can be no warrant for Gods people to separate from the Ordinances of Christ If they shall yet say the corrupt managing and dispensation of them make the ordinances uncleane and Idolatrous I hope there is formerly spoken enough to give satisfaction to that where it is proved lawfull to joyne in mixt assemblies and the unlawfulnesse of separation Rev. 18 â— As for this portion of Scripture where it is said Come out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sinnes and that yee receive not of her plagues We must understand what is meant by this word her and if we examine the 17. and 18. Chapter of this booke of Revelation wee shall plainely finde it to be the scarlet Whore the Pope of Rome so all expositors the whore of Babylon that mother of harlots and abomination of the earth Chap. 16.19 And great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fiercenes of the wrath of God Chap. 17. Vers 1. Come hither saith the Angell to Saint John and I will shew thee the judgement of the great Whore that fits upon many waters with whom the Kings of the earth have committed fornication and read c. read I say the fourth fifth sixt seventh and so to the end of that Chapter Now in the eighteenth Chapter the Lord by St. John foretells the fall and destruction of this great whore of Babylon by reason of her great abominations and gives an exhortation for Gods people to come out of her such as have joyned with her in her sins lest they do also partake of her plagues What warrant this gives men to separate from the ordinances of God and the publique assemblies of Gods people exercised in and about the worship of God I know not we all know that Rome is the very seate of Idolatry both for the matter and manner of their worship their doctrine false in fundamentalls more corrupt then Heathens and Pagans there is no ordinance of Christ among them onely the Word is preached in an erroneous and false way to the people to seduce and betray them from Christ to Antichrist they have ordained Sacraments of their owne worships of their owne nay in a Scripture sense gods of their owne from the assemblies of these Idolaters Gods people must separate not from publique Congregations of Gods worship for as I have spoken at large with us are the ordinances of Jesus Christ the Word of God taught sufficiently to salvation in all that beleeve we observe no other ordinances but what Christ hath instituted and ordained but it is impossible for any man to come to life and salvation by their Idolatrous worships though the Lord may have his number amongst them which have not bowed the knee to Bâ—all yet these were never converted by the false worships ordinances and inventions but by some extraordinary or immediat blessing bestowed upon them from the reading of the Scriptures c. and inspiration of his Spirit c. for Satan never begets children to God Mat. 12.25 nor Antichrist convert men to Christ A kingdome divided against it selfe cannot stand And thus having very briefely spoken concerning those places of Scripture alledged by those that plead for a separation according as my weake talent and short time will permit I will shut up with the fifth and last thing I intended and promised to speake to which is onely to give a few words to avoyde mistakes for I earnestly desire not to offend the conscience of the weakest Christian or to bring upon my selfe that aspersion which some prejudicately would cast upon me For I call God to witnesse that according to that poore lâ—ght God hath given me I have not beene injâ—rious to any knowne place of Scripture or winked at any knowne truth in this discourse but have as earnestly desired and unpartially indeavoured to convince my owne heart of the truth of this point of so great concernement and that makes so great difference among Gods people as for the informing of any other to whom I am in some measure engaged by way of promise or private interest Therefore I desire to deliver my selfe plainely as I can that whatsoever I have spoken upon this subject is neither to dignifie my owne opinion nor to maintaine or pleade for any corruption or abuse in our Church assemblies or dispensation of the ordinances for while I say it is unlawfull to separate from such assemblies for reasons formerly given yet I say not it is lawfull for corrupt and prophane men to bee admitted to the Sacrament onely I have desired to informe my selfe and others how and in what manner they may safely joyne and frequent the ordinances of life and salvation to their comfort though those in authority be remisse in the exercise of discipline and so corrupt in their offices and trust reposed in them But I doe earnestly desire to perswade and stirre up my selfe and all Gods people in all our severall addressements to God in prayer wee would make this onâ— speciall part of our desires that God would purge the Church of all abuses both in doctrine and manners and settle the ordinances amongst us in their power and purity and I desire not only that Gods people should pray against these corruptions but mourne for the continuance of them and every one according to the bounds and limits of his place and calling to show his utter dislike of them in all lawfull wayes though not by separating which I hope sufficiently appeares to bee unlawfull the premises considered and truely this I have done for these reasons following First to satisfie my selfe and others that were doubtfull in this point of joyning in mixt assemblies lawfully Secondly to make up the breaches and avoyd dissention division which Satan is apt to make between not onely carnall men and godly mâ—n but betweene the godly themselves which is that that Saint Paul reprehends in the Corinthians 1 Cor. 3.3 and tells them plainely it was an evidence of their carnality and this also hee earnestly exhorts them to by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.10 that they would all speake the same thing and that there be no division among them but be perfectly joyned together in one and the same judgement and in Rom. 16.17 hee intreates them to marke such as cause division and to avoyd them have no unnecessary society with them Thirdly that the enemies mouthes may be stopped not onely the Papists who as I formerly said shoot this as their maine thunderbolt against our Religion the diversity of opinions but also our prophane loose Protestants nay even our civill honest men who take occasion from hence to reproach the wayes and people of God of which wee have too much wofull experience yea and it is a maine stumbling blocke in the wayes of many weake ones that might otherwise bee won to Christ even the devisions among Gods people Ephe.
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 Goâ—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 â—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 pâ—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
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 â—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 Eâ—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
inwardly and outwardly not by extraordinary revelations and apparitions dreams and visions as formerly but by means of grace appointed ordained both for converting and building up to and in Jesus Christ they had the Temple their Sacrifices their Sacraments the same God and the same Christ that we have so we have our Temple our Altar our high Priest 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4. Mat. 28 19. Mat. 18.20 our Sacrifices our Sacraments all in a more substantiall and spirituall manner they had the Law we the Gospel they the promise of Gods presence so we they the promise of life and salvation by Christ so we upon condition of faith and repentance Acts 19.18 Acts 8. â—7 Marke 16.16 John 3.15 they served God under the Law we under Grace If God call a whole Nation to a visible and externall Covenant with him by the preaching of the Word the giving them the Ordinances of life and salvation by giving them hearts to make profession of obedience thereto as in England the Lord hath done I know nothing against it but that England may be as true a Nationall Church as the Church of the Jewes was and as lawfully called and constituted though very corrupt in Disciplinâ—â—â—d Doctrine and members also the Word may be preached to Heathâ—ns and Infidels for conversion as Paul did to the Athenians and to the blasphemous Jewes and yet had no externall communion with them as members of the same body Ans The Word may be preached to them that are without for their conversion to the faith to them that are within the Church by Baptisme and externall profession for their sound conversion unto God from particular sinnes and building forward in grace and godlinesse there is no communion with Heathens nor infidels because they are not of the Christian society but scandalous persons received in by Baptisme and not cast out by publike censure the Word is preached to them as members and not as unto bare hearers and they are admitted to the prayers of the Congregation as well as hearing of the Word being members of the externall Covenant to use one Ordinance and not another is to make a Schisme in the Church and as the preaching of the Word not the bare tender of the Word but the giving of it to dwell and abide with a people is a note of a true Church so is the hearing of the Word an act of communion with the Church And if the presence of wicked men at the Sacrament did defile the Ordinance to the beleever so their presence in hearing the Word would have the same effect to defile the Word also to the faithfull but the presence of the wicked defile not the ordinance to the worthy beleeving Communicant neither the Word to the prepared and sincere hearer therefore it is lawfull to participate in mixt Assemblies Object If this be all that declares a Church to be a true Church preaching of the Word administration of the Sacraments and visible profession thereunto of obedience then the Church of Rome may be a true Church Ans In the Church of Rome the Word of God is not truly taught the Ordinances and Sacraments of the Lord Christ are not dispensed therefore there can be no visible profession of obedience to them neither can it be a true Church For consider it is not the preaching of some one truth or other that is a marke of a true Church when fundamentall points upon which salvation or damnation dependeth are erroniously maintained and that by the whole Church as it is this day in the Church of Rome that cannot possibly be a true Church of Jesus Christ that maintaines universally fundamentall errors quite overthrowing the very being of Christ you may call such a Church if you will yea a true Church but let it be a true Church of Antichrist For consider 1. They permit not the word of God the Doctrine of salvation but in an unknowne tongue 1 Cor. 14. the whole chap. that people cannot understand quite contrary to the rule of the Apostle Paul 2. They will not suffer private men Lay men so much as to reade the Scriptures which is absolutely against the command of Christ and the salvation of mankind the Lord Christ saith Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me John 5.39 Acts 17.11 and in them yee thinke to have eternall life and see the men of Berea commended by Saint Paul for that the Pope prohibits upon paine of Inquisition 3. They preach and presse their owne tenets the Popes Decrees and their owne Traditions before the commands of God placing more infallibility and confidence in the Pope a sinfull mortall man then in the Scriptures themselves which is the word of truth 4. They are corrupt in such fundamentals both in Doctrine and Discipline that cannot stand with a true Church of Christ 2 Cor 5.14 Eph. 2.1 Luk. 17.10 Mat. 15.30 Hosea 4.6 2 Tim. 3.15 Mat. 9.3.4 5 6. Esa 42.1 Mat. 24.22.24 Luke 18.7 Rom. 9.11.11.15 Heb. 7.25 1. Tim. 2.5 Heb. 12.24 Heb. 24. Mark 5.36 Rom. 3.25.27 yea very contradictions to the Word of God and to the essence of Christ as the all-sufficient Saviour of all that beleeve maintaining the Doctrine of Freewill of merits of inherent righteousnesse maintaining also lawfull ignorance nay commending it for the Mother of Devotion which the Lord himselfe saith is the cause of perishing they hold also the Scripture is not sufficient to salvation but the Popes Canons must be added they also hold and maintaine confession of sinnes to Priests That the Pope and Popish Priests have power to forgive sinnes they can sell pardons for money They deny the Doctrine of Election and Predestination which the Word of God so fully holds out They maintaine prayer for the dead Eccles 11.3 Luke 16.22.27 Psal 49.8 9. They make more Intercessors and Mediators besides Christ who is and ought to be the onely Mediatour of our peace They overthrow the Doctrine of Gods free Grace and of justification by faith in Christ by the workes of super-erogation merit c. They worship Saints and Angels contrary to the Word and command of God ordain seven Sacraments five more then Christ ordained Esa 42.8 Col. 2 1â— Rev. 19. â— Acts 10.25 26. Judg. 13 15 16. Mat. 4 10. Luk. 22.15 16 17 18 19 20. John 6.33 They also turne the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ to an Idoll Masse and maintaine that grosse and palpable errour of Transubstantiation which is quite against a cloud of witnesses John 6.53.54 55 56 57 58. John 6.63 John 16.7 the 17.10 11. 1 Cor. 10.16.17 1 Cor. 11.26 John 6.47 48 50. 2 Cor. 10.14 Matth. 24.23 and 26.11 Marke 16.19 Luke 24.2 3. John 16.28 Phil. 3.20 Heb. 8.1 and 10.12 Besides these and other fundamentall errours as the palpable Idolatry c. many other of lesse concernement as their Feast dayes Fast dayes Doctrine of single life to the Clergie Dispensations to sinne
c. that if ever there were a true Church if I may so call it of Antichrist it is the Church of Rome therefore I conclude that that Church which generally maintains fundamentall errours against the very being of the Word the command of God the essence of Christ cannot be a true Church of Christ But of the Church of Rome this and more may be be truly affirmed therefore the Church of Rome is not the Church of Christ Object There are other markes of a true Church as a lawfull Ministery and true Discipline Answ Yea both these are necessary in a Church and we also imply a lawful Ministery where the Word is truly taught and as for a true Discipline it is necessary to the well-being of a Church not essential to the being of a Church the Church is not so well as it ought to be that is defective this way but yet there may be great corruptions in Ministery and Discipline and yet the Church be a true Church of God as a man though he have some infirmity or imbecillity in his body in some one or more members though he be not so perfect a man as he would be or should be yet he may be and is a reall man as in case of the Palsie and the like debility This we know that no true Church can be perfect in this life either in the internall or externall frame thereof As all true Churches from the beginning have done for if not any one man much lesse a whole Congregation and if the Lord be pleased to account the Church to be his when it failes in the internals of the worship and service of God surely we have no reason to thinke so rashly that he will decline and disclaim it for outward defects where the fundamentals are preserved and kept Object The standing and calling of our Ministers as they stand by Bishops is Antichristian and therefore they are not lawfull Ministers Answ It would be something difficult I thinke for those that are of that opinion to prove either their proposition or conclusion to be truth but in answer hereof I say thus much 2 Cor. 4 15 Gal. 1.9 Luke 9.49 1. If they preach the Lord Christ and life and salvation by faith in his name 2. If they show forth the power of godlinesse in their conversations Phil. 1.15.18 3. If they be furnished with ministeriall qualifications Let their calling standing and preaching be allowed by Bishops or not they are no whit the more unlawfull in their standing or practise Maâ—k 9.38 39 40. Num. 11.28 29. so Eldad and Meldad they prophesie and Moses allowes them and desires all Gods people were Prophets viz. that they might be able to deliver the minde of God to the people and truly we should not envie though there were a greater number furnished with ministeriall gifts whether allowed by Bishops or not 2. As Bishops are Ministers they are lawfully called and so may have a vote I conceive though with subjection in electing and ordaining preaching Ministers as they are or ought to be men able to judge of mens learnings parts and qualifications for the Ministery for the spirits of the Prophets 1 Cor. 14.32 are subject to the Prophets as for that exorbitant power which they pretend they received from the King as Supreame Magistrate or their usurped authority exercised over the lives liberties estates and consciences of men their great intermeddling with secular and temporall affaires and jurisdiction this though it be unlawfull yet this makes not their callings to the Ministery unlawfull or them uncapable of electing or ordination no more then the abuse of any calling makes the calling unlawfull though men by abuse may make themselves unfit and uncapable of their lawfull callings We must therefore condemne them in what they have done that is unlawfull and unjust but the appointing Ministers to preach the Word of God is a lawfull action and not derogating from their function as I conceive and indeed we should have had little or no cause to complaine of them for this had they beene faithfull in the trust reposed in them and appointed such over and in the Church as were godly learned and painfull and conscionable in their places such who were called by God as well as approved of by them Examp. If there were an order from Bishops that none might pray in his family without order from them would this order from them make our praying in our families unlawfull no surely neither doth their giving orders to Ministers make their Ministery unlawfull as it is lawfull to pray and preach without them so is it with their consent 3. Know the principall call of a Minister is from God for if men be rightly qualified and gifted for the Ministery that they are inabled from God to deliver his minde out of his Word to his people and preach sound Doctrine approved of by the Scriptures and the faithfull who are inabled by the Spirit of God to try the spirits whether they be of God yea or no 1 John 4.1 this makes men lawfull Ministers of the Word of God whether approved by the Bishops or disallowed by them and indeed this is that that Gods people should especially looke after and lesse trouble and puzle themselves about their standing or not standing by Bishops I know if I should aske such men as account such Ministers Antichristian and their callings unlawfull whether the Bishops disallowing or disapproving of one rightly qualified for the Ministery would make him uncapable and unlawfull to preach they would answer as I doe my selfe Certainely no then I conclude that as their disapproving of a man makes him not unlawfull if he be qualified much lesse their allowing or approving of him for God is the great caller and sender and if he send men to preach or call men Maâ— 9.38.39 who shall contradict it our duty therefore is to pray the Lord of the harvest to send painfull labourers into his Vineyard Object Our Bishops have placed over us prophane idle and wicked men not fit to take charge of the flocke of Christ yea and many as ignorant as prophane Answ For such as are ignorant and unable and idle these are altogether unfit and this is the great sinne of them that were in authority in the Church to suffer it as for scandalous and prophane livers they also are sinfully thrust upon the Church but if they preach well and truly take paines in the Ministery the viciousnesse of their lives make them not altogether unlawfull in their standings though they are unprofitable by reason of that prejudice which we receive against their practise though their Doctrine be true and this is of our selves and arises of our corrupt hearts to decline and turne our backs upon wholsome truths though delivered by sinfull men Mat. 15 5. Mat. 16 6. 26.65 Isay 57. â— Ezek. 34 3. the Scribes and Pharisees as before were ignorant unlearned blinde
benefit of the ordinance by reason of the presence of wicked men who deprive themselves thereof this is an unreasonable and so false exposition of Scripture and an unsound conclusion Obj. If we were yet convinced that it were our duty to partake in such mixt assemblies we would doe it but that 's yet the question Answ If all that hath beene already said be not enough consider First it is our duty to feed upon Christ by Faith in the Sacrament therefore as we regard the thriving of our soules we ought not to deny them the meanes of grace Joh. 6.55 lest the guilt of perishing lie upon our owne heads the flesh of Christ is meat indeed and his blood drinke indeed the flesh and blood of Christ is the reall food of the soule Secondly it is the command of God of Christ of the Apostle therefore our duty as hath beene proved Thirdly we have the example of Gods people in former ages to carry us thorow it Fourthly if it be our duty to commemorate the death of Christ it is our duty to receive the Sacrament though prophaners bee there present Fiftly the Apostle gives us order to examine our selves and eate laying downe this as a remedy against the abuses and disorders in the Church I conclude therefore thus that it is lawfull to participate in assemblies where prophane persons are not cast out as from all that hath been said so briefely from there two Arguments Argum. 1 That that cannot deprive us of the maine ends and benefit of our performances ought not to deterre us from them but the presence of wicked men at the Sacrament cannot deprive us of the benefit and ends of the Sacrament therefore ought not to deterre us and keepe us backe from the Sacrament Argum. 2 That which God commands and expects from his people and hath beene the lawfull practise of Gods people in former ages this his people are still bound to doe But God by Christ and the Apostle commands us to receive the Sacrament Gods people have practised it in former ages and that lawfully in strength of duty notwithstanding wicked and prophane men have bin amongst them in all times therfore it is the duty of Gods people in our times also I cease to presse it with more arguments though all the former particulars may be drawne into so many strong arguments but I hope they will suffice being well considered as particulars of concernment to the purpose in hand Obj. There are divers godly and learned Ministers that refuse to administer the Sacrament upon this ground surely if it were not sinfull and unlawfull to administer it in a mixt assembly they would not refuse to doe it Answ I know and am confident that many both godly and learned have laid aside the administration of the Sacrament by reason of that sinfull mixture of holy and prophane at that sacred ordinance and I beleeve they are men of able parts qualified and gifted from God lawfully called to dispense his ordinances yet their consciences are tender this way and therefore have forborne to administer and though I dare not condemne them of any sinfull neglect herein yet I cannot nor dare justifie their practise neither would I seeme more knowing then they to whom the Lord hath given greater light onely by the way I desire to speake my owne thoughts of it with subjection to better judgements First I answer that as there are many godly and learned Ministers that have upon this ground laid aside the administration of this sacred ordinance so there are as many and farre more in number as learned and as godly that notwithstanding this corrupt mixture yet doe continue the dispensation thereof Prov. 27.23 Acts 20.28 1 Pet. 5.2.3 Ezek. 34.10 Secondly we must consider that there is in a Minister or Pastor of a Congregation required not onely Ministeriall and Sacramentall qualifications for himselfe that he may become a worthy Communicant but a charge lies upon him also to looke well to the flocke over which the holy Ghost hath placed him that they also may be such as have right and interest to the seales and Sacraments of life and salvation therefore he ought to be very carefull of them to instruct them concerning the author institution and end of this Sacrament and what the Lord requires of all that desire to participate to his glory and their owne comforts Also he ought to shew them the great and inestimable benefit of worthy receiving and the extreame and inevitable danger that ensues upon sinfull prophane unprepared and unworthy approaching the table of the Lord yea he ought to have power to cast out offenders of this nature But now in case when he hath done his duty in seasonable exhortations admonitions instructions and reproofes that the governement of the Church be so corrupt that the Disciples thereof be wrested out of his hands into such hands as are as corrupt and vaine as those that ought to be cast out of the Assembly yea and that by consent of the publike or supreme Magistrate the question is whether in this case it is more lawfull to desist the administration or to continue the dispensation thereof in a mixt Assembly For my owne part I conceive it more lawfull to continue the use and administration thereof then to desist it and that from these groundes following First It will appeare by all that hath beene formerly said concerning joyning or participating in mixt Assemblies at the Sacrament that the sinne of such as come irreverently and unworthily unto this ordinance cannot be charged upon either minister or people that come themselves as they ought And discharging their duty in using all lawfull meanes to prevent this abuse as when neither exhortation admonition or reproofe promises or denunciations will take place when the power of discipline is corrupt as aforesaid then praying against and mourning for such abuses and abominations in the Church Ezek. 9.4 6. is expected from Gods people not a Cessation of the dispensation of such precious ordinances Secondly If Gods ministers have power as I know nothing to the contrary to call Gods people together to distribute to them the seales of the Covenant why doe they deny them that priviledge to whom it especially and properly belongs and for whom it was principally ordained though they deny it to such as have no right to it If they are not able to know what all men are yet let them administer it to those they are well perswaded of and lay a generall charge upon such as by reason of our great Assemblies they cannot be so well acquainted withall who in Judgement of Charity may have right also and let them have the like priviledge till their lives give testimony to the contrary For as wee were better in our almes to relieve ten counterfeits then let Christ goe naked or hungry in any one member so had we better to admit ten Hypocrites to the Table of the Lord then deprive
to it the command of the Lord Christ and apostolicall injunction inferring it together with the example of Gods people in former ages praysing it ought to bee more prevailant with ministers to continue the dispensation of it then the unavoydable presence of wicked men ought to be for the desisting of this great Ordinance Certainly the Lord rather expects men should waite upon him in the Lawfull use of meanes in their places and callings indeavouring to observe and performe these duties in as holy a manner as they can till he open a doore of enlargement rather then to turne their backs upon such duties of high concernment Thirdly I now come to speake to the unlawfulnesse of separation from our publike assemblies having already sufficiently spoke to the lawfulnesse of joyning in them in the Ordinances notwithstanding their corruptions in and about the administrations of them First consider we turne our backes upon the Ordinances of God for as the disorderly Corinthians sinned in despising the Church of God by 1 Cor. 11.22 their abusive thrusting themselves to the Lords Table so they that separate from them doe also despise the Ordinance of God in turning their backes upon them and are as deepely guilty Secondly by separating our selves we deprive our selves of the benefit of the ordinances and hereby we doe that hurt to our selves that wicked mens presence with us could never doe Thirdly by departing and setting up wayes of our owne wee become guilty of performing our inventions before the ordinance of God and with Nadab and Abihu offer strange fire which we know the Lord punished from heaven with fire Fourthly wee lay our selves open to temptation for certainly if Gods people bee but a while absent from the publike ordinances of preaching and administration of the Sacrament or prayer the great ordinances of the Church either accidentally by businesse or voluntarily if such a thing can bee in Gods people what abundance of deadnesse and coldnesse overspreads their hearts how are they disabled for dutie publique or private how unable to resist temptation to wrastle with their lusts and wicked hearts and truely if wee bee foyled by sinne or Satan the world or our owne heart in the time of our voluntary departing from the meanes of grace blame our selves herein I appeale to the hearts and consciences of every godly man that hath experience of the frailty of themselves this way whether it bee thus yea or no. Fifthly Wee hereby deny our soules of their necessary food and nourishment and if it bee a sinne to neglect the preservation of the body much more to neglect the welfare of the soule Sixthly Wee hereby lay a stumbling blocke in the way of weake Christians who are doubtfull because of our departure Seventhly Wee open the mouthes not onely of the Papists against the Protestant Religion but of carnall Gospellers and civill honest men who make this the great Thunder-bolt to shoot at our Religion and profession even the divisions diversitie of opinions severall sects that are among such as professe Religion and this keepes many off from comming on to a Religious way of life The Lord of peace settle peace amongst us and make us all of one and the same mind according to truth in the worship and service of God Eighthly Wee doe by our separation scandall the Ordinances and whole assemblies of the Church for either the ordinances must be Idolatrous and the assembly Idolaters and Antichristian as the Separation of necessity must call them and doe or else they know their separation were unlawfull and herein I feare the Devill hath a maine stroake by nourishing in men such opinions as I formerly said while hee appeares in their estimation an Angell of light for certainly this is a more dangerous Rent hee makes in the Church then any other can bee for hee divides now not Papists from Protestants nor prophane persons from holy which may bee done in the exercise of the Ordinances of our publique assemblies but hee now divides and sowes discord and dissention betweene the godly themselves I pray God make us all wise to discerne and avoyd his subtiltie Certainly if wee ought not to receive accusation against an Elder under two or three Witnesses 1 Tim. 5.9 how much more carefull ought wee to bee to have very strong proofes and arguments to make good an accusation yea such a foul one as this is against a whole Church or Congregation some of whom our owne hearts tell us are in the number of Gods people and truely so accounted nay the scandall rests not onely upon Gods people but upon the Ordinances of God also for all that separate must account them Idolaters else their separation is unlawfull Ninthly it will appeare it is unlawfull to separate from such assemblies as ours are where the Word and Doctrine of salvation is so plentifully taught the Sacraments so duely administred such a visible profession made to both these notwithstanding the corruptions among us by these things to which the Church of God is compared in Scripture First to a Vine I am the Vine saith the Lord Christ and yee are the branches John 15.5 Now in case there bee a dead fruitlesse branch or more what course is to bee taken What cut off the living branches Nay Iohn 15 2 cut off the dead branches that the living may thrive the better Every branch that beareth not fruite hee taketh away saith the Lord Christ meaning God the Father who is the Husbandman and every branch that bringeth forth fruit he purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit Mat. 20.1 Esa 5.1 1 Cor. 3.9 Secondly The Church of God is Gods vineyard Gods husbandry the Lord he preserves the vines the young trees the flowers the profitable hearbs but he takes away and rootes up the dead branches weeds and such like and surely we would count him a mad vine-dresser or gardner that because of some dead branches in the vine or some weeds in the garden should thinke to make the vine fruitfull by cutting off the living fruitfull branches and the garden to prosper by plucking up the hearbes and flowers this indeed is the way to destroy a vine a husbandry a garden but never a way to preserve it and truely the next way to give a nullity to a Church is for every godly man if they durst to separate from it and strip it of its Ordinances and Members but the way to preserve it is to purge it by casting out the abusive not by departing from it it is needlesse here to aske mee what wee should doe if those dead branches be not cut off I have already answered that 1 Cor. 3.9 Thirdly Compared to a building in buildings we know men use to cast away refuse rotten Timber and rubbidge but they make use of the sound and serviceable materials or else they would make but a foolish building Fourthly To a body whereof Jesus Christ is head now we know a man may be
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 satâ— 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