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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	christian_a	church_n	communion_n	2,479	5	8.9287	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88870	The bramble berry: or, A briefe discourse touching participating in mixt assemblies at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, wherein is most full and cleare satisfaction given to every weak and doubting Christian, both by testimony out of Gods Word, and many invincible reasons and arguments for that purpose, grounded upon the same, wherein is first principally discussed and resolved these three maine questions following: I. Whether the Congregationall assemblies in England be true churches of Jesus Christ, yea or no? 2. Whether it be lawfull to participate at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper among carnall and prophane men? 3. Whether the admitting of ungodly men to the table of the Lord be sufficient warrant for ministers to desist the publike administration of the Sacrament, or for particular members to decline it, or separate themselves? Secondarily, briefe and satisfactory answers given to all the principall places of Scripture alleadged to maintaine a separation from our church assemblies, besides their arguments and allegations sufficiently resolved: set forth for the benefit of the tender conscience. By W. L. a faithfull petitioner and carefull practitioner for the peace and welfare of the church and people of God.	W. L., a faithful petitioner and careful practitioner for the peace and welfare of the church and people of God.	1643 (1643)	Wing L84; Thomason E56_8; ESTC R413	53,887	63

any thing deare Christ an have fallen from my pen distastefull to the tender conscience I desire it may be imputed to my weaknesse and want of time to make things more cleare rather then want of affection to give satisfaction to such a soule for as the meditations are irretoricall and broken so are the peeces a d patches of time spent upon them as my calling would permit And to the end thou maiest profit I desire thou wouldest have patience to reade it first once thorow by reason it is not so methodicall as I could wish it and afterward with more deliberation consider Secondly that thou wouldest not receive prejudice at the meannesse of the Author who intends thy good And lastly I desire the Lord to adde such a blessing as may tend to his glory the peace of his Church and also thy particular satisfaction and edification and I shall be encouraged to ingage my poore Talent for the like furture benefit Thine in the Lord Jesus W. L. A briefe discourse touching participating in mixt Assemblies at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper wherein is most full and cleare satisfaction and resolution given to every weake and doubting Christian concerning these three Questions following to such places of Scripture as seeme to maintaine a Separation from our Church Assemblies COnsidering there are many in this Kingdome and in these dayes of division and distraction that question the truth of the Church and Church Assemblies in England or at least the truth of the Church of England I have thought good by way of Introduction to that which I mainely intend to wit the second Question Whether it be lawfull to participate in and among prophane and ungodly men at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to speake something to the first and onely so much as shall be requisite to make way to the second and third question which by Gods assistance I hope will satisfie the impartiall and indifferent Reader First then concerning the truth of our Church Assemblies that they are true Churches of Jesus Christ I lay downe this as an undeniable truth that that Church or Church Assembly wherein the fundamentall truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is truly taught the Sacraments and Ordinances of Christ dispense ●sufficient means offered to salvation obtained and had and a visible profession of obedience to the same that is a true visible Church of Christ notwithstanding there may be many corruptions in it both in Doctrine and Discipline and members thereof For the proofe hereof I propound the example of the Church of the Jewes the Apostolike Churches of Corinth Galatia and also the the 7. Churches of Asia spoken of by Saint John Revel cap. 1. vers 4. all which are confessed by all to be true Churches of Christ yet divers of them as corrupt as the Churches of England at this day both in Doctrine Discipline and members in one degree or other 1. For the Church of the Jewes Esa 56.10 Mat. 23.16 Mat. 23.3 Mat. 15.14 It was exceedingly corrupt in all three particulars their Priests were ignorant unlearned vicious and prophane blinde leaders of the blinde Christ therefore exhorts the people not to doe after their workes but after their sayings for they said and did not very hypocriticall binding heavy burthens upon others but not touching them themselves with their least fingers proud and ambitious loving the uppermost seates in the Synagogues and made broade their phylactaries all what they did was to be seene of men their callings was also corrupt for whereas the high Priest by the Law ought to have held his Office for his life Exod 29.5 E●ek 22.26 they chose 〈◊〉 every yeare and according to our best expositors they bought and sold the Office for money they were also principall violaters of the Law of God Secondly the people were generally notorious and prophane for at Nazareth they were so evilly disposed and so inraged against Christ that they all rose up to throw him headlong downe the hill whereon the City was built Luk 4 28. See Caparnaum Corazin and Bethsaida how the Lord Christ was against them for their impiety and infidelity Mat. 11.21 22. notwithstanding the great workes Christ had done among them and as for Jerusalem Luke 19.41 Christ beheld the City and wept over it saying Oh that in this thy day thou hadst knowne the things that belong to thy peace See also how they made havocke of the Lords Prophets beating them stoning them c. and as for their affection to the Lord Christ Luke 23.19 they preferre Barrabas a thiefe and murtherer before him Marke 7.8.9 Mat. 21.2 Thirdly for their worship it was filled with superstitious Ceremonies and Traditions and these they preferred before the commands of God the Temple also was prophaned and made a denne of theeves they bought and sold Oxen and Doves and made it an exchange for coyne John 9.12 Mat. 15.4 Mat. 5.21 Mal. 1.8 Deut. 14.2.3 29.10.11 12. 7.6.7 Esa 1.2 3 4 10. Lam. 4.6.22 Ezek. 16.46.47 Also their Discipline was exceedingly corrupt for if any man confessed Jesus to be the Christ he was cast out of the Synogogue their Doctrine also depraved for they made the fifth Commandement of no effect a man might neglect his Parents by giving to the Temple they forbad murther and adultery in the act but allowed them in the heart their Sacrifices also corrupted offering the blinde and lame which were not onely forbidden but hatefull to God in a word the same people that the Lord cals his peculiar and chosen ones he calleth also a stiffe-necked unwise and rebellious people a sinfull Nation yet all having right to the externall Covenant and all joyne together in the externall worship ordinances and service of God yet the scandalous infected not the better part though they had fellowship in externall communion therefore from hence we see a Church may be exceedingly corrupt and yet be a true Church 2. The Church of Corinth was corrupt in Doctrine and Discipline 1. In Doctrine some of them erred in fundamentals 1 Cor. 15.12 1 Cor 7.16 2 Cor. 12.20 21. denying the Resurrection of the dead 2. They held the Doctrine of single life yea Paul himselfe 3. There were amongst them fornicators uncleane and contentious persons 4. Divers prophane persons came to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper some comming hungry some drunke and many of hereticall and schismaticall spirits and opinions which are more hurtfull in the Church of God then prophane men by reason one is an evill that every man knowes the other being an errour to seduce the judgement is more hurtfull and dangerous 2. Corrupt in Discipline 1. Their Discipline was not put in practise for there was fornication among them not onely unpunished but unsorrowed for 2. These Schismes and Heresies continued in the Church and no course taken for the casting them out 3. Consider what the Churches of Asia were 1. Ephesus had lost

THE BRAMBLE BERRY OR A briefe discourse touching participating in mixt Assemblies at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper wherein is most full and cleare satisfaction given to every weak and doubting Christian both by testimony out of Gods Word and many invincible reasons and arguments for that purpose grounded upon the same wherein is first principally discussed and resolved these three maine Questions following 1. Whether the Congregationall Assemblies in England be true Churches of Jesus Christ yea or no 2. Whether it be lawfull to participate at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper among carnall and prophane men 3. Whether the admitting of ungodly men to the Table of the Lord be sufficient warrant for Ministers to desist the publike administration of the Sacrament or for particular members to decline it or separate themselves SECONDARILY Briefe and satisfactory answers given to all the principall places of Scripture alleadged to maintaine a separation from our Church Assemblies besides their arguments and allegations sufficiently resolved set forth for the benefit of the tender conscience By W. L. a faithfull petitioner and carefull practitioner for the peace and welfare of the Church and people of God Printed at London by Richard Cotes 1643. To the Reader CHristian Reader when I had the first occasion to enter upon this Subject by the request of some Christian friends to whom I was engaged by way of promise to deliver my judgement I did neither thinke to have waded so farre into it as I was afterward necessitated for satisfaction both of my selfe and them nor that such peeced and unpolished lines should ever have cumbred the Presse But after the delivery of it being desired to give Copies to divers friends I found the writing both tedious and chargeable which together with other importunings and the desire I have fully to satisfie such as desire satisfaction in this point with as much ease and as little charge as may be prevailed with me to bring that to publike sight for which I may meete with private censure but knowing the most pious and learned indeavours that ever yet saw the Sunne have beene obnoxious to censorious humours I wave that the Lord knowing that my principall aime herein is the glory of God and the peace and concord of his Church and people in indeavouring the uniting of the affections and opinions of Gods people which in these times of distraction are so divided in and about the point of mixt participation at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it being an Ordinance of so high concernement and indeed the diversity of opinions in and about this and other parts of Go●s worship even in godly men is the maine ground and Bases upon which not onely Papists and Jesuites and others of that Romish rabble would build that great difference that is fallen betweene his Majesty and Parliament and make the very cause of all the rapines ruines plunderings and bloudsheds in the Kingdome ●ut even our carnall Gospellers Neuters and Luke-warme Professors yea our Athisticall and Prophane wretches goe hand in hand with them in this scandalous straine as if the great Councell of the Kingdome were led by some factious private spirit And although it be nothing so indeed yet too many at this day are so impious as to charge it upon them not thinking that in wounding that Assembly of our Parliamentary Worthies they strike at the heart of Religion Law Liberty life and posterity and all that we can account precious in this life we cannot be ignorant how the eares of Gods people are daily filled from the mouthes of that Antichristian crew with these and such like expressions We wonder why the Parliament settles not Religion the government of the Church there is now so many Religions a man cannot tell which to be of these Brownists Anabaptists Puritans and Roundheads are the cause of all these troubles one will have no Divine service another no Lords Prayer another he will not come to the Sacrament because of the wicked there nay these Puritan Preachers are worst of all and the like And albeit a man might easily answer these and many more such foolish allegations which if God permit I shall indeavour in my next meditations for publike not being able to heare the cause of God wounded and be silent lest the very stones should crie out upon the great neglect of such unto whom more properly it belongs yet I beleeve these men who ever they be that make this disturbance in our publike Assemblies by singing downe Service pulling Common prayer book and Surplesses out of the Readers hands and from his backe keeping their Hats on in time of Common-prayer withdrawing from the Sacrament because carnall men are admitted although in other respect they may be godly yet by this their preposterous and blinde Zeale for at the best it must be Zeale without knowledge have done more hinderance to that great worke of Reformation so much prayed by for all Gods people and laboured for by that honourable Assembly of Parliament then all their indeavours otherwise can ever be able to promote it the enemies of true Religion taking great advantage by it and the cause of Christ so much the more injured the very Jesuites themselves not being able to hatch such another stratagem for their purpose for by this meanes all the neuters of the Kingdom are readier to side with them then those that stand for the cause of God and the Kingdome not that I goe about to plead for any corruption or innovation in the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church but doe earnestly desire that men would waite upon God in the use of lawfull meanes till he shall be pleased to perfect the worke of Reformation by such instruments as are lawfully called to it and intrusted both by God and man with the great affaires of Church and State and not every particular man to snatch the sword out of the Magistrates hand or be a seeming reformer when indeed he is an author not of order but confusion But not intending to raise too large a Porch before such a poore thatched Cottage lest the worke become more tedious then either toothsome or p●ofitable I hasten desiring the good Reader not to expect here either Learning or Logick but a plaine and I hope profitable discourse fitted to the meanest capacity for whose sakes my paines is principally spent upon it neither would I have beene so easily prevailed upon to come to publike being a man of such low abiliities and having as little time as any but that men of great parts whose whole life is or ought to be sequestred from the world doe either utterly forget or wholly neglect to speake to a point of so great concernment especially in these times of so great distraction What I have done herein the Lord of his mercy adde a blessing upon that though the worke be meane and the Author despicable yet God may have glory and his Church and people benefit And if

a true man and have a palsie hand Rom. 12.4 5. 1 Cor. 6.15 Ephes 5 30. or a rotten finger and the way to preserve life is to cut off the dead rotten member not to cut off the sound if there should be any of that other opinion I should as the proverbe saith count him a good Chirurgion but a very bad Physitian Mat. 13.24 25. Fifthly to a field wherein is Cockle as well as corne Tares as well as Wheate And though some hold that this parable hath relation to the whole world and by Kingdome of heaven is meant the Gospell of the kingdome yet it may as rightly be applyed to the condition of the visible Church which shall consist of Tares as well as Wheate to the end of the world Yet take it which way ye will see the Lord of the Harvest is very carefull to preserve the Wheate and therefore would not have the Tares medled withall till harvest not that I would so apply it as that prophane men in the Church should not be dealt withal but to this purpose to let men know the way to preserve a Church is not by plucking up the godly or the Wheate but rather to roote out the Tares the weedes the ungodly and let the good Corne stand and grow till harvest to be gathered into Gods barne Sixthly The Ordinances in the Church as the Word and Sacraments and Prayer are compared to the Wedding Feast to which a man should bring his wedding garment when in that Parable of the marriage of the Kings Sonne the King came in he never reproved them that sat● at table that had on these Wedding garments but him that had none takes him and casts him out the rest were not shut from the table because they sate with him that had not on his garment nor reproved for it he sinned and he onely suffered so consequently the beleeving prepared Communicant shall not be blamed for the unbeleeving and impenitent but his sin shall be upon his owne head And as the sinnes of wicked men and their presence at the Sacrament cannot hinder the godly from eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Christ spiritually by faith so they can no way hinder the beleever from life and salvation Joh. 6.54 by this their spirituall feeding upon Christ Whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood shall not perish but have everlasting life Tenthly It will appeare it is unlawfull to separate from our visible and publicke a semblies because the Lord continues his presence among us Let no man be more holy than God For so long as the Word and Sacraments are continued and the visible signes of Gods gracious presence making the meanes effectuall to convert and build up in the wayes of God as the Lord be praised wee have sufficient proofe dayly of we may conclude it is utterly unlawfull to separate They themselves that do separate do confesse they had their conversion in our assemblies and their beginnings of grace though some of them evade it and say not by the meanes in the Church of England but by reading and private conference and the like but we have daily sufficient and good testimony of the benefit received by the Ordinances and meanes of grace continued in our publique assemblies I hope every godly heart among us hath large testimony of the daily heate life and comfort that is found in them we finde that prophesie in the 42 of Isaiah and the 16. verse fulfilled to us and so Isaiah 29.18 where the Lord by the Prophet foretells what he would doe for his people under the Gospell he would bring the blinde by a way they knew not that he would make darkenesse light before them and crooked things straight so in that 29. Chapter In that day shall the deafe heare the words of the booke and the eyes of the blinde shall see out of obscurity and out of darkenesse c. And truely the proofe of the efficacy of the meanes of grace in our publique assemblies hath received the witnesse of many hundreds who have suffered persecution for it and have many of them sealed it with their dearest blood who doubtlesse are now enjoying the blessed fruites of their sufferings for the name profession and Gospel of Christ none of all which Martyrs did ever account in the Church of England the Ordinances of God Idolatrous or Antichristian or till it did wholly apostate and as it now stands it was in Kings Edwards time Iohn 9.25.32 What better witnesse can there be than experience or how is the tree knowne but by its fruites this perswaded the blinde man of the truth of Christs Doctrine even the miracle that he wrought upon him Surely saith he God heares not sinners and I am sure I once was blinde and I now see as I hope many of us in our assemblies can say whose eyes the Lord hath opened and whose hearts the Lord hath changed Let the Separation raile upon our Ordinances Ministers and Assemblies as much as the Scribes and Pharisees against Christ and his Apostles and Disciples and labour to seduce men as they would have done the blinde man whose eyes he had opened I say let them do what they will to reproach us we may truely say once we were blind and we now see and we are sure the Lord hath opened our Eyes by this contemptible meanes and as by vertue of Christs prayer the clay and spittle became effectuall so by vertue of the Spirit of God and the Intercession of Jesus Christ for his poore Saints the meanes of grace becomes effectuall both to convert and to confirme and establish to eternall life By workes Saint James saith faith is made manifest or perfect Jam. 2.22 and so our Saviour saith The workes which I doe testifie of me and as the miracles and great workes of Christ ought to have convinced the Jewes that he was Christ so the many yeares large and plenteous fruite reaped by the publique administrations of the Ordinances in our publique assemblies ought to be sufficient to convince all gainesayers that deny the truth and lawfulnesse of them for surely were not the presence and power of God in the Ordinances they would become dead and fruitlesse 11. If a man were desirous to separate and that it were lawfull where is the Word of God the Gospell of Jesus Christ more fully clearely truely and powerfully preached than in our publique assemblies and in many places the Sacraments as duely and reverently administred And I am confident there are as few false-hearted professors in the Church of England considering the proportion as in the most exact assembly of separation by Professors are meant not onely such as are in externall Communion but such as seem in a more speciall manner to performe godlinesse and of these for uprightnesse they may set forth to most exact assemblies c. of separation 12. Consider Salvation is to be had in the Church of England by the meanes of