THE LORDS TABLE.  
Whether it is to be spread like A Table in an Inn for all comers?  
That it ought not so be done is here maintained.  Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, Matth: 7. 6. And he set the Porters at the Gates of the house of the Lord, that none which was unclean in any thing should enter-in, 2 Chron. 23. 19 Suppose him to be the greatest person in the world, and would receive the blessed Cup from my hand, signing to all, and sealing to every beleiver the Blood of That God-Man, I would rather give him my heart blood, than I would give that Cup unto him, whilst he declares himself to be no Disciple. Chrysost: in Math: 26. Hom: 83. w. They, that give The bread and wine to unworthy ones, are as guilty of Sacrilege every whit, as he would be, who could give the Sacred Body of Christ to be torn in pieces and eaten by dogs, or trampled-on by Swine. Calv: 4. book of Institutions. Chap: 12. 5. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lords Body. 1 Cor. 11. 29. 
LONDON; Printed by M. S. for Henry Cripps in Popes-head-Alley. 1656.   

THE SECOND TREATISE, Relating to The Lords Supper, And second Query thereupon.  Whether all are to be admitted to the Lords Table, upon account only of their Infant Baptism, though aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the Covenant of promise, having no hope, well set and settling, and without God in the world? Eph. 2. 12. 
The Negative here also is under our maintenance.  
Here are four things premised first. Then is set down what the contrary minded have to say for the holding forth the Affirmative.  
In the next place we Argue the Negative.  

CHAP. I.  

SECT. I.  
THis being a matter of such high concernment to be cleare-in, we will premise a few things here also to clear our way into it, and first;  
1. That we little thought, any Godly Minister would have put this to Question, Whether all persons, pell, mell, tag rag, as we commonly say, how ignorant, how profane, how notorious soever for their Deboiserie, are to have admittance to the Lord's Table by privilege of Infant Baptism; Surely this Question, de Juro, would have been exploded, when our times were at worst; Archbishops and Bishops at their Zenith or height, what ever their Vicars, Curates and Parsons did, de facto, some of them, as very varlets, as were those, they did admit; But de jure, this should not have been so as may be collected by him, that is ordinarily versed in the old Service-Booke: Specialle that place, which relates to the order should be observed in th● administration of the Lords Supper, together with other Constitutions and Canon's, as to that sacred administration, printed sixty years ago, and reprinted a few years bypast. We will quote two places only, one out of the Canons of our Church; the other out of the Book of Common Prayer. The 26 Canon straight chargeth every Minister, That he shall not in any wise admit to the Communion any of his flock, which be openly known to live in sin notorious without repentance. And the Common prayer book, in the Rubric before the Communion, commandeth, That if any be an open and notorious evill-liver, or have done any wrong to his Neighbour in word or deed, so that the Congregation by him is offended, the Minister shall call him and advertise him in any wise not to presume to the Lords-Table, till he hath openly declared himself to have truly repent etc. Therefore we do not doubt, but the Ministers of the presbyteral way (whose Platforms for Church-Discipline one of us have read) will rise up in their might against Mr His: and the men of his way and judgement, who not only admit, but plead for admittance of any body how scandalous soever, (it is a wonder, if those they admit, are worse than themselves,) for their two pence, leave so much behind them, and take damnation with them; did Judas do worse, that betrayed his Lord and Master? This may mind some body of what he may have read, was spoken of an Arian Heretic, I shall account him a 
Mihi non alius quàm diabolus, quam diu Arianus.  Devil as long as he is an Arian; and perhaps he may apply it to this Gentleman, the leader of that drove or herd of Ministers, who are of the same persuasion with him; For it may be doubted, That he with his followers, have, to their power, done more mischief to the Church of Christ, than the most pernicious Heretic now a days hath done. What! A Minister of Christ, speak 
Qui non vivit ut ipse docuit certum id documentum est non esse Christianum.  and act so, so contrary to all men, who walk by the Rule prescribed them in God's Word? You know his practice, and you shall hear by a little, how much he speaks anon against our Lord and Master, that you may know how well you have spoken in justification of him. He may preach Christ, but doing things most contrary to the mind of Christ, he makes full proof he is no Christian; Christianity being nothing else but as fair and full a 
Christianismus est similitudo Dei quantum possib●ie est hamanae naturae. Just. Ma●t. orat. ad Anti. Ratio naturalis potest altecari ubi deficis lex.  drought of God upon the Soul, as the Soul is capable off in this body of death; But see how justly Sin is called darkness, it hath darkened, we fear, the very light of nature in him, or natural reason, which, say the Lawyers, may speak where the Law is silent, so natural reason where the word of God is silent; but where the word of God speaketh, reason must be dumb. Sin hath darkened that common light in the man, as may be feared; And now read him in his writings, how Cross he standeth, and acteth to the word of Christ; His Blessed practice among His Disciples, and Commission given them to the world's end; Therefore   

SECT. II.  
2. WE are, Sir, hearty sorry this should grate so hard upon you, but we cannot possibly helpit, while you hold so fast to your foreman, & his tenant, as to free admission of all (notorious for their obstinate and affected ignorance, as some must be where all have free admission) unto the Lord's Table; It will far the worse for you, because he is so bad; ye agree so well here, that we want skill to make difference betwixt you & him, therefore ye will pardon us, if, discerning no difference betwixt you, we make none, though full loath we are to Couple you together. But sigh you will have it so, so it must be, and possible with some men, it may be for your honour; but however we cannot help you at all, nor, we suppose, can you help yourself, by that proviso you speak of, which the man of your persuasion gives you, excommunication. If a person, man or woman, so notoriously vile and debauched, that he is more like a Devil, than a Disciple, then admit him not, but excommunicate him, Cast him out. We cannot thank the man for his remedy, It is not worth so much (if he had been serious therein, which we think he was not, being against his own principles) for whether shall we cast him? unless into the same place M● Hs. deserves to be himself cast (and it is his lightest punishment; for indeed he hath offended the Lords little ones every 
Math. 18. 6.  one of them we thought till we thought of you) into the Sea with a millstone about his neck, for all the dry Land is a Church, as you so well know, and can make full proof. In the next place   

SECT. III.  
3. WE would say in Allusion to excellent Calvin's words, 
Si dimidio Christi convuti effemus.  if we could be content with half a Christ, our work would quickly be at an end, and we should agree; So if we could be content with an half Reformation (which will content the Godly party, as the half of her dear Child the dear mother) ye do not bid us the half; no, nor the least part or piece of Reformation; for, making no separation from the world at the Lords Table, where or when will ye separate? All one at the Lords Table, and every where one. The world and you cannot be two, while professedly one at the Lords Table. We will take leave to set down excellent Burroughs his words, we have read or heard upon this subject. Whensoever you receive the Communion with any Company, 
Read Master Palmer, p. 100  you do Confess yourself to be of the same body with that Company. I must profess that I do believe myself to be of the same Body that this drunkard is off; this Idolater, this covetous person is off; this whoremaster, this swearer is off; joining with them to eat Bread at the Lords Table, (where these unclean ones must needs be where all are admitted to be) professing nothing against them, nor taking any Course at all with them, for the exclusion of them, or purging of them-out: Allowance of a thing done, is as good, as a Commission for the doing of it. Therefore it concerns us very much to look unto it, That it be an holy Communion we receive the bread and wine-in. In the last place   

SECT. iv  
4. WE would add this; That we are as unable to keep silence 
Inveniar sanè superbus avarus, omnium vitiorum reus modo impij silen●ij non arguar dum dominus ●atitur.  as we are to speak, as the Learned do, observing, the ordinance of our dearest Lord and Saviour, so profaned; His own order, in His own house, whereof He is so tender, so blasphemed; and by those, who should be most observant thereof; His stewards there. We profess we wish our eyes fountains of tears, and that our hearts could melt like wax, and our 
Luth: ep: ad Staupitium.  bowels yearn upon these stewards in God's house, who admit all to his Table, come who will all are welcome; Surely if they repent not of these horrid do, the Master of the house and Lord of the Table, will rise-up against these stewards, as once He did in Mount Perazim, He will be wroth with them as in Mount Gibeon; for by their means it is that a brutish, sottish people, admitted by them to eat and drink at the Lords Table, do eat and drink their own damnation; increasing their guilt there, and hardening themselves to their utter ruin, and everlasting destruction. And is this nothing? Nothing saith Mr H s: for which some other will deal with him assuredly, and bray him in a mortar, that his folly may departed from him, who saith in effect, though not in terminis; It is nothing to eat and drink damnation to ourselves, as all must do who eat and drink unworthily, upon account only of Infant Baptism: For by Coming, or, rashly, like natural bruit beasts, rushing to the Lords Table, before the word of life, hath brought life to their souls, they eat and drink judgement to themselves, and have put themselves into an utter incapacity or impossibility ever to be wrought upon thereby, we mean as to the strength and power of ordinary means, That work on other men for their Conversion, who have not wilfully perverted the holy order of the Lord, which He hath prescribed, nor presumptuously passed over the ordinary means of Conversion: They have hard hearts, that do not melt into tears, beholding a poor sottish people, increasing their guilt every day, and more and more hardening themselves to their eternal ruin. Therefore for our dear Lords and Christ's sake, whose Body and Blood we cannot see with patience thus prostituted to dogs and swine; for His Churches and Truth's sake, the only two dear beloved and regarded in the whole world, for Souls sake, purchased at so dear a rate, (which argues the preciousness of them) for your own sakes, whose foot stands fixed in Mr H●: way (his own) a way of sin and death; have we spoken hitherto, and shall speak in these matters before us, as we have believed, And as the Church of Christ hath practised in all times, and ages, though not with that freedom and blessed liberty, as by the abundant riches of God's goodness now they can do, for which liberty they bless God night and day, who hath so changed the times; Time was, and it was a sad time, with all the godly Ministers and people all over the Land, when there was no bar to keep any from the Lords Table, but one, which superstition made; And was it a just Grief (to borrow Mr Sanders words) then, that there was no bar; And is it your work now to remove the Bars, yea the Lords and his Churches ancient Landmarks, and lay all Common? The Lord God of gods looks upon this, and will require it. Therefore in our tenderest respects unto you, we would Caution you in our entrance to this Treatise, for with that or the like unto it we mean to end this; of all murder take heed of Souls 
De Eccles: lib. 2.  murder, your own or others, It is Salvians Caution. It is true your people will be very wroth with you, if you will not murder them, let them eat and drink damnation to themselves. The most cruel & bloody murder (though Mr H s: will not believe it) to suffer persons one or more to poison themselves with the Sacrament, which works strongly, and kills presently, as poison mixed with the strongest wine will do. Vinegar, you have read, 'tis filius vini, and the sweetest wine degenerates into the sharpest 
* Gospel Cordials to a fowl heart are th● deadliest pason. Mr. Fo●d. Sp. Ad. 470.  vinegar; As there are more liberal doles of Grace in time of the Gospel, and specially given forth at the Lords Table to the worthy receivers; So are there the largest viols of wrath there also, given forth to eat and drink down by the unworthy receivers: very likely your people will not apply their heart to this, no not to this; But if they may not have the Lords Supper, as formerly they have had, once a year at least (which now will not serve their turn) or thrice, or, since they are used to it, once a month; they will crie-out against you all the year long, and Curse too; (to whom God hath not made it manifest, that they themselves are beasts) These ignorant, unreasonable and wicked persons will so do, if you will not suffer them to drink down a Curse, and destroy themselves for ever, if you will not take the readiest way, to destroy them by admitting them so unworthy to the Lords Table, They will destroy you; at least they will do, what they can. Why but, as the Counsel is to the Parent Correcting his Child, Let not thy soul spare for his crying: So regard not their Cry, nor their Curse neither. But, though they Curse, Bless them, which you cannot do; but in bidding them attend diligently upon the Converting ordinance, and forbear coming to the Lords Table, till the Word preached hath done its work, Then come and welcome.— But we shall contribute more to this, at the end of this Treatise. And now before we come to argue the Negative; That Children in understanding wilfully such▪ Children of Belial always, are not to be admitted to the Lords Table. We will with your leave hear you make out the Affimative first, That Children in understanding are to be admitted to the Lords Table. We have heard you (we shall allege nothing from what we have read) and those in your way with you, make it out thus▪ and so this is your first proof.    

CHAP. II.  

SECT. I.  
Surely all our forefathers were not all mistaken, but they gave it forth to all, all along, till within these very few years, which they had not done, if they had not thought it lawful to be done.  
It is hard to prove this, nay we think it is impossible; Though we grant that many the excellent of the earth, did give forth these 
It is hard even for good men not to be c●r●ied dow●e the stream, when at once they go with the wind of example and tide of Nature. Read Mr. Phil. ● Evang. 〈◊〉 pag. 227, 228. etc.  seals to as many as came for them, and that was just, as you say, to all; And truly much might be said to excuse these excellent of the Earth, à tanto, if not à toto. The tyranny of Custom, as a tide or torrent impetuously running all one way, and carrying all with it; The Tyranny of Bishops also, as fast friends to Christ, many of them, as were these excellent of the Earth then, and now fast friends to Anti-christ. Indeed issachar's— we had almost said, curse (but to all His God turned it into a blessing) was upon the good Ministers, and people, they lay couching under burdens; and this dispirits both Ministers and people, so that with him in Tacitus, if we may allude to it, gemens, sequitur tamen, they sighed, and they groaned, yet they followed the Commandment. And surely we may add this, how did they breath after Reformation in these matters? And when they saw no amendment, we know whether some of them went, for it is known in all the Earth; and how did they there, And the faithful here wrestle with their God about these things? And what thanks can they Render to God for what He hath done in way of Answer to their prayers? Time was when another Girded these faithful men, and carried them whether they would not; but now, blessed be God, they have a blessed liberty, to Gird themselves in the Allmight of their God, according to His Glorious power, to walk whether they would in all pleasing.  
This we desire to leave upon your serious thoughts, what use and improvement is made of this liberty? or whether not abused as an occasion to the flesh, by men of Mr H s: persuasion?  
And yet Sir▪ we must make bold to tell you, your proof is naught, and proves nothing, 
Qu●d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n●n 〈◊〉 haeresis est etiam v●●us consuciu●●o. Je●●● Christ is ●●y Antiquity, That He did, and that He ●pake, said Igna●ius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. T●ll not me it was customarily so done, but tell me what ought to be done. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. so an old Philosopher reproved his friend A. Ge●. lib. 10. c. 19  What have we to do with th' examples and wants of our Fathers? they are no rules of our faith, or for our walking; It is not what was done, but what ought to be done If such a proof may be warranted, what evil may not be approved good and be justified? Here the Heretic Eutiches sic à progenitoribus accipiens credidi etc. " This faith have I received from my Ancestors, in this faith I was borne, and Baptised, and in the same I desire to die: and yet the same faith was an error, and no faith. Full-up to the same words said another as very an Heretic as the former; Quemadmodum ab insantiâ edoctus sum, it● Credidi & Credo; As I have been taught from my Childhood, so I have believed, and so I believe still. And the Idolatrous Jews say much the same; So we have done, and our Fathers before us, our Kings and our Princes, and so we will do. But Sir, we speak to you in our Jewels words; We sit not in Judgement to Condemn our Fathers, God only is their Judge, and He knoweth how to deliver His own; He was able to preserve the Bush in the midst of the flame; and Daniel in the Cave, in the mids of the Lions; And the three Chrildrens in the midst of the furnace of flaming fire; and His people Israel in the midst of the red Sea: even so was He able to preserve His own in the midst of that deadly time of darkness. Ignosci potuit simpliciter erranti, post inspirationem veri etc. He that erreth of simplicity (as our Fathers did) may be pardoned; The times of that ignorance God might wink at. But after that once God hath inspired the heart, and revealed His truth, whosoever continueth in his error, offendeth without pardon of ignorance, for he is over-borne with presumption and wilfulness: These, we have heard, are the words of Cyprian; and this shall serve for Answer to what our Fathers did: their do are not prescriptions for us. The word of our God is the Rule of our practice in all things; And we humbly conceive, it lieth open before us as to this particular, as our Cynosure or Star to direct us; whereof anon.   

SECT. II.  
WE have heard it said, to bear you out in your do; That learned and Godly men, do as you do, at this day in point of admission to the Lords Table.  
We oppose not here, nor gainsay what is said of their Learning and Godliness. But this we say, That your proof is naught still, and proves nothing. There were learned and Godly men sure among those thousands of Israel called together by King David for the removing of the Ark, and yet they put it in a 
2 Sam. ●. 1 Chron. 13. Exod. 25. 14. Numb. 4. 15. & 7. 19  Cart, against the express Command of their God, which was that the Levites should bear it on their shoulders. Godliness, we see, doth not privilege us from erring, no not in the Highest matters, the Concernments of the Lord and His Christ. And for learning, the Lord prosper it, and sanctify it, that it may be of use to His Sanctuary; for this we find by daily experience (we will borrow the words of that excellent Expositor upon Job) 
Chap. 4 12.  It is Satan's work to solicit the Learning of men (even as an adulterer solicits the beauty of women) that he may commit folly with it, and beget some monstrous birth of mischief and villainy. We proceed to that you say in the third place.   

SECT. III.  
THat Charity commands you to account all that are borne and Baptised in England, Beleivers, Disciples, and Saints, and upon that score, as their Children are to be admitted to Baptism, so the Parents to the Lords Table.  
As Charitable as Mr H s: is, who hopes the Best of all, so he saith; and, say we if of all, than he hopes the Best of the worst of all; what hope hath he of the Devil? Why, If he be a Devil incarnate, and baptised, he shall be admitted to the Lords Table, though truly we know not well what to say more, having hinted so much to it before; yet this we will add, That Charity doth 
R●ad Mr. P●lme●. pag. 70, 71  both hear and see, and hath a rule, whereby to judge righteous Judgement, as of a tree by the fruits; of M H: his walk in the street, by his practice at the Lords Table; for if naught there, it is our fear, he is good no where; Thus we judge of a man by 
● Ma●. 16. 1●.  his works. And to the thing in hand, of a beleiver by his faith; of a Disciple, by his discipline; his schollar-like submitting himself to the teaching of Christ; of a Saint by his holiness. But when none of all this is visible, but the Contrary to all this, They account themselves Saints, are dealt with as Saints, yet they revile the Saints, hate and persecute holiness: then we see not why Charity should make her mantle so large, as thereby to Cover that, which is so apparent, that it cannot be hid. When the abundance in the heart, the Treasure there venteth or broachethit self, by the eye, tongue, or hand, than it is easy to judge, Saluâ Charitate, That the Treasure within is evil, for it bringeth 
Matth. ●2.  forth evil things. The Physician judgeth of th● sick man's stomach by his tongue, that is foul, the stomach is much fowler, being the Cause of the tongues foulness; When we observe the smoke breaking-out of the doors and windows, and from under the tiles, we conclude, there is much smoke within and some fire also, which, if Care be not taken, will breakeout anon. I see thy heart, said one through thy hand, which acteth thy heart, bringing it forth to light. We judge the tree by the fruit, which is not rash, because it is not ours, but the judgement of the word of God. We have heard it often said to Godly Ministers and people; Ye must not judge. They might as well say, you must not hear or see. We may judge and judge the heart too. What an hell above ground that is, where we see what an hellish life there is. We may judge the thoughts of a man not yet turned from sin to God, that those are only evil continually (for so 
Gen. 6. 5.  we are taught to know ourselves, that we may loathe ourselves). But now, when these evil thoughts have minted or moulded-out themselves, by words and deeds, than thoughts become visible. We know the Mint in the heart, and what stamp it beareth, for we find it upon men's words and deeds, which are, as we may say, the money that is coined there: It is probable this last said remembers you of Salvian's words; I can tell you anon (speaking 
Si●●lt quispiam s●i●e quid in templo homin●s C●gitave●ūt vid●● quid se qu●tu●. ●. 3. p. 〈…〉  to his hearers) what your thoughts are now, you are hearing; when I observe you, so soon as you are out of God's house, running every man after his profits and pleasures; I kn●w full well your thoughts were upon them, while you were within: What the heart thinketh, the hand and tongue minteth, was the Proverb with him; and much the same with ours; Words and works make a clear Commentary upon the heart: these are the hearts Heralds, proclaiming the fool's foolishness. Yet indeed some of your beleivers, 
Pro. 12. ●3.  Disciples and Saints, are so evil, that we need not (but that we must) observe either their words or works, for the show of their 
I●a 3.  Countenance doth witness against them, and they declare their sin. as Sodom, they hid it not. To put a close to this; de ●ccultis judicat Deus, God judgeth of things which appear not, The face of the heart being as visible to Him, as is the face to us, and the darkest room lightsome; But we may judge of things that do appear: As the Church judgeth not of hidden Crimes, so neither the faithful, judge of the Churches by their hidden Hypocrisy, but by their open scandals in doctrine and life, said that excellently learned man Mr Cotton. When ye see men wallowing in the pollutions of the world like swine in the mire, ye have warrant enough to call them swine, and account them loathsome creatures, and to excommunicate them the Lords Table, as ye will swine from yours. We charge too deeply, if so deep as the heart, before the heart hath opened its own sink, and discovered its own filthiness; but when it proclaims its foolishness, as we read, then may we hear it and believe it.   

SECT. iv  
4. YOu say you know not why there should not be now as free admission to Baptism, and the Lords Supper, as in those primitive times, there was to Circumcision, and the Passeover.  
To this we might only, say as before, when you mention to us that Nationall Church, we should mention to you that Nationall 
Deut. 33. 18.  discipline. As thus; If so be the hire of a whore must not be brought into the house of the Lord, why should the Child borne of a whore, be brought in thither. But indeed there was provision against this, for the whore, if the daughter of a Priest, was to be burnt with fire; if the daughter of a more ordinary man, than 
Levit. 20. 9 Deut. 22. 21.  she was to be stoned with stones, And the Adulterer with the Adulteress were both to die. So Sir, your Argument holds not, nor Can it bear out, as we think, this Custom amongst you, admitting such Infants now (for they are admitted in their Parents right) to Baptism, begotten, as is notoriously known, in 
Vid: Ames: de Const. cap. 27. l. 7.  adultery, and the Parents not so much as professing repentance for the sin; And so giving some satisfaction to the Congregation thereby. Sir, The Lord will require this at these Parent's hands (for so we may call them) so also at his hands who so presumptuously baptizeth their Infants. Nor shall it help him or them; That though the Child was begot in Adultery, yet it was borne in wedlock; So have they plastered over that horrible sin, for which the Minister must be as responsible, we mean for marrying them, as he shall be for Baptising their Infant, before an acknowledgement was made openly before the Congregation, for so openly had they sinned. But the Lord looks upon this and tells us with a voice as loud as thunder, that sigh man doth not, He Himself will be the avenger of these things. And if the people 
Levit. 20. 4.  of the Land— etc. for we would leave it upon your thoughts, that if you, or any brother in office with you, have been or are faulty in this matter, ye may hear and fear, and do no more presumptuously; In the shutting up of this we humbly remind you, of your own Principles, every head of a family (being by our 
●nf. Bap. 61.  principles) an Abraham to his family. But how if he be an Ishmaell, worse than an Infidel to his family, how then in point of admission of his Children to Baptism, or himself to the Lords Table? must he, having blasphemed the one Sacrament, be privileged thereby to blaspheme the other? or having denied and renounced his Baptism, as the manner of some is, by his works, making full proof he hath very ill husbanded that precious Talon, must he be privileged thereby to deal so with the other? Yes say you, and accordingly you deale-out unto him. But did your Lord Christ deal so with His Talents? Math. 25. 28.— But we refer it to the sixth Treatise.  
2. Now as to admission to the Passeover, which you are pleased to say, was free to all, which pleads for the like free admission to the Lords Table. That spoken before might serve here, But, to let that pass, we verily believe there was not such free admission to the Passeover, as you would seem to holdout, or take for granted; And this our belief we ground on the Scriptures of God as we ought, and you expect we should, and indeed Commanded us; which needed not, for God commands us so to do; We humbly conceive there is much in this Scripture we read; When your Children shall say unto you, what mean 
Exod. 12. 26, 27.  you by this service? That ye shall say it is the sacrifice of the Lords Passeover; We Collect from hence; That the persons were to be knowing and understanding persons in the matters of their God, the great Concernments of their souls, and so knowing and understanding, as that they must be able to instruct and Catechise their Children in those High points. Now if you find the Parents such knowing and understanding persons; you may find reason and warrant enough to admit them to the Lords Table; But if very ignorant, yea Brutishly ignorant, for such they are, whom you have admitted, then seek your warrant elsewhere for your admission to the Lords Table; for we are verily persuaded you will not find it from the Passeover; The free admission they had to that, Sir, be well ware what you say, and as well ware what you do; Take heed of admitting (we advise you in worthy Hildersam's word●) such as are known to the Congregation, to be ignorant, malicious, unclean, unjust persons, drunkards, Blasphemers; Make not the house of God as a Common Inn, that receives Guests of all sorts, and entertains all alike. The Gates of God's house are called the Gates 
Psal. 118. 19, 20.  of Righteousness; None should presume to enter into them (at least you should suffer none) but such as (in profession and endeavour) are righteous men.  
But to your Alligation from their free admission to the Passeover; To our seeming it was not so free as yours is to the Lords Table For first, some were to be Cutoff, as we read, Numb: 15. 30, 31. The soul that doth aught presumptuously, whether he be borne in the Land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord, and that soul shall be Cutoff from among his people, because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken His Commandment, that soul shall be Cutoff, his iniquity shall be upon him; Add to this, how deep the Lord Chargeth His Priests, Ezek. 44. 7, 8. Ye have not kept the Charge of mine holy things; In that ye have brought into my Sanctuary Children of a Stanger, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh. Then at the 9th verse: Thus saith the Lord God, No Stranger uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh▪ shall enter into my Sanctuary; which was a type or figure of the Spiritual Sanctuary, the Church of the living God in Gospel times; Whence it may be cleared we think, That, if some were to be Cutoff for their wickedness, and others to be kept off from the Sanctuary, as well for legal, and rather for moral uncleannesses, scandalous sins, than also were they kept off from the Passeover; Yet we think the example of Good Rulers, as to this m●tter, clears this further; They had under the Law by God's appointment, at the time of their solemn assemblies, certain Levites, that were porters, set by the Gates 
2 Chro. ●3. ●5.  of the house of the Lord, that none that was unclean in any thing should enter-in. And it Commands our mark what diligence was enjoined them in their office; The porters waited at every Gate, 
2 Ch●. 5 15.  and might not departed from their service. And hath the Lord Christ less Care of His service under the Gospel, than He had under the Law? Judge you: And take this also along with you, if please you, that you may make righteous Judgement; None that had any legal uncleanness upon them might eat the Passeover, Numb. 9 6. And may they be admitted to eat at the Lords Table, who have real uncleanness upon them? Give your judgement here also, but look up to God, and into His Scriptures before you judge. And if it please you, let the Scriptures be, 2 Chron: 30. 5. 7. They had not done it a long time in such sort as it was written. They had not done it as their first fathers did it; who had the pure truth Committed to them, and so worshipped the Lord God purely. But they had done it as their immediateforefathers, who were corrupt in their worship, and so in their practice, as these had done it so did they. Be you not like your Fathers, and like your Brethren, which trespassed against the Lord God of their Fathers, who therefore Gave them up to desolation, as you see vers. 7. This was good Counsel, if it had been taken well; But it was very ill taken, for when Hezekiah sent the posts from City to City through the Country of Ephraim, and Manasseh, with this Message, That he would have a reformation, according to the first institution or pattern, and would not have them do as their immediate forefathers had done; It is said verse 10th; That they laughed the Messengers to scorn and mocked them: What! may we not do as our Fathers have done? must we now be wiser than they? Yes, saith he, you must be wiser than they, and you must do better than they, else you will show yourselves errand fools, and utterly undo yourselves; for your fathers were stiffnecked, and did not yield themselves to the Lord to serve Him, and to do as He bade them; But they would do as pleased them, and was good in their own eyes, and so brought all this evil upon themselves: You must not do as they did, for than you must suffer as they did; whom God gave up to desolation as you see. Now read how these words wrought with some of them; not a few, the Lord by His Spirit setting them home, vers. 11. There was a Reformation in those matters, and things must be done according to their first institution. We hope it will teach you very much in point of admission to the Lords Table. And yet to set home your lesson, and to help you in your choice of fit Guests for the Lords Table. Take, in the last place, an example from Ezra, Who would have none to join with him in the Passeover, But such only as had separated themselves from the filthiness of the Heathen, and joined themselves to God's people, to seek the Lord God of Israel, Ezra 6. 21. So much to your fourth objection. You have yet more to say to justify your Do.   

SECT. V  
THat you see not why you should exclude any from the Lords Table, because how know you whether they may 
God is the only lawgiver, and we must receive the Law from His mouth. He that will please God, must shut all his own Imaginations out of doo●es, and have nothing to do with th●m. We never dishonour God more than when we take up●n u●●o serve Him o●r own way; and leaving His rule make a rule for ourselves. Mr. C: on Job 23. p. 405. Ab extra ordinario ad ordinarium non valet argumentum.  not be converted there? It is you know Mr H s: conceit, and we know you have said no less.  
To this we say, That you give us but your word for this, but give us one word from your God, and we will give you one of our eyes; Then search again for another word to prove that this sealing ordinance is converting, and give it us, and we will give you the other eye, so for two Scriptures you shall have two eyes, dear though they are to us, yet not so dear as the truth, the least jóta whereof is of more account with our God, and so with His good people, than are the visible heavens and the earth. Therefore, Sir, Mr H s: (we would rather mention his name than yours, so much we favour you) shall not put out our eyes with his conceits, now that he hath put out his own by his sensuality. He shall not abuse us as he doth the Scripture shamefully after his manner, touching the Centurion's Conversion by seeing Christ only upon the Cross: It was as miraculous and extraordinary, as was the Renting of the veil and rocks, and opening of the Graves. And he is as well able to prove, That when he last administered this ordinance, he raised dead bodies out of the Graves, as that he raised dead souls, by his administering to them the Bread and the Wine, which yet is the thing he is to prove, That Conversion, which is the raising of the soul from its grave, is wrought in this way, we mean by giving out this ordinance; It is true, The people will speak Highly of it, That they never found the Word (of God's grace) so prevailing with them, as was that, they heard delivered to them at the graves mouth, and at the Lords Table; But he that cannot see, that this is a mere delusion, and devise of Satan, and our own heart, which is blind and cannot see a far-off, and will make us believe a lie, That God will step out of His way and work extraordinarily for us, while we neglect and turn our backs upon the ordinary means, He hath appointed for the turning the heart unto Him; We shall speak more to this in another place; for the present we say only thus; That this tenet, That Sacraments do convert, scenteth strongly of Popery, and is most unsavoury, and loathsome to every good man's heart, being assured, That  
That the ●ord preached is the great Appointment of God, to bring Christ and the soul together, never to be parted again. Preaching is the Chariot, that Carrieth Christ up and down the world, here is Christ for you, who sanctifieth Himself for your sakes, That He might do for you, and in you all that was to be done, and to suffer all that was to be suffered, for the satisfying of His Father's justice, and the Completing of an everlasting Righteousness, That ye might be Complete in Him, and wholly sanctified through the Truth, and throughly furnished to every good work: Then preaching Christ Crucified is the Appointment of God for the salvation of souls; so many Scriptures give-in their evidence, that we know not how many: The dead shall hear 
John 5. ●5.  the voice of the Son of God (in the preaching of the Gospel) and they that hear (that is, believe and obey) shall live. Other sheep I have (He means us Gentiles) them also I must bring (belonging 
J●hn 10. 16. Eph. 5. 14. John 17. ●0. 2 Tim: 1. 10. 1 Co●. 18. 21. 23. & 2. 14.  to the Election of Grace) but how wilt thou bring them Lord? Thou art in Heaven and they on Earth, they shall hear my voice. The preaching which Christ bids His Ministers preach, is no other but Christ's voice, which bids the sleeper awake, and arise from the dead. It is that whereby the Spirit works faith in the soul: it is that whereby life and immortality is brought to light, through the Gospel. All the Angels in Heaven cannot convert one sinner, (it is not their office or appointment from God) But the word preached (which the wisdom of the world counts foolishness), converteth all that are converted, being that great Appointment of God for that end. It is just so with us now, dry bones, when Conversion is wrought as once it was; And as I prophesied there was a noise, and behold a shaking 
Ezek. 37. 7. 10  breath came into them, and they lived and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great Army: As then so now, and to the end of the world, life and immortality is brought to light, into our souls by the Gospel; It is the Chariot of Christ, of the Spirit of Christ, The saving knowledge, faith in Christ, and this by the preaching of the Gospel, Thereby the Spirit flows into the Heart, and all with Him: Faith the mother Grace with all her daughters all at once, and all together; While Peter yet spoke, the Holy Ghost fell on them all, which heard the Word, Acts 10. 44. 11. 15. The Case is Clear; The word preached is the Appointment of Christ to quicken the dead; The Sacrament of His body and blood is His Appointment together with His Word to maintain and quicken that life, when to sense and feeling it is in a swound and fainting away.  
This being a point of high concernment to be clear in, we crave leave to proceed farther in it in way of Answer to that may be gathered from the holy Scriptures, against what hath been last said; That the word of God where it is preached, is the only means in the Spirits hand of Conversion. And indeed (to mention it only in passage here) some Godly Ministers, as is meet for us to judge, do ascribe conversion, not to the act of receiving, as the man of your persuasion doth; (and truly, we think not one godly Minister in the world is of the same mind with you) but to the exhortations and prayers in use at that time before and after the Sacrament is administered. To this we shall speak hereafter in its proper place, where we shall tell our persuasion as to that matter. So we come to that we intent here.  
1. It is said, Rahab the Harlot had faith, and it saved her from perishing, yet living out of the Church she could not hear the 
Heb. 11. 31.  Word.  
To this it is answered by our Perkins of sweet and precious memory, That where ordinary means faileth, God can work extraordinarily, by reports and rumours, Josuah 2. 9, 10, 11.  
2. It is said Paul's conversion was without the Word; True; it was very extraordinary, immediate by the Lords own Hand, yet He would put an honour upon the word of His grace, which He hath appointed for conversion. He sent Ananias unto him, vers. 11. though the great work was done; for behold he prays. And in the next Chapter, Cornelius now converted, must send for Peter.  
3. It is said, 1 Pet. 3. 1. That the husband without the Word may be won; True; Without the word, he may be gained to come to the word, to hear it by the entreaties and persuasions of the wife frequenting the meeting place, and by her good example, and Christian carriage, adorning the word, which she had heard, she might by the blessing of God, win upon him to go along with her to the place of hearing; his body was drawn within the Church-doores without the word: but his heart could not be drawn up to God without the word, the Spirit of God and of Glory accompanying the same, which is learned Bezaes' interpretation there, the sum of it. And we conceive that we read 1 Cor. 7. 16. falls under the same construction.  
4. Before we can put a close to this, we would put a Question here, and then put it to the holy Scriptures for resolution thereunto; The Question is, Whether an holy Discipline in private houses, we mean, a godly education there, be not sufficient to turn the hearts of the Children to God, and to work in them a true actual faith?  
Before we inquire farther for resolution hereunto, we would say this first; That this ruling well his own house, having his children in subjection, with all gravity, works marveilously upon them, making such impressions upon the outward man, as that they look not as if they had been born dead in trespasses and sins, Children under wrath as well as others. We will proceed a little here to witness the honour we give to this Despised Discipline in families; surely a family well Trained, disciplined or Catechised, is a very beautiful sight; as is an Army well ordered, all and every one keeping their ranks, and doing their Duty; A rulers walk before the ruled, if according to the rule, together with his exhorting, comforting and charging every one of them, as a Father doth his children, is very winning, and gaining upon the whole family, to do as the Ruler in chief doth; he being truly and indeed religious, his very example is a command 
a G●n. 18 19 , yea a compulsion 
b Gal 2. 14.  to the ruled, so as his whole family become religious too; they give good hopes that way, at least they seem 
J●h. 24. 15. 〈…〉.  so; at the worst they oppose not, for than they know they must be no longer there; for a Ruler sits as in a Throne within his own house, and scattereth away all evil with his eyes— For the proof hereof we entreat the Reader to consult with the Scriptures in the Margin; We will note but one example of a Ruler, whose carriage was so gracious in his family, that he made not only his family, but his whole Court to be a Nursery of Religion; which may mind us what Philo Jud: speaks of Joseph, he made the Prison, where he was, a little Temple for the Spirit of God to dwell in. And indeed it must be so; He that knows how to rule his own house well, is in a good posture of spirit for public rule. The same wisdom, and justice, and holiness for kind, only more enlarged and extensive, acts in either sphere, and will regularly move in the little and the greater house. The sum is, A good Ruler, who is norma publica, is marvellously commanding for good, as an evil example is marvellously compelling to evil. Whence the complaints of our Godly Ministers in all ages, which commands our mark and our mourning.  
We will set down here our excellent Burroughs his words upon Hosea 4. 25. Woe to such parents, whose children, if ever they come to themselves, shall wish rather they had been of the generation of Dragons, and offspring of Vipers, than begotten of such parents. Add hereunto worthy Mr Burges his words; It is a woeful curse to be borne of wicked parents, from whom the Children learn only to curse, swear, lie and rob, profane opposers of God and Godliness. We will read M Baxters words also, I know none on earth, that play the 
Rest. 3. 305.  part of the Devil himself more truly than these men do; And if any thing that walks in flesh may be called a Devil, I think it is a parent that hindereth his child from salvation, being careless of his education; He goes on speaking terrible words to careless and negligent parents, as the most are, but our ears are sealed, and our consciences s●ared, we will not hear.  
And so much to assure us, that a pious education, and holy discipline doth much where ever it is, and the want of it doth much mischief; but holy Doctrine doth all, thereby the New Nature is wrought in young and old by God; whereas by holy discipline, our old nature is but painted and varnished over, which comes now to be proved when we have set down Mr baxter's 
Pag. 129. 133.  words, which seem to us to speak contrary, we will note but one passage amongst many in his book of Baptism.  
The Assembly, I told you before, that gave in their experiences about the time and manner of Gods working grace in their hearts did most give-in that it began as they thought in youth or childhood, & in very few by the Ministerial teaching. And for my own part, I think that if ever I had true actual faith, it was by the benefit of education before ever I heard a Sermon.  
We would speak three words to this (1) by way of Caution. (2) By way of supposition (3) positively or Concludingly, as we have been taught by our learned Godly Ministers.  
1. By way of caution, we would wish no man to trust that Conversion, whereof he can give no other Certificate, but that he was virticiously educated.  
2. Suppose that a parent by his holy Discipline and pious education had converted his child by the good hand of God with him; we would ask, hath he done this without the Word? It could not then be called holy Discipline, or pious education.  
3. But to speak positively, and so to conclude this point, that the word of the Lord may have in all things the pre-eminence; Education or the bringing up of a child in the Nurture and admonition of the Lord, is but the external moulding of a man, not the internal Renovation of his heart: Education fashions and frames the outside only; Conversion, if true, the inside; Education changeth the actions only; Conversion not the actions only, but the Nature also; for the effecting whereof there must be put forth an exceeding greatness of Power together with the Word; once more, and to do our Utmost to drive it home, we are borne every mother's child, like a wild Ass' Colt, we love to be free or rather dissolute; we cannot endure to be subdued to order, we would know no Law but our own lusts; nor rule but our own desire; nor be servant to any but our own will: Yet the Law of a virtuous education passing upon us we may be brought into some good order and under subjection; we may be candied over and seem more than Civil: And yet there is as vast a difference betwixt what Education doth, and the word preached doth, as there is betwixt Nature and Grace, and that is greater than between a man's Nature and a beast. Education may polish and beautify, yea and rectify Nature, put it into a pretty frame for a time; But the word preached is appointed for this very thing, to change Nature, to put it into a right frame, and to set it right for ever; To change a sinner into a Saint; To make a Believer of an Infidel. Therefore holy Cowper taking this very thing into Consideration, That the word preached is the only means of Conversion, would always as he went to Church send up this ejaculation or short prayer, Lord bow my ear that I may hear thy word, Amen. He it is, who hath an Almighty Arm, and reacheth it forth by His Spirit with his Word, and so maketh it a Converting word, that He in all things may be Glorified through Jesus Christ, To whom be Glory Praise and Dominion for ever and ever, Amen.   

SECT. VI  
IN the sixth place we have heard you say, that you have done your duty, when you have told your people theirs, and the danger of unworthy receiving, according to the tenor of those dreadful words they find written, 1 Cor. 11. 27, 28, 29, etc.  
THIS is well, but not the whole of your duty, no; nor the least part. They will not believe that there is any danger in receiving, at least, such you speak of unto them, being in your account, and upon the same score admitted to the Table, Beleivers, Disciples and Saints; why should they Question that, which you do not question? Let Turks and Pagans question those matters, and not Disciples and Saints, we mean Baptized-ones, for eo nomine etc.  
But Sir▪ it is good to be serious in these matters; as to be servant in a cold matter is no sign of Wisdom; So to b● c●ld in an hot and fervent Business be urayes folly W● mak● bold ●o put three questions to you; Th' one relating to a g●●●t Lo●d on Earth, supposing, you to be a steward in his husband le●ve you to make answer to this Lord. The other rela●ing to the L●rd of Heaven and Earth, whose servant you profess your s●lfe ●o be, and a steward in His house. The third shall be put to your own soul, and as to the other so to this make you your answer, Calling God to record upon your soul. The first  
1. Supposing you to be a steward to a great Lord on Earth; would he take it well at your hands? That you counselled yea threatened a rude and rascal Company, nasty wretches, and not worthy to enter your Lord's house, much less to approach His Table, notwithstanding in they would Come, which yet they Can not without your Connivance, and more, and sit down with Him at his Lordship's Table. Answer this matter to your Great Lord, and so we leave it.  
2. You are a servant to your great Master in Heaven, and you say, He hath made you a steward in His house. Make your Answer to Him, Questioning you at this great point; why have you been so careless what manner of persons you have admitted to my: Table? make Answer to Him, we leave this upon your thoughts also.  
3. Put it to your own Soul, Is it enough to warn Men? we cannot doubt but you have been warning proud men and covetous and hypocritical mockers, and you know whom, and yet they have Come. Doubtless, Sir, you should have restrained them from drinking a Cup of poison, and from Rushing upon their own damnation. Answer this to your own Soul, and when you are about it, Call God to record therein. Then perhaps you may tremble at Elies' doom; I will judge thy house for ever, for the iniquity thou knowest, because thy Sons made themselves vile, and thou Restrainedst them not, thou didst not bend thy brow, nor frown upon them. A good man scatters the wicked with his eye, they shall not partake of holy things, of bread ordained for Children. This shall suffice for that.— If a Lord on Earth will not take these do at your hand, will your Master in Heaven? And if your Conscience, which is as we may say the Centre of the soul, placed betwixt the understanding and the will, taking in the Result from both: If this your Conscience acquit you not, God is Greater than your Conscience, how will you Answer Him? It commandeth your serious thoughts in debateing these matters, and then to give in your Answer thereunto.  
We would remind you of this last said, thereby to Render you the more serious, That as a steward is not to do any thing, but according to the mind and will of his Lord: so nor are you in God's House, but according to the mind and will of Christ, receiving, whom He receiveth; refusing, whom He refuseth; Casting-out, whom He Casteth out: whence Paul exhorted the Romans to receive unto them the weak in faith upon this ground, Because the Lord hath received him, Rom: 14. 1, 2, 3. If it be said as a Learned man doth say; That the Oeconomy of a Prince's house is no rule for the Government of God's house, he is well answered, That surely 'tis a disgrace and dishonour to God's house to be more loosely and dissolutely ordered, than is the house of any Earthly King or Lord. And though the Oeconomy of Prince's houses, be no rule for the ordering of God's house, yet, methinks, th' ordering of God's house (the King of Kings) might be a rule or pattern (in some proportion) for the Oeconomy of Prince's houses; and should not Stewards of God's house blush? That these stewards should be more Careful about their Lord's house, which is but Earth upon Earth, than God's stewards are of His house, which is Heaven upon Earth. Rejoice ye Heavens.   

SECT. VII.  
IN the 7th place, you have this to argue for the free admission to the Lords Table: You Cannot Restrain: It is not in your power to keep them away: we, say you, and they of your way, look for orders from our Rulers: if they give us power, we shall see it executed, according as they shall prescribe.  
So then without a Civil Sanction, we may not expect Church-Reformation. Our excellent Jewel, speaks, we think, fully and not impertinently to this, as Is generally known to all the Learned in his Epistle concerning the Council of Trent; we will abstract 
To signior S●●pi●, a Gentleman in Venice p. 859, 860.  a few of his lines, though all are worthy to be heard and read of all men. Then belike, it is not lawful for any of us to believe in Christ, to profess the Gospel, to serve God aright, to fly Superstition, and Idolatry, except they (our Rulers) will give us leave: In humane Counsels it is the part of a wise man to expect the Judgement and Consent of men, But in matters divine God's word is all in all; The which so soon as a Godly man hath received, he presently yields and submitteth Himself; He is not wavering nor expecting others: He understandeth that he is not bound to give ear to (the dictates of men) the Pope or Counsel, but to the will of God, whose voice is to be obeyed, though all men say nay. If, at the first, Christ and His Apostles had stayed for a (Civil Sanction) or Council, when had their sound gone out unto all Lands?— This is to our seeming very applicable to our purpose and may answer this your plea for a Civil Sanction from the Ruler, thereby to empower you, to keep off the grossly, obstinately affectedly ignorant persons, those sons and daughters of belial (that castoff Christ's yoke) from approaching the Lords Table. If the Rulers would give you power, you would do it. Possibly he may be such an one, that is afraid to hedge-in the Sacrament, and to make it inaccessible to the scandalous and profane; or to settle a faithful and searching Minister in the place he lives in, who will, if he will approve himself faithful, make a difference, between the precious and the vile; for than he knows, he shall but make thereby a rod (of Discipline) for himself to drive himself forth from that sacred Assembly. Therefore a Godly Minister is not to wait the Ruler's pleasure, or a Civil Sanction, as we suppose.  
But we crave leave to ask: do not you derogate much from 
Alas that a duty should be to be done, but none found to do it; a power but non to act it; keys but no hand to hold them, Mr. S●nders, p. 83.  the power your Lord Christ hath given you, and entrusted you with? and from the Authority of His word? Is not that sufficient to bear you out in the ordering matters in God's house as Stewards there? All power is given to Me in heaven and in earth, go ye therefore etc. If the Ruler will do his uttermost for your help in these matters, moving orderly, and in his sphere; And having the Interest of Christ full in his eye, he shall do well, and his work shall be accepted; But if he forbear, be it at his peril. You know your duty, Blessed are you if you do it: You serve a Good Master able to bear you out, if so be you order thing; according to His mind and rule of His word. All power is His originally, and all yours is His derivatively, lay out all for Him which you have received from Him, and fear not the face of the Magistrate, supposed setting himself against you, you have power over him as a Steward in God's house; he none over you in reference to these sacred administrations, as the Church's records, rather the sacred Scripture tells you. And you may be pleased to remember this for your great Comfort; If through grace, you endeavour to order matters by the rule of God's word: God will not be mastered by His own gifts, nor make derivative power, too strong for original power: But blessed be God, ye have no excuse here, the powers on Earth, at present, are for you, give encouragement to you. Yet that there may be no mistake here about these two great hands, through which the great God conveyeth so much good to his people, Magistrates and Ministers, we crave leave to add a little more; The Donatists did ask, as we have heard, what had the Emperor to do with the Church? To whom it was answered, That the Emperor could not rule the Commonwealth, except he governed the Church, for the Church is a Commonwealth. So then, The ordering the matters of Religion belongs to the Care of the Civil Ruler: But then we must note There are two things in Religion; first intrinsecall within the Church, as to preach, Administer the Sacraments, and to ordain Ministers, these he ought not to do. But for those things, which are without, those belong unto him; He is to see others do their duty, and Correct them that do it not: He ought to set all ag●eing, and to reform abuses, but not to meddle with things within the Church aforesaid, as to execute the same, but 
Read Dr Ow●n his Sermon upon Dan: p. 30. & 49, 51, 52, 53.  to oversee and govern their executions; and those persons, whose proper office it is to execute them. O it is a stately sight to behold that excellent and sweet harmon● in state, where the Magistrate and Minister meet amiably, conspireing together, who shall do most at the setting up of the Kingdom of Christ, and carrying on His interest through the Nation. The truth is, The Lord Christ hath been little beholding, to most Rulers; that have lived upon Earth, and He hath taken as little care of them, as they took little care of His honour. Yet in those seirce and perilous times, when the Rulers set themselves against the Lords Christ: There were those and not a few, who in the power of His might set themselves in the Gap for Him, beareing up against all the power of the Adversary, despising it and laughing it to scorn. And Luther was one of these in former times (not to mention any more, nor the Worthies of the Lord in our late perilous times,) In regard of my person, said he, I'll fall down before any: But in regard of the Truths of Christ, which I administer, I look on the Kings of th' Earth as Nitts or Crumbles of dust, (so he wrote to our Henry the 8th) For a Minister that is faithful in the execution of his office (as said our holy Shepherd) what ever humane weakness there is in him, what ever power there is in others yet he is therein above Churches, Kings or Angels. But Blessed be God, at this day, the powers on Forth are for you, ye may be as holy as ye will, as to the performing the whole service of your Ministry: Your Lord hath given you power all-sufficient; And He instruct you to sound discretion how to make a Blessed advantage thereof to His Glory and His Churches good: Amen.  
Yet we cannot come off from this common plea which is pleaded by all the herd that have M His: for their Leader; We have no power to keep any how wicked soever, from the Lords Table, say they; we would entreat these men to call to remembrance, what the Lord saith touching the sanctifying Himself upon horrible sinners, in case the Rulers did not We apply it to this in hand, 
Levit. 20. 4.  If men to whom the Lord hath given Authority to reprove, censure, and excommunicate wicked men (from communicating at His Table at the least) either dare not, or will not do it; I'll take the matter into My own Hand, I'll do it saith the Lord. And hath not He, with whom is terrible Majesty, hath He not done it? hath He not executed terrible wrath upon these unworthy Receivers at His Table? One falls from an house, breaks his bones, perhaps; his neck; A second from a tree, or horse; A third is hurled into the Waters; A fourth is suffered to run his own way, and so to cut-off himself in the midst of his days; A sift is his own executioner; A sixth, and he is many, these are la●d in the lap of their own lusts, and now being past feeling give themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness; joined to their Idols, and let alone; And hath the Lord dealt less severely with the Stewards of His house, who have dealt so unbecoming stewards there? Some He hath thrust-out. And those that, through favour hold-in for a time, Is not a visible sword upon their arm, (their power is broken) and upon their right eye their understanding is darkend. The unfaithful Steward, the Idol-Shepheard shall be like an Idol, having eyes but se●ing not; He was before a blind S●er sinfully; and ●ow he is a blind Se●r judicially. O the dreadful ways the Lord takes in the exercise of excommunication! He that inwardly excommunicates His own dear children, as their sins may deserve, and casts them out of His presence (to use the words of that excellent Divine Dr Goodwin) 
Child of Light p. 137.  will He spare these, who dare outface him at His own Table (prepared for His own people, followers of Him as dear Children) rushing-in thither to receive that with their hands, which they blaspheme with their tongues, and trample under with their feet; and would deal as despitefully with His blessed person now in Glory, as once their forefathers did deal with Him, when He tabernacled in our flesh, and was on earth amongst them: will He spare these or those Ministers, Stewards in His house, that suffer a brutish sottish people so to do, alleging for themselves (but will their allegation be accepted) their Lord put a key into their hands, but they found neither hand nor heart to use it; because the Ruler, forsooth, did not Commission them so to do: Commission them! A Ruler, as we suppose, exceeds the bounds of his Commission, for which he will have no thanks from his God, if he shall Commission the Stewards in God's house, how to manage God's matters there; We are taught from the Scriptures of God, and from them, that hold thetherto; That in these cases, which relate to God's house, and those sacred administrations there; The Minister rather prescribeth the Magistrate, than he the Minister; He, the Minister of Christ, rather gives orders to him, than receives orders from him. Therefore to proceed to a close of this; Will the Lord spare these Stewards in the day when they must give an account of their Stewardship, who knew not the extent of their power, and therefore cannot know their duty to do it; their power and their duty being of equal length? We will conclude in David's words, My flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgements.   

SECT. VIII.  
IN the next place, we have heard that much if not most of all the evils of these times, is Charged upon the non-admission to the sealing ordinance; And yourself have not been silent this way.  
This Charge is most unworthy a Minister of Christ; for the contrary thereunto is most true; God is disquieting of us now; He is visiting upon us the horrid Contempts offered to His word; The horrible profanations of His day; The abominations He hath found committed in His house, as to those sacred administrations there. And these are, as we have just cause to fear, but the beginning of our sorrows, The first drops of wrath coming; The Lord God will be prodigal of our blood, because we have been so prodigal of His Son's blood, giving it to, or rather casting it away upon those, who cannot but, like swine, trample it underfoot. Prov: 27. 7. These, you know, are Calvin's words. Son of man, Seest thou what abominations are Committed in My house? I have sworn by the excellency of Jacob (by Himself) saith the Lord— for you read it every where. Indeed that Bellua multorum capitum, we beastlike people, we say as much with those rebellious and stubborn ones, or much after their manner, Jer: 44. 17. It was never better with us, then when we had our Service-booke, our Easter Communions etc. But should not you answer us even as Jeremy did; Did not the Lord remember these things, and Came they not into His mind? So that the Lord could no longer bear, because of the evil of their do, and because of the abominations, which they had Committed.  
But with your patience, Sir, Give us leave to ask you Concerning the place where you were borne, and whereunto you wish so well, and the Good of those souls is the Travel of yours; how find you the people there? If they be as bad, as who are worst, than it is not because they are barred from the Font, or the Lord's Table; for there you know the veriest varlet in the Town, (if there be any such which perhaps you question) may have admittance with his Children to Baptism; and, if he please may come at the day appointed to the Lords Table, as freely as you may come to an Inn, and set up your beast in the stable; And if you were questioned about your own Town, where you give freedom enough to these  places, the Font, and the Table, for you are of M● His: persuasion; We believe you could speak little of the good you have wrought among them, by indulging that liberty to bring their Infants to Baptism, and anon after themselves to the Lords Table, ignorant though they are some of them, whom ye so freely admit, as is ignorance itself. Nay, Sir, to tell you our faith in these matters, we verily believe, That Ministers generally all over the Nation, having mightily obstructed their Gospell-worke in the Conversion of Sinners, by suffering them to Come to the Table of the Lord, there to receive Christ in the bread and wine, before they could give any evidence they had received Him by the word of hearing; we mean, by the preaching of the Gospel: You suffer them to step-over the Converting ordinance, and admit them to the sealeing ordinance, and now you may preach till your lungs are spent, and do no good among them. Indeed this is our faith, and which relating to such things, that are the highest concernments of God's Glory, and good of His people, we may not keep in to ourselves. The great work and business of preaching is, you know, to bring Christ and the soul together; To call them in, who are without; then to confirm and strengthen them being brought in. Now you should, (it is our faith) wait God's time till this be done; till He hath, by His Word and Spirit gathered a Church out of a Church (we know this sounds harshly in your ears, but why should it so) till He hath gathered His Church out of your Church (since you make it as wide as the little world in England) till He hath taken them out of the world, and added them to His Church, set them in a safe 
* Act ●. 4●. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  sure and  state, fa●t upon their Rock Christ, as Mount Zion, fast for evermore. Do you go on now to do your work, preach the Gospel, and leave the Rest to God, patiently waiting His time. But in the mean time, you shall never make us believe, had you the tongue of an Angel, That wicked and unreasonable men (for they have no faith, which is the reason of the soul) are the worse, because they are denied, the Seals of the Covenant; But much worse (which may be) because they are admitted to partake of those before their time; for as once it was, so it is now, together with the bread and wine, 
John 13. 2. & 29. 30.  the Devil enters them too, and now see them in their walk, and you see Devils incarnate; no difference in their walk, for as they see him do, so do they, only they have flesh and bones, so hath not he.   

SECT. IX  
IN the 9th place, and so to tell you all that hath been, to our best remembrance, told us, thereby to justify your do in God's house, as to the handing forth those sacred things there, If the people may not be suffered to come to the Lord's Table to receive there, as they express it, They will not come to the place of hearing to receive the word there, drive them from th' one place, and they le drive you from th' other; or, if that they cannot do, they will not come at you; or, if they do come, they will cast your pearls, whereof you are dispensers, the word of God, or Counsels thereof, behind their backs, they will not hearken to you. 
Mat. 7. 6.   
To this we would reply these four things, and first by way of Question.  
1. How would this have sounded in the Apostles ears, Commissioned by their Lord to preach unto the Heathen, should these Heathen have said to the Apostles, If ye will not Baptise us first, we will hear none of your preaching; We say, how would this have been taken by the Apostles, supposed those Heathen had spoken unto them these words? Verily, for so it seems to u● the Heathen people now adays, speaking after the rate of those words, before suggested, speak the very same thing; And how unreasonable and wicked they show themselves to be in so speaking, is left upon your thoughts, with this earrest request, that your thoughts may be serious.  
2 We think it will be granted, That the Gospel is the greatest Treasure or Talon of price, that can be entrusted with the Children of men, It is that, which listeth up a people, (whether ye speak of a Nation, or a man only, we allude to that in Job) as High as heaven. It is the rod of His p●wer, the sceptre of His 
●ob 34. ●●  Kingdom, the grand Instrument (we will borrow that excellently Learned man's words) whereby He accomplisheth all His 
〈…〉  designs in the world, whether they be for life or for death, 2 Cor. 2. 16. He hath given that a right to take possession in His Name, and authority of all that He will own in any Nation under heaven. Now if this be rejected by us, we will have none of it, unless upon our own terms, and order of our own appointment, give us the Body and Blood of Christ first; As if we would say, give us the seals of the Covenant, but for the Covenant itself (opened unto us in the Gospel) we will have none of that. We were saying, If the Gospel of the Grace of God be put away, 
Acts 20. 24. Acts 1● 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Ma●h. 21. 41.  and driven with all our might from us, as that, which is most loathed by us, or hateful to us, we shall be miserably destroyed anon, as those despisers, for we are pointed at there—.  
But vestra res agitur You know your Lord's order, how tender He is of it, and the judgement that is written shall be their portion, who will remove the bounds, that you may not do like them. Ye can take it into your Consideration, and put it upon ours, That if This Rich Talon, we called the Gospel, so laded with pearls, be not used and improved first; no other Talon can; nor can we expect any other Talon given to us (in mercy) no more than we can another Gospel.  
For the Lord doth not say as we foolishly may dream, and do according as we have dreamt; The man hath not improved his Talon, nay he hath abused it: What though, give him another Talon; No, Take therefore the Talon from him, and give 
Math 25. 28.  it unto him which hath ten Talents. The only wise God will not do as His unwise Stewards do (if He will own them for His) as to Gospel's Administrations: The man hath denied renounced his Baptism, being abominable and to every good work reprobate; What though, Admit him to the Lords Table notwithstanding. We will close with this, and so come to the next. Till the Word hath prevailed with us, nothing can, till that hath done us good, nothing shall. While the word of Christ is trod underfoot in the hearing place, so is the sacred Blood, represented at His Table: We cannot reject Him at one place, and receive Him at another; our souls are as full here as there; and therefore cannot but loathe, trample-upon Christ that honeycomb 
Prov. 27. 7.  there, as here, as at th' one place of hearing, so at th' other of Receiving. Therefore  
3. Be not you careful about this, whether we will hear or whether we will forbear; Preach the word, be instant, in season, 
2 Tim. 4. 2.  out of season, reprove, rebu●e, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine; This is your Charge from the Lord, And be you assured you shall never make us attend with the ear, giving all Diligence, till you have bored the ear; And to bore the ear you have no other means for it but to preach the word, thereby to make us obedient in word and in deed. Do not Entertain such a thought as this, but show yourselves men. (1) That we can be brought into Love with the Gospel, or to receive the Gospel in love, by giving us admittance to receive at the Lords Table; What can we receive there more than at our own Table, unless it be a Curse, having not received Christ in the Gospel first? (2) That we can be brought over to Christ by any other ways or means, but what are of His own appointing, for His blessing accompanies those means, as doth His Curse those presumers, who think to compass their Ends by means they have shaped, without the least shape of reason, according to their own understanding, most contrary to God's word, and an abhorring to His Spirit: Therefore if you have the least hope to prevail with men, prevail with God first by prayer, That you may take the way He Himself, hath by His Word and Spirit paved forth before you; for be you well assured, He will not go out of His own road way to meet with you or your people in your bypaths. In the last place,  
4. And to reply a word from the Lord to those stout words mentioned at the beginning, They will drive away the Word from them, and the Preachers of the Word, if they will not suffer them to receive at the Lords Table.  
Hear we what the Lord saith to these, I will cast them away as Rubbish, filth, and dirt is cast away: So He saith by His Prophet, My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken 
Hosea 9 17.  unto Him; such as will not hearken to the word of God, God 
Read Mr. Ca●yl upon Job 8. 20. p. 124. Psal. 50. 16.  will cast away; why? They cast God away, when they cast the word of God away. They cast the Covenant behind their backs, while they hate Instruction; No wonder God casteth them behind His back (a dreadful place for our persons, but a glorious place for our sins) For the wickedness of their Do, I will drive them out of My house. They that drive, shall be driven with the Tempest of the Lord, as the Thistle-downe, dried stubble, parched leaves or chaff before the whirlwind. God will drive them out of doors, when they drive His Truth out of their hearts, for they would drive it out of His house, And the God of Truth out of the world. What they cannot possibly do, they will endeavour what possibly they can to do. A good Minister will drive these from the Lords Table too, they shall not come near that, till it can be made to appear, The word of God's Grace hath come near to them, and set them in their right mind. So we have Concluded from Scripture premises, and so proceed.   

SECT. X.  
10 IN the last place, we crave leave to tell you our Jealousy as to these matters, and we entreat you to account it a godly jealousy, which is this, That there is somewhat more prevails with you to give such, free Admission, as aforesaid, than all those nine Reasons, you have given us before, and this is it (to tell you our Jealousy) when it pleased God to reveal His Son in you (such is our hope) that you might preach Him among the 
〈…〉  Heathen (truly we mean, for we must be plain in these matters, we call a spade a spade) your Beleivers, Disciples, and Saints (heathen they are as you heard and worse, till your preaching is come unto them in power) have not you with your Brethren, conferred at least with flesh and blood, what way you are to take with your people in point of Admission to the Font and Lords Table? You must Answer this to God, sigh you are Stewards in His house, and should know how to behave yourselves there (with regard enough to that holy guile which is allowed you) for certainly to Him you must make Answer. We humbly in the fear of our Lord tell you our Jealousy; For this we know (we are flesh and blood too) persecution is a very sore thing to the flesh, and therefore all its care, desire, and endeavour is how to Escape it; Now there is no way for a man, that will live godly in 
2 Tim 3. 12.  Christ Jesus to escape it, if he will avoid it, he must as to that particular Cease to be Godly, and so he Confers with flesh and blood; and taking that for the man of his Counsel, he must choose 
●ob 26. 21  iniquity rather than affliction. It is our Godly Jealousy, that you and your. Godly Brethren in the same way with you, have Conferred too much with flesh and blood about those sacred administrations, and so to avoid persecution, have done as ye do, given free admission as aforesaid; If you did not as you do, you should anger the best men in your Parish, as they are in account among us now adays: and so you should have their purses shut, and their mouths wide open against you, like Cannons mounted; This is sore to flesh and blood, and therefore Consulting with it; it will direct you another way, to save itself from persecution; give their Children Baptism, and themselves the Lords Supper; and all shall ●e well, their purses shall be opened and their mouths shut, unless open to bless and pray for you, dealing so kindly with them; but take heed of their blessing you, and your blessing yourself in such a way with them: and you may remember this with it, That some men's Cursing are as good as their blessings, and you shall prosper better under them; To put a close to this, This is our persuasion from what we see and hear; should the Gospel come to us like an Angel, with a sword in his hand, and with fire in its mouth to kill our lusts and consume them utterly, yet we should never be troubled about it, no nor regard it in the least, If our Minister would give us the Lords Supper, before this kill work were done; what he did in the Pulpit, he would undo all at the Table; If he would preach hell to us from th'one place, we would take heaven to us at th'other; he shall never make us believe, That we are heathen and worse; not, that we are all Children of wrath, and are every day and hour of the day damneing our souls, while we are treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath; he shall never make us believe this, while he puts a Cup of Blessing into our hands. And yet if he doth not thus, he shall be the white and mark for wrath & envy to shoot all their arrows against you, which flesh and blood cannot endure; yet do not Confer with it (it is our Jealousy, ●e do) ye shall never please God then, nor your people for their good to Edification. It is the greatest enemy we have in the world, the Devil and Satan himself not excepted; ye are no debtors to the flesh, and own it nothing but mortification, as ye tell your people we hope. Well thus we judge of the Holy way, and blessed are they that walk in it; flesh and blood must never be Consulted with about it, it is an adversary, yea a torment to it, as the holy way is an adversary to the flesh, and a Torment to the same.  
Thus we have heard you argueing, the affirmative for free admission to the Lords Table, you will allow us the same patience while we argue the Negative, That this free admission to the Lords Table so ordinary amongst us is not according to the mind of God, and prescript of His word, holding forth our Rule before us, and thus we Argue it.    

CHAP. III.  

SECT. I.  
THey are not to be admitted to feast at the Lords Table, who turn their backs upon the feast of the Gospel: we mean thus; They must not be suffered to Come to 
T●●t feast to which sinners are invited, is one●● the declaration of the Word and mind of God in the Gospel; The word of grace i● the greatest feast which God makes his people, Mr Ca●yl upon Job 23. p. 411.  the Lords Table, there to receive Christ Jesus the Lord in the bread and wine, who reject Him and make light of Him in the tenders and offers of the Gospel; We ground this upon those known Scriptures, whereon we shall dwell a little, Math: 22. 2.  
Luk: 14. 16. where we have the Lord of Heaven and Earth, the King of Glory intending to His Church and people the highest preferment, that is imaginable. He will give His Son, the Heir of the Kingdom to be His Bridegroom. Now because there is a marvellous disproportion, as her present Case is, betwixt this Bridegroom and the Bride, as vast a disproportion as is betwixt Heaven and Earth, yea we may say Heaven and hell: and at as huge a distance they stand too, This Bridegroom and this intended Bride, as heaven and hell do, and such a gulf betwixt them. Beside all this, This intended Bride is a very ill-favoured and froward piece, and as proud as she is uncomely, and as wilful also as will itself; and, as sure as death, she will refuse life, she will have none of the match; He shall not be her Bridegroom; who then? Any but He; and the truth is (but nullum tempus occurrit Regi) The Lord of time may take His own time, and when He pleaseth) she hath made her own choice and is married already, and wondrously she is satisfied in her match: But now here's much to do, first to break this match, and make it null, then to make it an abhorring to her soul, that she was so hasty, carried-on so headlong in the business of so high Concernment, and then to make her fit and prepared for her Bridegroom; then to give her free and full and hearty consent to Come together, never to be parted more. Now to effect all this God the Father maketh a sumptuous and glorious feast like Himself, the Lord of glory, wherein He holds forth to the world the abundant riches of grace and of glory by His Son Jesus Christ. And this we doubt not to call the feast of the Gospel, whereby this Bridegroom maketh love to His Bride, That shall be; and, because He is too high and stately, yea and too glorious too, to woe in His own person, besides that His terror would make her afraid, 
Prov. 9 3.  He hath His Para-nymphs and spokesmen for Him, who are His Maidens, Ministers, and Preachers of His Gospel. And this we take to be the scope of this Parable, which you know, Nihil probat ratione circumferentiae, sed tantum ratione Centri, we must observe whereat it drives, and wherein it Centres: And we take in two rules here first: for the sensing of parables and similitudes; and then one thing, which is spoken against the arguing therefrom.  
1. We observe their true scope and intendment, and not to 
In il●is quae metaphori●è dicuntur, non oportet accipere similitudine ●● secundum omnia.  wrench and tenter it beyond that; which, were against the Rule, we not angariari parabolam, in Compelling it to go farther than it would.  
2. What things are spoken of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of men, are to be understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a sense becomeing God; now in the third place.  
3. We would take off an objection here before we proceed to our Argument drawn from this Parable, That there is no argueing 
Theologia Symbolica non est argumentativa. Dr. Owen. p. 440.  from Parables, Similitudes are not argumentative; True; saith that excellent man, Similitudes argue not, beyond th'extent of that particular wherein their nature, as such, doth consist. The intendment of Christ in every parable is warily to be observed; Therefore, though a Learned man, Aquinas himself, as we have heard, hath said as aforesaid, and better Divines than he; yet by his leave and their favour, we think the speech is neither Logical, nor Theological, that is, as we are told neither good Logic, nor good Divinity: Not good Logic, for Comparata etiam ficta arguunt, and if they do argue, than they are argumentative and prove something, as sure as operating is working; Nor Good Divinity for if all Scripture be profitable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
2 Sam. 12. 1, 2  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for doctrine and reproof, then Symbolica also arguing by parables: If not, why would Christ and some Prophets 
2 Tim. 3. 16.  before Him, and John th' Apostle after Him, delight so much in Symbols and parables, if they were not doctrinal, and argumentative; These things we thought necessary to premise before we could argue from the Scriptures; first to clear the sense of them, and what their scope is, and that we have good warrant to argue from them; and secondly, to make it clear that Mr H s: is clear beside the scope; when he will have the feast there to be solemnised at the Lords Table, belike because Luke calleth it a Supper, so wise a man he is, and so rational a scholar in divine matters: for he will have the invitation be as general, come ye all to the Lords Table. But now he will contradict himself, and speak against his own experience. He invites all, and admits all to the Lords Table, and who refuseth to Come? But there the bulk of the Jews mane light of the feast, and their invitation to it, and went their way, they all with one Consent (saith Luke) made their excuse, they had matters of more Concernment, as they thought, than that feast We read also how despitefully they used the servant sent to Call them in; It is certainly the feast of the Gospel, that meets with such opposition; and as certain it is That none of us Gentiles will Comein to This feast neither, to receive Christ there, till we see need of Him; and that He hath no need of us; for we are in our own eye●, being Convinced thereof by the Word and Spirit, poor, maimed, halt and blind; or if 
Luke 14. 21. Revel. 3. 17.  you please, wretched, miserable and naked; being Convinced that such we are, In we come then, and not till then, before thus Convinced. Thus we stand out contradicting and Blaspheming, and dealing as despitefully with the Lords Messengers now as once they did: But you find it not to be so with the Guests you invite to the Lords Table who refuseth to Come? or who deals despitefully with you, inviting them to Come? we can name hundreds of those, we think, thousands, who deal despitefully with the Lords Messengers, that will not suffer them to Come to the Lords Table; while they Contradict and blaspheme Christ offered them in the Gospel. And so having cleared our way, the sense and scope of this Parable, we argue from it against this free admission to the Lords Table.  
That they who turn their backs upon Christ offered to them in the Ministry of the Gospel must not be admitted to Communion at the Lords Table. We take this to be so clear to every one that hath not put out his own eyes, nor is blinded with light, that to argue it further were to hold a Candle before the Sun. Yet this more we will say; They that tread His most precious blood underfoot tendered unto them in the Gospel, will deal with Him as swine like offered unto them at His Table; not possible they should reject Him at one place and receive Him at another, They go from the place of hearing full of themselves, they go as full to the place of receiving; Then it must needs follow, that they loathe the honeycomb, they trample it underfoot, 
Prov. 27.  as in the one place so in th' other.  
You will say, how do we know that? we are to hope well of all men; they come to the place of hearing.  
We answer you to that in another's words, to one that said he kept his Church, so may your dog too: Yea but we hear, so may your dog too, a sound. Truly Sir, this is not our English, though yet we allow it, knowing it to be a truth; Alas, Sir, you know they were in the hearing place, and they were hearing, while they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulders, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear; Yea they made etc. 
Zach. 7 11. 12  They did not shut the ear against audience, but they did shut the heart against Obedience; hearing in Scripture account is obeying, is believing, if we obey not what we hear, we are not said to hear, as you know it is clearly made out to us from John 5. 37. & 8. 47. by our Lords own testimony; And truly, Sir, you must, (if there be a must) to do your duty, examine your people at this point, whether they have, through their ears, received Christ into their hearts, before you admit them to the Lords Table? But we may Contribute more to this hereafter, only this we have cleared in the (1) place against this your free admission to the Lords Table, That they, (and they are the Greatest number) must not have admittance thither, that have refused Christ, yea rejected Him in the Ministry of the Gospel; for why should those tremenda mysteria be so profaned? why should those be be dealt with swinelike by swinish men? worse than if trampled underfoot in the face of the Congregation.   

SECT. II.  
WE argue from the Covenant of Grace and mercy by Jesus Christ, that He will be a God and a Father unto us, very gracious for His Son's sake. And that we may argue it more Clearly, we should give our minds to Consider, That there is an height and depth, and length and breadth of grace, love and mercy in this Covenant of God with us. It is that, which the Saints have laid up (to use excellent Preston's words, whereby he yet speaketh) for the foundation of all their Comforts: It hath been the Corner Stone, upon which the Saints have been built from the beginning of the world to this day. There is no ground we have to believe we shall be saved; no ground to believe any promise of God shall be made good unto us; that we shall have the price of the high Calling of God in Jesus Christ, and those Glorious riches of the inheritance prepared for us in Him; we say there is do ground at all but on this Covenant. All that our Ministers teach us from day to day are but Conclusions of this Covenant, they are built upon this, God hath made a Covenant, with us in Christ, and we are in Covenant with Him. He is our God in Christ, and we His people through Him, and have access to Him by one Spirit. Now hence we argue, THEY THAT ARE who●y ignorant of all this, and will be so, turning their backs upon the means of God's appointment, whereby to make known this Covenant to the Children of Men, and say in their heart (the language whereof the Scripture speaketh) We have made a Covenant with Hell, and with death are we at an agreement; these manner of persons thus sottish and brutish as we have heard, have nothing to do with the Seals thereof. But thus sottish and brutishly ignorant are they, for whom no other plea can be made for their admission to the Lords Table, but that they were borne in England, and Baptised there; This therefore is our faith, as to this point of admission, That it is the duty of every faithful Minister of Christ well and throughly to examine their people what knowledge they have of this Covenant, at lest what breathe they have after it, and to make out their interest to it in the conscionable use of the means appointed by God for that Glorious end before they Give, admission to the Lords Table, or Bring their Children to Baptism. In our Earthly matters, as Conveyances of Land, houses, and the like, we know how bootless it were for us to have nothing to show for our rights and just title to them, but a Seal without a writing, or a Covenant without a Seal; And whereas it is said, we open the Covenant to the people, and so we discharge our duty, and leave them to examine themselves at that point, for so they are Commanded; But let a man, i. e. every man examine himself, and so let him eat. 
1 C●● 11. 28.  This presupposeth that, which is most false, saith Learned Beza; That all are able, diligent and willing to examine themselves, and so upon that supposition to be admitted to the Lords Table. We will defer this to another place, where we shall find this very Scripture assured us, That ignorant persons are no 
〈◊〉 Bez.  more to be admitted to the Lords Table, than are Children or madmen. So we leave this, taking it fully proved, that they who are wholly ignorant what the Covenant is, or what it meaneth, are not to have admission to receive the signs and seals thereof; or as our little Catechism hath it, They that have no inward Grace, cannot tell what to make of the outward sign.   

SECT. III.  
THey are not to be admitted to the Lords Table, who cannot possibly receive any thing there but bare Elements bread and wine, they cannot receive profit by it, not having faith to mingle with it; faith is a necessary ingredient in every Service we do perform to God, or to our own Souls; The word spoken to us profits not unless we mingle it with faith. The word 
Heb 4. 2.  spoken out from us, The word of prayer prevails not without faith, It is like a Gun discharged without a Bullet, which makes a noise, and doth no execution. So in receiving at the Lords Table, if we do not put out the hand of faith, we receive no more there than at our own Table; faith is to the soul, what the eye, ear, mouth, hands, feet are to the body; No Spiritual good comes into our souls till Faith by the Word and Spirit comes in and fetcheth it in; And no good can come forth, till faith puts it forth, be it word or deed; If faith be not wrought in us, the Spirit and Word hath had no work upon us; for that is the first grace in the order of time, and to our apprehension faith comes in first, and draws all other graces after it, it enliveneth and quickeneth the soul, it is the Spring of spiritual life in us; it is the first grace of all; it is set down in stead of all, and indeed so it is. If we have faith, if we can believe nothing is impossible to us, to do or to suffer, when God calls us thereunto; It was a Sad time with the Thessalonians, and Paul was sadded at it, and feign would he know how the case stood with them, specially how it fared with their faith, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, 
1 Thes: 3.  and when good tidings were brought us of your faith, we were exceedingly comforted: for I know full well so long as you stand fast in the faith, ye shall stand like Mount Zion in the world, an everlasting foundation maugre all the powers and policies of Hell-Gates wide open against you. To open this a little and to proceed in it, Because indeed it is the very hinge upon which all shall turn; When the holy Spirit comes in to the soul, conveyed in thither by the word (the Spirit the Hand of God and Christ. His Vicar or Agent here on Earth, does nothing in an ordinary way without the word, The word can do nothing without the Spirit, it bringeth all at once along with Him; All Spiritual things needful to Salvation; And that the soul may take fast hold on them, and appropriate them to Himself, saying, all these are mine. The Spirit with the Word (for He will not work alone as the Word cannot) works faith there, and faith works up the soul to Christ, for it is the Spirits working.) It's chief and main object. And now draws or sucks from that Breast of Consolation all that is , suitable, satisfactory, and most pleasant to her. But this is the thing. Faith looks first to Christ, the person of Christ, the fountain, the Springhead, the Treasury, the mine of Gold. Faith looks to the person of Christ first, it knitts the soul to Him, than it looks to all the good things we have by Him, a world of good things in Him, a world of good things from Him, All that tends to Grace and Glory: Yet it is the person of Christ, that the soul of a Christian principally looks to. The whole word of God, all the divine truths therein revealed, are the object of faith to direct, order and sway our lives; But yet these are not the object of faith, when we look for peace, for Consolation, for forgiveness of sins, and reconciliation with God; Then faith looks to Christ fixedly, wholly, solely.  
These things being premised we return to our Argument.  
First, They that have not received faith (the Gift of God 
Faith is the Mother Grace, where that is in Truth, there is true knowledge, unfeigned live, and Gospel's Repentance, The graces required in every true Communicant. John 20.  sent unto us by the hand of the Spirit with the word) can perform nothing pleasing to God, nor can they receive any thing from God, but a Cup of wrath; if they continue faithless and unbeleiving, They have not received Faith, no not by all those means appointed by God as Conduit-pipes to convey faith and every Grace unto them; they have not received faith, true saving faith, they cannot receive Christ, a true and saving Christ, a King and Prophet to Rule, govern, and teach them, and a Priest to save and Redeem them (a false Christ and he is many, they may Receive by a false faith) they must have a true faith, before they can receive a true Christ, with all the benefits of His bloodshed for them; a true faith leads them unto this storehouse or Treasury; brings them up to this fountain opnod for sin and uncleanness; lays the soul in that Jordan, cleanseth and washeth it there, bids it wash and be clean, bids it drink and be drunken 
Cant. 5. 1. Eph. 5. 18.  with wine, whereof is no excess, i. e. be abundantly satisfied. But without faith none of this can be, It being the very bucket, the mouth of the soul. So that a man coming without faith to the Lords Table, is like a vessel cast into an Ocean of waters, that hath no mouth to let any-in: So then without faith, without Christ, and then Aliens to the Commonwealth of Israel, and Strangers from the Covenant of promise, having no hope (well set and settling) and without God in the world. Now are these to be admitted to the Lords Table, persons without faith, and then without any saving grace, for faith is first in order of nature? Answer this to God, see if He will accept of your reply, which we may hear anon. We proceed,  
Secondly, They that have no faith are not to be admitted to the Lords Table, not only because they receive nothing there, but because they fearfully profane the Holy things there; They have no knowledge of those things, none at all; and none they look after, their soul is not good, it is stark naught, as dark 
Prov. 19 2.  as a Dungeon, for what should enlighten it; as noisome and loathsome as an open Sepulchre, or a vessel wherein is no pleasure, 
Prov. 13. 5.  for what should discover this their filthiness to them, that they may appear such in their own eyes? that do not believe, 
Rom 15. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  are disobedient, rebellious, imperswadable ones, unreasonable and wicked men, that is the Apostles Character of them; and he makes clear proof of it in these words they have no faith. Are 
2 Thes. 3. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  they at the Lords Table? they are out of place sure, as a swine is when he is in the Parlour; absurd men, so Erasmus Englisheth it, though Beza liketh it not: Quod mihi quidem absurdum videtur. But our Learned Reinolds liketh it well. The Apostle saith he calleth men without Faith Absurd men, because it is an unreasonable and sottish thing for a workman to be without his chiefest Instrument, and that is universally requisite to every one of his works; a husbandman without a plough, or a builder without a rule, preacher without a Bible, or a Christian without faith, are things equally absurd and unreasonable. What reason have we to plead for those unreasonable men to be admitted to the Lords Table, more than we have for the admitting of swine into our Parlour? unclean ones will make all things like themselves, as unclean too, to themselves we mean.  
Thirdly, Persons that have no faith are not to be admitted to the Lords Table, because they cannot show the Lord's death there. 
1 Cor. 11. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Scripture Mr. H●: hath corrupted af●er his manner with his gloss.  It is a grave and a weighty word that we English show, and we would rather leave it to you to unfold to your people, wh●ch may require one house's work But in a word, a worthy receiver, that brings faith with him, he doth with all thanksgiving and praise show forth the excellencies of Christ, and the Glorious benefits of His bloodshed upon the Cross, the Bounties of His Goodness, and Beauties of His Holiness, making an ostentation of them unto the world, preaching to every one as he can; This this is it wherein every true Christian is to glory, and he order his life accordingly; The import of that word as we suppose. Now they that Come to the Lords Table, and have no faith, are no more able to show the Lords death there, than a man of Clouts stuffed with Straw is able to gain the victory in the day of war.  
Fourthly, And to run over these Grave matters, he that comes thither and brings no faith with him, must needs receive unworthily, that is, other ●ise than is meet such mysteries should 
Neh. 27.  be received. And therefore shall be held as guilty before God as Judas was, who betrayed the body of our Saviour, or as the Jews were, who so villainously abused Him, Binding His hands, spitting in His sacred face▪ and crowning Him with thorns, and as the Soldiers were; who pierced His sides, and spilt His blood, He shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.  
Fifthly, Free admission is not to be given those, who cannot examine themselves about their faith, that is, search, dig, go down into the fold of their souls, to inquire what their estate is; what it is to be out of Christ, or what it is to be in Him; 
Infants furiosos, & in verbo Dei minime inst●uctos. Bez.  they cannot examine themselves about these matters, no more than Children can for they are Children in understanding; no more than mad men can; for these are mad upon their Idol, roprobates, disallowed of God, in a state of reprobation. We will commend you to Beza's Annotations, or rather those to you, which we thought to have been large upon, being so full to our purpose.  
Sixthly, Why should faithless men, worse than Infidels, because borne and bred in England, a land of visions, be suffered to come to the Lords Table? They cannot discern the Lord's Body; they can put no difference between that bread, which represents the body of Christ Crucified, and Common bread at their own Tables; nor between the wine there Sealeing to a worthy receiver, a full discharge from all his sins in the blood of Jesus Christ: No difference can he make betwixt this wine and common wine: And now being suffered to come to the Lords Table, he there drinks down a Cup of damnation in stead of salvation; a cup of cursing, in stead of a cup of blessing; and seals the Stone upon his graves mouth, where he lies rotting in sin, as dead bodies in their graves, He eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not 
Verse 29.  discerning the Lords body.  
1. As you have received mercy and now would show mercy unto everlasting souls, admit not these faithless, these unreasoble and wicked ones, that cannot show forth the Lords death, cannot examine themselves, have no discernining of the Lords body, admit them not to the Lords Table. They have no faith, than they must be full of themselves, as a vessel being full, and running over, they cannot Eat and drink there any other thing but damnation to themselves. This Scripture also Mr H s: the patron of fornicators and profane persons, as was Esau, fearfully abuseth, plucking out as he can, the sting of it, so as the most bruitelike person may come to the Lords Table, and not be stung by it; oh profane man and past shame! he and his book stinketh in the nostrils of the Lord and of his people, as the worst excrements of the Dragon doth.  
2. And now Sir, we will spare you the labour, if please you, in making a reply to this; and ours in making Answer thereunto. This we hear is ordinarily said; They were borne and Baptised in a Church, and therefore beleivers: we like not to make an Answer to such a foppery; why! but they say they believe the same with the former, they say it with their tongues, what say they with their hands; such are their words, what are their works? They may say so and Blaspheme in so saying, as was hinted more than once. 
Rev. 2. 9  I pray you observe it, and let this mocke-faith go, unless you will whip it like a vagrant, and send it bacl to the Devil whence it came; We have been speaking of that faith, which gives real union, and communion with Jesus Christ, and of necessity brings forth good works, as a good tree, good fruit, he bears upon a good root, or rather the root him, he is planted in Him, he bears upon Him; Come; when all is said this must stand, Let a man believe truly, and truth of belief will bring forth truth of holiness; A true faith, a true hope; true love, true obedience, all in Truth; when faith is in Truth, that is, truly set, and fixed upon its chief and proper object Christ Jesus the Lord. O how doth man boast himself to be some body, when he is nothing, nay worse than nothing, but knows it not: A Beleiver, when he is worse than an Infidel; And how secure doth he lie, (he is many) under the shadow of a false faith, more secure (such is his presumption, he is very Confident) than a true beleiver, such is his infirmity, lies under the shadow of a true faith. You may hear these speak like Saints, and see them, if you narrowly mark them, live like Devils; so that if their word● do not bewray them, their works quickly will; outside Christians, inside Heathens; O it is good, and but your duty, Sir, to observe men and search them narrowly, before you admit them to the Lords Table, for all men have not faith, no not they, many of them, that 
1 Thes. 3. 2.  make a profession, and a show of it; You may meet with not a few sottish, and brutishly ignorant, and then not so meet to sit at the Lords Table as a swine properly so called is to sit ●t yours: You may meet with some also, that have a pearl (of knowledge) in their heads, & their hearts as full of poison, and deadly hatred against the Gospel of the Kingdom, and true heirs thereof in Christ, true Gospelers, as the most venomous Serpents are. Protestants in doctrine, Recusants in lives, having a tongue professing for the Truth, and a life professing against it; fair outsides, but within as noisome as a dunghill, or an open Sepulchre▪ which yet savoureth with them as a Garden of Spices, or bed of Roses; something resembling an Heaven in show, when they have an Hell within, the heart we mean; so you may say, have the excellent of the Earth too; but to them it is an Hell, as their dunghill smells like a dunghill; but to those their hell is their heaven here, as their dunghill smells with them as aforesaid, a most certain Character of a polluted wretch.  
We would not be mistaken here, we censure no man, we judge him not, we dwell at home, and ourselves must we judge. But upon due search thus you'll find it to be, even as we have said, and ye may have found it so by experience; we may put down this for a Conclusion; If faith bring Christ the fountain of Grace into the heart of a man, he can no more walk in darkness (of sin and ignorance, there is a darkness of Spirit of sorrow, wherein a Child of light may walk, and you have an excellent book of it, but) no more walk in darkness than he can do, that could 
Isaiah 50.  carry the Sun in his hand; and he may as well carry fire in his bosom, and not feel it burn, as carry true Grace in his heart, and not cleanse his life; But Counterfeits in Grace, and contented to continue such, and to hold sin, the least sin-fast, shall become Saints, when an Ape comes to be a man, and Copper becomes Gold, which is never rejected, but when it would look like Gold. Believe it you do, a beleiver can no more be without Holiness, than can a godly man be without godliness, or a true Christian without Christ; or than can the Sun be dark, or the fire Cold. We shall crave leave to speak further to you about these three grave matters; The feast of the Gospel, The Covenant, And Faith; but we shall defer it till the Last, and therewith closeup this Treatise. We proceed now in our argueing against this free admission to the Lords Supper. In the fourth place.   

SECT. iv  
IT is not according to the practice of Christ, He gave it to Disciples only, (it is not possible, we conceive, to make it out, That He gave it to Judas, yet if it could be made out, we have enough to say, were this a place for it) He gave it to Disciples only (Judas himself, if there, looked like a Disciple, being very like one) and by so doing, he prescribes his Ministers what they are to do (so we conceive) as to those administrations to 
Ea quae perspi●ua sunt, difficilia sunt ●●●●ticis Mark. 14. 23.  the world's end. And here we are not bold to say, that Mr H s: your Champion, doth fearfully pervert Scripture, wrist and Crook His blessed Lords practise, to the Countenancing of his own cursed and crooked do, and they all drank of it; Well, what then? his inference now (hold your Nose if you cannot endure the deadly stink of the Dragon's excrements) Therefore let all Come that will Come to the Lords Table.  
Good, Sir, Give us leave to pause a little, while we take these things into our thoughts; is there not a Cause we should so do? When we hear this Reasonable Creature, we call a man, a scholar, and a Minister too, as he calls himself and would be called, speak thus unreasonably, as if he was as much wanting of Reason as he is of Grace; unreasonably said we? Is it not too slight a word, doth not he speak blasphemy? doth he not blaspheme the Blessed practice of our Lord and Saviour, which He hath set as a pattern for all His people to practise after? And they all drank of it. So may ye, all ye drunkards; and ye, all ye unclean persons; and you, all you worse than Infidels; and you all, despisers of the Gospel; and ye all, that never thought of any other Covenant, but that which ye have made with sin, death, and hell; And ye all, that have faith, though it have no more life, than a polished Stone, hewn timber, or a doore-naile, no-matter how dead it be, 'tis a faith, that will serve the turn to entitle them to these holy things, drink ye all of this, as we read those Disciples did, and they all drank of it. But Sir, is not this Blasphemy? We are willing to make you Judge here, because you judge so well of the man; Come in here all ye of the world, for whom that sacred person 
John 17. 9  never opened His mouth and prayed; Come in hither ye known enemies of the Cross of Christ, ye belly-servers, ye that mind Earthly things, drink ye all of this; ye that Crucify to your selves the Son of God afresh, and put Him (as they do by their 
Heb. 6.  vile usage, and abominable Conversation) to an open shame, drink ye all of this; and ye all, who have trodden underfoot, as they can, The Son of God, and have counted the blood of the Covenant, (wherewith they professed themselves sanctified) an unholy 
Heb. 10.  thing; and have done little less than despite to the Spirit of Grace: All ye drink of this: And to make a round number, and full, and so to fill the Table, that as there is no want of room, (for a national Church is wide enough, and rich for supply,) so there may be no want of Guests, Come ye all ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart, and ears, ye do alway resist the Holy Ghost, as your fathers did so do ye. What though? ye see what provisions are made for you notwithstanding; All ye drink all of this, for the bread ye have taken already.  
Sir, we have proceeded hitherto with some regret, yea with some indignation to our souls; yet for the Close hereof, we beseech you Consider, That by the gracious allowance of their Lord and Master, they His Disciples all drank of it. The Lord Himself putting the Cup into their hand, but these all  have drunk and daily do drink of it by Man's Allowance. Drink ye all of this, said Christ Jesus the Lord, and what He bade them do they did it, and they all drank of it. Drink ye all of this, saith Thisman, without any the least warrant from God, and how readily is he obeyed? what he bade them do they did, and they all drank of it; Though he that bade them, and they that did as they were bad, have done and still do as Cross and Contrary to the mind of Christ, as He Himself is to belial, or to Anti-christ, which is to be argued in the fift place, so soon as we have put down this for a conclusion, That God hath not only given us His Word for a secondary rule of Righteousness to walke-by, but Himself, and His Son, the Highest pattern, the primative or Original prototype, the clearest Copy without blot, the fairest example of Holiness. Whence we conclude, That Christ Jesus our Lord is both the principle and pattern of Holiness, The principle within His people; the pattern of Holiness, without or before them. Therefore will all His servants, who in desire and endeavour approve themselves Faithful, do as He did, following-on in his steps. He that saith, He abideth in Him, ought himself also to walk even as He walked, 1 John 2. 6.   

SECT. V  
AS this free and Common admission is contrary to the practice of Christ, so it is as it must needs be, contrary to the mind of Christ; we are forced, as we conceive, to argue distinctly from these, the practice and mind of Christ; though His practice Cleareth His mind, as His mind His practice; But yet we shall argue differently from it, and we shall be brief in it It is clean Cross and Contrary to the mind of Christ; why? Because it is so pleasing, and well agreeing, and full-up to the mind of the world, free admission to the Lords Table is. The mind of Christ and the mind of the world, commonly called the Church there, do stand as Cross and Contrary each to other, as do heaven and hell, the greatest opposites; or remotest extremes; What is the mind of Christ, cannot be the mind of the world, and what is the mind of the world, cannot be the mind of Christ, but most Contrary thereunto; And to make full proof of it, let a Minister that hath the mind of Christ, as every Godly person hath, and then liveth-up to it, as it is revealed to Him in His Word, and acteth thereafter, in giving out, or withholding those sacred signs and seals of His body Crucified, and His blood poured forth, he shall find, that he tormenteth the dwellers on the Earth, the Common people commonly called the Church there, who have no other plea for their Church-ship, but that they were once washed. The mind of Christ, no other than the Spirit of Christ in His word, is unto sensual men, not having the Spirit, as the morning is to the evil doer, even as the shadow of death. But let a man do Contrary to the mind of Christ, and give out to these ignorant Brutish ones, and will be such, the , water to their Babes, bread and wine to themselves, and he gratifies them in the highest way of Gratification; he gives them their heart's desire, and now from that day forward, they will put on high account upon themselves, they will not think of themselves below the thoughts their Minister rates them at, they will account themselves, sigh he hath accounted them such first, Beleivers, Disciples, and Saints. You remember who he was, that, when he would do a man a mischief, he would Give him a suit of apparel, as rich as silver and gold could make it, and now the man (a proud creature, and the worse he is the better he thinks of Himself) values himself, his inside we mean, according to the Rate of his outside, and so as the Beasts you read of, ingentes rollunt animis; he was proud by nature, more proud by accident, now that he is put into such a dress. The application is plain, Take heed Sir, of dressing up the people at the Lords Table, (though they delight as much to be dressed, as ever a child in years did, in new and fine Clothes) in a Saints dress, because he was borne and Baptised in England, whereas they cannot make it out they ever heard a word from Christ, yet that only is prevailing to make Saints, being obeyed and believed. You understand the purpose of this, and therefrom how contrary your do are to the mind of Christ; for can that have any agreement with the mind of Christ, which hath so full an agreement, with the mind of His enemies and adversaries all over the Nation? We proceed.   

SECT VI.  
ALL are not to be admitted to the Lords Table, because all are not visible Saints: But none but visible Saints were to be admitted to Communion at the Lords Table, as you so well know, that know so well the Church Stories, And those primitive practices: And truly we are loath to mind you in those things 
Ne accedant nisi examinati. Calv. Ep. 278. E●it in examine ratio arcea●tur, donec profectum ostenderint.  you are or should be able to instruct us, however your practice be Contrary; But this is the thing we cannot reach-to, that you understand these things so well, and your practice be not so well, because commonly intellectus currit cum praxi & praxis cum intellectu; Therefore we doubt there is some failing in your understanding, because you have not given it-up to God, If so you should know they were trained up and Catechised first, and yet they stayed a while before admittance, till they could make proof, that they were taught, and so they had gained some Competent knowledge of those things they were there to receive, together with their repentance toward God, and their faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. And you can tell us moreover, for we are in Comparison with you but Children, and as yesterday in these things, That huge personages, Emperors and the like, have thrust as presumptuously unto that Table as did Vzziah the King, to burn 
2 Chron. 26.  Incense before the Lord; or as men and women of the world or Church there, Children of Disobedience, do now adays; but have been withstood, as he was, and as these should be, we think, by the Ministers of the Lord, and thrust away with the breath of tthose words spoken to Vzziah; It belongeth not to you, Sir, how great soever you are at your own Table, to thrust into this, before you have given satisfaction to the Church of Christ, for your abominable do against Him. So they thrust him and them away, and so they were reproved, as you should thrust away your nominal Beleivers, Disciples, and Saints, members of the world the Church there, whose Christian Name doth adorn them, as a Jewel doth a swine in his snout. But thus it was once, visible 
Du●● promiscuè qu●slibet admittunt porcis & canibus &c. Calv. Ep: 278.  Saints were to be admitted, (and surely if there be a Communion of Saints on Earth) there they should be seen at the Lords Table, and why now visible Devils?   

SECT. VII.  
IN the 7th place, we would mind you of what the Lord God of hosts saith to them, that will contend with Him; Remember the Battle, do no more. If you will contend for this free admission, you contend with God, to whom you must answer this with other matters. He saith and so say His faithful Servants with Him; Ye shall not prostitute these sacred things to swine and dogs. But what shall we more say, time would fail us, to tell what chrysostom had rather suffer, even the spilling of his own heart blood, rather than give out the Seal of the same to non-Disciples, prophaners of it, how high and great soever. We purposely pass over what Cyprian, Martyr, Musculus, Marlorate, Ambrose, 
See Marlor: on Revel. 11. 1, 2.  and those , about free admission to Baptism, what these said and did, as to these matters, very much to our purpose; We will only hear what Zanchi speaks to this, and Calvin after him, because it is urged very much, That you do your 
Potitur a me cura, in Curatio.  duty when you bid your people beware; No saith Zanchi, ye do not your duty, you neglect the best part of it, and so you partake of their sins, suffering unworthy ones to partake at the Lords Table; ye draw upon yourselves Eli's vengeance, by giving such an allowance, When you do not frown upon these, scattering them with your eye; you violate Charity and are guilty of iniquity, your own and theirs, when you suffer men to damn themselves with a Sacrament, when you might restrain; yea ye are guilty of their damnation, as we are of that man's death, whom we suffer with his sword to stab himself, out of whose hands we could have kept that Instrument of death; so fare Zanchi. And give us leave to add a word more thereunto, because we know it is the Ministers common plea, we warn all our people, mention unto them the fiery indignation of the Lord against unworthy receivers; This will not do; you admit them under the notion of Saints, why should they think themselves Devils? You may threaten hell to them, but they will take heaven, 
Read Mr. Coll. p. 14.  and think they have good right so to do, while you bid them take and eat, take and drink— you know what follows; They never swallowed wine so sweetly at the Tavern, as they do now damnation at the Lords Table; But they think not so, because you have brought them into such a fool's Paradise, by making them believe they are what they are not, no more than an Ape is a man; Beleivers, Disciples in name only are Saints indeed. O Sir, what ever others do, be you ware here, what you suffer the people to do: give them scope here, we mean full liberty, or free admission, like a rope long enough to a wicked man, and you may tell yourself what he would do, by what you have seen him do so often; You know no creatures almost, but man, loves that, which will be its own bane; indeed we have heard say that sheep catch at that grass most greedily, which soon rots them; we are sure it may be said of us men, what the Greek Father said of some in his time; Give us that which is sweet, though it choke us; wine at the Lords Table; Why? because of the sweet words which follow; but how mistaken! only wretched man seeks a blessing in a direct way to a Curse; happiness, in the way to misery; life in the way to death; heaven in the way to hell. If you consider all this, you will do more than give your people warning against the next Communion day. You will tell them and assure them, you have Scripture warrant for so doing; That they must show more for their Admission to the Lords Table, than this, That they were borne and Baptised in a Church, or else they shall be dealt with as dogs and swine, And droven from the Lords Table, as we drive swine from ours, And you cannot do them a greater real favour, than so to deal with them; And to press you and your brethren of the same persuasion with you unto this, we will remember you of Calvin's 
Cal●: lib. 4. cap. 12. sect 5.  words; That a Minister, who admitteth unworthy persons to Communicate at the Lords Table, is altogether as guilty of Sacrilege, as if he should prostitute to dogs the Blessed Body of the Lord Sacramentally in the Bread.  
And to prevent this horrid usage, and Contempt done to that blessed thing, he thus prescribes and expects it to be done: 
Epi●l. 302. Gaspa●i oleviano.  Let no person be admitted to the Lords Table, till he hath professed his faith; and put it not off to the day before the Supper be administered; But go to the man's house, if he hath one, and look over his family, let him give you an account what order he observeth in his own house, and at his own Table, before he be admitted to the Table of the Lord; and how peaceable and helpful he is among his neighbours, and note well how well he ruleth his Children and Servants, whether he hath these in subjection with all gravity; observe also this with it, or else you observe nothing to purpose, whether there are not some slothful and wicked persons in his house, who would run to the Lords Table, but are very slack and more than slugges when they should go to the place of hearing: We see now how truly it was spoken of him, he would choose an hundred deaths, rather than suffer the profanation of the Lords Supper. This is so full to our purpose, that we think fit to make a full point here; and Come in the next place.    

CHAP. IU.  
TO tell you Mr Baxter's judgement as to this point of free admission, Surely he is point blank against it, as fare from M● His: judgement, as Mr H: is from the 
Bap: 96.  Truth. Thus saith M Baxter, Though I admit many hundred to the Sacrament, yet I administer it to none that I know to be unbeleivers; nay, nor that I judge not probably, or hopefully beleivers. In another book thus he saith; for my 
Aph. App. 108.  self I do administer the Sacrament to none that do not solemnly profess their assent to every fundamental Article of faith expressly mentioned to them, and their Consent; that Christ shall their Lord and Saviour, and that they will faithfully and sincerely obey His Scripture Laws. Can a man speak more fully to the point against free admission? Truly he might be numbered among the men of the congregational way, but that it would not be for his honour. And yet he may thank himself for that; for he indeed hath numbered those holy ones amongst the uncircumcised ones, those sons and daughters of Belial; And dealt little less unmercifully with them, than did the persecutors in old time deal with the faithful witnesses of Christ, they put them into beasts skins, that so the dogs might hurry them to death. But let that pass, which, we hope, he will not pass without Repentance, not making a difference; he speaks well for the way, we wish he walks with a right foot in it: though it is as much above us to reconcile him to himself, as a Mountain● is above a Molehill, and possible so others may find it also. Hea●e ●im what he saith in a third book; You remember when you called 
R: 4. 52.  me to be your Teacher, You promised me under your hands, that you would faithfully and conscientiously endeavour the receiving every truth, & obeying every command, which I should, from the word of God, manifest unto you; I now Charge your promise upon you; he goes on bending to his highest end everlasting rest. We borrow his words, doing him or them no wrong, we hope▪ bending to our scope; There is not a more apparent Truth, than that the Table of the Lord should not be polluted, nor a more apparent duty, that the Stewards in God's house should look to it, that dogs & swine be not admitted to Come thither. The sacred Scripture speaks clearly out to this; And we think▪ if a Child should show us Scriptures, and speak to us the word of God, we should not dare to disobey it. We might go on in his words; But we pass them, taking this only from them to justify the Ministers in the congregational way for proposing a Covenant to their people. So it seems Mr B. did do. We mention it not, as if the Ministers of Christ have no better ●arrant, than his example; they take their warrant, as we hope he doth, from the Scriptures of God, and example of all the Godly, who can make out their interest in the Covenant of God's grace with them by Jesus Christ, and now enter into Covenant one with another, to walk together as fellow-helpers of the truth in the fellowship of the Gospel according to the rule thereof, with full consent of mind and heart to promote the prosperity of the same, and the Interest of Christ in their souls, and through the Nation; And they that stick at this, and are strangers to it, and will be so, do, as is to be feared stick as much at the Covenant of God to give up themselves in full obedience to it and to Him who is the Mediator of it. We have seen Mr Bs. manner with his people, and surely it is Commendable, and he hath a sure word for it; That Minister and people, They, that own him for their Minister, should walk together in a gospel-way by a Gospel's rule, full-up, in desire, and endeavour, to That Covenant Jehojada made between him and all the people, that they should be 
2 Chron. 28.  the Lords people. O it is good to be the same we profess to be, the Lords, and to make clear proof that we are His by our circumspect walking, watching over each other in our way; rendering an account of our way, when required so to do, hearing each others burden, supplying each others wants, partaking of each others graces, doing all things as becometh a Communion of Saints; always doing or receiving good. O it is good to stand bound with these Cords, bonds and engagements of God upon our Spirits, we are the Lords people, He hath taken us into Covenant with Himself; In desire and endeavour we will walk as becometh a people in Covenant with their God, and one with another. Certainly nothing is done decently and in order, where this Covenant is not, or, where it is, and is not stood unto, there is a Confusion, and every evil work: The way of the world right, of a Nationall Church there; whose way is as broad as the Nation is, and puts them, that walk in it, to no Cost, none at all: therein they may walk with all their uncleannesses upon them, only they must put themselves into a Comely dress against the next Communion day, as is becoming Beleivers, Disciples, and Saints, who say they are such, and their word must be taken having no other testimony of their goodness but from themselves and others like themselves or from the mistaken Charity of the Godly, if it be possible for Charity itself to be mistaken in those, who have no other plea for their Christianity, but that they were baptised.  
But now the way of Christ with His people in Covenant with Him, and in fellowship one with another, is a strait and narrow way, it pincheth the flesh still, yea it is still storming of it: And the orders therein prescribed, His followers are so selfe-denying, so holy and so heavenly, as few, that hold for a Nationall Church will arise to the obedience of them; which made some profane Men profess (they were of a Nationall Church sure enough) when the reformation began in Luther's time; That they would rather live under the government of the Turk, than where all things should be ordered according to the word of God. We thought fit to add this, thereby to justify the Brethren of the congregational way in Gospel's fellowship one with another, and in desire and endeavour keeping close to the Covenant of their God, taking the hint of it from Mr Bs manner with his people.  
To the close of this Chapter we crave leave to add, a very good man's jealousy, Godly we believe it to be, as he himself is; We think our brethren go beyond their warrant, while they take Saints of the first magnitude only into fellowship; God hath a people of all sizes, there is the same holiness, but not the same degree of true holiness in all Beleivers.  
We make bold to tell our persuasion, as to this godly jealousy in this matter (which may pass as fare as his hearsay, whereupon he grounds, we think, what he saith, which we, in favour of his piety and goodness, do call His jealousy, and allow it to be godly) That the Brethren of the congregational way, who walk with a right foot therein, are, as dear Children ought to be, followers of their dear Lord in this particular; so fare from refusing the weak in faith, as that they do invite and encourage such. The least Breathing after Christ, the enjoying of Him, how  a sight is it? how acceptable with them? how encouraged, promoted, countenanced by them? how pleasing and welcome to them? even as the bruised reed was, and the smoking flax to their Lord and Master. Not the weak but the dead, To use that good man's words; not Children, but Bastards; not comers towards Christ, but resisters of Him in the means of drawing to Him; do these Brethren purposely refuse, where they see any measure of true godly fear, any degree of graciousness, they gladly admit: God forbidden they should refuse the meanest, as to the world, or in Grace; no they Covet the purest, and take the weakest.   

CHAP. V.  
WE should now in the next place, set down the Charge of the Lord to all those that have the Charge of the Sanctuary, of those holy things there, that they make a separation betwixt the precious and the vile. But this is so legible every where all along the Scripture, that we might save ourselves and you the trouble; And indeed this second part of our work exceeding its proportion, we will defer what we should have said here to the Last Treatise. And so we come to that we promised, therewith to close the result of this second debate, as we did the former, and so to close up this part. We have made bold to give you a word of exhortation once already, we are bold again to give you another word, and to proceed in it, we know the manner of an humble person, he takes that pearl thankfully as given him from God, though brought unto him, as the good Prophet's meat was, by a Raven: A reproof to him is welcome for what he hath done amiss, much more an exhortation that he may not so do, being taken from the mouth of God, as you shall find, we hope, this to be; withal we are every one taxed to pay a Contribution towards the good of souls, and welfare of That Body, whereof the Lord Christ is the head and the Saviour, and this we can do no other way but this.  
Sir, we can clearly speak this unto you, we wish you Gaius his prosperity; that you may prosper as your soul prospereth; They you, with your people, they with you may walk in the Truth by Gospel's rule; we do Consider with you, That you, being a Minister of note, and we hope a Godly Man, The same may be said of you, as you read was said of a Godly Nobleman, You are norma publica, a public Standard unto your people, who indeed, for the most part, are very Apes, taken by imitation by what they hear you say or see you do, Non ad rationem sed ad similitudinem vivimus, was the old Complaint; we take words upon trust, our Minister saith it, and there is an end: Those brave discreet and generous Bereans did not so, They heard Paul and Silas with all readiness of mind, yet they did not receive the word upon their word as spoken from them (though they might have been believed before any) but they searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so, therefore many of them believed.  
This is out of use in these days, whence it is there are so many beleivers in name, and Infidels indeed. You are, we hope, the more careful what you say before them, for we question not your do out of God's house, and so to make way to what we farther intent.  
First, We humbly entreat you, you would forbear to do what we know others do, gather-up all the filths once visible now legible in the Church of Corinth and Crete, to beare-out the filthiness of their own: To allege their want of order and good discipline, thereby to justify their own disorders, and no discipline at all: To make their defects and faileings, to plaisterover their own more than faileings, their abominable do in God's House; Remember we should they had but the dawnings of the day of the Gospel, we have the noonetide thereof; And that we are to walk not by the dark side of the Cloud. And let us tremble to justify sin by sin, as we should at that judgement, which the Lord God makes- up of sin, punishing sin with sin. Bid your people follow holiness; study to be quiet, and to be pure, a course clean contrary to the world, or commonly called, the Church there, they follow unholiness, and study impiety.  
Secondly, Tremble (oh that you could) to be found in the number of the Corrupt Ministers all over the Nation; these always did, now do, and always will oppose Reformation, the Discipline of Christ in His Church, the breathe of all His Saints in the world, That all things may be done according to pattern; as visibly held out now before them, as was that in the Mount, as to all Church-administrations.  
Thirdly, And Sir, If you look after this way, look for persecution in it, and from your Brethren. As sure as it is an holy 
Isa. 66. 5. Jer. 40. 7. John 16. ●. Acts 26. 9  way, so sure it is a persecuted way, contradicted and Blasphemed, and this specially by Brethren. But can this discourage you? It was ever so; The Lord Christ was opposed Chiefly by the Priests, Scribes, and Pharisees; And Luther professed that he 
●●k 6. 26.  found more enemies in the Cloisters, and Monasteries, than he did out of profane and wicked places; persecution is as the hand that points you, there is the way of holiness, walk in it: If o● find no persecution than ye are out of the way, for so persecuted they the true Prophets, pointing them to this way; but for the false Teachers that had bid the people runne-on in their own way of sin and death pleasing in their own eyes, all spoke well of 
Act. 7. 52. 2 ●●m. 3. 11, 12.  them. You will find it to be so; and forewarned, fore-armed. And the Nominal Beleivers, titular Disciples and Saints, so accustomed to their own way, a lose and evil way, the way of the world, of a Nationall Church there, these will deal most despitefully with you. A just judgement, shall we say, or rather a fatherly Correction, (if the Father of mercies make it so to you) That so they should return your kindness to them, in admitting them, when time was, to the Lords Table, upon this score only, They were borne in England and Baptised there.   

CHAP. VI  
WE come now to that we mainly intended, and you know we chiefly insisted upon to prove: That your free admission to the Lords Table is Cross to the holy rule, we should walk by; to the practice and mind of the Lord and dear Saviour, and as contrary to the mind and manner of all those, that are followers of Christ, and cannot stint themselves with any degree of holiness, 
1 John 3. 3.  their Lords own purity being their Copy. And here we more than touched upon three things, specially the Word preached, how they pressed to that place, and listened to it when they came thither. Secondly, the Covenant of God's free grace by Jesus Christ blessed for ever. Thirdly, Faith; upon that we were the more large, all beareing upon that, being the hinge of all.  
Now Sir, this is our earnest desire, That you with your Brethren would look over this again, and lay your doctrines, manner and practice before your people, to that Standard; for we choose to speak in that number. And  
1. Do ye press upon your people the necessity of hearing? and before you admit them to the Lords Table, do ye take time and place to search them to the bottom, what they have profitted by hearing? You know hereby they are hewn, and made polished Stones, and so fitted to be laid in the Lord's building; we trust you do not do as the Master of your Lord doth, Polish your people at the Lords Table. Surely they are to be made ready, as those Stones were, before they should have your admittance to 
1 Kings 6. 7.  Come thither. And, to proceed, do you ask what is that grace they must have before they can profit? In our zeal for the Lords Christ▪ yours and your people's precious souls, we shall question you in these grave points, and so return in all thankfulness your godly jealousies touching us and our way, by putting it upon your thoughts what your way is with your people, and how with them, They with you walk therein. You know, but have you as you can, made your people know it, That preaching is the Chariot, that carrieth Christ all about the Nationall Church, we had almost said the world; And the only Appointment of God in the Spirits Hand to pluck them out thence, as Lot out of Sodom. It is the Ordinance sanctified of God for the begetting of faith in the beginning or Alpha of it; so in the increasings of it to the Omega or perfecting of the same: It is that, ●hereby that, which is begun is perfected, and that maintained which is begun; It is that, whereby the abundant riches of Grace through Jesus Christ are Conveyed unto us by Covenant (we have said all) 
2 Tim: 1.  by Covenant; life and immortality is brought to light by the Gospel preached, the Ministry thereof; there is not only an unfolding of the gloriously excellent things of Christ, but there is grace given by the Spirit to believe them. Thereby th' understanding (that everlasting door) is opened to Jesus Christ, Him that is true, the true God and eternal life; Now th' understanding closes with 
1 Joh. 5. 20.  Him, or rather He by His Spirit with the understanding. He is Truth: The will and affections are drawnout to Him also, Oh how good is He to the Soul! what a lovely object, altogether desires. By preaching all this is done; it is the Chariot of the 
Cant. 5.  Spirit, it is the means that worketh faith; which is the marriage of the Soul to Christ▪ uniteth the soul to Him, planteth it in Him, maketh it one with Him: And now she gins to know the abundant riches, and glorious excellencies of Her Husband; and the way of Conveyance of all these unto her by Covenant; but still the first door that is opened to all this is the ear, and it is opened by hearing; by hearing the ear is made able to hear, we mean by the word; the Spirit boreth it, and now faith comes-in and fetcheth all-in, the soul stands in need of, Christ and all, and all as sure as a Covenant of God, with His people in Christ can make it. Hold you to this still, we mean hold your people to it; faith comes by hearing, it hath the stamp and institution 
John 10. 17.  of God upon it; and hearing by the word of God; This was the ground of the Apostles faith (not all the miracles they had seen,) 
John 2. 22.  They Believed the Scriptures, and the word which Jesus had said. 
Eph. 1. 13.  The ground of the Ephesians faith also, In whom ye also trusted after that ye HEARD the word of truth, the Gospel of our Salvation. The very end of all that is written touching Christ, 
John 20. 31.  and is preached of Him, that ye might believe etc. Cha●ge this point home, so your Lord Chargeth you, and examine your people about their faith in God. They will say, they bele●ve, 
Numb. 22. 18.  They will say as Balaam did, My God, and so will they say, our God, 
Hosea 8. 2  we know Thee. 
Tit. 1. 16.  Hear them now how they can make out what they say; Do they know Him, whom they call theirs? here you are like to find your people as grossly ignorant, as were their forefathers, of whom ye say, saith our Blessed Lord, That He is your God: 
Joh. 8. 54, 55.  yet, ye have not known Him; We, that have accustomed our tongues to lying ever since we were borne, must not be credited in what we say, till you have heard us making out what we say; by giving a reason of the hope that is in us, for truly thus it is with us for the most part: We understand neither what we say, nor what we affirm in God's matters. Yea we commonly say, we know the Father and the Son, when we oppose the means appointed by God to convey this knowledge to us; Now you shall do well to tell us, rebus sic stantibus; That we are as well qualified to have Communion with Christ at His Table, as a Wadd of dried stubble, is to have Communion with a Consuming fire, and do no more enjoy Him there, than midnight enjoys the Sun. And that we do indeed and in truth no more desire Communion with Christ, the King at His Table, or in any other place, than darkness can desire Communion with light, or belial with Christ. We are grossly ignorant of what we do, when we approach, by your allowance, the Lords Table. It is not possible 
Fruimur Cognitis. Igno●i multa Cupido.  we can enjoy that we have no knowledge off or acquaintance with; nor can our desires move towards an unknown object. Good Sir, speak these things out to us (your people we mean:) We are somewhat the larger here, a point of so high concernment, being Confident also of this very thing, That you find your people clean cross to their Rule, as your Brethren do every where, slow to hear, and swift to speak for the Lords Supper: We conceive the reason thereof to be this, In a hearing place they cannot hear one word, if it be the true word of God, which is pleasing to flesh and blood, it speaks death to their lusts, if ever it speaks life to their souls. Therefore they hate the word (a kill word) deadly, because they love their lusts dear. They will have none of that meat which endureth to everlasting life, none of the wine of the Gospel, but as much bread and wine as you will, and as often as you will at the Lords Table; and the reason of this is, because thereby their lusts are fattened and cherished.  
2. Therefore Sir, press upon your people the necessity of hearing; and observe them well, at their coming to That place, and as narrowly their sitting and attending there. And having done this, do not think you have done all your duty, or more than the least part of it: They may give you the ear, while they give the flesh, the world, and the Devil their heart; You know, and you must teach them to know it: It is easier to hear an hundred Sermons, than to practise one. Therefore let them know, you will deal with them apart and alone, you will single them out of the throng of the world, or National Church, and out of the crowd of the Common hearers, before you admit them to eat and drink at the Lords Table; They shall give you a particular account of what they have gained by all their hearing.  
This was the practice of the Lord Christ, when He was upon the Earth, He spoke alone and apart with His Disciples. And indeed the Lords people love to be so dealt withal alone and apart from the throng and tumult of the world, or a Nationall Church there. The Spouse of Christ is modest, and will not come to Thee in the throng of worldly Company and employment, saith Bernard. Come my Beloved, saith the Spouse, let us go forth 
Cant. 7. 11.  into the fields, and lodge in the Villages. Let us get from the Tumult of the world. The Bridegroom of His Church, loves to find His Spouse alone, retired into a Chamber; And so must His Paranymphs too, give the Church a meeting in some retired place.  
3. Now because this lieth under so much— obloquy, we crave leave to speak a little to it, in passage only in this place, we are not ignorant how this Assembling together of God's people is reproached, if not blasphemed thus; At your private meetings, errors and heresies, what not, have been fomented, brooded upon and hatched. Truly this cannot be denied, it is so clear and evident; The Father of lies with his Children must have their meeting places too, wherein to lay their heads together, plotting and contriving (we are not ignorant of his devises) how they may mischief if not ruin (for they level to shoot so high) the Church of Christ, and build up their own Babel; But here is your Comfort, they are Masters neither of the means nor of the end: their endeavours are above their performances, as their malice is above their wit, which (for that is its doom) drinkes-up the greatest part of its own poison, or like Gunpowder consumes itself in the flame it hath caused. But should not this teach us to assemble ourselves together as often as we can, there to lay our heads together, and contrive the most Compendious way of building-up the Church of Christ, and ourselves therein, the most contemptible parcels thereof? O it is good to be plotting for the Church and for the Truth, for this is to be plotting for eternity. O that all would meet together, here and there and every where, there to plot how to avoid Satan's plots; Let it be our awakening that Satan is plotting; And that our time is short; opportunity, the flower of time, shorter; our talents are many, our accounts strict; our Judge Impartial. O let us not forsake the Assembling ourselves together, as the manner of some is.  
Having taken off, as we could, (we intent more hereafter) that reproach wherewith the enemies of the Lord have reproached the footsteps of His annointed-ones, we proceed to put it upon your thoughts, whether it be not your duty to give a meeting to your people in a private place, there and then to learn from them what they have gained by all their heareings? what a work is wrought in them or upon them by the word of His grace with power? It is not what show they make in words, what do they, that you may believe them? or how humbly do they speak, so as you may conceive hope there is sincerity at the bottom? a spark of fire, for there is smoke: a little strength, though but as much as a reed hath; it is in the gaining hand. O how would he, and desireous is he, in the use of means, to gain more? Indeed it will be worth your labour to take time and place for the searching out of this: You must find-out their desire after the sincere milk of the Word, by their growth thereby. 
1 Pet. 2.  It is a Common saying amongst us, show me not the meat but the man; So saith the great Shepherd to His sheep, and showeth what His under-Shepheards should say to them too, Not show me the hay that I have given you, but the wool and the milk, that is, show me the fruits and effects of all your hearing; What supernatural work can you tell us off? Is the life of Grace put into the heart, by the Spirits working together with the means thereof, the word of His grace? Is there a thorough change, not of the actions only, but of the Nature wrought in them? The Spirit with the Word changeth the inward man with the outward, it changeth the whole frame of the soul, it is no halfe-change, for that is to be half a Christian, or almost, which is to be an Infidel indeed. It is no light alteration, but as the old stamp (these are excellent Preston's words, one of the usefullest Preachers in His time that was in the world) must be obliterate, before the new can be imprinted; and as the old building must be pulled down, before you can set up a new; So this old nature of ours must be broken to pieces, and new cast and moulded, (for we are bellmettle) before a man can be made a living man, which is done by the infusion of Supernatural qualities of Grace and holiness, supernatural he saith; for even as the earth may bring forth grass, and common flowers of itself, but it must be ploughed and sown before any choice herbs and plants can grow there; even so those common natures, which we all have, may bring out things that are morally good; but before they can bring forth fruits of true righteousness we must be ploughed and sown; ploughed, that is, man must be broken in heart for all his animosities and indignities put forth, when time was, against Christ, and the Gospel of His Glory; for all those slight of Spirit he found in himself of those glories tendered to him in the Covenant of God's grace, when he was full of himself, and wanting nothing, and knew not his own beggary and nothingness, and want of all things; broken in heart for all this.  
Upon those heads, Sir, your examination must pass, if you do according to the manner of God's people; and a set time and place must be appointed for it: If you cannot go from house to house, as Paul's manner was, and calvin's also, as you heard, then must they come to yours. Can our Voice be heard all over the Nationall Church, all the world over, this is it we would say and press upon the Ministers there; You must give your people a meeting time and place for it, there to take an account of them what they have profitted; And you must not take their bare, say so, their profession only, they are Beleivers, Disciples, and Saints, believe them not, not their own word, bring their words and lives both to the test, or touchstone of the Word, for they expect admittance to the Lords Table. This must be done first, diligent search must be made, and evidence given-in, how fit they are and prepared guests for That Table; what kind of faith they have? whether it be active or dead? They are Cunning enough, yet perhaps not enough to deceive you, unless you are willing to be deceived; you can ask them how it was wrought in them? and by what means in the Spirits hand? But still remember them how they and their faith must be tried; And let this come often into your mind, what self-seekers and self-pleasers we are; and that self-pleasing and selfseeking is the first stone that is laid in the Hypocrite's building; Therefore if he be let alone he will flatter himself to his deathbed, yea to Hell, persuading himself still that he is an heir of Heaven, being borne in England and Baptised there. And indeed this will serve the turn to make him a member of a Nationall Church, or as you know who said it, a Citizen of the world; But if he make clear proof that he is a member of the True Church, you must take some pains with him in point of examination of him in these matters. And your hardest work will be to remove that stone you have helped to lay, beareing him up with this conceit, that he is a Beleiver, Disciple, a Saint, because borne and baptised in a Church, remove but this stone, and down falls the building. The hardest work, we believe, you have to do, is to pluck down, what ye have built-up; That Castle in the Air raised-up, as high as Heaven by a false hope or presumption rather; but now there is a possibility they may be built-up as true Beleivers, Disciples, and Saints are, in whose building the first stone that is laid, is self-denial, and flesh-crucifying.  
These are the points you, we hope, will treat about with them, and search them in; and do not be put off, which was hinted before, with their bare profession; you know we may make a bare profession, and deny Him in our works, whom we do profess in words; and declare ourselves abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. We can 
Tit. 1. 16.  lie as fast as we can go, it is so natural to us, for ever since we could go, we have gone astray; and ever since we could speak, 
Psal. 58. ●.  we have spoken lies. What mighty reason is there, and what enforcement unto you from hence to do this, If you will do your duty? give the people a meeting, we mean, those that you intent to meet at the Lords Table; and hope anon to meet them in heaven; Give them a meeting that you may try upon Scripture Grounds, what alteration is made in them, what change? They were estranged from the womb, they were gone astray out of the way, are they yet reclaimed? can they show for it, that they are returned? have repent unto life, and do believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Above all, put them from their vain boasts, and out of their fool's paradise, that they were borne in England and Baptised. Indeed it is a glorious outward privilege to be borne where the Gospel's Sun shineth, but if we gain no inward glory by it, we are made twofold thereby more the Children of Hell than the Pagans are (which was said before, but we are dull of hearing) O bid them beware therefore, it is for their life, which shall last as long as the long day or night of Eternity.  
You remember Cecil, Lord Burt: Counselled his Son not to build his house upon any impropriation; well knowing it would be built upon a sandy foundation: Yet it did but endanger a house, which, built-up never so strong, and settle it never so sure, though upon a rock, yet as sure as it was builded-up, it must fall down. But to build the house of our Confidence, and for a Minister to make us bold in it, upon this; That we are to be accounted Beleivers, Disciples, and Saints, and to be admitted to the Table of the Lord, because we were borne in England, this is to build upon a quicksand. If a fox go up, 
Neh. 4.  which was scornfully spoken of Jerusalem's wall, it shall even break down the wall of this their Confidence. It shall not need, though yet they shall meet with it, a stormy wind to rend it, 
●zr: 14.  To put a close to our good Counsel, and this second part of our undertaking.  
The Ermine, they say, is so neat a Creature, that if a puddle be on the one side, and dogs on the other, it will rather run into the dog's mouth there to be devoured, than into the puddle, so much it hates filthiness. And you know, who said it, and as they said they did, If fire were on the one hand, and sin on the other, they would rather be consumed than defiled. Certainly it is so with the people of God; do you in these matters what you will, they will do as God Commands them, they will separate the precious and the vile. And they will advise, Counsel, and pray, you and your brethren, while they have an hand to move, or a tongue to speak, that you would Consider what you do, and what you ought to do in God's house, as to those sacred administrations there, lest upon your neglect therein, you become the greatest sinners in the World: The sins of the whole Nation, the Church, theirs become yours.  
O Consider, Qui peccata non corrigit aliena, facit sua, He that doth not correct, or hinder the doing of a Crime, the polluteing of the Lords Table, when he can, and it is in his hands to do it, he is no less guilty of the Crime, than is the offender himself. There is a person presumes to come in his filthiness, The Minister, such as he is, consenteth to it, saith in effect come, and welcome; This Consenter is as deeply guilty as is the presumer, you know who said it. Why but this Minister is as full of Charity and hope too, as Mr H●: is, he hopes well of all: Yea but whereon doth he ground his hope? no other ground but this, That person was borne in a Church and baptised there. So was the veriest Rebel yourself have known, or heard off, made longer by the neck, or shorter by the head, therefore this hope is like the house of a Spider, the besom of destruction will sweep it away, the man dies and his hope with him both together, and at one instant, which may make us more observant of the words that follow, which we borrow of our Learned Reinolds.  
Was a beast slain for touching the Mount, and shall not a man of vile and beastly affections be punished for touching the Table where our Lord is present? No; we would say, The vile and beastly Minister deserveth rather of the two to be punished, who admits, alloweth, yea invites men of Beastly and vile affections to come to That Table where the Lord is present; The allowance of a thing done (which was said before and cannot be too often said) is as good as the Commission for the doing of it, said our excellent Jewel. We would add to this the prayer of a good man. Lord deliver me from mine other men's sins, which I may have made mine, if not by Command, Council or Consent, yet by Connivance, give me Repentance for them good Lord, and forgive them. It is a known saying, and bids you beware, for qui in conspectu populi male vivit, quantum in se est, omnes se videntes interficit: He that sinneth in the open view of the people, doth as much as in him lies, to murder all that look upon him, and behold him sinning.  
The application is easy, and summed up in this, the Presumers and the Consenters shall be punished together, and which shall receive the sorest punishment is not hard to determine: The actions of the Rulers being the Rules for the Ruled; We beseech you all by the mercies of Christ, we would perswade you by the terror of the Lord, whose Stewards you are, and by the blessing ye expect, from, in, and upon the Ministry of the Gospel, that ye would Consider these things, and greater things than these, as the Spirit called upon, in the reading His word may suggest unto you, and fully resolve you at this point, That your great Lord and Master, to Whom ye are shortly to give an account of your Stewardship, will not endure to have holy things profaned, as if Common and unclean.  
Therefore this is our persuasion grounded upon the word of God, and practise of His people, Ye must appoint time and place, where and when your people may give you the meeting, there to know the state of your flock, which ye can never 
Phil. 2. 19 Col. 4. 8.  know at such a distance in the public place. You cannot there in that public place, do as Paul did, and as you ought to do: You know how we exhorted and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father doth his Children, (every one of you) he had them alone and apart, sure, there is a necessity of it, a Must for this; yea though it were according to that offer or desire rather of your Learned Brother and Neighbour, which is, That all persons in a Christian Commonwealth, should give an account of their Faith, before they marry and become parents (and why not before they are admitted to the Lords Table?) We profess hearty, this were a notable expedient, and would help much for the removeing of that Bar, which hath letted and will let, till it be removed, the admission of their Infants to Baptism by Godly Ministers; But we may desire, rather than hope, that this Course will be taken, That all before they marry and become Parents, shall give an account of their Faith: Though we conceive this Course ought to be taken with those, who for nine Months have lived in uncleanness, That these should not be married the tenth month, before they had made their Repentance as public as their offence was; For Certainly this ought not to be, That a Couple be married to day, and be made Parents tomorrow, Surely They did not give an account of their faith. This was done in the world, the Nationall Church there in a Parochial Church, very few miles off from you, for the part hath the same name, with the whole, and a part in this huge, we had almost said, monstrous Church, is too great for such small things as these to be looked after  
Indeed Sirs, ye must Contract and Epitomise your Church, for if this Course were taken, your Godly Brother prescribes here; Notwithstanding you must have your private meetings with your people.  
Surely after a serious debate betwixt yourselves, about these matters, you will find it (we humbly conceive) your only way to Abridge and Contract your huge large volume of Beleivers, (who can show no more for their faith but their Infant Baptism) into a little little volume (they must and they will go close together, they will never be looked over else, though every one of you had an hundred eyes) taking one of an hundred, and ten of a thousand, and this may Comfort you in this troublesome and vexatious work, (so flesh and blood will find it yours and theirs) That one believer indeed, who can give a reason of the hope that is in him, is more excellent, than are an hundred of those, who can allege no more for the Cleansing of their hands, and purifying their hearts, but that, when time was, their faces were sprinkled with water. Now when ye shall set upon this work, ye must, we conceive, appoint a set time and place to meet at.  
Now because there is a spewing Cast upon these meetings, in use only as we conceive amongst the Brethren of the congregational way, we mean all those that separate from the world at the Lords Table (for the word, Independent, is very unbecomeing Churches or Creatures, it was Cast-in by the enemy and adversary of all righteousness) we were saying because this way, and these meetings lie open to much Obloquy, from that wicked one, the Father of lies, and all His Children; as that these meetings are the Nurse, or vis plastica, the very fomenting Cause of errors and heresies; besides it Chargeth the Holy Brethren with separation, or making a schism or Rent from their Brethren, and so in a manner excommunicates them from their Company.  
We intent, with God's help, to speak something to this, but because this part of our work hath exceeded its proportion, the gravity and weight of the matters here under debate and maintenance so requiring, we think it fit to defer it to the Last, and to close with it, and our Spirits, if the Lord be pleased, altogether, and all in one; for we intent to turne-in unto you after our manner at the end of our work.  
Now in the Close of this Chapter we would speak to the Christian Reader (whose eternal good is full in our eye, which makes us to bend after it night and day) in our Reinolds words; Though we may have our Minister's leave and free admission to the Lords Table, yet let us not venture to receive such sacred things with unwashed hands, as matters of mere Custom, fashion, or formality; But let us look unto that High Authority, That ordained them; on that holy Mouth That Blessed them; on That Arm of Mercy, That exhibits them, being ever assured, That as Christ hath one hand of Bounty and Redemption, which reacheth forth life to the worthy Receivers, So hath He another of Justice and power ready to avenge the injuries and Contempt that shall be done to His own holy Institution.  
A little after he speaks to Ministers and people; to Ministers; Let not your hands again play the Judas by delivering Him again unto Jewish and sinful souls, which will Crucify again unto themselves the Lord of glory. To us the people, Let not us take His precious blood into our hands, rather to shed it than to drink it; and by Receiving the body of Christ unworthily, make it as the sop was to Judas, even an Harbinger to provide room for Satan.  
Who is wise and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the Just shall walk in them, but the transgressors shall fall therein. That ye may be such, we Commend you all to God; and the word of His Grace, which is able to build-you: up, and to give you an inheritance among all that are sanctified. The Lord Jesus Christ be with your Spirits. Grace be with you, AMEN.  
⸪   
FINIS.