THE Golden Mean BEING Some serious Considerations together with some Cases of Conscience resolved for a more full and frequent Administration of yet not free Admission unto the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper By Stephen Geree Minister of God's Word and Pastor of the Church of Abinger in the County of Surrey Toleramus quae nolumus ut perveniamus quò volumus August contra Donatistas Cap. 20. Minister Ecclesiae ubi non viget excommunicatio excusatus est modo non volens det coenam abutentibus sed instet monendo câ—piat cavere abusus Ursinus ut est apud Magist Bowles in Patore Evang lib. 3. Cap. 5. pag. 193. If thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it if he do not turn from his way he shall die in his iniquity but thou hast delivered thy soul Ezek. 33.9 LONDON Printed for Joseph Cranford and are to be sold at the Kings head in St Pauls Church yard 1656. TO THE READER WHen I consider that most pathetical Praier of our dear Saviour for all his Disciples not long before his death Joh. 17.20 21. That they all might be one as the Father was in him he in the Father that they also might be one in them and for this canse that the world might believe that the Father had sent him Intimating that the unity of Christians is an especiall means to convince the world that Jesus was the Messias and consequently to convert them unto Christ It troubles me not a little to see such strange differences and divisions among true Christians whereby the world that should be won by our singular love and unity is utterly distasted and so disaffected to the true Religion of Christ Little do som of the separation consider how dishonourable and disadvantagious it is to Christ and his Spouse the Church to be guilty of such a great sin as schisme is otherways I am perswaded they would with both hands indeavour to make up the breaches that they have made in our Churches and that especially in regard of the Lord's Supper a Sacrament of our Spiritual Union and Communion with Christ our blessed Saviour O! that they would at length sadly consider how little good that reformation is like to work which only reforms such as they suppose already reformed accepting none into visible Church-fellowship in this Ordinance but those whom they judge really gracious contrary to the practise of all other reformed Churches mean while neglecting if not despising all the rest whom they should rather pity and not thus provoke whereby they do either exasperate or discourage them although they judg them to stand in most need of their help Neither is the injury small which in this case some Ministers suffer in that they are robbed of some of their choicest children begotten by their faithfull 1 Cor. 4.15 1 Thes 2.19 20. and painful Ministery who were the crown and comfort of their Spiritual fathers while they remained with them and were as stakes in the hedges of their severall Churches and might still have been lively patterns to their other people had they not been as the Apostle saith bewitched with specious pretences of a more pure and primitive Communion And verily had it been for their own advantage and spirituall gain as is imagined it would not so much aflict us and we would have held our peace although it would not have countervailed our dammage but when we sadly see how by this means many of them get such an itch after novelties and an humour of changing that they are ready to receive any up start opinions or old rotten heresie newly revived so that they gad from Church to Church till no Church is thought good enough for them and till at last some of them utterly lose all that Religion that they seemed to have being elevated not only above Ordinances and Scripture but above God himself horresco referens holding that there is neither Heaven nor Hell neither God nor Devill and so are become two-fold more the children of Hell than those they formerly separated from This must needs be a most sad and soul-breaking spectacle And whence is the root and rise of all this chiefly from that licentious principle that men have liberty to be of what Congregation they will and so after that they have made a rent in their own Church they think when they please or are displeased they may make another and so another as long as they list Mat. 23.15 if their wandring spirit shal but move them which I wonder some of the wiser sort of them do not see and if they see it do not seek to prevent it and cease to gather Churches out of churches Surely there 's far more need to gain men really unto Christ than to gather Churches out of Churches to the great grief of godly Church-membets who are not a little troubled at such inordinate courses Object And whereas some of them questions the truth of our Churches and thereupon may presume they do us no wrong Answ I answer that some of the most sober and learned Independents do ingenuously confess See jus divini Ministerii Aug p. 47.48 that we have true Churches and therefore some that deny it do shamefully defile their own nests by this means making their Mother an whore and themselvs base-begotten being first bred and born Christians in our Congregations And if we have true Churches how can they make such rents among us and not be guilty of that great sin of Schisme which now cries lowder in God's ears than formerly because multiplied beyond measure And as for my brethren that suffer with me in this case and that for fear of offending them and others have abstained from administring the Lord's Supper which is acknowledged to be an Ordinance of excellent use and therefore not only the abuse but also the disuse is no small sin I have with all tenderness avoiding all bitterness indeavoured to incourage them to a more full and frequent celebration of this holy Supper having as I hope clearly demonstrated that there is no such danger in delivering this Sacrament to most of our Church-members that are of age and understanding as many do imagine Always provided that the Ministers instruct and catechize them in the grounds of Religion and particularly about the nature of the Sacraments as seals of the Covenant of grace teaching them how to receive worthily and telling them the danger of unworthy receiving perswading them carefully to renew their Covenant with God which they made in Baptisme by repenting truly of their sins and stirring up their faith to lay faster-hold on Jesus Christ for the remission of sins thankfully acknowledging the love of the Lord Jesus in shedding his blood for the pardon of sin he likewise consecrating the elements with holy reverence and godly simplicity abandoning all suspitious ceremonies and humane inventions And if after all this they will come in their sins and so eat and drink judgment to
themselvs their blood shal be upon their own heads the Minister hath given them sufficient warning and so hath delivered his own soul But in case any grosly ignorant or scandalous should to the offence of others presume to come to this holy Communion I have delivered my opinion to this purpose That seeing the Word of God is silent in this particular of the Sacrament and only speaks of Excommunication which is a casting out of all Communion and not from the Sacrament only we have no settled Church-government at least owned and back'd by publick authority to exercise such a severe sentence a Excommunication is Mâ—â— â— â—3 â—4 therefore if but two or three sufficient persons of the Congregation will testify the scandall or ignorance the Minister in such a case may openly examine the ignorant and if the ignorance appear grosse and childish he is as well to be refused as one under age And for the grosly scandalous they are openly to be admonished and if for the present they professe hearty sorrow and promise amendment they may be admitted and if they do this in hypocrisie it is at their own perill onely But if they prove obstinate and for want of power cannot be legally excommunicated Mat. 5.23.24 the Minister may charge them to forbear telling them what they deserve 1 Cor. 5.11.13 2 Thes 3.6.14 and warne others to with-draw from them as the Apostle doth concerning such all which must be done with much meeknesse of wisdom and charitie If any think that notwithstanding these cautions too much liberty is given to let in so many I shall answer with these words of Reverend and learned Master Baxter I never found saith he one word in Scripture where Christ and his Apostles denied admittance to any man that desired to be a member of the Church though not onely professing to repent and believe Saints rest part 4 § 3. page 104. neither did I ever there sinde that any but convicted hereticks or scandalous ones and that for the most part after due admonition were to be avoyded or debarred our fellowship And again a little after he saith Their being baptized persons if at age is sufficient evidence of their interest to the Supper till they do by heresie or scandall blot that evidence Thus M. Baxter And indeed it were a sad thing vide Blake Cov. sealed page 130. for Ministers as M. Hudson hath wel observed if they were bound to admit none or administer the Lord's Supper to none but such as were truly godly or that they judged in their consciences to be so or were bound to eject all that they judged were not so Hudson of the univers visib Church page 249. And there is great reason for this that he saith first because God never puts us upon the scearching of other mens hearts but our own in this particular Secondly because 't is more than probable that this Ordinance doth much conduce to conversion or regeneration as is proved in the ensuing discourse and more at large by learned M. Blake which though it seem contrary to the opinion of many of our orthodox Divines who speak of this Ordinance as being meat to seed and not seed to beget new life yet shall we finde that generally in their practise they made no scruple to deliver this Sacrament to all knowing persons that were not scandalous neither did they turn any away meerly because they judged them unregenerate If it be further objected that our Divines require Repentance and Faith in all that come to this holy Table therefore they do not count it a converting Ordinance I answer that the same graces are required to the performance of those Ordinances which all confesse to be converting viz. Prayer and hearing Gods Word for the Scripture saith that unlesse men pray and hear with Faith repenting c. they pray and hear in vain see James 1.5 6 7. Heb. 4.2 and yet these two Ordinances are chief meanes to beget Faith and Repentance Romans 10.14 17. Psal 66.18 Luk. 24.47 Acts 2.37 38. But thne you will say why should any at all being of years be kept back from this Ordinance if it be such an help to conversion I answer with learned M. Blake Every Ordinance that is for conversion is not meet to be applied to every one in an unconverted condition he instanceth in reproof which is a means to convert because it is called the reproof of life Prov. 6 23. yet reprove not a scorner saith Solomon least he hate thee Prov. 9.8 So we may forbid this Sacrament to some obstinate sinners that declare their sins like Sodome because some other more severe cours is best for them that may make them ashamed as I shewed before seeing fair means will not work on such but onely foul they must have some corrasives to eat out the proud flesh To conclude I hope my long-known practise and principles against profanenesse will apologize for me in this particular that I have not done any thing in allowing this liberty to patronize any sin in the least seeing I judge this the most profitable cours to keep som more within compasse and also to keep up Religion which hath much decayed since this Sacrament hath been so much disused I say no more but commend that which is done to the blessing of God whose power is made perfect in mans weaknesse 2 Cor. 12.9 Eph. 3.20 and who is able to do exceeding abundantly even above all we can ask or think From my Study July 30. 1656. Stephen Geree AN Advertisement to the READER READER WHile this smal ensuing Discourse was at the Press there came happily to my hands that learned and elaborate Treatise of the rarely accomplisht and eminent Divine Mr Richard Vines concerning the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper wherin amongst other Questions he handles this also Whether the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper be a converting Ordinance which he determines on the negative Now least some should think that this is flat contrary to what I have wriiten and so be stumbled at the same I would have it well considered that M. Vines doth labour onely to prove that this Sacrament is no Converting Ordinance in the primary intent of it perse which I do not deny affirming onely that it doth much conduce to the conversion of a knowing baptised person that is not scandalous as it is considered with all necessary circumstances being always adjoined or added unto the Word according to that old saying of Austine Accedat verbum ad elementum fit Sacramentum Hence I conclude that the Word barely preach'd without the Sacrament as a seal to confirme it cannot ordinarily be so effectuall to beget Faith and Repentance as when both are conjoined as a Bond sealed is of more force to make a man believe he shall have a promised debt than one that is unsealed and therefore I suppose the Sacrament doth further conversion not meeerly ex accedenti but
quae adeò graviter in Scripturis damnatur suadetque ut coacto Episcoporum concilio remedium adhibeatur yet subjoins withall Non asperè quantum existimo non duriter non modo imperioso ist a tolluntur magis docendo quam jubendo magis monendo quam minendo Sic enim agendum est cum multitudine peccantium Severitas aute◠exercenda est in peccata paucorum That is that drunkenness did rage in Affrica without controll which is so much condemned in the Scriptures and he counsells him to use some remedy by calling of a council of Bishops yet saith he these things are not taken away as I suppose by harshnesse or by imperious means rather by teaching than commanding rather by admonishing than by threatning For so must we deal with a multitude of offenders and use severity only against the offences of a fow This is our very case in England as it was in Affrica the multitude for the most part is grievously infected with drunkenesse other damnable sin◠therefore seeing it would be pernicious impious to separate a remedy worse than the disease to leave them in such a desperate and deplored condition See Doctor Field of the Church Book 1 c. 17 p. 33. so can it not be safe to exercise severe Discipline upon them The reason is because that would not bring them to shame being so many that are guilty for they will harden one another But some more milde and gentle course must be considered of to win and work upon them by love rather than seek to force them by fear using all kind instructions and loving admonitions rather than rigid rebukes and harsh threatings which will but exasperate and make them more obstinate pertinacious and peremptory And thus you see the concurrent judgment of these three most worthy men whose praise is glorious both for piety and parts which may be the more easily assented unto if we well consider the Lenity long-suffering and patience of our Lord and Saviour in the like cases who when his Disciples in their rash zeal would have commanded fire to come down from heaven Luk. 9.53.54.55.56 to consume the Samaritans because they would not receive him he rebuked them saying Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of for saith he The Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Christ you see was not so harsh and hard in censuring and judging as the Disciples were but reproved for their rashnesse though they pretended the example of Elias It is also generally confessed by all sober men that the Antient Fathers were too rigid in their Discipline too severe in their censures and yet their case did more require Austerity as may seem than ours doth Because they lived among Heathens who denied the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore least Christianity it self should com into more contempt and be scandalized by the bad conversation of professed Christians the Officers and Governours of the Church were forced to use more rigour for the avoiding of offences that so they might win the Gentiles to the love of the truth Wherefore we must consider the nature of the times wherein we live and like wise Physicians temper our medicines so as that they may be most taking bitter Pills will not down with some queasie stomacks we must in most things observe the temper of our distempered people and sometimes humour them as we do our froward children lest they should fret themselvs too much Christianity is now the common profession and in credit therefore our chief indeavour must be to work men to a reall practise according to their profession and because strict Discipline will not now be indured as sad experience tels us especially in this juncture of time when every one may be of what Congregation he will or of none at all and of what Religion he will that is called Christian so it be neither Popish nor Prelaticall or of no Religion at all so that he keep it to himself and disturb not others Consid 2. Therefore in the next place I desire that it may be well considered whether it were not necessary to give some indulgence at least for a time because of the hardnesse of mens hearts as Moses did in the matter of divorce and that by Gods own permission and appointment Deut. 24.1 And this so much the rather because nothing is positively determined in Scripture concerning this particular to wit who those are that are to be kept back from the Lords Supper but it is left to the wisdom and prudence of those in authority both in regard of this and diverse other parts of Discipline to vary according to circumstances of time place and person seeing Christianity is not now confirmed as formerly to one Nation Act. 10.34.35 and country only but is free for all Nations Mat. 28.19 Now disserent countries have different dispositions and customs therefore there could not be the same Discipline in every particular for every people Withall let it be observed which som do not impertinently urge that the Apostle never blames the Ministers or any others for admitting those Corinthians to this Sacrament of the Supper whom he so much condemns for their unworthy receiving and upon whom God himself had inflicted such visible judgments as weaknesse sicknesse and death it self for that very sin of unworthy receiving charging them only that were guilty to examine themselvs and not the Ministers either there or any other where Case 1. But here coms a case of conscience to be resolved Should all good and bad be admitted to this holy Sacrament of the Supper Solution I answer No if we can chuse but when we cannot do what we would Blake Cov. sealed page 274.275 we must do what we can as reverend M. Blake hath well determined adding a little after That the Churches edification is first to be considered but the peace of the Church by no means neglected Case 2. But should not people be examined by the Minister at least before they be admitted to the holy Supper or should all that are baptized and of years come that will without any more a do as some do plead I answer though there be no particular precept for such examination as there is for self-examination 1 Cor. 11.28 yet I think that it is necessarily deducible from that which is generally granted on all sides All take for granted that Children Fools and Mad-men are to be prohibited this Sacrament of the Supper and yet there is no syllable for this directly in the Word of God but onely by natural reason to be deduced thence because such are altogether unable to examine themselvs and so to improve this Sacrament for their spiritual advantage c. by reason of their invincible ignorance Now there must be therefore of necessity some appointed to judge who are fools and mad-men and who are past children and of years which cannot be known without examination and
way of worship that shall be instituted by God all of which are onely of positive right All Israel were tied to sacrifice as well as to hear and pray and all Christians are now under an obligation to the Law of the Sacraments as they are to other duties And a little after he adds There are texts indeed produced seemingly taking off men under sin from the performance of positive duties as Mat. 5.23.24 and as much may be said concerning those that are moral Ezek. 14.2 3. 20.23 thus far Mr. Blake Object If here it should be objected concerning the former Scripture 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. c. that presently after God was said not to be well pleased with many of them that are that spiritual meat c. Answ but overthrew them in the wildernesse ver 5. I answer 't is true and this makes much against them that rest in the deed done and think Sacraments will save by the bare outward act sine bono motu utentis but this makes nothing against what I have said for the Apostle saith not that God was displeased with them for eating that Spirituall meat c. but for lusting after evill thinges as appeares ver 6 7. c. In all which and that which followes in the next Chap. where he speakes of the Lord's Supper he saith not one word against their coming to the Sacrament which was their duty but onely against their misbehaviour at it which was very grosse whereby it may appear that many of them were unregenerate for some of them were drunke either at or presently after that Ordinance which is little better they came to it not as a sacred but as a civil or rather uncivil feast hence those judgments seized upon them to wit weaknesse sicknesse death ver 30. yet not a word of excluding the parties but only condemning their miscarriages Case 5. But is not administring the Sacrament to such as be unregenerate Mat. 7.6 a giving holy things to Dogs c. Contrary to Christ's flat command Sol. Noâ— at all in our Saviours sence This place I know is much urged and that by many learned and godly men and I know it is sufficiently answer'd by many no lesse learned and godly especially by M. Jeanes and also by M. Blake yet give me leave to fay something in this particular because it works much with a great many I confesse I cannot chuse but wonder to see this place so wrested by wise and worthy men as if it afforded Argumentum palmarium not considering either the absurdity or inconsequence of their arguing First the absurdity is evident because taking it for a general proposition as they do and so including the holy things of the Sacrament among the rest it makes full as much if not more against preaching to such as they call Doggs and Swine and whom they would exclude eo nomine from the Sacrament when notwithstanding they preach the holy things of the Gospel to the self-same Doggs yea and cast those pearls before those same Swine especially when they contend for excommunicate persons not to be excluded the Congregation Therefore the Proposition cannot bee general in their sense of Doggs but so as to make flat against themselves The truth is preaching reproving and admonishing are mostly meant by those holy things and pearls which our Saviour speaks of as M. Perkins and many others give the sense of the place But now if you take Doggs and Swine in Christ's own sense who must needs be the best expositor of his own meaning for such as will rent you and trample upon those pearls which you give them see then the inconsequence of their inference Those whom they would exclude from these holy things and precious pearls in this Sacrament never offer to rent or tear those that administer them but the contrary they are ready to rent those that refuse administring to them though not with their teeth yet with their tongues as many can testifie And as for trampling these pearls under their feet they are so far from it as that they prize this above most other Ordinances and have used to come more reverently to it than to any Ordinance whatsoever carrying themselvs worse by far towards the Word preached which as yet they are allowed to enjoy Moreover let them take Doggs for whomsoever they will provided they have this quality here mentioned by our Saviour to be ready to rent those that would give them this holy Supper and there need be no controversie in this case for if they should but offer such an affront for administring these things unto them we would not offer to give them indeed we should not need to trouble our selvs about them in this respect because they would not come to this Ordinance at all as many now sinfully refuse who hold us and our Ministrie Antichristian and surely we are not so Popishly affected as to carry it to their houses or carry it about and call upon them to adore it as the Papists do their Host or Breaden god which they call the Sacrament of the Altar Object But some will say Is not this Childrens bread and therefore not to be given to Doggs according to the saying of our Saviour Mat. 15.26 Answ 'T is most true it is indeed Childrens bread and therefore not to be given unto Doggs But who are Children in that speech of our Saviour Even all those that are of the Visible Church in opposition to those that were not for this Woman of whom he spake was a Gentile and not a Proselite and the Jews in those daies were onely of the Church and so Children how wicked soever which is likewise manifest by Christ's foregoing words ver 24. I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel mark even the lost sheep of the house of Israel as well as those that were already found are reckoned there to be the same with the Children And consequently Doggs according to Christs meaning must needs signifie there such as were not of the Visible Church or uncircumcised and so likewise those are children among us who are received into the Visible Church and Baptized and have right unto Childrens bread and cannot be counted Doggs in our Saviours sense there but onely Infidels and unbaptized are to be accounted such and not to receive this Sacrament in statu quo Case 6. But will not this largenesse in Admission give offence to many of God's people and cause them to separate from us and speak evil of us as if we were no true Churches Sol. I answer It is too common even for holy ones to take offence where none is given and therefore we need to be as cautelous as we can that we may give none occasion in this censorious age and I am confident if the cause be well examined they that take offence at mixt Communions as they call them so separate have given far greater offence by the rents
divisions that they have made in our Churches and yet count it their glory though it be to the great grief of many godly ones as well as ungodly hindering their conversion and opening the mouths both of Popish and prophane adversaries causing them to blaspheme profession and Religion it self And as for the truth of our Churches I verily believe most of them are as pure and free from corruptions as most of those Churches of Asia to whom our Saviour sent several Epistles and called them all golden Candlesticks Rev. 1.20 The Church of Sardis Rev. 3.1 had a name to live and was dead and the Church of Laodicea was neither cold nor hot but luke-warm the worst temper that could be in a Church which made Christ so sick of them that hee was ready to spue them out of his mouth Rev. 3.15 16. There was nothing it seems commendable in them else surely our Saviour would have taken notice of it as he did in that of Sardis saying That they had a few names that had not defiled their garments Rev. 3.4 But it seems there were none among the Laodiceans for if there had why should not Christ have incouraged them as well as others seeing he passed an impartial censure doubtlesse upon them all And withall let it be observed that Christ himselfe doth not there make so much adoabout polluting of the sacrament of the Lords Supper more than about other Ordinances which is now so much insisted on and was then no doubt as much defiled if not more than among us considering what grosse corruptions some of them had and Christ set himselfe of purpose to correct whatsoever was most amiss among them and therein set us a perfect copy how to reforme deformed Churches commending the good and condeming the bad But we hear never a word that they should make a separation because of the bad but rather to rebuke and so to reforme them Rev. 2.14 He condemneth the Church of Pergamos because she had them that held the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balaack to cast a stumbling block before the Children of Israel and to eat things sacrificed to Idols and commit fornication and the like and thereupon bids them Repent or else he will fight against them with the sword of his mouth But never commands the good to separate although such foul evils were tolerated amongst them He also sharply reproves the Church of Thyatyra for suffering the Woman Jezabell who called her selfe a prophetesse to teach and seduce his servants to commit fornication c. threatning her heavily Rev. 2.20 21 22 23. Yet not a word to the well affected of separation or any such thing Lastly we see plainly that two many have fallen off to separation even where none have been admitted at all that partly for fear least some should take offence and so separate And as for those that have separated because they could not injoy such pure and unmix't Communions among us as they supposed how fearesully have some of them fallen from one degree of separation to another till at last they have separated not onely from all Churches but from all Ordinances and consequently from all Religion also Such is the giddinesse of this age by reason of the subtilty of some seducers especially Priests and Jesuites that go under the name of gifted brethren and teach them to blast all our Ministers and Ministry as usually they do That being the first thing they commonly teach Now when they have once begun to separate from our Churches and censure us and our Ministry as Antichristian some of them grow so selfe-conceited and censorious that no Church will hold them but they soar alost above all Ordinances as carnall and low thinges Yea the Scripture it selfe is counted but a dead letter whereby some of them at last become worse than the worst of those they have so rashly separated from Quis talia fando temperet a lacrymis My very heart doth sometimes bleed to confider how our fair hopes which we had of many have been by this meanes blasted and poor soules utterly undon who I am perswaded were well-meaning men and women and with good intent entered upon that way of separation But we may see how dangerous it is to be wise above that which is written and more strict then God's Word will warrant us which I wish were well considered of all well-minded Christians least they rush upon the same Rock For the Divell is never more dangerous Mark this 2 Cor. 11. than when he transformes himself into an Angell of light as he hath usually done in our dayes and hath gotten great advantage against us by over-doing as well as formerly by under-doing as learned and zealous M. Baxter hath well observed This is as cleer as the Sun to those that do not willfully wink and shut their eyes For when Satan saw that the grosse Superstition and Idolatry in Altar-worship and the like brought in by some of the Bishops was quite quash't and become odious by the late Parliament about the begining and that a reformation was intended and indeavoured he than cuningly turned hands and would turne Reformer also But with full intent to deforme and overturne all for whatsoever the Parliament began to do he would be sure to over-doe that so he might undo whatsoever they had done 1. As for example when the Parliament went about to reforme our Churches and repair the breacher he 'l have them utterly raced down to the ground as Antichristian and rebuilt from the bottom as if they were no true Churches at all 2. And when they sought to reform the Ministry and cast out those that were corrudted being either ignorant or scandalous he goes higher and will have all pull'd down Root Branch Not onely Archbyshops and Byshops but all Ministers made by them whomsover And when the Parlament proposed to mend the Ministers maintenance least scandalous means should make scandalous Ministers he would have them preach gratis as the Apostls did and stand to the peoples curtesie and worke for their living as the Apostle Paul and some others had done and for this purpose raised up Preachers of his own inspiring end Ordaining just as Jerobeam did of the lowest of the people which were not of the suns of Levi. 1 Kings 12.31 Whosoever would he consecrated hlm and he became one of the Priests of the high places 1 Kings 13.33 so he resused no Methanicks but incouraged them and cryed them up and not onely cryed down all other Preachers but to this end cryed down Tithes also as Antichristian and unjust Though in the Scriptures the godliest men did first give them to wit Abraham the Father of the faithfull and Jacob of whom came the twelve Tribes of Israel Abraham gave Melchizedeck tithes of all Gen. 14.20 even of the spoiles Heb. 7 2. 4. how unlike are those Souldiers unto Abraham that would spoyle us of our Tithes God allowed them not onely Tithes but
Offerings and some of the sacrifices beside 48 Cities with their Suburbs and God himselfe did afterwards in his wisdom settle them as his own portion upon his own tribe of Levi which he chose instead of the first-born to do his speciall service By these meanes the Divell hath done more mischief then most can imagine for he very wel knows that take away maintenance and you take away Ministery No man saith the Apostle goeth to warfare any time at his owne charges 1 Cor. 9.7 Speaking of maintenance for Ministers Hence our gracious Lord and Master gave his own Tribe of Levi very liberall allowance even under the Law for that administration which was farre inferiour to ours under the Gospell Again the Divel further knows that take away Ministers and you ruine the Churches as you do an Army by taking away their Commanders because Ministers are the Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Guides or rulers Captains or Leaders Heb. 13.7 17. the Watchmen and Shepherds that must feed and defend the flock of Christ from Wolvs which the Apostle fore-told would enter among them Act. 20.28 29 30 31. And if we have neither Churches nor Ministers we shall have in a while no Ordinances and hence many came to be above Ordinances a most transcendent evil when once they had rejected our Ministry and our Churches For I conceive that if Satan's young Chaplains could have preached and praied as well as other Ministers they would not for shame have left off Ordinances which they kept up for a time usurping the office of the Ministry but at length left that when they saw their own inabilities that way and fell to ascribe all to inward Revelations and took those Revelations which were doubtlesse from the Divel to be divine dictates from the Holy Ghost and as good or rather better than the holy Scriptures which they found did not make for them but rather flat against them though sometimes they would pretend Scripture to deceive silly souls 4. Again when the Parlament would reform somthing about the Sacrament of Baptisme Satan would still go beyond them and taught by his Emissaries that all must be re-baptized that were baptized in their Infancie neither should that be administred to any till they should renounce our Churches and Ministry and give a reason of their faith By this means concluding our poor Infants to be in a far worse condition than the Infants of the Israelites who were received into the Church by Circumcision and ours must be left without for lack of Baptisme And yet he stopped not here neither but went yet higher with some that they should decry all water-baptisme that was but a carnal Ordinance he will have them have none but spiritual-baptisme rejecting water-baptisme as need lesse for them that had the Holy Ghost when as the Apostle Peter after he saw that the Gentiles had received the Holy Ghost did thereupon baptize them Acts 10.47 Can any man saith he forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we Do not they then absurdly forbid water-Baptisme 5 Lastly when the Parlament intended to reform somthing in the Administration of the Lord's Supper and to keep back the grosly ignorant and scandalous that either could not or would not improve that holy Sacrament to their spiritual advantage he laboured to go still beyond them hee will have none admitted but those that may be judged truly gracious and herein he seemed something modest and therefore he goes a little further and would not admit of some unlesse they were first dip't or rather duck'c over head and ears as if it had been possible for John Bartist thus to have dealt with Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Jordan who came to his Baptisme Mat. 3.5 6. which had been more then an Herculean labour Cons 3 In the next place I desire that it may be impartially considered whether or no the Sacarment of the Lord's Supper be not in some sense over highly esteemed amongst many I mean especially in comparison of other Ordinances whether there be not a sin on the right band as well as on the left that as some do under-value it so others do over-value it Indeed I have been long mistaken if some holy men have not in a kind idolized this holy Sacrament I suppose that Popish Transubstantiation or at least their idolatrous adoring of their Sacrament of the Altar and also the very Altar whereon it is offered did arise from some such overweening conceit that some of the Antients or others had of this Sacrament And what a world of wrangling and sea of blood hath been spent in our own and other Nations by reason of these errors that seem so plausible and to be done in honour to our Lord Jesus Christ In like manner the over high conceit of the other Sacrament of Baptisme begat great inconveniences among the Antients who judging that Baptisme did actually wash away all their sins and if they sinned hainously after Baptism they could not so easily obtain remission and because Baptisme was not to be iterated but onely once to be administred therefore they staied from receiving Baptisme a long time that they might have the brunt of sin over before it by which it would be the better taken away than by any other means Now this too high conceit of Baptism caused some dangerously to defer it so that some Christians of good age died unbaptized and either never received the Lords Supper or else received it disorderly for as no uncircumcised person was to eat the Passeover Exod. 12.48 so by consequence none unbaptized should receive the Supper I have not written this as if I would that men should have a mean esteem of this holy Ordinance of the Lord's Supper for I hold it very precious and soveraign and to be used with much reverence Devotion and thankfulnesse and therefore am very much grieved that it hath been so much disused in many Congregations but I conceive that so highly to prise it above other Ordinances is very dangerous producing sad effects as we have seen And I verely be ieve that this preferring of it so much as if it were of all others such a Noli-me-tangere and as if no other Ordinance could so defile or be de filed hath been on maine case of most of our late breaches amongst bretheren in our Churches when as the Word of God speakes as much if not more against the profaning of other OrdinancesSee Prov. 28.9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law even his prayer shall be abomination and Isa 1.11 12. c. And what reason can any man give why a wicked man should more defile another at this Sacrament then at other parts of God's worship Ob. It is objected that at this Sacrament we propfesse our selves on body with them which some dare not do with the wicked Answ And do we not so when we pray to the
M. See his Book in 8. v. pag. 11.12 c. Jeanes who hath both largely and learnedly handled this particular And thus much shall suffice concerning the considerations and cases of Conscience I will conclude with a few motives to stir up my self and others to a more frequent and conscionable celebration of this holy Supper Motive 1 First because the keeping of the Passeover solemnly though but outwardly of many was a meanes to free all the Families of the Israelites from having their first borne destroyed from the Egyptians So may the keeping of this Supper that succeeds the Passeover be a means to preserv us from common calamities seeing our Sacraments are not lesse but rather more effectuall than theirs and withal considering that this is an approved way of renewing our Covenant with God and God's renewing his Covenant with us when we keep this Epulum Foederale This feast of the Covenant or Covenant-feast where God seales his covenant to us to be our God and to take care of us as Confederates do one for another Motive 2 Secondly if many were sick and weak and some dyed because of the sin of unworthy receiving as we see 1 Cor. 11.30 Their sin and judgments cannot be small that altogether omit this holy duty For it is a ruled case that the willing neglect of good duties is a greater sin than the weak performance of them I do verily believe that many abstain out of meer conscience fearing that they should do more hurt than good but Conscientia erronea non obli gat Motive 3 Thirdly it is without question and granted on all sides that it is a duty necessarily incumbent upon a Minister of the Gospel to administer this Sacrament being a speciall part of GOD's publick worship but it is questioned by most and flatly denyed by many both learned and godly men that a single Minister hath power of himselfe to suspend a scandalous person from the Sacrament Therefore it must needs be safer for a Minister to do that which is his certain duty than neglect it wholly and so in a kind suspend all good and bad worthy as well as unworthy Motive 4 Lastly the often Celebration of this sacred Supper tends much to the glory of GOD and the Churches good because herein is a thankful acknowledgment of CHRST crucified for us and also a putting GOD the Father in mind of CHRIST'S Death as some suppose and of his Covenant of grace sealed with his Sons blood and also a renewing our Covenant with GOD as was formerly said that he may renew his grace and mercy upon us Which things are of singular use Wherefore let us lament and lay to heart our former great neglect and labour for time to come to be more faithfull and frequent in administration of this holy Supper as without all Popish superstition so with all reverence and godly simplicity which I take to be the main defect in those Corinthians that received so unworthily And as for those that are so apt to Censure in this case let mee commend to them the Apostles practise in that 1 Cor. 11. When they had much transgressed in unworthy receiving and for which GOD had grievously judged them he never blames the Minister for admitting them but biddeth every one Examine himselfe and so eat verse 28. and tell 's them ver 31. If they would judg themselves they should not be judged of the LORD This this is the right way to reformation To cease judging others and fall more closely to judging of our selves There was never more judging of others and lesse judging of men's selves If men would more judge themselves they would certainly judge others lesse and so sooner escape the just judgments of GOD. Matthew 7.1 See Romans 14.10 Why doest thou judge thy brother Wee must all stand before the judgment seat of CHRIST And verse 13. Let us not therefore judg one another any more but judg this rather that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way Romans 15.5.6 Now the GOD of patience and consolation grant us to be like minded one towards another according to CHRIST Jesus that we may with one mind and one mouth glorify GOD even the Father of our LORD Jesus CHRIST Amen FINIS ERRATA In the Title Page line 17. read Pastore for Patore in the Epistle to the Reader pag. 8. line 17. for Suspicious r. superstitious p. 10. l 20. for these r. the p. 11. l. 3. for not r. but in the Advertisement p. 6 l. 4. and 5. for regenerated r. regeneration p. last l. 3. r. and so I leave In the Book it selfe page 2. line 26. put our there p. 15. l. 26. for convert r. correct p. 19. l. 10. after reproved add the word them p. 33 l. 12. after now add if p. 34. l. 1. for thou r. jou p. 35. l. 16. for saith r. say p. 4. l. 28. put out at p. 46. l. last put out as BOOKS Printed for Joseph Cranford at the Kings Head in St. Paules Church Yard ΠΑÎΘΕΟΛΟΓΙΑ or the Sume of Practical DIVINITY Practised in the Wilderness and Delivered by our Saviour in his Sermon on the Mount being Observations on the fourth fifth sixth and seventh Chapters of S. Matthew to which is prefixed PROLEGOMENA or Preface by way of Dialogue wherein the perfection and Perspicuity of the Scripture is vindicated from the Calumnies of Anabaptists and Papists By Thomas White Minister of Gods Word at Anne Aldersgate London ANIMADVERSIONS or the Rabinical Talmud of RABBI John Rogers Wherein is Examined his Doctrine as of the. Matter of a Church The duty of Separation Form of a Church The subjects of Church power c. By Zach. Crofton Minister of God's Word at James Garlick Hythe London A VINDICATION of the Answer to M. Brabourn concerning the Civil Magistrates Power as to changing Church-Government Wherein the Reverend M. Perkins and some Truthes of God are vindicated from the Lyes and scurrilcus expressions cast upon them By John Collings Minister of Gods Word in Norwich The Patterne of Patience in the Example of Holy Job a Paraphrase upon the whole Book being an expedient to sweeten the miseries of these never enough to be lamented times The Husbands Authority Vnvailed wherein is moderately discussed whether it be fit or lawfull for a goodman to beat his bad Wife A Method and instructions for the Art of Divine meditation with instances of the severall kindes of solemne Meditation By Thomas White Minister of God's Word in London Enchiridion Medicum Containing the causes signs and cures of all those diseases that do chiefly affect the body of man divided into three Books With Alphabetical Tables of such matters as are therein contained Whereunto is added a Treatise De facultatibus medicamentorum compositorum dosibus By Robert Bayfield Doctor of Physick in the City of Norwich The Crown of Righteousnesse by Tho. Watson Minister of Stephen Walbrook London FINIS