Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	apostle_n	church_n	truth_n	4,834	5	5.5664	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88870	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: I. 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.	W. L., a faithful petitioner and careful practitioner for the peace and welfare of the church and people of God.	1643 (1643)	Wing L84; Thomason E56_8; ESTC R413	53,887	63

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. ●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 Disciplin●●●d Doctrine and members also the Word may be preached to Heath●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 1● Rev. 19. ● 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

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 ●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 E●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

drinkes c. worshipping of Angels c. while they neglect the head of the Church which is the Lord Christ what colour men may here have to separate from the ordinances of God I know not as for being subject to humane ordinances we must not conceive that the Apostle meanes we should resist the lawfull power and authority of men set over us in Church and Commonwealth 1 Pet. 2.13 for then we should make one Scripture crosse another for Saint Peter exhorts us to submit to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake Then by humane ordinances are such here meant as were Heathenish and Jewish that were types and shadowes of the substance which could not now be consistent in the Church with the being of Christ not such ordinances as the Word preached Sacraments and Prayer these are the ordinances of God and not humane ordinances though there may bee some corruptions in the dispensation and administration of them yet they being the ordinances of God we ought not to separate from them 15. Matth. 28.20 Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and loe I am with you alwayes unto the end of the world c. Answ What there is here to maintaine a separation from the publike assemblies of Gods people and worship I know not if Christ have left any such command with his Disciples surely it would be found extant in Scripture especially a point of so high concernment 1 Pet. 1.22 23. 1 Tim. 2.1.13 not sutable to the purpose besids the command of Christ and the presence of Christ is to be found for the justification of those that attend his ordinance Such other places of Scripture as seeme to have more weight in them follow 16. Rom. 12.5 For we being many are one body in Christ hence the Separation conclude that all that partake of the Sacrament are of one and the same body and must therefore of necessitie be Saints at least in outward appearance Answ 1. I answer all that come to the Sacrament whether godly or prophane may be accounted members of the same visible body by an externall covenant being by baptisme admitted into the fellowship of the visible Church and making a profession of faith in Christ though their lives are unanswerable Secondly The Apostle when he saith here we being many are one body in Christ he speakes of that mysticall union that is betweene Christ and beleevers and speakes here of the invisible Church not of the visible and it will appeare that he spake onely of beleevers because it is unpossible for an hypocrite to be joyned to the body of Christ more than a prophane person and doubtlesse there were hypocrites among them Yet saith he we being many are one body in Christ Thirdly Admit he should speake of the visible Church and that they ought all to be such as in judgement of Charity are Saints he doth not say if there be any prophane person among you separate or cut your selves from the body 17. 1 Cor. 10.17 For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread The Apostle here also sheweth that one-nesse and spirituall Communion that all beleevers have with Christ the true bread of life and the true head of that mystical body This Scripture is of the same nature with the former therefore already spoken unto 18. 1 Cor. 5.11 If any man that is called a Brother be a fornicator or covetous or an Idolater or a rayler or a drunkard or an extortioner with such a one eate not Answ It is true we ought not willingly to eate with such a one or to have any voluntary familiarity with him this place hath no relation at all to the Sacrament Object If we ought not to eat common bread with him much lesse to joyne with him in the Sacrament Answ It is in our owne power to have familiarity or common society with him or not but not in our power to eat or not to eat with him at the Sacrament if the Church be remisse in exercise of discipline the remedy to be used in this case the Apostle prescribes in the last clause of the Chapter Therefore put away from you that wicked person he saith not if the Church be remisse and that he be not put away come not to the table of the Lord. The Text beareth no such weight that way but that in discharge of my duty I ought to frequent the ordinance unlesse it were in my power to cast him out but of this heretofore 19. 2 Cor. 6.17 Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch no uncleane thing and I will receive you This Text and that of Revelation 18.4 are the two master-pieces of all their Scriptures I will speake first to that 2 Cor. 6.17 where wee must consider first who are to separate secondly from whom they are to separate thirdly what are the uncleane things there not to bee touched First they that are to separate are the beleeving Corinthians men converted from Heathenish and Idolatrous customes and services to faith in Jesus Christ Secondly they must separate from Infidels men destitute of the knowledge of Christ and men voyd of faith men not professing Christ palpable Idolaters as appeares in the foregoing verses What fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse or what concord hath Christ with Beliall the beleever with the infidell or what agree-hath the Temple of God with Idols Thirdly the uncleane things from which they are to separate are their Idols and prophane sacrifices and truely if in the visible face of our assemblies Christ were not professed his ordinances dispensed if the ordinances were superstitious and Idolatrous in their nature and institution and heathenish Gods were worshipped by us it were indeed good reason for all Gods people all that beleeve in Christ to separate but that this place tolerates any man to separate from ordinances instituted by Christ and ministred in assemblies professing Christ and where are many beleevers met together in the name of Christ this I finde no warrant for though there may be many corrupt members exercised in and about them the ordinances remaine the ordinances of Christ notwithstanding prophane men have to doe in the dispensation of them Elies sonnes were wicked but the ordinances kept their owne nature and use to Gods people that came duly prepared to them If those that pleade for separation can make it appeare that in all the booke of God there is any one place to countenance or warrant a separation from ordinances of the Lord Christs owne institution notwithstanding the evill managing of them and corrupt men imployed about them then they say something but because Scripture commands Gods people to separate from the Assemblies of heathens which worshipped false Gods as the Sunne Moone c. and such as observed Idolatrous customes and practises in ordinances invented of their owne braine not instituted by Christ this

guides hypocrites ambitious covetous and the Priests of old under the Law were prophane and unholy yet the Doctrine of truth was to be received from them for Gods people should be like Bees sucking sweetnesse out of Thistles while wicked men like the Adder gather poyson out of flowers Object The Priests under the Law the Scribes and Pharisees were rightly called therefore they ought to heare them but ours are not Answ What Paul saith of himselfe that he was not an Apostle by man nor of man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father that is true of all the Apostles not onely because they were to preach Christ but received Commission from him and are therefore called the Apostles of Jesus Christ not in after times for then we must prove whe●e the Apostles delivered the power of government to the community of the faithfull as they received it from Christ for which there is no Scripture the Ministers and guides of the Church are immediately of Jesus Christ from whom they derive their power and receive their charge in whose name they must execute their office Acts 20.28 and to whom they must give an account whose Ministers they are Take heed to your selves and to the whole flocke over which the holy Ghost hath made you Overseers the Presbyters at Ephesus we see were appointed Overseers by the holy Ghost that they might governe the Church of God they were chosen and ordained of men and so by immediaty of person not from God as were the Apostles c. but their gifts off●ce and authority was immediately of God in conferring those offices God useth the ministery of men but the office and authority is from God alone when Christ ascended on high he gave gifts to men some to be Apostles some Prophets Eph. 4.8.11 1 Cor. 12.8 some Evangelists some Pastors some Teachers so that the Pastorship and office of teaching and their gifts are as immediately from Christ as the Apostleship was and though every Pastor is not immediately called yet the office and order is from Christ immediately and not from men and so is their authority and jurisdiction and so our Ministers that are gifted from God and by God are as lawfull Teachers Mat. 24 41 Tit. 1.7 Mat. 9.38 1 Cor. 12 5. Phil. 1.1 Col. 1.24 2 Cor. 6.4 Rom. 1.1 2 Cor. 4 5. 1 Cor. 4.1.5 Argum. c●ncerning our M●nist●rs one to apply to th●se that scandall them and have as much warrant from God as the Apostles had in their time whether approved by men or not the harvest is the Lords and to him it belongs to send labourers now there be differences of Ministers but the same Lord the Ministers of the Word are not the Ambassadours of men but of Christ as having received their office power and gifts from him and not of the Church they may be called the Ministers of the Church as the Lords Ministers and servants or the Church is Ministers or servants are taken indifferently because though the Lord send them and gift them yet it is for the sake of the Church and they ought rather to be called the Ministers of Christ then of the Church for all power Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall is of God And as for those that account our Ministers Antichristian though never so godly in their lives or sound in Doctrine by reason of their standing by Bishops I desire them to consider these sixe Arguments following five of which may be applied truly to many of our Ministers who the thus brand with that odious term of Antichristian Ministers 1. No man that truly preaches Christ and both in his life and Doctrine sets himselfe against Antichrist and his followers 1 Cor 12 3 Ma● 12.25 26. Mat. 7.16 1 Cor. 2.11 1 Cor 3.11 2 Cor. 4.5 1 Cor 10.31 1 Thes 2 6 Mark 9 38 39. 1 Cor. 2.4 can be accounted Antichristian 2. No man that expresses the power of godlinesse in his life and conversation can be accounted Antichristian 3. No man that makes Jesus Christ and the glory of God the maine end of his preaching can be Antichristian 4. He that labours both by Doctrine and practise or by either of them to convert men to Jesus Christ and to disswade men from the wayes of Antichrist this man cannot be antichristian 5. He that to his power showes his dislike of corruptions both of Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of God and indeavours for reformation by earnest prayer and such other meanes as are in the bounds of his place and calling and mournes for the continuance of them in the Church this man cannot be guilty of the corruptions in the Church much lesse Antichristian 6. To oppose Christ in his Ministers or members 1 Cor. 12.3 Gal. 1.8 to scandall the wayes of God the Ministers and the Ordinances of God the publike assemblies of his people this I conceive is a high degree of Antichristianisme and blasphemy And truly as I am confident that there is none of the first five assertions but may well be applied to many hundreds of our Ministers for their justification from that aspersion of Antichristianisme so malitiously cast upon them so I speak it with griefe of heart I feare the last asertion which showes plainely who are Antichristian will of necessity fall upon the heads of all such as with open and blacke mouthes scandall the wayes Ministers Ordinances publike Assemblies of the people of God in the Church of England proceeding to a high degree of Antichristianisme and blasphemy for this is that maine deceit of the Devill to vilifie the Ordinances and administrations thereof in the Church by calling them idolatrous and the people Idolaters and Antichristian or else he could never prevaile with men whose hearts would else reverence and respect them and herein I conceive is that fulfilled of Satan transforming himselfe into an Angel of light neither could any man perswade himselfe it were lawfull to separate from our publike Assemblies were it not that he is perswaded the Ordinances and Officers and Assemblies are so in deed which neither they nor the Devill himselfe can ever be able to make appeare out of the Word of God Indeed no man Minister or other that beleeve in Jesus Christ 1 John 1.1 and desire to walke with God in uprightnesse as many thousands in the Church of England doe can be counted other then the children of God Gal. 1.8 and he that preaches any other Doctrine we ought to hold him accursed Thus much concerning the lawfulnesse of our Church Assemblies and Administrations now to prove the lawfulnes of joyning with them in Ordinances Object What shall we doe then that are to joyne in mixt Assemblies that we sin not herein 1. Take heede of joyning with any corruption or knowne evill in the Church show your dislike of it according to your power 2. Exhort and admonish or reprove as the circumstance of thy calling relation and opportunity will give leave those that

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 ● 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 B●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 l●ght God hath given me I have not beene inj●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 on● 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 m●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.