and tender the meanes of faith repentance grace mercy and forgiuenesse of all their sinnes by the holy ministery of the worde and Sacraments as 2. Cor. 6. 2. Titus 2 10. 11. 12. Iohn 12. 35. Iohn 4. 9. Isay. 55. 67. Gala. 6. 10. Prouer. 1. 24. 25. 26. and because the wicked are temporizers eyther vtterlye and totally dispise and contemne it as Luke 14. 18. 19. 20. or else they come onely in shew and content themselues with a naked profession and some outward reformation wanting the hand and firme grapple of true faith that firmeth apprehendeth claspeth and applyeth Christ to their eternall saluation Hebr. 4. 2. and also destitute of inward reformation and holinesse comming I say without the wedding garment of faith and sanctification they are found detected by Christ conuinced of hypocrisie bound hand and foote and cast into vtter darkenesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Math. 22. 11. 12. 13. Vse The vse hereof is first to shew the vilenesse and vanitie of the doctrine of Popish purgatory whereof I spake at large before and therefore a word now shall suffice it is a vile doctrine because it detracteth from yea and maketh frustrate the all-sufficient death and purgation of Iesus Christ. Hebrew 7. 25. It is vaine and false for as there are but two sorts of persons elect or reprobate Sheepe or Goates good or euill and as men dye eyther in the estate of grace as all the elect doe or else in â—he estate of damnation as doe all the reprobate and impenitent so are there but two places in the scriptures appointed for them after this life viz. heauen and hell therefore no purgatory or third place Iohn 5. 29. Apoc. 14. 13. wherefore seeing there is no such purgatorie after this life nor no meanes left to relieue or release them therefore all prayer of the liuing for the dead is simplye vnlawfull for first it is against the rule of faith videliz the worde of GOD and therefore must of necessitie be sinne Secondlie it is against the rule of charitie that should alwayes iudge the best of the dead and not perswade themseues the dead are in torments where-of they haue noe certaine ground or knowledge Vse The second and last vse is to teach vs not to stay for companions in the way to eternall life Iohn 13. 24. for so wee may perish together nor to deferre or put of our conuersion from day to day Math. 24 48. 49. 50. 51. least either by death or the last iudgement we be suddenly surprised and ouertaken and accordingly iudged and condemned 1. The. 5. 2. Thus much of the time The third branch and member of the diuision is the persons and parties that are shut out viz. the foolish virgins idest those that did not prouide for the time to come because they did carelessely please them-selues in their wants and so passed by the time of mutuall communication and they contemned the helps that were offered vnto them and therefore they are deseruedly derided for their folly and doe suffer the Iust punishment of their negligence and brutishnes Hence wee learne that it sufficeth not to carry onely the shining lamps of externall profession to haue asight or tast of Gods mercies without sound feeling of them and norishment by them Hebr. 6. 4. Mat. 13. 20. or to haue onely an externall holines amongst men as these foolish Virgins noe doubt had for if a man haue noe more then this hee cannot goe beyond a reprobate in Christianity and all these temporall and common graces will faile a man in the time of temptation in the day of death and at the Last iudgement as Hebre. 6. 4. 1. Iohn 2. 19. But true fayth whereby wee are iustified and sanctified before GOD neuer faileth Luke 22. 32. and all the sauing guifts of GOD are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. and GOD will remember their sinnes and iniquities noe more Heb. 10. 17. therfore hee will neuer take his grace wholly from them wherefore let vs not content our selues with a bare knowledge and historicall faith but turne this temporary faith into a true and sauing faith and let not the strangnes or rarenes of diuine misteryes onely or principally moue and enduce vs to the profession of religion for so may Simon Magus and the Athenians bee Christians neither let gaining or retaining of worldly wealth peace prosperity friendship and dignity or credit bee our inducements or perswations to Christianity for these things are vncertaine and when these ends faile as they doe oft then their profession religion and temporary fayth and obedience determineth wherefore let the ends of our fayth profession and religion be only the loue of GOD and the zeale of his glory the delight in the truth the obedience of his will and a carefull and constant desire of saluation and that wee may know that our faith is not temporary and historicall but sound and sauing let vs try and examine it by these rules following first that wee bee humbled in our hearts for our sinnes Isai. 51. 17. and that wee haue a Godly sorrow for them 2. Cor. 7. 10. Secondly that wee bee perswaded that our sinnes be pardonable for otherwise wee shall dispaire as Caine did Gen. 4. 13. Thirdly wee must sincerely desire the meanes of saluation such as faith repentance mortification and reconciliation are fourthly wee must pray for nothing in the earth so much so earnestly and so continually as for the forgiuenesse of our knowne and vnknowne sinnes fiftly wee must labour and endeuour in all our actions to approue and commend our selues rather vnto GOD then vnto men lastly whether by experience and continuall obseruation of Gods fauour goodnesse and mercifull prouidence towardes vs wee attayne vnto the strength ripenesse and full measure of fayth Rom. 5. 4. 5 Psal. 23. 6. 1. Sam. 17. 34. 35 36. If wee finde these things in our selues wee haue true fayth and shall neuer perish but if wee want them either in part or in whole let vs seeke betimes to procure and so to encrease them And thus much of the persons The fourth branch and part is the state and condition of the foolish Virgins at the comming of the Bride-grome and that is contayned in these wordes viz. And the gate was shut and heere two principall poynts are to bee marked and attended First from what they are excluded viz. from the fauourable and comfortable presence of Christ and from the glory of Heauen Secondly into what place and companie they are remitted and reserued viz. to hell where they shal be tormented with the diuill and his Angells in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone foreuermore Touching their exclusion from the glorious and blessed fellowshippe of Christ what a torment is this and how doth it greeue and gall them to thinke and consider of it Surely it cannot bee imagined much lesse liuely expressed It is at this day a great part of the diuills torment to remember from how
thus excluded Lastly the â—enerall application and vse of the doctrine The person that excludeth them that indeed first excluded him because they did not nor would not receiue him into their heart is Christ the bridegroome the Sonne of God and the iudge of the world he is the porter by whom and through faith in whom all the beleeuers enter in and finde pasture Iohn 10. 9. hee is the Prince of shepheards as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Bishop of our soules that properly and by his owne power bindeth and looseth retaineth and remitteth For that which his Ministers doe subordinately and ministerially that doth hee absolutely and as cause and principall Iohn 20. 22. 23. Math. 16. 19. hee alone hath the Keye of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth so that hee hath right power and authoritie to receiue in or put out whome hee will Apoc. 3. 7. they that kisse him beleeue in and obey him shall bee saued and glorified Psalm 2. 12. Marke 16. 16. Hebr. 5. 9. and they that sinne against him hurt their owne soule they that hate him loue death Prou. 8. 35. they that will not haue him to raigne ouer them are his enimies and shal be slaine before his face Luke 19. verse 27. and they that eyther by open persecution or else by infidelitie and by contempt scorne or impenitencie fall on this stone shall bee broken and on whom soeuer of them it shall fall it will grinde him to powder Luke 21. 44. The vse of this doctrine is two-fold First it condemneth and ouer-throweth the vsurped false and forged authoritie of the Romish Antichrist who will needes bee Christs Vicar generall on earth and blasphemouslie assumeth vnto himselfe the Keyes of Heauen and Hell as though it were in his power to saue pardon or to retaine and condemne whome hee would whereas first hee cannot bee Christs vicar for Christ in the spirituall regiment and gouernment of the Church is with it to the ende of the world Math. 18. ver 19. 20. and is present by his power aud deitie in euery place Math. 28. 19. 20. and therefore needeth no substitute to supplie his Roome Secondly the holy Ghost is Christs deputy and viceâ—erent for hee is in euery place and enlighteneth guideth sanctifâ—eth and gouerneth the Church and so neither doth nor can the man of Rome saue himselfe from death diseases much lesse from the bottomlesse pit from whence hee came and whether hee must needes goe withall our consents as â—udas to his place Thirdly in respect of order and publicke administration the Christian Magistrate may with much better right and equity bee called the Vicar of CHRIST in gouerning the people according to the worde of GOD. And in this sense Eleutherius Bishoppe of Rome writing to Lucius King of the Brittaines calleth him Christs Vicar for by Christ Kings raigne and Princes decree iustice And as for the Authoritie of binding and loosing the Ministers of the true Church wherein the Pope hath no more right then the Pirate in the true ownershippe haue onely a Ministery of reconciliation and a ministery of binding and loosing but the inwarde operation and working of the Holie Ghost in the heart is Principall and belongeth to CHRIST IESVS alone Luke 24. 45. Act. 16. 14. So in censuring admonishing suspending excommunicating exhorting threatning and in all other Ecclesiasticall Offices CHRIST hath no deputie but onely instruments that doe witnesse and testifie his will according to the rule of Scriptures but the whole entire action is personall and proper to him alone and vtterly ouerthroweth the feigned and counterfaite supremacie of the Romish Pirate and Prelate Vse If wee would not haue Christ at the day of iudgement to disclaime and exclude vs as hee did the foolish Virgins wee must not by infidelitie and impenitencie debarâ—e him out of our hearts but by a liuely fayth let and receiue him into them and entertaine and feast him with loue reuerence amendment of life obedience and the like graces of the Spirit for CHRIST dwelleth in our hearts if we beleeue he knocketh at our hearts often by his worde by his Spirit by his mercies and by his iudgementes and if wee assent vnto him and by fayth admit into the Chamber of our hearts he will dwell with vs yea dine and suppe with vs and supply all our wants Apoc. 3. 20. Wherefore let vs not as the Church in the Cantikles suffer CHRIST our beloued to remaine without hauing his head full of dewe and his lockes with the drops of the night because forthwith wee would not arise and dresse vs nor defile our feete Cantickels 5. 2. and 3. or put our selues to any payne or trouble but let vs let open vnto him by yeelding vnto the truth and by beeing amended by his admonitions so shall wee bee CHRIST IESVS his possession his peculier people and a temple for him and his Spirit to dwell in otherwise if wee suffer any one sinne whether of Idolatrie or of infidelitie or of worldlinesse or of filtie liuing or of grosse ignorance or any raigning and dominering sinne that is vnfelt and vnresisted to sway vs and tyrannizc ouer vs wee driue and bannish IESVS CHRIST not so much out of our coastes as the Gergesites did Mathew 12. 45. as out of the Castle and pallace of our heartes and admit sathan our deadly enemie in his Roome and steade Thus much of the first part nameâ—y the person who shutteth The second branch is the time when the gate is shut viz when all meanes and occasions of comming vnto saluation are taken away and when the time of grace repentance and reconciliation is past which is when this life is ended Luke 16. 23. 24. 25. 26. 28. 29. 〈◊〉 the â—iche glutton in hell desiring and seeking vnto Abraham that hee would send Lazarus whom hee had neglected and contemned to yeelde him the least comfort hee could not obtaine it and when he desired that Lazarus might bee sent to his fathers hoâ—se to aduise and warne his fiue brethren that they should not come into that place of torment hee speedeth not in his preposterous and vnlawfull suite but his brethren are referred and remâ—tted vnto the interpreters of Moses and the Prophets Againe the dead do not praise the Lord neither doth the dust giue thankes vnto him or declare his trueth Isay. 38. 18. Secondly at the day of the Lord for as death leaueth men whether penitent or impenitent so the last iudgement findeth and iudgeth them and no otherwise it is no time of reconciliation and of obtaining mercy as the example of the fiue foolish Virgins and of those that Luke 13. 25. cryed Lord open vnto vs when the doore was shut and could not be admitted and intromitted doth plainly proue and demonstrate The reason hereof is because the Lord in his mercie and grace doth in this life to those especially that be in and of the visible church offer
against scripture Qu. If there be no such reall conuersion of the bread wine into Christ his body bloud why theÌ„ are the vnworthy receiuers guilty of the body bloud of Christ Ans. First because they wanting faith which is the eie mouth anâ— stomack of the soule discerne not this mysticall bread and wine from common bread and wine but come vnto it as vnto a prophane banquet Secondly because they by their infidelity and wicked hearts abuse and prophane these holy seales and pictures and therefore are guilty of high treason before God eueÌ„ as he that rendeth abuseth and trampleth vpon the kings image or broad â—eale is guilty of treason before men Qu. How then is the bread and wine to be receiued Ans. Reuerently and by faith Qu. How by faith Ans. By beleeuing that as verily as I receiue the bread and wine so spiritually I receiue and feed vpon Christ his body and bloud For faith maketh that present to the â—oule that is in place far distant And as the eye of a man doth by his sight touch the starres though many thousands of miles distant so doth faith mount vp into Heauen so apprehend and feede on Christ. Act. 7 verse 55. Q. What is fayth Answ. A perswasion of Gods fauour and mercy in Christ. Que. Who are worthy Communicants or receiuers An. They only that firmly beleeue in Christ hunger and thirst after him truly repent them of their sinnes and are thankfull for the great worke of their redemption Qu. But the faithfull themselues as we haue the Apostles themselues for instances labour of many doubts wants infirmities relesses ergo no man is worthy to commâ—nicate Ans. First the Lords supper is a medicine to the weake fainting soule therfore wee are as well to purifie our hearts in it as to bring pure hearts to it Secondly al notwithstaÌ„ding al their other ignorances and infirmities in whom sinne raigneth not and that come to the Lords Supper without guile and hypocrisie are worthy in Gods acceptation Q. VVho then are vnworthy receiuers Ans. All that are grosely ignorant all Infidels Atheists Hypocrites Hereticks Schismatiques and in a word all impenitent and prophane persons Qu. VVhat danger do these incurre Ans. If they repent â—ot besides temporall plagues they incurre eternall condemnation Q. May not an elect and a true beleeuer sometime receiue vnworthy Ans. Yes Qu. How then doth â—e escape eternall condemnation Ans. First his person is accepted with God therefore being once in Christ he caÌ„neuer perish Rom. 8. 1. Ioh. 10. 27 SecoÌ„dly he is temporally chastised for his vnworthy receiuing as the Corinthians were but all his sinnes are pardoned the gilt of them taken away Q May not a true Christian with a safe conscience communicate there where is knowâ—e to bee present some open and vile offenders Ans. Yes if he do not consent vnto their sinne or approoue of it for it is not his fault and another mans badnes must not make him to refuse the Manna of his soule Secondly the Prophets themselues and others obserued the sacrifices and feasts with those that were most wicked yea Christ himselfe kept the Pasouer amongst the wicked â—ewes Qu. What benefit and comfort hath a right receiuer by the Lords Supper Ans. First a confirmation of faith in the promise of grace and in his communion with Christ Secondly a reuiuing of the death and passion of Christ and the benefits that proceed thence in his memory Thirdly a more firme and neere vnion with the members of Christ. Lastly a most certaine hope of the life to come 1. Cor. 11. 26. Qu. What must a man do that hâ— may be a worthy receiuer Ans. He is to performe three seuerall duties First before he communice secondly in the time of communicating and thirdly after that hee hath communicated Qu. VVhat must a man doe before he communicate Ans. Hee must trie and examine himselfe Qu. Is it not sufficient that his pastor or minister examine him and approue of him Ans. No for albeit it be a good and necessary duty yet it sufficeth not for first hee may deceiue the Minister but he is better knowne to himselfe Secondly hee must liue by his owne faith and answer for his owne sinnes wherefore it concerneth him neerely to looke to himselfe Qu. VVherein must a man examine himselfe Ans. In foure things First whether hee know God know the fall of man and the maner of his restitution by Christ. Secondly in his faith namely whether hee desire apprehend and receiue Christ as he is described in the scriptures and exhibited in the Sacraments Thirdly in repentance viz. whether he repent of all his knowne sinnes and haue a care and resolution to do those things that please God Math 3. 17. Lastly in charity whether hee loue good men and wisâ— well euen to his enimies and seeke daily to reconcile himselfe vnto his neighbour whom he hath wronged or offended Mat. 5. 25. Q. VVhat is the duty of a worthy receiuer in the very art and time of the receiuing of the Sacrament Ans. He must reuerently behaue himselfe ponder the great mercies of God vouchsafed him by the eyes of faith so behold and contemplate all the storie of Christ his passion as if with his eyes he saw him hanging on the crosse and crucified and his bloud dropping out of his vaines Qu. How oft must a man receiue the Sacrament Ans. Very often for so the Apostle willeth 1. Corinth 11. so the primitiue Church practised and euer neede the often vse of it Q. VVhat duty must a man performe after the receiuing of the Sacrament Ans. Hee must praise the Lord and giue him thankes for the wonderfull worke of his redemption and for all the meanes therevnto belonging Secondly hee must bee occasioned hence more constantlye to prosesse Christ and more entirely to loue his children and seruants FINIS Deo Tri-vno laus gloria Si Christum bene scis satis est si caetera nescis 2. Obser. Vse Ioh 6. 26. Obs. Psa. 45. 10. Chap. 8. 9. 10. 11. Psal. 18. 7. Luk. 18. 8. Luke 21. ver 11. Math. 4. 7. Isa. 47. 13 and 14. Luke 16. vers 22. Psal. 19. 14. Iob. 20. ve 21. Ioh. 26. ver 25. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 1. 1. Reason 2. Reason 2. Cor. 12 Exo. 3. 4. ver 3. 5. Heb. 11. verse Act. 1. 25. Pro. 8. ver 15. and 16. Apoc. 316. Apoc. 6. 9. Obiect Ans. Rom. 9. 22