ignorance lukewarmness loosness and formality in stead of such as fear the Lord walking in fellowship with the Father and one with another in the Spirit Now that any that truly fear the Lord should stick at this viz. to profess to own the Covenant of Gods free grace to give up themselves unto it and to Jesus Christ the Mediatour of it in all his Offices to walk under his Discipline and in fellowship with his people we cannot but justly wonder and why any godly men of parts should frame and raise up bug-bears against it The Lord give them to beleeve yea to taste the goodness and sweetness of it and they will be humbled before the Lord that they ever withstood it 4. The Novelty of this practice and from keeping any from the Sacrament is objected to us and others We could answer at large here That it is as old as the Gospel for beleevers to walk together in fellowship in the duties express'd and for unworthy persons to be kept from holy things We might moreover produce the testimony of the most eminent Divines that have been the Lords witnesses since as the Church of God hath been blest with as Cyprian Justin Martyr Chrysostom Ambrose c. The abundant testimonies of all Reformed Divines Calvin Beza Bullinger Hyperius Bucer Zanchy c. with the sad complaints they make in their writings of the abuse of the Lords Supper c. Saith Calvin in one of his Epistles speaking of the profane Sine crass â Dei injuriâ admitti nequeunt Lib. Epist pag. 438. quà m turpis pudenda ista profanatio Saerorum The profane cannot be admitted without gross injury unto the Lord How vile and shamefull is the profanation of these holy things Yea saith Bishop Bilson Not onely the want of the Sacraments but the abuse of either hazards the weal of the whole Church yea casting holy things to dogs procures a dreadfull doom as well to consenters as presumers it being a way to turn the house of God into a den of thieves if profane ones be allowed the Mysteries and Assemblies of the faithfull 5. It is objected It is tyrannical We answer we wish that people would first look to their own duty To obey them that have the rule over them and to submit themselves to them Heb. 13.17 before they so peremptorily assert That the Minister doing his duty in reference to the Lord and the good of their souls is tyrannical What tyranny for a Minister to make an universal invitation to the people he preacheth to to own the Lord and one another in holiness and love and so to walk with them This Objection proceeds from a love of liberty and elbow-room in a carnal course c. 6. Separation is objected What separation for a Minister coming to a people setled upon the lees of ignorance and profaneness and having much abused Sacraments to call upon all that fear the Lord to profess Christ with their mouths and to give up themselves to him and so to walk in mutual love and comfort together Separation from wickedness is not schism but from the godly We profess to hold Communion with Ministers and Churches where Reformation is in any measure practis'd Lastly A vulgar Objection that is in the mouths of most that we take upon us in this practice to judge the hearts of most We answer though we cannot nor do we undertake directly to judge mens hearts yet we can argue out what is in mens heart as the Wiseman speaks Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep water but a man of understanding draweth it cut And that first by their words for Christ teacheth us so to know them Mat. 12.34 Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh And vers 35. An evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil things as by lying swearing hard speeches bitter scoffes and revilings at such as profess godliness under the names of Pharisees and hypocrites with such like corrupt communications any of which in their constant practice discover the heart How else did Simon Magus manifest himself in the gall of bitterness 2. By their works Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts adulteries fornications murders thefts false witness blasphemies c. By such fruits we shall know them 3. An humble Christian will be willing to have his heart tried and to have his Minister apply rules and evidences to discover whether it be sound and right with the Lord or not 4. Where none of these fruits doe appear we do not pretend to make a judgement of mens hearts so there be a willing subjection to the Lord and his wayes to walk in fellowship with him and his people Thus have we taken liberty we trust without offence to any of the Lords people with open-heartedness and plainness to propose what we humbly conceive we have learned of the Lord and being deeply desirous to be ashamed of our former abominations Ezek. 43.10 11. we hope we have or shall see the Patern of the Lords house so far as in abundance of mercy he shall please to use us which the Lord who will build up and come into his Temple will in his time reveal to all that love him In the mean time the Lord give unto us and all our Brethren whose hearts are truly after Reformation to pray more and dispute less and laying aside all animosities to do the work of our blessed God committed to us peaceably according to the light we have received in our generations Now we shall deliver some brief and plain observations upon this unhappy piece of Mr Humfreys aiming at the satisfaction of the people meerly conceiving that judicious godly Ministers are not at all startled in their principles by what he hath vented And so we have laboured to frame such answers as are most obvious to the people and not puzzle them First We take notice of this Parenthesis in the Title viz. That his Treatise was published for the ease support and satisfaction of tender consciences otherwise remedilesse in or mixt Congregations Answ 1. By ease it is plain he means by his Sophistry to delude their understandings so far as that they may without scruple partake of the Lords Table with the ignorant and profane This is to make the conscience quiet and not good as water cooling a feaver for the present but makes it return with greater violence 2. We are confident this hath not eased but more grieved and perplexed the most tender cohsciences in the Natton as most of the godly bear witness and hath made the hearts of the righteous sad The burden of such mixt communicating which hath been and is in the mixt Congregations of England hath been and is the grief and sad complaint of the servants of God both Ministers and people and will be proved a snare 3. Whereas he saith Tender consciences are otherwise remediless in our mixt Congregations 1. We offer it to
Saints by calling which is when upon the preaching of the Gospel to them and the Call of it they willingly profess to answer the Call of the Gospel and to give obedience to it 2. Such as are stiled 1 Cor. 1.2 Called to be Saints or Saints by calling are also said to be sanctified in Christ Jesus Paul in a judgement of charity esteemed the Church of Corinth to be such for he writes to the Church of God at Corinth Now will Mr Humfreys dare in his most extensive charity to call such who have taken up the Name of Christian and profession upon a slender account the Lord knoweth such as are men affectedly ignorant common swearers unclean revilers prophaners of the Sabbath to be sanctified in Christ Jesus Besides Sir Is not knowledge and conversation required to make up visible Saints as well as bare profession and the Name of Christian 2 Tim. 2.19 Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity Rom. 1.18 Is not this to hold the truth in unrighteousness Tit. 1.16 To profess to know God but in works deny him Oh how doth this kinde of arguing nuzzle poor creatures in their wofull condition and heighten the wicked in their wickedness say they they are Saints by calling they make profession and have the Name of Christians and in hell they curse Ministers eternally for thus deluding them Nay do not the most of people hate yea many profess to hate the very name of Profession and the very name of Saints and most will say They are not to be Saints on earth but in heaven Is this sufficient outward holiness But saith he A visible Ordinance to a visible Church That 's true If this visible Church be rightly constituted and ordered but if it be miserably corrupted and abound with all iniquity as the most do If the Lords servants shall labour to keep up such corruptions as this opinion doth we may tremble whether the Lord will not even root out this visible Church and profession as he threatens us often severely in his Word He further brings in an objection viz. Do we not hereby make our selves one with the wicked with whom we joyn and can we have communion with Christ and Belial He answereth by way of concession We do and must be one with all that joyn in the same profession as members of the same visible Church we are not one with them in their evil courses we disclaim them wholly in the impiety of their conversations c. Answ What kinde of joyning together in profession our Parochiall Churches have had we will not now further debate All come to Church and as he saith we may go to Church with all wherein he bath gratified the ignorant with a corrupt notion and few have any further notion of a Church then the place they went in nor what duties are required of Church-members one to another and the Lord knoweth and t is too apparent there is no practise of them 2. But Sir for the sanctified ones of Christ Jesus to joyn as one body in Church-fellowship with haters of godliness the power of it Is it not to make themselves one body with the wicked and unclean 1 Cor. 10.17 18. though they make profession yet being wicked Is not this to joyn as one body with the wicked Bare profession doth not take away their wickedness now is not this a great abomination to make up such a body to Jesus Christ Lord these members are good enough for thee though corrupt and abominable Besides are not such members to be cut off even chiefly for this reason that Christs body should not appear with the members of Satan 3. Is not there a duty in Matth. 18. charged upon every Church-member to reprove his brother so upon all the Churches by Paul and is not every Church-member guilty of his brothers sin who doth not his duty in this thing 1 Thes 5.14 c. 2 Thes 3.15 specially when they are to come together in this great Ordinance But that indeed he pleads for is for every one to look to himself though a hint to the contrary in the close as he speaks before for regard to othere he much sleights it no matter for Christs honour in his worship or thy Brothers soul every body save one if he can A true note of formality 4. But Sir farther are we not partakers of the impieties of the wicked in this thing in communicating with them Is it not an impiety for men in ungodliness to communicate If then we communicate with them we communicate in their impieties specially since a command of Christ lieth upon every Communicant to labour the preventing his impiety which doing not they come to the Ordinance with sinne upon their souls But saith he I will go with the wickedest man alive to Church but not to the Alehouse Answ His going to Church we have spoken to But Sir if you allow the wickededst man alive to be in your Church truly so called whereof you are a Pastor and joyn with him and give him this Ordinance without particular admonition of him not joyning with the better to keep him off we tremble to conceive that the Lords hand will be upon you and such that make so slight of it As to what he urgeth out of Austin his remisness though otherwise a pretious witness of the Lord in point of Church-Censures is not approved by the Godly Learned we will therefore take notice of his Scriptures The first Scripture is Joh. 15.2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he should adde what follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he takes it away Grant it be meant of Christs power at the last day yet when such a branch shall bring forth cursed fruit or appear to bring forth no good fruit at all and so appear not to be of Christs planting he is to be cut off by the Church as he allows by his Excommunication or else what will he make of that Ordinance 2. Mr Goodwins Interpretation of this Scripture in his Treatise of Growth will salve it if there were any difficulty in it who reades it thus Every branch that brings forth not fruit in men and this saith he the Syriack Translation makes for also though they do some good yet it is not fruit because not in Jesus Christ which may well allude to such Professors who bring some kinde of fruit in profession and moral conversation but yet have no root in Christ and for such the Church proceeds not against if they are duly taken into the Church till their unsoundness appears by outward practise and though Christ doth not expresly give forth command to the Church to cut off visibly unsound branches here t is enough he doth in other places His second Scripture is 2 Pet. 2.1 There are some that deny the Lord that bought them Answ Yea such in the words immediatly going before as bring in damnable heresies Now though such did thus
here But he will venture to prove it In the Law saith he there was a distinction of the clean and unclean which otherwise would defile their Saorifices and the Temple But no such thing now in the Gospel c. Answ This is the substance of his answer We Reply It hath been already proved by us that the Jews were kept off from the Sacrifices and Passeover as well for Moral uncleanness as Ceremonial Joh. 9.22 12.42 Ezra 10.11 and that the Ceremoniall uncleanness was a type of the uncleanness of sin under the Gospel Besides Was God so zealous of his worship and the prophaning of it then that unclean persons were to be cut off and is there no profaning the holy mysteries of the Lord Jesus now Nor no care to be taken that unclean persons be not suffered to defile them What a cursed prostitution of the holy things of God is this But saith he There is nothing unclean to us now Answ Aye but there are things that are too holy for the unclean now as this holy mystery is But to prove there is nothing unclean now he urgeth Ro. 14.14 I know I am perswaded there is nothing unclean of it self Ans Sir you know well enough that Paul speaks there of meats to the satisfaction of the weak Jews who took some meats still to be accounted unclean under the Gospel But now he convinceth them ther 's nothing no meat to be accounted unclean What 's this to his purpose to prove there is no polluting the holy Ordinance of the Lords Supper unlesse he will make no difference between common meat and the Lords Supper which the truth is his Free Admission doth not This is his argument No meat is now unclean legall uncleanness being taken off therefore all may come to the Lords Supper no polluting of it or at it That of Peters vision is like it Jews and Gentiles are to have the Gospel preached therefore no man is defiled by communicating with a wicked person though he take no care for the prevention of him He goes on and urgeth Now in the Gospel All 's free we are to have free Ordinances Ans But Sir In Christs way The Gospel preached freely to all but the seals of it to professing Saints He breaks off with a sharp exhortation to the godly Ministers and people thus My Brethren there are some touches of the Law and superstition on you you know what a sacred thing was made of the Communion Table when the rayl was about it Now I pray think how you refine and spiritualize your old superstition by putting a spiritual rayl about the Sacrament when you debarre poor sinners for coming hither Let us take heed there will be something of the Pharisee in these spiritual proud hearts of men Ans The Lord rebuke him for this censorious sarcasm We look upon this discovery as the just hand of God upon him T is the language of the formall luke-warm profane Ministers and people against the godly party Oh say they this is their spiritual pride and Pharisaisme This passage is nuts for them 2. 'T is very base to say no more for a Minister to cast such dirt upon the fair unblemisht memories of self-denying Saints who are now fallen asleep in the Lord who suffered deprivations banishments imprisonments upon this very score chiefly that they would not administer Sacraments to all And now saith this Pamphleter as their persecutors did 'T was their spiritual pride As they damnd the power of Religion to be such and as the Lukewarm Anti-reforming party do Yea doth he not cast this upon the Wisdom of Parliament the Reverend Assembly of Divines yea all the most Learned and Godly Reformers both Antient and Modern as ever the Church of Christ hath been blest with This censorious man hath written upon them all Pharisaism and spiritual Pride because every mans conscience is not so easie large and wide as his own about the sanctifying the Lords Name in this Ordinance Oh but saith he 'T is superstition too as bad as the rayl about the Communion Table Ans The truth is he is fitter to be admonisht to go weep and howl in private all his daies for this and other such cursed assertions then to have an answer given to them were not thousands of souls even like to perish and be hardened in sin by them Sir Doth that Idolatrous practice of erecting Altars and railing them about as holy run parallel with the practice of a conscientious Minister who trembleth that poor souls should eat damnation and he not labour to prevent it And as to your rayl The Discipline of Christs Churches was wont to be stiled the rayl or fence of them to preserve this holy Ordinance from pollution If you get not such a rayl Christ may root out you and your Church such as it is ere you are aware Sir Instead of this Caveat to the godly Ministers who plead for and practice Reformation in the use of this Ordinance May you tremble at a spirit of Apostacy from it which begins sadly to steal upon too too many who have formerly with great zeal contended for it and that you nor they be not given up of God to greater delusions and abominations then these A little to salve the businesse he brings in the reply of the godly to his former argument But are we not faulty and partake of other mens sinnes if we do not our best to have the leaven purged out c. He Answers Pag. 79. There are several duties of a Christian To pray receive to admonish his to rebuke the faulty to tell the Church if it be in a capacity if we neglect we are guilty and defiled What then we must labour after a Church-Establishment c. Ans Is not this to grant in effect what we contend for That 't is every Communicants sin if he do not admonish a person coming prophanely to this Ordinance and he becomes guilty if he neglect it If rebuking the faulty as to all sin be a duty then 't is so in this particular for he that hinders not another from sin according to his duty and power is guilty of that sin and the duty Mr Humfreys hath confest yea all commanders commenders consentors connivers councellors concealers excusers of other mens sins are guilty of them of which Mr Humfreys is one and all that plead for Free Admission He limits the duty of telling the Church saith he If the Church be in a capacity to hear Then 't is granted the Church ought to be in a capacity to hear If he means by this capacity A Church enjoying all Officers whose fault is it that you have them not Who is to choose them but your Church If they be not fit to choose they are not fit for Sacraments as hath been shewed we mean as to a good part of them but we conceive the Church it self as distinguisht from its Officers is in a capacity to hear and
incongruous To that of the 1 Corinth 10.21 22. I would not ye should have fellowship with devils ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils Ans Grant it Paul reproves their eating at Idol feasts as hath been shewed yet if wicked men come to the Lords Supper in a profane manner demonstrating themselves to be but of Satans kingdom and presently after receiving they return to Satans worship in sports and playes and abetted profanness sure it is justifiable for such as fear God to separate from them specially when they long resist and scoff at the power of the word and if the godly continue to communicate with such 't is little better then fellowship with devils c. The same may be said of 2 Cor. 7. Though the wife is to abide with her husband it doth not follow but that she may separate from him as to Church-Communion He conceives three more Scriptures may haply as he speaks he understood only of separating from mens evil courses he saith but haply first as to Jer. 15.19 If thou return then will I bring thee again and thou shalt stand before me and if thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth let them return unto thee c. We assert this is meant of Church-Reformation and not only of separating from sinfull courses in their lives Jeremiah was sent to convince preach down and reform publique abuses in Gods worship The wicked scorned and persecuted him therefore Jeremiah as every zealous Preacher ought was commanded to be as Gods mouth unto them and those he did convert he was to separate them as the precious from the vile which very fully points at and warrants such a separation we plead for For any to say that the precious is meant of words or things and not of persons is very weak for the Lord saith Let them return which must be meant of persons The next of 2 Thes 3.6 Withdraw from every brother that walketh disorderly c. is also meant of withdrawing as to Church-Communion as is clear by the following words At v. 12. Paul commands and exhorts the disorderly At the 14th he exhorteth the Church that if such disorderly persons will not obey then the Church is to have no company with them that they may be ashamed which Learned men generally understand as to Church-society Excommunicating or withdrawing being both for that end as one that the disorderly person may be ashamed and humbled c. So of Rev. 2.6 The hating of the deeds of the Nicolaitans no question implies separation from them in Communion Sure Mr Humfreys will not allow Christianity and their heresies to consist There are other Scriptures which he saith do only respect common familiarity and not a separation as to Church-Communion The first is 1 Cor. 5.9 Have no company with fornicators c. which Mr Humfreys will have to be only of common familiarity not as to Church-Communion No Must not known fornicatours for of such it must be meant be cast out of the Church if they continue obstinate Who then must be cast out The same rule he gives of Covetous Idolaters Railers Drunkards Extortioners where the force of the argument as Learned Mr Dickson on the place well observes is this Paul saith he had wrot to them before not to keep company nor to eat with such which strongly implies their non-communion therefore much more ought they to cast out from among themselves that incestuous person which is the case he argues Now how many covetous drunkards revilers and extortioners are to be found in most Congregations open revilers of the Preacher if godly and zealous and of the godly to which may be added many other sinnes of as high a nature Now suppose the greater party shall be such as it may easily be supposed in most Congregations who shall Excommunicate them being several hundreds in some places 'T were a vain thing to undertake it therefore the lesser party must withdraw and labour to draw others after them or else the Apostles command must utterly be waved That of 2 Thess 3.14 hath been opened As to Rom. 16.17 of avoiding such as make divisions 'T is clear as most Interpreters for exercising Discipline on them To avoid a man is to look upon him as cast out The same may be said as Mr Cotton strongly argues from that Scripture 2 Tim. 3.5 From such turn away which no question points at non-communion for Mr Humfreys himself will sure allow that the sins enumerated in the former verses deserve it So of John 2.10 11. Sure he will not have such as deny the doctrine of Christ to be continued in the Church and come to Sacraments for of such John there speaks As for Prov. 22.24 25. viz. Make no friendship with an angry man c. We finde not usually pressed in this case and yet a furious man as the wise man there cals him is not fit to be accounted in Christs family if it appear reigningly upon him and cause him to break out into other sins as usually it doth His last is Titus 3.10 Reject an heretique Ans Is this only of common familiarity too Then heretiques must also it seems be continued Now he concludes All these Scriptures forbid us wicked familiarity in their sins not a bare accompanying in Gods Ordinances Ans We acknowledge it in the converting Ordinances of prayer and preaching but not in Sacraments and in full Church-Communion The truth is t is a ridiculous thing to conceive that the Apostle should command not to keep company with to avoid to turn away from to reject such as are rightfully as Mr Humfrays would prove continued in the fellowship of the Church for indeed the Apostle would fully contradict himself in other Scriptures if he should where he bids all the members have the same care one of another 1. Cor. 12.25 To love as Brethren To be as one brotherhood 1 Pet. 2.17 To exhort To comfort one another which implies all sweet and open familiarity together Now how can this be if they must reject turn from keep no company one with another Next he anticipates the usuall answer to his Argument viz. If I must decline a wicked man so as not to eat with them which I interpret by our ordinary conversation how much more must I decline him at this Sacrament He answers 'T is a fallacy and is sorry to see many gravel'd at it I must not be such a mans common companion therefore I must not go to Church with him Ans This serves but to gratifie the ignorance and superstition of too many who think it enough if they come to Church We must all say they go to Church and have the Communion at Easter He 's worse then a Jew that will not And too many know little further what true Church-Communion is But saith he Arguments from the lesse to the greater must be in things of the same kinde and nature which
consideration Whether he doth not imply that our Congregations ought not to be continued so mixt with all manner of profaneness and ignorance as the most are And whether he doth not propose this as satisfaction to tender consciences onely in this exigency of time when he conceiveth no other remedy is to be had for want of a Discipline establisht and Elder'd Congregations as he intimates in the close and as he alloweth of Excommunication all along his book and so his arguments to satisfie tender consciences in such an exigency imply that other remedies are desirable and to be lookt after 2. But we conceive and know that tender consciences are not otherwise remediless if they do not submit to such a mixt Communion we apprehend the remedy laid down in the Preamble to be proper and good and what others are practis'd by godly men in the Nation Surely this evil is not so remediless if godly Ministers and people will do their duty We desire with all submission to remark that many do hotly dispute against Erastianism viz. Of Church-power being in the Magistrate and yet they say Discipline cannot be practised without a Law from them though they will protect men peaceably doing their duty which we look upon as a very snare upon the spirits of good men Therefore blessed be God there are comfortable remedies if applied without wallowing back again into that sea of dead bloud that corrupt carnal dead-hearted formal prophane ignorant practice of worship we have been in We cannot but likewise take notice of an expression in the Epistle to the Reader as it seems penn'd by another wherein he cals this practice of free-admission precious light We are sure it hath by the holy people of this and other Nations been ever accounted gross darkness born witness against by most of the Confessions and Martyrs in all ages of the Church yea hist at as a profane principle and hath sent many of as eminent Saints as ever this Nation was blest with to prisons and banishments Oh horrid that the liberty of all ungodly persons promiscuously to profane the holy things of God should now be stiled precious light Now to take notice and examine how precious it is yet with all due respect to the Author His Text Matth. 26.27 They all drank of it All the twelve without exception from whence saith he I gather free Admission Answ 1. But we are bold to say most inconsequently as ever was Argument drawn by a man of parts Just the contrary will be thus argued There were but only twelve Apostles though Christ had many other followers and hearers admitted by Christ to his Supper therefore all of all sorts were not admitted to come this is sure more colourably argued 2. Because onely twelve Apostles none being under scandal or ignorance brake bread with Christ therefore ignorant swearers liars drunkards unclean persons covetous revilers and haters of godly Preachers and people such as most Congregations to speak out do abound with may now come to that holy Communion of Saints 3. Here is the force of his Argument Christ took twelve with him and all those twelve drank of the Cup therefore all might have come that would Twelve Aldermen are invited by a Major to a feast and because all the twelve eat therefore all the beggars of the Town might have come If the stress of his Argument lie in Judas his partaking of it he might have been pleas'd so to have urg'd it and not put such a fallacy upon weak people And if it do we answer briefly here and more fully where he plainly urgeth it that it was irrational Judas should have been kept off before he had committed the scandal specially Christ acting in that as an ordinary Minister and Past our to his Church In his stating the Question he asserts All in the visible Church are capable of all Ordinances but Infants distracted persons and excommunicated persons 1. Let the Reader observe that Mr Humfreys allows Excommunication of whom of such as are detected for scandal or unduly admitted into the Church formerly being grosly ignorant How will free Admission and Excommunication stand together If it be every mans duty to come why should any hinder him But saith he unless excommunicated But what if they are excommunicable Doth not that Pastour and Church sinne before the Lord if they do not excommunicate them If the greater part be such ought not the Pastour and such as fear God with him due means having been used for the conviction of the ignorant superstitious and scandalous to withdraw from them in the exercise of this Ordinance if Discipline cannot otherwise be taken up as in a corrupt majority how can it Pag. 3. saith he Though he questions the capacity of many people because a solemn preparation is required yet he saith he humbly perswades himself that for the Ministers and Churches part as to offering Christ freely there is such an universal capacity that if any come in professing themselves ready to enter into Covenant with Christ and serve him in this Ordinance we may encourage him from Rev. 22.17 Answ Here is the fallacy couched that runnes thorow the whole Book But is not this a sad confounding of things 1. It is most true that sinners are freely to be invited to Christ But must it be presently to this Ordinance of the Supper If they do indeed profess themselves ready to enter into Covenant with Christ and their lives do not contradict this covenanting the Church is to receive them but ought not this to be an explicit profession to the Church or Officers of it Must a profane person rushing upon the ordinance as formerly be supposed to do so meerly because he comes Upon this score who ever they be Turks Pagans Jews if they hear a Sermon and come and eat and drink at the Supper it is to be supposed they do implicitely enter into Covenant with Christ how absurd would this be and makes the bloud of the Covenant an unclean thing But secondly his humble perswasion is not argument enough to prove that the Minister and Church is to be so remiss and slight in this matter without a former profession before the Lord and the Church of every persons willingness to covenant with Christ and submit to Discipline especially in this lapsed state we now are in and the Church in a judgement of charity satisfied in them if he means such a precedent explicite open profession of every person we agree with him but unless his Congregation be the Phoenix of all in England I beleeve he would have but a few Communicants upon such an account as trial hath been made by many godly Ministers in this particular But as we have said if he mean his meer coming is such a profession we take it to be very delusory indeed a very mocking of the Lord. Besides Mr Humfreys well knows how unduly all sorts have been admitted to the Communion of the Church formerly and therefore now
in times of Reformation the case is distant how few alas to be found that know or have been ever truly taught what it is to covenant with Christ This strange latitude that this latter sense implies is farre from the Churches strictness in the purest times in the admitting their Catechumeni into the fellowship of the Church He goes on Pag. 4. That he believes none unless excommunicated ipso jure or facto ought to be refused c. If he means by excommunicated ipso jure such as of right ought to be excommunicated by the Church then the matter is ended for it is most true that none but such as are already excommunicated are to be kept from the Supper and such without question ought to be kept off and if so he grants what we desire But let us examine his further proofs for free Admission His first Scripture is from Exod. 12. There was free admission to the Passeover therefore to the Supper Answ 1. If all came to the Passeover then there was no Excommunication in the Jewish Church which Scripture Erastus and his followers use to prove there was none And by this argument he will make void Excommunication now which as he hath stated the matter will not be well consistent with his free Admission All to come to the Lords Supper as all did come to the Passeover none kept back from the one therefore none from the other 2. But we deny that all were admitted to the Passeover he confesseth himself from Numb 9. that they were to be kept off for a moneth for legal pollution which was a type of sinne supposing that they should cleanse themselves in that moneth otherwise they were longer to be kept off as will necessarily follow the end of their keeping off for that time being that they should be cleansed as Pareus and others upon the place well observe We cannot here insist to enforce the many Scriptures and Arguments which have been brought by others to prove that the Jews were kept from the Passeover both for legal and moral uncleanness for scandalous sins which we are confident neither he nor all the world will be able to answer Therefore we do indeed the more wonder that he will urge this and go about to impose it on Ministers and people so slightly passing over what so many learned and godly men have wrote specially the London Ministers and Scotch Divines and not take notice of their weighty arguments But we will clear it from the Scriptures plainly See Reader Numb 15.30 31. Chap. 19. That there was a cutting off from the Congregation such as did ought presumptuously against the Lord that despised the word of the Lord that transgressed the Sabbath So Ezra 10.8 Whosoever would not come to build the Temple within the three dayes should be separated from the Congregation And whosoever should confess Christ was to be put out of the Synagogue John 9.22 Yea himself grants that the Jews had their several degrees of Excommunication p. 84. of his Book And is not the neglect of keeping of the profane from the holy things charg'd upon the Priests as a great evil Ezek. 22.26 Her Priests have violated my Law and have profaned my holy things they have put no difference between the holy and profane c. Yea further Ezek. 44 7 9. The uncircumcised in heart were not to enter into the Sanctuary to pollute it that is such as did manifestly in their lives appear to be so though they had received outward Circumcision And the Lord saith vers 13. That such of the Priests that thus transgressed the Covenant of the Lord should bear their iniquity and they should not come near unto him to do the Office of a Priest any more This also is typical of the spiritual Sanctuary the Church of Christ in Gospel times From what hath been said it will easily appear without troubling the Reader with any more that the Jews were kept off from the Passeover for presumptuous and scandalous sins for if they were cut off from the Congregation then they came not at the Passeover and one end of their cutting off was that they might not defile the Passeover as hath been proved Therefore Reader thus farre it appears Mr Humfreys hath deluded thee His next Scripture is 1 Cor. 10.7 We being many are all partakers of one bread All at Corinth c. Answ True All such who joyned themselves to the Church by the preaching of the Apostles did so who came and professed subjection to the Lord Christ and his Gospel 2 Cor. 9.13 and became a chaste Spouse unto Christ Chap. 11.2 these did all partake it But Sir were the Parochial Churches in England though we deny them not to be Churches in a large sense so brought in Will you compare the obstinate ignorance of this age of people to professing Saints at Corinth whom Paul styleth Called to be Saints and sanctified in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1.2 as we shall elswhere urge Are not zealous Preachers of the Gospel upon laying aside corrupt forms and superstitious usages in too many places despised and reviled by the most as Novellists and Troublers of Israel would do you imagine Paul write to such as Saints and sanctified and stile the Churches the chaste Spouses of Christ where so much abetted profaneness and affected ignorance 2. Besides the Apostles drift in that place is not to prove that all did partake of the bread but that those that did partake were one bread together and therefore they should flie idolatrous seasts lest they were made one body with them by eating with them Pag. 6. But faith Mr Humfreys Many of these Corinths were ready to go to their Idols and to commit Idolatry Answ It seems then they were but ready to go to their Idols they did not actually commit Idolatry The truth is this some of them through weakness did eat at their feasts of meats sacrificed to Idols which things the Apostle severely warns them of lest they should be tempted back to Idolatry by the example of the Jews and the Lords judgements upon them not as if these Corinths did already commit Idolatry but he warns them against it and so in the close of the Chapter states the eating of those meats in it self an indifferent action so the snare to Idolatry be avoided and offence to the weak brother which Interpretation is given by all sound Interpreters we meet with Now to stile the Corinths lukewarm Christians as indifferent to Christianity or Idolatry and so to justifie the Admission of such to the Lords Supper is more then this Scripture will allow 3. By this Argument also he would prove that such as are actual Idolaters may be admitted to the Sacrament This is free Admission to purpose But 1 Cor. 11.28 seems to him to strike further These Corinths were mutinous and drunken at the Supper for this they were reproved and directed to examine themselves c. but for their coming 't was
mixture Pag. 33. Saith he It supposeth a near essentiall relation between this Excommunication and communion And so goeth on to refell it which we need not repeat Ans There is no such thing supposed in the Objection Excommunication hath a relation of subserviency to the communion though not essentiall but to the well-being of it that holy things be not prostituted nor given forth to such as Christ never intended them viz. his prophane enemies or such who refuse his yoke being called upon to professe subjection to it But he brings in one objecting Is it not a heavy case that we have no discipline True saith he yea 't is true that when Jesus Christ hath given power to his Churches to reform and exercise discipline they cast the want of it upon the Magistrate and doe nothing towards it But what then saith he Shall we have no worship Ans No pure worship in this Ordinance but such as God and his holy people abhorre The second Objection he undertakes to answer is viz. That the most of men are wholly unfit and not capable of this Ordinance and not able to prepare and examine themselves therefore no free Admission There is saith he a manifest weaknesse in this arguing from mens disability to their duty He conceits as to the Churches part who can but look to an outward capacity and instanceth in Judas c. Ans But Sir as easily as you hush up this Argument 'T is more to be considered and laid to heart how unfit the most people are having never had the preaching of the Gospel with them in its power in many places nor were ever rightly ordered and constituted into a Gospel-Church-state by a professed subjection to the Gospel and giving up themselves to the Lord and so joyning together to walk in the fellowship of the Gospel as we have shewed which however men may skin over we verily beleeve the Lord will in his time manifest to be a holy truth Now as to his answer That 't is a manifest weaknesse to argue from mens unability to their duty This hath been answered and cleared 'T is not every mans duty to come to the Sacrament as we have distinguished unlesse so and so prepared and qualified Unability to prepare themselves is a sufficient reason to themselves to refrain and to the Church to keep them off And whereas he saith The Church is only to look to an outward capacity Very true if an outward capacity be rightly defined But grosse ignorance and living in open known sins and reviling of godlinesse is not an outward capacity Which all along his Book upon his grounds the meer name of a Christian though never so vile is his outward capacity Next as to the Peoples part he answers 3. things 1. There 's no duty a naturall man can do rightly nor hear nor pray therefore let him do nothing let him have a Writ of ease for all c. This is his first in substance Repl. First Then it seems a naturall man so understood to be by himself and the Church may come to the Lords Supper Whereas Mr Humphreys well knows none but professing Saints in a judgement of charity were ever admitted if they be rightfully within the pale of the Church they ought to be so esteemed nothing to the contrary appearing but to make the same latitude of Prayer and the Word with the Lords Supper the former for converting this of the Sacrament only to such as are supposed to be converted in the Judgement of the Church is a monstrous Solcecisme Meer Heathens are allowed and invited to come to the one never to the other Now he is pleased to call this kinde of arguing against his judgement in this thing Beating the air with a Feather Sir Those pillars of truth that holy men have erected by the good hand of God against their loose aiery tenet will stand and be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and his people when yours shall be for a hissing unto both Is the Ordinance of Parliament enumerating abundance of scandalous crimes with advice had with the Assembly of Divines to debarre persons from the Lords Supper nothing but beating the air with a feather 2. His second Answer He would have every man do what he can c. Answ Right If a poor soul tender up himself to the Lord and his people and complain of his weakness and profess to do what by grace he is able Who doubts of such a mans fitness His third Answer is Stating of a poor humbled sinner heavy laden with sin laying hold of the promise c. As if any body scrupled such a one but inviteth them with all tenderness what 's this to a stubborn ignorant impenitent sinner that comes customarily and returns to his sin and will not come near his Minister to be instructed in private but revileth him if holy as the most do The third Objection But is not the Ordinance taken in vain against the third Commandment To this he Answers He grants on the Receivers part but not on the Admitters he is to do his duty and leave the successe to God Answ This is the Question begg'd we deny it the Admitters duty if the persons are scandalous they are to keep the Sanctuary of the Lord from defiling which duty being a minor Excommunication is supposed in the greater Excommunication put into the hands of Church-Officers being one of the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven committed unto them 2. This duty is supposed in keeping our selves pure from the blood of all men 3. In our duty of fidelity to the mysteries of God 4. In duty of fidelity to the peoples souls His instances in Christs preaching of the Gospel inviting all hath been answered He never invited all to the Lords Supper nor did the Apostles till in Church-fellowship if he account all the people of England fit in the condition they are to be continued in the Fellowship of the Church and no need of Reformation and drawing in such that will come under Discipline to a closer union and order in the Gospel then he not only pleads for this Free-Admission but strikes indeed at the very root of all Reformation which the truth is this licentious principle sufficiently doth The third Objection he would Answer is Holy things to holy men Now the Answer he here gives discovers the minde of the Authour more then any He distinguisheth of holiness Outward Inward He saith Outward holinesse consists in bare profession and name of Christians and so are Saints by calling That of inward holiness we need not mention Repl. We reply to him That bare profession and name of Christian is not enough to denominate Saints by Calling even a whole Nation of people may take up the Name of Christian and profession from the Magistrates severe Law As all the people of England did in the several former changes and were commanded to hear the Service-Book and to Receive once a year these are not like
apostatize that were received into the Church as bought by Christ which is meant by their denying the Lord that bought them must they be continued and admitted to the Lords Supper then this is the argument Such as bring in damnable heresies and deny Christ may and ought to be admitted to the Lords Supper It seems Turcism and Christianity may well enough mix with Mr Humfreys his good leave We had thought at least Hereticks were to be rejected by 1 Titus 3.10 His next Scripture is Heb. 10.29 compared with 2.9 2 Cor. 5.14 There are some that are sanctified with the blood they trample upon c. Answ From hence he would argue Tramplers on the blood of Christ may come How tender is Mr H. of his Saviours blood But saith he they are said to be sanctified though tramplers Answ That is they were externally sanctified or set apart in Baptism but now by their Apostasie and falling off from Christianity they did slight and scorn the blood of Christ as a common thing not worthy to be owned Now what 's this to his purpose 'T is said they had forsaken the Assemblies of the Church v. 25. therefore they did not come to the Lords Supper but were indeed such as had sinned against the holy Ghost But yet tender Mr Humfrey is pleased to stile these branches of Christ though ungodly Professors It seems with him ungodly Professors renouncers of the faith tramplers upon the blood of Christ Apostates damnable Heretiques must be in a visible esteem branches of Christ and so admitted to all Church-Priviledges even the choicest the Seal of Christs Supper for Mr H. puts up an absolute plea for them What can a man more strongly plead for the kingdom of the devil then this We beleeve his prophane party will be here ashamed of him Yet the confidence of the man is such that he cries Victory to himself and followers upon this most absurd and abominable arguing and abusing the holy Word of God Observe Reader he puts the stresse of his cause mainly upon it If thou art so blinde senslesse and mad to beleeve him he tels thee the matter is ended on his side And further That an outward historical faith gives an outward Church right to the elements Answ We deny it if it appear to be but an historical faith by an ungodly life The fourth Objection he undertakes to answer is The Seal is set to a blank if all be admitted He Answers first by opening how the Sacramentis a Seal Not of our faith but of the Covenant on Gods part Now saith he the Covenant and Seal remain firm and all the unbelief in the world cannot make it of no effect Answ 1. The Scripture saith that Circumcision to Abraham was the Seal of the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4.11 2. If it be the Seal of the Covenant on Gods part as of one party being agreed yet if a soul do not accept of and agree to the terms of it it is but as a blank to him there being not a mutual astipulation and agreement on both parts and so such a soul hath no good by it If by this he would encourage a poor trembling soul who doubts of his faith he may make use of it 't is not of such we here dispute of But he puts the Objection forward viz. Were it not absurd for a man to set his Seal where there hath been no agreement and transactions before so do unregenerate men who come to the Sacrament without that solemn giving up the soul to God as he ought who enters into Covenant with him To this he Answers That there are too many come absurdly and wickedly c. Now saith he Though the receiver fail on his part in his solemn mutual engagement whereof he is to repent yet as for the Minister and Church there is a true seal to a true Copy c. Answ Now we reply to him There is a true Seal to a true Copy but not to be delivered to rebels unlesse they come professing humbly to accept the terms of it Here is the thing we stick at we require and so we verily beleeve doth the Lord that the Receiver ought solemnly to professe and give up himself to God and enter into Covenant with him before he be admitted by them to the Seal of it if the person do not this in sincerity let him look to that but that he do it is the Churches part to require of him without which we beleeve he cannot fully acquit the Church as he undertake to do p. 47. And without this instead of nothing being out of order as he speaks there is hardly any thing in order Now if the receiver do this the Minister and Church receive him in the judgement of Love as a regenerate person and so they do not sin in offering the Sacrament as a Seal on Gods part But saith he The Sacrament seals generally the truth of the Covenant freely to all engaging them unto it and the interest and benefits of it to every single person upon the terms conditions tenour of the Gospel Answ With this notion which he saith hath layn as an Embryon a long time he professeth himself and another piercing Godly man to be converted with it We shall not judge them in this their conversion but take boldness from the deceit we have learned in our own hearts That 't is no hard matter to get distinctions to pacifie the conscience in a troublesom work as the practise of Reformation is We answer the blood of Christ seals the Covenant of God but when t is offered in the sign of it the Sacrament it is to such persons who accept of the Covenant upon the terms and conditions of it as himself speaks and of the blood of Christ thereby signified and it seals to none but to them who have communion with the blood of Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 therefore it doth not generally seal to all The Sacrament is not said to seal the Covenant to all t is the Seal of the Covenant but it seals it to none but to the Believer who is to engage unto it first Sincerely as to his own interest in it Secondly Professedly and explicitly as to the Churches satisfaction To seal any thing to a person implies a reciprocall agreement We humbly take leave to say that as he professeth his greatest satisfaction in this argument his greatest mistake lies in it in confounding of things that ought to be distinguished We say the tender of the Covenant is first in the preaching of the Gospel upon which beleevers professe to own and accept of and enter into it not by a meer tacit coming which having done before the Lord and the Church then as the Sacrament shall be administred the Seal is annexed to it and a beleever receives the blood of Christ Jesus as a Seal of Gods promises in the remission of his sins and so to every covenanting person professing to do so the Covenant is
offered and sealed to him and to none other Now in stead of this we conceive through the whole Treatise Mr H. would have a Sacrament which being the Seal of the Covenant is to be tendered to all be they what they will without any previous act of the Receivers either confession profession or covenanting with or before the Church which was never the way of the Gospel in admission of Church-members and so it holds the same in the use of the Supper when though baptized they have never given any account of themselves or are profane in their lives Further he urgeth his subtile Syllogism to analyse the whole argument The Covenant saith he means thus He that beleeveth shall be saved adde I beleeve ergo I shall be saved Now saith he the Sacrament seals to the major not to the minor to Gods own Word not to ours Answ First The major or first proposition is rather a conditionall promise of the Covenant then the Covenant it self and so the Sacrament seals conditionally But without these quirks If the Sacrament seal to every Beleever then if I adde But I am a Beleever then it seals to me and though the Scripture do not speak of any particular man who is a Beleever yet in such a Syllogism it it speaks as fully and even as satisfyingly to a poor soul as if it did Sir the Sacrament seals the truth of mercy and grace and life to poor souls that come rightly to it and not to abstracted propositions and notions with which you puzzle weak people Again stick to the proposition as really applyed the Sacrament seals to this He that beleeveth shall be saved and the Sacrament confirms it to him then let none but such as shall be charitably judged Beleevers professing faith and obedience be admitted to it Obj. 5. The fifth Objection he undertakes to Answer Pag. 49. viz. The Covenant belongs not to all therefore the seals neither To this he Answers by distinguishing of the Covenant sometimes taken for the absolute promises c. sometimes for the tenour of the Gospel in Gods revealed will and so it runs on these terms Whosoever beleeves shall be saved and whether this belongs to all t is no question Answ T is true salvation belongs to all in the tender of it as himself saith in the next page The conditional Covenant is tendred in the word and sealed to in the Sacrament Now as the Covenant is tendred in the Word if souls professe to accept of the tender of it and to Covenant with him then 't is seald in the Sacrament The Sacrament is a Seal between God and the Beleever and supposeth beleeving intended to Seal mercy to professing covenanting Beleevers and upon that score the Church doth administer it receiving them as such Next he declareth his own practise That he shews his hearers the conditions of the Covenant such that accept of them there the Seal of God is ready let them put to their hands and seals c. This the import But Sir Is it not more proper orderly and satisfying that such persons upon the tender of the Covenant should declare and professe to own and enter into the Covenant of God Must all be done in a huddle the same hour and the people be as mutes in this great concernment Would it not be for the honour of Jesus Christ that people with their own mouths confesse him according to the measure God hath given them more for the satisfaction of the Minister and Church yea and for the comfort of the Professour then thus hand over head to deal in this weighty matter Specially since this was never had from the people of England as we have before opened who are so setled in a corrupt formall customary way in the use of this Ordinance for the most part That talk you of Covenant and Seal and what you will They must have the Communion though to the great prejudice of their souls And 't is from these sad corruptions by the iniquity of former and present times As the London Ministers declare in their Plea for Church-Government That such a Profession and triall is first to be had of every person seeing the abuse of this Ordinance was formerly and horribly prophane In the close saith he This Sacrament doth more properly belong to him who is not yet in Covenant with God supposing now he resolves to enter into Covenant with him This is a strange doctrine and we verily beleeve never started before Here is still the same confusion But Sir In this Ordinance doth not the Church for here we deal with it upon this account which is the Churches and Ministers duty in this Ordinance suppose every receiver in Covenant before first as tendred into it in Baptism and secondly as requiring a personall owning and professing of the Covenant and the conditions of it which was ever the practice of the Primitive Churches as hath been urged and so administer the Lords Supper to them 2. How doth he here confound the order and even make void the care of the Church in this matter Concerning the tender and offer of it we have already spoken We assert there ought to be a previous profession of acceptation of the tender and offer by every soul before the seal is administred to him or else all order and purity will be destroyed And therefore we conclude this that the Covenant belongs not to all so as to have it sealed unto them unlesse they first visibly professe to own it and accept of it before the Church The former neglect of which causeth now a requiring of it of every person or else godly men see not how Reformation will be attained to But he produceth a Reply to his former answer viz. What right doth this give him to the Covenant He answers with the main scope of every Argument he produceth As the Sacrament is a shewing forth of Christ with a tender of the Covenant in his bloud there is an open free generall right to it for all that will come into Christ We answer The Sacrament is a shewing forth of Christ with a tender c. But to whom To professing beleevers that have been orderly received into the Church upon the Gospel preached to them And for such as professe before to come into Christ and subject to discipline and whose conversations do not deny it at least professing serious repentance for the sins they have lived in which he grants to be the duty of every receiver as to his own conscience in his former answer p. 50. But this we assert to be needfull to be professed as to the satisfaction of the Church Due respect and tendernesse being had to the modesty of any and to particulars But he further distinguisheth of a right of coming There 's a right of obligation and a right of priviledge for the right of obligation in the Ministers offer of Christ freely and the Peoples receiving him on his own terms I do avouch an
him Ans A benè compositis ad malè divisa We take this very unsuitable to the parts of the Authour We presume a distinction never heard of before As it hath no appearance of ground so we beleeve it not considerable with the weakest If this had been the sense why had not Christ and the Apostles said to Unbeleevers Take and to Beleevers Eat This taking is the putting forth and exercising faiuh before wrought which we still say this Ordinance supposeth till he shall prove the contrary He puts two or three cases A morall man coming and doing his best to prepare himself and so comes Do we think to such a man this Ordinance is fruitlesse Then God help us But that is not enough to prove it is not Yea saith he shall not his examination Prayers Confession Meditation be conducing Briefly These are not like the acts of a morall man Examination of Repentance and Faith supposeth a beginning of both And when Ministers call upon morall men to examine themselves in point of Repentance the Spirit works by it if that soul really do it yet we say that if all these be but the acts of a moral man there 's no promise for his receiving good by this Ordinance This is a good Argument to keep his rich Neighbours in peace Hab. 1.15 16. shews it an old trade 2. He puts the case of a poor humble Beleever that comes hither to meet with Christ Ans We wonder at this case the Question being not about such being out of question by all but such ought and are invited to come to receive strength and comfort by this Ordinance so the two Disciples of Emmaus which he instanceth in they were professing Disciples and no question converted before though but weak He brings in a reply of such as oppose him in this Although a man may be converted at it is not by the Sacrament it is occasionally but not intentionally a converting Ordinance To this he Answers This being undeniably granted of our opposites the matter is upon the point yielded All It may be 's all occasions must be taken for our salvation Answ When godly men say a man may be converted at the Lords Supper but not by it c. We conceive they mean specially by the Sermon or exhortation before it where all may be present And if he be then converted it will be meet for him to stay till another opportunity that he may have a more spiritual discerning of that Ordinance Mr Humfreys knows conversion usually begins with conviction of sinne and though the seed of faith may be then sown yet it acts little at first Christ not usually giving a view of himself in a promise at the first conviction In such a strait a poor trembling soul will scarce venture to come But granting him as much as he would have his It may be the point is not therefore yielded as he would perswade his Reader and himself The question is not as hath been alledged What God can do or what may be but of the revealed will of God and the ordinary way of his dispensation of grace which must be our rule to walk by He would further back this argument with three considerations wholly as his confidence leads him To root out this subtlety which the spirit of errour hath insinuated Answ This spirit of errour as he vainly boasteth will appear a spirit of truth and holiness in the Lords servants when his delusions and profane assertions will stink in the nostrils of the Saints as it already blessed be God doth The clouds of holy Witnesses we might alleadge against him might cause him to blush at such an arrogant passage But Pag. 59. saith he The Sacraments and all Ordinances are primarily means of grace it is but in a remote sense they are means of conversion or confirmation Ans Now what a rooting out of this subtlety is here Upon what Scripture doth he bottom his vain distinction We say All Ordinances are means of grace but according to Christs order and institution The Word for converting grace The Word and Sacrament also for confirming and so they were ordained and ever used by Christ and the Apostles Next he distinguisheth of conversion 1. Outward from heathenism to the profession of Christ we do not stand to say the Sacrament is such a converting Ordinance 2. True inward conversion wrought by the Word not from any active power it hath in it self but per modum objecti c. as an instrument used by the Spirit so the Sacrament c. This is the substance of the second Ans He intends by this to prove that if it may occasionally though not intentionally convert then all may come to it 1. To his distinction of conversion we Answer That all that are converted by the Word and so received into the Church are supposed to be truly converted and so have this Ordinance administred to them and therefore this destroyes all he hath said in this particular If it may be instrumental to inward effectual conversion why may not his It may be reach as well to Pagans as those Hypocrites in the Church And to this he adds We do not stand to say it ought and let it be imagined c. As if he had a minde to it for indeed it will as naturally follow if he answer No it ought not because Sacraments are only for such as are within the Church then sure he more fastens what he pretends in this reason to root out for none are to be received or continued in the Church but such as are visible Saints supposed to be converted as himself hath granted and so by consequence 't is not intended a converting Ordinance but for the Communion of Saints And whereas he saith The Spirit works by the Sacrament as by the Word by way of an instrument and so if the Sacrament do occasionally convert 't is enough It hath been answered that this conversion at the Sacrament which some godly men assert is meant not precisely of the Sacrament but of Prayer Preaching Exhortation c. Besidcs the word is intentionally by the revealed will of God an instrument of conversion and so an Institution of Christ but this of the Sacrament is not yet nor we verily beleeve ever will be proved to be so 3. He follows this as if he had gained much by this concession of Occasionally converting wherein we fear he wilfully mistakes godly men who ever mean it only of the concomitant duties at it c. And so he frames to himself a distinction of principall and subordinate intention of conversion The Sacrament hath a subordinate intention c. But Sir who grants you this distinction that are contrary to your judgement That the Sacrament hath a subordinate intention of conversion c. We know of none such who speak of it as occasionally converting do not imply it occasionally and intentionally are not subordinate but distinct besides Godly men as hath been shew'd
do not speak of the Sacrament precisely when they so speak yet how the man pleaseth himself with his own creature and fancy and laughs upon it exceedingly p. 61 62. He further urgeth Prayer is not so primarily converting therefore by this rule prayer may also be exeluded Ans We need answer no further to this he frames a shadow and fights against it He takes that granted to him which no judicious Divine we know allows him We say Prayer is subordinatly converting but we deny and leave him to prove ad graecas Calendas that the Sacrament is We might here re-enforce Mr Gilespyes twenty Arguments to prove the Sacrament not converting which he will answer at the same time but we intend briefness The next he Answers to is But unregenerate men are dead in sin shall we give bread to the dead men must be first born living before they can feed To this he Answers If we could conceive any such bread as would fetch life in a dead man we would give it him Now saies Christ Joh. 6.33 I am the bread of life c. Ans This is to beg the question That the Sacrameut is ordain'd to fetch life in a dead man yea saith he Christ is the Bread of Life Here he gratifies the Papists as well as the poor ignorant and prophane people of the Nation who understand that Bread in Joh. 6. to be of Sacramentall bread which sound Divines still oppose Christ as offered in the Sacrament is not Bread to beget life his bare assertion doth not prove it His parallell between Aqua vitae and Calix vitae is not worth notice Or if it were we beleeve M. Humphreys doth not know of any Aqua vitae that will beget life in a dead man though it may revive where life is remaining The same we say of the Cup as an ordained means where Christ is offered As to the matter of Judas which he again replys to we have spoken already And we should be too tedious to urge all What godly men have said for Judas not receiving the Sacrament 1. How unlikely it is that the Lord should say to Judas whom he cals the Son of Perdition and a devil This is my body which was broken for thee and this is my bloud which was shed for the remission of thy sins and Thou shalt drink with me in my Fathers Kingdom All which he spake to Judas as to the rest if he were one 2. But should we grant he ate sure Mr Humphreys gains little to his cause Judas was not yet convinced before the Church of the fact having not yet committed it If he should have been kept off upon the fear that he might commit it Peter might have been as well kept off as he for he in Christs knowledge was to commit a scandalous offence also 3. Neither will it in the least measure warrant the admitting of all sorts now Judas was a person that preached and professed Christ and for a time forsook the world to follow him was no scoffer or reviler at the power of godlinesse and had given no open scandall to his Brethren We wish it could be said so of all such as cry for Free Admission upon this ground The eighth Objection he would answer to is Vnworthy Receivers are guilty of Christs bloud and eat their damnation therefore we must not allow a Free Admission To this he answers 1. As to the Churches part 2. As to the Receivers c. For the Churches part this cannot any way concern them There is a generall Command Do this Every man is to examine himself and he receives damnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to himself they receive not ours Answ 1. His verily beleeve doth not prove it doth not concern the Church The Church is concern'd to keep her self from pollution and ruine both which are brought upon it by this vile practise If the Church both Officers and Members do not their utmost to prevent a manifestly impenitent sinner from coming to this Ordinance they are guilty of his sin as hath been proved We are saith Zanchy violaters of charity and guilty of iniquity Lib. 1. Ep. p. 26. to suffer men to damn themselves with the Sacrament which we might suspend from them 2. Such a levity is the way to bring upon Ministers the punishment of Eli the sin being much like it 3. Is it nothing to a Minister to see a people he is sent to save in Gods hand eating and drinking damnation to themselves Chrysostome protested he had rather give his body to a Murderer then the Sacrament to a scandalous person And Calvin that he would rather put his hand into the fire c. But to his reason saith he There is a generall command Do this Ans We wonder he will so inconsiderately call it a generall command when he knows 't was spoken only to the 12. that ate with him Oh but saith he Let him examine himself and he damns himself not another Ans It doth not follow that because every person coming is bound to examine himself therefore no body else is Though he receives damnation to himself yet it doth not thence follow that others have not a hand in forwarding his damnation if they do not their duty to prevent it Though a man murdering himself is chiefly guilty of the fact yet it follows not but those are in a measure guilty who prevent him not when 't is in their power Every man shall give an account of himself to God yet their bloud will I require at thy hands saith the Lord. Why should God say Be ready to give an account of the hope that is in thee if no body have power to require it of him We verlly beleeve Mr Humfreys himself doth not conceive those words of self-examining spoken exclusively who doubts unlesse such as are prophane scorners but that a Minister is to take all occasions to examine the people he is sent to for their further edification specially when they have been lull'd in ignorance before 'T is indeed a loose and prophane assertion That poor ignorant creatures and prophane wretches must come in a customary way to the dishonour of Christ to their own damnation without repentance And yet the admitters no way no not any way as he maintaineth concerned in it 'T is the note of a godly minde to urge Scripture to such ends for which God ordained them as this to presse self-examination not as to make void all private reproof admonition and discipline contrary to other Scriptures Wo to the Land if all were of this loose judgement Let all people damn themselves at pleasure by Sacraments it concerns no body neither Ministers nor people What godly man doth not see but this shift is put into the head of carnall persons by the devil and his factors to keep them in security they never intending to examine themselves nor are indeed able and so will not suffer any man else to do it It concerns none
so that Preacher draweth the willing people upon their profession into a more close union and fellowship together waiting and labouring to bring on the rest to them If we say he mean by this the separation he would caution against we hope and pray that wise and religious men will not be deterred from it by any thing Mr Humphreys hath produced against it but will in the strength of the Lord set about it against all oppositions All considerations of ease or interest being thrown off By which means 1. They will be found faithfull Stewards to their Master 2. They will keep themselves pure 1 Tim. 5.22 3. They will sanctifie the Name of Christ aright in this Ordinance of the Supper 4. They will be free from the sinne of flattering souls to hell by it 5. They shall discern how the Lord owneth and blesseth their Ministery 6. They shall have sweet communion with Saints 7. They will by this provoke and awake all to examine their condition 8. They will act sutably to those rich and glorious promises of the building of the Lords Temple in the latter daies of the Gospel Zech. 6.12 13. and many others For Separations in the visible Church which he suggests dangerous We answer That if as much and great profanenesse and abominations shall be fouled with the visible Church as is too apparent as even among such know not God Then Separations as to the holy things of God where holy men have only right is justifiable in the eyes of God Saints and Angels For his suggested danger of separation upon separation 1. We answer That how is there properly a Separation when there hath been no true uniting nor hath one person considered himself to have any more relation to another then as one of their Parish but hear one another lie swear and commit together and rather encourage then reprove one another for it Separation is properly in and from a true Church-fellowship and not from ungodlinesse and prophanesse in a Scripture sense Besides what if there may be unstable souls separate from such a joynt-communion as 't is like there may in the purest constitutions shall there for that reason be no Church-communion nor endeavour after it What if Excommunication be set up by a Law from men in every Parish which we beleeve to be impossible to any purpose as the case stands with most Ministers and People who are bitterly against it and there should 50 lyars swearers c. be cast out would not there lie the same Objection against this practise also And yet the Author makes us beleeve he would have Excommunication set up Now when Mr Humfreys hath done all let us see how far we can gather from his own expressions an implied allowance of our own practise though his Book in the main fights against it 1. He cals for Church establishment and for Discipline for watching over one another for mutuall Reproof and Admonition and confesseth there comes guilt and defilement upon a soul if it be neglected Now we crave of our Brethren of the Ministery and the people we preach to and others to consider that these are the duties we call upon for to be practised and that people that fear the Lord might submit conscionably to the practise of them We crave of Mr Humfreys his more candid and honest interpretation of other his Brethren acting conscienciously in the Lords work according to the light imparted to him labouring to extricate the people by the good hand of God with them out of ignorance sinne and dead-hearted formality by a reall practise and not pretended only of Reformation And that the Lord may humble him for his great evil in this little but mischievous piece so miserably serving the turns of the enemies of goodnesse and that he will speedily call it in or we shall pray that the Lord will stir up others to do it for him FINIS Postscript Reader BE pleased to take notice that this Treatise hath been above this half Year fitted for the Presse but by reason of the death of a friend to whom it was committed to be printed it hath been retarded Be pleased also to take notice that Mr Anthony Palmer hath in the Presse severall Sermons on Matt. 8.23 24 25 26 27. Intituled The Tempestuous Soul Calmed by Jesus Christ