth it a Supper, ſo wiſe a man he is, and ſo rationall a ſchollar in divine matters: for he will have the invitation be as generall, come ye all to the Lords Table. But now he will contradict himſelfe, and ſpeake againſt his owne experience. He invites all, and admits all to the Lords Table, and who refuſeth to Come? But there the bulke of the Jewes mane light of the feaſt, and their invitation to it, and went their way, they all with one Conſent (ſaith Luke) p. 38made their excuſe, they had matters of more Concernment, as they thought, than that feaſt We read alſo how deſpitefully they uſed the ſervant ſent to Call them in; It is certainly the feaſt of the Goſpell, that meets with ſuch oppoſition; and as certaine it is That none of us Gentiles will Come-in to This feaſt neither, to receive Chriſt there, till we ſee need of Him; and that He hath no need of us; for we are in our owne eye…, being Convinced thereof by the Word and Spirit, poore, maimed, halt and blind; or ifLuke 14. 21. Revel. 3. 17.Luke 14:21Rev 3:17 you pleaſe, wretched, miſerable and naked; being Convinced that ſuch we are, In we come then, and not till then, before thus Convinced. Thus we ſtand out contradicting and Blaſpheming, and dealing as deſpitefully with the Lords Meſſengers now as once they did: But you finde it not to be ſo with the Gueſts you invite to the Lords Table who refuſeth to Come? or who deales deſpitefully with you, inviting them to Come? we can name hundreds of thoſe, we thinke, thouſands, who deale deſpitefully with the Lords Meſſengers, that will not ſuffer them to Come to the Lords Table; while they Contradict and blaſpheme Chriſt offered them in the Goſpell. And ſo having cleared our way, the ſenſe and ſcope of this Parable, we argue from it againſt this free admiſſion to the Lords Table.

That they who turne their backes upon Chriſt offered to them in the Miniſtery of the Goſpell muſt not be admitted to Communion at the Lords Table. We take this to be ſo cleare to every one that hath not put out his owne eyes, nor is blinded with light, that to argue it further were to hold a Candle before the Sunne. Yet this more we will ſay; They that tread His moſt precious blood underfoote tendered unto them in the Goſpell, will deale with Him as ſwine like offered unto them at His Table; not poſſible they ſhould reject Him at one place and receive Him at another, They goe from the place of hearing full of themſelves, they goe as full to the place of receiving; Then it muſt needs follow, that they loath the honey-Comb, they trample it under-foote,Prov. 27.Prov 27 as in the one place ſo in th' other.

You will ſay, how doe we know that? we are to hope well of all men; they come to the place of heareing.

We anſwer you to that in anothers words, to one that ſaid he kept his Church, ſo may your dogge too: Yea but we heare, ſo p. 39may your dogge too, a ſound. Truely Sir, this is not our Engliſh, though yet we allow it, knowing it to be a truth; Alas, Sir, you know they were in the hearing place, and they were hearing, while they refuſed to hearken, and pulled away the ſhoulders, and ſtopped their eares, that they ſhould not heare; Yea they made &c.Zach. 7 11. 12Zech 7:11Zech 7:12 They did not ſhutt the eare againſt audience, but they did ſhutt the heart againſt Obedience; hearing in Scripture account is obeying, is beleiving, if we obey not what we heare, we are not ſaid to heare, as you know it is clearely made out to us from John 5. 37. & 8. 47. by our Lords owne teſtimony; And truely, Sir, you muſt, (if there be a muſt) to doe your duty, examine your people at this point, whether they have, through their eares, received Chriſt into their hearts, before you admitt them to the Lords Table? But we may Contribute more to this hereafter, onelyonly this we have cleared in the (1) place againſt this your free admiſſion to the Lords Table, That they, (and they are the Greateſt number) muſt not have admittance thither, that have refuſed Chriſt, yea rejected Him in the Miniſtery of the Goſpell; for why ſhould thoſe tremenda myſteria be ſo prophaned? why ſhould thoſe be be dealt with ſwine-like by ſwiniſh men? worſe than if trampled under-foote in the face of the Congregation.

SECT. II.

WE argue from the Covenant of Grace and mercy by Jeſus Chriſt, that He will be a God and a Father unto us, very gracious for His Son's ſake. And that we may argue it more Clearely, we ſhould give our minds to Conſider, That there is an height and depth, and length and breadth of grace, love and mercy in this Covenant of God with us. It is that, which the Saints have laid up (to uſe excellent Preſton's words, whereby he yet ſpeaketh) for the foundation of all their Comforts: It hath been the Corner Stone, upon which the Saints have been built from the beginning of the world to this day. There is no ground we have to beleive we ſhall be ſaved; no ground to beleive any promiſe of God ſhall be made good unto us; that we ſhall have the price of the high Calling of God in Jeſus Chriſt, and thoſe Glorious riches of the inheritance prepared for us in Him; we ſay there is p. 40do ground at all but on this Covenant. All that our Miniſters teach us from day to day are but Concluſions of this Covenant, they are built upon this, God hath made a Covenant, with us in Chriſt, and we are in Covenant with Him. He is our God in Chriſt, and we His people through Him, and have acceſſe to Him by one Spirit. Now hence we argue, THEY THAT ARE who…y ignorant of all this, and will be ſo, turning their backes upon the meanes of Gods appointment, whereby to make knowne this Covenant to the Children of Men, and ſay in their heart (the language whereof the Scripture ſpeaketh) We have made a Covenant with Hell, and with death are we at an agreement; theſe manner of perſons thus ſottiſh and brutiſh as we have heard, have nothing to doe with the Seales thereof. But thus ſottiſh and brutiſhly ignorant are they, for whome no other plea can be made for their admiſſion to the Lords Table, but that they were borne in England, and Baptized there; This therefore is our faith, as to this point of admiſſion, That it is the duty of every faithfull Miniſter of Chriſt well and throughly to examine their people what knowledge they have of this Covenant, at leaſt what breathings they have after it, and to make out their intereſt to it in the conſcionable uſe of the meanes appointed by God for that Glorious end before they Give, admiſſion to the Lords Table, or Bring their Children to Baptiſme. In our Earthly matters, as Conveyances of Land, houſes, and the like, we know how bootleſſe it were for us to have nothing to ſhew for our rights and juſt title to them, but a Seale without a writing, or a Covenant without a Seale; And whereas it is ſaid, we open the Covenant to the people, and ſo we diſcharge our duty, and leave them to examine themſelves at that point, for ſo they are Commanded; But let a man, i. e. every man examine himſelfe, and ſo let him eate. 1 C… 11. 28.This preſuppoſeth that, which is moſt falſe, ſaith Learned Beza; That all are able, diligent and willing to examine themſelves, and ſo upon that ſuppoſition to be admitted to the Lords Table. We will deferre this to another place, where we ſhall find this very Scripture aſſured us, That ignorant perſons are no… Bez. more to be admitted to the Lords Table, than are Children or madmen. So we leave this, taking it fully proved, that they who are wholy ignorant what the Covenant is, or what it meaneth, p. 41are not to have admiſſion to receive the ſignes and ſeales thereof; or as our little Catechiſme hath it, They that have no inward Grace, cannot tell what to make of the outward ſigne.

SECT. III.

THey are not to be admitted to the Lords Table, who cannot poſſibly receive any thing there but bare Elements bread and wine, they cannot receive profit by it, not having faith to mingle with it; faith is a neceſſary ingredient in every Service we doe performe to God, or to our owne Soules; The word ſpoken to us profits not unleſſe we mingle it with faith. The wordHeb 4. 2.Heb 4:2 ſpoken out from us, The word of prayer prevailes not without faith, It is like a Gun diſcharged without a Bullet, which makes a noiſe, and doth no execution. So in receiving at the Lords Table, if we doe not put out the hand of faith, we receive no more there than at our owne Table; faith is to the ſoule, what the eye, eare, mouth, hands, feete are to the body; No Spirituall good comes into our ſoules till Faith by the Word and Spirit comes in and fetcheth it in; And no good can come forth, till faith putts it forth, be it word or deed; If faith be not wrought in us, the Spirit and Word hath had no work upon us; for that is the firſt grace in the order of time, and to our apprehenſion faith comes in firſt, and drawes all other graces after it, it enliveneth and quickneth the ſoule, it is the Spring of ſpirituall life in us; it is the firſt grace of all; it is ſet downe in ſtead of all, and indeed ſo it is. If we have faith, if we can beleive nothing is impoſſible to us, to doe or to ſuffer, when God calls us thereunto; It was a Sad time with the Theſſalonians, and Paul was ſadded at it, and faine would he know how the caſe ſtood with them, ſpecially how it fared with their faith, when I could no longer forbeare, I ſent to know your faith, 1 Theſ: 3.and when good tideings were brought us of your faith, we were exceedingly comforted: for I know full well ſo long as you ſtand faſt in the faith, ye ſhall ſtand like Mount Zion in the world, an everlaſting foundation mauger all the powers and policies of Hell-Gates wide open againſt you. To open this a little and to proceed in it, Becauſe indeed it is the very hinge upon which all ſhall turne; When the holy Spirit comes in to the ſoule, conveyed in p. 42thither by the word (the Spirit the Hand of God and Chriſt. His Vicar or Agent here on Earth, does nothing in an ordinary way without the word, The word can doe nothing without the Spirit, it bringeth all at once along with Him; All Spirituall things needfull to Salvation; And that the ſoule may take faſt hold on them, and appropriate them to Himſelfe, ſaying, all theſe are mine. The Spirit with the Word (for He will not worke alone as the Word cannot) workes faith there, and faith workes up the ſoule to Chriſt, for it is the Spirits working.) Its chiefe and maine object. And now drawes or ſuckes from that Breaſt of Conſolation all that is deſireable, ſuitable, ſatisfactory, and moſt pleaſant to her. But this is the thing. Faith lookes firſt to Chriſt, the perſon of Chriſt, the fountaine, the Spring-head, the Treaſurie, the mine of Gold. Faith lookes to the perſon of Chriſt firſt, it knitts the ſoule to Him, then it lookes to all the good things we have by Him, a world of good things in Him, a world of good things from Him, All that tends to Grace and Glory: Yet it is the perſon of Chriſt, that the ſoule of a Chriſtian principally lookes to. The whole word of God, all the divine truths therein revealed, are the object of faith to direct, order and ſway our lives; But yet theſe are not the object of faith, when we looke for peace, for Conſolation, for forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, and reconciliation with God; Then faith lookes to Chriſt fixedly, wholely, ſolely.

Theſe things being premiſed we returne to our Argument.

Firſt, They that have not received faith (the Guift of GodFaith is the Mother Grace, where that is in Truth, there is true knowledge, unfaigned live, and Goſpell Repentance, The graces required in every true Communicant. John 20.John 20 ſent unto us by the hand of the Spirit with the word) can performe nothing pleaſing to God, nor can they receive any thing from God, but a Cup of wrath; if they continue faithleſſe and unbeleiving, They have not received Faith, no not by all thoſe meanes appointed by God as Conduit-pipes to convey faith and every Grace unto them; they have not received faith, true ſaving faith, they cannot receive Chriſt, a true and ſaving Chriſt, a King and Prophet to Rule, governe, and teach them, and a Prieſt to ſave and Redeeme them (a falſe Chriſt and he is many, they may Receive by a falſe faith) they muſt have a true faith, before they can receive a true Chriſt, with all the benefits of His blood-ſhed for them; a true faith leades them unto this ſtorehouſe or Treaſury; brings them up to this fountaine opnod for ſin and p. 43uncleanneſſe; layes the ſoule in that Jordan, cleanſeth and waſheth it there, bids it waſh and be cleane, bids it drinke and be drunken Cant. 5. 1. Eph. 5. 18.Song 5:1Eph 5:18with wine, whereof is no exceſſe, i. e. be aboundantly ſatisfyed. But without faith none of this can be, It being the very bucket, the mouth of the ſoule. So that a man comeing without faith to the Lords Table, is like a veſſell caſt into an Ocean of waters, that hath no mouth to let any-in: So then without faith, without Chriſt, and then Aliens to the Common-wealth of Iſraell, and Strangers from the Covenant of promiſe, having no hope (well ſet and ſetling) and without God in the world. Now are theſe to be admitted to the Lords Table, perſons without faith, and then without any ſaving grace, for faith is firſt in order of nature? Anſwer this to God, ſee if He will accept of your replie, which we may heare anon. Wee proceed,

Secondly, They that have no faith are not to be admitted to the Lords Table, not onelyonly becauſe they receive nothing there, but becauſe they fearefully prophane the Holy things there; They have no knowledge of thoſe things, none at all; and none they looke after, their ſoule is not good, it is ſtarke naught, as darkeProv. 19. 2.Prov 19:2 as a Dungeon, for what ſhould enlighten it; as noyſome and loathſome as an open Sepulchre, or a veſſell wherein is no pleaſure,Prov. 13. 5.Prov 13:5 for what ſhould diſcover this their filthineſſe to them, that they may appeare ſuch in their owne eyes? that doe not beleive, Rom 15. 31. foreign.Rom 15:31are diſobedient, rebellious, imperſwadable ones, unreaſonable and wicked men, that is the Apoſtles Character of them; and he makes cleare proofe of it in theſe words they have no faith. Are2 Theſ. 3. 2. foreign.2 Thess 3:2 they at the Lords Table? they are out of place ſure, as a ſwine is when he is in the Parlour; abſurd men, ſo Eraſmus Engliſheth it, though Beza liketh it not: Quod mihi quidem abſurdum videtur. But our Learned Reinolds liketh it well. The Apoſtle ſaith he calleth men without Faith Abſurd men, becauſe it is an unreaſonable and ſottiſh thing for a workman to be without his cheifeſt Inſtrument, and that is univerſally requiſite to every one of his workes; a husband-man without a plow, or a builder without a rule, preacher without a Bible, or a Chriſtian without faith, are things equally abſurd and unreaſonable. What reaſon have we to plead for thoſe unreaſonable men to be admitted to the Lords Table, more than we have for the admitting of ſwine into p. 44our Parlour? uncleane ones will make all things like themſelves, as uncleane too, to themſelves we meane.

Thirdly, Perſons that have no faith are not to be admitted to the Lords Table, becauſe they cannot ſhew the Lords death there.1 Cor. 11. 26. foreign This Scripture Mr. H…: hath corrupted af…er his māner with his gloſſe.1 Cor 11:26 It is a grave and a weighty word that we Engliſh ſhew, and we would rather leave it to you to unfold to your people, wh…ch may require one hou…es worke But in a word, a worthy receiver, that brings faith with him, he doth with all thankeſgiving and praiſe ſhew forth the excellencies of Chriſt, and the Glorious benefits of His bloodſhed upon the Croſſe, the Bounties of His Goodneſſe, and Beauties of His Holineſſe, making an oſtentation of them unto the world, preaching to every one as he can; This this is it wherein every true Chriſtian is to glory, and he orders his life accordingly; The import of that word as we ſuppoſe. Now they that Come to the Lords Table, and have no faith, are no more able to ſhew the Lords death there, than a man of Clouts ſtuffed with Straw is able to gaine the victory in the day of warre.

Fourthly, And to run over theſe Grave matters, he that comes thither and brings no faith with him, muſt needs receive unworthily, that is, other …iſe than is meete ſuch myſteries ſhouldNeh. 27. be received. And therefore ſhall be held as guilty before God as Judas was, who betrayed the body of our Saviour, or as the Jewes were, who ſo villanouſly abuſed Him, Binding His hands, ſpitting in His ſacred face▪ and crowning Him with thornes, and as the Souldiers were; who peirced His ſides, and ſpilt His blood, He ſhall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

Fifthly, Free admiſſion is not to be given thoſe, who cannot examine themſelves about their faith, that is, ſearch, digg, goe downe into the fouldings of their ſoules, to enquire what their eſtate is; what it is to be out of Chriſt, or what it is to be in Him; Infantes furioſos, & in verbo Dei minime inſt…uctos. Bez.they cannot examine themſelves about theſe matters, no more than Children can for they are Children in underſtanding; no more than mad men can; for theſe are mad upon their Idol, roprobates, diſallowed of God, in a ſtate of reprobation. We will commend you to Beza's Annotations, or rather thoſe to you, which we thought to have been large upon, being ſo full to our purpoſe.

Sixthly, Why ſhould faithleſſe men, worſe than Infidells, becauſe p. 45borne and bred in England, a land of viſions, be ſuffered to come to the Lords Table? They cannot diſcerne the Lords Body; they can put no difference between that bread, which repreſents the body of Chriſt Crucified, and Common bread at their owne Tables; nor between the wine there Sealeing to a worthy receiver, a full diſcharge from all his ſins in the blood of Jeſus Chriſt: No difference can he make betwixt this wine and common wine: And now being ſuffered to come to the Lords Table, he there drinks downe a Cup of damnation in ſtead of ſalvation; a cup of curſing, in ſtead of a cup of bleſſing; and ſeales the Stone upon his graves mouth, where he lies rotting in ſinne, as dead bodyes in their graves, He eateth and drinketh damnation to himſelfe, not Verſe 29.diſcerning the Lords body.

1. As you have received mercy and now would ſhew mercy unto everlaſting ſoules, admit not theſe faithleſſe, theſe unreaſoble and wicked ones, that cannot ſhew forth the Lords death, cannot examine themſelves, have no diſcernining of the Lords body, admit them not to the Lords Table. They have no faith, then they muſt be full of themſelves, as a veſſell being full, and running over, they cannot Eate and drinke there any other thing but damnation to themſelves. This Scripture alſo Mr H^s: the patron of fornicators and prophane perſons, as was Eſau, fearefully abuſeth, plucking out as he can, the ſting of it, ſo as the moſt bruitelike perſon may come to the Lords Table, and not be ſtung by it; oh prophane man and paſt ſhame! he and his booke ſtinketh in the noſtrills of the Lord and of his people, as the worſt excrements of the Dragon doth.

2. And now Sir, we will ſpare you the labour, if pleaſe you, in making a reply to this; and ours in making Anſwer thereunto. This we heare is ordinarily ſaid; They were borne and Baptized in a Church, and therefore beleivers: we like not to make an Anſwer to ſuch a foppery; why! but they ſay they beleive the ſame with the former, they ſay it with their tongues, what ſay they with their hands; ſuch are their words, what are their workes? They may ſay ſo and Blaſpheme in ſo ſaying, as was hinted more than once.Rev. 2. 9.Rev 2:9 I pray you obſerve it, and let this mocke-faith goe, unleſſe you will whip it like a vagrant, and ſend it backe to the Devill whence it came; We have been ſpeaking of that faith, which gives reall p. 46union, and communion with Jeſus Chriſt, and of neceſſity brings forth good workes, as a good tree, good fruit, he beares upon a good roote, or rather the roote him, he is planted in Him, he beares upon Him; Come; when all is ſaid this muſt ſtand, Let a man beleive truely, and truth of beliefe will bring forth truth of holineſſe; A true faith, a true hope; true love, true obedience, all in Truth; when faith is in Truth, that is, truely ſet, and fixed upon its chiefe and proper object Chriſt Jeſus the Lord. O how doth man boaſt himſelfe to be ſome body, when he is nothing, nay worſe than nothing, but knowes it not: A Beleiver, when he is worſe than an Infidell; And how ſecure doth he lye, (he is many) under the ſhadow of a falſe faith, more ſecure (ſuch is his preſumption, he is very Confident) than a true beleiver, ſuch is his infirmity, lyes under the ſhadow of a true faith. You may heare theſe ſpeake like Saints, and ſee them, if you narrowly marke them, live like Devills; ſo that if their word… doe not bewray them, their workes quickly will; outſide Chriſtians, i…ſide Heathens; O it is good, and but your duty, Sir, to obſerve men and ſearch them narrowly, before you admit them to the Lords Table, for all men have not faith, no not they, many of them, that1 Theſ. 3. 2.1 Thess 3:2 make a profeſſion, and a ſhew of it; You may meete with not a few ſottiſh, and brutiſhly ignorant, and then not ſo meete to ſit at the Lords Table as a ſwine properly ſo called is to ſit …t yours: You may meete with ſome alſo, that have a pearle (of knowledge) in their heads, & their hearts as full of poyſon, and deadly hatred againſt the Goſpell of the Kingdome, and true heires thereof in Chriſt, true Goſpellers, as the moſt venomous Serpents are. Proteſtants in doctrine, Recuſants in lives, having a tongue profeſſing for the Truth, and a life profeſſing againſt it; faire outſides, but within as noyſome as a dunghill, or an open Sepulchre▪ which yet ſavoureth with them as a Garden of Spices, or bed of Roſes; ſomething reſembling an Heaven in ſhew, when they have an Hell with-in, the heart we meane; ſo you may ſay, have the excellent of the Earth too; but to them it is an Hell, as their dunghill ſmells like a dunghill; but to thoſe their hell is their heaven here, as their dunghill ſmells with them as aforeſaid, a moſt certaine Character of a polluted wretch.

p. 47We would not be miſtaken here, we cenſure no man, we judge him not, we dwell at home, and our ſelves muſt we judge. But upon due ſearch thus you'le finde it to be, even as we have ſaid, and ye may have found it ſo by experience; we may put downe this for a Concluſion; If faith bring Chriſt the fountaine of Grace into the heart of a man, he can no more walke in darkneſſe (of ſin and ignorance, there is a darkneſſe of Spirit of ſorrow, wherein a Childe of light may walke, and you have an excellent booke of it, but) no more walke in darkneſſe than he can doe, that couldIſaiah 50.Isa 50 carry the Sun in his hand; and he may as well carry fire in his boſome, and not feele it burne, as carry true Grace in his heart, and not cleanſe his life; But Counterfeits in Grace, and contented to continue ſuch, and to hold ſin, the leaſt ſin-faſt, ſhall become Saints, when an Ape comes to be a man, and Copper becomes Gold, which is never rejected, but when it would looke like Gold. Beleive it you doe, a beleiver can no more be without Holineſſe, than can a godly man be without godlineſſe, or a true Chriſtian without Chriſt; or than can the Sunne be darke, or the fire Cold. We ſhall crave leave to ſpeake further to you about theſe three grave matters; The feaſt of the Goſpel, The Covenant, And Faith; but we ſhall deferre it till the Laſt, and therewith cloſe-up this Treatiſe. We proceed now in our argueing againſt this free admiſſion to the Lords Supper. In the fourth place.

SECT. IV.

IT is not according to the practiſe of Chriſt, He gave it to Diſciples onelyonly, (it is not poſſible, we conceive, to make it out, That He gave it to Judas, yet if it could be made out, we have enough to ſay, were this a place for it) He gave it to Diſciples onelyonly (Judas himſelfe, if there, looked like a Diſciple, being very like one) and by ſo doing, he preſcribes his Miniſters what they are to doe (ſo we conceive) as to thoſe adminiſtrations toEa quae perſpi…ua ſunt, difficilia ſunt … ticis Mark. 14. 23.Mark 14:23 the worlds end. And here we are not bold to ſay, that M^r H^s: your Champion, doth fearefully pervert Scripture, wreſt and Crooke His bleſſed Lords practiſe, to the Countenancing of his owne curſed and crooked doings, and they all dranke of it; Well, what then? his inference now (hold your Noſe if you cannot endure p. 48the deadly ſtinke of the Dragons excrements) Therefore let all Come that will Come to the Lords Table.

Good, Sir, Give us leave to pauſe a little, while we take theſe things into our thoughts; is there not a Cauſe we ſhould ſo doe? When we heare this Reaſonable Creature, we call a man, a ſchollar, and a Miniſter too, as he calls himſelfe and would be called, ſpeake thus unreaſonably, as if he was as much wanting of Reaſon as he is of Grace; unreaſonably ſaid wee? Is it not too ſlight a word, doth not he ſpeake blaſphemy? doth he not blaſpheme the Bleſſed practiſe of our Lord and Saviour, which He hath ſet as a patterne for all His people to practiſe after? And they all dranke of it. So may ye, all ye drunkards; and yee, all ye uncleane perſons; and you, all you worſe than Infidells; and you all, deſpiſers of the Goſpell; and yee all, that never thought of any other Covenant, but that which ye have made with ſin, death, and hell; And ye all, that have faith, though it have no more life, than a poliſhed Stone, hewen timber, or a doore-naile, no-matter how dead it be, 'tis a faith, that will ſerve the turne to entitle them to theſe holy things, drinke ye all of this, as we read thoſe Diſciples did, and they all dranke of it. But Sir, is not this Blaſphemy? Wee are willing to make you Judge here, becauſe you judge ſo well of the man; Come in here all ye of the world, for whome that ſacred perſonJohn 17. 9.John 17:9 never opned His mouth and prayed; Come in hither ye knowne enemies of the Croſſe of Chriſt, ye belly-ſervers, ye that minde Earthly things, drinke ye all of this; ye that Crucifie to your ſelves the Son of God afreſh, and put Him (as they doe by theirHeb. 6.Heb 6 vile uſage, and abhominable Converſation) to an open ſhame, drinke ye all of this; and ye all, who have trodden under-foote, as they can, The Son of God, and have counted the blood of the Covenant, (wherewith they profeſſed themſelves ſanctified) an unholy Heb. 10.Heb 10thing; and have done little leſſe than deſpight to the Spirit of Grace: All ye drinke of this: And to make a round number, and full, and ſo to fill the Table, that as there is no want of roome, (for a nationall Church is wide enough, and rich for ſupply,) ſo there may be no want of Gueſts, Come ye all ye ſtiffenecked and uncircumciſed in heart, and eares, yee doe allway reſiſt the Holy Ghoſt, as your fathers did ſo doe yee. What though? ye ſee what proviſions are made for you notwithſtanding; All ye drinke all of this, for the bread ye have taken already.

p. 49Sir, we have proceeded hitherto with ſome regret, yea with ſome indignation to our ſoules; yet for the Cloſe hereof, we beſeech you Conſider, That by the gracious allowance of their Lord and Maſter, they His Diſciples all dranke of it. The Lord Himſelfe putting the Cup into their hand, but theſe all afore-mentioned have drunke and dayly doe drinke of it by Man's Allowance. Drinke ye all of this, ſaid Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, and what He bad them doe they did it, and they all dranke of it. Drinke ye all of this, ſaith This-man, without any the leaſt warrant from God, and how readily is he obeyed? what he bad them doe they did, and they all dranke of it; Though he that bad them, and they that did as they were bad, have done and ſtill doe as Croſſe and Contrary to the mind of Chriſt, as He Himſelfe is to Beliall, or to Anti-chriſt, which is to be argued in the fift place, ſo ſoone as we have put downe this for a concluſion, That God hath not onelyonly given us His Word for a ſecondary rule of Righteouſneſſe to walke-by, but Himſelfe, and His Son, the Higheſt patterne, the primative or Originall prototype, the cleareſt Copy without blot, the faireſt example of Holineſſe. Whence we conclude, That Chriſt Jeſus our Lord is both the principle and patterne of Holineſſe, The principle within His people; the patterne of Holineſſe, without or before them. Therefore will all His ſervants, who in deſire and endeavour approve themſelves Faithfull, doe as He did, following-on in his ſteps. He that ſaith, He abideth in Him, ought himſelfe alſo to walke even as He walked, 1 John 2. 6.

SECT. V.

AS this free and Common admiſſion is contrary to the practiſe of Chriſt, ſo it is as it muſt needs be, contrary to the mind of Chriſt; we are forced, as we conceive, to argue diſtinctly from theſe, the practiſe and mind of Chriſt; though His practiſe Cleareth His mind, as His mind His practiſe; But yet we ſhall argue differently from it, and we ſhall be breife in it It is cleane Croſſe and Contrary to the mind of Chriſt; why? Becauſe it is ſo pleaſing, and well agreeing, and full-up to the minde of the world, free admiſſion to the Lords Table is. The mind of Chriſt and the mind of the world, commonly called the Church there, p. 50doe ſtand as Croſſe and Contrary each to other, as doe heaven and hell, the greateſt oppoſites; or remoteſt extreames; What is the mind of Chriſt, cannot be the mind of the world, and what is the mind of the world, cannot be the mind of Chriſt, but moſt Contrary thereunto; And to make full proofe of it, let a Miniſter that hath the mind of Chriſt, as every Godly perſon hath, and then liveth-up to it, as it is revealed to Him in His Word, and acteth thereafter, in giving out, or with-holding thoſe ſacred ſignes and ſeales of His body Crucified, and His blood powred forth, he ſhall finde, that he tormenteth the dwellers on the Earth, the Common people commonly called the Church there, who have no other plea for their Church-ſhip, but that they were once waſhed. The mind of Chriſt, no other than the Spirit of Chriſt in His word, is unto ſenſuall men, not having the Spirit, as the morning is to the evill doer, even as the ſhadow of death. But let a man doe Contrary to the minde of Chriſt, and give out to theſe ignorant Brutiſh ones, and will be ſuch, the fore-mentioned, water to their Babes, bread and wine to themſelves, and he gratifies them in the higheſt way of Gratification; he gives them their hearts deſire, and now from that day forward, they will put on high account upon themſelves, they will not thinke of themſelves below the thoughts their Miniſter rates them at, they will account themſelves, ſith he hath accounted them ſuch firſt, Beleivers, Diſciples, and Saints. You remember who he was, that, when he would doe a man a miſcheife, he would Give him a ſute of apparrell, as rich as ſilver and gold could make it, and now the man (a proud creature, and the worſe he is the better he thinkes of Himſelfe) values himſelfe, his inſide we meane, according to the Rate of his outſide, and ſo as the Beaſts you read of, ingentes rollunt animis; he was proud by nature, more proud by accident, now that he is put into ſuch a dreſſe. The application is plaine, Take heed Sir, of dreſſing up the people at the Lords Table, (though they delight as much to be dreſſed, as ever a childe in yeares did, in new and fine Clothes) in a Saints dreſſe, becauſe he was borne and Baptized in England, whereas they cannot make it out they ever heard a word from Chriſt, yet that onelyonly is prevailing to make Saints, being obeyed and beleived. You underſtand the purpoſe of this, and therefrom how contrary your doings p. 51are to the mind of Chriſt; for can that have any agreement with the minde of Chriſt, which hath ſo full an agreement, with the minde of His enemies and adverſaries all over the Nation? We proceed.

SECT VI.

ALL are not to be admitted to the Lords Table, becauſe all are not viſible Saints: But none but viſible Saints were to be admitted to Communion at the Lords Table, as you ſo well know, that know ſo well the Church Stories, And thoſe primitive practiſes: And truely we are loth to minde you in thoſe thingsNe accedant niſi examinati. Calv. Ep. 278. E…it in examine ratio arcea… tur, donec profectum oſtenderint. you are or ſhould be able to inſtruct us, however your practiſe be Contrary; But this is the thing we cannot reach-to, that you underſtand theſe things ſo well, and your practiſe be not ſo well, becauſe commonly intellectus currit cum praxi & praxis cum intellectu; Therefore we doubt there is ſome failing in your underſtanding, becauſe you have not given it-up to God, If ſo you ſhould know they were trained up and Catechiſed firſt, and yet they ſtaid a while before admittance, till they could make proofe, that they were taught, and ſo they had gained ſome Competent knowledge of thoſe things they were there to receive, together with their repentance toward God, and their faith toward the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. And you can tell us moreover, for we are in Compariſon with you but Children, and as yeſterday in theſe things, That huge perſonages, Emperours and the like, have thruſt as preſumptuouſly unto that Table as did Ʋzziah the King, to burne2 Chron. 26.2 Chr 26 Incenſe before the Lord; or as men and women of the world or Church there, Children of Diſobed…ence, doe now adayes; but have been withſtood, as he was, and as theſe ſhould be, we thinke, by the Miniſters of the Lord, and thruſt away with the breath of tthoſe words ſpoken to Ʋzziah; It belongeth not to you, Sir, how great ſoever you are at your owne Table, to thruſt into this, before you have given ſatisfaction to the Church of Chriſt, for your abhominable doeings againſt Him. So they thruſt him and them away, and ſo they were reproved, as you ſhould thruſt away your nominall Beleivers, Diſciples, and Saints, members of the world the Church there, whoſe Chriſtian Name doth adorne them, as a p. 52Jewell doth a ſwine in his ſnout. But thus it was once, viſibleDu… promiſcuè qu…ſlibet admittunt porcis & canibus &c. Calv. Ep: 278. Saints were to be admitted, (and ſurely if there be a Communion of Saints on Earth) there they ſhould be ſeene at the Lords Table, and why now viſible Devills?

SECT. VII.

IN the 7th place, we would mind you of what the Lord God of hoſts ſaith to them, that will contend with Him; Remember the Battle, doe no more. If you will contend for this free admiſſion, you contend with God, to whome you muſt anſwer this with other matters. He ſaith and ſo ſay His faithfull Servants with Him; Ye ſhall not proſtitute theſe ſacred things to ſwine and dogges. But what ſhall we more ſay, time would faile us, to tell what Chryſoſtome had rather ſuffer, even the ſpilling of his own heart blood, rather than give out the Seale of the ſame to non-Diſciples, prophaners of it, how high and great ſoever. We purpoſely paſſe over what Cyprian, Martyr, Muſculus, Marlorate, Ambroſe, See Marlor: on Revel. 11. 1, 2.Rev 11:1Rev 11:2and thoſe fore-mentioned, about free admiſſion to Baptiſme, what theſe ſaid and did, as to theſe matters, very much to our purpoſe; We will onelyonly heare what Zanchi ſpeakes to this, and Calvin after him, becauſe it is urged very much, That you doe your Potitur a me cura, in Curatio.duty when you bid your people beware; No ſaith Zanchi, yee doe not your duty, you neglect the beſt part of it, and ſo you pertake of their ſinnes, ſuffering unworthy ones to pertake at the Lords Table; yee draw upon your ſelves Eli's vengeance, by giving ſuch an allowance, When you doe not frowne upon theſe, ſcattering them with your eye; you violate Charity and are guiltie of iniquitie, your owne and their's, when you ſuffer men to damne themſelves with a Sacrament, when you might reſtraine; yea yee are guilty of their damnation, as we are of that man's death, whome we ſuffer with his ſword to ſtabb himſelfe, out of whoſe hands we could have kept that Inſtrument of death; ſo farre Zanchi. And give us leave to adde a word more thereunto, becauſe we know it is the Miniſters common plea, we warne all our people, mention unto them the fiery indignation of the Lord againſt unworthy receivers; This will not doe; you admit them under the notion of Saints, why ſhould they thinke themſelves p. 53Devills? You may threaten hell to them, but they will take heaven,Read Mr. Coll. p. 14. and thinke they have good right ſo to doe, while you bid them take and eate, take and drinke—you know what followes; They never ſwallowed wine ſo ſweetly at the Taverne, as they doe now damnation at the Lords Table; But they thinke not ſo, becauſe you have brought them into ſuch a fooles Paradiſe, by making them beleive they are what they are not, no more than an Ape is a man; Beleivers, Diſciples in name onelyonly are Saints indeed. O Sir, what ever others doe, be you aware here, what you ſuffer the people to doe: give them ſcope here, we mean full liberty, or free admiſſion, like a rope long enough to a wicked man, and you may tell your ſelfe what he would doe, by what you have ſeene him doe ſo often; You know no creatures almoſt, but man, loves that, which will be its owne bane; indeed we have heard ſay that ſheepe catch at that graſſe moſt greedily, which ſooneſt rotts them; we are ſure it may be ſaid of us men, what the Greeke Father ſaid of ſome in his time; Give us that which is ſweete, though it choake us; wine at the Lords Table; Why? becauſe of the ſweet words which follow; but how miſtaken! onelyonly wretched man ſeekes a bleſſing in a direct way to a Curſe; happineſſe, in the way to miſery; life in the way to death; heaven in the way to hell. If you conſider all this, you will doe more than give your people warning againſt the next Communion day. You will tell them and aſſure them, you have Scripture warrant for ſo doing; That they muſt ſhew more for their Admiſſion to the Lords Table, than this, That they were borne and Baptized in a Church, or elſe they ſhall be dealt with as doggs and ſwine, And droven from the Lords Table, as we drive ſwine from ours, And you cannot doe them a greater reall favour, than ſo to deale with them; And to preſſe you and your brethren of the ſame perſwaſion with you unto this, we will remember you of Calvin's Cal…: lib. 4. cap. 12. ſect 5.words; That a Miniſter, who admitteth unworthy perſons to Communicate at the Lords Table, is altogether as guiltie of Sacriledge, as if he ſhould proſtitute to dogges the Bleſſed Body of the Lord Sacramentally in the Bread.

And to prevent this horrid uſage, and Contempt done to that bleſſed thing, he thus preſcribes and expects it to be done: Epi…l. 302. Gaſpa…i oleviano.Let no perſon be admitted to the Lords Table, till he hath profeſſed p. 54his faith; and put it not off to the day before the Supper be adminiſtred; But goe to the man's houſe, if he hath one, and looke over his family, let him give you an account what order he obſerveth in his owne houſe, and at his owne Table, before he be admitted to the Table of the Lord; and how peaceable and helpfull he is among his neighbours, and note well how well he ruleth his Children and Servants, whether he hath theſe in ſubjection with all gravity; obſerve alſo this with it, or elſe you obſerve nothing to purpoſe, whether there are not ſome ſloathfull and wicked perſons in his houſe, who would runne to the Lords Table, but are very ſlacke and more than ſlugges when they ſhould goe to the place of hearing: We ſee now how truely it was ſpoken of him, he would chooſe an hundred deathes, rather than ſuffer the prophanation of the Lords Supper. This is ſo full to our purpoſe, that we thinke fitt to make a full point here; and Come in the next place.