that which is anothers being not comitted into his hands presumes of himself and is an intruder but this is not proved to be the case of a beleever that is baptized to communicate in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper therefore the instance fails for your purpose Now to put an end to all further disputes upon these two points that Iudas did communicate or participate in the Lords Supper with the rest of the Apostles and that the Sacrament is of a teaching use and operation as strengthening and confirming I state both the questions affirmatively and negatively the affirmative of both questions that Iudas was present at the institution and distribution of the Lords Supper and that the externall elements are of teaching use is proved plainly by these two Scriptures Luke 22. 14. 21. 1 Cor. 11. 26. But I challenge the whole world to prove the negative that the elements of the Lords Supper do not teach and that Iudas was not present at the institution And by the way take notice that no absurdity can possibly be a consequence of truth but erring and mistaking admits of little else For it the ordinance of the Lords Supper have not a teaching and informing quality then it is uselesse to all the unregenerate yea to all the elect before regâ—neration which is such an absuâ—dity to affirme tâ—at Gods outward and common ordinances are of no use but unprofitable And that God ordained any thing in vain this is so grolfe that it crosses all Scriptures for â—hey generally affirm that all that God hath made or ordained shew forth teach his glory Psa 75. 1. Again if none but the regenerate should communicate of the Supper of the Lord the paucity is such as the Scriptures witnesse that there is but one of a Citie and two of a Tribe yea it will also follow that he that blesseth and distributeth the bread and wine must know the receivers conversion or else he sinnes in communicating it these and an hundred more absurdities will follow that a wise man will blush to think of For if this be so then the same things that shew forth Christ under the Gospel shall not be so usefull to beleevers as the shadowes under the Law And this were to turn the day into night the light into darknesse The last thing I intended now to publish are some few short conferences I have met with in Citie and Countrey and all may be reduced into these two positions The first Position That selected congregations are Churches rightly ordained and truly constituted And that each congregation are free and independent either from other My defence to the first Position In this first Position we must consider foure things First that the gatherers and avouchers of selected congregations are Christians in profession not in authority but under Christian authority and members of Christian congregations in communion in all Gods externall ordinances and in all these respects are those also that they gather to themselves Secondly what is meant by congregations forasmuch as there are three sorts of them that is first anthorized congregations secondly selected or covenanted congregations in opposition to authority and thirdly spirituall or voluntary congregations the communion of Saints And the last part of the position is what is meant by congregationall Independency In the first place therefore we must confider that all selected congregations in England teachers and people are Christians in profession and already in communion and fellowship in the ordinances of the Gospel being all under Christian Authority And notwithstanding all this they doe take up and assume authority to themselves so to select and congregate as they doe in opposition to authority to which they are subjected of God And for proofe of this their practise they alledge the example of John the Baptist Mat. 3. 1 2 5. our Saviour Christ Mark 1. 14 15 16. and the Apostles Acts 2. 37 38 41 42. Acts 11. 20 21 22. Now I deny that any of these Scriptures come home to prove the state of your question or warrant your practice For John our Lord and the Apostles taught the doctrine of the Gospel that Jesus was the Christ the Messiah prophesied of to such Jewes as were not beleevers but opposers of it and them And such by their Ministery converted to the faith which faith is beleeved and confessed by such Christians as you select to your selves And secondly the Greeks that were converted Acts 11. 20. were so converted from heathenisme to Christianisme but this is not your case nor practice for you pervert Christians from sound and wholsome doctrines to vain janglings about words that edifie not And from those Assembles assigned by Christian authority to such as are of your own ordaining devising and constituting the matter and form thereof is not to be found in Gods word Now if any of you all could shew me a people that you have gained from among the Jewes and from among the Heathens to the acknowledgement and confession of the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ and that by your Ministery that they have not onely beleeved the truth but obeyed it in the power of it to the effecting in them repentance and remission of sinnes then I would speak and change my discourse to another sense but in regard you assume that which you are not I will onely testifie unto you that that which you doe is not warrantable by Scripture but it is your own carnall fancy and imagination Now the second thing in the Position is what is meant by Congregation and in the threefold distinction the first is Authorized congregations which are usually called Parishes and that is to say so many Families assigned by authority to make a congregation to communicate in Gods ordinances for the salvation of the people And to that end authority hath ordained a way that their teachers or teacher should be a man approved of for able gifts that a time or times in the week is appointed that men should dispense with neglect and lay aside their worldly imployments and affairs and meet together in the communion and participution of Gods ordinances to that end have appointed a place for prayer reading and expounding the Scriptures for doctrine exhortation and preaching as also for communion in baptisme and the Lords Supper And are not all these things in themselves good and lawfull And if they be so what ground have you then for dislike and separation Nay have we not ground by the word of God to give thanks for such governors that are in authority over us And are not their Ordinances and Rules such without which wee cannot communicate in the outward ordinances of God Wherefore let us acknowledge their authority and obey their rules But in the next place the selected congregations alledge 2 Cor. 6. 17. and Rev. 18. 4. for their separation and selection for as much as the holy Ghost saith Come out from amongst them meaning corrupt Christian congregations and be
Religious freedome for this is the effect of your practice which affirm in his governed church in which you are placed under authority you ought to have freedome of conscience to exercise your gifts to gather a people to your selves and so to make use of all the ordinances of God both for Doctrine and Discipline And that no power nor authority ought to question you for it because you ought to have freedome of conscience This is another conceit of humane invention Did you ever read of such an expression in the Scriptures so applied as to free a man from all lawfull obedience to authority the consequence of truth is sincerity but the consequence of error is iniquity For think you not that your freedome of conscience as you call it which doth acquit you from all obedience to lawful commands if you your selfe shall so judge of it is not your own wilfulnesse to disobey that authority that is over you a permanent ground for the like freedome for all in particular that are under you to disclâ—ime your authority upon the same terms you doe others See in a word how you by mistaking the word overthrow Gods ordinance of government Rom. 13. even that which himselfe is God of for he is the God of Gods Dan. 2. 47. the God of order 1 Cor. 14. 33. Now to make your absurdity more manifest observe a similitude make the whole Kingdome of England the great nationall church make the Parliament and assembly of Ministers the Ruling and Teaching Elders in this great church your selves neither of them but under this authority And therefore by the law of God and man ought to live obediently to all their lawfull ordinances You pretend by religious freedome you ought not to obey them but rather to follow your own conceivings Is not this your practice of disobeying your Superiours a perpetuall ground for disobedience in your inferiours For that inferiour who ever he be that saith none above him hath power to prescribe rules to him his own practice for ever frees all that are under him from all manner of obedience to him and so for ever to establish by this doctrine such dissenting and contending as that there is no such custom in the churches of God 1 Cor. 11. 16. for the rule of Gods church is the quite contrary as the Apostle testifieth Rom. 13. 7. Render therefore to all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due custome to whom custome fear to whom feare honour to whom honour It is true the Saints and children of God are free but that is in a spirituall respect by a spirituall birth The truth shall make you free John 8. 32. If the Sonne make you free you shall bee free indeed verse 36. but with the right knowledge of this freedome I find few professors are acquainted Their second Position When we have truly constituted our church by selecting us a congregation then we shall enjoy the spirituall administration of Christs ordinances in their purity setting up Christ upon his throne to the happy enjoyment and accomplishment of all the prophesies and promises foretold of all by the Prophets and Apostles My defence to your second Position There are three things considerable in this Position also First what you mean by Ordinances Secondly their spirituall administration and purity And lastly what you mean by setting Christ up in his throne to the fulfilling of all the Prophesies and promises in the Scriptures And first for the term Ordinances are they not those that wee have in communion in our publick Assemblies prayer reading and expounding the Scriptures preaching and in communicating in baptisme and the Lords Supper Is not the word of God the same in publick congregations as amongst you the same in a common and the same in a speciall administration Is not prayer the same in both with the spirituall the sacrifice of a broken heart with the rest a presentation of persons and words Is not baptisme the same in the outward as in the inward consideration The Lords Supper the same in the corporall signes as in the spirituall grace that as the earnall Christian through the common faith eats the bread and drinks the wine so the spirituall Christian by justifying faith eats Christs flesh and drinks his bloud You confesse all this to bee true but you say the difference lies in the point of the purity of the ordinances the manner of administration and communion in them which is the second confideration in the Position And you say for want of the spirituall administration the authorized congregations have lost the purity of all Gods ordinances and thereby continue the abominable and unclean thing amongst them And you give three instances to prove this First that our Minister are not truly called secondly say some of you we alter the ordinance of baptisme thirdly you all with one consent condemne us for admitting of mixt congregations To the first I answer Presbyters by the Parliament are ordained to examine approve and allow of mens gifts and for their spirituall gifts received of God to appoint and allow of them therefore to be Ministers according to the Apopostles rule 1 Tim. 3. 10 chap. 4. 14. against which there is no other externall rule to be shewed in the Scriptures And secondly whereas many of you say we alter the ordinance of baptisme it is more then you can prove by Scripture for although it be said Matth. 28. 19. Go yee therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them c. In your own understanding of that place it doth not say therefore as you say ye shall not baptize the infants of beleevers who you therein forbid to be brought to Christ contrary to the command of our Lord Matth. 19. 14. Suffer little children to come or to be brought unto me for so much the Text inferres and forbid them not to come unto me Which inhibition of yours is contrary also to Gods own ordinance and command Exod. 12. Gen. 17. which plainly commands that which you deny that children are to communicate if their parents were beleevers According to which ordinance of God the Apostles testifie to all the world Acts 2. The promise belongs to you and to your children and to all that are afarre off even to so many as the Lord our God shall call as if he should say whosoever God calls to beleeve the covenant belongs to them and to their infants as the covenant belonged to Abraham and to all strangers that should come to beleeve the truth to them and to their children also And this is the reason that we find it written and there are many examples of it in the Apostles times that when a man came to beleeve the truth the doctrine they taught them not onely they themselves but their housholds were baptized 1 Cor. 1. as the houshold of Stephan as and the rest And the Apostle resolves the question to the Church of Corinth saith he to this effect If one of the
Argument the inference and consequence thereof is that the use of the Lords Supper is not for the Saints alone for although the Saints have the blisse and best use of the Sacrament yet not the onely use And as they have a speciall right as spiritual Christians by faith to eat Christs flesh and drink his bloud to their confirmation so the unregenerate elect and common Christians have a true right to the communication of the outward signes to their information and instruction amongst the faithful For as the Paschal Lamb was generally to be eaten by both sorts of beleevers Exod. 12. 43 44. Circumcise him saith the Text and then shall he eat thereof so baptize the Christian and let him examine himselfe touching the knowledge of the Lords Supper and so let him eat 1 Cor. 11. 25 26 27 28. And here take notice by the way that this examining a mans selfe is all one with the preparation to the Passeover for the true use of understanding the Lords Supper and discerning the Lords body in knowing the meaning of the signes is to lead us to repent of our sins and to repent is to eate no leavened bread for this is to put out the leaven out of our houses Exod. 12. 15. And the Apostles admonition to the Church of Corinth is in effect the same that Hezekiah praieth for that the people before they came to the Passeover might prepare their hearts to seek God and that the Lord would pardon them that were not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary 2 Chron. 30. 19. For saith the Text vers 18. a multitude of the people even many of Epbraim and Manasses Issachar and Zebulon had not cleansed themselves yet did they cat the Passeover c. Observe how the Church of Corinth and the Church of the Jewes are paralleld and although many defective in both yet in neither any denied And this promotes the free mercy and goodnesse of God that the unregenerate are not restrained from no outward ordinance that might further their coÌ„version His fourth Argument That the Lords Supper doth commemoâ—ate and confirm is very cleare and evident from the Scriptures but that it should be a means of conversion that is dubious My defence to your fourth Argument That which with the Word doth commemorate Christs death that doth also signifie teach and shew forth or is a means to attain grace even so often as it is communicated with the word Luke 22. 19. 1. Cor. 11. 26. And this is a truth not dubious but perspicuons For as by the eye the cutward sight doth affect the heart within or inwardly Lam. 3. 51. so doth the calling to mind or remembrance as David saith Psal 77. 3. Premembred God saith he and what did it lead him to or teach him He gives us the answer himselfe And I was troubled And what was his trouble but godly sorrow and repentance And upon the sight of the bitter passion of our Lord which was the same death the Lords Supper holds forth to us it is said Luk. 23 48. And all the people which came together to that sight beholding the things that were done smote their breasts and returned Wherefore be satisfied of the converting operation of the Sacrament And the truth is you confesse it in all your Arguments in that you doe acknowledge it doth commemorate and call to mind I pray consider what S. Paul writes to Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 6. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things thou shalt be a good Minister of Jesus Christ So then to call to mind or to put men in remembrance of the truth is a part of the ministery of the Gospel and that the participation of the Sacrament doth both our Lord and his servant testifies Luke 22. 1 Cor. 11. The more fuller clearing hereof I refer to my defence against the two Ministers five Quaeres hereafter mentioned The fifth Argument That the Word and Works of God are a means to beget grace the Scriptures plentifully affirm and they need no exposition at all for they speak out the glory of him that made them the wisdome bounty and goodnesse of God which leadeth to repentance but the Sacrament as the Bow in the clouds cannot without the exposition of Scriptures and therefore not teaching My defence to your fifth Argument You say God hath made his works as his word the outward means to beget grace and they need no exposition for they are made of God apparent to all Psal 97. 6. but you say so is not the Sacrament Nor say I the written Scriptures manifested to them that have them not but as the Rain-bow in the clouds ordained by the word of God doth teach to the eye Gods faithfulnesse in his promise and covenant Gen. 9. 13. even so doe the Sacraments which are likewise ordained by the same word inform the heart by the eye through seeing Christs death visibly represented by the elements so often as by the word they are consecrated and by beleevers communicated and doe thereby teach set forth and declare Gods faithfulnesse in his promise and covenant made with mankind in and through the death of Christ And Bread and Wine sacramentally are to none so but to such as beleeve the Scriptures His sixth Argument The Word and Works which are outward means to beget grace are made of God obvious to all men to see and read to the end they may bee won to repentance but the Sacrament may not be used to all the world but onely by such as beleeve Jesus Christ manifested which is a further ground to me that it begets not grace but commemorates and confirms onely My defence to his sixth Argument This Argument is of the same nature with your former and therefore one answer may serve for both for if the bounty and goodnesse of God be made known to Christians by the Lords Supper then by your own Argument they teach Christians to grace as the works of God the whole creation manifesting Gods bounty and goodnesse who thereby win or lead men to repentance even that part of mankinde that have not the Scriptures which shall be more cleared hereafter Now after I had received these Arguments from a friend there were sent me from two Ministers of my acquaintance these five Queres following The first Quere Whether to teach grace and confirme grace be two distinct things or no. My defence to the first Quere In my defence I premise that the visible Sacrament cannot bee without the audible word and so I say that the effect of both are distinct in teaching to attain grace and the confirming and strenthening the grace already wrought The second Quere If they be two distinct things whether then can the Sacrament of the Lords Supper teach so as to work a change in the affections or not My defence to your second Quere Whatsoever God hath made teaching that by his blessing may effect grace to whom it teacheth it for the Word
and Covenant of life is manifested and declared by preaching Tit. 1. 3. Now the way of preaching that was committed to S. Paul was the Scriptures yet he himself proves to the Romans that the same covenant of life and word of grace which he taught by the Scriptures is taught to the Gentiles which have not the Scriptures by the creatures as Rom. 10. 8. compared with v. 18 19 20 21. and Psal 19. which is confest and acknowledged before in my opposites arguments but because this is beyond the question in hand which is to cleare the teaching use of the Sacraments by Scriptures I will therefore here wave the point of the creatures teaching without the Scriptures and prove it clearly by arguments drawn from the Scriptures that the Lords Supper hath a teaching operation for the strengthening or confirming use no man questions My first Argument Whatsoever doth declare or shew forth Christ to a Christian doth teach Christ But the Supper of the Lord doth declare and shew forth his death from the tree of his ignominy to the throne of his glory Therefore the Supper of the Lord declareth and teacheth Christ so often as it is communicated even untill his second coming And ths Argument I thus prove 1 Cor. 11. 26. For as often saith the Apostle as yee eat this Bread and drink this Cup yee doe shew the Lords death till he come Agreeiong to which is that of the Prophet Dan. 11. 2. when he spake to King Darius I will shew thee the truth said he Did not he therein declare and teach to him the truth So also our Lord signifying and shewing the truth to the Apostle John Revel 1. 1. what was it but preaching and manifesting the truth to him My second Argument Whatsoever is ordained of Christ to commemorate call to mind or keep in remembrance himselfe or his death that preaches Christ and the benefit of his death But the communicating in the signes of the Lords body and bloud calls him to mind and keeps his death in remembrance to Christians Therefore the Celebration of the Lords Supper teacheth or preacheth the benefit of his death And this Argument our Lord himselfe proveth whose testimony is beyond all Luke 22. 19 20. This is my Body which was given for you doe this in remembrance of me This Cup is the new Testament in my bloud which was shed for you I beseech you mark two things in these few words for the proving the Argument that is first that the Lords Supper the participation of the Elements they being set apart by blessing according to our Lords example and the Apostles practice the doing thereof is a remembrance of Christs death And secondly that thereby is made known and taught the Covenant of life and salvation in these words This Cup is the new Testament in my bloud then which nothing can be thought of to prove clearer the teaching use of the Sacrament And that whatsoever calleth to remembrance the truth preacheth the truth is plain and apparent For Peters putting the Saints alwayes in remembrance of the truth thereby preached unto them the truth 2 Pet. 1. 12 13 14 15. Your third Quere Whether the act of Cbrist in admitting of Judas be exemplary My defence to your third Quere If the Lord did admit of wicked Judas unto the Apostleship and so to the participation of Baptisme the Word Prayer and to the breaking of bread as hereafter shall bee particularly proved then such Ministers that teach that all unregenerate men are to bee kept from the Sacrament assume that to themselves which neither Gods law nor mans law gives them For the exception in the law of God is the case of excommunication the exception in mans ordinance is ignorance and scandall Your fourth Quere Whether there be like reasons of the Sacrament and the Passeover If there be the like reason then it followes not that the Lord did approve of every one that came to the Passeover 2 Chron. 30. they were to prepare themselves before they came My defence to your fourth Quere You both forget your selves to ask me a reason of Gods ordinances for to give a reason of them is peculiar to God alone that made them But this I say that there is the same use and meaning of the Lords Supper as of the Passeover in the common fellowship of all beleevers that is Christ typified and signified by both Christs death shewed forth and called to remembrance by both the beleevers informed to grace and confirmed in grace by both and the spiritual and truly faithful eat Christs flesh and drink his bloud by both they being both sacramentall for that purpose And as under the law they were to put away the leaven out of their houses and prepare and sanctifie themselves so under the Gospel Christians are to examine themselves repent c. For to keep the Feast and holy day the Apostle speaks of 1 Cor. 5. 8. is to keep it with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth as I have breifly declared in my Admonition in Christians liberty to the Lords Table p. 18. Your fifth Quere Whether can a naturall man or a man indued with the common gifts of the Spirit so try examine and judge himselfe as to come worthily as the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 28. doth drive at My defence to your fifth Quere I answer An inward or spirituall Christian as an inward and an outward common Christian as an outward Christian may either of them discerne the Lords body to participate worthily or profitably according to their different gifts received the high way stony and thorny grounds may discern the Lords body and all the elect Christians unregenerate by the visible fignes thereof in the Sacrament that therein Christ Jesus is manifested giving himselfe to death for mankind and that he is the bread of life declared and preached first by the words of consecration and prayer with admonitions then made by the Minister And secondly by seeing the wine powred out the resemblance of the shedding his bloud and then seeing the bread broken the resemblance of his death and passion with the consideration of all other circumstances the violence the Grape suffers in the Wine-presse and the cruelty offered to the Corn both in the Mill and in the insufferable hot Oven And as thus the eye affects the heart so doth the sweet comfortable refreshing nourishing delectable relishing taste also which are all evident sensible in-lets to the soule of the mercy and goodnesse of God And because the Christian hath received no other but common gifts it is but information to him to the speciall grace but the good ground the spirituall Christian his communion is sustentation and confirmation in grace to eternall life according to his speciall faith and grace received of God he spiritually eats Christs flesh and drinks his bloud and is hereby more and more inoculated and rooted in the true Vine Jesus Christ And in this differing consideration both
Testament which was shed for many for the remission of sins Now of that many he speaketh in that he saith I will drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom And in this distinction he might speak it to the twelve when Iudas was present For you may say as well Iudas was not amongst the twelve when he said to them Iohn 6. 70. Have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a Devill In this distinction of election may our Saviour speak in the case of perfection Their fifth Objection I will smite the Shepheard and the sheep shall be scattered Mark 14. 27. And again I will lay down my life for my sheep Iohn 10 15 17. Now Iudas could not be included and therefore not present for hee was none of Christs sheep but a traytor against the Shepheard and the Flock also My defence to your fifth Objection This objection extends not to the question in hand for the Shepheard was smitten after the Institution and distribution of the Lords Supper And so also after Iudas left our Lord and his Apostles company and went privatly to effect and perfect his treacherous conspiracy And yet again in the Scripture phrase there are evill sheep unlost as well as good such as are lost and found in the Scripture sense And Indas was amongst them and sent out with them when our Lord said Matth. 10. 16. Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of Wolves And the Prophet David knew well there was more bad then good men when he said 2 Sam. 24. 17. But these sheep what have they done Now while I was making my defence against all these former oppositions I received from an honoured friend of mine this double supposition following His first Supposition Friend I pray consider how the Apostle speaks of the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 10. 15 16 17. I speak as to you wise men judge you what I say The Cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ The Bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ For we being many are one bread and one body for wee are partakers of that one bread Now who are the wise but the regenerate Who hath communion in the body and bloud of Christ but the faithfull Who are the many members that are one body the many grains that make one loafe but the Saints And therefore doth not the Sacrament properly and peculiarly belong to the Saints Yea onely ordained for them I suppose My defence to your first Supposition Sir the answer lies in the Apostles words by you mentioned for to say For the cup of blessing which we blesse and the bread which wee breake is it not the communion of the body and bloud of Christ proves plainly there are two things considerable in the Sacrament the elements or signes bread and wine the substance or thing signified the body and bloud of Christ of both which the regenerate communicate but the unregenerate although acknowledging the common faith they of bread and wine the signes onely And this is plainly proved by the Apostle by the instance hee gives to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 3 4 5. The multitude as well as the faithfull they passed through the sea they had equall benefit of the coole moist cloud in the heat of the day and of the light hot burning pillar in the dark cold night and sustained both with the same Manna Angels food And yet none did communicate of the spirituall substance the Rock and Truth but such as were spiritual and thereby could by faith eat Christs flesh and drink his bloud and all the regenerate and truly faithfull did so But with may of them saith the Apostle that is with the carnall impenitent provoking unbeleeving part God was not well pleased but overthrew them in the wildernesse notwithstanding their outward fellowship and communion with the faithfull in the outward externall shadowes And the Apostle by way of comparison seems to make the Church of Corinth and the Church of the Jews in the wildernesse to agree in the like participation with those that communicate as in the things communicated both for the quality of persons and distinction of ordinances And if it were not so as you would suppose then his exhortation were in vain Neither be yee Idolaters as some of them neither fornicators nor tempters nor murmurers c. And if faulty and unregenerate Christians ought not upon any terms to comunicate then the Apostle in Chap. 11. would have forbidden them communion whereas he uses onely admonition And therefore as for the inward and spirituall Christians the spirituall part of the sacrament is peculiar so the externall and common part is for such Christians as are but outward and common and ordained for them as for the Saints as before hath been shewed His second Supposition If unregenerate men come to communicate in the Sacrament they intrude and thrust themselves to that which God calls them not to and so therein doe that which they ought not and therefore it is sin to such to come for so much seems to be implied by the Apostle in saying They discern not the Lords body and so it proves to bee punishment in stead of nourishment And it may be said to them as to the guest that bad not on the wedding Garment Friend how comest thou in hither And their intrusion to the Lords Table is like the false Apostles and Prophets thrusting themselves into all the administrations of the Gospel My defence to your second Supposition The first part of this Supposition being an inference of the former by consequence is answered already And whereas you say It is an intrusion in the unregenerate and so a sin in them to come to the Sacrament you must shew the inhibition for otherwise the text is plain Where there is no law there is no transgression Secondly you instance the uncloathed mans coming to the Feast in the Gospel I pray consider hee was not condemned for coming to the Feast but for being there without a wedding Garment for the feast is all the ordinances of God which Christ hath purchased and freely vouchsafed for all men to communicate in for their salvation the coming to the feast is the free liberty that all beleevers have in the enjoyment of these ordinances and to bee fed and clad with the blessed spirituall benefit thereof is to enjoy the blessing and salvation that comes by these means ordained of God for that end but to enjoy the administration thereof and not to be bettered by them is to be there where we might have been clad and yet continue naked fed and are yet starved And so it comes to passe that which is a savour of life to the one is a savour of death to the other the first heareth and obeyeth the second heareth and rejecteth In the next place I answer Whosoever taketh upon him to be a Steward of
yee separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you This Scripture you say proves the state of the question on your part for you say the Apostles here speake of the Antichristian church of Rome whose filthy unclean doctrines were such that notwithstanding they were Christians in profession yet Gods people could not communicate with them but they must there was no avoyding it by reason of their abominable canons be defiled with them And therefore you say these texts of Scriptures are a sufficient ground to separate from Christian congregations I answer they are a ground to separate from such Antichristian congregations as the Apostles speak of but I require of you to prove the abomination the unclean thing in the authorized congregations in England and then you say something but till that be proved this Scripture is not for your purpose For the Church of England by the Parliaments of reformation in King Edward the sixt and Queen Elizabeths dayes separated from the fals doctrines and unclean practices of the church of Rome and then made acts lawes and ordinances against the abominable tenets and false devised imagined religion their Priests Sacrifices and back't their decrees with the penalty of death yet notwithstanding in processe of time the Prelaticall clergy brought in many corrupt innovations tending to act again the old uncleannesses under new pretences yet this honorable Parliament hath rooted up and extirpated the Prelaticall Hierarchy root and branch and still sit spending their wits spirits and pains for the reforming of Doctrine and Discipline that all congregations may bee regulated in and by the neerest way agreeable to the word of God Now considering all these things we enjoy under this happy authority that is over us your condition being under this authority and so placed of God take heed therefore nay how will you avoid it but that your resisting this authority you doe therein resist the Ordinance of God and herein walk contrary to Gods word Rom. 13. 1 2. Nay do you not fulfil the Prophesie of the Scriptures in presumption and selfe-willednesse to despise such Governors and speak evill of such dignitiâ—s as the Apostle foretold 2 Pet. 2. 10. How can you possibly cleare your way from the gainsaying of Core Jude v. 11. Nay is there not a plain parallell between him and his companies gainsaying and you and your companies gainsayings Num. 16. Did not they which were under authority usurp authority and in striving against Moses Aaron those that God had set over them did they not strive against the Lord Numb 26. 9. I will forbeare the consequence the Lord give you grace to repent of your striving resistance and gainsaying and murmure no longer against them in saying they impose will-worship upon your consciences in requiring many things there is not a plain word sor if it be not against the word but agreeing with the sense and meaning of the word submit your selves to their rules And if you conceive you know better then the Parliament your way is to petition and not to make resistance The next consideration is the Spirituall or voluntary congregation the communion of Saints The Prophet David calls them the Assembly of Saints the Congregation of Saints Psal 89 5. 7. The house of Aaron his Saint the house of Israel his chosen one the house of Levi his Priest Psâ— 136. and the Apostle the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. the houshold of God Eph. 6. 19. the house and Church of the living God 1 Tim. 3. 15. This church is called The Lords body Col. 1. 18. 24. because it is made living by the life that is in him spirituall by his spirit for they are all begotten and born of the Spirit and that which is born of the spirit is spirit John 3. 6. as that which is born of the flesh is flesh This communion and whole congregation by the Spirit of God are all baptized into one body and have been made all to drink into one spirit 1 Corinth 12. 13. These are all the children of wisdome all sonnes of God and heires of the promises these all by regeneration are as Peter was made living stones and are built of God a spirituall house a chosen generation a peculiar people 1 Pet. 2. These are the little flock of sheep lambs of Christ to whom the Father hath given the Kingdome who by faith have both the earnest and the abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ having fellowship with God their Father the Son their Saviour the holy Ghost their comforter and with each other in joying and sorrowing comforting and lamenting beleeving and hoping suffering and expecting with a mutuall affection the morning and day of salvation 1 John 1. 3. 7 chap. 3. 2. These are they that fear the Lord that receive him and his and often speak and confer one with another that are alwayes mindful of his covenant in whose heart is his Law These are the Lords Priests with whom he hath made a covenant of life and peace who have alwayes the Lord in their thoughts Mal. 2. and 3. chapters These onely have received an unction from the holy One that teacheth them all things 1 John 2. 20. These according to the command of their Lord give unto Cesar the things that are Cesars and to God the things that are Gods Mark 12. 17. they love the Lord with all their heart and their neighbour as themselves they are all spiritual and so is their communion and fellowship and none but such as are spirituall are of this congregation this communion of Saints But a Minister in the North countrey told me the Independent congregations were this communion of Saints which is the last particular in the first Position To whom I answered His expression was very strange to me for I did not find any such name expressing creatures written in the book of life And I am sure all the Saints names are written there Wherefore said I hee that gives that name to any people and those that take that name unto themselves are both alike to be blamed for there is no one nor very many creatures can be said to be Independent but God alone the great creator I am the first and the last saith the Lord and besides mee there is no God Isaiah 44. 6. And thou even thou art Lord alone Nehem 9. 6. There is not a Saint nor congregation of holy ones can say one to another I have no need of thee for they are all members one of another and every one the members of Christ Ephes 4. 25 chap. 5. 30. 1 Cor. 12. I wonder that so many learned that professe that way and own the name Independent I wonder I say that their learnâ—ng doth not afford them a more proper terme for as â—uch as under this notion they aim at liberty of conscience Were they not better to expresse themselves under the names of
parents be a beleever then are your children holy that is then have they right to the externall ordinance of God and in this sense the Apostle saith God hath shewed me not to call any man unholy or unclean that is whosoever beleeveth Jesus Christ come in the flesh may be baptized although before a Gentile and they and their houshold have right to Gods holy ordinance as Cornelius and his houshold Acts 10. And when you can prove that the Minister taking infants into his arms praying for them and washing them in the name of Christ or Ahrahams circumcising of Ishmael at the command of God is more then Christs taking them into his arms and blessing them then you will say something till then you declare your own fancy and say nothing to the purpose And for mixt congregations as you find fault with I pray are you sure your selves are not weeds and cockle but good corn if your selves were spirituall then you would know and understand the meaning of Gods spirit that both must be let alone till the harvest the end of the world as our Lord saith for till then there is no separation Matth. 13. 30. but wicked Cain may bring and offer his sacrifice with Abel the righteous persecuting Ishmael may communicate in the ordinance of God with persecuted Isaac the bitter and unclean hypocrite Simon Magus may bee washed or baptized in flesh as well as Philip Peter and John and the holy ones of God Acts 8. And although our Lord knew the Devillish treacherous heart of Judas yet his participation in the ordinances neither in Baptisme the Passeover or the Lords Supper did not prejudice nor no way hindered the spirituall communion of the faithfull for he participated in prayer Mat. 6. in preaching Mat. 10. in baptisme Mat. 3. 15. in the Passeover and Supper of the Lord Luke 22. 14 15 21. and yet none of Christs little holy ones makes your complaint for his carnall presence did no way detrifie their spirituall fellowship And in the third and last place we are to understand what is meant by setting up Christ upon his Throne and the fulfilling and accomplishing of all the prophesies and promises witnessed by the Apostles and Prophets And here now as with one consent you doe all of you unanimously affirm that all the Prophesies in the whole Scriptures are fulfilled in your congregated companies and that in doing that which you doe in assuming to your selves power to select congregations and prescribing to them the rules of Christ as you call them although indeed they are rules of your own making yet you therein set up Christ upon his throne and that your churches wayes and devised order the matter nor manner thereof being that which is not to be found in Scriptures yet you give it out to the world that by you and in your church government is fulfilled the prophesie of the new heavens and new earth promised of God and witnessed by the Prophet Isaiah and the Apostle Peter the heavenly countrey and citie that Abraham Isaac and Jacob sought for Heb. 11. the new Jerusalem that John saw come down from God out of heaven and Sion that holy and heavenly citie that great and strong citie that God hath appointed salvation for walls and bulwarkes Jer. 23. 9. 6. chap. 34. 15 16. Ezek. 37. 26 27 28. chap. 48. 35. and that of your gatherings it may be said the Lord is there applying to your selves Sions own happines Zeph. 3. 13 14 15 16 c. Isa 49. 21. Is it possible there should be such grosse blindnes in these daies in which men say they see and are in the light wherfore their great darknesse and all their bold avouchments like empericks which fil market places with noises and churches and chambers publick meetings and meeting-houses with voyces those that have written such volumes and printed such books to make known and advance these false doctrines to the belying the Prophets the wounding scaring and killing the truth their witnes and testimony the truth of God in a word will reprove them strip them and discover their nakednes and shame to all posterity by a few questions resolved by the letter of the Scriptures which is as clear light as the Sun-shine at noon dayes and yet these flying Bats cannot see the truth and light thereof The first question is What is the throne of Christ Secondly when the time shall bee that Christ shall sit in his own throne Thirdly what is meant by Sion mentioned by the Prophets And fourthly what we are to understand of the Churches glorious condition her deliverance and perfection the Scriptures so often speak of Now Christs throne is that which he calls his own throne as a note of dâ—stinction between his throne and his Fathers throne and therefore he saith Rev. 2. 21. To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne And of this throne our Lord speaks Mat. 19. 28. When the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory verily yee also that have followed me in the regeneration shall also sit c. And of this throne of the Sonnes and not called the Fathers is that throne the Apostle speaks of Heb. 1. 8. But unto the Son he saith Thy throne O God is for ever and ever a scepter of righteousnesse is the scepter of thy kingdom And the Prophet calls him God also Psal 45 6. Thy throne O God is for ever ever c. To this kingly throne of God there belongs a kingdom a Church of Saints which he wil not perfect and accomplish till his return from heaven his coming again his appearing which is the second consideration propounded the time when Christ shal be set upon his throne and that is then saith the Prophet Psal 102. 16. Wâ—en the Lord shall build up Sion he shall appear in his glory c. Even then saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 4. 1. When the Lord Jesus Christ shall judge the quick and the dead then shaâ—l be his appearing and kingdome Which prophesies are confirmed for truth by our Lords own testimony Mat. 25. 31 32. When the Son of man shall come in his glory c. v. 3. Then mark Then shal the King say unto them on his right hand Come yee blessed of my Fâ—ther inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Note againe â—ere is the reward the inheritance the kingdome all this world long preparing and promised which makes me wonder that so many seers have overseen mist the reading of these Scriptures which in their literall sense plainly preach that Christ shall not be advanced into his own throne in his own kingdom till the harvest at the end of this word Mat. 13. 30. 40. And therefore the holy Ghost uses the future tense in all his expressions As the Apostle saith It is the world to come
whereof wee speake when he speaks of these things Heb. 2. 5 even of the throne dominion and kingdome of Christ In the third place we are to consider how we are to understand the terme Sion in the Scriptures meaning In which we must mind a double respect first as the term Sion is referred to the Churches estate of regeneration in this present life And secondly as it is referred to the Churches estate of perfection in the life that is to come In the first sense the Prophet Isaiab speaks of her chap. 2. 3. For out of Sion shall go forth a law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem And again chap. 40. 9. O Sion that bringeth good tidings O Jerusalem that bringeth good tidings say Behold your God So saith another Prophet Out of Sion the perfection of beauty God hath-shined Psa 50. 2. even shined forth in the clear revelation or the truth and law of life the covenant of grace as the Apostle saith Eph. 3. 10. The manifold wisdome of God is made known by the Church which the holy Ghost calls the keepers of truth Isai 26. agreeing with the Apostles testimony in another place Gal. 4. 26. But Jerusalem which is above and from above is free and is the mother of us all Now in another sense and in the second consideration Ierusalem or Sion so named is to be understood of her perfection and glory ber deliverance and salvâ—tion as Isai 26. 1. In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Iudah We have a strong Ciâ—ie salvation will God appoint for walls bulwarks nothing shal enter therein but the riâ—hteous nation that keepeth truths these can be no other but the Sâ—ints of God Indeed they only are the righteous holy nation a chosen royal blessed peculiar people 1 Pet. 2. 9. And of these the Prophet Ezekiel speaks of None uncircumcised in heart and flâ—sh shall enter into this holy City And this is tâ—… Citie the glorious and magnificent Tabernacle spoken of throughout the whole Scriptures the apprehension and contemplation of which makes another Prophet break out into a ravished spirituall expression considering the exceeding glory of hâ—r to come of whom it may be said in this present life that she flumbers possesses weaknesse contempt nakednesse in the sight of men seeming to die to be forsaken desolate troden down under feet no man no more regarding her then the dirt under their feet And yet in that morning of her Lords coming so exceedingly altered beyond all comparison as makes the holy man Isa 52. 1. make acclamation in the words of admiration Awake awake put on thy strength O Sion put on thy beautifull garments O Ierusalem the holy Citie for from henceforth there shal no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean for saith he her Officers shall he peace and her exactors righteousnes violence shall no more be heard in thy land wasting nor destruction within thy borders thou shalt call thy walls salvation and thy gates praise Isai 60. 17 18. Oh when can this strength these beautifull garments be injoyed by the faithfull this separation from the wicked when shall the oppressor the strong and violent hatred of the wicked cease and wasting and destruction be at an end but at the resurrection And where can Sions deliverance and glory be but in the world to come in the new heavens and new earth of the Lords own making and not of mans devising wherein the righteous and righteousnesse shall be no longer a sojourner and stranger but a ruler and a dweller Behold saith the Lord I create new heavens and a new earth and the former shal not be remembred nor come into mind Isai 60. 17. The former are these present that are defiled and polluted but those that the Lord hath promised to make shall succeed the passing away and desolation of these that are now and shall remain forever unmoveable and unshaken And this shall he doe at his second comming in the day of the Lord in the day of God as the Prophet before declareth and as here the Apostle testifieth 2 Pet. 3. 11. 12. This is Sion in her glory the holy citie the new Jerusalem And Rev. 21. 1. 2. when the beloved disciple saw in the Revelation of God the promise of the new heavens and the new earth fulfilled then in them he saw this citie this church in her glory prepared as a bride adorned that is beautifully cloathed to marry w th her husband and the great voyce of the Lord declared it Behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he wil dwel with them and they shal be his people and God himself shal be with them and be their God And this is the accomplishment of the covenant the salvation of the whole house of Israel when the Lord shall wipe away all teares from their eyes And that there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away And hee that sate upon the throne said Behold I make all things new And he said unto me write for these words are true and faithfull These true and faithfull words shall rise up in judgement against all such blind guides that teach their followers against the very letter of the text for though the word saith this estate of the churches perfection shall bee in that time when it shall be that there is no death for that shall be swallowed up in victory yet they dare to affirm to their deceived followere that the glorious Citie is a fancie of their own framing even in this life while death as an enemie raigning over them surely they cannot be said to be bright men but blackmen dark-men no light men men of this world and not of that to come men in the flesh and not in the spirit for the new heavens and the new earth are the inheritance of the Saints this new Jerusalem is the City with foundations whose builder and maker is God the better resurrection the promise the heavenly countrey that Abraham Isaac and Iacob lookt for as all the other Patriarchs did who when they were in this world professed themselves pilgrimes and strangers as all their fathers were Heb. 11. Now as by this that hath been said it plainly appeares that a multitude of unwary teachers have perverted the Scriptures in applying them to their carnal conceited meanings And as these so most of all other Scriptures they doe alledge for not till the Lords coming at the generall resurrection can come the churches deliverance and salvation the times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. And this Doctrine is justified by the testimony of Gods Spirit saying Hee shall send Jesus which before was preached unto you whom the heavens must receive and contain untill the times of restatution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began Acts 3. 19 20 21. Heare all you that have learned to speak contrary to the truth the words and meaning of the holy Mâ—ssengers and Prophets of God and repent or else the Prophets themselves wil condemne you And that you may know your indictment behold and heare what they say further in evidence against your doctrines For thus saith the Prophet Zephany of the churches estate of the life to come which you affirm is meant of this life The remnant of Israel saith he shall not doe iniquity not speak lies neither shall a deceitfull tongue bee found in their mouth for they shall feed and lie down and none shall make them afraid Sing O daughter of Sion shout O Israel Me thinks it is the same our Lord saith I will see you again and wil turn your sorrow into joy never again to lose it John 16. And so the Prophet goes on Bee glad and rejoyce with all thy heart O daughter of Jerusalem the Lord hath taken away thy judgements he hath cast out thy enemies the King of Israel even the Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt not see evill any more Zeph. 3 13. Is not this the Lords return again to his church for her everlasting comfort And of this return of our Lord and deliverance of his church are all other Scriptures to be understood which you have mentioned Then and not before will the Lord perform that good thing promised by Ieremy chap. 23. 14. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will perform that good thing I have promised to the house of Israel and the house of Iudah In those dayes and at that time will I cause the branch of righteousnesse to grow up unto David and he shall execute judgement and righteousnesse in the land in those dayes shall Iudah be saved and Ierusalem shall dwell safely And this is the name wherewith he shall be called The Lord our Righteousnes And in the day of the Lords return to this Citie the Lambs wife it shall be said The Lord is here Ezek. 48. 15. But to leave these mistakers to their great mistakings I will speake one word to the blessed expecters the sonnes of Sion the children of hope Be comforted beloved for now it is but twenty dayes and the funerall day will come of Babylon the sonnes of confusion and it will hardly exceed fourty foure dayes more but your blessed expectation will be accomplished for in the midnight of that day there shall be a great cry made Behold the Bridegroome cometh and then blessed Bride go out to meet him for evermore to enjoy him with unspeakable joy to whom be glory world without end Amen Wherefore he that hath eyes let him see and he that hath eares let him heare and he that hath attained to a good heart let him understand FINIS