Ministry by the Holy Ghost it appears by the words whereto I have called them and yet he saies Separate them for the work which was done accordingly in the next verse 4. They fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them and so sent them away Where you see the orderly proceeding of the Holy Ghost in making the Ministers of the Gospel when he appoints them that were internally called by him to receive an external Calling by the hands of Men. For a Man then to run from his Shop and rush into the Pulpit to leave the Cart and leap into the Chair of Moses to live by the Sword of War and handle the Word the Gospel of Peace and that without Authority is such a presumption as was scarce heard of in the Primitive times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For Laymen to preach saith a Bishop in Eusebius is a thing not heard of before and yet he spoke it of Origen a Man of extraordinary gifts and learning and some judge and that not without cause his many Errours to be Gods just judgement upon him for that his presumption No marvel then if illiterate Idiots Men and Women in our times become the Broachers of so many blasphemous Errours and Heresies usurping that holy Function in which without a lawfull Calling none can expect a blessing I have been long going through the entry of my Text The second partition of the Text. but you see what crouds of Opposites stood in my way which now having passed I shall bring you to the Dining-room the second Partition where are Nuptiae Paratio the Quality of the Feast a VVedding and the fitting and making it ready for the Guests He said unto his Servants The Wedding is ready And first of the Quality of the Feast The Quality of the Feast A Wedding which he intimates in the Wedding more plainly explicates in the fourth verse saying I have prepared my Dinner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek the best thing that I have and that is the sacrifice of Christ's Body sometimes called the Paschal Lamb and the fatted Calf in the Parable of the Prodigal here figured by his Oxen and Fatlings that were made ready for in the sacrifice of these things was Christs death shadowed under the Law So that Christ crucified is all that is here understood and made a Feast for our Souls he being in the Sacrament both Sponsus Convivium Bridegroom and Feast as he was at his Death both Sacerdos Sacrificium both Sacrifice and Priest But before we come to the Dinner How the Bride and Bridegroom were coupled Eph. 5.12 Christus ex purissimis sanctissimis Virginis sanguinibus copulavit sibi carnem animatam anima rationali per Spiritum Sanctum creans Pet. Lomb. lib. 3. dis 3. c. 1. Hos 2.19 it is meet I speak first of the Marriage and shew how the Bride and Bridegroom were coupled together and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Paul saies a great Mysterie for I speak of Christ and his Church Jesus Christ the onely begotten and dearly beloved Son of God is the Son of the great King as you heard He came forth as a Bridegroom out of his Chamber of Heaven and took to VVife the Catholick Church here on Earth Of which mystical Match and matchless Union that Royal Preacher King Salomon made that Nuptial Song of the Canticles The sanctified VVomb of the Virgin was the Chappel where the Matrimonial Knot was tyed The Holy Ghost the Priest that joyned them together by uniting to the Son of God the Humane Nature This his Conception was the inception of the Wedding The Communion betwixt Christ and his Church the Continuation which lasts with his Spouse so long as the World endures I will marry thee to me in faithfulness saith he and in righteousness loving-kindness and mercy And at the end of the World shall be the Consummation of this Marriage when Christ shall come again and take his Bride home to his Fathers house to live with him for ever in Heaven And then it shall be said Let us be glad and rejoyce Rev. 19.7 for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her self ready For this Wedding great feasting was made in Heaven and on Earth The Marriage feasts publick and private The Angels the Friends of the Bridegroom held a Festival of Joy and Gladness in Heaven when they saw this Match go forward Luk. 2. and sung that Nuptial Hymn Glory be to God on high on Earth peace and good will among Men. At the Conversion of a Sinner which to the Bridegroom is the uniting of a Member to his Church Luk. 15. Rev. 3.20 Salmeron tract 23. de parab hac Hic est sensus literalis hujus parabolae quae ad coenam Eucharistiae ad quam vocati sunt omnes pauci acccdunt extendi potest Orig. Euthym. Author imperfecti operis c. sec undum Terinum in Iocum Luk. 14.16 1 Cor. 11.10 1 Cor. 11.24 Do this in â—ememâ—rance of â—e â—ev 19.7.8 is merry chear in Heart and in Heaven Joy in Heaven among the Angels over one Sinner that repenteth and joy in the heart of the penitent Sinner which is that the Bridegroom meaneth when he saies He stands at the door of the heart and knocks by the Finger of his Spirit and if any will open to let him in he will sup with him bringing good chear with him even the comfort that comes of the free pardon of his sins In Heaven and in Heart this Chear is made but the Marriage-feast of my Text may best be applyed to the spiritual refreshing of Souls by means of the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments of the Gospel in the Temple And that chiefly of the Eucharist by the consent of many Interpreters the Sacrament of Christ's Body and Blood exhibited under the signs of Bread and Wine to nourish our Souls to Everlasting Life This is the Feast of Fat things full of Marrow and of VVine upon the Lees which the Lord promised to make to all People in the Mountain of the Lord of Hoasts which is his Church Isa 25.9 St. Luke calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great Supper and St. Paul the Supper of the Lord because first instituted and administred by the Lord himself at Supper-time Of which he gave a special charge to his Apostles and their Successors to act over the mysterious rites thereof for a memorial of him till his coming again at the end of the World when he shall take his Bride and lead her in a Triumphant manner into the Bridechamber of Heaven where the marriage-feast of the Lamb shall be consummated To which the Bride shall dress her self with fine white Linnen which is the Righteousness of the Saints and all the Congregation of Heaven shall sing Allelujah and say Let us 〈…〉 of the Lamb is come and his VVife hath made her self ready But
THE KINGS CENSURE UPON RECUSANTS THAT Refuse the SACRAMENT of the Lords Supper Delivered in three SERMONS CONTAINING A Refutation of some dangerous common errors And a Remonstration of the Duties of Administration and Participation of that Holy Sacrament Proving the Necessity of receiving it Reproving the Neglect and contempt of it Disproving the Exceptions and excuses alleged against either the giving or taking of it Set forth to publick view for the hungry and thirsty Souls sake that desire to be satisfyed By Thomas Marshal Minister of the Doctrin and Sacraments of the Gospel 6. Ioh. 53. Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his bloud ye have no life in you 22. Luke 19. This do in remembrance of me LONDON Printed for Francis Cowles in the Old-Baily 1654. To the antient standing Clergy of our Church Presbyterians Independents or by what other Names and Titles else they be distinguished Reverend and Beloved Brethren LEt it not offend you if after so many years distraction and contention to find out a Reformation of things in the Church I mind you to return again to your selves and enter into serious consideration how little good we have done in that and with what ill success we have managed our undertakings whereby through our manifold divisions we have brought contempt upon our persons almost to the levelling of the Ministerial function disolv'd the Unity and defaced the Beauty of the fairest of all the Reformed Churches even in the judgement of * Florētissima Anglia ocellus Ecclesiarum peculium Christiani singulare c. Horrore toti concutimur ad versam hanc pulcherrimam Ecclesiae inter vos faciem c. in the Letter penned by Dr. Deodate to the late Assembly of Divines 1 Cor. 11. Geneva from whence we were to take our pattern exposed the essential marks of the Church to be shot at and beaten down The Doctrine which was pure obscured with many errors The Sacrament which were rightly and duly administred to be many ways abused and disused even those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those reverend mysteries as the antients tearmed the Elements in the Eucharist to be undervalued and vilified by some as Christs bloud and the chalices given by Constantine were by that unhappy Foelix which God avenged with vomitting bloud night and day until he dyed These things as they cannot but sadly afflict the Souls of all good Christians so should they excite all faithful Ministers in their several places to endeavour their Reformation according to the Primitive pattern and institution more particularly for redress of things amiss in and about the Holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper which is the subject of this ensuing discourse to look to the first Institution as St. Paul did in the same case of our Saviour wherein he straightly charged his Apostles and their Successors hoc agere to do this in remembrance of him In which word he gave us a Commission for two things Immitation and Intention Imitation of all his Sacrament alactions blessing taking breaking giving eating and drinking the Bread and Wine and the Intention to do these in remembrance of him or to continue a memorial of his death and passion This was our Lord and Saviours last Will and Testament at his death thus to give himself body and bloud to poor hungry and thirsty Souls under the figures of Bread and Wine and shall we his Ministers take on us to be his Executors and not perform the will of him that dyed profess our selves his Stewards of whom as St. Paul says it is required that they be men faithfu and not dispense the Bread he gave to his family in due season 1 Cor. 4.2 Or shall we take on us to be Christs Amanuenses his Secretaries to draw the Articles of the Covenant betwixt him and his people which we do in our daily Preaching and not confirm it to their souls and consciences if we administer the Gospel without the Sacraments which are the Seals as too many do we give the hand-writing of the Covenant cancelled and defraud the people of their right This they do which follow not the example of his Sacramental actions And besides these others fail in the main Intention Christ bids do this in remembrance of him or of his death and passion which they simply do not which give the Sacrament to none but Proselites of their own Schism and faction and so use the Seal of the Covenant as a badge or cognizance to distinguish the members of their own gathered Churches or Conventicles If both the one and the other he that fails in the action and he that diverts the intention would impartially communicate this holy mystery of Christs Body to the Body of Christs Congregation our rents and Schisms would be sooner drawn up together and the people return to a better union in points of Religion which is the chief scope and endeavour of this following tractat which I present you with to peruse and submit to your impartial censure besecching him that gave the encrease to what Paul planted and Apollos watered to crown your studies with such happy success that you may by them knit the peoples hearts again in the union of Religion and the Communion of Christian love and affection that the Doctrin every where may from the leven of error and Heresy be refined the Sacraments to the right use and administration be restored the rod of Discipline may like Aarons blossom again and be replanted and the face of the Church which is now clouded and obscured may appear again in perfect beauty and be presented without spot or wrinckle at the day of our Lord and Masters second comming to whose Grace at that great day and always he commends you who is Your Brother in all Christian service and love Tho. Marshal The Bridegrooms Invitation to a Wedding Supper c. Matth. 22.8 And he said unto his servants Truly the wedding is ready but they that were bidden are not worthy THE word of God comes to us in Parables 1 Kings 14 3. like Jeroboams wife to the Prophet Ahijah with Cracknells and Hony But disguised and hard to be known There is in them sweetness of Speech but difficulty of Sense So that as none could expound Sampson's Riddle 14 Judges 18. but they that had plowed with his Heifer so it is given to none to expound Christs the antityped Sampsons Parables but them which have set their hand to his plough from which a looking back makes unfit for the Kingdom of God 13 Mat. 11 13. To you saith he it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them all things are spoken in Parables that seeing they may see and not perceive Now by the general sentence of them that expound these Mysteries 1 Tim. 1 17. The Parable of the King that made a marriage-feast for his Son is this The immortal invisible and only wise God is the King His Son
now shall the Apostles Successors under a pretence of Reformation teach onely and not feed Understand all these pasce's of feeding Ore with the Doctrin of the mouth none of them opere with the example of the works or if that None re Sacramenti with the Sacrament of Christs body and blood which is the onely proper feeding indeed Such Pastors are Ministers of Gods word onely and not of the Sacrament at least not of the supper of the Lord. They have forgotten one part of their function these twelve years together whereby they starve the souls they have taken in Charge The Lord amend it that it be not laid to their charge in the day of judgment THE THIRD SERMON IN my last I made known the good pleasure of God the King to have the marriage feast of his son or the Sacrament of his body and bloud duly made ready for his people according to the practise of the Primitive Church in the purest times After which I made my address to those Ministers that neglect or refuse to make ready this feast and answered their plea on their peoples behalf Now I shall have the opportunity my beloved in Christ to make my application to you You have heard what the readiness of the wedding requires at the Ministers hands 2 Use to the Communicants Now more briefly say what will be expected from thence of you the Communicants And that is a readiness also in you that are called to come to the feast The King said unto his servants Tell them that are bidden I have prepared my dinner and all things are ready come to the marriage ver 4. A readiness there must be of mind to accept his kindness without running another way to the farm on Merchandice And more then that too There must be a Dressing and making of your selves ready answerable to the solemnity of the wedding The King overlooks the guests when they are come in and finding one there without his wedding Garment checks him for it How camest thou in hither not having made thy self ready 11. with thy wedding Garment 12. Nay more then checks condemns him to be manacled and fettered 13. and so cast into utter darkness where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth The heaviest censure that can be pronounced to be excommunicated and cast out into that horrid place of hellish torments No porticipation no presentation ought to be at this feast without due and fitting preparation Gen. 41.14 Joseph changed his garments when he came out of prison to appear before Pharoah King of Egypt put of his sorded habit and put on sweeter So must they do that appear at this banket before the King of Glory They must deponere aponere put off and put on put off the forded habits of their sins and put on a resolution of reformation of life Ephes 4 22.24 or as St. Paul hath it put off the Old man with the deceiveable lusts and by faith put on the new man Christ Jesus which is after God created in righteousness and holiness Colos 3. 12. Put off all these sayes he anger wrath malice 13 and filthy Communication out of your mouths 14. and put on as the Elect of God the bowels of mercy tenderness humbleness of mind meekness long suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another but above all things put on Charity which is the bond of perfection Of which vertues and graces the wedding Garment of Sanctification is woven and wrought though some frame it of Charity and some of faith onely yet the most make it the ornament of the spirits vertues and graces in the conversation without joined with a good conscience cleansed from sin within When God was to come down uppon mount Sinai Exod. 19. to give the Law he commanded Moses to sanctifie the people two dayes before and charge them to wash their cloaths and to be ready on the third day So when the Lord comes to make us a feast of sat things and refined Wine in mount Sion his Evangelicall Church They that set in Moses chair are to teach the people to sanctifie themselves by prayer and examination and charge them to wash themselves by tears of repentance and contrition and so be ready against the time which if they do accordingly they shall not be Shent for coming without their wedding garment As guests thus must we all fit and prepare our selves and not only so but more precisely than ordinary guests Every soul is here at this wedding to present it self as a Bride ready trimmed to meet with her Bridgroom decked with the costly ornaments of Christs active and passive merits which he hath given it and with those pretious Jewels of the spirits gists and graces In a word adorned we must be with the righteousness of Justification and Sanctification But without these how disguised and disfigured do people appear in Gods sight when they come before him with ulcerous sores uppon their consciences and in the uncleanly raggs of their own unrighteousness And if they shall come as men go now adayes with the halting feet of Newtrality eyes blinded through errors and ignorauce ears dear to Gods truth tongues dumb in his prayses with the wry-neck of aversness black-mouths through blasphemy blew-teeth of envy hands full of bloud and bribery They must look for no better welcome than the five foolish Vergins to whom the Bridegroom said Depart from me ye workers of Iniquity I know you not Or the guest here that wanted his wedding garment whom the King commanded to be bound in chains and cast into utter darkness where is weeping and gnashing of teeth But I would be loath to tire out your Attension with a matter of such ordinary Observation you are not unacquainted with the danger of unworthy Receiving which there is no way to prevent but by preparation before you come not by Renegation when you are called They that do so and absent themselves to prevent the danger of unworthiness in Receiving fall into another as bad and incur the Kings censure of unworthiness for Refusing who said unto his Servants the wedding is ready but they that were bidden were not worthy Which leads to the third partition of the text where the King sits in Judicature upon the Recusants Of whom there is The third Partition Observation how dangerous it is to refuse the grace offered in the word preached Zach. 7. Querela Censura The Kings Complaint and his Censure His complaint is that they were biden intimating that they came not or else why should he complain that they were biden when God sends to call us he looks we should come is grieved if we come not The son of God sighed that the tender of his Grace was not accepted Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem that killest and stonest the Prophets how oft would I have gathered thee as an hen doth her chickens under her wings and they would not come
by the name of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is blood as ye see Pluta de adulat Amici discrimine no such humour flows from the immortal Gods Or else to secure his person and put him in safe custody as many better than they have beene and then tell him he is no God God is nusquam inclusus never kept within the walls of a Prison Cyclops that derided Ulysses for saying his wine in a Bottle was the God Bacchus would never take him for a God that should look out at a Grate No such condition is competible to our Sovereign God no corruption no restriction but rather the Majesty of a King upon his Throne And none of them dare challenge that I am sure None dare say he is King though more bold with God to say in these times he is God And our God is even so Rex quidam The certain King that made the marriage-Feast for his Son I have been somwhat long in the person of the King 2 The mo◠dus dicendi how he speakes his Rights now in question required it I will be brief in the next His Speech unto his servants He said unto his servants God speaks three maner of waies First verbis creantibus with creating words Secondly verbis vocalibus with vocall words Thirdly verbis mentalibus with mental words to the minds and understandings of men After the first maner he spake when he made the Worlds He spake the word and they were made saith the Psalmist 148 Psalm 5. 4 Deut. 15. He commanded and they were created Sayd after the second maner when he gave the Law The Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire saith Moses and ye heard the Voice of the words And after the third way he sake to the Prophets informing their minds and understandings Prophecy came not of old time by the will of man saith St. Peter 2 Pet. 1.21 but holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And this last way he speaks still to his servants under the Gospel not with words of his voice unto their eares but with words of his mind or Spirit to their hearts The Spirit testifieth to our spirit saith St. Paul 8 Rom. 16. that we are the Sons of God Dicuntur tibi quaedam verba arcana intrinsecus ut dubitare non possis quin juxta te sit Spiritus saith St. Cyprian There are certain words spoken to thee inwardly so that thou canst not choose but know the Spirit speaks unto thee These are the good motions of the Spirit that speaks to inform thee in the truth perform good duties reform ill maners 30 Esay 21. and admonish thee of dangers Thou shalt hear a voice behind thee saying This is the way walk in it when thou turnest to the Right hand or the left And after this way the King intimates his pleasure now concerning the Feast and the Guests when he saies to his servants The Wedding is ready but they that were bidden are not worthy And of this manner of speaking Application to two sorts I should now say no more but for those of our times that forge the Mandats of this great Monarch and wrest the words of his letters Patent and say Sic dicit Dominus thus saith the Lord when the Lord hath not so spoken And they are of two sorts some publike Pastors and others privat Professors as they have used to stile themselves And first 1 To some Preachers 5 Ier. 30 31. some Pastors there are or Prophets that do so In the Jewish Church were such A wonderfull and horrible thing is committed in the Land the Prophets prophesie falsly saith Jeremie and the People love to have it so And a Conspiracy of such Prophets Ezekiel speaks of 22 Ezek. 25. that destroyed Souls for love of Luore made many Widdows and dawbed the Princes with untempered morter 28. divining lies and seeing vanity and saying Thus saith the Lord when the Lord had not spoken But there are no such in our Church if every one may be heard speak for himself They will say every one with Saul to Samuel when God sent him against the Amalekites I have obeyed the voice of the Lord 1 Sam. 15. But what mean the bleating of the Sheep and the lowing of the Oxen which I hear in mine cares said Samuel So what mean the crying Sins and Blasphemous Heresies of the times which we hear in our eares God sends thee to cut down these as he sent Saul to slay them But they spare them as Saul did the Amalekites for favour or feare love of Lucre and Preferment whereby they spread and increase 22 Numb Oh that we had no such Balaams among us that will be hired with promotions to curse Israel and yet say they will not speak more or less than the word of the Lord for an house full of Silver and Gold But they are not to be trusted upon their word in a matter of that moment as is the everlasting estate of your Souls that will be drawn with the byass of by-respect from the scope and mark that they are chiefly to aim at Such as are the cause of Schisms and Sins contrary to the sound Doctrine ye have learned St. Paul bids Mark and avoyd Neither is this the fault of some publick Preachers onely 2 To some Professors but of some private Professours too who of late have learnt a way to counterfeit the King's Coyn and set his own stamp upon their own base adulterate Metal put a Verbum Domini or a Sic dicit Deus upon the thoughts and imaginations of their own hearts A conceit so full of deceit and delusion as nothing can be more Ger. 6.5 Every imagination of the thoughts of Man's heart is evil continually said God Not the suggestions of Satan onely but what imagination proceeds from Man's heart is evil not some thoughts onely but every imagination of the thoughts not sometimes neither but so continually Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts murders Mat. 15.19 adulteries fornications false-witness blasphemies saith our Saviour No such ungodly motions can be of God unless they mean another God the God of this World an expression of St. Paul's wherewith he dignifies the Devil 2 Cor. 4.4 Prava cogitatio Sathanae seminatio Evil cogitation is the Devil's suggestion Mat. 16.23 who as he spake in Peter an Apostle to Christ to favour himself so may better be thought to speak in People apostate to prompt them on to errour and sin A strong delusion it is which God justly sends upon some of this Nation to their damnation for their wilfull descrtion of the Truth which was so plent fully preached among them And so St. Paul saies 2 Thess 2.11 12. That for this cause God shall send a strong delusion that they shall believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an untruth falshood or heresie or lye to
which they that come to this feast contend for either granted or augmented Pet. Lomb. l. 4. dist 4. Adjutrix Gratia omnisque virtus augetur fomes peccati debilitatur As he said of the other so may 〈◊〉 of this all virtue is increased by it and concupisence diminished Briefly there is peace of Conscience freedom from the fear of Death the bondage of sin and Sathan and the pain of condemnation there is strength against temptation and certain hope and assurance of eternal life and salvation purchased by Christs death and suffering here signified and by this Sacrament signed and sealed He that dusy prepares himself for this Feast communes with his own heart calls himself to account for his by-past actions and errors examines his own state and resolves upon amendment of life so that he must needs grow in Grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ But where this mysticall marriage Feast is not made ready sin increaseth errour and Heresie springeth up Prophaness spreadeth Religion withereth Faith fadeth Hope fainteth Charity dyeth true knowledge of God decayeth Reformation goes backward and the danger of Death and Damnation is incurred And thus having made known the good pleasure of the great King to have the Wedding in readiness for his Guests Application First to the Ministers of the feast I shall now for application address my self first to the Servants that minister and expostulate with them the reason of their remisness or rather refusall to do that part of their office in making the Feast ready and then after that speak a word or two to the Guests to make themselves ready for the Feast when it is ready for them And the servants I mean are not all that minister about Holy things but only those which have polluted the Commemorative Sacrifice of the Lord saying with those prophaning Priests Malac. 1.7 The Table of the Lord is not to be regarded They had no regard to the sacrifice these to the sacrament both figurative Feasts of Christs death they cared not what was offerred these care not though nothing be ministred at all to the people And these are they who have sequestred the bodily bread from the Pastors the right owners and since they came into their places have sequestred at their pleasure also the bread of Christs Body which is the life of their Souls from the Parishioners which were their charges and debarred them quite of that right since the Barres that were an offence to some were taken away From henceforth then let them enveigh no more against the Priests of Rome for abridging the Laity of the Cup one half of the Feast when we have them in England that do a great deal worse and deprive them of all both Cup and Bread too And what 's the cause we might not know a long time but as if we were in a confusion like those tumultuous Ephesians Acts 19. The Presbyterians plea against giving the Sacrament answered some cryed one thing and some another and as they knew not the cause why they were met together so the people might not know the cause why they might not meet together Pretences we hear of some rather than causes which have more of will than weight in them One is the peoples unworthiness but this will not excuse their willfullness in not doing their office First touching the peoples unworthiness through sin and ignorance The King makes ready his dinner and sends out his servants to call the Guests though they that were bidden he saies were not worthy And they that are unworthy in one respect may be worthy in another as you shall hear hereafter If we demand wherin lies their unworthiness now which they themselves counted worthy before they usually pretend though somwhat prejudicial to their late preaching the peoples sin and Ignorance which will not be rectified by this long abstinence from the food of their Souls which would make them grow in Grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ but Ignorance in part Note and sin whereof men repent hinder not any of the efficacy of Christ's death nor make them unworthy of that Sacrament The Disciples were ignorant of many things had many infirmities and sins yet Christ made ready this Feast for them They were ignorant of Christs Kingdome dreamed of a temporal Kingdom hoping to atchieve to themselves great Offices and Honours and this bred great emulation among them Ignorant they were of Christ's Resurrection knew not as yet that Christ must rise from the dead nay I question whether they well understood his Passion The Son of man Iohn 20.9 saith he shall be delivered up to the Gentiles and shall be mocked and spitefully intreated and spitted on and they shall scourg him and put him to death and the third day he shall rise again Luke 18.32 33. Of which St. Luke saies they understood none of these things and the saying was hid from their eyes Nay among these was one worse than any is or can be among us Judas the Traitor a Thief a Devill Our Church seemed to say so that he was there in the Exhortation before the Communion Take heed lest after the taking of that holy Sacrament the Devill enter not into you as he entered into Judas and fill you full of all iniquity and bring you to destruction of Body and Soul St. Augustine saies it and that with reason for it Tunc intravit in eum Satanas quando indigne Corpus Christi suscipiens judicium sibi manducavit bibit Then entered the Devill into Judas when receiving the Body of the Lord unworthily he eat and drank his own damnation And the Evangelists include him among the rest making no mention of his departing till supper was ended When Even was come Jesus sat down with the twelve saith Matthew Matth. 26.25 Mark 14.20 of which number Jndas was one and bade them all drink not Judas excepted Mark saies the Betrayer dipped with him in the dish But St. Luke makes express mention of his remaining after the Sacrament For after Jesus had given the Bread and the Wine Luke 22.19 20. it follows in 21. The hand of him that betrayeth me is on the Table Surely then they that profess Christianity may be admitted to this holy Feast Note though unworthy by reason of sin and ignorance yet this may be done without prejudice to the Minister or Communicants 1 Cor. 11.29 The worst is to themselves who thereby eat and drink their own damnation No Communicants are to be debarred unless openly scandalous and detected That 's St. Augustine's Rule in this case Note Si Christus ipse Judam passus est quem sciebat furem esse nec eum qui accusatus non est abjecit hoc exemplo uti oportet nec eum abjicere qui publice detectus non est If Christ suffered Judas whom he knew a Thief and should betray him and did not refuse him because
be prevented if their Presbyterie were but stated Fair Pretences all 1. The Presbyterians Reasons for stating of their Discipline before their Administration of this Sacrament answered 1. In regard of the Sacrament In 3. part Thom. disp 17. sec 2. The Sacrament it self they say will be prophaned by the intrusion of leud Livers among the Receivers And we will grant their Discipline would make a difference in admission though not alwaies with discretion But if some unprepared Persons whom we have neither the skill to discern nor power to restrain press in among the rest a thing that must be tolerated because it cannot be avoyded the Sacrament for all this is not in it self prophaned but in them is of none effect and so is said to be prophaned in that respect In receiving the Sacrament two things are to be considered saith Suarez Vnum ex parte Sacramenti ut verè integrè cum debit is circumstanti is fiat aliud ex parte effectus Sacramenti consequenter ex parte dispositionis suscipient is quae ad effectum est necessaria One in respect of the Sacrament it self that it be truly wholly and with all the rites and circumstances administred another in respect of the effect of the Sacrament and consequently of the disposition of the Receiver which to that effect is necessary More plainly Prophanation is two-fold Material and Personal Material when any abuse is offered to the Elements or any part of the Ordinance at the time of Administration Personal when the Persons which communicate are not fitted with pre-requisite qualifications The Prophanation then to speak properly is not in the Supper but in the Receiver and this latter not we nor their Elders can alwaies tell how to prevent That Sentence of our Saviour Nolite dare sanotum Canibus Math. 7.6 Give not that which is holy to Dogs neither cast your Pearls before Swine many of them take as a Precept prohibiting this Sacrament to the prophane and ignorant but they mistake the sense there intended which our Saviour understood of Admonition or Reproof as appears by the words foregoing and the reasons following lest they turn again and tear you which never happened never was offered to the Dispensers of this Sacrament from the prophanest Wretches that ever receiv'd it And though we ought not to cast away holy things upon them that regard them not Yet here is no pretence for them which peremptorily deny the holy Eucharist to all because they suppose some such are in their Congregations Math. 13.45.46 The Gospel is an holy thing a Pearl in the Parable and must not we cast that among such as they count Dogs and Swine beastly livers that regard it not Surely the Apostles were not so scrupulous they preached Christ crucified 1 Cor. 1.23 though to the Jews a stumbling-block and to the Gentiles foolishness If we should stand upon these tearms and not preach the Gospel because holy till we come into a Congregation wholly sanctified and pure we must preach no more on Earth to convert and win Souls to Heaven But enough to this first Reason The second Reason answered which respects the purity of the Sacrament The second is for the safety of the Minister that gives it That he be not guilty of the unworthy Receivers sin nor accessary to their damnation they must first establish their Discipline And the Ministers might have thought themselves beholding to them for the care they pretend of their Souls safety in giving the Sacrament if they had not shewed so little pity on their Souls in pressing them against Conscience to take their Covenant But they need not thank them for this favour for the damnation that is indangered St. Paul saies is not to the Giver but to the Receiver 1 Cor. 11.29 He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgement or damnation to himself not to the Minister Nor is the sin his that gives it to him that unworthily takes it He does but his duty which Christ commanded Luk. 22.19 and that is not sin in him but in the Receiver which does not his duty in due preparation Now if others sinning follow accidentally through their own default upon the performing of any duty which Christs commands me I am not in fault nor any waies accessary to their sin If it be replyed A Minister that gives this Supper to an unworthy Receiver cooperates to his taking it for how can a Man cooperate more to the taking of a thing than by giving it Then we say he cooperates in the action but not to the obliquity of the action Nor is his giving a cause of his unworthiness in receiving but of his receiving onely which is the determination of the Schoolman upon that Question In 3. part Tho. disp 18. sec 2. It may so fall out saith Suarez that a Minister cannot deny the Sacrament to an unworthy Communicant for fear of giving offence Et tunc quamvis ille det non cooperatur iniquae receptioni ut iniqua est sed solum ut receptio Sacramenti est He hath no hand by his giving in the Peoples receiving as it is sinfull but as it is a reception onely of the Sacrament And again Disp 67. sec 4. Actio dandi non est mala ex parte dantis intentio bona quamvis ex parte recipientis receptio sit mala The Ministers action of giving is good as is his intention although the Receivers be naught in his unsanctified reception His sin then that receiveth cannot be imputed to the Minister that giveth so long as his unworthiness in receiving doth not depend upon his Ministerial action of giving There is then no cooperation of sin in the Minister but only a permission of which when he hath done what he can for prevention he is clear from the Blood of their Souls which eat and drink Damnation to themselves So that for this cause of the Ministers there is no such absolute necessity of a total forbearance of the holy Ordinance for want of Elders to exclude unprepared Receivers No Nor 3ly for the cause of Communicants lest some ignorant or unprepared should participate to the offence of others and the prejudice of their own Souls Indeed it were good if all such could be discerned and debarred But where there is no power to do that the Minister must not neglect his duty to do this which Christ commandeth for want of that Discipline Luk. 22.19 And yet if that they so much stand upon were stated Hypocrites would communicate among true Believers Christ's Fold here on Earth consists of Goats and Sheep his Barn contains Wheat and Chaff which will not be severed till the winnowing and separating the Goats from the Sheep at the Day of Judgement the Bad will be mingled with the Good the Reprobate with the Elect when they have done all they can And can the Dispensers of the
Sacrament then argue from hence a necessity of a continual suspension of the Sacrament Note No sure a total omission of a Duty by Christ commanded cannot be warranted by the contingency of an Offence that may causlesly be apprehended 1 Cor. 8.13 St. Paul saies indeed he would not cat while the World standeth rather than offend his Brother but he meant it not of an Offence causlesly taken but of giving him the occasion of sinning But if any will take offence if I feed my Body with Nutriment or my Soul with Sacrament I may not for this starve either that I be not accessary to my own death and famishment Nor may the Pastor forbear to feed his Flock and starve the Souls under his charge for some of their sakes that should not eat The good Steward doth not contrary to his Lords will deny the houshold their provision for fear som undeserving servants should have amongst the rest their portion Nor did the Jewish shephards starve their sheep for fear the goats should commune in their pasture In point of Charity it were better to give alms to ten Counterfeits than to suffer one member of Christ to perish for want of food and rayment and in execution of our Ministery we were better suffer some hypocrites to eat at Christs supper than for their sakes starve the souls of our flocks al-together A Minister ought to have a care what he can that the profain and ignorant eat not of this Sacrament to their souls prejudice but he can do no more than admonish them of the danger and instruct them in the duty of preparation He must exclude none of himself Matth. 18.17 1 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 2 6. he hath no such absolute power That belongs to a court of Judicature by the rule of Christ and his Apostles and the pattern of the Primitive Church So that though a person be known to be culpable to the Minister or openly detected of a crime to the Congregation he is not to be excluded by the Minister alone but must first be sentenced by the judges Ecclesiasticall who ought proceed no otherwise against him but secundum allegata probata and not censure him but upon good proof of others or his own confession August l. 4 de medi. pen. Aquin. p. 3. Quest 80. Nos à Communione quempiam prohibere non possumus nisi sponte confessum say Augustin and Aquin. both aut in aliquo judicio Ecclesiastico vel saeculari convictam We can prohibit none the Communion unless upon his own confession or else in open Court uppon manifest conviction If the profain and ignorant then press into the Lords presence at this feast it is at their own perrill see they to it Oeat 6. we must not disobey our Masters Command Do this in remembrance of me Luk. 22.19 Nor starve the souls of our flock to keep them back that by their own default and folly turn the bread of life into their own bane Christ did it not to the rest of the Disciples for Judas his sake who after he had eaten fell presently into destruction of body and soul If there come in a man to this marriage feast without his wedding garment They are not the servants that wait but the King himself that watches over all that takes an order with him for his rudeness he checks him and condemns him for it to infernall imprisonment Take him away sayes he bind him hand and foot and cast him into utter darkness Matth. 22.13 And so neither on the Sacraments part nor yet the Givers nor the Receivers can any just plea be taken for this long stay and suspension the presbyters make of the Eucharist for want of Elders to order their Communicants A Government which I believe they may wait for long enough and never see it now set up on our English soyl Note It is worth the Observation how the foundation of this new Church-frame hath been thrice layd on English ground First in Queen Elizabeths raign when this Disciplin was suffered to take some footing In the beginning of King Jameses and now in the latter end of King Charls when there was a power sufficient to rear it and uphold it but all with as little Success in this Iland as had that building of the temple at Jerusalem which the Jews so often attempted to rear a third time upon the ground where it formerly stood at the Instigation of apostate Julian who would have it done in opposition to those words of our Saviour Just Mart. 2 Apo. adves Julian That said one stone should not be left there upon another that should not be cast down For these men by the tempests of troubles and Wars in our times have been scattered and their work cast down as the Jews and their work was then by thunder and lightning and tempests from Heaven 'T is never like now to be established in this State 'T is too strict to stand with our loosness and liberty too sharp a bridle to curb in all sorts of Sectaries that would have the reigns of Religion laid in their necks to run if they please to the Devill I would to God these reverend Presbyters would seriously think of these things and stand no longer now they are past all hopes in the expectation of that while they suffer the souls under their charge to pine for want of this Christ said Luk. 22.19 Hoc agite do this in remembrance of me but never bid them stay for that till that be established We may all without that Discipline supply our places discharge our consciences do God good service and save souls if we feed the flock of Christ whereof the holy Ghost hath made us Overseers but if we suffer them to starve for want of this bread of life what account shall we Stewards of the houshold of God give Or what answer shall we make to our Master at the last day that for neglecting to feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty will denounce the sentence of Condemnation Our dear Saviour recommended this care with which I conclude Matth. 25. at this time and gave it the last thing in charge before he left the world when he so conjured Peter and in him every one of us Pastors by his love to feed his flock thrice iterating it for a sureness Simon son of Jonah lovest thou me Yea Lord sayes he thou knowest that I love thee Joh. 21.15.16.1 pasce agnos meos then feed my lambs Again Christ sayes Simon lovest thou me Yea Lord fayes Peter thou knowest that I love thee Then Pasce oves meas feed my sheep Christ said to him the third time Simon lovest thou me Yea Lord sayes Peter thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee then sayes he feed my sheep Nothing but feed feed feed three times over feed my lambs feed my sheep feed my flock and that for the love of him And
is angred and offended at Recusancy 11. 12. They refused to harken pulled away the shoulder and stopped their eares that they might not hear and it follows Therefore came great wrath from the Lord of hosts 13. who scattered them with a wherlwind among the nations Numb 16.12 Yea so provoked when murmurring and insurrection against his Messemgers is joyned with it 14. that wrath comes out from the Lord for it against Corah and his confederats that said we will not come up 40. which consumed part of them with strange fire that came out from the Lord and the rest the earth swal owed up alive for an example to all seditious Separatists And though in our dayes it be free for any so long as there is no penalty to mock Gods messengers Cron. 2.36.16 despise his word and abuse his Prophets yet for this the wrath of the Lord arose against his people Israel till there was no remedy but a ruine of their nation To resuse the grace and abuse the means and not come when called is dangerous though counted among us but a thing indifferent God give you all the understanding to consider it But that I aime at chifly at this time The danger of refusing the Sacrament Sam. 1.20 is to shew the danger of denying grace offered in the Sacrament God expects they should come that are bidden to it You see that in the Text he misses them that absent themselves from it and makes their empty seats as Saul did Davids at the feast And as he put the Question here Quomodo huc intrasti how camest thou in hither to him that came unready without his wedding Garment So will he inquire for him that absents himself from his presence there as he did for Adam Gen. 3.9 for that sault in the garden when he said Adam ubi es Adam where art thou God takes notice of mens absence at this feast Nor is that all the prejudice but a further danger for if we look into the text we shall find they were but dead men that denyed and came not when they were bidden They made light of it v. 5.6 and went one to his Farm another to his Merchandize and evilly intreated the servants that were sent such usage as many of us have found at Recusants hands But when the king heard of it he was wroth and sent forth his men of war and slew those murderers and burnt up their City whereby appears Gods anger and their danger who either out of neglect or contempt come not when they are called to that Sacrament Judge in your selves brethren If a King as in the text or great states-man shall prepare a costly feast for his poor neighbours send out his servants that wait on his person first to invite then again to call them at the hour and they slight him and his cheer will it not be taken as an Indignity to him and a just cause of indignation against them So is it when you are bidden to the Supper of the Lord if ye accept not the Grace there is indignity done to that and indignation to be feared against you ver 7. Nay more than Indignation The men that made light on 't and went another way were put to fire and sword for it and that was Execution And the fathers for this feared more than that too more than a temporall death and destruction even eternall death and damnation Joh. 6.53 for they understanding the saying of our Saviour Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his bloud ye have no life in you not simply of a spirituall eating and drinking but which is more safe to do of a Sacramentall also for it is a figurative speech sayes St. Augustin commanding in passione Pomini communicandam mente suaviter recondendum Lib. 3. de doct Christiana to communicate in the Lords passion and to lay up in our memories how Christs flesh was Crucified for our sakes And therefore held they it necessary for all to takes it Sacramentally uppon pain of death and damnation which to prevent Cypre de lapsis They gave it for a sureness to sucking children and infants And indeed what man that is wise unto Salvation will hazzard his soul on his spirituall eating by saith onely and from time to time neglect to eat Sacramentally with the mouth also which is a fruit of that faith that must save and a means to increase it and without which it can hardly be counted any other but a dead faith for faith without the work is but dead Jam. 2.26 But a lively faith will make this effectuall application to thy soul to bring thee hither and say when the Minister gives warning to prepare for a Communion he is the servant of the great King sent to invite the guests to the marriage feast of his Son shall I not make ready and go and at the time of administration say Christs flesh and bloud with all the benefits of his Passion are now offered under the Elements of bread and wine shall I not taste and take the copy of my pardon is there to be renewed signed and sealed to my soul and conscience shall I not accept it The earnest of Salvation is there given and shall I refuse it If I do I may not have the like opportunity again and so resolve with thy self to come when thou art bidden that the King complain not of thee among the rest which for none appearance are censured not worthy The recusants plea for absence answered Luk. 14.18 But before we come to that to the Censure It is fit we hear the Recusants plea or give them leave to speak for themselves St. Luke sayes They all with one consent began to make Excuses to the Servant that invited them one said I have bought a Farm and goe to see it 19. I pray thee have me excused 20. another I have bought five yoak of Oxen and I goe to prove them The excuses of them in the not I pray thee have me excused a third I have married a Wife and cannot come Sr. Matthew in short sales They made light on 't and went their way one to his Farm Vërs ◠another to his Merchandize Bad excuses all and not satisfactory For shall the marrying of a carnal Wife stay thee from the wedding of thy Soul to Christ Shall the Conjugal Society in House or Family be preferred before the comfortable communion with the Bridegroom of thy Soul in the Sacrament Or shall the Country-farm be prized above the Kingdome of Heaven And a company of Oxen Horses and Swine be more desired than the communion of the Saints and Angels God calls thee to come to him then Et post ponitur Deus Bovibus qui te aequavit Angelis And shall God be served after the Oxen and Beasts that hath made thee equal with the Angels Or will your Merchandize answer
for your absence and your pennyworths of Earthly Gain countervail the loss of Heavenly Grace Your buying bodily provision excuse the neglect of thy Souls nourishment Your gathering up Dross and Dung as St. Paul terms the riches of the World satisfie for your loss of Christ or what shall it advantage a Man to win the World by a Bargain and lose his own Soul by barring that of the means of his Salvation But so long as all these buying and selling farming and wiving may be done at other times the six daies God allowes for them the plea will not hold in his Court to excuse their absence who requires their presence at his Feast on another day and time set apart for the same No pretence of worldly cares and business can excuse them that are bidden These we have in the Text. Next these The Excuses of some in our time Of Military Men. we will weigh the excuses of some in our time The Military Mans in the first place who attends the service of War that disquiets the mind and therefore saies he must be excused Yet such came to John's Baptism the Sacrament of Regeneration and why not then to Christ's Supper the Sacrament of Nutrition If the War be warranted by God's Word and managed with a good Conscience they may eat Bread and drink Wine with the Priest after it to their comfort as Abram did with Melchizedec the Priest of the most high God Gen. 14.18 who brought him forth Bread and Wine and blessed him at his return from the rescue of Lot and the slaughter of Chedor loamer the Tyrant and the Kings with him But when 't is otherwise and the Conscience accuseth God's Word condemneth and Blood cryeth up for vengeance then let Men forbear for fear of Judas the Traitor's judgement Abi retro eum sacellis tuis qui lucris inhiaes saies St. Cyprian cujus manus sunt sanguinae plenae De Coena Domini Come back thou with thy bags full of spoyls whose mouth gapeth after ill gotten goods and whose hands are full of blood In this case an Excommunication is fitter than a Communion and an eight months exclusion from the Table and Temple both As St. Ambrose prescribed the great Emperour Theodosius for the good of his Soul after his rash Decree which cost the lives of 7000 Thessalonians Or such a strait penance as St. Cyprian injoyned the lapsed Christians De Lapsis whom he bids Orare impensius rogare to seek God by prayer more instantly and earnestly Diem luctu transigere vigiliis noctes fletibus ducere to spend the day in mourning and the night in watching and weeping Stratos adhaerere eineri cilicio sordibus volutari to lye and wallow in sackcloth and ashes Eleemosynis frequenter insistere quibus animae à morte liberantur to break off their sins Dan. 4.27 as Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar by righteousness and shewing mercy to the poor Justis operibus incumbere quibus peccata purgantur and to make restitution and do good works whereby through God's mercy their sins may be purged and pardoned A course must be taken for this to make ready for the Communion or how shall Men ever think to be ready if they dye for the day of doom and dye they must there is no remedy and if they cannot be prepared to meet Christ in the Sacrament how shall they be able to look him in the face at the day of Judgement Next Excuse of Malicious Men. the Militant may come in the plea of the malicious who is vexed with Injuries Arrests Suits or Slanders and therefore saies he must be excused But how can he expect that at his hands Mat. 5.44 who commands us to love our Enemies gives not leave to live one day without Charity St. Paul limits Wrath within the time of Sun-set Eph. 4.26 Let not the Sun go down upon your Wrath and Christ our Saviour bids Agree with thy Adversary quickly and be reconciled to thy Brother Mat. 5.25 and so offer thy Gift at the Altar We daily offend God and would not have him angry with us shall we so soon and so long be angry with them that so seldome offend us We pray God to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and if we forgive not them that trespass against us how can we look to be forgiven all our trespasses at Gods hands If there be any then in whose heart lyes the venome of inveterate Malice or the poyson of Asps under his lips let him imitate the wise Serpent which leaves Venenum in latibulo casts up his Poyson and leaves it in his Den behind him when he goes to drink that he bane not himself So must the spitefull and malicious do leave his Venome of Hatred and Malice when he comes to the Sacrament that he drink not his own damnation and not return like the Dog to the Vomit to resume it again Catiline to make his Conspirators with him of one mind caused them all to drink to each other Bowls of Wine mingled with Mans Blood Much rather should that Cup of Wine which Christ hath mingled with his pretious Blood work that effect and combine our hearts in brotherly love After these we may take the Return of them which keep away for the cause of Schism and Heresy who answer with Contumacy say not so much as have us excused with them in the Text but with Corah and his Companions Numb 16. when they were sent for by Moses We will not come up Whos 's first Schism they made in the Church was for an example punished with such a Schism of the Earth that it rent asunder and they sank down into Hell It is not a causless separation from Christ's Body the Communion as St. Paul calls it or the Congregation that can excuse 1 Cor. 10.16 17. It excludes outwardly and which is worse separates inwardly and causes a substraction of the Spirit of Grace that is the Soul that enlivens the whole Mystical Body of Christ and so leaves the divided member in a dead or dying condition Augustin Membrum amputatum amittit Spiritum dum in corpore erat vivebat praecisum verò amittet Spiritum A member of the Church cut off by wilfull Schism or deserved Excommunication loses the Spirit While it remained in the Body it is actuated and animated by the Spirit but cut off the Spirit leaves it as the Soul doth the Limb divided from the Body Which is plainly seen in many of those self-conceited Separatists who because they like not to retain the knowledge they had of God in their minds Rom. 1.28 are given over of God to a reprobate mind as he did the Gentiles to do things not convenient These cannot if they would communicate and eat Christ's crucified Body unless they renounce and repent their erroneous and blasphemous opinions and return to the union