and oblige them to a performance of conditions Now upon this ground I would propose it to consideration whether a notoriously ungodly parent yea excommunicate who in words professeth assent to the Christian faith and knows what the Christian faith is as to the fundamentalls of it may not justly and fairly be presumed by the Church and Minister heartily to consent to dedicate his child to God in Gods way although he himselfe is so bewitched with and enslaved to his lusts that he doth not consent as it appeares by his contradictory deeds to give up himselfe to God in his way For my part I doe verily thinke many a drunkard would have his child sober and temperate and many a wanton desires his child may be chast c. And in general many a wicked parent appears cordially to rejoyce in the towardliness and godlinesse of his children c. And then according to the foresaid position of this accurate and pious Author the child of such a wicked parent may be admitted to enter and therefore to seale his entrance into Covenant with God in Baptisme he consenting understandingly for him upon Gospel termes whose he is and in whose will the childes will is interpretatively involved Yet because the scandalousnes of the said parent gives just occasion to the Church of suspition feare and jealousie least he should alter his will and desire now signified to have his child truly a Christian and godly and so faile in using necessary meanes for his childes instruction during its non-age in the Christian faith It s but equitable the Church should demand sureties for the same according to Ames his resolution of the case de conscientiâ lib. 4. qu. 1. Resp 8. Excommunicatorum contumacium liberi non expedit baptizari nisi sponsorum idoncoâ—um interventu I must beg the Readers pardon for this excursion which I fell into almost unawares and having engaged in it of some I shall have cause to crave their excuse for saying so much and of others for saying no more the point indeed deserveth a larger disquisition But mine apology to the former shall be that Mr. W. his exception I was answering did in the latitude of it comprehend this and therefore I would not wholly pass it by and to the latter that his words do not cleerly import he had any special reference to this point and therefore I thought the less might serve to note concerning it in my Reply unto him PSALM 119. part 19. T. 145 This whole heart cryd to thee Lord heare Thy statutes I 'le fulfill 146 To thee I cal'd save me most deare Thine hests I shall keep still 147 The day-break my cryes do prevent Trusting thy word I waite 148 The night too mine eyes are intent Thy truth to meditate 149 To my voice heark in kindnesse true Thy Judgements quicken mee 150 They draw nigh who mischeife pursue Far from thy Lawes they bee 151 Thou Lord art neere and very true Are thy Commandments sure 152 Thine hests thou hast of old I knew Founded aye to endure CHAP. XX. §. 1. I Shall now proceed to what remaines 3 In the next place Mr. W. answers my forementioned Reason to this purpose p. 110 111. If the man supposed in the case comes and desires to communicate and that earnestly this Mr. W. saith is rightly affirmed by mine Antagonists to be a Testimony of his seriousnesse which we may not upon his profession thereof refuse to beleeve And this Mr. W. proves in these words For Sir if you grant the case viz. that he desires to communicate and that earnestly then shew a Reason if you can why all godly minded Christians should not in charity believe upon his profession hereof that this is to us in foro externo a credible testimony of his seriousness Nay you adde moreover that who makes a credible serious profession of his faith and willingness to submit to the Lord Jesus Christ the Church ought not to excommunicate Nay you adde doubtlesse the Church ought not And we adde that doubtlesse the Church ought not to deny such an one the Lords Supper or suspend him from it What a schisme will do we know not c. The Reader may be pleased to beare in memory that after I had evinced that a man baptized at yeares and not fully excommunicate might be debarred the Sacrament if at the time when he tenders himselfe to be admitted when the time of celebration begins to draw neere he in words renounce Christ or an essential of Christianity which is not that I finde denied by Mr. W. In the procedure of my argument I added that if such word rejecting of Christ as before-said may debar the person aforesaid then some deed-rejecting of Christ may also Because that by some deeds of wickednesse there is as credibly a signification of a mans rejecting Christ as in words And this was proved as by other arguings so by this under our hand at present viz. If some deeds do not as credibly signifie a persons rejecting of Christ as words might doe then none could be excommunicated for sinfull deeds whiles they renounce not Christ in words but in words profess their earnest desire to be admitted to the Sacrament This consequence is valid at least ad hominem because mine Antagonists intimate that he who verbally professeth his desire to receive must be by us accounted a serious professor of faith what ever his works are And I averre that no visibly serious professor of faith is to be excoÌ„municated For then one in the way of a visible exercise of faith and true repentance should be excommunicated which none sure will affirme And this Consequence I cannot see that Mr. W. sticks at But now whereas I should assume But some may be excommunicated for sinfull deeds notwithstanding that in words they renounce not Christ but verbally professe their carnest desire to be admitted to the Sacrament This I thinke Mr. W. denies I am not certaine look over his words thy selfe Reader and use thine owne judgement to guess what he drives at But this I am certaine of either he denies this or he saith nothing of a contradictory tendency to my argumentation which here he pretends to enervate And if he do deny the foresaid Assumption as I conceive his words import taken together It may be imputed to his hast that he should hold what is so manifestly false viz. That none may be excommunicated for sinfull deeds though never so hainous and notorious if he renounce not Christ in words and professe verbally his earnest desire to communicate §. 2. But because M. W. bids me shew a Reason if I can for the contrary I must prove that the Sun shines at noone day And 1. If this his assertion be true then not professing earnest desire to communicate in the only crime sufficient to cause excommunication But a man may be excommunicated for other wickedness without respect to this 1 Cor. 5.11 A whore monger or drunkard
to call or encourage the prophane to come to be converted from that their wickednesse although God may work such an effect by the Sacrament even in an heathen if he were though finfully admitted §. 12. All Divines I think have held that in the Sacrament there is an application of comfort to the communicants particularly As the Minister is to give each their portion in due season and so is prudently to hold forth and apply the promises to those he judgeth humbled and capable of having them fitly and sately applyed to them and not to the visibly impenitent in that stare except so as to encourage them to repent that they may be capable of them So in the ministration of the Sacrament comfort is applied to the communicants upon supposition of their being in such a capacity for it really as to the Church they are apparently In short if the delivering the Sacrament to a communicant in this form Christ dyed for thee or the like words be an application of the richest Gospel-promise to him at that instant for him to lay hold upon for his present comfort and is so intended by the ministrator of the Sacrament to him then he is supposed in the judgment of the Church which receives him or in the prudentiall judgement of the Minister where there is no governing Church to involve his particular judgement in theirs that he is one who at present is in a capacity to believe that he hath saving inrerest in Christs body and blood exhibited there unto him sacramentally and signally which they must judge of not by his being a Church-member in the largest sense from which excommunication doth not simply cut him off but by his being visibly to them in the way of actuall obedience to the Gospel he professeth So much for this Argument Before we passe to the next it will not be amisse to take a little repose in the fifth part of the 119 Psalm PSALM 119. Part 5. E. 33 Eternal God teach me thy way Which I shall keep to th' end 34 Endue me with that wit I may Thy Law with whole heart tend 35 Ever me guide in thy Lawes blest For therein I rejoyce 36 Estrange not my heart from thy hests But from vile avarice 37 Engage me not to see vain wo In thy way quicken me 38 Establish now thy word unto Thy servant who fears thee 39 Early prevent my fear'd disgrace For good thy Indgements be 40 Each word of thine I did embrace In just grace quicken me CHAP. VI. §. 1. I Proceed to my fifth and chiefe Argument in the management whereof we shall derive cleere light from the holy Scriptures And it may be thus framed The Lords Supper ought not to be administred to them who do visibly and notoriously want that faith which is necessarily required to be visibly present in them who may be lawfully admitted thereunto But such as are unbeleevers by notorious disobedience to the Gospel do visibly want that faith c. Therefore the Lords Supper ought not to be administred to them The Major is undeniable The Minor I thus confirme Such as visibly want that faith which is necessarily required to be visibly present in the adult who may be lawfully admitted to Baptisme do visibly want that faith which is necessarily required to be visibly present in them who may be lawfully admitted to the Lords Supper But such as are unbeleevers by notorious disobedience to the Gospel do visibly want that faith which is necessarily required to be visibly present in the adult who may be lawfully admitted to Baptisme Therefore unbeleevers by notorious disobedience to the Gospel do visibly want that faith which is necessarily required to be visibly present in them who may be lawfully admitted to the Lords Supper §. 2. The major proposition here is proved by the analogy which divers have shewed betwixt the two Sacraments there is the same Covenant sealed in both and the same benefits conferred at least on the adult in both And if any make any difference herein the advantage is given to the Lords Supper and so our argument is more strong a minori ad majus But I shall not siay on this since the learned and ingenuous Mt. Humphreys the strongest opposer of the suspension our controversie is now about that I have seene hath granted that Adult is eadem est ratio utriusque sacramenti And in his explication of that Rule that it may suit with his own hypotheses the better and explicating himselfe thereupon Rejoynd sect 5. p. 65. he saith You must take the meaning thus There is cadem ratio but not in omnibus It holds in the maine that the same saith which will admit one of age to be baptized will also admit him to the Lords Supper and that is an historical faith only in profession yet as for making that confession though it be needful in Baptisme in admitting them to be Church-members seeing we have Scripture for it yet not at this Supper where we have none For when men are Church members already their very coming is their profession So he §. 3. Here are indeed some passages I am far from consenting to as that Baptisme admits persons to be Church-members when as the great argument for the Baptisme of children goes upon a contrary position viz. That Church-members whom no barring crime is charged upon may be baptized Therefore they are Church-members before Baptisme though in that their Church-membership is solemnly signified and publiquely acknowledged And his concluding it not needful to have this confession made before a person be first admitted to the Lords Supper as it was before persons adult were admitted to Baptisme will not hold unlesse he could shew where persons baptized in infancy were or ought to be in Scripture admitted to the Lords Supper without a personal recognition of the Christian faith But because this is not particularly determined in any Scripture example we must needs argue by analogy to Baptisme about it There is the same reason for requiring a profession of faith from one baptized in infancy before he is first admitted to the Lords Supper as there is for requiring it from the adult for their Baptisme especially such as Augustine and others who were many years Christians in profession before they came to be baptized and the Jewes who were Church-members before their being baptized But to let these things passe here Mr. Humphreys grants the Rule so far as I intend now to make use of it viz. that it holds in the maine that profession of faith historical saith he but most lamentably wrong is the Rule for admission to both Sacraments only in the baptisme of the adult it was verbal profession and at receiving he saith their very coming to receive is their profession Though he maketh the manner of testifying the faith required in adult persons to be baptized different from the manner requisite for testifying the faith required in him who is to be admitted
words of the Covenant which are written in this book And v. 32 33. he causet◠all present in Jerusalem and Judah all the people v. 30. to stand to it And the Inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the Covenant of God the God of their Fathers And Josiah took away all the abominations out of the Countryes that pertained to the children of Israel and made all that were present in Israel to serve even to serve the Lord their God And all his dayes they departed not from following the Lord the God of their Fathers And now having thus prepared the people in this same 18th yeare of his reigne 2 King 23.23 2 Chron. 35.19 he commanded the people to keepe the Passeover there recorded What footsteps are there here of any visible prophane persons partaking of the Passeover There is only one more example in the old Testament story'd Ezra 6. It pleased God after a long captivity for the humbling Judah to stir up Cyrus to proclaime liberty of their returne to build the Temple he encouraging and assisting them therein Those of them whose spirit God raysed to goe Ezra 1.5 Closed with the designe attempted it and pursued it with a visible frame of great humility feare of the Lord zeale for his service and to the utmost layd out themselves in the same Chap. 1.5 Chap. 2.68 69. the whole third Chap. Chap. 5 5-11 1 Esdras 5.44 45 53 61 63 65. Ezra 6.14 15 16 17 c. And then is related their keeping the Passeover v. 19. viz. as is shewed v. 21. The children of Israel which were come againe out of captivity and all such as had separated themselves from the filthiness of the heathen of the Land to sock the Lord God of Israel did eat and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven dayes with joy c. The Syriack version hath it thus And the Israelites eat it who came up from the Babylonian Captivity viz. all those who were separated from the filthiness of the Land And so it is also in 1 Esdras 7.13 making that separation to be the preparative qualification of all who did partake of the Passeover But if we take it as referring to the Proselytes it supposeth the children of Israel to whom the Proselytes were so joyned were in like manner separated from the filthiness of the nations Upon a strict view of all these examples It appeares not that any did partake under a visible prophanenesse inconsistent with visible actual faith and obedience but the contrary §. 6. 5 Let me adde That when the people generally did keep the Passeover although some might be notoriously wicked at home it is not easie to conceive how those who admitted their paschal Lambs and offered part thereof for them and who had the charge of the holy things could know their particular scandalous sins so as thereupon to debar them How could they know who was ceremonially uncleane by touch of a dead body or who had not circumcised his males and so was morally uncapable in that state Yea though many thus obnoxious might be knowne so to be at home yet it being not manifest to those Governours they could take no notice thereof And yet hence it follows not that they who thus thrust in themselves had a proper right to actual present participation of the Passeover as elswhere is shewed by us But the case is otherwise now as to the Lords Supper when Christian people are gathered into particular Churches under the Inspection of Guides and Officers in a special manner appropriated and designed to watch over them in the Lord. However this seemes evident that on the same Reason whereby they did gather the exclusion of those otherwise ceremonially uncleane from the particular expresse prohibition of the uncleane by a dead body they might also inferre the rightfull exclusion or abstension of all notoriously prophane and breakers of Gods Covenant from the particular expresse prohibition of him who circumcised not his males Exod. 12.48 49. §. 7. 6 To conclude at last this pont The general command for celebration of the Passeover is no larger then for circumcision now as this supposed the Covenant to be visibly entred into with understanding as Ainsworth shews on Gen. 17. So that must suppose their continuance in that Covenant as necessary to enright them in a sacramental partaking of the Passeover But it s high time for me to crave the Readers pardon for so long detaining him upon and hindering his Transitus from this argument of the Passeover But if he thinke as I doe that its the strongest objection and that answering it will enervate divers others as that fetcht from 1 Cor. 10. concerning the Manna and rock though indeed it s much more easie to answer those and they have been cleerly answered by others and therefore I pass them If my Reader I say consider the importance of this argument I trust he shal not complaine I have provoked his patience or abused his leasure herein If any will needs be passionate I have Davids remedy for an ill spirit PSALM 119. part 10. K. 73 Kned was I by thy hands and made Learne me thy statutes just 74 Knowing mee shall thy people glad For in thy Word I trust 75 Known are thy Judgements right to mee In truth thou smit'st mee Lord 76 Kindely me comfort I pray thee According to thy Word 77 Keep me alive by grace from thee In thy Lawes joy I finde 78 Knowing no cause the Proud wrong'd mee Shame them thy Word I minde 79 Knit may they be to mee in love Who thee feare thy Lawes know 80 Keep my heart sound 'i th truth to prove Least shame mee overthrow CHAP. XI §. 1. THe great quarrell he hath about Examination is cast in my way p. 54. and often elswhere But though it justles uncivilly and as a bold intruder absurdly presseth in when we are busie about other matters I am resolved it shall stay for its answer till its turne come among the Digressions and then I shall deal candidly with it At p. 58. Mr. W. brings in this syllogisme as if it contained my sense and were some part of my argument viz. Such as by Scripture characters are to be judged and taken to be unbeleevers are unbeleevers But all men baptized adult and of the Christian perswasion if irregular in their conversations are by Scripture characters to be judged and taken to be unbeleevers Ergo all men baptized and adult and of the Christian perswasion if irregular in their conversations are unbeleevers He quarreld ere while with my inserting parenthesis in a syllogisme but if I had put in such a parenthesis as he here hath in his minor and conclusion which being taken out the sense is destroyed in both propositions I might have well deserved his censure which yet I list not to returne upon himselfe here But to the matter I answer Did ever any one say that any irregularities in conversation were Scripture characters whereby we might
defence of my hypothesis require I should There are some other passages of his mixt with these I have related I cannot digest which have been answered elsewhere and I am not willing to quarrell with them here as long as the main of his discourse hereon seems such as I do comply with I will not compare with Mr. W. nor any other in rigorous pressing of doctrines this in speciall for mens conviction and reformation But I do endeavour it according to my poor measure and I think here 's nothing for substance of these things which hath not been heard from me But the knot lies not here whether they are obliged both to labour for knowledge and leave prophanesse so to come But in this whether they may not be debarred the later for their visible want of the former And he may be pleased to remember that the Fallacia divisionis is as ill Logick as the Fallacia compositionis to argue à bene conjunct is ad malè divisa is as consequent as à bene divisis ad malè conjuncta which he minds us of p. 128. and I have explained my self on this point before ch 10. § 1 2. and elsewhere I shewed that obligation to duty doth not ever give or argue a right of admission to the performance thereof simply without any more a-doe A drunken Christian is not disobliged from the publick service of God while such nor doth any excommunication disoblige from the Lords Supper they both sin in both not waiting on God in his ordinances and hindring themselves by their own default That divers things debar from the performance of duties which do not excuse nor disoblige from them is a truth so plain that he that runs may read it §. 4. 5. Mr. W. p. 131.132 answers the Query how infants are not obliged to receive 1. By Analogie to the Infants among the Jewes in reference to the Passcover but that point deserves a more accurate consideration 2. By shewing that his Assertion is consined to baptized persons adult they are bound immediately to examine themselves and to come to the Lords Table and they sin against knowledge and conscience by neglecting these duties being urged upon them and made known to them and they cannot be so urged and made known to infants by reason of their incapacity c. But this last reason is not valid For if their incapacity of knowing and having Baptisme urged on them hinders them not from being baptized why shall this alone hinder them from the Lords Supper They may be brought to one as well as the other when two or three years old and therefore are no more incapable of the one than the other upon this account 6. Mr. W. shewes the incongruity of denying children their board and not bed belike to teach us that none in the Church should be denied the Sacrament But that I have refuted ch 3. at the later end of the sixth Section These are the Returns he hath given for the confuting the sum of my foresaid argument which have as much influence into that design as Tenterton steeple hath for the causing of Goodwin sands according to the story I remember Father Latimer hath in one of his Sermons PSALM 119. Part. 21. W. 161 Without a cause Princes wrong'd me But thy word awes my mind 162 Words sacred joy my soul as he joyes who great spoyls doth find 163 Wretched lies I abhor alwayes But love thy commandments 164 Within th' day sev'n times I thee praise for all thy right Judgments 165 Who love thy Law great peace procure nothing shall them offend 166 Waiting I hop'd for thy Law sure and did thy will attend 167 With my soul I have kept thy word and truly love it most 168 Well have I mark't thy precepts Lord For all my wayes thou know'st CHAP. XXII §. 1. THere is nothing further to exercise thy patience good Reader but some descants on the passages I quoted from Salvian and Tertullian And first against those of Salvian Mr W. hath divers Exceptions as 1 that I tell him not where in Salvian to find them 2. That I quote a broken piece concealing what follows adding an c. as a veil under which to hide his sense 3. That I quoting two passages in severall books put them together which he saith is not fair dealing p. 134. 4. And lastly that the thing quoted is perverted to a sense not intended by the Author To these his Exceptions I return 1. to the first When I finished that private paper he hath publickly assaulted I had not my Salvian with me else it had been easie to have turned to the Book and page Every private paper needs not the exactnesse in these things of a publick plea. Doth Mr W. in every Sermon or Lecture when he quotes any passage from an Author name the Chapter Book and page If he do I think it is a needlesse exactnesse when as any one who doubts of or peruseth the quotation may easily have recourse to him for the place where it is to be found 2. His second exception is frivolous unless the words following those I quoted did turn the sense of the former word to another intent than that was for which I quoted them which they do not but rather confirm it as shall be shewed in answering his sourth exception 3. The third exception is removed by what I have said to his first neither is Salvians sense at all injured he speakes to the same purpose in both places as shall appeare immediately And I did not say they were joyned together in Salvian but named them as two severall passages not quoting the book wherein either of them was to be read §. 2. 4. To his 4th Exception which is most material the rest are toyes sutable for him that abounds in leisure for them I answer I quoted not Salvian nor yet Tertullian neither to prove suspension immediatly as Mr. W. pretends p. 136. Your intent saith he in alledging his words is to justisie your debarring men from the Lords Table Mr. W. hath ill hap in telling my intents and yet he will not adone with it But saith he whether Salvian intended any such thing let the Reader judge Reade him againe he is Minimus patrum and it s no great labour to read him over If Minimus patrum referre to the quality of his writings and that he is of least account how comes Mr. W. to be the Judge and Censor of the Fathers If to the quantity as the words following its no great labour to reade him over doe intimate I presume Mr. W. in that hath taken his aime amisse There are other Fathers of whose workes and writings extant the quantity is lesse then Salvians as the Clement about the yeare 93. Polycarpus Ignatius Minutius Faelix c. I know no such controversie mentioned in Salvian as that is we are now discussing to wit about suspension What he intended or foresaw the arguments and matter he treated
SUSPENSION REVIEWED STATED CLEERED AND SETLED UPON PLAIN Scripture-Proof Agreeable to the former and late Constitutions of the Protestant Church of England AND OTHER REFORMED CHURCHES Wherein Defending a private sheet occasionally written by the Authour upon this subject against a publique pretended Refutation of the same by Mr W. in his book entituled Suspension discussed Many important points are handled sundry whereof are shortly mentioned in the following Page Together with a Discourse concerning private Baptisme inserted in the Epistle Dedicatory By SAMUEL LANGLEY R. S. in the County Palatine of Chester LONDON Printed by J. Hayes for Thomas Underhill at the Anchor and Bible in Pauls Church-yard 1658. The following Discourse containeth these things among others HOw far Prudentialls are to be admitted in Church-Government Ch 2. § 2. A strict consideration of the Scripture Texts whence the doctrine of Excommunication is to be gathered and deductions therefrom Ch 3. § 1 2 3 4 5. Excommunication cuts not off Chruch-membership Ch 3. § 6. Degrees of Excommunication greater and lesser manifested by Scripture light Ch 3. § 7 8 9 10 11. How far the Presbyterian suspension is sutable to the Rules appointed under the late Episcopal Government Ch 4. § 3 4 5 6. Ch 14. § 1. Digress 3. The distinction of negative and positive Beleevers considered and how far it s of use in this Controversie Ch 5. § 3 4 5 6. A justified Beleever as easily discovered to and known by others as a dogmatical Beleever Ch 5. § 5. The maïne conclusion viz. that the Lords Supper ought not to be administred to unbeleevers who are such in respect of actual notorious disobedience to the Gospel Ch 5. § 2. Proved from Mr. W. his concession § 7. From the suspension of some from the Passeover not ceremonially uncleane § 8. From parallel Cases § 9. From the forme of administring Eate this in remembrance Christ dyed for thee § 10 11 12. From the consideration of the qualifications required in the adult as necessary conditions of their admission to Baptisme Ch 6. throughout The maine conclusion aforesaid cautioned Ch 7. wherein especially is shewed how an habituall sincere beleever may be unpardoned and so lyable to condemnation for actual wickednesse not yet repented of § 2. The great and strongest objection against the foresaid Conclusion taken from the supposed general admission to the Passeover considered and answered Ch 8. § 4 5. Ch 9. Ch 10. Particular scruples and objections answered and mistakes removed Ch 11. Rom. 4.11 strictly considered Ch 12. § 6. c. Where is proved that the Sacraments are seales of the mutual Covenant i. e. on Gods part and mans part also Exceptions answered in the following Chapters Notorious wickednesse visibly continued in without repentance is and ought to be taken in the judgement of the Governing Church or where there is no Governing Church in the judgement of the Minister officiating as equivalent to word-rejecting of Christ and therefore equally renders a person uncapable of having the Lords Supper administred to him Ch. 18 19 20 21 22. By immediate though notoriously ungodly suspended or excommunicate parents a right may be conveighed for the Baptisme of their Infants Ch 19. § 4 5 6 7. A discourse about Examination or taking an account of persons confession of the faith before their first admission to the Lords Supper Digress 3. An observation concerning the name Antichrist Digress 12. The right meane betwixt unwarrantable separation from and undue admission to the Sacrament Digress 14. Rom. 3.19 opened and vindicated Digress 19 20. An Argument from Act. 15. proving that select Brethren not Ministers may authoritatively act in Ecclesiasticall Government Digress 22. TO THE REVEREND LEARNED GODLY Dispencers of the Mysteries of God and more especially those of the Classicall Association in the Eastern parts of the County Palatine of Chester Together with the Reverend and most endeared Mr Simeon Ash Minister in the City of LONDON As also To the truly judicious and experienced Physitian his highly honoured Friend Mr WILLIAM BENTLEY The Authour wisheth all grace and peace to be multiplied WORTHY SIRS IT 's no intent of mine in prefixing your Names to the ensuing Treatise to engage you in the patronage thereof Let it stand or fall at the bar of right Reason What the Learned Wotton in his Epistle before his accurate book de Reconcil peccat saith to Kings Colledge that do I mean to you in this thing Reum apud vos agere viri ornatissimi non clientem vos mihi non patronos qui pro me dicant comparandos sed qui de me sententiam ferant judices constituendos esse decrevi Nor do I thinke so low of you or so highly of my discourse as to judge it deserving of this joynt dedication But considering I am not likely to appeare againe in print I judged it honest to divide these my goods though never so small among you rather then to appropriate them to any of you singly having cogent Reasons for this Address to you all in this businesse To you the Renowned Aesculapius of our County that I might hereby publiquely testifie the engagements of my selfe and family to you both as a Friend and Physitian more especially that I might signifie a grateful sense and remembrance of your long continued succesfull and carefull though unfeed Advice for the health of him whom I was endebted to for my being and wel-being And your urging mee to this service had no small influence upon mee so that you may rightfully challenge a share in the fruit of my paines therein And you deare Sir a bright Star of the first magnitude in the Metropolitan firmament may not be excluded hence For when I call to minde your former Respects to mee in both Universities the precious precepts and fervent prayers you favoured me with at and in mine Ordination And the most endeared cordial long continued intimacy which you had with my Father of blessed memory who ever bore you upon his heart with the greatest tendernesse and who before he was taken from us in commending the service of this booke to mee forcibly commanded me the same These things I say considered not to mention other I finde my selfe deeply engaged as the heire of your most loving Friend as well as upon my own account otherwayes to testifie here my singular gratitude to you with submission of these my studies to your grave quick and judicious yet most candid Censure And yee my Bosome Friends and Brethren of that Classical Association wherein my lot is fallen at present to make up a number are not only concerned in my cause but injuries also Would it be beleeved if I should tell you the Gentleman I have to deale with intends you the contemptuous language he bestows on me Yet such is his brow that he hath taken up a conceipt ask me not whence I am not of Councill with him who taught him it That my Associated Brethren were accessory
regeneration I feare is not capable of that meaning But this point hath no influence considerable that I can discerne upon our Controversie therefore I shall not launch out into it The other things Mr. W. here hath in these pages will occurre more then once beneath §. 5. In my second note numb 5. I secluded from the present Question the consideration of the subject of the power of suspension and Mr. W. in answer hereto supposeth there is no need to enquire after the subject thereof p. 13. Why might we not then here have agreed But even in this place he will fetch in though by head and shoulders the mentioning of illegal usurpation flat Brownisme Rebaptization c. What is the secluding the consideration of the subject of suspension from our present question is this usurpation flat Brownisme Rebaptization If not how come these in here But such termes as these serve for general Arguments to them who are so silly as to be moved with them and so will thrust in any where as being indifferently calculated to fit every turne §. 6. My third note or limitation of the Question number 6. secluded also from our present question the consideration of the kinde of power whether of order or jurisdiction requisite for suspension To this Mr. W. answers p. 14. They he meanes my Antagonists hold there is no such kinde of suspending power as you stand for prescribed in the word of God for refusing to submit to your examination It is your usurped kind of suspension they except against as you your selfe might have scene had you read their workes through as you snatch at a piece 1. See now how nimble our learned Gentleman is to evade the question if he could Is our question Whether persons may be suspended for resusing to submit to examination not that I refuse to speake to that in its due place but first we enquire whether in any case for any crime the persons before mentioned may be debarred and that was Mr. Timsons position before rehearsed viz. No unregenerate or ignorant and scandalous members in the Church being baptized and of years not excommunicate may be debarred the Lords Supper c. It was not none may be debarred for ignorance or refusing to submit to examination But none though never so scandalous members in the Church may be debarred And this I opposed which Mr. W. should have defended as he took upon him 2. Is not this a pretty stating the question Mr. W. here teacheth and informes me in viz. Whether is an usurped kinde of suspension lawfull This is even like to the question Quot sunt quinque praedicabilia But what are we the better for agreeing in that question when as it presently occurres whether there is any suspension not usurped 3. But indeed I see no Antagonist who is so silly as to state the question on that fashion though Mr. W. say if I had read their works through I might have seene it is our usurped kind of suspension that they except against Alas good man how industrious is he to make the world believe I am a man of no reading I will not goe about to perswade them of the contrary Yet I must needs say I had read through divers Authors against suspension and particularly Mr. Timpsons bookes before I drew up those lines which Mr. W. hath assaulted I would not have told this but that I apprehend it will be no matter of glory and commendation to me and it affords an argument somewhat probable in mine opinion to evince that Mr. W. is not infallible who insinuates elswhere as well as in this place my not reading Timsons works through but snatching at a piece I hope he will not be offended at our catching the piece of the Psalme following for our solace a while PSAL. 119. PART 1. A. 1 ALL such are blest who perfect are whose fect Gods wayes do pace 2 About his Lawes they take most care with whole hearts seeke his face 3 Also they do nothing unjust But Gods good pathes frequent 4 As thou Lord bid'st strictly we must keep thy Commandement 5 Ah! that sound guidance might me teach to keep thy statutes high 6 And then foul shame shall ne're me reach who all thy Lawes do eye 7 A right heart in me shall thee praise taught in thy judgments just 8 And I will keep thy statute-wayes O leave me not poor dust CHAP. II. §. 1. IN my fourth note at number 7 8 9. I said that my Antagonists by excommunicate understand them who are debar'd from all publick Ordinances in the Church as hearing praying c. And therefore if I prove the person spoken of in the question not debar'd from these may yet be debar'd the Sacrament it cannot be denied I shal rightly conclude against their assertion wherein I do not declare any thing of my own judgment concerning Excommunication but speak onely ad hominem And here though Mr. W. hath not a word against the Contents of this Note he carries it as if he would seem to confute it by 1. rendring extra communionem ejectio an ejection out of the common union as if there were not degrees of communion and so not of an ejection out of communion 2. by rambling about the Jus Divinum without any occasion at all ministred by any thing I had spoken here in this note for his mentioning the same 3. By concluding thus But for your full overthrowing of our assertion we shall believe it when we see it We believe you cannot I am sure you do not What needed this vapour here The man is prodigall of them being sufficientiy stockt for the largest expence of them I boasted not of a full overthrow of their assertion but said That if I prove a person baptized adult intelligent and not debarred the publick Ordinances of hearing praying c. in the Church I shall then fully overthrow their assertion which holds none baptized adult intelligent and not excommunicated may be debarred The which Mr. W. doth not deny yea he grants it in several passages of his Book expressy or by consequence But the former particular about Divine right he is often upon and he so often as disturb'd if not intoxicated with passion reels into discourses concerning prudentials and Jus Divinum charging me for excluding all prudentials from Church-government that his importunity wil force me to trouble the Reader with some short account of my apprehensions concerning these things he so pitifully raves upon throughout his Book § 2. 1. The Lawes of Christianity are given to men supposed not altogether destitute of right Reason some beams of the Image of God some remains of that signature imprinted on man at his first creation still continuing upon him And men are not called to lay aside any of their natural right Reason in their becoming Christians but rather by Christian helps to attain to an higher improvement to a more noble elevation and use thereof And therefore whatsoever
aut sacramentorum administrationi operam darent Art thou such an Ignoramus as to be ignorant that there are Elders in the Church of Christ who should be imployed onely in governing not in the administration of the Word and Sacraments And he quotes 1 Tim. 5.17 and Ambrose on it And p. 820 he tells the Papists that Luther Zuinglius Bucer Oecolampadius and many others of our Reformers were Presbyters ordained by Popish Bishops and then to prove against them the lawfulness of our Ministery that these being Presbyters might ordain other Presbyters Tum si Presbyteri erant sunt presbyteri jure Divino iidem qui Episcopi alios etiam Ecclesiis presbyteros praeficere potuerunt Yet he adds Sed nolim existimes a nobis vestros ordines tanti fieri ut sine illis nullam esse legitimam vocationem statuamus c. Or is it the business of Suspension the pretended subject of his Book which he saith all men of reading know differs much from the Fathers why then hath he acknowledged by Peter Martyrs mouth that degrees of excommunication may easily be proved from the Writings of the Fathers For there 's no question I think but suspension will be allowed to be one degree if degrees be once granted §. 4. But Aretius quoted by me as not against suspension as a lesser excommunication at Numb 11. Mr. W. takes himself specially concerned in though yet he saith pag. 19. that he never engaged Aretius as opposite to our suspension The reason of my mentioning Aretius was an information I received from him who desired my paper that Mr. W. quoted Aretius against suspension And how easily might Mr. W. have certified his Parishioner of this mistake without troubling the world with it in Print since he doth not disprove in the least what I alledged concerning that Author Yet that he may seem not to say nothing he will shew that Aretius useth not nor pleads for the distinction of greater and lesser excommunication which thing it is manifest I did not affix on him But he hath here another and that belike no small quarrell I cited Aretius his Common places and Mr. W. saith He knowes no such Piece I should have said his Problemes as if his quarrelsomness were not more to be blamed then such a mistake supposed O how exact will Mr. W. have us to take him in the very names and editions of Books But why may not Problemata be rendred in English Common places my most severe Master Aretius himself I hope may be allowed to give us the meaning of his own words to save a labour of turning to Holy-oke under whose leaf recubans sub tegmine Mr. W. beneath p. 137. would shelter himself In my Book Edit Lusannae 1578. the first page thus begins Problematum sâ—u locorvm theologicorum pars altera And it is likely Mr. W. his Book is of the same Edition because his quotation of pag. 48. which he hath p. 20. agrees with the 48. leaf of mine If I should tell him I find no such thing as he quotes in the 48 page but it is in the 48 leaf should I not be ridiculous to him and yet he might then see his own weakness in mine §. 5. But the substance and design of my fifth note was to shew that as I apprehended mine Antagonists do deny the distinction of greater and lesser excommunication and in special they deny suspension or abstention to be one degree of excommunication which may lawfully be exerted by it self against any person And therefore in their asserting that the persons spoken of in our question if not excommunicate may not be debarred by not excommunicate they mean not cut off in our sense of full excommunication and that otherwise they should but trifle viz. if they took excommunicate for such as were under a lesser degree of excommunication in our sense The which is so manifest that I see not how any man of reason can deny it Now to this Mr. W. answers pag. 23. Why put you your non-sense upon us and say we egregiously trifle unless we admit of degrees of excommunication in your sense What shal one do with a man who heeds not what he saith He chargeth me with putting and affixing on my Antagonists the distinction of greater and lesser excommunication unless they would be guilty of non-sense whereas I did flatly remove from them that distinction and said they did not acknowledge degrees of excommunication particularly not this of Suspension adding that if they did own them in this question as they hold it they should but trifle And yet Mr. W. will needs face every body down against the evidence of plain words before their eyes And he talkes his pleasure of Sophistry and Imposture and at last apeals to the judicious Reader under whose eye I willingly leave him with the paper he pretends to be answering In the interim I will step aside to take a little refreshing in the PSALM 119. 2d part B. V. 9 By what shall you ths wayes cleansed be By heeding holy Writ 10 Behold my whole soul hath sought thee Let me not erre from it 11 Because I would not sin thy word I hid in heart and will 12 Blessed art thou most mighty Lord Teach me thy Statutes still 13 By my lips have declared bin The Judgments of thy mouth 14 By Riches none more mirth can win Then I have by thy Truth 15 Busy'd in thy Precepts I muse And all thy wayes respect 16 By them all joy to me accrues Thy Word I 'le not forget CHAP. III. §. 1. THe terms of Excommunication full or not full sundry times do occurre in the following Argument These Mr. W. rejects as adokima's as fooleries as not considerable c. and in a fume piping hot he fancies the bag-pipes when he hears them named p. 151 Such arguments as these must be his apodicticall proofs against them in refuting whereof belike his friends think I shal be hard put to and they conjecture not amiss I shal hardly devise a reply weak enough to bear a fit protion to such sorry pretensions But in stead thereof I shal judge it requisite to offer somewhat concerning excommunication and that distinction of it submitting the same in all humility to the sober and judicious as followeth 1. The consideration and strict perusall of the places and phrases of Scripture treating on this matter is the best foundation of a right knowledge and discerning hereof 2. Yet some places speak of an excommunication which is not pertinent to our times or at least not to our present controversie I mean that excommunication by way of Anathematizing and cursing an incurable offender to which kind Polanus Syntag. l. 7. c. 18. referres Gal. 1.8 and Rom. 9.3 which he calls the simplex anathema and 1 Cor. 16.22 called Anathema maranatha And that cutting off mentioned Gal. 5.12 not to speak of Hierome and Grotius their interpretation of it for the smoothing or dismembring the parts
the Canon it selfe speakes 2. But as to the substance of his exception I answer briefly thus for the overthrowing of it Either the Common prayer booke was not abolished by a lawfull authority sufficient for the nulling and abrogating of that sanction whereby it was formerly established or els it was If it were not then Ministers by vertue of the Common prayer booke may as opportunity is offered suspend according to the Directions therein given them which remaine still in force if not nulled by a sufficient authority But if the Common prayer booke was abolished by a lawfull authority sufficient for the abrogating that sanction whereby it was formerly established then certainly they who had such power to abrogate that government and order had power also to establish our suspension It belonging to the same power or authority to null as to make a law And then the same suspension in substance is delegated to Church Officers still in the Ordinance of 48 for Presbyterial Government where this is appointed by the Lords and Commons by whom only the Service booke was abrogated I have the rather hinted this for the satisfaction of some godly persons who have not been well satisfied with the State proceedings in reference to Church Government who yet have an high esteem of the former constitutions of the Church of England And me thinkes where the same thing for substance is appointed and practiced they should not reject it And now let the Reader if he please judge whether M. W. or we behave our selves most like Ministers of the Church of England in reference to the degrees of excommunication and specially in reference to suspension the neglect whereof he out of Mr. P. chargeth us with Mr. W. proceeds to carp at may be in my syllogisme when as yet may be was in the position I opposed And the question was whether such cases may occurre not whether they did occurre wherein the persons spoken of might be suspended as appeares in my M S. at numb 6.17 But our Doctor resolutissimus absolutissimus descends not so low as to observe the state of the Question he had rather it seemes be shewing his Logick to his weaker consciences for whose satisfaction his title page designes his booke and telling them p. 43 44. which are the subjects and the predicats in the Propositions and the medius terminus in the syllogisme they will it may be applaud their Doctor with an Egregiam veró laudem But if any of his weaker consciences meet with these lines I am of opinion they will not so farre admire those logical termes as to refuse the plaine and wholesome provision I now offer them to share with me in the PSAIM 119. Part 4. D. 25 Down on the dust my sad soul stayes Let thy truth life afford 26 Declar'd to thee I have my wayes Thou heardst Teach me thy Word 27 Disclose thy Precopts-way to me Thy wondrous workes I 'le tell 28 Deep griefe my soul melts strengthen me After thy Word right well 29 Drive lying wayes from me thy Law Grant to me graciously 30 Duely I chose thy Truth and saw Thy Judgements with mine eye 31 Dearly thy witness'd Truth I hold From shame Lord me discharge 32 Daily in thy wayes run I would If thou my heart enlarge CHAP. V. §. 1. THe confirmation of the Major Proposition in my second syllogisme at numb 25. in my M S. Mr. W. repeats in his p. 44. where he hath such jejune and lanquid exceptions against some explications being inserted in Parentheses and so separated from the syllogisme it selfe that I judge it needless to make any defence against them There being none I thinke who manage a dispute in writing who do not use the like Although its true in disputations face to face there is less need of them any mistake which might occurre about the meaning of the termes being soone rectified by explication thereof The like frivolous complaint he makes of some various equipollent phrases used viz. visibly unbeleevers and such as ought to be judged and taken to be unbeleevers when as I had expresly signified the equipollency of them numb 25. The proposition I was to prove was Those who by word openly renounce the Lord Jesus Christ are visibly such to whom the Lord would not according to the revelation of his will in his Word have the Lords Supper administred Now my conclusion in the syllogisme I brought to prove this was Those who by word openly renounce the Lord Jesus Christ are visibly such to whom according to the word of God the Lords Supper ought not to be administred An ordinary Reader I think would see no difference betwixt them to whom according to the word of God the Lords Supper ought not to be administred and them to whom the Lord would not according to the revelation of his will in his word have the Lords Supper administred But Mr. W. that he may seeme to see further into a milstone than another can doe hath spyed the disagreement He was belike at a great want for exceptions who takes up these and considering his necessity he may be better excused It s better to pick strawes than to doe just nothing But at last he hath unbutton'd his eyes and can perceive some strength in my proofe when it hath been he thinkes beholding to him for a better dresse p. 46. where he thus formes it Those who are visibly unbeleevers are visibly such to whom the Lords Supper ought not to be administred But those who by word openly renounce the Lord Jesus Christ are visibly unbeleevers Ergo Those who by word openly renounce the Lord Jesus Christ are visibly such to whom the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ought not to be administred § 2. Well now he hath the honour as he speakes to be opponent himselfe I hope he will be more civil in his answer and not be captious against his own creature Wherein now saith he p. 47. doth this argument advance your pretensions or disparage ours and then explaining that Question or shewing that he is not at a want of other artificiall words to say the same thing againe as pompously he addes What evidence doth it artificially and intrinsecally give for you or against us My conclusion was those who by word openly renounce the Lord Jesus Christ are visibly such to whom according to the word of God the Lords Supper ought not to be administred The conclusion he hath made for me is those who by word openly renounce the Lord Jesus Christ are visibly such to whom the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ought not to be administred Let the Reader judge what material difference there is betwixt them Yet he grants the latter when he quarreld the former But then as bethinking himselfe that the argument is mine though the dress be his he will now have another thrust at it and denies the Minor yet not absolutely but with distinction now he attempts to play the part of a
some Ministers in his neighbourhood who associated with some few of their members in one Church to administer the Sacrament there neglecting it wholly in their own proper Churches It s better to be too charitable if I may so speake in judging them capable who are not then too censorious in judging them not capable who are so Better it were that some have what belongs not to them than any should be deprived of their due I conjecture by the places I know that there are few places in England where a Minister can sufficiently excuse himself in neglect of administring the Sacrament to his charge by the pretence of want of a competent number of visibly capable Communicants And that the want of Elders is no plea sufficient hath been proved by many pens which I heartily assent unto and therefore would earnestly desire Ministers not to neglect the celebration of the Sacrament in their owne places upon such pretences although in such want of government a greater burthen must needs lye upon their own shoulders In short I would be as charitable as might be in judging and discerning who are in wayes of wickedness visibly inconsistent with any exercise of faith And yet to prevent abuse of this doctrine it must be remembred that we are to judge our selves by a stricter Rule in discerning of our conditions than others may make use of in probable discerning concerning us And 2. we may have strong suspitions and jealousies concerning others so as to admonish them sharply whom yet we cannot judge ecclesiastically and use as such whom we feare them to be But that such as are notoriously thus wicked have any right or may be regularly admitted to the Sacrament I flatly dâ—ny upon the Grounds and Reasons before memioned But it s now high time to take our refreshing PSALM 119. part 7th G. 49 Grant to thy servant that good word Whereon I hope by thee 50 Great joy this doth in straits afford For thou hast quickned mee 51 Graceless proud men in scoffes waxt hold Yet kept I thy Law sound 52 Good Lord I minde thy Judgements old And therein comfort found 53 Grim horrours seas'd on me because Men breake thy Statutes sage 54 Glad songs to me have been thy Lawes In th' house of pilgrimage 55 Grave thoughts I had of thy Name Lord By night and thy Law kept 56 Guiding my steps after thy Word This blest fruit I have reap't CHAP. VIII §. 1. THese three last Chapters being duely weighed by the attentive Reader and compared with Mr W. his discourse from pag. 47. to 62. I hope he shall not want an answer for most there alledged pertinently to the matter we are upon Extravagancies we shall not now deale with Yet some more particular Answer shall be given to what remaines any thing considerable in those pages of his He often harps upon one base You mis-judge saith he in judging the morbid members of our parochial Assemblies to be Infidels and unbeleevers positively as Pagans p. 50. Give over your herterodoxall brownisme such words as this and mormo and mormonize fill his mouth compleatly and honour the Christian Religion by putting a divinely positive difference between the unbeleevers among us and the unbeleevers of Pagans p. 53. And I know not how many times over doth he in such like expressions informe our dulnesse that there is a difference betwixt our unbeleevers and Pagans and with great vehemency perswades us to beleeve that Pagans were not baptized nor do they professe the Christian faith as ours do As Augustine said to Cresconius l. 2. contra Cresconium Grammaticum ne quisquam vel nimis acutus id quod semel breviterque dixisses interpretari aliter conaretur etiam obtusis auribus et cordibus tuam curasti immergere atque inculcare sententiam One would be apt to thinke I had denied this which he urgeth so hotly or els that he hath such a stomack to confute me he will beat a brat that no body owns on my back Did ever any one deny to put a difference betwixt baptized persons and unbaptized yea those who are but catechumens But if the Question be whether Unbeleever is a name applicable by Scripture warrant to some baptized persons I have answered it already when I routed his sorry distinction and shewed that it is in divers Instances And if further the Question be what kinde of beleeving is the condition of visible title to sacramental admission I have shewed that it is that beleeving which doth connote visible actual saving faith and repentance And that the due administration of the Sacraments doth necessarily suppose in the judgement of the Church or Minister that the person to whom they are dispensed is a sincere beleever and a converted person is a position wherein I thinke I shall never see Mr Baxter answered though he have so grave and learned an Antagonist engaged against him therein And indeed Mr W. and I might well have been silent to have heard our Betters argue the matter That 's my opinion I cannot say it was his §. 2. P. 50. Mr W. will needs shew us how they who are ignorant and disorderly can be beleevers and saith The very best of us are sinners and Saints but in a diverse respect sinners ex peccato remanenti Saints ex gratiâ renovantis or sinners quoad reliquias vetustatis Saints quoad primitias spiritus i. e. if I may english his latine because he doth not to this sense we are sinners because of sin in us and Saints because of grace in us Well now what will he do with this distinction he tells us So our morbid Church members are in a divers respect beleevers and unbeleevers Beleevers positively as soederally and professedly of the Christian perswasion Unbeleevers negatively as in works they practically deny the faith under which they positively and professedly stand by baptisme and visible submission to the outward meanes of faith and reformation not as aliens but as of the houshold of faith putting themselves under the Churches cure not justifying their miscarriages but coming to our solemnities as to the meanes of better carriage professedly hoping in Christ for salvation and in no other And then he shews how some of the children of Israel were Rulers of Sodom by their sinful practice yet children of God and of the Prophets and the Church a severed and holy people by the holiness of the Covenant under which they professedly stood First for the similitude of one to the other compared As we are sinners because we have sin in us and Saints because of grace so some are Saints or an holy people though they have no holiness in them but only engaged positively to be holy Wherein is the likeness As some having learning are learned so some engaged or professing to be learned are learned Is not this good And then againe As we are Saints and sinners in divers respects so are persons beleevers and unbeleevers in divers respects The comparison
now it might have been even in that respect as bad as it is now with us as in other respects it was far worse §. 4. 4. He ends with a continuall strain of provoking language which I pass over and neglect and he concludes all goes on his side saith Well this first exception stands good against your assertion and why Because he saith Nothing I alledged hath proved that any will or doth by word renounce Christ who tenders himself to the Sacrament But I told him It was not necessary to destroy the exception to prove any will or doth but that it 's possible yea probable there might be such an one as would perpetrate such wickedness which cannot be denyed I would be content to lose my argument that it could Who can prove that any one wil commit fornication and continue obstinately under the guilt thereof visibly in some particular Church And yet it followes not thence that such wickedness if committed and be notorious is not a sufficient cause of Ecclesiasticall censure And our present case as to the probability of its occurring is the like PSALM 119. Part 13. N. 97 Nothing I love as thy law high which I mind all the day 98 None of my Foes are wise as I. ' Cause thy Hests with me stay 99 Norknow my Guides that which I do For all thy lawes I mind 100 Nay more than th' Ancients I do know when me thy statutes bind 101 Naughty wayes I have shun'd all That I may keep thy word 102 Nor from the judgements turn I shall For thou hast taught me Lord 103 Nothing sweet as thy word I tast no not the hony pure 104 Noon-light beams they on me cast All false wayes I abjure CHAP. XIV §. 1. A Second Exception I laid in against my Argument was this at numb 32. That such persons as aforesaid tendring themselves to receive cannot openly at that time profess their rejecting Christ because in the tender of themselves to this Ordinance they offer to profess the contrary viz. their owning of Christ To the which I answered 1. That the case under our present consideration supposeth him at the same time when he tenders himself to be admitted to the communion to profess being asked against his owning of Christ q. d. I desire to do as others do in receiving but I am resolved at present I will not submit to the commands of Christ nor part with my lusts which he bids me flye from Mr. W. now to take off this answer besides uncivil chidings here both in the Preface and Epilogue hath onely one thing which I hope was but a mistake in him to alledge Is it your practice saith he to provoke men in the open face of the congregation by asking them questions when they come humbly and reverently to celebrate the Lords Supper with their brethren It is our practice to know those who communicate before the time of celebration come and then when they signifie their intention to receive especially such as have not joyned with us before is a speciall season we lay hold on if any notorious wickedness in one who tenders himself give occasion to admonish him concerning the same And then is the time for suspension if there be just cause not in the moment of celebration there would be the execution of suspension if one suspended should thrust in thither by refusing to administer to him We have no such questioning there the case had no reference to it But it was thus as for example If a person notoriously known to live in whoredome and keeping a strumpet in his house shall tender himself some convenient time before the day of celebration of the Sacrament and then be asked Whether he will leave his wanton and he answer No he cannot leave that vice he hopes God will be mercifull to him notwithstanding and yet he desires to receive as others do will Mr. W. say it was unlawfull or unseasonable then to ask him that question and doth not the said vicious person by professed refusing to repent of and leave his lust renounce an essentiall of Christianity and therefore renounceth Christ notwithstanding his tendring himself to be admitted to the communion drawing on And was not this according to the order formerly appointed in the Church of England See the Rubrick before the communion where it is thus ordered So many as intend to be partakers of the holy communion shall signifie their Names to the Curate over night or else in the morning before the beginning of morning Prayer or immediatly after And if any of those be an open and notorious evil liver or have done any wrong to his neighbour in word or deed the Curate having knowledge thereof shall call him and advertise him in any wise not to presume to the Lords Table untill c. This mistake being discovered I shall not need to insist on the answering divers other passages Mr W. hath after in his Book which are grounded on this unreasonable catch §. 2. 2. My second answer to this second Exception was It 's not impossible for such a man to profess contradictions so that you cannot conclude he professeth not against Christ because he professeth for Christ at the same time or in one breath Mr. W. replie Yea we can and ought in the judgment of charity so to conclude and he would put me off with this slurre should we say it 's not impossible for you to professe contradictions you would rather laugh at our folly then conceive your selfe guilty Give us leave then to judge you none of the wisest for this ridiculous elusion Some prove themselves men by their visibility rather than rationality they will laugh you out an argument of their manhood sooner then give you a reasonable demonstration of it What ridiâ—ulous matter our brother hath here got to make himself merry with I see not if he keep close to the case we are considering of If I say I do accept Christ as tendred in the Gospel and yet in the same breath say Christ shall not reign over me I think I should professe contradictions and my profession of the former is no evidence that I do not profess the later He may turn his tune change his ha into ah and in stead of laughter see just cause of lamentation that such contradictory professions are too frequent An Arian saith I believe the Scriptures to be true yet I believe Christ is but a meer Creature The Socinian saith I take him for my Saviour and Redeemer yet in a proper sense he never redeemed me paid no price never was accursed sor me c. Those mentioned by Christ in the Gospel Matth. 21.38 said This is the heir come let us kill him They acknowledged him heir and so their Lord and Master and yet professe they would kill him was not here a contradiction in one breath professed agreeable to our present case §. 3. A third answer to this second Exception I suggested thus at numb
at numb 35. Some may say that such an one should be fully excommunicated to which I answer at numb 36. by hinting some Reasons to the contrary which are strengthened and enlarged by the discourse concerning excommunication and the degrees thereof which we treated upon above Chap. 3. But Mr. W. counts that labour impertinent It sufficeth him to confute all by saying I prove not the case but only suppose it and so he proceeds to the 4th Exception This Reply of his hath twice or thrice already occurred and yet because Mr. W. in his answer to my solution of the first exception then passed it over with naming it and promised to speake to it more fully on the 4th Exception I have hitherto delayd to confirme my argument against him But now looking forward into his animadversions on the 4th Exception and finding him speaking little there close to this matter I shall here take occasion to make my defence in it But that may furnish another Chapter PSALM 119. part 14. O. 105 Of all Lampes thy word bright'st doth burne It s to my seet a light 106 Obey will I what I have sworne To keep thy Judgements right 107 O Lord afflictions sore me sting By thy words quickning reach 108 Oh! accept my prayse-offering And mee thy Judgements teach 109 Often my soulis in my hand Yet to thy Law I cleave 110 Od'ous men sought to snare me and Thy precepts I 'de not leave 111 Of old my heritage hath bin Thy Lawes which gladnesse send 112 Order'd my heart is to walk in Thy statutes to the end CHAP. XV. §. 1. THe Reader may be pleased to remember that the Question is whether any such qualifi'd as aforesaid may be debarred the Sacrament I supposed the case of one by word renouncing Christianity or some essential part thereof who I said though so qualified as the Question puts him to wit baptized adult intelligent and not fully excommunicate may be debarred and if so then their universal negative that none so qualified might be debarred is manifestly false Mr. W. often hath answered that he excepts against the case I no where finde him saying that in such a case this person should not be debarred but he saith p. 83. Our exception lyes against that very supposition and you do but repeat your own case against which we except And often elswhere he saith this same thing But not any where can I see him offering any Reason of that his exception I shall now offer my reason against it If it be a valid exception against an argument which makes supposition of the present case supposed to say that case ought not to be supposed It is either because the case supposeth what 's impossible or what never was is nor shall be existent or for some of these or some other Reason But as I know no other Reason to be pretended when I do it may be considered so these here enumerated are either not applicable to our present case or are not valid against it The first is not applicable to it It s not impossible that a man who tenders himselfe to be admitted to the communion should professedly in words renounce Christianity or which is tantamount here an essential part of Christianity It s neither impossible impossibilitate absolutâ ex parte rci quae sita est in implicatione terminorum qui se mutuò evertunt neque impossibilitate relativâ ex parte atque respectu alicujus potentiae It s not so impossible as it is for God to deny himselfe or for yesterday to be to day nor as it may be impossible for some one who is blind to see I meane in sensu diviso for in sensu composito this is impossible with the absolute impossibility before mentioned This therefore is not applicable to our present case supposed And yet if the latter kinde of impossibility were it were no valid reason against our argument For we finde in Scripture arguings upon such things or cases supposed It s a rational observation which the learned Amyraldus hath Specim Animadvers special par 3. erot 5. Licet saith he supponere eum esse fidelem I may say also infidelem in the sense opposite to that wherein he there takes fidelis qui actu non est talis neque verô esse potest nam Paulus supponit justitiam esse per legem quod falsum est ex eâ suppositione deduxit Christum esse mortuum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est adhuc falsius ut ostenderet quod est longe verissimum justificationem non ex lege sed ex evangelio constare sic Christus dicit si dixerim me non nosse patrem mendaxero c. §. 2. As for the other Reasons pretended against the validity of my arguing upon the supposition aforesaid viz because the case supposed neither hath been is nor shall be existent or because at least some of these may be said of it I should returne as followes If the non-present existence of the case were valid against the arguing on it then we could never prove by argument the Rule in general that any notorious Adulterer were to be censured in any particular Church where there is not such a notorious Adulterer existent among them And if the non-former existence were valid as aforesaid then no new kinde of crime could be new censured The consequence of both these is manifestly sound and rational But the consequents in both are plainly false therefore the Antecedents are not true And the futurition of such crimes cannot certainly be foreknown by natural meanes therefore if the non futurition were a bar to the supposing such cases there could be no supposition of any crime not present or past which is also most false For all penal Lawes suppose an offence to be committed upon which the execution of them takes effect §. 3. 2. Againe If that might not be supposed which neither is was nor shall be existent then the holy Scriptures make not right suppositions For such are frequent there Gal. 1.8 9. If we or an Angel from heaven preach another Gospel let him be accursed We may make supposition of an Angel from heaven since the fall of man preaching a false doctrine and that he should be accursed neither of which happen yet we may argue if he do so he is accursed even as I supposed a baptized person c. his word-renouncing of Christianity and his being suspended whether either of these happen or no I might argue that if he do so he is so to be dealt with Multitudes of other such suppositions of things which never were nor are nor shall be we finde in Scripture and arguings thereupon see many together 1 Cor. 15.13 14 15 16 17 18 19. so elswhere Math. 6.15 John 8.39 16.7 18.23 Gal. 2.21 Ezek. 18.24 26 c. Augustine in his booke de fide et operibus thus disputeth against them who would admit notorious unclean persons to Baptisme
sollicitous about mine as so pittifully in the interim to neglect his owne §. 6. His fifth Answer or Reason against my foresaid consequence is a meere fiction the product I thinke of an extravagant phansie and too fruitfull an invention ratified and excited by a passionate heat I never said that former acts of wickednesse though amounting to a rejecting of an essential of Christianity nor yet word-rejecting of Christ when retracted by a visible repentance should debar any from the Sacrament They are then cancelld and blotted out when repented of and are no more to be mentioned against the offender As Cyprian saith Epist 55. Cornelio fratri Primus foelicitatis gradus est non delinquere secundus delicta cognoscere Illic currit innocentia integra illibata quae servet hic succedit medela quae sanet But as in the beginning of the argument I spake all along of a word-rejecting Christ which a person is found in when he tenders himselfe to communicate so here the deed rejecting of Christ was such as he was then visibly still guilty of which he is not when he hath seriously retracted it by repentance and promise of Reformation And yet where this Gentleman is most amisse he is usually most confident and if I may use Cheshire language threapes me down thus p. 104. You cannot say I misconceive your meaning no by no meanes If he say white is black he must not be contradicted no not when he pretends to know my thoughts so infallible is he the seven Hills aspire not to this Elevation I trow Marsilius Ficinus who interprets Plato saith Platonis quidam familiaris vir doctus edidit librum cujus inscriptio fuit Contradicendum non esse eidem de eo Platonem consulenti respondit Plato Cur me consulis si tibi prohibes contradici I shall leave him in his confidence and returne to the Ark of my trust PSALM 119. part 17. R. 129 Right wondrous are thy statutes bright My soul keepes them therefore 130 Receiving of thy words give light Th'simple with knowledge store 131 Restlesse I cal'd and pant for I Longing thy precepts crave 132 Regard me with that rich mercy Which doth thy lovers save 133 Regulate my steps in thy Word Let no sin rule o're mee 134 Rescue mee from mans wrongfull sword So I 'le thy Lawes keep free 135 Rayes from thy face shine on me now Teach me thy word to awe 136 Rivers of teares from mine eyes slow Because men breake thy Law CHAP. XVIII §. 1. ANd now having answered Mr. W. his Reasons as he cal'd them The Reader may discerne how my argumentation concerning deed-rejecters of Christ their suspension remaines untouched by him much more unwounded and safe But because the point is of great influence into the present controversie I shall adde somewhat more hereunto to prove that notorious gross wickednesse continued in without visible repentance of it is and ought to be taken in the judgement of the governing Church or where there is no governing Church in the judgement of the Minister officiating as equivalent to word-Rejecting of Christ and therefore equally renders a person uncapable of having the Lords Supper administred unto him The argument I before propounded at numb 44 45 was to this purpose If words are no otherwise testimonies then as they signifie the mind of the speaker then words of profession for owning Christianity are not significative of the mind in that profession when there are some such deeds at present owned which do more probably signifie the mind to the contrary This consequence is cleere because the use of words is to be signes of things when they manifestly are not so they cease to have the use of signifying the mind in the thing spoken of Verba quid audio facta cum videam Cyprian de unitate ecclesiae catholicae saith Credere se in Christum quomodo dicit qui non facit quod Christus sacere praecipit The Antecedent also is manifest For §. 2. 1. In other matters some deeds practiced and continued in render words to the contrary incredible and there is the same reason of them and this case as to the thing wherein I now compare them The command is to Give to him that needeth but every one who saith he needeth is not to be taken for a needy person when as the contrary other wise appeares to us by his abundance visibly under his hand and his large and unnecessary expences So he that repents is to be forgiven but he that says he repents is not to be beleeved when actually and visibly he continues in the wickednesse he saith he repents of Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum and that before God or men If a theefe rob me of my purse and then say he is sorry for my loss and that he hath so injur'd me yet will not restore my purse to mee Is his saying I repent a probable indication of his mind Is that a credible profession St John shewes 1 John 3.17 compared with Chap. 4.20 If a man say he love God or his neighbour and yet so manifest his hatred that he will not relieve his brother in distresse he is a lyar and therefore so must be judged of by that manifestation of his deeds contrary to his words Was not the enmity of the Jewes Adversaries as to building the Temple signified by their practising against the same more then their friendship was by their good words Ezra 4.2 Let us build with you for we seeke your God as ye doe c. So Jer. 8.8 9. How do ye say ye are wise they have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdome is in them 1 John 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1 John 1.6 If we say we have fellowship with him and walke in darknesse we lye and doe not the truth Now sure a lye manifested to be so is not credible nor a significative testimony of what in words is asserted When the Pythonisse maide Act. 16.16 17 18. gave testimony to Paul and Sylas verbally saying These men are the servants of the most high God which shew unto us the way of salvation Was that a credible profession or testimony Augustine libro de Mendacio ad Consentium saith Ille mentitur qui aliud habet in animo aliud verbis vel quibuslibet significationibus ennnciat §. 3. 2. Words are more apt to be counterfeit then some deeds therefore some deeds may be more credible testimonies of the mind then words contrary thereunto When Saul said to Samuel 1 Samuel 15.13 14. Blessed be thou of the Lord I have performed the Commandment of the Lord. Samuel said But what meaneth this bleating of the sheep in my cares and the lowing of the oxen which I heare And Sauls disobedient deeds of sparing Agag and the best of the Amalekitish flock though pretended for sacrifice was a more credible
Corinthian Lais I dare not answer according to this folly No wonder if he crow over me as wanting stomack and not being stomackfull enough p. 108 118. for such doughty disputings He makes it appeare though unmannerly what a full stomack he hath by his continuall cructations of such putrid and adust choler For after all this he is rifting again in this very place and afterward as sowrely as if he had had no vent before and at last p. 114. brings up that crude calumny which he for the once belcheth forth to besmear me with it viz. the denying the Pope to be Antichrist .. I see its parlous to be neer a man in his casting fits or that owing one a spite hath the trick of the new organon salutis and can with his provang unload his stomack at his pleasure And this he ushers in with a parturiunt montes and saith you know my meaning I know indeed what followes and thence conclude M. W. is content to be a Mouse-trap that my paper may seeme ridiculous But if he remember the story Sir Walter Rawleigh hath out of Herodotus it may lessen his confidence of vanquishing the Mouse he laughs at The story is thus in History of the world p. 612. Herodotus saith Senacheribs great hoast which he had when he threaned Hezekia by Rabsheca was intended against Aegypt But a great multitude of feild mice entring the Camp of Senacherib by night did so gnaw the bowes quivers strings and straps of his mens armour that they were faine the next day to fly away in all hast finding themselves disarmed In memory whereof saith Herodotus the statue of this King is set up in the Temple of Vulcan holding a mouse in his hand with this Inscription Let him who beholds mee serve God I 'le not apply the particulars but only thus The mouse Mr. W. despiseth if it may have faire play I doubt not will disarme this warriour and cut in sunder the nerves of his arguments But the parturiunt montes I thinke may be more fitly applyed to his â—â—â—ving and groaning to be delivered of that flatulent falshood that Mola or monstrous birth of the Antichristian lye which at last he brings forth and exposeth to the view of the world And let the world at his own instance and desire behold how he travaileth with iniquity hath conceived mischiefe and brought forth falshood But this filth I shall wipe off beneath For I am afraid of displeasing the Reader by having too much of these personal fooleries together I shall therefore leave them and speak only to the thing remaining which Mr. W. hath here touched upon namely concerning the description of Excommunication which he pretends to gather out of some expressions of mine to be a declaring of a person to be as an heathen and so to be dealt with If he had perused Math. 18.17 Let him be to thee as an heathen and publican sure he durst not have scoft at that He that is to be to us an heathen is to be judged as an heathen and so to be dealt with that is in some respects viz. in those wherein he is to be to us as an heathen Neither the Scripture nor my paper here said he was to be judged an heathen simply But it saith let him be to thee as an heathen with which manner of expression my scriblings as Mr. W. fitly calls them did wholly comply And what now hath our learned Gentleman to oppose hereunto that you may seeke for some where else unlesse this may be allowed the place and honour of an objection in stead of a better which skulkes in an implicit Ambuscado namely the interpretation he puts on my expressions aforesaid that is saith our learned Expositor to be counted as an enemy and not to be admonished as a brother But if Paul be not against his Master this will do us no hurt Even an heathen any neighbour as such is to be admonished as a Brother in some sense and not counted an enemy simply Eph. 5.11 Levit. 19.17 10.36 Mark 12.33 And a Christian excommunicate ought to be admonished though in some respects he is to be to us as an Heathen The reconciliation is easie Take it in the learned Zanchius his words on 2 Thess 3. Obj. Videtur sibi contrarius Apostolus praecipit ne commercium habeatis cum eo excommunicato tamen habete eum pro fratre Resp Prohibet familiaritatem non necessariam periculosam noxiam quâ indulgeamus eorum vitijs aut saltem conniveamus non edentes ullam significationem odij improbationis peccatorum quâ denique in similia peccata induci ipsorum scabiae inquinari possimus or as Zepperus thus Although no one ought to joyne himselfe in stricter familiarity and private offices to the excommunicate yet charity shall be exercised towards him in publique and private prayers to God and frequent admonitions de polit ecclesiâ p. 164 165. But the excommunicate are not to be driven away from the publique Assemblyes of the Church to heare Gods word least they should grow hopelesse and the doores of repentance be shut to them §. 5. 6. The Rest Mr. W. hath besides personal vagaries is the old business of Examination p. 113 114. and his Question what difference we make betwixt suspension and full excommunication hath been answer'd before And now let the Reader use his own eyes and judgement whether any or all these six answers do in the least infringe my argument he pretends to evervate hereby Which was this If deed rejecting of Christ may not be a cause of Excommunication where there 's a desire signified to receive the Sacrament then none who desire to receive may be excommunicated The latter is false therefore so is the former Fit now his answers to this mark and then determine of them as Reason directs I must crave thy excuse for holding thee so long in the examination of Mr. W. pretensions on this point Wee will now the more greedily and eagerly drinke of those cordial waters of the Sanctuary PSALM 119. Part 20. V. V. 153 View thou my straites save me thy Lawes I forget not O Lord. 154 Unloose my bonds plead thou my cause Quicken mee by thy Word 155 Vile men are from salvation farre Who seek not thy command 156 Very great Lord thy mercies are Life by thy Judgements send 157 Various foes strive mee to oppresse Thine hests I 'le not forsake 158 Viewing Transgressours greiv'd I was When they thy statutes brake 159 Vouchsafe to see thy Law I love Lord kindly quicken mee 160 Very true I thy Word long prove Thy Judgements lasting bee CHAP. XXI §. 1. BE of good cheer my Reader Mr. W now saith I pray let us come to an end I hope he is somewhat neer for this time an end of his revilings and impertinencies How-ever having tyred thy patience sufficiently whiles I have insisted too long on his extravagancies in the last chapter I 'le promise thee