you heard then must they come to yours Could our Voyce be heard all over the Nationall Church all the world over this is it we would say and presse upon the Ministers there You must give your people a meeting time and place for it there to take an account of them what they have profitted And you must not take their bare say so their profession onely they are Beleivers Disciples and Saints beleive them not not their owne word bring their words and lives both to the test or touchstone of the Word for they expect admittance to the Lords Table This must be done first diligent search must be made and evidence given-in how fitt they are and prepared guests for That Table what kinde of faith they have whether it be active or dead They are Cunning enough yet perhaps not enough to deceive you unlesse you are willing to be deceived you can aske them how it was wrought in them and by what meanes in the Spirits hand But still remember them how they and their faith must be tryed And let this come often into your minde what self-seekers and self-pleasers we are and that self-pleasing and self-seeking is the first stone that is laid in the Hypocrite's building Therefore if he be let alone he will flatter himselfe to his death-bed yea to Hell perswading himselfe still that he is an heire of Heaven being borne in England and Baptized there And indeed this will serve the turne to make him a member of a Nationall Church or as you know who said it a Câ—tizen of the world But if he make cleare proofe that he is a member of the True Church you must take some paines with him in point of examination of him in these matters And your hardest worke will be to remove that stone you have helped to lay beareing him up with this conceite that he is a Beleiver Disciple a Saint because borne and baptized in a Church remove but this stone and downe falls the building The hardest worke we beleive you have to doe is to plucke downe what ye have built-up That Castle in the Aire raised-up as high as Heaven by a false hope or presumption rather but now there is a possibility they may be built-up as true Beleivers Disciples and Saints are in whose building the first stone that is laid is self-deniall and flesh-crucifying These are the points you we hope will treate about with them and search them in and doe not be put off which was hinted before with their bare profession you know we may make a bare profession and deny Him in our workes whom we doe professe in words and declare our selves abominable and disobedient and unto every good worke reprobate We can Tit. 1. 16. lye as fast as we can goe it is so naturall to us for ever since we could goe we have gone astray and ever since we could speake Psal 58. â— we have spoken lyes What mighty reason is there and what enforcement unto you from hence to doe this If you will doe your duty give the people a meeting we meane those that you intend to meete at the Lords Table and hope anon to meete them in heaven Give them a meeting that you may try upon Scripture Grounds what alteration is made in them what change They were estranged from the womb they were gone astray out of the way are they yet reclaimed can they shew for it that they are returned have repented unto life and doe beleive in the Lord Jesus Christ Above all put them from their vaine boasts and out of their fooles paradise that they were borne in England and Baptized Indeed it is a glorious outward priviledge to be borne where the Gospell Sunne shineth but if we gaine no inward glory by it we are made twofold thereby more the Children of Hell than the Pagans are which was said before but we are dull of heareing O bid them beware therefore it is for their life which shall last as long as the long day or night of Eternity You remember Cecil Lord Burt Counselled his Son not to build his house upon any impropriation well knowing it would be built upon a sandy foundation Yet it did but endanger a house which built-up never so strong and settle it never so sure though upon a rocke yet as sure as it was builded-up it must fall downe But to build the house of our Confidence and for a Minister to make us bold in it upon this That we are to be accounted Beleivers Disciples and Saints and to be admitted to the Table of the Lord because we were borne in England this is to build upon a quicksand If a fox goe up Neh. 4. which was scornefully spoken of Jerusalems wall it shall even breake downe the wall of this their Confidence It shall not need though yet they shall meet with it a stormy wind to rent it â—zr 14. To put a close to our good Counsell and this second part of our undertaking The Ermine they say is so neate a Creature that if a puddle be on the one side and dogges on the other it will rather run into the dogges mouth there to be devoured than into the puddle so much it hates filthinesse And you know who said it and as they said they did If fire were on the one hand and sin on the other they would rather be consumed than defiled Certainly it is so with the people of God doe you in these matters what you will they will doe as God Commands them they will seperate the precious and the vile And they will advise Counsell and pray you and your brethren while they have an hand to move or a tongue to speake that you would Consider what you doe and what you ought to doe in Gods house as to those sacred administrations there least upon your neglect therein you become the greatest sinners in the World The sinnes of the whole Nation the Church theirs become yours O Consider Qui peccata non corrigit aliena facit sua He that doth not correct or hinder the doeing of a Crime the polluteing of the Lords Table when he can and it is in his hands to doe it he is no lesse guiltie of the Crime than is the offender himselfe There is a person presumes to come in his filthinesse The Minister such as he is consenteth to it saith in effect come and welcome This Consenter is as deeply guiltie as is the presumer you know who said it Why but this Minister is as full of Charity and hope too as Mr Hâ— is hee hopes well of all Yea but whereon doth he ground his hope no other ground but this That person was borne in a Church and baptized there So was the veriest Rebell your selfe have knowne or heard off made longer by the neck or shorter by the head therefore this hope is like the house of a Spider the beesome of destruction will sweepe it away the man dyes and his hope
more than touched upon three things specially the Word preached how they pressed to that place and listned to it when they came thither Secondly the Covenant of Gods free grace by Jesus Christ blessed for ever Thirdly Faith upon that we were the more large all beareing upon that being the hinge of all Now Sir this is our earnest desire That you with your Brethren would looke over this againe and lay your doctrines manner and practise before your people to that Standard for we choose to speake in that number And 1. Doe ye presse upon your people the necessitie of heareing and before you admit them to the Lords Table doe ye take time and place to search them to the bottome what they have profitted by heareing You know hereby they are hewen and made polished Stones and so fitted to be laid in the Lords building we trust you doe not doe as the Master of your Lord doth Polish your people at the Lords Table Surely they are to be made readie as those Stones were before they should have your admittance to 1 Kings 6. 7. Come thither And to proceed doe you aske what is that grace they must have before they can profit In our zeale for the Lords Christ yours and your peoples precious soules we shall question you in these grave points and so returne in all thankfullnesse your godly jealousies touching us and our way by putting it upon your thoughts what your way is with your people and how with them They with you walke therein You know but have you as you can made your people know it That preaching is the Chariot that carrieth Christ all about the Nationall Church we had almost said the world And the onely Appointment of God in the Spirits Hand to plucke them out thence as Lot out of Sodome It is the Ordinance sanctified of God for the begetting of faith in the beginning or Alpha of it so in the encreasings of it to the Omega or perfecting of the same It is that â—hereby that which is begun is perfected and that maintained which is begun It is that whereby the abundant riches of Grace through Jesus Christ are Conveyed unto us by Covenant we have said all 2 Tim 1. by Covenant life and immortality is brought to light by the Gospell preached the Ministery thereof there is not onely an unfolding of the gloriously excellent things of Christ but there is grace given by the Spirit to beleive them Thereby th' understanding that everlasting dore is opned to Jesus Christ Him that is true the true God and eternall life Now th' understanding closes with 1 Joh. 5. 20. Him or rather He by His Spirit with the understanding He is Truth The will and affections are drawn-out to Him also Oh how good is He to the Soule what a lovely object altogether desires By preaching all this is done it is the Chariot of the Cant. 5. Spirit it is the meanes that worketh faith which is the marriage of the Soule to Christ uniteth the soule to Him planteth it in Him maketh it one with Him And now she begins to know the abundant riches and glorious excellencies of Her Husband and the way of Conveyance of all these unto her by Covenant but still the first doore that is opned to all this is the eare and it is opned by heareing by heareing the eare is made able to heare we meane by the word the Spirit boreth it and now faith comes-in and fetcheth all-in the soule stands in need of Christ and all and all as sure as a Covenant of God with His people in Christ can make it Hold you to this still we meane hold your people to it faith comes by heareing it hath the stamp and institution John 10. 17. of God upon it and heareing by the word of God This was the ground of the Apostles faith not all the miracles they had seene John 2. 22. They Beleived the Scriptures and the word which Jesus had said Eph. 1. 13. The ground of the Ephesians faith also In whom ye also trusted after that ye HEARD the word of truth the Gospell of our Salvation The very end of all that is written touching Christ John 20. 31. and is preached of Him that ye might beleive c. Chaâ—ge this point home so your Lord Chargeth you and examine your people about their faith in God They will say they beleâ—ve Numb 22. 18. They will say as Balaam did My God and so will they say our God Hosea 8. 2 we know Thee Tit. 1. 16. Heare them now how they can make out what they say Doe they know Him whom they call theirs here you are like to find your people as grossely ignorant as were their fore-fathers of whome ye say saith our Blessed Lord That He is your God Joh. 8. 54 55. yet ye have not knowne Him We that have accustomed our tongues to lying ever since we were borne must not be credited in what we say till you have heard us making out what we say by giving a reason of the hope that is in us for truely thus it is with us for the most part We understand neither what we say nor what we affirme in God's matters Yea we commonly say we know the Father and the Son when we oppose the meanes appointed by God to convey this knowledge to us Now you shall doe well to tell us rebus sic stantibus That we are as well qualified to have Communion with Christ at His Table as a Wadd of dried stubble is to have Communion with a Consuming fire and doe no more enjoy Him there than midnight enjoyes the Sunne And that we doe indeed and in truth no more desire Communion with Christ the King at His Table or in any other place than darknesse can desire Communion with light or Beliall with Christ We are grossely ignorant of what we doe when we approach by your allowance the Lords Table It is not possible Fruimur Cognitis Ignoâ—i multa Cupido we can enjoy that we have no knowledge off or acquaintance with nor can our desires move towards an unknowne object Good Sir speake these things out to us your people we meane We are somewhat the larger here a point of so high concernment being Confident also of this very thing That you find your people cleane crosse to their Rule as your Brethren doe every where slow to heare and swift to speake for the Lords Supper We conceive the reason thereof to be this In a heareing place they cannot heare one word if it be the true word of God which is pleasing to flesh and blood it speakes death to their lusts if ever it speakes life to their soules Therefore they hate the word a killing word deadly because they love their lusts dearely They will have none of that meate which endureth to everlasting life none of the wine of the Gospell but as much bread and wine as you
and Godly men sure among those thousands of Israell called together by King David for the removing of the Arke and yet they put it in a 2 Sam. â— 1 Chron. 13. Exod. 25. 14. Numb 4. 15. 7. 19. Cart against the expresse Command of their God which was that the Levites should beare it on their shoulders Godlinesse we see doth not priviledge us from erring no not in the Highest matters the Concernments of the Lord and His Christ And for learning the Lord prosper it and sanctifie it that it may be of use to His Sanctuary for this we finde by dayly experience we will borrow the words of that excellent Expositor upon Job Chap. 4 12. It is Satans worke to sollicite the Learning of men even as an adulterer sollicites the beauty of women that he may commit folly with it and beget some monstrous birth of mischiefe and villany We proceed to that you say in the third place SECT III. THat Charity commands you to account all that are borne and Baptized in England Beleivers Disciples and Saints and upon that score as their Children are to be admitted to Baptisme so the Parents to the Lords Table As Charitable as Mr H s is who hopes the Best of all so he saith and say we if of all then he hopes the Best of the worst of all what hope hath he of the Devill Why If he be a Devill incarnate and baptized he shall be admitted to the Lords Table though truely we know not well what to say more having hinted so much to it before yet this we will add That Charity doth Râ—ad Mr. Pâ—lmeâ— pag. 70 71 both heare and see and hath a rule whereby to judge righteous Judgement as of a tree by the fruits of M H his walke in the streete by his practise at the Lords Table for if naught there it is our feare he is good no where Thus we judge of a man by â— Maâ— 16. 1â— his workes And to the thing in hand of a beleiver by his faith of a Disciple by his discipline his schollar-like submitting himselfe to the teaching of Christ of a Saint by his holinesse But when none of all this is visible but the Contrary to all this They account themselves Saints are dealt with as Saints yet they revile the Saints hate and persecute holinesse then we see not why Charity should make her mantle so large as thereby to Cover that which is so apparent that it cannot be hid When the aboundance in the heart the Treasure there venteth or broachethit selfe by the eye tongue or hand then it is easie to judge Salvâ Charitate That the Treasure within is evill for it bringeth Matth. â—2 forth evill things The Physitian judgeth of thâ— sicke mans stomacke by his tongue that is foule the stomack is much fowler being the Cause of the tongues foulenesse When we observe the smoake breaking-out of the doores and windowes and from under the tyles we conclude there is much smoake within and some fire also which if Care be not taken will breake-out anon I see thy heart said one through thy hand which acteth thy heart bringing it forth to light We judge the tree by the fruit which is not rash because it is not ours but the judgement of the word of God We have heard it often said to Godly Ministers and people Ye must not judge They might as well say you must not heare or see We may judge and judge the heart too What an hell above ground that is where we see what an hellish life there is We may judge the thoughts of a man not yet turned from sinne to God that those are onely evill continually for so Gen. 6. 5. we are taught to know our selves that we may loath our selves But now when these evill thoughts have minted or moulded-out themselves by words and deeds then thoughts become visible We know the Mint in the heart and what stampe it beareth for we finde it upon mens words and deeds which are as we may say the money that is coyned there It is probable this last said remembers you of Salvian's words I can tell you anon speaking Siâ—â—lt quispiam sâ—iâ—e quid in templo hominâ—s Câ—gitaveâ—uÌ„t vidâ—â— quid se quâ—tuâ— â— 3. p. 〈…〉 to his hearers what your thoughts are now you are hearing when I observe you so soone as you are out of Gods house running every man after his profits and pleasures I knâ—w full well your thoughts were upon them while you were within What the heart thinketh the hand and tongue minteth was the Proverb with him and much the same with ours Words and workes make a cleare Commentary upon the heart these are the hearts Heraulds proclaiming the fooles foolishness Yet indeed some of your beleivers Pro. 12. â—3 Disciples and Saints are so evill that wee need not but that we must observe either their words or workes for the shew of their Iâ—a 3. Câ—â—ntenance doth witnesse against them and they declare their sinne as Sodome they hide it not To put a close to this de â—ccultis judicat Deus God judgeth of things which appeare not The face of the heart being as visible to Him as is the face to us and the darkest roome lightsome But we may judge of things that doe appeare As the Church judgeth not of hidden Crimes so neither the faithfull judge of the Churches by their hidden Hypocrisie but by their open scandalls in doctrine and life said that excellently learned man Mr Cotton When ye see men wallowing in the pollutions of the world like swine in the mire ye have warrant enough to call them swine and account them loathsome creatures and to excommunicate them the Lords Table as yee will swine from yours Wee charge too deeply if so deepe as the heart before the heart hath opened its owne sinke and discovered its owne filthinesse but when it proclaimes its foolishnesse as we read then may we heare it and beleive it SECT IV. 4. YOu say you know not why there should not be now as free admission to Baptisme and the Lords Supper as in those primitive times there was to Circumcision and the Passeover To this we might onely say as before when you mention to us that Nationall Church we should mention to you that Nationall Deut. 33. 18. discipline As thus If so be the hire of a whore must not be brought into the house of the Lord why should the Child borne of a whore be brought in thither But indeed there was provision against this for the whore if the daughter of a Priest was to be burnt with fire if the daughter of a more ordinary man then Levit. 20. 9. Deut. 22. 21. she was to be stoned with stones And the Adulterer with the Adulteresse were both to dye So Sir your Argument holds not nor Can it beare out as we thinke this Custome amongst you admitting such Infants now for
be troubled about it no nor regard it in the least If our Minister would give us the Lords Supper before this killing worke were done what he did in the Pulpit he would undoe all at the Table If he would preach hell to us from th' one place we would take heaven to us at th' other he shall never make us beleive That we are heathen and worse not that we are all Children of wrath and are every day and houre of the day damneing our soules while we are treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath he shall never make us beleive this while he puts a Cup of Blessing into our hands And yet if he doth not thus he shall be the white and marke for wrath envy to shoote all their arrowes against you which flesh and blood cannot endure yet doe not Conferre with it it is our Jealousie â—e doe ye shall never please God then nor your people for their good to Edification It is the greatest enemie we have in the world the Devill and Satan himselfe not excepted ye are no debtours to the flesh and owe it nothing but mortification as ye tell your people we hope Well thus we judge of the Holy way and blessed are they that walke in it flesh and blood must never be Consulted with about it it is an adversary yea a torment to it as the holy way is an adversary to the flesh and a Torment to the same Thus we have heard you argueing the affirmative for free admission to the Lords Table you will allow us the same patience while we argue the Negative That this free admission to the Lords Table so ordinary amongst us is not according to the mind of God and prescript of His word holding forth our Rule before us and thus we Argue it CHAP. III. SECT I. THey are not to be admitted to feast at the Lords Table who turne their backes upon the feast of the Gospell we meane thus They must not be suffered to Come to Tâ—â—t feast to which sinners are invited is oneâ—â— the declaration of the Word and mind of God in the Gospell The word of grace iâ— the greatest feast which God makes his people Mr Caâ—yl upon Job 23. p. 411. the Lords Table there to receive Christ Jesus the Lord in the bread and wine who reject Him and make light of Him in the tenders and offers of the Gospell We ground this upon those knowne Scriptures whereon we shall dwell a little Math 22. 2. Luk 14. 16. where we have the Lord of Heaven and Earth the King of Glory intending to His Church and people the highest preferment that is imaginable He will give His Son the Heire of the Kingdome to be His Bridegroome Now because there is a marveilous disproportion as her present Case is betwixt this Bridegroome and the Bride as vast a disproportion as is betwixt Heaven and Earth yea we may say Heaven and hell and at as huge a distance they stand too This Bridegroome and this intended Bride as heaven and hell doe and such a gulfe betwixt them Beside all this This intended Bride is a very ill-favoured and froward peice and as proud as she is uncomely and as willfull also as will it selfe and as sure as death she will refuse life she will have none of the match He shall not be her Bridegroome who then Any but Hee and the truth is but nullum tempus occurrit Regi The Lord of time may take His own time and when He pleaseth shee hath made her own choice and is married already and wonderously shee is satisfyed in her match But now here 's much to doe first to breake this match and make it null then to make it an abhorring to her soule that shee was so hasty carried-on so headlong in the buisinesse of so high Concernment and then to make her fitt and prepared for her Bridegroome then to give her free and full and hearty consent to Come together never to be parted more Now to effect all this God the Father maketh a sumptuous and glorious feast like Himselfe the Lord of glory wherein He holds forth to the world the abundant riches of grace and of glory by His Sonne Jesus Christ And this we doubt not to call the feast of the Gospell whereby this Bridegroome maketh love to His Bride That shall be and because He is too high and stately yea and too glorious too to woe in His owne person besides that His terrour would make her afraid Prov. 9. 3. He hath His Para-nymphs and spokes-men for Him who are His Maidens Ministers and Preachers of His Gospell And this we take to be the scope of this Parable which you know Nihil probat ratione circumferentiae sed tantum ratione Centri we must observe whereat it drives and wherein it Centers And we take in two rules here first for the sensing of parables and similitudes and then one thing which is spoken against the arguing therefrom 1. We observe their true scope and intendment and not to In ilâ—is quae metaphoriâ—è dicuntur non oportet accipere similitudine â—â— secundum omnia wrench and tenter it beyond that which were against the Rule we not angariari parabolam in Compelling it to goe farther then it would 2. What things are spoken of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of men are to be understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a sense becomeing God now in the third place 3. We would take off an objection here before we proceed to our Argument drawne from this Parable That there is no argueing Theologia Symbolica non est argumentativa Dr. Owen p. 440. from Parables Similitudes are not argumentative True saith that excellent man Similitudes argue not beyond th'extent of that particular wherein their nature as such doth consist The intendment of Christ in every parable is warily to be observed Therefore though a Learned man Aquinas himselfe as we have heard hath said as aforesaid and better Divines than he yet by his leave and their favour we thinke the speech is neither Logicall nor Theologicall that is as we are told neither good Logicke nor good Divinitie Not good Logicke for Comparata etiam ficta arguunt and if they doe argue then they are argumentative and prove something as sure as operating is working Nor Good Divinity for if all Scripture be profitable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 12. 1 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for doctrine and reproofe then Symbolica also arguing by parables If not why would Christ and some Prophets 2 Tim. 3. 16. before Him and John th' Apostle after Him delight so much in Symboles and parables if they were not doctrinall and argumentative These things we thought necessary to premise before we could argue from the Scriptures first to cleare the sense of them and what their scope is and that we have good warrant to argue from them and secondly to make it cleare
order of nature Answer this to God see if He will accept of your replie which we may heare anon Wee proceed Secondly They that have no faith are not to be admitted to the Lords Table not onely because they receive nothing there but because they fearefully prophane the Holy things there They have no knowledge of those things none at all and none they looke after their soule is not good it is starke naught as darke Prov. 19. 2. as a Dungeon for what should enlighten it as noysome and loathsome as an open Sepulchre or a vessell wherein is no pleasure Prov. 13. 5. for what should discover this their filthinesse to them that they may appeare such in their owne eyes that doe not beleive Rom 15. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are disobedient rebellious imperswadable ones unreasonable and wicked men that is the Apostles Character of them and he makes cleare proofe of it in these words they have no faith Are 2 Thes 3. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they at the Lords Table they are out of place sure as a swine is when he is in the Parlour absurd men so Erasmus Englisheth it though Beza liketh it not Quod mihi quidem absurdum videtur But our Learned Reinolds liketh it well The Apostle saith he calleth men without Faith Absurd men because it is an unreasonable and sottish thing for a workman to be without his cheifest Instrument and that is universally requisite to every one of his workes a husband-man without a plow or a builder without a rule preacher without a Bible or a Christian without faith are things equally absurd and unreasonable What reason have we to plead for those unreasonable men to be admitted to the Lords Table more than we have for the admitting of swine into our Parlour uncleane ones will make all things like themselves as uncleane too to themselves we meane Thirdly Persons that have no faith are not to be admitted to the Lords Table because they cannot shew the Lords death there 1 Cor. 11. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Scripture Mr. Hâ— hath corrupted afâ—er his maÌ„ner with his glosse It is a grave and a weighty word that we English shew and we would rather leave it to you to unfold to your people whâ—ch may require one houâ—es worke But in a word a worthy receiver that brings faith with him he doth with all thankesgiving and praise shew forth the excellencies of Christ and the Glorious benefits of His bloodshed upon the Crosse the Bounties of His Goodnesse and Beauties of His Holinesse making an ostentation of them unto the world preaching to every one as he can This this is it wherein every true Christian is to glory and he orders his life accordingly The import of that word as we suppose Now they that Come to the Lords Table and have no faith are no more able to shew the Lords death there than a man of Clouts stuffed with Straw is able to gaine the victory in the day of warre Fourthly And to run over these Grave matters he that comes thither and brings no faith with him must needs receive unworthily that is other â—ise than is meete such mysteries should Neh. 27. be received And therefore shall be held as guilty before God as Judas was who betrayed the body of our Saviour or as the Jewes were who so villanously abused Him Binding His hands spitting in His sacred face and crowning Him with thornes and as the Souldiers were who peirced His sides and spilt His blood He shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Fifthly Free admission is not to be given those who cannot examine themselves about their faith that is search digg goe downe into the fouldings of their soules to enquire what their estate is what it is to be out of Christ or what it is to be in Him Infantes furiosos in verbo Dei minime instâ—uctos Bez. they cannot examine themselves about these matters no more than Children can for they are Children in understanding no more than mad men can for these are mad upon their Idol roprobates disallowed of God in a state of reprobation We will commend you to Beza's Annotations or rather those to you which we thought to have been large upon being so full to our purpose Sixthly Why should faithlesse men worse than Infidells because borne and bred in England a land of visions be suffered to come to the Lords Table They cannot discerne the Lords Body they can put no difference between that bread which represents the body of Christ Crucified and Common bread at their owne Tables nor between the wine there Sealeing to a worthy receiver a full discharge from all his sins in the blood of Jesus Christ No difference can he make betwixt this wine and common wine And now being suffered to come to the Lords Table he there drinks downe a Cup of damnation in stead of salvation a cup of cursing in stead of a cup of blessing and seales the Stone upon his graves mouth where he lies rotting in sinne as dead bodyes in their graves He eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe not Verse 29. discerning the Lords body 1. As you have received mercy and now would shew mercy unto everlasting soules admit not these faithlesse these unreasoble and wicked ones that cannot shew forth the Lords death cannot examine themselves have no discernining of the Lords body admit them not to the Lords Table They have no faith then they must be full of themselves as a vessell being full and running over they cannot Eate and drinke there any other thing but damnation to themselves This Scripture also Mr H s the patron of fornicators and prophane persons as was Esau fearefully abuseth plucking out as he can the sting of it so as the most bruitelike person may come to the Lords Table and not be stung by it oh prophane man and past shame he and his booke stinketh in the nostrills of the Lord and of his people as the worst excrements of the Dragon doth 2. And now Sir we will spare you the labour if please you in making a reply to this and ours in making Answer thereunto This we heare is ordinarily said They were borne and Baptized in a Church and therefore beleivers we like not to make an Answer to such a foppery why but they say they beleive the same with the former they say it with their tongues what say they with their hands such are their words what are their workes They may say so and Blaspheme in so saying as was hinted more than once Rev. 2. 9. I pray you observe it and let this mocke-faith goe unlesse you will whip it like a vagrant and send it backe to the Devill whence it came We have been speaking of that faith which gives reall union and communion with Jesus Christ and of necessity brings forth good workes as a good tree good fruit he beares upon a
will and as often as you will at the Lords Table and the reason of this is because thereby their lusts are fattened and cherished 2. Therefore Sir presse upon your people the necessitie of heareing and observe them well at their coming to That place and as narrowly their sitting and attending there And having done this doe not thinke you have done all your duty or more than the least part of it They may give you the eare while they give the flesh the world and the Devill their heart You know and you must teach them to know it It is easier to heare an hundred Sermons than to practise one Therefore let them know you will deale with them apart and alone you will single them out of the throng of the world or National Church and out of the crowd of the Common hearers before you admitt them to eate and drinke at the Lords Table They shall give you a perticular account of what they have gained by all their heareing This was the practise of the Lord Christ when He was upon the Earth He spake alone and apart with His Disciples And indeed the Lords people love to be so dealt withall alone and apart from the throng and tumult of the world or a Nationall Church there The Spouse of Christ is modest and will not come to Thee in the throng of worldly Company and employment saith Bernard Come my Beloved saith the Spouse let us goe forth Cant. 7. 11. into the fields and lodge in the Villages Let us get from the Tumult of the world The Bridegroome of His Church loves to finde His Spouse alone retired into a Chamber And so must His Paranymphs too give the Church a meeting in some retired place 3. Now because this lyeth under so much obloquy we crave leave to speake a little to it in passage onely in this place we are not ignorant how this Assembling together of Gods people is reproached if not blasphemed thus At your private meetings errours and haeresies what not have been fomented brooded upon and hatched Truely this cannot be denied it is so cleare and evident The Father of lyes with his Children must have their meeting places too wherein to lay their heads together plotting and contriving we are not ignorant of his devises how they may mischiefe if not ruine for they levell to shoot so high the Church of Christ and build up their owne Babel But here is your Comfort they are Masters neither of the meanes nor of the end their endeavours are above their performances as their malice is above their witt which for that is it's doome drinkes-up the greatest part of its owne poison or like Gun-powder consumes it selfe in the flame it hath caused But should not this teach us to assemble our selves together as often as we can there to lay our heads together and contrive the most Compendious way of building-up the Church of Christ and our selves therein the most contemptible parcells thereof O it is good to be plotting for the Church and for the Truth for this is to be plotting for eternity O that all would meete together here and there and every where there to plott how to avoyd Satans plotts Let it be our awakening that Satan is plotting And that our time is short opportunity the flower of time shorter our talents are many our accounts strict our Judge Impartiall O let us not forsake the Assembling our selves together as the manner of some is Having taken off as we could we intend more hereafter that reproach wherewith the enemies of the Lord have reproached the foote-steps of His annointed-ones we proceed to put it upon your thoughts whether it be not your duty to give a meeting to your people in a private place there and then to learne from them what they have gained by all their heareings what a worke is wrought in them or upon them by the word of His grace with power It is not what shew they make in words what doe they that you may beleive them or how humbly doe they speake so as you may conceive hope there is sincerity at the bottome a sparke of fire for there is smoake a little strength though but as much as a reed hath it is in the gaineing hand O how would he and desireous is he in the use of meanes to gaine more Indeed it will be worth your labour to take time and place for the searching out of this You must find-out their desire after the syncere milke of the Word by their growth thereby 1 Pet. 2. It is a Common saying amongst us shew me not the meate but the man So saith the great Shepheard to His sheepe and sheweth what His under-Shepheards should say to them too Not shew me the hay that I have given you but the wooll and the milke that is shew me the fruits and effects of all your heareing What supernaturall worke can you tell us off Is the life of Grace put into the heart by the Spirits working together with the meanes thereof the word of His grace Is there a thorow change not of the actions onely but of the Nature wrought in them The Spirit with the Word changeth the inward man with the outward it changeth the whole frame of the soule it is no halfe-change for that is to be halfe a Christian or allmost which is to be an Infidell indeed It is no light alteration but as the old stamp these are excellent Preston's words one of the usefullest Preachers in His time that was in the world must be obliterate before the new can be imprinted and as the old building must be pulled downe before you can set up a new So this old nature of ours must be broken to peices and new cast and moulded for we are bell-mettle before a man can be made a living man which is done by the infusion of Supernaturall qualities of Grace and holinesse supernaturall he saith for even as the earth may bring forth grasse and common flowers of it selfe but it must be plowed and sowne before any choice herbs and plants can grow there even so those common natures which we all have may bring out things that are morally good but before they can bring forth fruits of true righteousnesse we must be plowed and sowen plowed that is man must be broken in heart for all his animosities and indignities put forth when time was against Christ and the Gospell of His Glory for all those slightings of Spirit he found in himselfe of those glories tendred to him in the Covenant of Gods grace when he was full of himsele and wanting nothing and knew not his owne beggery and nothingnesse and want of all things broken in heart for all this Upon those heads Sir your examination must passe if you doe according to the manner of Gods people and a set time and place must be appointed for it If you cannot goe from house to house as Pauls manner was and Calvins also as