christian's LIBERTY TO The Lord's Table, Discovered by eight Arguments, thereby proving, that the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of our LORD, doth as well teach to Grace, as strengthen and confirm Grace, And so is common, as well to the outward Christian as to the inward Christian: Occasioned by the contrary doctrine, taught by a strange Minister in Woolchurch, on the 29th of June last. By I. G. a Parishioner there. Matthew 26. vers. 20. Now when the Even was come, Jesus sat down with the twelve. Gal. 4. vers. 16. Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? Imprimatur, JAMES CRANFORD. LONDON, Printed for Humphrey Robinson, and are to be sold at the three Pigeons in Paul's Churchyard, 1645. TO THE RIGHT worshipful JOHN Rolls Esquire, one of the Honourable House of COMMONS of the High Court of PARLIAMENT. SIR, IT is above thirty years since the Lord hath brought me to be an inhabitant of Woolchurch; And for the greattr part of this time, the providence of God hath so ordered it, that I have enjoyed your acquaintance, which hath been profitable, both to the outward and inward man, although of late, by reason of your great and high employments for God and man, there hath not been that personal society as heretofore; yet I often see you to participate in the best and excellent places of sound Doctrine, in the way of truth and salvation, which with the knowledge I have of you, hath often moved my heart and spirit, to supplicate the God of heaven for you, as for myself, to whom it hath pleased God to make his Truth so known, as to make me a child of it above twenty years since, which heavenly Principles had I so heeded and improved as I ought, I might have been by this time a strong man in Christ Jesus. How ever, Sir, I must confess to you, God's mercies have been more and abundantly greater than my own miseries; and notwithstanding mine own natural indisposition and unaptness to the good and straight way of the Lord; yet he hath so magnified his good will and compassion, as thereby to make me one, though the least of his Disciples, who therefore cannot, nay dare not, but speak the things I have seen and learned of him, notwithstanding the cross and persecution that attend on the obeying and declaring the truth, a part whereof you may see, if you please to take view of these few ensuing lines, where you may observe, that the testifying to the abundant mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ manifested in the Sacrament, as in the Word, even for this, many are offended and rise up against me, and do as much as in them lies, to make the world believe, that though they know me, yet they know me not; so as that I am seen, and not discerned: and yet I fear not for to speak, though I care not to be known, except to you and the whole household of faith, to whom the Lord continue his love and goodness, which shall be ever the prayer of him, who is truly yours and theirs, J. G. An Introduction to the Arguments, showing the cause of their writing. HEaring many corrupt doctrines delivered in Wool-Church by a stranger, where I am a Parishioner, the knowledge of the truth moved me to write these eight Arguments, below specified, thereby to vindicate God's great Bounty and free Grace set forth to mankind by the Sacrament of the body and Blood of our Lord, as well as by the Word preached. His Text was these words of the Apostle, But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat, 1 Cor. 11. 28. affirming, that the Apostle here by the name man, spoke only of a spiritual man; and that the Scriptures do in no place call a natural man by the name of a man, alleging Jer. 5. 1. to prove it, with divers other Scriptures: and affirmed, that natural men, all of them always, are denominated by the name of beasts, as Serpents, 1 Cor. 15. 23. Vipers, Wolves, Dogs, Swine, beasts after the manner of men, &c. Now to deliver this without the due distinction the Scriptures make, is very false, and contrary to our Lord's own doctrine, Joh. 3. 5. Except a man be born again, &c. meaning by the name man, a natural man: as also the Apostle, 1 Cor. 2. 9 Now see his doctrine as strange to the Scriptures, as the Preacher was to me; for it is beyond exception, that as our Lord, so his servant means by the name man, natural men. And as the misunderstanding of the Scripture is the ground of all error and schism; so from these premises he drew this strange conclusion, that one in nature, and unregenerated, ought not to be admitted to the Supper of the Lord: and because he had no plain Scripture that forbids a natural man, which hath received the faith, to believe and to be baptised, therefore he falsely affirmed, that John the Baptist, Mat. 3. 7. forbade the Pharisees and Sadduces to come to his baptism; and so argued from the lesser to the greater, that if baptism which is the lesser, aught to be denied to impenitent men, much more the Sacrament, which is the greater, aught to be denied natural men; and this he shamed not to affirm, although there be not one word in the Text of John's denying the Pharisees and Sadduces, and so went on to show many Reasons why natural men ought not to be admitted to the Lord's Table: First, saith he, because a natural man cannot discern what the Sacrament shows forth: Secondly, because all natural men are Serpents, Vipers, Dogs, Swine, cruel and savage beasts, to whom the holy and precious things of the Sacrament ought not to be given; for natural men, saith he, are no more capable of them, than the beasts that perish: Thirdly, because all natural men are forbidden to come, as Christ in another case said, Mat. 5. 23, 24. If thou bringest thy gift to the Altar, and remember'st thy brother hath aught against thee; go first and be reconciled to thy brother, and then come, &c. in which Reason this young Minister did not remember that our Lord here speaks of a brother, not naming him a natural unregenerated man, neither is it to be understood only of the Sacrament, for there we come rather to receive then give: Fourthly, because, saith he, every natural man that comes to the Sacrament, is that man, Matth. 22. 11, 12, 13. that had not on the wedding garment, who therefore speechless was cast into utter darkness; which if this be so, than all the unregenerate elect in receiving the Sacrament, are in that case and condition, so that none of them by his reasoning shall be converted (if they receive the Sacrament) but condemned, which is blasphemy to affirm, and all that have heretofore received it, before regeneration, shall perish: Fifthly, because whosoever giveth the Sacrament to a wicked natural man, doth therein cast the children's bread to Dogs: Sixtly, because the Sacrament was ordained only to confirm Grace, and not at all for the begetting of grace: as bread is not given to beget, but to sustain a man: Seventhly, he that comes to the Lord's Table, being unregenerate, is that father's son, Mat. 21. 30. saying Go, and went not. His Uses following, did aggravate his Doctrine and Reasons, as it follows: also he did affirm, that the damned shall cry out of hell, to such Ministers as have delivered the Sacrament to such natural men here in their life-time, and shall say, Thou gavest me my damnation in giving me the Sacrament; for I was blind and saw it not, dead and discerned it not, and therefore woe be to you that have given me my eternal confusion and destruction, with many more of these and the like strange and fond expressions of his own vision, invented by his own brain, contrary to God's truth; he concluding these vanities with such a seeming confidence as no man could contradict or gainsay, but assured himself, that every one that heard him, were satisfied with the clear truth of this dark light, urging it on the Congregation again and again with these or the like words. Now I hope there is none but who are fully satisfied, whose importunities for mistakings, where no less than an engagement to me which understood their falseness, to make these opposing Grounds, presently turning them into eight Arguments; proving thereby, that the Sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord, ought not to be denied to any that receive the common faith and outward baptism, except in the case of excommunication, and in that respect the spiritual as well as the carnal may be excluded: 1. He that preacheth that the Sacrament of the Lord's Table, doth not as well teach to the begetting of grace as the confirming of grace, he is ignorant of the nature of the Sacrament, and of the Word of God; but so it was preached at Woolchurch on the 29th of June, 1645. Ergo. 2. If by the preaching the Word, Christ crucified, be the means to beget grace, than the visible manifestation to the eye (as well as to the ear) of the signs if his death, are the means of begetting of grace also; But by the preaching of the Word to the ear, Christ crucified, is manifested or set forth for the begetting of grace, Gal. 3. 1. 1 Cor. 1. 23, 24. Therefore the visible manifestation of the signs of Christ's death are for the bagetting of grace also, 1 Cor. 11. 26. Matth. 26. 28. 3. If God's Word say, So often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come, than the Sacrament doth teach grace to be received by Christ, as well as confirm the grace already received; but the Apostle so saith, 1 Cor. 11. 26. therefore he that teacheth otherwise is ignorant of the Scripture, and of the nature of the Sacrament, as also it is proved, Luke 22. 19, 20. Matth. 26. 28. 4. He that teacheth, that whosoever giveth the Sacrament of bread and wine to a natural man, although he believe the Scriptures, and be baptised, doth hereby cast holy things to Dogs and pearls before Swine, such a Preacher doth not understand the command of our Lord in that place, Matth. 7. 6. But so it was taught in the place and time above said; Ergo. 5. Whosoever so teacheth as aforesaid, doth either willingly or ignorantly, or both, testify that Christ's practice was against his commandment, which is blasphemy so to affirm; but so it was affirmed in Woolchurch in the time and place above said; Ergo. For he gave the bread and cup to Judas amongst the rest of the twelve, Matth. 26. 20. to the 30th verse, Luke 22. 14. to the 22. verse, John 13. Mark 14. 17. to the 25. verse, and in so doing he did not cast holy things to Dogs, nor pearls before Swine. 6. If the Scripture show to us that all that had the common or historical faith to believe Jesus Christ come in the flesh, had admission after baptism to the Lord's Supper, and so by and through the common gifts of God's Spirit might examine themselves, and discern the Lord's body, according to the Apostles meaning, 1 Cor. 11. 28. then he that restrains it to the spiritual Christian only, presumes above what is written; but at Woolchurch, the place and time above said, the restraint was affirmed; Ergo. 7. If the Paschall Lamb to the Jews were the same that the Supper of the Lord is to Christians, than all Christians are to have the same liberty as the Jews, both outward and inward, carnal and spiritual, Exod. 12. 47. But the Supper of the Lord is the same in effect as the Passeover, 1 Cor. 5. 7. Heb. 11. 28. of the which the carnal Jews were to communicate as well as the spiritual; Ergo, carnal Christians may communicate as well as spiritual Christians. 8. He that teacheth, that whosoever delivereth the Sacrament to a wicked unregenerated man, delivers to him his damnation, preacheth a devilish doctrine; for therein he condemneth the Lord of life, for the Word and Sacraments are not properly the causes of men's damnations in themselves, but casually and accidentally; But so it was affirmed in the place and time abovesaid, that whosoever delivereth the Sacrament to a wicked unregenerate man, delivers to him his damnation; Ergo, he that so teacheth, preacheth a damnable and devilish doctrine. These Arguments were delivered to the Preacher by the Clerk some two days after his Sermon, and the next Lord's day after Prayer in the Pulpit, he did declare to the Congregation, that he had received divers Arguments against the doctrine he had taught them the Lord's day before; and that they may the more clearly be answered, saith he, I will make repetition of what I delivered before unto you verbatim, and accordingly did repeat two thirds of his Sermon, or thereabouts: some of the said particulars he in repeating, delivered with more caution than before, other things he wholly omitted; and when he had finished his repetition, than he drew forth the Arguments with Answers written to every one, as he affirmed, although indeed and in truth, not any one of them were answered. And notwithstanding his public notice in the Pulpit, that whosoever would, might have copies, yet my importunity these nine or ten days together cannot procure his Answers, that I might make my Replication, thereby to open the Scriptures that prove my Arguments: As also to show the weakness and invalidity of his Answers, although I have promised money for the writing thereof, and as yet he will not avouch them, notwithstanding his public vaunting at the first; yea, my importunity was such, as that he passed his faithful promise to me before a friend in private, that within two days after I should have them; but I understood he was prevented by some parishioners, that in affection towards me are dissented, wherefore I am forced to call them to mind by my memory, which he read written to the auditory. His Answer to my first Argument. To the first, saith he, I answer, that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper doth not teach to the begetting of faith; for that is the proper office of the Word alone, Rom. 10. 17. so than saith the Apostle, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, and therefore not by the Sacrament, &c. My Replication to his first Answer. In my affirming that the bread and wine, the signs of the Lord's Body and Blood, do teach grace where it is not, as well as confirm grace where it is; I do not therein deny that faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, but I affirm that the same Word is also taught and preached by the Sacrament. For the Text he allegeth, doth not say as he affirmeth, that it is the office of the Word alone, but these are the Apostles words; so than faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Now we must observe, that the term faith hath divers acceptations in the Scriptures; and for the clearing this point, I will observe but two distinctions: First, as it is referred to God the Creator; and secondly, as it hath respect to Jesus Christ the Saviour; and in both these respects the heart is as truly taught by the eye, by seeing God's works, as by the ear through hearing God's Word. The first distinction is fully proved by the Apostle, Rom. 1. 19 20. because that which may be known of God, is manifest in them, (that is, to mankind) for God saith, he hath showed it unto them, for the invisible things of him from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: And that holy man Job, of whom God himself testifies, that he was his servant, he was well acquainted with this truth: Job 12. 7, 8. But ask now, saith he, the beasts, and they shall teach thee, and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee; or speak unto the earth, and it shall teach thee, and the fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee: And again, two Apostles, Paul and Barnabas give in evidence to this truth at Lystra, saying, Acts 14. 17. nevertheless, he (that is, God) left not himself without witness in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness; and again, St Paul, Rom. 2. 4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance, (that is) to return to God? And for the further proof of this, the Prophet David is very ample and large, Psal. 19 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth, that is, declareth, or preacheth knowledge, there is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. And secondly, that faith in Jesus Christ is taught visibly by the eye, as audibly by the ear, the Scriptures do as clearly and plainly declare also; for thus did all the shadows under the Law visibly and openly teach and preach Christ as the Sacraments under the Gospel; and this was the only objection of the Nonconformists ever since King Edward the sixth his time, that none but God could put or impose upon his Church teaching signs or ceremonies, and such teaching signs, Sacraments or shadows was circumcision, the Paschall Lamb, and all other ceremonies before Christ; And so saith the Apostle, Col. 2. 16, 17. Meats and drinks, Holy days and new Moons, or Sabbath days were a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ; so also the Sanctuary, the gifts and sacrifices, and the Priesthood under the Law, serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, Heb. 9 And as Jesus Christ was thus visibly taught by the eye to the heart under the Law, so he is more clearly taught, preached and set forth by the two Sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper, now under the gospel, which do as visibly manifest him as the Word doth audibly, and as the Rainbow in the clouds when it appeareth to the eye, doth certainly teach the heart God's perpetual faithfulness in his promise, so the visible signs of Christ's Body and Blood in the Sacrament, and are a lively ample visible Sermon to us of Christ's death and passion, his giving himself for man's salvation, and do teach and instruct us to grace and mercy by Jesus Christ, as truly as the Word preached; so that now it is clear by what hath been proved, that if the visible creatures teach the same truth in their measure that the audible creatures do, than so doth also the bread and wine set apart to be received, that Christ's death may be commemorated, and they therein declare and preach also in their measure the word of Grace, and promise the new and living way to life by the body of Christ: which shall be further opened by my Replication to his Answer of the third Argument. And by the way take notice, that this my first Argument is the same in effect that Mr. Perkins lays down in his fifth Principle, where he makes the means to attain faith to be the Sacrament as well as the Word and Prayer; and so also in the Directory, pag. 52. in these words, And we are to give thanks to God for all means of grace, the Word and Sacraments. His Answer to my second Argument. The second Argument he denied also, and gave no Answer to the first Scripture, Gal. 3. 1. but to the second Text, 1 Cor. 1. 23, 24. where the Apostle saith, we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness, but to them that are called of God, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God; in which words, saith he, the Apostle doth not prove that Christ crucified doth convert Jews and Greeks, but that he is to one a stumbling block, and to the other foolishness, but in the next verse, to them that are called of God, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God; so that he affirmed this Scripture is nothing at all to my Argument, thus or to this effect, as my memory serves me was his Answer. My Reply to his second Answer. A man can never preach truly, that doth not distinguish of terms that differ rightly, for in these two verses, the Apostle speaks of Jews and Greeks in a twofold notion, that is, of both nations, of such as were cast away and reprobate; as also of such in both nations as were ordained and elected to eternal life; to the first the preaching of Christ crucified, proved through their own wickedness and opposing the truth, to the one nation foolishness, to the other people a stumbling block, which notwithstanding the same doctrine to the elected part of both nations through God's grace working their hearts to receive it, became to them the power of God, and the wisdom of God to their salvations: And although the elect are here denominated the called of God, they are so declared, because the word of grace preaching Christ crucified had effectually wrought on them and called them: And so also should from time to time call all others, of all nations, that are of the election of grace; so that the Scripture is full and pertinent to prove the Argument, as also the other Scripture, Gal. 3. 1. of which he made no mention at all, as my memory serves me, although thereby the Apostle proves plainly to the Galatians, that the truth was effectually taught to them, by having Jesus Christ crucified evidently set forth before their eyes amongst them, whereby the very strength of the Argument is proved, that as the Word of Christ crucified spoken to the ear teacheth, or is a means to work grace; so also is the Sacrament of bread and wine, that doth teach, preach or manifest the same Christ crucified to the eye, by which the heart is informed as by the ear. His Answer to the third Argument. To this he answered negatively also; and as I remember, found fault with the translation of the Scripture alleged by me for the proof of my Argument, and said, the words ye do show the Lord's death, till &c. is not truly translated, for it should be, show ye, &c. My Reply to his third Answer. This man's answer to this Scripture, is like the answer that an Arrian made me not long ago, to another Scripture I alleged against his blasphemous position of Arianism, he maintaining that Christ was a mere man, and that to affirm a Trinity in Unity of the Godhead, was nonsense and ridiculous, and contrary to reason, nature, learning and Scripture: Will you be judged by Scripture? said I, yes said he: whereupon I demanded what he thought of 1 Joh. 5. 7. There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one, here said I the Scripture affirms the Trinity in Unity. Oh, Sir, said he, the Text it not truly translated, for the word in the original is, they do agree in one: I pray, said I, what other acceptation hath the word, or how can you express it otherwise from the original; it is, said he, as truly to be translated, they are one, as they agree in one: then said I, your own mouth is witness, for by your own words you have confirmed the Text; so I say to this Linguist, that in the Margin, show ye, &c. is the same in the Text, ye do show, &c. And therefore it is full for the same purpose for which I brought it, and plainly proves, that so often as the Supper of the Lord is celebrated, the death of Christ thereby is manifested, preached, declared, and showed forth to the communicants, the beholders and participaters of the bread and wine the signs of the Lord's Body and Blood; and this the Scriptures do clearly and apparently teach and set forth to us, if you consider the terms the Holy Ghost uses for that very end and purpose; as that of our Lord which I alleged for the proof of my Argument, Luke 22. 19, 20. This is my body which was given for you, this do in remembrance of me; also this cup is the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you; where by body, we are to understand the bread that signifies his Body; And so by cup, signifying his Blood, and in obeying his command to eat the bread, and to drink of the cup, the end and intent of eating and drinking, is to commemorate his death and passion, and so often as we do so eat and drink, we participate of that which manifesteth to us the new Covenant, which is the only means that God hath ordained for salvation, proved to us in these words, This cup is the new Testament in my blood which was shed for you, &c. And by the apt lively visible signs to the eye of bread and wine is preached to us the new and living way which he hath new made and consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, Heb. 10. 20. yea, as apparently as it is preached and made known to the ears by words; and as St. Luke, so St. Matthew hath it thus, This is my body, &c. this is my blood of the new Testament, &c. giving to the signs the very name of his body and blood, that whosoever readeth or seeth the signs, may be thereby taught the benefit of Christ's death, thereby purchasing for mankind repentance and remission of sins, which as it is in his name preached to the ears by the word, so manifested to the eyes by broken bread and poured out wine, for the eye and ear are equal inlets to the heart; so that it is clearly proved, that the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord doth as truly teach grace where it is not, as it doth confirm it where it is. His Answer to my fourth Argument. To the fourth Argument, he saith, the passage in his Sermon concerning Matth. 7. 5. was but by way of allusion to that Scripture. My Reply to his fourth Answer. He did so allude to that Scripture, as that he confidently affirmed that all wicked and unregenerated men were Dogs and Swine, and whosoever did administer the Sacrament to such, did therein cast holy things to Dogs, and pearls before Swine; therefore I say still, that he that so teacheth, directly orindirectly, positively or consequently, such a Preacher doth not understand the command of our Lord in Matth. 7. 5. neither did the Preacher by his seeming evasion, answer the Argument, but it stands still in every part of its strength against him; for in the Scriptures all natural men are not called Dogs and Swine, but such as have been enlightened, and have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost in its common gifts, and having thereby received the truth in some measure and efficacy, to be outwardly cleansed from the pollution of the world, through the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and yet turn from the holy commandment given unto them, and become ensnared, entangled, and overcome again with the pollution from which they were washed, and again lick up the filth they had vomited, these, and such as these, are Swine that wallow in the mire again, and Dogs that return to their vomit, 2 Pet. 2. 22. Heb. 6. 4, 5, 6. who, as they discover themselves, the way of censure and excommunication is to be used with them. His Answer to my fifth Argument. Against my fifth Argument, be peremptorily affirmed, that Judas was not with the twelve when the Sacrament was instituted and administered; and first, for the proof thereof, if my memory fail me not, he told the Congregation, that the translators of the Bible had not placed the 21. verse of the 22. chapter of Luke in the right place, but they ought to have brought in those words of that verse next after the 16. verse. And who affirmed that so it was in the original, the Greek Testament: secondly, he affirmeth that our Lord's giving Judas the sop, he gave him part of the Passeover, Joh. 13. 30. who, as soon as he received it he went away, and so parted from the twelve before the Sacrament was instituted. My Reply to his fifth Answer. Now, in stead of answering my Argument, he hath wronged the Scriptures, and abused the translators of the Bible; for such as have good skill in the Greek, say, that these words, and behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is on the table with me, in the Greek copy, is the 21. verse, and follows after the institution & administration of the Sacrament, as it doth in our English translation. And that Judas was amongst the Apostles, and had equal participation with the rest in the Passeover and Supper of our Lord, this is probable by the testimony of all the Evangelists, beginning with Matthew, and so proceed according to the order of the Scripture, Matth. 26. 20. Now when even was come, he sat down with the twelve, among whom was Judas the traitor, vers. 21. 23. 25. & 26. who, after Christ had blessed the bread, he gave it to the Disciples, and vers. 27. After he had given thanks, he gave the cup unto them, saying, drink ye all of it, excepting none, no not Judas: And St. Mark's testimony is as clear as this, Mark 14. 17. And in the evening, saith he, he came with the twelve, and as they sat and did eat, vers. 18. Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, one of you that eateth with me shall betray me, that was Judas Iscariot. And as they did eat, vers. 22: that is, Christ and his twelve Apostles, Jesus took bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them, that is, to the twelve, and said, Take, eat, &c. And he took the cup, vers. 23. and wheu he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drunk of it, saith the Text. Now who were they all but the twelve that sat down with him? and thus clear is St. Luke's witness also, Luke 22. 14. And when the hour was come, saith he, he sat down, and the twelve Apostles with him. Observe, here is Judas amongst the rest, and the Lord bids them, deliver the cup amongst themselves, vers. 17. there's Judas still, and in vers. 19 he took bread, and gave thanks, and broke it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of me, there was Judas still: and in the 21. vers. our Lord himself affirms it certainly, Behold, saith he, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table: so that you see there cannot possibly be fuller nor plainer words expressed then these instanced, which prove Judas all this while with the twelve, both at the Passeover and at the Sacrament. And lastly, St. John's witness is as clear as the rest, if you compare them together, even all the four Evangelists; for although John doth not nominate the institution of the Lord's Supper, yet it is plainly included in the four first verses of the 13. Chapter, in these words, And supper being ended, which words briefly contain all the particulars that the other three Evangelists at large set forth, which is, that at the Supper of the Passeover, our Lord instituted the Sacrament, the Supper of his Passion; yea, both of them before Supper was ended; and therefore it is said in the 4. vers. he riseth from supper, that is, our Lord, and none else, and he laid aside his garment and took a towel, &c. and with water washed his Disciples feet, amongst whom he washed Judas with the rest, therefore he said, vers. 10. ye are clean, but not all, vers. 11. for he knew who should betray him, and therefore he said, ye are not all clean; so after he had washed their feet, saith the Text, and taken his gorments which he had put off, when he did rise from them, and was set down again, that is with the twelve that had not risen from the table, but sat still all the while he washed them, and after he was sat down again, he exhorted them to humility and brotherly love; and that they should do one to another as he had done to them; and that his example should be their pattern, saying, If ye know these things, happy are ye if you do them, I speak not to you all, I know whom I have chosen; and then tells them of a prophecy in the 41. psalm, that one that did eat bread with him, should lift up his heel against him, that is, betray him. And the Apostles hearing it was one of them, (here is Judas amongst them still) Peter beckoned to John, to ask the Lord who, or which of them it should be, Jesus answered, vers. 26. he it is, to whom I shall give a sop or a morsel, as it is in the margin, and he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, and after the sop Satan entered into him. Now that we may see the true nature and consequence of these premises, and the consent of John with the rest of the Evangelists, we must remember, that Matthew, Mark and Luke, all of them testify, that before the Passeover, Judas went to the chief Priests, and communed with them how he might betray the Lord into their hands, and agreed with them for thirty pieces of silver; so that Judas from that time sought his opportunity, saith Matthew, chap. 26. 16. and how he might conveniently do it, saith Mark, chap. 14. 11. and he promised, saith St. Luke chap. 22. 6. to betray him cunningly and without tumult, in the people's absence; therefore saith S. John, chap. 13. 2. supper being ended, the devil now put into the heart of Judas to perform and make good his wicked bargain for his lamentable & cursed wages, but as yet it was a little too soon for the opportunity; and therefore our Lord rises from them, but there's no mention of their rising, and he washes them all, yet Judas is still unclean, though washed: and our Lord sits down with them again, and now the time, the conveniency, void of multitude, it being night, and opportunity and all agree, and being troubled in spirit, our Lord reveals the treason to the twelve, and upon their desire to know which of them it should be, he declares it by giving him a sop or a morsel, for the fragments were not as yet taken away; and so soon as Judas had received it, the devil than moves him to finish the treason, so long before purposed and agitated, and then quickly proceeds to execution. I have been the larger in this Replication, because I know many, of whom I dare not but judge well of, that are of opinion, that Judas was not with the twelve at the institution of the Supper of the Lord, and yet they all acknowledge, that he ate the Passeover with them, which makes me the more wonder at their exception, because the Passeover shadowed out the same body and blood that the bread and wine doth show forth, as in my Reply to his seventh Answer, shall be more clearly manifested; so then notwithstanding all you have said in your seeming Answer, the Argument stands in force against you in all its parts, that whosoever affirmeth that they that give the Sacrament to wicked unregenerate men, casts holy things to Dogs, and pearls before Swine, doth in so saying, either willingly or ignorantly, or both, testify that Christ's practice in the case of Judas, was against his commandment in Matth. 7. 5. which is blasphemy so to affirm, for our Lord did give the bread and cup to Judas amongst the rest, as before is more than probable; and in so doing, he did not cast holy things to Dogs, nor pearls before Swine. Now it is very true, the ignorant and scandalous are not fit to receive, yet there is no rule from God or man that forbids them, but the authority given to the Church to excommunicate them; yet however, they ought daily to be exhorted and admonished to repentance and faith. His Answer to my sixth Argument. I answer, saith he, the first part of his Argument is not proved; and therefore my denying it is my answering it. To the second part of his Argument, I answer, saith he, that I have proved in the beginning of my Sermon, that a man in Scripture, is always under that name, to be understood a spiritual man; so that the Scripture he alleges, is not to be understood of a natural man, but of a regenerated spiritual man: And so as a natural man cannot discern the things of God, neither can he discern the Lord's body, and therefore ought not to be admitted to the Lord's Table; and so I have fully answered his sixth Argument, saith he, if my memory fail me not in the repetition, say I. My Reply to his sixth Answer. To the first part of the Answer, I reply that I had thought he had so well known the Scriptures, that when a man had spoke Scripture, it had been as good a proof as to have quoted the Text; and because the want of quoting the Text is the cause, say you, the Argument is not proved, therefore read and examine the Scriptures, and then tell me if it be not proved: Simon Magus also believed, and was baptised, Acts 8. 13. who contained with Philip in the communion of all common ordinances; as the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, and the laying on of hands, wondering to behold the miracles and signs which were done, vers. 18. whose impenitent natural estate the Apostle Peter doth declare notwithstanding, vers. 21. And so it was with Demas, Col. 4. 14. and Philemon vers. 24. which Text shows his like fellowship and communion with God's people in the common ordinances, notwithstanding in the 2 Tim. 4. 10. S. Paul shows his carnality and wickedness: and also S. John unmasks a great man, in high place in the Church, Diotrephes by name, 3 John vers. 9 and as he loved, so he had preeminence, who was so wicked, that he would not receive the Apostles of Christ, nor the brethren, and hindered and forbade them that would, and excommunicated them through malice; here's a false Christian in great place and authority in the Church, even a carnal natural man, and a prater against the Saints, the best of God's people, and yet for all this, not denied to partake at the Lord's Table; for he was the man that denied others, in such a case and condition were the false Apostles, 2 Cor. 11. 13. Rev. 2. 2. false Prophets, 1 John 4. 1. false Teachers, 2 Pet. 2. 1. and false brethren, 2 Cor. 11. 26. Gal. 2. 4. and the Apostles, the Prophets, the Teachers, the Brethren, although false, yet all in common communion and fellowship in the Word, Sacraments and Prayer, &c. So that now you see the first part of the Argument proved, which you would not see before. To the second part of his Answer I reply, and as it consisteth of two parts, so the Gentleman is mistaken in both. And first for the name man, he saith that in the Scriptures, it is only to be understood of a spiritual man, which to affirm, is fond and ridiculous, as before in the Introduction I have showed, and now more largely shall be cleared, as Job 14. 1. A man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble, where Job means by the name man, every natural man, as he is born into the world: and so saith Eliphas the Temanite, Job 15. 14. What is man that he should be clean, and he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? And again, Job 5. 7. Man is born to trouble, or labour, as the sparks fly upwards; as also Eccles. 7. 29. God hath made man upright, but he (that is man) hath found many inventions, th●se and many other Scriptures make it clear, that natural men, as they are born of their mothers into the world, are called men, and therefore the ground and foundation of his doctrine is false, as the doctrine is false: And so likewise I shall prove in the second place, that such a general or unregenerate believing man, may discern ordinary bread and wine that is ordained to feed and sustain our natures, from the Sacrament of bread and wine that are signs of Christ's body and blood the only spiritual food of our souls, and so communicate of them also in this different respect whereunto they are appointed; and to this doctrine the Apostle points in these words, 1 Cor. 11. 22. What have ye not houses to eat and drink in? that is, for your ordinary food, for you shame the Church of God, to come to the Table of the Lord to eat to gluttony, and to drink to drunkenness, What shall I say to you? saith the Apostle, for this I must reprove ye: for, saith he, the Lord in the same night he was betrayed, instituted the Sacrament of bread and wine, the bread to signify his body, the wine his blood, which body was broken, and blood shed, for you, that is, for man's salvation, vers. 22, 24, 25. And our communicating in these, shows forth the Lord's death, and keeps it continually in our remembrance; and therefore the bread and wine ought to be so known, as to discern thereby the body of the Lord, to do it in remembrance of Christ, and thereby to show forth his death, and whosoever doth not so communicate, is condemned in his own conscience; for every man, natural and spiritual, are capable of this knowledge, of this discerning; and in this respect and distinction, (the Lord's Table differing from ordinary food,) may all natural believing men receive it, even the elect before regeneration, as others, having been baptised. And thus to know and distinguish, is to discern the Lord's body in one sense, as to eat Christ's flesh, and drink his blood by justifying faith is in a more excellent and spiritual sense; so that by this distinction, his answer is manifested to be no answer, and my Argument not at all disabled, for this sense is not strained, but true and proper. His Answer to my seventh Argument. It was to this purpose, that he made two exceptions against this Argument: First against the conclusion, that he never heard before of a carnal Christian; for, saith he, the Apostle in Rom. 2. 28, 29. speaks of a carnal Jew under the Law, and of a spiritual Jew under the Gospel, but never, saith he, have I heard before of a carnal Christian. And in the second place he said, that by his Argument, he would have all men admitted to the Sacrament, all without exception, fools, idiots, and madmen; nay, little children and all, for children were admitted to the Passeover by the place he alleges, saith he, Exod. 12. 47. therefore I pray behold the weakness and silliness of this Argument; these, or the like, were his words. My Reply to his seventh Answer. First, for your exception against the term carnal Christian, I wonder you should be so ignorant of the Scripture, and yet take upon you to be a Teacher, for to be carnal, is to be in the flesh; and doth not the Apostle in one word resolve the question, Gal. 4. 29. But as he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit; even so is it now, that is, in the Apostles time, and ever since also, as in all the seven Churches of Asia, and in the Church of Corinth, 1 Cor. 3. 3. Are ye not carnal, saith the Apostle? and also amongst us at this time, for one spiritual Christian, there is ninety nine carnal, and in the flesh; and for you to expound Rom. 2. 28. to be a carnal Jew under the Law, and vers. 29. to be a spiritual Jew under the Gospel, you have thereby written a monument of your ignorance; for look back to the 14, 15, 26. and 27. verses, and they will show you the meaning; but those truths are beyond your capacity. You also say, I argue weakly and ignorantly, to argue from the liberty of the Passeover to the liberty of the Lord's Supper; for you say, if that be so, than fools and idiots, madmen and children may be admitted, but this is your simple and weak inference, and not mine; for read again, and you shall see that mine was this; if carnal men as well as spiritual men were admitted to the Passeover, then carnal men as well as spiritual might be admitted to the Sacrament, and the reason is, because they are both signs of the same substance, agreeing with the Apostles doctrine, They did all eat the same spiritual meat, and drink● the same spiritual drink, and that rock was Christ, to them under their shadows, 1 Cor. 10. 3, 4. and so it is Christ to us under our Sacraments, 1 Cor. 10. 16. 17. and this St. Paul preacheth for truth, 1 Cor. 5. 7. it being the very substance of my argument, Christ our Passeover is crucified, or slain for us, saith the Apostle, of whom bread and wine are signs under the Gospel, as the Paschall Lamb did shadow forth under the Law the same Christ. And this Argument you have in no sense answered at all; and therefore it stands still, proving that carnal Christians as well as spiritual, may communicate in the Supper of the Lord. His Answer to my eighth Argument. This Argument he seemed to justify, and he said, he did not intend he should be so understood, that whosoever delivered the Sacrament to an unregenerated man, delivered unto him thereby his damnation; for the Sacrament was not so in itself, but by reason of man's sin, casually or accidentally it might prove so, agreeing and making use of my own expressions in the same Argument. My Reply to his eighth Answer. Let all reasonable men judge, whether my Argument be not a true and just consequence from his doctrine, he affirming, that the damned shall cry out of hell to such Ministers that in their life-time gave them the Sacrament, and say, in giving them it, you gave me my damnation, &c. wherefore woe be to you in giving me my confusion and destruction, &c. Wherefore I advise you hereafter, to consider what you should say before you speak, and let your tongue be in your heart, and not your heart in your tongue; for, a Scribe instructed unto the kingdom of God, is like a good householder, that bringeth forth of his treasury things new and old: And the Messengers of the Lord, the Ministers of Christ, speak not their own minds, but the mind of God, and of Christ, as they have received it from above, who are, as the Apostle saith, like good workmen, and need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth; for as the Sacraments, if they be not received for the better, but for the worse, through our own wickedness and disobedience, will aggravate and increase our judgement and condemnation, so of the like nature is the Word also, which is the chiefest means to beget or attain to grace; the Word preached itself, through the disobedience of such as hear it, proves the savour of death, as it is the savour of life to them that believe and obey it, 2 Cor. 2. 15, 16. Now, when he had read all my arguments, and his seeming Answers to them, than he told the people, that he hoped now by this time they had seen, that as this Sophister had charged him with ignorance and false doctrine, so he did hope they all saw he had by his answers proved me both ignorant and false in my Arguments, and told the people, as before I have intimated, if any man pleased for their further satisfaction, they should have copies of them, whereupon some dissenting neighbours, not well affected to me, nor well acquainted with the truth, did cause a note to be put up to him by the Clerk, to this effect, That some of the Congregation desired him to name the man publicly, to which he answered at the first sight thereof, I am, said he, entreated to do that which I would not willingly do, for it is not an evil thing in any man to make objections but honourable, but presently he audibly declared my name, saying, he is a man whom I know not, whereupon, many that wanted both charity and understanding, laughed and whispered together, manifesting contempt and scorn by nodding their heads, and by many other dumb-shows, breaking out afterwards into words, as these and the like words, that now he was fully answered, and his folly discovered, some saying, he deserveth to be whipped, others, that I deserved to be set in the stocks, others, that I meddled with that which I had nothing to do withal, they not knowing the Apostles commandment, As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God, 1 Pet. 4. 10. And one of them to a friend of mine, said, Is this your friend that you have spoken so much and so well of? now you see him discovered to be weak and simple, and the like: another said, he is a fool, to meddle with that he understands not; for, saith he, he hath not the tongues, and without them it is impossible he should understand the Scriptures: this man, although an Elder, did not remember, that the Apostle saith, To one is given the gift of prophecy, to another the gift of Tongues by the same Spirit, 1 Cor. 12. 10, 11. Another said, I was an enemy to all goodness, and threatened me, I should answer it before Authority; so I heard, and have born the defamings of many, amongst which some were my familiars. And between the Church and my house, one told me, Now you are met withal, you are repaid now, to whom I answered, according to the old Proverb, one tale is good till another is heard; and the Scripture saith, said I, he that is first in his cause seems just: which opprobrious behaviours and reproachful expressious I have born with patience, both in the time of the assembly, and ever since, and so will continue, without opening my mouth against them, and conclude with an exhortation to Ministers and people, concerning the receiving the Communion. For, although there be no rule in Scripture, that gives any one particular Minister order to restrain any from the Lord's Table that believe and are baptised, except the authority given to the Church in case of excommunication, as at first is signified; yet the Scriptures do plentifully testify, that faithful ministers ought to watch over the flock of Christ, to teach, instruct and admonish the people, to learn, know and understand the meaning of all God's ordinances, and instructed in our own estates and conditions, as John the Baptist exhorted the Parisees and Sadduces, Mat. 3. 7. and that except we be betterred by them, that which is ordained for our eternal life, will be found to be to our eternal death; and therefore Ministers ought to be apt to teach upon all occasions, in season and out of season, to show and open to the Congregation, what Prayer is in itself, and that the people ought to join their affections to the plain truth, he should pronounce to God in his own and the people's behalf: so likewise that the Scriptures and truths opened and discovered by them, is no less than the Word of God that shall judge us at the last day; and therefore, that all attention should be given to it with fear and trembling, and that the end of our hearing should be to know & obey it: so also as touching the Sacraments, that of baptisms to declare the doctrine of baptisms, which the Scriptures clearly teach and distinguish of; so also the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Lord, that for as much as it is God's great mercy and goodness to give unto us those visible signs of his body and blood, which are living representations of his death and passion, and that as he is the propitiation of the sins of the elect of God, called and justified, whose hearts are purified by faith in his blood, who thereby eat his flesh and drink his blood spiritually, and so have eternal life in them: So also God's Word teacheth us, that his blood is the propitiation of the sins of the whole world, 1 Joh. 2. 2. And therefore as every natural man renders their salvation, so they are to examine themselves, and prepare their hearts by repentance, so to come to the Sacrament, as to find Jesus Christ to become their spiritual life, as he is life and food both, to such as are regenerated; so that all and every man's coming to God's Ordinances may be endeavoured to be for the better, and not for the worse: and also Ministers ought to have compassionate affections towards the people, even as a Nurse towards the Babe on her breast, and as a tender mother towards the child of her womb, and in all their ways seek them, and not theirs, so that all bitterness and pride be avoided, and that the Congregation may see, that they sincerely seek the salvation of the people; and also the people must know, that holy and faithful teachers ought to be had in double honour, both by countenance and maintenance, that the glory of God, and man's salvation be promoted; and thus and so admonisheth he that is the Lords and thine in him. J. G. The Prophets prophesy falsely, and the Priests bear rule by their means, and my people love to have it so, saith the Lord, Jer. 5. 31. FINIS.