Here we cannot easily be too careful or curious but as to externall fellowship though the minde of Christ in this also be to be sought and followed yet so much earnestnesse and confidence needs not as in the other unlesse men take care how they live 't is not much matter how they worship Thou may'st be in a purer Church-way then another and yet be the impurer and vainer soul of the two It is better to see a mans conversation commending his way then to see men beholding to their way for their esteem AN ANSWER TO Mr. HVMPHREYS FIRST SERMON I Shall make two stands upon the whole How this Doctrine is 1. Raised 2. Managed I. How this Doctrine is raised His Text is Mark 14.23 And they all drank of it These all he saith were the twelve Apostles and Christs whole Congregation whence he gathers his free admission to this Ordinance Answ Two things are here supposed or affirmed 1. That they were the twelve Apostles which did communicate with Christ 2. That these twelve were his whole Congregation This is the Basis of the whole so that if these communicants were rather lesse then twelve or not Christs whole Congregation then all is lost on his side 1. That all then present when this Ordinance was instituted by Christ did partake thereof is to be granted so far the universality holds right but 2. That these all which dranke were the twelve Apostles is more then is said and is at least a disputable point Now to suppose or begge that which a man knowes to be doubted and denied by many eminent Divines this is not Scholastical They might sit down all in his sense and yet might not all continue out all the several actions which were performed at that sitting 3. To gather hence that all howsoever professing Christ should be admitted to this Ordinance seems to me weake and most unsound My reasons are 1. Because Christ did not then call all that did professe him and so belong to him he had many more Disciples besides the twelve as is well known which were part of Christs followers though not so nearly altogether related as these To say that the twelve were Christs whole Congregation is but a fancy however serviceable to the designe in hand Christs followers were his Congregation at least the seventy were surely part of it and therefore the twelve were not his whole Church as is boldly affirmed These then were but part of his Disciples the chiefest and most reall as Elders or Officers in a Church may be so that their general admission is no plea for free admission If all named Disciples had been called to this holy Institution there had then been some footing for such a Collection but not so not all but only the choicest are called Besides 2. Christs words point not out only this generality but rather by that restriction ye Take ye drink ye shew us that Christ did not intend that spiritual feast for all howsoever professing but that such as were his true Disciples should partake All Disciples we say should drinke of Christs cup and only Disciples not bare born professors whose prophanenesse plainly sheweth them to want all true love and duty to Jesus Christ You see how sandy the foundation is on which the whole Book and Discourse is built viz. on a forced and wrested sense of Scripture Thus shortly of the first II. How his Doctrine is managed The management is in three things 1. Apology 2. The state of the question 3. Proof by Scriptures and Reasons 1. His Apology wherein he commends his own meaning to be honest so it may be and yet his plea evil sometimes the meaning is better then the matter 2. In his stating of the point 1. He distinguisheth the people of a visible Church into capable and uncapable The uncapable are of three sorts Infants Mad men and Excommunicate persons all besides he saith are capable And why are these uncapable The Church he will say hath censured one sort but the other I hope are uncapable because they cannot discerne the Lords body or examine themselves and if so then all that cannot performe those duties are uncapable also Now it is sure that all grossely ignorant of Christ all impenitent sinners are unable to do these therefore his own reason will constraine him to allow the keeping back of others viz. as well spiritual fools and mad men as natural Folly and madnesse can never be denied to be where-ever sinne reignes 1. He distinguishes of mens capacity 1. In regard of themselves this he dares not affirme as to all in the Church should he the very stones might cry out and confute him 2. In regard of the Church or Ministers and thus all are capable that do or may come But what Scripture hath this distinction footing on Those that are incapable in themselves we knowing them to be so we should judge to be such and exclude them Can necessary profaners of the Sacrament be capable in respect of the Church whose duty it is to preserve the dignity of all Christs appointments The Church must take none but such as she sees and may suppose capable The reason to colour this distinction is this Ministers are to offer Christ freely which is more formally laid downe afterwards here but in a Parenthesis therefore an universall capacity for all men whoever comes It seemes by this that even Jewes and Pagans may not be denied this Saerament if they come and aske it for these are called to beleeve even all that beleeve not within the sound of the Gospel so that here he seemes to forget his former limitation as to the Church his Scripture is Revel 22.17 and Esay 55.1 which indeed do hold out a free admission of all sensible sinners to beleeve on Christ but to ground on this a liberty for the most insensible soul to come to this Ordinance is a non sequitur with a witnesse In the foot of all he beleeves that none except ipso jure or de facto that is such as are or ought to be excoÌ„municated should be excluded Here is somewhat more then was before he seemed to speak of actual excommunication alone now if there be but such as ought to be excomunicated they may be kept back Truly this wil almost maâ— the mans market Such as he speaks against do desire to exclude none but these that â—â—jure of right should be censured by the Church for this very exclusion is a noting or censuring of them as some wayes offending Now let the Reader judge what weight and light these distinctions carry wherein he rather contradicts himself then cleares his matter 3. His Scripture-proofs His first Text is Exod. 12.3 47 50. verses They shall take every man his lambe that is This is my law concering every family in Israel all the congregaion and every person rightly disposed in their families must observe this Of these generall termes every man all the Congregation the whole people I may
Cùm rebus humanis poste a vivitur ubique terr a calcatur ipsi igitur humani affectus sine quibus in hac mortalitate non vivitur quasi pedes sunt ubi ex humanis rebus afficimur as St Augustine moralizeth it quia pedes ultima pars hominis sunt debemus per poenitentiam non solùm summa quasi flere peccata sed usque ad ultimas infimasque conscientiae nostrae partes descendere intimas quasque animi nostri cogitationes excutere purgare as St. Cyprian appliesit but to enable the discharge of this duty a generall exhortation on the Ministers part is proportionable without a particular examination That Christ admitted Judas to the Communion is not onely the consonancy of the Fathers but the very pregnant result of the Text Luke 22. v 14 21. though he might look with a face of Religion towards the Apostles yet Christ whose eye was upon his heart beheld him under the notion of an hypocrite and yet not excluding him from the Sacrament I should gladly learne by what authority or president any that professeth Religion and is innocent of notorious and scandalous sins that check with his profession can be rejected SECT X. Wherein of the first Argument against examination drawn from the first institution in John 13th Chap. § 10 Here begins the charge the first Argument is from Christs example and may be thus laid down Object Christs example in the first institution of this ordinance ought to be our rule But he made no previous examination then Ergo none is required Answ So farre as Jesus Christ may be followed by us we must stick to his example In two things it is impossible and unlawful for us to follow him viz. in his miraculous works and in the works of his mediation In his institutions we may and must follow the rule and example of Christ his example being part of our rule In these institutions somewhat is essential or substantial somewhat circumstantial In the last there is no absolute necessity to adhere For if necessary to administer in all circumstances as then the Sacrament must be given only at night or to men only but in those things we may do so and we may do otherwise Christs example must be strictly followed in all substantials 1 Cor. 11.23 and therefore the Apostle layes down nothing to the Church but what he had received from the Lord. For our part we wish men were in this and all Ordinances more devoted to the example of Christ 't is the right way to pure and true worship Peter Martyr tells of a woman that was her self deformed Pet. Mart. loc com pag. 32. Heb. 1.3 yet conceived very beautiful children by daily eying some exact pictures in her Chamber Christs example who is the brightnesse of his Fathers glory is our faire Image which the more we look unto the more perfect and comely will the Ideas and conceptions of our mindes be in divine things Unto the Minor Object But Christ did not examine his Disciples Answ How know you that the Evangelist tells you Joh. 20.30 all that Christ did was not written For our own part we know not where to finde it unlesse on the backside of Constantines Donation or some such place as you mention So that this concludes not for you Argumentum à Scriptura negativè non valet But you adde He shewed the nature use and ends thereof He washes their feet as a preparative cleansing by faith but to enable the discharge of this duty a generall exhortation on the Ministers part is proportionable without a particular examination This is said not proved It appears not to us that any such thing was intended by Christs action of washing as is affirmed We are rather satisfied on the contrary that no special type or embleme of Sacramental preparation is intended though it may be so applied by those Fathers allegorically and morally He that builds arguments upon the Fathers allegories and morals on Scripture will come off weakly in his conclusions Not to mention that some learned men suppose this set down John 13th to be done after the Sacrament It is therefore too confidently affirmed that Christ shewes the nature See the late Annot. fol. 2. Vol. in loc To teach love and the cleansing by his blood these are his ends use and end of the Sacrament That which our Saviour especially commends to his Disciples is humility which disposeth to every ordinance and to the whole life of a Believer If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them that is these things of humility as from the coherence herence is evident Hearken but to these words I have given you an example what of Sacramental preparation No But that ye should do as I have done that is wash one anothers feet namely be humble loving condescending the mysterie of this action was to be revealed hereafter as verse 7. Therefore not of obvious concernment to their preparation It was an example of humility as the plaine words of Christ are although by occasion of that example other Doctrine was inferred of our spiritual washing by Christ once wholly unto regeneration and daily of our feet for our daily transgressions Dr. Fulke on the Rhemish Glosse on Joh. 13. p. 164. See more John 13. v. 12 13 14 15 16 17. Who will believe that these words wash one anothers feet signifie Examine your selves Again you say Christs washing is answered by the Ministers exhortations and why not by their examining as well whereas we thinke that a lesson to examine themselves would have stood better if they had been bid to wash their own feet The deficiency of such general exhortations we shall touch upon anon Lastly what if Christ did not examine his Disciples doth it follow that we may not examine some or all in our Assemblies Rather in his administring only unto Disciples he teacheth us to exclude the ignorant and wicked these admitted were his choice Disciples he had the seventy and several others besides but these as more infirme were not called as a Learned man observes Besides we examine none that are taken to be Disciples but if we should reall Disciples will not refuse to satisfie the Church and encourage weaker Brethren by a voluntary profession of their saith which is the most Disciples are put unto In short Christ had communicated before with those Disciples in the Passeover which was the same in substance with this institution therefore he needed not examine those that were admitted before The most zealous Assertors of Examination presse not any to this after their first or once admission in a due way SECT XI Wherein of Judas his receiving the Sacrament which is the second Argument § 11 The second Argument in the Paper is from the supposed admission of Judas Object Christ admitted Judas to the Communion therefore what need of such prying Answ When this is disputed out to the last nothing
typical and the eucharistical It is probable that there was a third viz. a common Supper The order of these Suppers is also controverted By the grant of all Judas was present at one of these For he sate down with the twelve some say at the common Supper only Aarons R. p. 461. as learned Gillespy others at both the common Supper and at the Passeover but not at the holy Supper Now Judas might be present at one or both the former Joh. Randal B. D. p. 219. and yet slinke away as the word of a learned Divine is between the common Supper and the Passeover or between the Passeover and the Sacrament As to that Text of Luke 22. Divines do note a transposition that is setting down that last which was done first or before A thing not strange being found in other places of Scripture As in Genesis the second Chapter Innocent the third lib. 4. de Miss c. 13. See also Beza Salmeron Maldonate in loc You have set down after the sixth day what was done before The reasons and authorities to be brought for this are many That Luke after the Cup speaks of the Traitour may be understood by recapitulation saith one The reasons are these 1. Because Matthew and Mark put that before the institution which Luke puts after See Luke 23. v. 21 22 23. compared with Matth. 26 21 22 23 24 25.26 vers and Mark 14.18 so that here are two to one 2. Luke himself puts the taking of the Cup before the breaking of the bread although doubtlesse it was after 3. The note of the last Translaters of the Bible is also considerable who at the 21. v. set a note of theirs ¶ shewing that there begins another matter therefore not a continued History orderly set down 4. Nor doth Luke say that Christ spake the words after the Sacrament but only sets them down Now as to that other Text John 13. which we alledge It proves Judas departed before the Sacrament was received Sanè Johannes quiddam ejusmodi subindicare videtur saith Victor Antiochenus cited by Mr. Prinne Another more fully we may gather from hence Diodat in locum that Iudas did not communicate of our Saviours Sacrament The force of this reason lies in the word immediately what it signifies every English-man knowes that is instantly forthwith Now this being granted as it is that the Sop was not given at the holy Supper but before how could so remarkable an action as receiving the Sacrament intervene and yet Iudas be said to go forth immediately Truly neither truth nor good English will suffer this to say that immediately signifies a short time is a miserable shift and an abuse of the word Therefore learned Gerrard upon second and better thoughts retracted that glosse See Gor. Har. c. 171. p. 453. and he is a good president for others to follow He that desires more may consult learned Scharpius and others Scharpius in curs th p. 1431. he by foure arguments proves that Iudas was not present and also answers the Objection from Luke 22. One of his arguments is this With whom Christ drank in the Sacrament Attersol The New Covenant p. 486. with them in the Kingdome of his Father But not with Iudas there Therefore not in the Supper It is also considerable to observe the different manner of Christs speaking sometime without exception and sometime with it When Iudas was present with exception Iohn 13. v. 10 11 18. afterward without exception most sweetly See our English Divines in their large Annot. in 2. Vol upon the place and generally Matth. 26.29 Luk. 22.28 29 30. See Iohn 13. After Judas going out how his speech varies If Iudas were present then these speeches must be applied to him which may not be granted Ambrose and Gerrard expound these words of Christ That which thou doest do quickly as a casting out of Iudas As if he had said Get thee gone from the company of my Apostles and out of my sight Now these words were spoken before the Sacrament Lastly Evangel commun by Ph. Goodwin p. 118. should it be granted that Iudas did receive yet much were not gained Iudas as one sayes well is but a bad porter to let in men to the Sacrament There was nothing in him discernable by men contrary to his profession There was no visible cause for his exclusion The Apostles thought as well of him as of themselves and did not so much as suspect him though he were known to Christ as God But Christ in hir Ordinance dealt as man ministerially as a Pattern to us who are to admit visible Disciples not being able to descend into their hearts When the woman taken in adultery was brought before Christ he dealt as a man called for her accusers and when none came dismissed her and yet he knew her as God to be guilty and therefore sayes Go and sin no more Unlesse Christ as a Minister had known Iudas to be a Reprobate what reason had he to exclude him Now let the Reader judge what life is left in this Argument about Iudas his receiving which is found and proved to be so feeble in its consequence and antecedent The fifth Section of the Paper THE Canon prescribing and directing the due administration The fifth Section of the Paper and receiving of the Eucharist is 1 Cor. 11. We cannot with Tertullian adore the fulnesse of Scripture unlesse we yield it to be a perfect rule of faith and manners which it cannot be if it be deficientin any thing necessary to be done or believed especially in such places where it purposely hand leth things of that concernment and therefore here and only here an argument ab authoritate negative holdeth good But in that Chapter I finde a precept Let a man examine himself none that he should necessarily passe the examination of his Pastor Between the proper examination of himself and eating and drinking no other thing intervenes and therefore this very Commentary is made upon that Text by pathetical Chrysostome He doth not bid one man to examine another but every man himself making the judgement private and the tryal without witnesses Pareus strikes in unisons with that ancient Father The Apostle saith not The Priest shal examine or prove them but every man himself So doth Sarcerius He commands not that one should be approved to another but each one to himself as long before Clemens Alexandrinus accounted every mans conscience to be hisbest director in this case l. 1. Stromat By what authority then can he be rejected that hath examined himself And to suspect that any have not examined themselves that shall professe to have done so without pregnant probability to the contrary how can it be compatible with that charity that hopeth all things and suspecteth not SECT XII Wherein of a third Argument from 1 Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himself § 12 The third Argument lies in the fifth Paragraph and
is another beaten Objection from 1 Cor. 11.28 This hath two supporters 1. That it is the very Canon for the Sacrament 2. The fulnesse of the Scripture Answ We answer There is a twofold fulness of the Scripture In its parts and in the whole There is a fulnesse in every part in every phrase and sentence The smallest filing of this wedge is pure gold Mountaines of matter hang upon the smallest syllable as the Jewes use to speak so in the whole The whole is a full rule of faith Now so far we agree but that all of any matter is contained in any one place which is here supposed will be hard to prove We are not wanting to the due respect of Scripture while we hold the whole to be a most compleat rule of faith and manners That which is wanting in one place is supplied in another It hath been the ill hap if I may so speak of all the Arguments hitherto alleadged to dash upon that Rock ab authoritate Scripturae negativè which makes them all deficient in their authority while the Scripture stands for a firme and full rule to all the godly That the Apostle doth purposely handle the Doctrine of the Sacrament in that place we freely grant but that nothing can be necessary about the practice of it which is not there exprest we see no reason to yield We are sure there is that elsewhere which is not there and we hope all is necessary that is revealed For redundancy is a blemish the word is as free of as it is of defect Besides reasons may be given why no mention there and then of any preparatory work by the tryall of others 1. Because those spoken unto namely the Corinthians were before and newly admitted into Church-fellowship by profession of their faith and therefore needed not to be called to this again Whereas ours are borne in a Church where hath been a long neglect of true Discipline and where an unfitnesse in many is confessed by all that are ingenuous 2. The Apostle in this Scripture eyes Christs performance with his Disciples where was no need of this examination they being all formerly joyned to Christ and known of him You may finde learned Zanchy the Protestant Schoolman as he is deservedly stiled making and in some part resellng your objection so farre as that this Precept doth not deny the inspection of others If none of these were of weight why may not the examination of Pastors and Church-Officers well stand with that of a mans self These being not contrary but subordinate the Precept is not exclusive It is not Let a man examine himself only Small hopes of that mans self-examining who cannot bear the friendly tryal of his Minister It is meant as Zanchy well of secret sins we may adde and of sincerity of graces which men cannot see in others But our examination is for the satisfaction and honour of the Church and is of that which may be known and judged by others Mens own is for the reformation and comfort of their own consciences We believe that those Ministers that hold it necessary as the case now stands with our Congregations to examine others are yet little behinde their Opponents in earnest pressing upon mens consciences the examination of themselves charging such as they deal with not to rest on the trial and approbation of others but to approve themselves to God in the searching and judging of themselves Lastly because the Scripture stands for such a fulnesse in that single Scripture as to leave out no one necessary thing Let us aske whether a godly Communicant be bound to no other duty besides what is there particularly exprest We hope prayer at least and sundry other duties which are not mentioned may yet be regarded and practised and have their warrant elsewhere Some Fathers and others do glosse these words as is said in the Paper but not in that sense Their minde was and so is ours that men should not busie themselves about others neglecting their own condition nor rest upon other mens opinions of them without discerning a difference from themselves formerly and from others at present Chrysostome speaks well when rightly taken for private examination should be in a secret place where the soul may freely have communion with God but that which is for reformation and satisfaction of the Church should neverthelesse be with witnesses If Clemens Alexandrinue counted every mans conscience his best director we hope he meant this of consciencious men not of men void of true conscience which is the condition of all such as we willingly keep off Pareus in verba id est 1 Cor. 11.28 in parte altera p. 563. Pareus is one brought in to side with the Fathers unto him we are contented to hearken We have sought the words alledged and finde him thus speaking Non dicit Apostolus Sacerdoter probent c. that is The Apostle doth not say Let the Priests examine or try the Communicants but Let every one examine himself to shew the Reader what an unison this is We must freely point at a great mistake and that in three points 1. Pareus speaks this of Popish Priests 2. Of Auricular confession 3. In the following words he is ours justifying what he is alledged against Examina publica vel privata that is Examina publica veprivata minimè improbamus sed requirimus publick or private examinations of Communicants we by no means condemne but require So that however he grants the examination there commanded to be especially of a mans self which we freely assent unto yet he is not against that which we contend for It is here and elsewhere hinted that our examination is risen out of the ashes of Auricular confession but alas the difference between these is easily shewed and the harshnesse of the comparison is as evident 1. Examination defended is sometime before the whole society and never so private as is suggested but always before two or three witnesses at the least 2. Auricular confession is constantly and continually renewed so often as the Ordinance is made use of this is never but once 3. Ratione subjecti they are as wide as a Minister of the Gospel and a Frier or Jesuite It is not for want of ignorance ill will to the truth that examination by Church Officers to finde out mens fitness for visible communion is counted by many a point of Popery but enough of this Shortly he that builds upon the alledged Text that no others have to do with mens fitnesse to the Sacrament because a private self-examination about the sincerity of their graces to ground a judgement of faith upon is commended or that it is against charity to suspend any man that professeth himself prepared he that layes this upon the Text layes more upon it then it will bear and which the Ancients and Moderne approved Authors will not own as we hope more fully to prove anon The sixth Section of the
at least desire not to do things out of feare but upon knowledge and perswasion of our duty We know that the unworthy comers do directly quoad corruptionem actûs defile and destroy themselves nor is the Sacrament a proper or likely meanes to recover such as we desire to keep back but is rather likely by accident to blinde and harden them more then before The preventing of mens sinnes and damnation cannot hazard our souls Epistle of Jude v. 23. but will comfort our consciences at the last day 2 Cor. 2.15 under this buckler we fight and act SECT XVII Answering the Queries made in the end of the Paper I should be glad that some godly The beginning of the tenth Section of the Paper and moderate men might be satisfied in the scruples they have concerning this course and discipline § 17 If our principles and practice be mistaken many things will appeare offensive which are not so Where are pure doubts we have hopes our Apologie may remove them especially from godly and peaceable men But when we reflect upon these doubts or queries here made they seem to us to be rather the hard thoughts of enemies then the doubts of friends Scruples are as we take it mens doubts in their own way That which impedes intangles my conscience in my own actings that is my scruple But whatever these be for we are not willing to contend about words whether objections censures or scruples they shall by Gods help receive some answer SECT XVIII Wherein of the first Querie namely Whether it suite with the rule of the Apostle Rom. 14.1 Him that is weak in the faith receive you The first Querie in the tenth Section of the Paper Whether it be not judging or setting at naught thy brother or indeed not owning him as a brother And so contrary to ver 1 § 18 How farre the Apostles scope is from the businesse in hand is quickly seen He speaks of receiving and eating but it is of herbs not of the Sacrament He speaks of not receiving the weak to doubtful disputations men therefore are not to be called to such exercises as may be hurtful to them Briefly their receiving is this Such as were more resolved knowing and satisfied about the abrogation and burial of the legal ceremonies these as strong must deale gently with Jewish converts who were not of so pure a Gospeljudgement This languor or infirmity of faith must be borne this is the sense of the place But least we should seeme to decline this Scripture let it be granted that beleevers may be weak in other respects and that this Apostolical precept must not dasht against in any practice Our answer therefore is that the Ordinance of the Supper is very proper for the weak in faith being a strengthening appointment We exclude not willingly any such as are weak in the Apostles sense but rather invite and incourage them We think our brethren go beyond their warrant while they take Saints of the first magnitude only into fellowship God hath people of ill sizes there is the same holinesse but not the same degree of true holinesse in all beleevers not the weak but the dead not children but bastards do we purposely refuse Where we see any measure of true godly fear any degree of graciousnesse we gladly admit God forbid we should refuse the meanest as to the world or in grace no we covet the purest and take the weakest As to judging the other part of our burthen Calvin on the 14. Ch. to the Ro. ver 1. Calvin will tell you that judging there is to bring men under our own Laws We abhor this we desire to bring men under Christs rules and Lawes to finde men able to examine themselves to be discerners of the Lords body and that they are desirous of holinesse and conformity to Jesus Christ this we do try for and strive to discerne we judge not mens hearts or final estates but their present condition by their actions When we act in those matters according to our callings we build our thoughts upon mens words Mat. 7.16 17. and fruits by which we are taught to discerne one man from another and good men from bad It is Christian and rational so to judge Who will fear to say it is a smoaky house where ordinarily the smoak breaks out at doores and windows We desire to feare and feele the least guilt of evil which may lie upon us but as for this pride and contemning which is laid to our charge we hope the Lord sees us innocent Austin makes it pride to contemne discipline not to use it But more of this when we come to answer the Querie about Lording It hath been an old designe of Satan See Boltons direct to walk with God p. 7 8. to brand religious courses with pride as Master Bolton observes He that differences his society and is not humble enough to be base is by many deemed pround The Discourse of true happinesse p. 43. To be render beyond the common course this is to be strait-laced to be sullen rigid proud or what you will but after the way that the world calls pride have the precious servants of God walked in a holy Mr. Boroughs Gracious Spirit p. 156. not in a humourous singularity as one speakes It is not safe to call good evil The Lord deliver us from that which some call humility He is truly devoted to humility that can be content in this world to lose the repute of an humble man 1 Cor. 4.10 and be thought proud as Paul and his fellow-Christians were counted foolish weak Nemo virtuti magìs devotus quà m qui boni viri famam perdit ne conscientiam perdat Seneca Epist 8. any thing for Christs sake Pride in judging others is a very foule thing it concernes all to watch against it We know no better remedy then to judge our selves rightly we ought to observe the inward workings of our own hearts and to have a judgement of faith of our selves He that judges himself truly is most likely to judge others wisely and charitably But if the godly cannot perswade others to think well of them 1 Thes 2.5 6 7 8. 2 Cor. 1.12 yet let them rejoyce in this that they so farre know their own spirits that though they be compassed about with great infirmities yet they know that what they do is not out of pride Lastly if our suspension of some from the Sacrament must needs be contemning yet let me tell you of whom it is it is of them that contemne Gods wayes and of no others Now to contemne such contemners is no sinfull contempt and yet we deny that we contemne any no we mourne over the worst Refusing the wicked may be we hope without contemning but esteeming of the godly will hardly stand without such contemning as that of David Psal 15. ver 4. These will not be parted both springing from a