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<DATE>2011-07-28</DATE>
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<NAME>Alexis Jakobson</NAME>
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<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
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<P>Holy things FOR HOLY MEN: OR, The Lawyers <HI>Plea Non-&s;uited,</HI> his <HI>Evi|dence</HI> proved <HI>in&s;ufficient,</HI> his <HI>foul mouth ci|villy wiped,</HI> and his arrogant <HI>railings admo|ni&s;hed,</HI> and <HI>bridled;</HI></P>
<P>IN Some Chri&s;tian Reproofe and Pitie expre&s;&s;ed towards M^r PRYNN'S Book; Intituled, <HI>The Lord's Supper briefly vindicated,</HI> (or rather indeed by him therein expo&s;ed, vilified, and profaned: and the <HI>Con&s;cientious Mini&s;try</HI> therein abu&s;ed, injured, and affronted.</P>
<P><HI>By S. S. Mini&s;ter of the Go&s;pel.</HI></P>
<Q><BIBL>Titus 1. 13.</BIBL> <HI>Rebuke them &s;harply, that they may be &s;ound in the faith.</HI></Q>
<Q><BIBL><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> Tim. 3. 14.</BIBL> <HI>But continue thou in the things which tho<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> ha&s;t learn|ed, and hast been a&s;&s;ured of: knowing of whom thou ha&s;t learned them.</HI></Q>
<Q><BIBL><HI>Mr. W. Pryn. Perpetuity,</HI> pag. 344.</BIBL> The Sacraments do never convey any inward and &s;piritual grace, which may truly regenerate and engraft men into Chri&s;t: but where there is a hand of Faith to receive them, and the grace conveyed by them.</Q>
<Q><HI>Cupio propitiis auribus quid &s;entiam dicere, &s;in minus, dicam &amp; ira|tis,</HI> Sen. Epi&s;t. 59.</Q>
<P><HI>London,</HI> Printed for <HI>Tho. Parkhur&s;t,</HI> at the three Crowns, at the lower end of Cheap&s;ide, over-again&s;t the great Conduit, 1658.</P>
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<DIV1 TYPE="to the reader">
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<HEAD><HI>TO THE CHRISTIAN READER, And more e&s;pecially to M^r</HI> Will. Prynne <HI>E&s;quire.</HI></HEAD>
<P><HI>_A</HI> While &s;ince I met an ab&s;urd igno|rant Pamphlet, under the name of one D^r <HI>Swadlin,</HI> pleading for a <HI>Promi&s;cuous receiving the Lords Supper, by promi&s;cuous &s;inners:</HI> (a Term as new, as un&s;ound and &s;illy.) I meant to have &s;aid &s;omewhat to his <HI>madne&s;s;</HI> But perceiv|ing by a later Pamphlet of his own, that he is <HI>Fame, &amp; infamia periturus:</HI> and that 'tis likely he wri|teth <HI>&s;uch trifles</HI> to get a <HI>mi&s;erable living,</HI> I wa|ved him; not thinking it &s;trange to read what I found there, becau&s;e they were <HI>his.</HI> Neither hath it co&s;t me any great expence of patience, to hear &s;uch a <HI>Spittler</HI> as <HI>Joh. Spittlehou&s;e (in name and deed)</HI> call us <HI>Juda&s;&s;es,</HI> and all the ill-names that
<PB REF="3"> his wor&s;e heart hath invented, and his loath&s;ome throat &s;pit forth again&s;t us. Neither have I re|garded the <HI>ignorant blarings</HI> of &s;o ba&s;e and &s;illy an <HI>Almanack-maker as Will. Lilly</HI> (not worth his worthle&s;s profe&s;&s;ion.) I can as ea&s;ily &s;light the ravings of <HI>Papi&s;ts, Anabapti&s;ts,</HI> and pitiful Je|&s;uited <HI>Quakers,</HI> as the Lion the bawlings and yap|pings of a little Cur,</P>
<P>But to &s;ee <HI>a petty-martyr, an old Profe&s;&s;or,</HI> and <HI>a learned one,</HI> even a <HI>Mr. Prynne</HI> to fall from his own &s;tedfa&s;tne&s;s, to behold him watching over us like a <HI>Leopard,</HI> and helping the Sons of <HI>Lot;</HI> and hear him, <HI>even him,</HI> u&s;ing (as <HI>Mr. John Goodwin</HI> called it) <HI>the very language of Dragons again&s;t us,</HI> this grievs once for all! and &s;ick as I am, I cannot but &s;ay to him, as <HI>dying Cae&s;ar</HI> to his <HI>Brutus, Etiam &amp; tu Prynne!</HI> What is our <HI>Saul</HI> among&s;t &s;uch <HI>Prophets?</HI> even &s;uch Prophets as the <HI>old Prophet was,</HI> 1 <HI>Kings</HI> 13. will he bring us into a <HI>praemunire again&s;t God,</HI> and our <HI>high tru&s;t and calling;</HI> whil&s;t he tells us a <HI>fair tale</HI> of what is our duty to do and indure, when we find not one word for it <HI>in our Commi&s;|&s;ion</HI></P>
<P>When I fir&s;t &s;aw <HI>Mr. Prynns book of the Lords Supper vindicated</HI> (in the Title), (which
<PB REF="3"> came to my hand &s;ome few daies &s;ince) I beheld it with &s;uch a &s;pirit as <HI>Paul the Athenians Altar to the Unknown God;</HI> for I perceive <HI>Mr. Prynne</HI> doth <HI>adore a conceit of he knows not what,</HI> whil&s;t under the <HI>In&s;cription of Vindication,</HI> hee defameth, profaneth, and pro&s;tituteth the ble&s;&s;ed Sacrament. Therefore whil&s;t he gives the empty name of a <HI>Vindication</HI> to his book: let him give me leave to do the thing, to vindicate the <HI>Lords Supper</HI> indeed, from all <HI>wicked, unholy, bold intruders</HI> and <HI>u&s;urpers:</HI> and wherein he ignorant|ly mi&s;takes him&s;elf I will declare unto him: (if he <HI>Plea&s;e to tru&s;t me as willingly in mine, as I would him in his Profe&s;&s;ion.)</HI></P>
<P>In his Book I am very &s;en&s;ible of his <HI>change of Spirit,</HI> &s;ince he wrote <HI>his u&s;eful Book of the Per|petuity of the regenerate:</HI> had &s;ome man then &s;hewed him &s;uch a Book <HI>as this of his,</HI> and fo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">etold him; <HI>You</HI> &s;hall one day write thus, he would have cried out, <HI>What, am I a Dogg, that I &s;hould do &s;uch a thing!</HI> Then <HI>he would have plucked out his eies,</HI> for the godly Mini&s;ters zealous of Refor|mation: but now <HI>they are become his enemies, becau&s;e we tell him the Truth.</HI></P>
<P>And hereunto I cannot but note his <HI>fury, railing, impertinencies, and fal&s;e principles</HI> in his book;
<PB REF="4"> and have laid down better: not from my own judgment, but from <HI>former and later judicious &s;ound Divines, at home, and abroad.</HI></P>
<P>I have al&s;o ob&s;erv'd his <HI>pomp and confidence</HI> the matter and form of his whole book: and to &s;a|tisfie my &s;elf, I have dared gently to prick his rat|ling full blown bladder, to con&s;ider the paint of this <HI>Butterfly,</HI> the feather of this <HI>O&s;trich,</HI> or ra|ther the &s;quallid wings of this <HI>flitter-mou&s;e:</HI> whereby I can ea&s;ily judge (according to the old rule) <HI>Qui &s;e habet pro &s;apiente, hunc Deus &amp; homines habent pro ignaro.</HI></P>
<P>For the profest refutation of the Book, I do not look upon it as my work. I know the Lawyer hath <HI>learned and pious Antagoni&s;ts,</HI> with whom I number not my &s;elf in point of ability, (yet a &s;mal mea&s;ure might be &s;ufficient to an&s;wer 100 &s;uch <HI>Pamphlets;</HI> or any other that I have had the trou|ble to &s;ee upon their &s;ubject.)</P>
<P>My pre&s;ent writing (and further I never intend) is onely to enter my <HI>di&s;&s;ent and prote&s;t,</HI> (and not without good evidence to the truth) again&s;t <HI>Mr. Pryns</HI> erroneous conceit: for which I am grieved, and for the reproaches he ca&s;ts upon <HI>con&s;cientious Mini&s;ters, (for the reproaches of tho&s;e that re|proached them are fallen upon me)</HI> whil&s;t our
<PB REF="4"> enemies rejoice that they have found our friend and Brother to be an Executioner, (rather to grieve then torment us,) that they have gotten our <HI>De|mo&s;thenes</HI> to write angry <HI>Philippicks</HI> again&s;t us; even our own <HI>Prynne</HI> to implead us, and open his mouth again&s;t us, with a <HI>tongue of fal&s;hood, and compa&s;&s;e us about with words of hatred, and fight again&s;t us without a cau&s;e: for our love he is our adver&s;ary, but we give our &s;elves un|to praier!</HI> (vide P&s;al. 109.) <HI>and our praiers return into our own bo&s;ome;</HI> our hearts are for|tified, his &s;pittings upon us are wiped off: and &s;oul-e&s;tabli&s;hing con&s;olations and promi&s;es are ap|plied, to the condition, calling, and per&s;on of every <HI>godly Mini&s;ter. They &s;hall fight again&s;t thee, but they &s;hall not prevail again&s;t the; for I am with thee, &s;aith the Lord, to deliver thee,</HI> Jer. 1. 19. <HI>In nothing terrified by your adver&s;a|ries, which to them is an evident token of per|dition, but to you of &s;alvation, and that of God,</HI> Phil 1. 28 (vide Genev. &amp; Bezae not as) <HI>I know thy works, behold, I have &s;et before thee an open door, and no man can &s;hut it; for thou ha&s;t a little &s;trength, and ha&s;t kept my word, and not denied my name. Behold I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan; which</HI>
<PB REF="5"> <HI>&s;ay they are Jews, and are not, but do lie: Be|hold, I will make them to come and wor&s;hip before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Becau&s;e thou ha&s;t kept the word of my patience, I will al&s;o keep thee from the hour of temptation, which &s;hall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold I come quickly, hold that fa&s;t which thou ha&s;t, that no man take thy Crown,</HI> Rev. 3. 8, 9, 10, 11.</P>
<P><HI>I have no more to add, but</HI> Beza<HI>'s &s;hort E|pi&s;tle to his</HI> Diallacton, <HI>which I &s;hall apply to my &s;elf in this work.</HI></P>
<P>Pacem aliorum quaerere pulchrum e&s;t, &amp; habet certam promi&s;&s;ionem; <HI>Beati Pacifici.</HI> Sed vereor, hoc dum cupide &s;ector, ne quod eis qui pugnas di|ruunt evenire &s;olet, idem mihi quoque accidat, Illi dum aliorum &s;aluti con&s;ulunt, ip&s;i reportant vul|nera: &amp; ego dum id operam ut di&s;&s;identes rede|aent in gratiam, ab i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;dem forta&s;&s;e nullam inibo gratiam. Id &s;i fit, illius exemplo me levabo, qui dixit: &s;i hominibus placui&s;&s;em, Chri&s;ti &s;ervus non e&s;&s;em. Vale, ac &s;tude Chri&s;to placere.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>S. S.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
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<HEAD>Holy things FOR HOLY MEN: OR, The Lawyers <HI>Plea Non-&s;uited,</HI> his <HI>Evi|dence</HI> proved <HI>in&s;ufficient,</HI> his <HI>foul mouth ci|villy wiped,</HI> and his arrogant <HI>railings admo|ni&s;hed,</HI> and <HI>bridled,</HI> &amp;c.</HEAD>
<P>_I Cannot give a better cen&s;ure of M^^r <HI>Pryns</HI> late Pamphlet, then this; That 'tis <HI>a little Book, and a great mi&s;chief:</HI> the &s;hame of the <HI>Author,</HI> the grief of the <HI>Godly,</HI> the &s;trengthening of the <HI>Wicked,</HI> and the wonderment of <HI>all;</HI> and this I &s;peak from what I have beheld and read therein.</P>
<P>He &s;tileth his Book, <HI>The Lords Supper Vindicated;</HI> which makes me remember the old &s;aying, <HI>Tituli reme|dium, Pyxides venenum;</HI> for there is indeed <HI>Vindication</HI>
<PB N="2" REF="6"> in the <HI>Title,</HI> but <HI>Profanation</HI> in the <HI>drift</HI> and <HI>event.</HI> That kind of noble folly is fallen upon him, that a Philo&s;opher &s;peaks of <HI>(Non e&s;t Ignobilis gradus &s;tultitiae, vel &s;i ne&s;cias quiddicas, tamen velle de rebus propo&s;itis, hanc vel illam partem &s;tabilire:)</HI> To undertake &s;omething in things on foot, though to little purpo&s;e.</P>
<P>In the peru&s;al of his book, I have chiefly ob&s;erved <HI>Three things;</HI> his <HI>&s;hamele&s;s railing; his weak imperti|nent and failing proof that he brings to confirm his opinion, and his groundle&s;&s;e a&s;&s;ertions;</HI> all which I could not let pa&s;&s;e, without &s;uch an <HI>Item</HI> as <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> gives <HI>Petilian, Mira dicitis, nova dicitis, fal&s;a dicitis: Mira &s;tupemus, nova ca|veamus, fal&s;a convincimus. You &s;peak &s;trange things, new things, fal&s;e things: The &s;trange things we admire, the new we beware, and the fal&s;e we confute.</HI> And upon all we <HI>an|&s;wer, reprove,</HI> and <HI>advi&s;e,</HI> lea&s;t the <HI>unhappy Author</HI> &s;hould in all this, <HI>be wi&s;e in his own conceit.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Fir&s;t,</HI> (I &s;ay) I have ob&s;erved <HI>(in&s;ul&s;a &amp; jejuna convicia) his outragious, gro&s;&s;e, and in&s;olent reproaches a|gain&s;t con&s;cientious Mini&s;ters, their per&s;ons and doctrine.</HI> Many be&s;ides him have taken that irreverend licence, as <HI>Arminians, Papi&s;ts, Anabapti&s;ts, Quakers,</HI> &amp;c. but (as to barbarous ba&s;e procacious &s;currility) Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> hath &s;urpa&s;&s;ed them all.</P>
<P>And that you may <HI>&s;ee and hate</HI> &s;uch <HI>&s;ordid vomits,</HI> I have (though loth to foul my Pen) tran&s;cribed &s;ome of them.</P>
<P>The <HI>Mini&s;ters of the Go&s;pel,</HI> that are contrary to his o|pinion, <HI>he termeth Noveli&s;ts, Politick charmers,</HI> pag. 2. <HI>New Doctors,</HI> pag. 6. <HI>Audacious, a generation of Novellers,</HI> p. 32. <HI>Liers, Impo&s;tors, new Dogmati&s;ts, Lord Keepers of the great Seal of heaven, who refu&s;e to &s;et tho&s;e Seals where God hath pre&s;cribed them; as more wi&s;e, holy, carefull of their profa|nation and nullity, then God him&s;elf,</HI> pag. 13. <HI>Hard-hearted,</HI>
<PB N="3" REF="6"> <HI>uncharitable, ob&s;tinate, domineering Mini&s;ters, domineering Tyrants, renouncing the chief part of their Mini&s;terial fun|ction, and profest Apo&s;tates from the Doctrine and practice of Chri&s;ts Apo&s;tles, primitive Fathers, Churches, Chri&s;tians, Mini&s;ters of Chri&s;t throughout the world in former ages,</HI> p. 57 and p. 88. we find almo&s;t a whole page loaden with &s;uch fruit of cur&s;ing and &s;lander; The&s;e are but <HI>a few of the wounds</HI> that we receive from <HI>our friend, in who&s;e calamity we put on &s;ackcloth, and behaved our &s;elves as if he had been a friend or a brother, and went heavily as one that mourneth for his mother.</HI> This is a practick part of <HI>Machievills poli|cie;</HI> this is &s;ome of the <HI>deadly &s;ome</HI> that works out of Mr. <HI>Pryns mouth,</HI> in this fit of his <HI>falling &s;ickne&s;s.</HI></P>
<P>Neither &s;peeds the <HI>Doctrine</HI> of <HI>con&s;cientious Mini&s;ters,</HI> better then their <HI>per&s;ons.</HI> He calls their <HI>doctrine</HI> that oppo|&s;eth his conceit, <HI>Fal&s;, vain, ab&s;urd, dangerous &s;preading error, a &s;elf-intere&s;t again&s;t the in&s;titution of our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t:</HI> (Epi&s;t. to Reader) <HI>an Anti-&s;acramental, ab&s;urd, impious Paradox, Phara&s;a&iuml;cal &s;preading leaven and Gangreen,</HI> p. 1. <HI>A Cuckows &s;ong,</HI> p. 13. <HI>pure non-&s;en&s;e in Divinity,</HI> p. 14. <HI>Soul-&s;tarving cruelty,</HI> p. 20. <HI>Soul-murthering crime,</HI> p. 18. <HI>A mo&s;t ab&s;urd, unchri&s;tian, untheological, erroneous, if not bla&s;phemous a&s;&s;ertion.</HI> The&s;e are but a few <HI>gleanings</HI> of that <HI>Harve&s;t</HI> of his, that repleni&s;hes his book in a mo&s;t o|dious manner. This is the <HI>colour of</HI> Mr. Pryns <HI>tongue, dy|ed red in the reputation of the Saints.</HI> Behold here the growth of ill weeds in a good &s;oil! Is it not pity to &s;ee <HI>Jordane</HI> fall into &s;uch a <HI>&s;ea of Sodom,</HI> to &s;ee a man in <HI>reputa|tion for wi&s;dom</HI> (with the fooli&s;h <HI>Emperor</HI> to make &s;hew of &s;o many <HI>Spiders,</HI> to boa&s;t the greatne&s;s of his City) to &s;hew the greatne&s;s of his <HI>reading</HI> by the badne&s;&s;e of his <HI>choice.</HI></P>
<P>Truly, I never believed Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> had had &s;o foul a &s;tomach, till I beheld and loathed the filthy vomit of that
<PB N="4" REF="7"> book of his. Far be it from us, to &s;tudy <HI>&s;o ba&s;e a language,</HI> as to return railing for railing: good <HI>breeding, civility,</HI> and <HI>piety</HI> hath taught us better. Better it is (and yet it grievs us to do it) to &s;pread his book before the Lord, with the perplexed words of <HI>David, P&s;al.</HI> 10. <HI>This thou hast &s;een, O Lord; for thou beholde&s;t mi&s;chief and &s;pite, to requite it with thy hand, &amp;c.</HI> For Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> him&s;elf I &s;hall onely tell him (as <HI>Au&s;tin Petilian) Whil&s;t he willing|ly withdraws from our reputation, he unwillingly adds to our reward:</HI> and as learned <HI>Beza</HI> an&s;wered, That <HI>Cyclops He|&s;hu&s;ius, &amp; Illyricus (Haec vero cujus culp&acirc; eveniant, vide<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> Dominus &amp; judicabit. At <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">e neque Deus, neque homines (ni&s;i &s;erio re&s;ipueris) &agrave; tot calumniis, &amp; foedi&s;&s;imis menda|tiis ab&s;olverit: God will &s;ee and judge where the fault lieth, and truly neither God nor men will ever forgive &s;uch calum|nies and &s;tinking &s;landers,</HI> except you repent. And let Mr <HI>P<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">ynne</HI> remember, that hard &s;peeches have judgment following them: And if to call a brother <HI>Raca, and fool, be in danger of hell fire,</HI> to call <HI>Fathers</HI> and <HI>Pa&s;tors of the Church of Chri&s;t Liers, Impo&s;tors,</HI> &amp;c. bringeth the <HI>Railer</HI> into danger of <HI>&s;omething.</HI></P>
<P>The prai&s;e that the <HI>Bi&s;hop of Lincoln</HI> worthily gave <HI>King James,</HI> (Funeral Sermon <HI>May</HI> 7. 1625. <HI>pag.</HI> 51.) may be the inglorious Trophey of Mr. <HI>Prynne: (However he lived awong&s;t Puritans, and was kept as a Ward under them, yet he de&s;pi&s;ed their opinion;</HI> &s;o) what ever Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> hath pleaded for <HI>Puritans,</HI> and <HI>Non-conformi&s;ts,</HI> and <HI>con|&s;cientious men,</HI> (&s;ee his <HI>Perpetuity,</HI> in <HI>Epi&s;t.</HI> and his <HI>Hi&s;trio|ma&s;tix)</HI> yet you &s;ee now, this <HI>Demo&s;thenes</HI> hath the <HI>Squi|nacy;</HI> (Let me not &s;ay, an <HI>evil heart hath deceived him,</HI> but) hee's retained on the other &s;ide, (whil&s;t he makes <HI>a wide mouth</HI> at us) he bears the be&s;t <HI>affection</HI> to the <HI>wor&s;t ca&s;e,</HI> and doth now but de&s;pi&s;e what formerly he <HI>printed</HI>
<PB N="5" REF="7"> <HI>and profe&s;&s;ed.</HI> I &s;ee it, and am &s;orry that &s;uch <HI>great wits,</HI> and <HI>great parts,</HI> often fall into great <HI>madne&s;s, (magna ingenia, magnas dementias)</HI> and the greater age and height a man attaineth unto, the greater and more dan|gerous is his fall, <HI>when he lets go his hold.</HI> Let no man therefore think him&s;elf &s;afe, but <HI>&s;trengthen him&s;elf in the Lord, and the knowledg and obedience of the Go&s;pel:</HI> Think|ing &s;till that he reads upon Mr. <HI>Pryn's books,</HI> that which &s;ome found upon the Statue of <HI>Zenacherib, Look to me, and learn to be godly:</HI> to be <HI>&s;tedfa&s;t,</HI> to hold the truth <HI>in love;</HI> and let him that <HI>thinketh he &s;tandeth, take heed lea&s;t he fall.</HI></P>
<P>And why (among&s;t many reproaches) are we &s;o often and again in his book branded for &s;elf-&s;eekers? The man goes <HI>barefoot</HI> him&s;elf, and yet planteth <HI>thorns;</HI> hee's made of <HI>gla&s;&s;e,</HI> and yet <HI>throws &s;tones at others:</HI> A man clad in <HI>Birdlime,</HI> crieth out again&s;t <HI>&s;elf-interest!</HI> Shall I &s;ay, <HI>Law|yer cure thy &s;elf?</HI> Shall I cry out in a pa&s;&s;ion, as <HI>Scaliger</HI> once did? <HI>Hodie Proh! dolor! juris Prudentia ex matrona facta est meretrix, ex regina tyranna, ex matre noverca!</HI> No, verily! good manners, and better experience of &s;ome <HI>honorable per&s;ons of</HI> Mr. Pryns <HI>&s;ociety,</HI> and of many of his <HI>Profe&s;&s;ion</HI> have told me, that <HI>worth,</HI> and <HI>de&s;ert,</HI> and <HI>noblene&s;s,</HI> de&s;ervs and commands re&s;pect in all.</P>
<P>The profe&s;&s;ion of the <HI>Law</HI> is good, if a man u&s;e it <HI>law|fully:</HI> but yet the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> is <HI>better,</HI> and the <HI>faithful Mini|&s;ters</HI> of it <HI>(as low as we are)</HI> are too high for the reach of Mr. <HI>Pryns</HI> &s;currility and procacity.</P>
<P>Truly the Slander that Mr. <HI>Pryn</HI> is plea&s;ed to deform us with, in the day of his <HI>&s;in,</HI> and our <HI>reproach,</HI> is &s;uch, as neither would be alleged by the <HI>Divel,</HI> nor <HI>wicked men</HI> for the very <HI>incrediblene&s;s</HI> of it. For if we be <HI>&s;elf-&s;eekers,</HI> 'tis we, and not our <HI>office,</HI> and <HI>zeal,</HI> and <HI>Mini&s;try.</HI> Is it <HI>&s;elf-&s;eeking</HI>
<PB N="6" REF="8"> to procure <HI>adver&s;aries?</HI> To rebuke, reprove, and reject; Daring and confident &s;pirits, that are thereby provoked again&s;t us? Is it <HI>&s;elf-&s;eeking</HI> to put on the &s;pirit of an <HI>Elias,</HI> a <HI>Jeremy,</HI> or a <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tome?</HI></P>
<P>I have alwaies feared that <HI>flattery</HI> and <HI>&s;elf-&s;eeking</HI> had rather been <HI>whelps</HI> (Mr. <HI>Pryn's</HI> expre&s;&s;ion) <HI>of the &s;ame Litter:</HI> I thought that <HI>to crie peace, peace,</HI> and <HI>to heal de|ceitfully,</HI> and <HI>daubing with untempered mortar,</HI> had been <HI>&s;elf-&s;eeking: to &s;ay to the wicked</HI> (by inviting or admit|ting him in his prophanene&s;s to the <HI>Lords Supper) it &s;hall go well with him,</HI> had been <HI>&s;elf-&s;eeking:</HI> If this be to bee <HI>vile</HI> and <HI>&s;elf &s;eeking,</HI> we will be more <HI>vile and &s;elf-&s;eeking:</HI> It is our <HI>zeal,</HI> and <HI>honor,</HI> and <HI>duty;</HI> 'tis our evidence of <HI>faith|fulne&s;&s;e</HI> in our <HI>Steward&s;hip</HI> both before <HI>God</HI> and <HI>men.</HI></P>
<P>But I &s;hall follow the game no further upon this <HI>&s;tink|ing &s;ent,</HI> that his Rancorous <HI>breath</HI> hath left, but do hearti|ly wi&s;h him a <HI>better tongue,</HI> &amp; a <HI>milder &s;pirit!</HI> and if he be indeed <HI>better,</HI> &amp; <HI>learneder</HI> then other men; he ought to be the more <HI>mode&s;t,</HI> &amp; <HI>inoffen&s;ive:</HI> not full of <HI>ferocity</HI> &amp; <HI>rude|ne&s;s,</HI> giving &s;uch great, &amp; ju&s;t offence to the <HI>Church of Chri&s;t.</HI></P>
<P><HI>The Second thing</HI> I have ob&s;erved in his <HI>book;</HI> is his <HI>weak, impertinent,</HI> and <HI>failing proof;</HI> which he bring|eth for his <HI>grace begetting &s;oul Converting way.</HI> we know the <HI>Scriptures</HI> are indeed the holy, and &s;oul-e&s;tabli&s;hing <HI>Word of God,</HI> and proofs from thence <HI>&s;itly applyed,</HI> are <HI>like apples of Gold in pictures of Silver:</HI> But as the <HI>wringing the no&s;e bringeth forth blood,</HI> &s;o wre&s;ting, and forcing <HI>the Scripture,</HI> extenuateth the <HI>Proof.</HI> Mr. <HI>Pryn</HI> hath brought <HI>above</HI> 500 <HI>quotations</HI> into view, about his <HI>opinion,</HI> in his little Pam|phlet: but not &s;o much as any <HI>one evidence</HI> given by <HI>any</HI> of them; but a &s;light vapor he maketh of what &s;ome <HI>good men</HI> have granted; <HI>that 'tis po&s;&s;ible that Conver&s;ion may be wrought</HI> (upon &s;ome per&s;ons) <HI>at the Lords Table,</HI> p. 25. How poor a &s;hift is this (after he hath filled his book with
<PB N="7" REF="8"> with <HI>quotations,</HI> as full as the <HI>Turks</HI> their <HI>ditches</HI> and <HI>tren|ches</HI> with their <HI>&s;laves</HI> and captive <HI>Souldiers)</HI> to argue from what God in his <HI>Infinite mercy</HI> and <HI>prerogative</HI> may do; to our <HI>duty</HI> what we <HI>mu&s;t do!</HI></P>
<P>I &s;hall give you &s;ome <HI>In&s;tances,</HI> of his <HI>distortings</HI> and <HI>mi&s;applications,</HI> and yet by him conceited to be the mo&s;t <HI>pat, pre&s;t,</HI> and <HI>convincing</HI> Proofs in all his book.</P>
<P>He undertakes to prove, <HI>that the Apo&s;tles admitted In|fants to the Lords Supper,</HI> pag. 11. <HI>from Acts</HI> 2. 44. 46. Is it not a <HI>convincing</HI> proof? and to the <HI>Purpo&s;e?</HI> yet &s;uch kind of proofs are con&s;tantly produced <HI>(quidlibet ex quo|libet.</HI></P>
<P>Again, pag. 12. 38, 39. <HI>he &s;aith, the&s;e Scriptures prove</HI> (viz. 1 Cor. 10. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and ver&s;. 16, 17. and 1 Cor. 12. 12. 13.) <HI>The Lords Supper to be a converting, grace-be|getting Ordinance; and that all baptized Chri&s;tians ought to receive the Sacramentall &s;eal of the Lords Supper: with|out &s;ecluding any, for ignorance, &s;candall, unregeneracy, or want of &s;aving grace; the univer&s;ality of all Chri&s;tians have right to, and actuall duty in, Communicating together at the Lords Supper.</HI> Thus doth he <HI>impri&s;on the truth in unrigh|teou&s;ne&s;&s;e!</HI> who ever hath bin &s;o confident as Mr. <HI>Prin?</HI> to a&s;&s;ert, <HI>that none baptized, are to be excluded from the Lords Supper?</HI> at lea&s;t, who ever hath been &s;o <HI>&s;hamele&s;s,</HI> as to bring &s;uch <HI>Scriptures</HI> to prove it, as never had any the lea&s;t <HI>acquaintance</HI> with his conceit?</P>
<P>He produceth <HI>pag.</HI> 38 another Proof, from <HI>Joh.</HI> 6. 27. to 53, (a good long Proof) <HI>and &s;aith, that not onely mo&s;t Popi&s;h writers wholly, but all Protestant writers, equally ap|ply it to the Lords Supper,</HI> and is not this his huge, bold, ignorant <HI>confidence? when as Prote&s;tant writers</HI> declare the contray <HI>(Mu&s;t. ad Loc. manife&s;tum e&s;t, non loqui Domi|num hoc loco de Sacrament ali carnis &s;uae e&s;u, &amp;c.) it is mani|fe&s;t,</HI>
<PB N="8" REF="9"> <HI>that our Saviour in this place (&s;aith Mu&s;c.) &s;peaks not of the Sacramental eating of his fle&s;h.</HI> Of the &s;ame mind is <HI>Chemnitius, Rollock,</HI> and the <HI>later laborious Hutchin&s;on;</HI> The <HI>Engli&s;h Annotations, Diodat, Fulk, and Cartwright,</HI> in their an&s;wers to the <HI>Remi&s;h Te&s;tament. Prote&s;tant wri|ters</HI> that have the <HI>clear mind</HI> of all the re&s;t. But &s;urely M. <HI>Pryn</HI> conceivs us <HI>unacquainted</HI> with <HI>Protestant writers,</HI> or too lazy to follow him and convince his <HI>impertinent quotations.</HI> Let any that <HI>under&s;tandeth,</HI> judg whether tho&s;e words, <HI>Who&s;oever eateth my fle&s;h, and drinketh my blood, hath everla&s;ting life,</HI> be properly applyed to the <HI>&V;nregenrates eating;</HI> of whom (I tremble to &s;peak it) the Apo&s;tle &s;aith, <HI>they eat and drink damnation to them&s;elves.</HI> Learned and copious <HI>Gerhard, de &s;acra coena, cap.</HI> 21 <HI>num.</HI> 229 <HI>&s;aith, Dictum Johannis Cap.</HI> 6. 53. <HI>non de &s;acramentali, &s;ed &s;pirituali corporis &amp; &s;angninis Chri&s;ti manducatione, &amp; bibitione tractat.</HI> And the like I might trans&s;cribe for <HI>many others,</HI> yet <HI>this of John</HI> is the place, that is M. <HI>Pryns invincible evidence</HI> (and <HI>that all Prote&s;tant divines apply it &s;o;) That Christ doth ordinarily work true conver&s;ion in mens &s;ouls, in a proper ordinary way, by his Supper duly ad|mini&s;tred, as he doth by the word Preached, or any other means of grace.</HI> I appeal to the <HI>learned</HI> to con&s;ider of the <HI>di&s;-ingenuity</HI> of the proof he pretendeth to; when he hath <HI>not a word</HI> (that I find) for the true evidence of his Te|nent. Yet that you may &s;ee more of his <HI>trifling,</HI> (even in <HI>holy things.)</HI></P>
<P>See <HI>p.</HI> 38. and 52. what <HI>Signall proof</HI> he brings us <HI>for the &s;ame;</HI> from Joh. 1. 12. <HI>To as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the &s;ons of God.</HI> Will M. <HI>Pryn</HI> call in <HI>Prote&s;tant writers</HI> to &s;tand by him here al&s;o? to af|firm with him, <HI>Therefore, this Sacrament and the Word are both alike regenerating, converting Ordinances?</HI> and &s;ee
<PB N="9" REF="9"> <HI>pag.</HI> 42, a like proof he fetches <HI>(at a venture)</HI> from <HI>Acts</HI> 26. 17. <HI>That the Sacrament hath power to turn them from &s;in,</HI> &amp; <HI>Satan, unto God; and mu&s;t of nece&s;&s;ity be granted by all, to be a &s;oul-converting, faith-engendring Ordinance.</HI> Who can ever bear &s;uch <HI>rea&s;onings</HI> and <HI>proofs,</HI> (di&s;&s;onant from all &s;hew of proof at all, to the matter in hand) in &s;uch <HI>great</HI> and high concernment <HI>of the Go&s;pell?</HI> how <HI>&s;a|vorly</HI> doth he apply all the&s;e &s;weet and heavenly promi&s;es of grace, (&s;ee his pag. 43, 44&punc; 45) <HI>E&s;ay</HI> 53. 5. <HI>Luke</HI> 1. 74 75. 1 <HI>The&s;.</HI> 5. 9, 10, 11. <HI>Rom.</HI> 4. 25, <HI>and the re&s;t;</HI> to prove, <HI>that the Lords supper mu&s;t needs be a grace-begetting Ordi|nance, and proper to the unregenerate?</HI> And yet he grant|eth, <HI>that the approach unto it is a hunger, thir&s;t, asking, &s;eeking, knocking, watching at the gates of wi&s;dome, and re|membring the ways, and drinking in the rain of Gods grace.</HI> If this be <HI>&s;ence in divinity,</HI> or hone&s;t <HI>dealing with Scripture,</HI> Mr. <HI>Pryn</HI> hath no <HI>non-&s;ence</HI> in his <HI>writings.</HI> Let me ask him, where he hath found &s;uch <HI>&s;anctified properties</HI> in un|regenerate per&s;ons? if to &s;eek, <HI>knock, watch, thir&s;t, hunger, drink in the rain of Gods grace</HI> bee the <HI>Propertie of an un|regenerate per&s;on,</HI> we may all wi&s;h to be <HI>unregenerate:</HI> but I am &s;ure Mr. <HI>Pryns expre&s;&s;ions,</HI> and all the like, are <HI>unre|generate,</HI> and <HI>illegitimate</HI> both, and not to be <HI>indured;</HI> and yet 'tis pitty to &s;pend <HI>ink,</HI> and <HI>paper,</HI> and <HI>precious time</HI> to <HI>refute him:</HI> but that, el&s;e we &s;hall be accounted <HI>idle,</HI> and <HI>unable</HI> (as &s;ome have boa&s;ted) to an&s;wer him.</P>
<P>What can ever be imagined more <HI>vain</HI> and <HI>frivolous,</HI> then almo&s;t all his quotations, which he bids us <HI>note, pag.</HI> 48, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> about the <HI>&s;ight</HI> that an <HI>unregenerate</HI> man hath of the <HI>Ordinances of God, and of Chri&s;t in the Supper? Ble&s;&s;ed are your eyes, for they &s;ee</HI> Mat. 5. 16. <HI>Let me &s;ee thy face, and hear thy voyce, Cant.</HI> 2. 14. <HI>with abundance of the like:</HI> all
<PB N="10" REF="10"> which he applies to the <HI>unregenerate in the Sacrament, and &s;aith, by the&s;e premi&s;es it is mo&s;t clearly demon&s;trated, that the Lords Supper is a &s;oul-converting, grace-begetting Ordinance.</HI> If this be not <HI>prophaning of holy thing's,</HI> &s;urely there is no &s;uch &s;in among&s;t men. It might be expected, that the naming of &s;uch <HI>ab&s;urdities,</HI> might be confutation &s;ufficient unto <HI>a wi&s;e man: (As for example,</HI> the very <HI>na|ming</HI> of the Scripture whereby) <HI>pag.</HI> 56, he doth <HI>per&s;wade</HI> us, (after a mo&s;t <HI>outragious, long, ungracious</HI> and mo&s;t <HI>un|civill railing,</HI> in the former page) nay would <HI>enforce us,</HI> to give the <HI>Lords Supper to ignorant, vitious, unregenerate ones:</HI> he quoteth <HI>Matt.</HI> 25. 41, 42, 45. <HI>I was hungry, and yee gave me no meat; I was thir&s;ty, and ye gave me no drink;</HI> this his proof; (with many others, ju&s;t as pertinent,) that he introduceth for the purpo&s;e.</P>
<P>O mo&s;t Holy &s;acred <HI>Scriptures!</HI> how am I pierced and afflicted, to &s;ee you thus <HI>wracked, di&s;torted, di&s;membred,</HI> by the <HI>pa&s;&s;ions</HI> and <HI>violent conceits</HI> of men! I cannot bear it, and yet I mu&s;t behold it before my face! and M. <HI>Pryn</HI> the mo&s;t <HI>unhappy,</HI> and to be <HI>lamented executioner!</HI> Ah Lord! This is far a more <HI>horrid &s;ight,</HI> then the <HI>wicked and mercile&s;s</HI> &s;litting of <HI>no&s;es,</HI> and cropping of <HI>ears,</HI> and bran|ding the <HI>cheeks</HI> of worthfull men! (for which thing<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>ven|geance</HI> overtook many:) And &s;hall we not think <HI>&amp; alio<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> manet ultor,</HI> That God is highly <HI>ai&s;plea&s;ed</HI> with tho&s;e <HI>ig|norant,</HI> and (as to go&s;pel knowledge) <HI>unlearned ones,</HI> that will even dare to <HI>wre&s;t, mangle, tear,</HI> and <HI>abu&s;e</HI> the <HI>Scrip|tures,</HI> to their own <HI>de&s;truction!</HI></P>
<P>And that all may &s;ee, that I have not dealt <HI>too &s;harply:</HI> Let them (that have the <HI>patience)</HI> read what he produ|ceth <HI>pag.</HI> 9, 10. 32, 38. <HI>from Ezek.</HI> 11. 18. 19. 20. <HI>and cap.</HI> 36. 25, 26. <HI>and from Jer.</HI> 32. 39. (Gods promi&s;e of creating or giving a <HI>new heart.</HI> (The&s;e are all <HI>&s;ubpaena'd,</HI> to prove
<PB N="11" REF="10"> the <HI>Lords Supper to be a faith-engendring, &s;oul couverting Ordinance; where there is no pre-exi&s;tent grace,</HI> and from the&s;e Scriptures it mu&s;t follow, <HI>(as he will have them ex|pounded)</HI> that if the <HI>Lords Supper</HI> be a <HI>&s;eal,</HI> it mu&s;t be a <HI>re|generating, and &s;oul converting Ordinance.</HI> The&s;e are his <HI>fair</HI> and <HI>judicious plain proofs</HI> for his opinion. That 'tis a <HI>&s;eal,</HI> and conveieth <HI>new</HI> and further <HI>grace,</HI> we all affirm; as to the <HI>mea&s;ure,</HI> but not to the <HI>nature,</HI> and fir&s;t principle of <HI>grace:</HI> as food bringeth <HI>new renewed life,</HI> by way of <HI>nou|ri&s;hment,</HI> not <HI>begetteth new life,</HI> where it was not at all <HI>in the fir&s;t principle.</HI> I &s;hall ever pray for a <HI>new heart,</HI> and a <HI>renued mind,</HI> and yet believe (whil&s;t I pray for them) that I have (thorow grace) in &s;ome mea&s;ure <HI>received</HI> them: but I would yet have the&s;e <HI>&s;weet and heavenly promi&s;es,</HI> more and more fulfilled to me, and fully evidenced in me.</P>
<P>Thus I have &s;hewen a few of the Scriptures, that are put upon the <HI>Tally on</HI> M. <HI>Prynns part; to prove the Lords Supper a converting Ordinance.</HI> Yet pag. 7. <HI>he intreateth us to confine our &s;elvs to Scripture language.</HI> (I would this old <HI>Crab</HI> would go right him&s;elfe, that fairly teacheth us (like the <HI>&s;hell-fi&s;h in the fable)</HI> to go &s;o &s;traight,) This of his I think is the gui&s;e of all <HI>our oppo&s;ites; Arrians, Papi&s;ts, Ana|baptists, Anti-Trinitarians,</HI> to intreat and adjure us, to keep clo&s;e to <HI>Scripture</HI> (a piece of coun&s;ell for ever and from any to be embraced) whil&s;t they (as M. <HI>Prynne</HI> here <HI>gallopeth</HI> over <HI>five or &s;ix hundred places of Scripture,</HI> like a <HI>wild hor&s;e</HI> over a field of corn,) range, and &s;poil all, no man knowing how they could <HI>break into</HI> &s;uch quotations. If any man of a wel grounded judgment in Scripture mat|ters, can find &s;trength and validity in his <HI>quotations,</HI> I have named, I will hereafter lay my hand on my <HI>mouth</HI> &amp; be <HI>&s;i|lent for ever;</HI> &amp; &s;hal from henceforth per&s;wade my &s;elf, that
<PB N="12" REF="11"> the <HI>fooli&s;h &s;haveling</HI> had a good proof from <HI>Gen.</HI> 1. 16. to evidence that the <HI>Pope</HI> is above the <HI>Emperour.</HI></P>
<P><HI>I &s;hall now (in the third place) proceed to his bold and groundle&s;s a&s;&s;ertions.</HI> By which we may judge, that it was more his <HI>confidence</HI> then his <HI>di&s;cretion,</HI> that hath <HI>ru&s;hed</HI> him upon &s;uch <HI>ab&s;u<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">dities</HI> and <HI>wild con|ceits. Scaliger</HI> tells us <HI>(In homine docto, tria omnino excel|lere debent, morum integritas at que civilitas, eruditio varia ac multa, ingenium &s;ummum cum accerrimo judicio conjun|ctum,)</HI> a learned man &s;hould have intire good manners, and civility, various, and much learning, and a high wit, joined wit a piercing judgment.</P>
<P>You have had Mr. <HI>Prynns integrity, good manners,</HI> and <HI>civility</HI> expre&s;&s;ed freely, again&s;t the <HI>con&s;cientious Mini&s;ters</HI> before his <HI>multiplicity</HI> &amp; <HI>abundance</HI> of <HI>reading</HI> (if his Scrip|tures had been right applyed) in the quotations of <HI>places cited,</HI> of which we have had a ta&s;t (an <HI>un&s;avory</HI> one.) Now to his <HI>(Ingenium &s;ummun, cum accerrimo judicio cujunctum)</HI> high and huge wit and judgment. Where I wi&s;h I could ju&s;tifie <HI>the latter,</HI> as I can affirm <HI>the former.</HI> But I hope this is but his <HI>di&s;ea&s;e of his fancy,</HI> and &s;ome <HI>di&s;temper,</HI> and <HI>heat</HI> (and not a perfect <HI>calenture)</HI> of his conceit; that may prove <HI>curable;</HI> and that 'tis not the very <HI>con&s;titution</HI> of his &s;erious and more con&s;iderate <HI>&s;oul.</HI> I do wi&s;h heartily (for I loved him as a great <HI>Puritan,</HI> a <HI>&s;trict</HI> and regular <HI>profe&s;&s;or)</HI> he may out-live this <HI>di&s;cracie,</HI> that is at pre&s;ent fallen up|on him, and be <HI>more u&s;eful</HI> to the Church of God <HI>then thus</HI> Yet to &s;ee and pitty the <HI>di&s;compo&s;ure</HI> of Spirit that he is under; hear the man talk a little, and ob&s;erve his &s;trange kind of <HI>unrea&s;onable rea&s;onings;</HI> and remember what the <HI>Spirit of God</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Eccl.</HI> 10. 1. <HI>Dead Flyes cau&s;e</HI> the <HI>oyntmen of the Apothecarie to &s;end forth a &s;tinking &s;avor, &s;o doth a lit+tle folly him that is in reputation for wi&s;dom and honour&punc;</HI></P>
<PB N="13" REF="11">
<P> <HI>Pag.</HI> 9. <HI>M. Prynne &s;aith,</HI> this po&s;ition of &s;ome (That <HI>to deliver the Lords Supper, to &s;uch as have no pre-exi&s;tent &s;a|ving grace and faith within them, is but to &s;et a &s;eal to a which cannot work any &s;aving grace, and conver&s;ion in them.)</HI> This po&s;ition he &s;aith is as <HI>fal&s;e,</HI> as God is <HI>true.</HI></P>
<P>Doth Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> under&s;tand no more of the <HI>Truth</HI> of GOD then thus? where is <HI>non &s;ence in Divinity,</HI> and what is <HI>an impious Paradox</HI> (Mr. <HI>Prynnes</HI> words) if this be not? Let him no more talk of <HI>untheological, and al|mo&s;t bla&s;phemous a&s;&s;ertions;</HI> except he will ju&s;tifie the <HI>madne&s;s</HI> (as <HI>Irenaeus</HI> calls it) of <HI>Marcion</HI> and his follow|ers, that affirmed there were <HI>two Principles at fir&s;t,</HI> or two beginning&punc; <HI>of good and evil, that were equally poi&s;ed:</HI> El&s;e I hope Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> will (as the <HI>di&s;temper wears off)</HI> return to his former <HI>right mind.</HI> And that he will live to affirm the great and glorious <HI>Truth</HI> of GOD, to bee <HI>truer,</HI> then the mi&s;take of any weak and &s;inful man can be <HI>fal&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>2. But that which aggravateth the matter is this, That what Mr. <HI>Prynne &s;aith, is as fal&s;e as God is true.</HI> Is indeed a very truth, <HI>according to God, an undeniable, &s;erious, holy truth.</HI> Yet this mu&s;t bear Mr. <HI>Prynnes brand,</HI> for an infinite, un&s;peakable, incomprehen&s;ible fal&s;hood; <HI>as fal&s;e</HI> (he &s;aith) <HI>as God is true!</HI> This I &s;uppo&s;e is ignorant, bold, and fal&s;e enough! And yet, brethren, this <HI>bold af|firmer</HI> (of, alas, he knows not what (for I am angry at &s;uch <HI>palpable &s;tuffe)</HI> takes upon him to <HI>adjure us</HI> to acqui|e&s;ce in his conceits, and follow his <HI>advi&s;e</HI> and <HI>fancy,</HI> in no le&s;&s;e matters then <HI>(in tremendis my&s;teriis)</HI> in the <HI>ma|naging and admini&s;tring the Lords Supper.</HI> Let Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> give coun&s;el in the Law with an <HI>hone&s;t mind,</HI> and good <HI>&s;ucce&s;&s;e,</HI> (wherein they &s;ay he hath <HI>good skill:)</HI> but God forbid we &s;hould no better under&s;tand our <HI>Theological</HI>
<PB N="14" REF="12"> <HI>work,</HI> then to take our <HI>In&s;titutions</HI> and <HI>precepts</HI> anew from him, that (though never &s;o learned in his own) is but very <HI>jejune</HI> and <HI>empty,</HI> as to the&s;e great and holy things of our <HI>Calling</HI> and <HI>Mini&s;try;</HI> and is therein but like him that <HI>Prov.</HI> 13. 7. <HI>maketh him&s;elf rich, and hath no|thing.</HI></P>
<P>In his &s;eventh <HI>page</HI> he gives a very mean an&s;wer to ano|ther <HI>po&s;ition,</HI> that he cavils at, <HI>(viz.</HI> That <HI>Sacramental Seals &s;erve onely to confirm pre-exi&s;tent, not convey non-exi&s;tent grace.)</HI></P>
<P>This he quarrels at, and mi&s;calleth it a <HI>gro&s;&s;e Soleci&s;me in Divinity and Law:</HI></P>
<P><HI>Corrigit, magnificat, &amp; ne&s;cit quid &s;ignificat.</HI></P>
<P>To confute the Po&s;ition, he tells us the <HI>primary,</HI> p. 8. <HI>original, mo&s;t u&s;ual end of Seals, and &s;ealed writings, is to convey and transfer new rights, titles, &amp;c.</HI> and <HI>their &s;econ|dary end to confirm, corroborate, &amp; enlarge e&s;tates formerly conveyed.</HI> How &s;hal Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> teach us in our Profe&s;&s;ion, that <HI>falls &s;hort</HI> in his own? For doth not experience teach us, (and do not as wi&s;e Coun&s;ellors affirm) that the Seal and Writings are <HI>matters of Record,</HI> that of them&s;elves <HI>pro|perly</HI> convey nothing, but are a la&s;ting <HI>memorial</HI> of what was <HI>bargained, demi&s;ed, purpo&s;ed,</HI> and <HI>conveyed</HI> (and on what terms) before. 'Tis the <HI>act</HI> and <HI>deed</HI> of the <HI>par|ties,</HI> concerned and agreed before, that is the <HI>conveyance.</HI> And if it cannot be proved that there was no <HI>per&s;onal actual conveyance,</HI> (as well as a Seal and a Writing) Mr. <HI>Prynne him&s;elf</HI> (for a &s;mall fee) will give it <HI>for Law,</HI> that &s;uch a <HI>Writing and Seal</HI> is little better then a <HI>blank,</HI> and &s;ignifies <HI>nothing.</HI></P>
<P>It makes me &s;mile to hear him <HI>Romance it &s;o gallantly,</HI> in p. 14. and 15. where he relates how the <HI>three Knights,</HI> Mr. <HI>Maurice,</HI> Mr. <HI>Humphrey,</HI> and <HI>him&s;elf,</HI> kill'd the <HI>Gy|ant</HI>
<PB N="15" REF="12"> that &s;till <HI>liveth.</HI> At lea&s;t he &s;hews you the <HI>ropes of &s;and</HI> where with they <HI>bound him, thus.</HI> Saith Mr. <HI>Prynne, Be|cau&s;e preaching and hearing may &s;ometimes work damnati|on, yet doth &s;ometimes work and convey (by the concurrence of Gods Spirit) faith, grace, and repentance: &s;o doth the Lords Supper likewi&s;e; as he &s;aith he &s;hall prove anon,</HI> or to morrow, or never.</P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> retains and con&s;trains thirty or forty Scri|ptures, to bear up the <HI>bedabbled train</HI> of this vaporing <HI>conceit;</HI> but to prove it indeed, I find not a word <HI>in his Book,</HI> nor is there a word for it in <HI>the Bible.</HI> But we are commanded to preach, and teach, to rebuke, exhort, &amp;c. and by &s;uch means, (and by walking like lights, &amp;c.) to indeavour the conver&s;ion of the Unregenerate. And for this we have <HI>evidence</HI> of the <HI>Word,</HI> and abundant witne&s;s in the <HI>con&s;cience</HI> of many, ble&s;&s;ed be the Lord. But for Mr. <HI>Prynns</HI> conceit, (and his fellows) <HI>of a proper work of Conver&s;ion by the Sacrament,</HI> (for all the rich flouri&s;hing applau&s;e that their own mouths give it) it is but but a <HI>fail|ing bankrupt conceit.</HI> And <HI>pag.</HI> 17. he offers to compound at <HI>half a crown</HI> in the pound, with a <HI>Why &s;hould they not con&s;tantly, and frequently admini&s;ter the Lords Supper to them (viz.</HI> the Unconverted) <HI>becau&s;e &s;ome of them may po&s;&s;ibly, may probably be converted, really reclaimed from their &s;ins, renued, &s;aved by it.</HI> And <HI>pag.</HI> 18, and 19, hee followeth the &s;ame importunity, <HI>Po&s;&s;ibly</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>&s;ome may be converted by it:</HI> and <HI>pag.</HI> 24 he &s;aith, <HI>'Tis u&s;ually and properly wrought by the Lords Supper.</HI> And (if he hath not <HI>proper proof</HI> for it, there is none in all <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">he <HI>Bible,</HI> for he) <HI>proves</HI> it from the <HI>Queen of Sheba,</HI> 1 <HI>King.</HI> 10. 6. and &s;ome like <HI>in&s;tances,</HI> and no le&s;&s;e (nor more) <HI>pertinent.</HI> And (he after all) from the <HI>weight</HI> of his <HI>bare word</HI> char|ges it upon our <HI>con&s;ciences</HI> (from a <HI>&s;ingle in&s;tance,</HI> far fetcht
<PB N="16" REF="13"> from the <HI>We&s;t of England,</HI> with a confident <HI>a&s;&s;umption</HI> thereupon, that <HI>&s;ome,</HI> nay <HI>many</HI> have been converted by the <HI>Sacrament.</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w</HI> We an&s;wer, What God hath done of his <HI>meer grace of prerogative,</HI> is not the matter in que&s;tion: but we are to <HI>regard</HI> what is in our <HI>Charge and Commi&s;&s;ion:</HI> where we have no <HI>command nor leave,</HI> that I know, to admini&s;ter the <HI>Lords Supper,</HI> according to Mr. <HI>Prynnes In&s;titution.</HI> What if the Lord Chri&s;t were plea&s;ed to pro|mi&s;e a Thief mercy upon the Cro&s;&s;e, may we therefore admit of <HI>Thievs</HI> to the <HI>Lord's Table?</HI> Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> tells us, (in his &s;ounder times and Writings) of two <HI>Mimicks, or Stage-plaiers</HI> converted, whil&s;t they were bla&s;phemou&s;ly di&s;honouring Chri&s;t in their ridiculous and Mimical act|ing and admini&s;tring the <HI>Sacrament of Bapti&s;me:</HI> (I mean <HI>Porphyrius</HI> and <HI>Arddion;)</HI> Would therefore Mr. <HI>Prynne,</HI> if he were a <HI>Mini&s;ter</HI> him&s;elf (that can lay &s;uch a <HI>heavy burthen</HI> upon us) admit him to the <HI>Lord's Table,</HI> that had lately committed but a <HI>Mimical rape,</HI> or acted the <HI>Divel upon a Stage?</HI> If nay; then Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> is ours. If yea; What meant Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> to <HI>make</HI> (or my &s;elf and others to buy at &s;o dear a rate,) that <HI>&s;even &s;tringed whip</HI> (a book of great <HI>reading,</HI> and then, of as great <HI>zeal)</HI> cal|led, <HI>Hi&s;trioma&s;tix.</HI></P>
<P>Hath not Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> heard of that <HI>famous Cook</HI> (in the Church-hi&s;tory) that was converted by beholding the ve|ry <HI>flame,</HI> and feeling the <HI>heat of his fire:</HI> hath he not heard of <HI>&s;ome,</HI> that were converted by the <HI>receit of an alms,</HI> (why will he not then be as bountifull of his <HI>own,</HI> as hee would have us be of <HI>Gods Table?</HI> Hath no Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> heard, that <HI>ju&s;t Su&s;pen&s;ion</HI> hath had it's <HI>numbers of Con|verts?</HI> If not, I could tell of <HI>rich</HI> and <HI>plentiful experience</HI> that way. And if the worthy Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> (as once I
<PB N="17" REF="13"> thought him) were under my Mini&s;try; I &s;hould try the experiment (if he &s;hould obtrude) upon <HI>him&s;elf,</HI> (for all his <HI>Law-tricks)</HI> (as I have &s;ucce&s;sfully and mo&s;t happily done upon others.) And <HI>rejoyce not that he were made &s;orry, but that he might be &s;orrowfull to repentance; that he might be made &s;orry after a Godly manner, that he might not re|ceiv damage in any thing.</HI> For the &s;in of the man is <HI>very great;</HI> and his book <HI>very &s;infull,</HI> (the <HI>Rubrick</HI> it &s;elf being <HI>judg;)</HI> and for my &s;o doing I &s;hould not be afraid to refer the a|ction to GOD, and the judgment of a <HI>nationall Synod.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Pryn.</HI> Pag. 3. he objecteth, <HI>the Lords Supper is no where called a &s;eal in Scripture.</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> What if it be not called a &s;eal in <HI>expre&s;&s;e words</HI> of <HI>Scripture:</HI> is it therefore <HI>no &s;eal?</HI> what we find a &s;eal and a &s;ealing Ordinance <HI>in the effect,</HI> is &s;o in truth, though we find it <HI>not named</HI> (nor our own names) in Scripture. That which hath a power of witne&s;s <HI>to evidence &amp; confirm is a &s;eal,</HI> without <HI>exception;</HI> &s;o the blood of the <HI>pa&s;&s;eover</HI> was <HI>a &s;eal</HI> of the <HI>promi&s;ed &s;afety &amp; protection</HI> of the <HI>I&s;raelites hou|&s;es,</HI> being <HI>&s;princkled on the &s;ide po&s;ts and lintel of their doors.</HI></P>
<P>2. Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> confe&s;&s;eth <HI>pag.</HI> 4. <HI>that circumci&s;ion was a &s;eal,</HI> if &s;o; was it a <HI>&s;eal</HI> as a <HI>Sacrament,</HI> or onely under &s;ome other <HI>con&s;ideration?</HI> if the <HI>latter,</HI> what was the <HI>con&s;idera|tion?</HI> if the <HI>former,</HI> why &s;hould not that which was <HI>com|mon</HI> to one <HI>Sacrament</HI> be common to the other?</P>
<P>3. Is an impre&s;&s;ion upon the <HI>&s;hamefull part of the body a &s;eal,</HI> and is not an <HI>impre&s;&s;ion</HI> upon the &s;anctified <HI>heart,</HI> and <HI>&s;oul</HI> of a believer a <HI>Seal?</HI> nay doth not the very face of a holy <HI>Communicant,</HI> bear <HI>a &s;eal</HI> of a holy refre&s;hing <HI>cheerfulne&s;s?</HI></P>
<P>4. The <HI>Lords Supper</HI> doth al&s;o <HI>confirm,</HI> and therefore (Mr. <HI>Pryn</HI> being judg) it is a <HI>&s;eal: (if but &s;econdarily, pag.</HI> 8.) and &s;o are all the <HI>in&s;tances</HI> by him mentioned, <HI>in a &s;ort.</HI> But there is no need that every thing that <HI>&s;ealeth onely</HI> &s;hould
<PB N="18" REF="14"> <HI>confirm,</HI> nor every thing that <HI>confirmeth</HI> be a <HI>&s;eal properly;</HI> but the <HI>Sacrament</HI> doth both <HI>&s;eal,</HI> and <HI>confirm</HI> the <HI>believer</HI> that receiveth <HI>in faith,</HI> and therefore is <HI>a &s;eal.</HI></P>
<P>5. M. <HI>Prynne</HI> confe&s;&s;eth <HI>an immateriall and invi&s;ible &s;eal,</HI> &s;et on the <HI>&s;oul or fore-head, by the Spirit of God</HI> or his <HI>Angels. pag.</HI> 5. I hope then to &s;ay <HI>Sacraments,</HI> or <HI>Seals.</HI> may be as tollerable, as to &s;ay <HI>&s;oul or fore-head;</HI> for where doth M. <HI>Prynne</HI> find them put one for the other, or <HI>An|gells</HI> for the <HI>Spirit of God.</HI></P>
<P>6. What ab&s;urdity will follow, if we &s;ay, that in the <HI>Communion</HI> God doth <HI>annoint us,</HI> and <HI>&s;eal us,</HI> and give us the <HI>earne&s;t of his &s;pirit?</HI> I hope &s;ome of us have <HI>found it &s;o.</HI> And though M. <HI>Pryn</HI> knows not (<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">or the <HI>pre&s;ent, for his neutralizing</HI> in this lamentable fa&s;hion,) who&s;e <HI>image</HI> and <HI>&s;uper&s;cription</HI> is <HI>&s;ealed</HI> upon the believing <HI>&s;oul,</HI> in the re|ceiving the <HI>Lords Supper,</HI> (in a <HI>&s;trict</HI> and mo&s;t <HI>examinate</HI> manner:) yet there are many humble poor <HI>Saints</HI> of God, that <HI>do know,</HI> and can <HI>&s;ay and affirm,</HI> that their <HI>feed|ing</HI> at the <HI>Lords Table</HI> leavs a <HI>&s;eal indelible</HI> upon their hearts.</P>
<P>7. After all M. <HI>Prynn's</HI> cavilling at the word <HI>Seal,</HI> and the <HI>materiality,</HI> &amp; <HI>immateriality, properne&s;s and improper|ne&s;s of it,</HI> he granteth the <HI>Lords Supper to be a &s;eal,</HI> but not <HI>affixed.</HI> As the <HI>Jews</HI> &s;ometimes &s;aid to <HI>Pilate, write not the King of the Jews, but that he &s;aid, I am the King of the Jews:</HI> &s;o M. <HI>Prynne</HI> to <HI>extenuate,</HI> what may be, and <HI>dimini&s;h</HI> from the <HI>glory</HI> of the <HI>ordinance,</HI> (though he mu&s;t call it a <HI>&s;eal,</HI> yet) will not have it called a <HI>&s;eal affixed.</HI> Doth not him|&s;elf know, a <HI>&s;eal is not a &s;eal</HI> otherwi&s;e <HI>then affixed?</HI> and yet he hath the audacity to call this <HI>a fal&s;e, improper, un|&s;criptural paradox, pag</HI> 7. &amp; for proof refers you to another <HI>pretty piece</HI> of his, that (like the <HI>&s;hepherds Calender)</HI> will perhaps refer you to this again.</P>
<PB N="19" REF="14">
<P> <HI>Pryn.</HI> Pag. 25. M. <HI>Prynne</HI> confe&s;&s;es <HI>a competent know|ledg, and hi&s;toricall belief at lea&s;t, of the death, pa&s;&s;ion, and merits of Chri&s;t, and of the matter, and ends of the Lords Supper, are pre-required of all &s;uch who are admitted there|unto,</HI> &amp; pag 34. <HI>the Communicants must be worthy,</HI> &amp; pag 26. <HI>there mu&s;t be an externall profe&s;&s;ion of the Go&s;pel.</HI> And then he gravely concludeth, <HI>it mu&s;t therefore now be duly admini&s;tred to all unregenerate Chri&s;tians, as a converting Ordinance,</HI> and pag. 39 <HI>Whether regenerate, or unregenerate, ignorant or knowing, &s;candalous or unblameable.</HI> Is this good &s;ence in divinity &s;weet M. <HI>Prynne?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Pryn.</HI> Pag. 37. You have <HI>more</HI> to as good <HI>&s;ence</HI> and purpo&s;e, <HI>at large,</HI> that <HI>becau&s;e the Lords Supper is part of the Ministers office, as well as preaching, therefore it is doubt|le&s;&s;e a faith-begetting &s;oul-converting ordinance.</HI> and pag. 42. in pro&s;ecution, he tells us in brief, <HI>there is not any means or motive to faith or conver&s;ion, in the Go&s;pell preached, which is not included</HI> in the Lords Supper. <HI>Therefore &s;aith he (is't not a good inference? our oppo&s;ites must either grant the Lords &s;upper a &s;oul-converting, grace-begetting ordi|nance, as well as Preaching, or el&s;e di&s;claim preaching to be &s;uch.</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> We will not <HI>&s;trike</HI> him when <HI>hee's down,</HI> hee hath &s;o pittfully <HI>foyled him&s;elfe,</HI> that 'tis no <HI>glory</HI> at all to <HI>confute</HI> that that is all <HI>confu&s;ion</HI> (but no non-&s;ence I pray in it's <HI>parts</HI> &amp; <HI>principles.</HI> 'Tis enough that he &s;ees what his deep <HI>rea&s;oning</HI> amounteth to in all.</P>
<P><HI>Pryn.</HI> Pag. 35 and 38 M. <HI>Prynne</HI> &s;aith, <HI>in the Sacrament all is mo&s;t lovely held forth to eyes and ears, and there|fore it mu&s;t be a &s;oul-converting Ordinance.</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> Is not this <HI>&s;ound rea&s;oning?</HI> alas how blindly doth M. <HI>Pryn</HI> &s;peak of <HI>eys and ears;</HI> doth he not know that <HI>unregenerate</HI> per&s;ons have neither <HI>eyes,</HI> nor <HI>ears,</HI> nor <HI>ta&s;te,</HI>
<PB N="20" REF="15"> but their very <HI>minds and con&s;ciences are defiled?</HI> Though he plea&s;eth to &s;pend &s;ome wa&s;te leavs, <HI>pag.</HI> 45 to tell us <HI>that &s;ight is better then hearing,</HI> yet to <HI>his</HI> and <HI>our</HI> bu&s;ine&s;s in hand 'tis to <HI>no purpo&s;e;</HI> for he knows every thing is received <HI>(ad modum recipientis)</HI> according to the <HI>capacity</HI> of the <HI>receiver.</HI> The <HI>Cock</HI> in the <HI>fable</HI> might have <HI>taught</HI> him &s;o, and we &s;ee <HI>bruit bea&s;ts</HI> are not <HI>affected,</HI> with what they <HI>&s;ee</HI> out of their <HI>proper element;</HI> neither is the <HI>Bruti&s;h man affected,</HI> nor doth the <HI>the carnall man either di&s;cern,</HI> or <HI>receive the things of God; becau&s;e they are fooli&s;hne&s;&s;e to him, and becau&s;e they are &s;piritually di&s;cerned.</HI> The <HI>eye</HI> indeed is a good <HI>witne&s;&s;e,</HI> but fir&s;t it mu&s;t be <HI>taught</HI> by the <HI>ear,</HI> the <HI>difference</HI> of things, before it can <HI>judg</HI> of their excellency. Therefore the wi&s;e man <HI>Prov.</HI> 20. 12. affirmeth, that <HI>knowledge comes in by hearing,</HI> and is <HI>after</HI> (and not <HI>fir&s;t)</HI> demon&s;trated <HI>by &s;ight: the hearing ear, and the &s;eeing eye is of the Lord.</HI> What needs therefore M. <HI>Prynne</HI> to bring <HI>heaps upon heaps,</HI> to prove <HI>&s;eeing</HI> &s;uch a glorious <HI>&s;ence</HI> (as indeed it is to tho&s;e that have it.) It had been more pertinent for him to have brought <HI>one page,</HI> or &s;ome <HI>one line,</HI> or one <HI>clear Scripture,</HI> (as he promi&s;ed hee <HI>would anon)</HI> for <HI>proof</HI> and <HI>evidence</HI> to his <HI>propo&s;ition; that the Sacrament is a &s;oul-converting, grace begetting Ordi|nance.</HI></P>
<P>Pryn. <HI>Page</HI> 39. He &s;aith, <HI>in the Apo&s;tles times, all vi&s;ible Church-members profe&s;&s;ing Chri&s;t, made but one my&s;ti|cal bodie of Chri&s;t. And by and by</HI> &s;ubjoyns, <HI>whether re|generate</HI> or <HI>unregenerate, ignorant</HI> or <HI>knowing, &s;candalous</HI> or <HI>unblameable, &amp;c.</HI> and 56 <HI>'tis</HI> &s;aith he <HI>a converting ordi|nance to the unregenerate, in&s;tructing to the ignorant, refor|ming to the vicious, comforting to the gracious.</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> I wi&s;h that M. <HI>Prynne</HI> (or any of his <HI>gang)</HI> would give us but a <HI>Go&s;pell &s;ence</HI> of <HI>this,</HI> and the <HI>like</HI> groundle&s;&s;e
<PB N="21" REF="15"> <HI>expre&s;&s;ions;</HI> Let him &s;hew out of <HI>Scripture,</HI> and good <HI>writers,</HI> his evidence for what he <HI>affirms;</HI> and he <HI>&s;hall bore me thorow the ear, and I will be his &s;ervant for ever.</HI></P>
<P>If all vi&s;ible Church-members make one <HI>mystical body of Chri&s;t;</HI> and <HI>unregenerate, &s;candalous</HI> and <HI>ignorant,</HI> are all of that <HI>number;</HI> What then &s;hall become of Mr. <HI>Pryns</HI> antienter and &s;ound <HI>Doctrine,</HI> of the <HI>perpetuity onely of a regenerate mans e&s;tate,</HI> and his member&s;hip in Chri&s;t? (a book of his own, that I wi&s;h Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> would <HI>read over,</HI> that his then <HI>better mind,</HI> might cure his <HI>now later errors).</HI> What &s;hall we &s;ay to the <HI>antient</HI> received <HI>di|&s;tinction, Many are in the Church, that are not of the Church.</HI> Nay, what &s;hall we &s;ay to the Apo&s;tle, <HI>Rom.</HI> 9. 6. <HI>All are not I&s;rael, that are of I&s;rael?</HI> Is it fit we &s;hould leave the <HI>Word of God, and &s;erve Tables;</HI> Shall we <HI>renounce</HI> the <HI>A|po&s;tles Doctrine,</HI> and embrace what Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> &s;aith, and onely &s;aith, it was practi&s;ed in the Apo&s;tles time? Let Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> &s;hew us the <HI>practice,</HI> we will &s;hew him the <HI>precept of the Apo&s;tles,</HI> not <HI>&s;trengthened,</HI> but hone&s;tly <HI>&s;e|conded</HI> with his <HI>own expo&s;ition.</HI> Let him retract that, be|fore he doth <HI>impo&s;e and pe&s;ter</HI> us with his <HI>new jingles</HI> and <HI>conceits.</HI></P>
<P>2. And whereas Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> &s;aith, <HI>The Sacraments are a converting Ordinance to the unregenerats, in&s;tructing to the ignorant, reforming to the vitious.</HI> I would intreat him in &s;o <HI>weighty</HI> a <HI>matter,</HI> and &s;o <HI>unheard of,</HI> wee might have more then his <HI>bare word:</HI> we will not <HI>retort</HI> too bitterly upon him, that <HI>lame Giles his haltings</HI> (that he pretended to cure) are fallen upon <HI>him&s;elf;</HI> and as <HI>Beza</HI> wittily nip|ped his <HI>Cyclops He&s;hu&s;ius,</HI> arguing much at Mr. <HI>Prynnes</HI> rate, about the very <HI>que&s;tion</HI> in hand, <HI>(quid impii in coena recipiant?) what benefit the wicked receiv in the Supper of the Lord?</HI> who producing a pitifull <HI>argument</HI> for it, (yet
<PB N="22" REF="16"> as &s;ufficient as Mr. <HI>Prynns</HI> fir&s;t born:) <HI>Beza</HI> I &s;ay an&s;wers him, <HI>Dico hanc conclu&s;ionem non e&s;&s;e crocodilinam, &s;ed pro|&s;us a&s;ininam.</HI> Such language were <HI>too broad</HI> to be <HI>Engli&s;hed,</HI> or <HI>applyed</HI> to Mr. <HI>Prynne,</HI> (not for <HI>e&s;teem</HI> that I have to Mr. <HI>Prynns</HI> late <HI>arguing,</HI> but) for re&s;pect that I have un|to his <HI>former</HI> excellent good <HI>de&s;erts.</HI> Sorry I am <HI>for our &s;elvs,</HI> that he &s;hould give us <HI>a good Pail of Milk, and kick it down when he hath done!</HI> &s;orry I am (more abundant|ly) for him, that <HI>his works &s;hould be burnt up, and he lo&s;e what he hath wrought for, and he him&s;elf &s;aved as by fire&punc;</HI> I will therefore onely <HI>mode&s;tly</HI> ask him (as learned <HI>Whita|ker</HI> inquired of <HI>Dureus:) Quomodo hanc ad alios gratiam derivari intelligimus? how</HI> (good Sir) <HI>&s;hall we under&s;tand the Grace of God to be conveyed by the Sacrament to the wick|ed and unregenerate?</HI> For a learned <HI>Divine (Beza)</HI> gives us this for a <HI>conclu&s;ion,</HI> and we have all <HI>received</HI> it accord|ing to the word of God for truth: <HI>(Indigne &s;umere &s;acra &s;ymbola, et rem ip&s;am per incredulitatem repellere, nece&s;&s;ario cohaerent: Sicut &egrave; contrario haec duo, rite &s;umere &s;ymbola, &amp; rem ip&s;am fide percipere.) To take the holy elements unwor|thily, and to refu&s;e the thing it &s;elf, (in the Sacrament,) must needs go together: &s;o on the contrary do the&s;e two, to take the elements rightly, and to receive the thing it &s;elf (in the Sacrament) by faith.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Pryn.</HI> Pag. 55, Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> compares our <HI>preparatory work of pre-examination</HI> (of &s;o great <HI>u&s;e, nece&s;&s;ity</HI> and <HI>continuance in the Church of God)</HI> unto the <HI>con&s;e&s;&s;ion unto a popi&s;h Prie&s;t; and makes them</HI> (in a canine cen&s;ure), <HI>whelps of the &s;ame Litter.</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> 1. To his <HI>rage</HI> &s;hall I &s;ay (as <HI>Jacob Gen.</HI> 49. 7. to his <HI>&s;ons) Cur&s;ed be his anger for it was fierce, and his wrath for it was cruel.</HI> Shall I &s;ay, <HI>his fury be upon his, own head, and his rage peri&s;h with him?</HI> No, no, no; let his <HI>&s;in pe|ri&s;h,</HI>
<PB N="23" REF="16"> and let him be <HI>re&s;tored,</HI> and be as a <HI>brand plucked out of the burning.</HI> For if ever it might be &s;aid, that <HI>Anger is a &s;hort madne&s;s,</HI> it appears in this 55 page of his, it <HI>words at length.</HI> Indeed (hee's the <HI>be&s;t</HI> in <HI>England</HI> at the <HI>wor&s;t work:)</HI> hee's tran&s;formed not into a whelp of &s;ome ordi|nary Litter (as he <HI>phra&s;es it)</HI> of &s;ome <HI>&s;narling mungrel,</HI> but rampeth like a terrible old <HI>African Lion</HI> roaring and tormented; who&s;e <HI>eies</HI> are troubled with <HI>little flies,</HI> and digged out with his own claws. And his <HI>heart</HI> I fear is al|mo&s;t as <HI>cruel</HI> as his <HI>hard &s;peeches;</HI> he would <HI>eject and &s;u&s;|pend,</HI> and play the <HI>Haman</HI> with us. He cannot heat the <HI>furnace of his indignation</HI> hot enough, to &s;hew his rage again&s;t poor <HI>&s;helterle&s;&s;e Mini&s;ters,</HI> that will not bow down to the <HI>Idol of his imagination.</HI> But ble&s;&s;ed be the Lord that hath not delivered us as a <HI>prey</HI> to <HI>his,</HI> and the <HI>teeth of all his furious ones!</HI> I will pa&s;&s;e by therefore his mon&s;trous railing, <HI>large</HI> and <HI>long, fal&s;e</HI> and <HI>vehement,</HI> as <HI>David</HI> the cur&s;e of <HI>Shimei;</HI> and &s;hake it off, as <HI>Paul</HI> the Viper into the fire: And if he can recover his mind, and &s;weeten it a little with the love of <HI>Truth and peace,</HI> I will &s;hew him the rea&s;on and nece&s;&s;ity of our pre-examination and trial of the grace and fitne&s;s of tho&s;e with whom we commu|nicate, and to whom we di&s;pen&s;e the Lord's Supper.</P>
<P>2. Fir&s;t for pre-examination therefore though <HI>charity hopeth all things</HI> (1 Cor. 13. 5.) <HI>and believeth all things;</HI> yet (take <HI>Chry&s;o&s;toms,</HI> and <HI>Aquinas,</HI> and <HI>Lyra</HI>'s expo&s;ition as very good) <HI>Charity hopeth onely all that can be hoped (omnia bona) Sit malus licet, ade&s;t corrigens, pro&s;piciens, &s;tudium impendens,</HI> Chry&s;o&s;t. in loc.) Charity corrects and takes pains with the <HI>bad,</HI> as well as care and &s;tudie for the <HI>good.</HI> But the other two carry the Text quite away from our Adver&s;aries, and apply it otherwi&s;e <HI>(charitas omnia &s;perat quae promittuntur, &amp;c.) Charity believs all</HI>
<PB N="24" REF="17"> <HI>the promi&s;es, &s;uffers all that God inflicteth, and expects with patience,</HI> Aquin &amp; Lyr. in loc. The Apo&s;tle bids us <HI>&s;hun</HI> 2 <HI>Tim.</HI> 2. 16. (nice acutene&s;s) <HI>profane and vain babblings,</HI> wrangling, controverting, <HI>for they increa&s;e to more ungod|line&s;&s;e.</HI> 'Tis a general <HI>mi&s;chief</HI> that falls upon all the <HI>vain Di&s;puters</HI> of this world, that they <HI>yoak</HI> not them&s;elvs to the <HI>Truth;</HI> but &s;eek all over to have onely &s;ome appear|ance of truth on their parts, willing rather to <HI>hide their &s;hame,</HI> then to <HI>for&s;ake it.</HI> But he that is of the truth com|eth to the light, and is &s;ound in the Word, and in the Faith, and &s;hifteth not to corners, and &s;natches not at quiddities for defence, He holds the <HI>antient deci&s;ions of the Church</HI> tho&s;e old <HI>Land-marks;</HI> and fears not the plea nor objection of any: for they re&s;i&s;t to no more purpo&s;e, then <HI>Jannes and Jambres re&s;i&s;ted Mo&s;es: Arons rod</HI> eat up all the <HI>rods</HI> of the <HI>Inchanters,</HI> &s;o the clear Word of Scri|pture, and the <HI>forme of whole&s;ome words,</HI> in the <HI>tenents of the Church of God; and the &s;tanding doctrine of the ever|la&s;ting Go&s;pel,</HI> will devour all <HI>up&s;tart fal&s;hoods</HI> and <HI>conceits</HI> what&s;oever.</P>
<P>2. It was the prai&s;e of the Angel of the Church of <HI>E|phe&s;us, Rev.</HI> 2. 2. That he was careful to <HI>examine,</HI> and he did <HI>examine, and found &s;ome liers;</HI> was it a <HI>glory</HI> to him, and is it (as Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> calls it) <HI>a &s;oul-murthering cruelty</HI> in us? Shall Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> (and his Legion) tell us, <HI>You take too much upon you, you &s;ons of Levi.</HI> 'Tis but a &s;mal matter for us to be judged by them, that have <HI>tongues</HI> longer then their <HI>arms,</HI> that can <HI>judge fal&s;ly,</HI> but through divine <HI>re&s;traint</HI> cannot <HI>execute.</HI></P>
<P>3. Might (nay mu&s;t) the <HI>Prie&s;t</HI> in the Law <HI>&s;eparate between the clean and the unclean,</HI> and may not the <HI>Mini|&s;ters</HI> of the Go&s;pel do the like in their <HI>&s;tations?</HI> no, not where <HI>we &s;ee the Lepro&s;ie in their foreheads?</HI> Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI>
<PB N="25" REF="17"> &s;aith no; Who &s;hall controul his bare word? He tells us the Sacrament is a <HI>reforming Ordinance to the vicious, &amp;c.</HI> (as you have heard before): and he would have us <HI>jurare in verba,</HI> for he doth <HI>adjure</HI> us to his <HI>conceit.</HI> And for the duty of <HI>Examination,</HI> he referrs that to the profane and vicious them&s;elvs; and therefore he often drops that Scripture, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. 28. into the margent, and <HI>pre&s;&s;eth it</HI> as <HI>none of our duty to examine.</HI> But how if it be, and we neglect it? wil Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> be retained on our part to plead for us; will he an&s;wer to God for our neglect? I doubt his face will not be hard enough, nor his ca&s;e good enough to &s;tand in the judgment.</P>
<P>You may &s;ee how tho&s;e that have a mind to cavil at the Truth, will &s;natch at any thing to &s;upport them! The word <GAP DESC="foreign"> is but once in all the Scripture tran&s;lated <HI>to examine,</HI> 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. 28, <HI>Let a man examine him&s;elf, &amp;c.</HI> and yet here they all lay hold <HI>(conclu&s;um est contra dog|matistas,</HI> O they have enough again&s;t them, for whom they have no names bad enough.) But &s;uppo&s;e the word had here been tran&s;lated (as often 'tis) <HI>to like, to allow, to approve (Rom.</HI> 4. 22. 1. 28. 2. 18. 1 <HI>The&s;.</HI> 2. 4. 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 16. 3. <HI>Phil.</HI> 1. 10. &amp;c.) how would the&s;e <HI>crackers</HI> have done for an argument, would they have inferred, that they that can <HI>allow, and like, and approve them&s;elves,</HI> the <HI>Ministry</HI> and <HI>Church of God,</HI> mu&s;t do &s;o too? Will not the mo&s;t ob|durate and profane per&s;on <HI>like,</HI> and <HI>allow,</HI> and <HI>approve</HI> better of him, (and take Mr. <HI>Prynnes</HI> coun&s;el to be con|fident enough) then the mo&s;t tender-hearted repentant, and fit Communicant? But if <HI>per&s;onal examination</HI> were &s;ufficient; can a Drunkard, or Unregenerate per&s;on of the like &s;ort, <HI>examine him&s;elf;</HI> where the very <HI>imagina|tion is bruiti&s;h,</HI> and the <HI>mind axd con&s;cience corrupted and defiled?</HI> Is not a young and &s;anctified <HI>child,</HI> better and
<PB N="26" REF="18"> fitter for the Communion, then an old and fooli&s;h bea&s;t.</P>
<P>The&s;e words (therefore) <HI>Let a man examine him&s;elf,</HI> are not to be under&s;tood <HI>exclu&s;ively;</HI> but of the <HI>&s;uper|abundant care</HI> that is to be had, and <HI>examination and proof of every mans con&s;cience to him&s;elf in the &s;ight of God.</HI> For it often may happen, that a loving, willing, flexible Mini|&s;ter, may be too gentle, facile, and indulgent; loath to di&s;courage, and forward to admit: but &s;et a man be &s;e|vere, and examine him&s;elf yet more thorowly; and not re&s;t wholly upon a forreign favourable approbation.</P>
<P>4. If all Ordinances be granted to be <HI>converting</HI> (as <HI>M. Prynne</HI> a&s;&s;erts among&s;t heaps of other the like notions) where then doth the Scripture deny it, unto the <HI>exami|ning care of a con&s;cientious Pa&s;tor,</HI> who is commanded <HI>to know the &s;tate of his flock;</HI> and Chri&s;tians <HI>to &s;ubmit unto his over-&s;ight,</HI> Heb. 13. 17. <HI>Obey them that have the rule (or guide) over you, and &s;ubmit your &s;elves; for they watch for your &s;ouls, as they that mu&s;t give an account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief, for that is unprofita|ble for you.</HI> Yet let the Saints of God know in all the Church and Churches of <HI>England,</HI> that this <HI>rule and gui|dance,</HI> (is not as Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> &s;ugge&s;teth) to arrogate power to our &s;elves, for we profe&s;&s;e with the Apo&s;tle, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 1. 24. <HI>We have not dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy.</HI> Examining Communicants is <HI>&s;ervice and help,</HI> and not <HI>a dominion:</HI> We <HI>help</HI> the <HI>joy,</HI> and <HI>&s;ettle</HI> the <HI>&s;pirit</HI> of a believer; and we <HI>help on the &s;orrow, and re|pentance, and conver&s;ion</HI> of unbelievers by it.</P>
<P>5. Doth not the Apo&s;tle charge us, <HI>Act.</HI> 20. 28. <HI>To take heed to our &s;elves, and to the flock over which the Holy Gho&s;t hath made us over-&s;eers:</HI> (A Scripture that Mr. <HI>Pryn</HI> doth prepo&s;terou&s;ly apply, to the mollifying us, towards the admini&s;tring to unregenerate per&s;ons, <HI>p.</HI> 18. 57.) what
<PB N="27" REF="18"> manner of duty and care then is incumbent upon us? here (if ever) we may &s;ay, <HI>Abundans cautela non nocet,</HI> 'tis good to be &s;ure, to enquire into the fitne&s;s of all is &s;afe; and to do it with an affectionate, tender, and inoffen&s;ive re&s;pect is civil. I wi&s;h Mr. <HI>Prynne,</HI> and his abettors, had read <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tom</HI> upon that 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. 28. who blameth mens examination of them&s;elves: <HI>(Non quem ad modum nunc facimus, &amp;c.) Communicants &s;hould not &s;atisfie them|&s;elves, as now they do; to come to the Lords Table at &s;uch or &s;uch a &s;olemnity, onely as others do; A man must forbear in a Fever from his own table, becau&s;e of the abundance of his ill-humors</HI> (Long&egrave; magis hanc tangere nefas e&s;t) <HI>much more it is dangerous to come to the Lords Table when ab&s;urd lu&s;ts hinder us, that are wor&s;e then a Fever.</HI> The&s;e are <HI>Chry|&s;o&s;toms</HI> words, which if Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> had well con&s;idered, he would not (perhaps) &s;o far have indulged wicked per|&s;ons; as to tell them, that the <HI>Lords Supper is converting to the unregenerate, and reforming to the vitious:</HI> nor have <HI>&s;nibb'd,</HI> nay almo&s;t <HI>anathematized</HI> &s;erviceable con&s;cienti|ous <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> for their <HI>examinate care</HI> and <HI>love.</HI> I wi&s;h &s;e|cond thoughts might convince Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> of his unhappy error! but if not, they mu&s;t yet more fully per&s;wade us of our duty, not to be carele&s;s and <HI>remi&s;&s;e</HI> in the <HI>rule and over&s;ight that God</HI> hath betru&s;ted unto us. I wonder where M. <HI>Prynne</HI> (and his) would &s;et the limits of our Mini&s;te|rial vigilancy. Are we <HI>Gods builders,</HI> and may we lay any <HI>rubbi&s;h</HI> upon his foundation, that is hurried or tumbled thither by the <HI>impul&s;e of Satan for damnation?</HI> Are we Gods Stewards, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 4. and give no better account of our tru&s;t, but to give <HI>Loiterers,</HI> (nay <HI>hinderers and di&s;tur|bers of others)</HI> our <HI>Lords meat, drink,</HI> and <HI>wages?</HI> No, we have learned <HI>Mat.</HI> 24. 45, &amp; <HI>Luk&punc;</HI> 12. 42. that the <HI>faith|ful and wi&s;e &s;ervant must give every one</HI> in the hou&s;hold his
<PB N="28" REF="19"> <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>his proportion of meat;</HI> (not feed|ing all alike,) and it mu&s;t bee done in &s;ea&s;on; he mu&s;t know when to give, and <HI>what to give.)</HI> The Lord give us that <HI>wi&s;dome and faithfulne&s;s,</HI> and the ble&s;&s;ing that fol|loweth in the next ver&s;e,) <HI>Ble&s;&s;ed is that &s;ervant whom his ma&s;ter when he cometh &s;hall find &s;o doing.</HI></P>
<P>6. The Apo&s;tle forewarns us, 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 5. 22. <HI>Not to be par|takers of other mens &s;ins.</HI> What can be a greater <HI>partaking, (if qui patitur facit, if connivance be a &s;in)</HI> then for any of us to <HI>inveigh against &s;in in the Pulpit,</HI> &amp; &s;ullenly refu&s;e unregenerate wretches, &s;wearers, drunkards, &amp;c. at our <HI>own Table,</HI> and to receive them at the <HI>Lords Table,</HI> and there to give them <HI>fellow&s;hip,</HI> and carve them of the <HI>royall dainties?</HI> Is not this to indulge, and ab&s;olve him in the <HI>Sacrament,</HI> whom I have condemned in the Word (and di&s;claimed in private conver&s;ation?) <HI>&s;uch as have not re|pented of their uncleanne&s;s</HI> 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 12. 21. Gods word &s;aith, 1 Cor. 6. 9. <HI>&s;uch &s;hall not inherit the kingdom of God.</HI> Shall my <HI>words</HI> and <HI>action</HI> witne&s;s unto him (in Mr. <HI>Prynns</HI> language) that he is a <HI>member of Chri&s;ts mi&s;ti|call body,</HI> and &s;hall I (&s;o far as in me lies) give him the <HI>&s;eal of the inheritance?</HI> when as if he were to be baptized I &s;hould not dare to <HI>baptize him,</HI> God forbid.</P>
<P>7. If <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> have indeed a power to admit, it mu&s;t e|vidently follow they have a power to exclude, or el&s;e <HI>(Infelix &ograve; patrum, Gen.</HI> 9) unhappy are tho&s;e <HI>fathers,</HI> that have not the <HI>power of the Rod,</HI> as well as <HI>provi&s;ion of bread,</HI> and a &s;pirit of <HI>meekne&s;s.</HI> But 'tis objected that 'tis too much to be <HI>tru&s;ted to one man alone (to &s;u&s;pend from the Com|munion:)</HI> &amp; I an&s;wer, 'tis <HI>too much</HI> to be tru&s;ted to <HI>one bea&s;t alone,</HI> to prophane the <HI>Lords Table</HI> at his <HI>bruiti&s;h plea&s;ure,</HI> to his own de&s;truction.</P>
<P>8. I &s;hall &s;hew what herein hath been received as true,
<PB N="29" REF="19"> <HI>Evangelical, Sacramentall doctrine,</HI> by tho&s;e that have had a name and a pillar in the hou&s;e of GOD. M. <HI>Hooker</HI> in his Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall pollicy <HI>lib.</HI> 5 <HI>&s;ect.</HI> 68. <HI>The examination of com|municants we reject not</HI> (con&s;enting to learned M. <HI>Cart|wright</HI> therein) <HI>Le&s;t we admit Popi&s;h Communicants, whom we ought not to admit in any wi&s;e, till their Go&s;pell-like be|hiviour hath removed all &s;u&s;pition of Popery from them.</HI> And &s;aith, (in Cartwrights very words) <HI>he that giveth &s;uch the Sacrament, giveth the bread provided for Chilidren unto doggs: and bringeth into the pa&s;ture provided for the &s;heep, Swine and unclean bea&s;ts; which is contrary to the faith, and tru&s;t, that ought to be in a &s;teward of the Lords Hou&s;e. For, the admini&s;tration of the Sacraments unto them, is a declaration of Gods favour and reconciliation with them, and a plain preaching; Partly, that they are wa&s;hed already from their &s;in, Partly, that they are of the Hou&s;hold of God, and &s;uch as the Lord wil feed to eternall life. Which is not to be done unto tho&s;e, which are not of the hou&s;hold of faith.</HI> Thus far &s;aith the <HI>learned man</HI> accor|ding to the <HI>received doctrine.</HI></P>
<P>Doctor <HI>Field lib.</HI> 5. <HI>cap.</HI> 22 &s;aith, <HI>the guides of the Church have power to puni&s;h &s;in, with &s;u&s;pen&s;ion, excommunication &amp;c. and &s;aith, that he, that for his contempt and di&s;obedi|ence, is debarred from the u&s;e of the Sacraments, is un|doubtedly excluded from all acce&s;&s;e to the Throne of grace.</HI> He &s;aith further <HI>(ibid) and la&s;tly the power of Mini&s;ters is twofold, they have the key of &s;cience and iuri&s;|diction. To teach, reprove, govern, and yield &s;acramentall a&s;&s;urance of Gods mercy, and grace, by di&s;pen&s;ing the Sacra|ments Chri&s;t hath in&s;tituted.</HI> So far affirmeth that <HI>worthy man</HI> all in one <HI>chap.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Mr. Randall</HI> (in <HI>his Tract, upon the Sacrament)</HI> layes a great charge upon us, <HI>to be choi&s;e and wary, whom</HI>
<PB N="30" REF="20"> <HI>we admit to the Lords Table. Bi&s;hop Bil&s;on (pag.</HI> 222) u&s;eth an apt &s;imilitude, <HI>If the Guard keep out an noble man from the pallace upon command, are they therefore above the nobles? and if a pa&s;tor turns one from the Communion, he is not therefore above him?</HI> La&s;tly (for I am not for <HI>num|ber</HI> but <HI>weight</HI> of proofs unto what I do affirm (Mr. <HI>Bax|ter</HI> (now flouri&s;hing, whom I love and honor (not for his <HI>Aphori&s;mes,</HI> but) for his <HI>zeal, activity,</HI> and <HI>skill</HI> in our work,) makes a fair overture to them that will be <HI>Com|municants; Perform your duty, &s;o far as is antecedent to mine, and I mu&s;t offer you the Sacraments: but if you will re|fu&s;e to repent, and believ, and profe&s;&s;e &s;o, in a credible &s;ort; or in will, or life, profe&s;s you do not &s;o, and yet demand the Sacra|ment you do not your duty, and &s;o I am not obliged.</HI> So far M. <HI>Baxter,</HI> Di&s;putation <HI>fourth.</HI></P>
<P>The&s;e evidences are enough, yet if Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> and the re&s;t be not &s;atisfied, let them read the 83 <HI>Homily</HI> of <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tome</HI> upon <HI>Matth.</HI> at the&s;e words, <HI>Ad vos qui mini|&s;tratis dicta volo, &amp;c.</HI> I &s;peak to you that admini&s;ter; <HI>Let no cruel, unmerciful, impure wretch be admitted; nay, though a Captain, a Con&s;ul, nay an Emperour &s;hould come, &amp;c.</HI> And a little nearer the end <HI>(dico horribile) I tell you (&s;aith he) a very dreadful thing, it is not &s;o bad to have tho&s;e that are po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed by the Divel there with us.</HI> Omnes igitur, &amp;c. <HI>Let us therefore in &s;implicity drive away all, whom we &s;ee to come unworthily; and if any &s;uch of boldne&s;s, or mad|ne&s;s will indeed come to the Table; fear him not, reject him, fear not man but God: for if thou fear man, they will deride thee; but if God, they will honor thee. And if thou darest not do this, tell me, and I will do it: and part with my life rather, &amp;c.</HI> And &s;uch was the zeal and &s;tedfa&s;tne&s;s of the <HI>golden-tongued</HI> and <HI>&s;teel-hearted Chry&s;o&s;tome.</HI></P>
<P>La&s;tly for the conclu&s;ion of this little work; becau&s;e
<PB N="31" REF="20"> Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> talketh &s;o high of the <HI>Apo&s;tles times, Councils, Fathers, Church-Liturgies, and Prote&s;tant-writers:</HI> and yet we &s;ee no good authoritie, whereupon his conceit up|on conceit doth lean: we will con&s;ider of his o&s;tenta|tions.</P>
<P>And though we cannot in &s;o &s;mall a work (intended onely for <HI>admonition,</HI> and to expre&s;&s;e our <HI>ju&s;t di&s;like</HI> of his <HI>in&s;olencies, and groundle&s;s and dangerous a&s;&s;ertions)</HI> ex|patiate our &s;elves to the <HI>Fathers, and Councils, and primi|tive Church-hi&s;tories;</HI> for I mu&s;t con&s;ider my &s;trength and intention. And though as for <HI>Alexander Hales, Bo|naventure, Bellarmine</HI> and the <HI>Schoolmen,</HI> (which are all four-footed, and full cry after Mr. <HI>Prynn</HI>'s game) I count them not worth the pains upon this que&s;tion; neither is their Authority de&s;erving &s;o high a commendation as Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> gives them, <HI>pag.</HI> 28. <HI>more clear then the light</HI> (ve|rily but the light of <HI>Gloworms,</HI> and <HI>rotten chips:</HI> yet to ad|miration of all) to Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> their light hath unhappi|ly proved <HI>(Objectum nimium &s;en&s;ibile, de&s;truens &s;en&s;um)</HI> an occa&s;ion of conferring, or confirming him under inex|tricable darkne&s;s, for which I heartily lament and pity him!</P>
<P>Yet as to our <HI>Church-Liturgies, Canons, and Prote&s;tant Writers,</HI> I &s;hall &s;peak &s;omewhat that will exceedingly <HI>di&s;countenance</HI> and <HI>rebuke</HI> Mr. <HI>Prynn</HI>'s conceit.</P>
<P N="1">1. I know well that Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> (next to Mr. <HI>John Good|win</HI> of <HI>Coleman &s;treet)</HI> is old excellent at <HI>&s;nipping</HI> a piece out of &s;ome <HI>new cloth</HI> (&s;ome excellent Author) to <HI>patch</HI> an <HI>old ragged &s;rippery,</HI> that was worn quite <HI>thred-bare</HI> be|fore he was born: And I could give &s;ome in&s;tances for the purpo&s;e, but I have not lei&s;ure; and be&s;ides, any learned men, that con&s;ult his dealings el&s;where, may &s;ee
<PB N="32" REF="21"> without my &s;pectacles, how like a <HI>Hanun</HI> he hath u&s;ed his mi&s;erable quotations.</P>
<P>The few evidences therefore that I produce &s;hall bee <HI>plain,</HI> and <HI>full,</HI> and <HI>clear to the purpo&s;e;</HI> without any <HI>re|&s;traint</HI> or <HI>con&s;traint</HI> any way, but &s;hall take them in their native proper intention. And for brevity, and to &s;pare tran&s;criptions in <HI>Latine,</HI> and into <HI>Engli&s;h both,</HI> you &s;hall have them (a few of many hundreds) truly quoted, <HI>re|ferred,</HI> and <HI>tran&s;lated</HI> where need is.</P>
<P N="2">2. For the <HI>Church Liturgie</HI> it was &s;evere enough, if <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> would have u&s;ed it (as &s;ome in the wor&s;t times did) in the right and full power of it. <HI>If any of tho&s;e (who have &s;ignified the names to their Curate) be an open and noto|rious evill liver, &s;o that the Congregation by him is offended &amp;c. the Curate &s;hall call him, and adverti&s;e him, not to pre|&s;ume to come to the Lords Table, untill &amp;c</HI> (and further) <HI>the Curate &s;hall not &s;uffer tho&s;e, betwixt whom he ob&s;er|veth malice and hatred to reign, to be partakers of the Lords Table.</HI> And (in the conclu&s;ion) <HI>he &s;hall admit the peni|tent per&s;on, &amp; not him that is ob&s;tinate.</HI> In the exhor|tation the Curate &s;hall &s;ay, <HI>If any of you be a bla&s;phemer of God a hinderer or &s;landerer of his Word, an adulterer, or be in malice, or any other grievious crime; bewail your &s;in, and come not to his holy Table, &amp;c.</HI> &s;ee the order for admini&s;tration of the Lords Supper at large.</P>
<P N="3">3. The <HI>Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall Canons</HI> were <HI>expre&s;&s;e</HI> and <HI>ab|&s;olute,</HI> that <HI>no notorious offender, Schi&s;matick,</HI> or <HI>&s;tran|gers, &s;hould be admitted to the Lords Supper.</HI> See Canon. 26, 27, and 28.</P>
<P N="4">4. <HI>For Prote&s;tant writers, Peter Martyr,</HI> and many others do frequently quote that place in <HI>Aug. de civit. lib.</HI> 21. <HI>cap.</HI> 25. <HI>(Nec i&s;ti ergo dicendi &s;unt manducare corput</HI>
<PB N="33" REF="21"> <HI>Christi, &amp;c.) they are not to be &s;aid to eat the body of Chri&s;t, for they are not to be counted for members of Chri&s;t, that I may &s;ay no more, they cannot at once be the members of Chri&s;t, and members of a harlot, &amp;c.</HI> Yet M. <HI>Prynne</HI> &s;aith pag. 39. <HI>they are one my&s;tical body of Chri&s;t.</HI> If <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> were now in conte&s;t with him, as once with <HI>Petilian;</HI> he mu&s;t &s;ay it over again, <HI>Prinnus ait, ego nego, cui voltis creda|tis.</HI></P>
<P>The &s;ame <HI>Peter Martyr in Tract. de Euchar.</HI> makes u&s;e of a compari&s;on out of <HI>Cyril,</HI> (that believing Communi|cants are the members of Chri&s;t) <HI>from wax, that is melted and mixed with other wax:</HI> and &s;trengthens it, with that of <HI>Paul to the Ephe&s;ians</HI> 5. 30. <HI>we are members of his body, of his fle&s;h, and of his bones: where Paul under&s;tands not &s;imple fle&s;h, but clean&s;ed from &s;in, and capable of the re&s;urre|ction, and immortality, which the faithfull (though they have it not of their own, nor extracted from Adam) yetclaim of Chri&s;t, in as much as they are incorporated with him, by the Sacraments, and faith: for there is a coming of Christ upon, &amp; a &s;piritual touch, which Paul well con&s;idered; when he &s;aid to the Galatians, I live, but now not I, but Chri&s;t liveth in me.</HI> This in his tractate upon the <HI>Euchar.</HI> towards the end written 1549.</P>
<P>This <HI>Peter Martyr</HI> further proveth, that the <HI>unregene|rate receiveth not</HI> (that which Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> affirmeth from <HI>John</HI> 6.) <HI>the body of Chri&s;t, or fle&s;h of Chri&s;t. Nemo enim indigne manducat corpus Chri&s;ti,</HI> for (&s;aith he) <HI>the body, or fle&s;h of Chri&s;t cannot be received vnworthily by any.</HI> (in di&s;|pute with Doctor <HI>Cheadzey May</HI> 29.)</P>
<P>But if Mr. <HI>Prynns</HI> argument might &s;tand, (that the <HI>wic|ked</HI> or <HI>unregenerate</HI> are properly, and ordinarily converted by the <HI>Lords Supper:</HI> then <HI>Peter Martyr's</HI> argument again&s;t <HI>Popi&s;h Tran&s;ub&s;tantiation</HI> mu&s;t fall to the ground. And
<PB N="34" REF="22"> then Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> hath at lea&s;t gratified &s;ome body.</P>
<P>I know (&s;aith this &s;ame <HI>learned Prote&s;tant upon</HI> 1 Cor. 1.) <Q>that &s;uch a <HI>fal&s;hood</HI> goes for currant, that wicked men are the members of Chri&s;t, but dead, which may be made alive: 'tis as true as thou &s;houlde&s;t &s;ay, a dead man is a man. We confe&s;&s;e Chri&s;t can re&s;tore them to life, by his holy &s;pirit, but whil&s;t that is not done, we cannot grant them to be the members of Chri&s;t; (neither there|fore will <HI>Peter Martyr</HI> grant M. <HI>Prynn's</HI> a&s;&s;ertion <HI>pag.</HI> 39 that all vi&s;ible Church members (regenerate or unrege|nerate &amp;c.) make but one my&s;ticall body of Chri&s;t.) and upon <HI>cap.</HI> 11. See &s;aith he, how <HI>Austin</HI> &s;hewes, that <HI>they that live wickedly are not of the body</HI> of Chri&s;t and have <HI>no &s;alvation by him,</HI> but tho&s;e eat the Lord that abide in him, which Hereticks, Schi&s;maticks, and wicked Catholicks do not, &amp;c. and upon <HI>cap.</HI> 12. 12. after many expre&s;&s;ions to the purpo&s;e, it is evident, that wicked men are truly <HI>not</HI> of the Church, for they re|ceive <HI>not</HI> life from Chri&s;t, they may indeed conver&s;e in the Church, but they are not of the Church.</Q></P>
<P>Upon 1 Cor. Chap. 4. 1. <HI>The Mini&s;ter (the &s;teward) &s;hould take care, tho&s;e that live wickedly, he &s;hould &s;hut them out of the family: and when they be penitent, receive them again.</HI> And (a little after) <HI>Let him not withdraw from looking into tho&s;e, to whom he ought to distribute the Sacraments; that if he &s;ee they be doggs, he may drive them away; but if they be pious, and fearing God, he may invite them, and compell them.</HI></P>
<P>Upon 1 Cor. 11. 29. <HI>Furthermore in the Sacraments there are two things, the Word, and the Signs; when as the Word of it &s;elf cannot move the hearers de&s;titute of faith, and of the Spirit of God; much le&s;&s;e can the&s;e &s;igns do it,</HI>
<PB N="35" REF="22"> <HI>which if they be compared with the Word, are not &s;o power|ful as it.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Buoer</HI> (in his &s;econd book to <HI>Latomus</HI> blames tho&s;e <HI>Mi&s;&s;ificks</HI> and <HI>Shavelins,</HI> that they would, contrary to the antient cu&s;tome of the <HI>Church,</HI> and duty of the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> pro&s;titute the <HI>Sacrament</HI> even to any, though they had <HI>no faith,</HI> nor were no <HI>lively members of Chri&s;t.</HI> And this (&s;aith that worthy man) <HI>(in cau&s;a e&s;t cur ita placent, &amp;c)</HI> is the rea&s;on that fal&s;e wor&s;hip doth &s;o plea&s;e men; <HI>be|cau&s;e how&s;oever wickedly they live, and ru&s;h unto all wic|kedne&s;&s;e, yet they &s;hall be promi&s;ed mercy from God,</HI> &s;ee cap. 35, 38, 39.</P>
<P>Saith <HI>Luther</HI> upon <HI>Gen.</HI> 9. <HI>Doctor in Eccle&s;ia libere re|prehendat quae cum &s;candalo fiant, &amp; impenitentes arceat &agrave; communione:</HI> Let the Teacher in the Church freely repre|prehend &s;candals, and drive away impenitent per&s;ons from the Communion.</P>
<P><HI>Chemnitius</HI> (in his <HI>Exam. of the Trent Council, de effica|cia &amp; u&s;u Sacramenti).</HI> 'Tis (&s;aith he) <HI>Luthers</HI> propo|&s;ition, in his book <HI>De captiv. Babylon; Omnia Sacramenta ad &s;idem alendam in&s;tituta e&s;&s;e.</HI> And <HI>Luther</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>ac|cording to the Word of God, required Faith altogether to the u&s;e of the Sacrament.</HI> And further in the Examination of the &s;eventh Canon (after a large &s;peech to this &s;ame pur|po&s;e, he goeth on in the&s;e words: <Q>Neither is the effi|cacy of the Sacraments &s;uch, as if God did infu&s;e and imprint grace by them to &s;alvation, even to them that neither believe, nor accept; as &s;ome think, and did in former times, as <HI>Aug.</HI> tells, <HI>lib.</HI> 21. <HI>de civit. cap.</HI> 25. and as <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, The Go&s;pel is the power of God to &s;al|vation, to every one that believeth, and <HI>Heb.</HI> 4. the word profited them not, not being mixed with faith; So it may be &s;aid of the <HI>Sacraments,</HI> tho&s;e vi&s;ible words <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="2 letters">d
<PB N="36" REF="23"> <HI>Seals</HI> of the promi&s;es.</Q> See the re&s;t as it follows in the whole paragraph.</P>
<P><HI>Beza</HI> is very copious again&s;t Mr. <HI>Prynns</HI> conceit, all over his Writings, <HI>(De re Sacramentaria, &s;ub titulo</HI> 13) <HI>Quid &s;umunt infideles?</HI> all may there read at large. <HI>Os autem fidei quoniam &s;oli fideles afferunt, &amp;c.</HI> <Q>Becau&s;e onely Believers have the mouth of faith, therefore they one|ly take the very thing (or &s;ub&s;tance) it &s;elf, and thence|forth eternal life. But unbelievers eat and drink judg|ment to them&s;elves, becau&s;e they di&s;cern not, that is, de&s;pi&s;e and reject the body of the Lord offered, and have no under&s;tanding of it. Therefore their condem|nation comes, by rea&s;on, not of the body and blood of Chri&s;t unworthily taken; (for whereas they are onely taken by faith, they are never taken unworthily, but are quickning:) but of the Body and Blood of Chri&s;t rejected, and contemned. For the Bread and the Wine mu&s;t not be con&s;idered as meer Bread and Wine in this action, but as Symbols of the body and blood of our Lord; hence therefore it is, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></Q> See the whole, and what he fully an&s;wers to &s;ome like Propo&s;itions, made by a Student in Divinity, in his 20 Epi&s;tle.</P>
<P><HI>Iunius (de Sacramentis in genere, &amp; de Coena)</HI> hath much that might be tran&s;cribed; but read onely at pre|&s;ent <HI>The&s;.</HI> 27. <HI>(In hoc tantum differunt Verbum &amp; Sacra|mentum, &amp;c.) The Word and the Sacrament have this dif|ference;</HI> That <HI>kindles faith.</HI> this <HI>nouri&s;heth;</HI> that <HI>is like the Charter, this the Seal; that is offered to all, (and is needful to the Sacrament) this not &s;o.</HI></P>
<P>POLANUS <HI>(de &s;ubjectis Coenae Dominicae,</HI> lib. 6. cap. 56.) after a large di&s;cour&s;e worth the peru&s;al, he laies down many &s;orts of per&s;ons <HI>not fit to be admitted;</HI> a|mong&s;t which, <HI>impenitent, unbelievers, and &s;candalous, &s;e|ditious,</HI>
<PB N="37" REF="23"> <HI>rebellious to Superiors, covetous, Brawlers, adulte|rers, unclean per&s;ons, thievs, u&s;urers, drunkards,</HI> have their number: <HI>&s;uch are not to be reputed members of the Church.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Neither are any to be admitted, except fir&s;t the Pa&s;tor of the Church hath tried them, that they hold and profe&s;&s;e the true doctrine of Faith, &amp;c.</HI> read the re&s;t at lei&s;ure, <HI>'tis all of the &s;ame &s;tamp,</HI> I &s;nip no patches here and there.</P>
<P><HI>Zach. Vr&s;ine</HI> aboundeth in te&s;timony on our part, again&s;t Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> and his Adherents. <HI>De Sacramentis cum Paulo ac tot&acirc; veteri Eccle&s;i&acirc;:</HI> <Q>We profe&s;&s;e with <HI>Paul,</HI> and the whole antient Church, that tho&s;e that are not the living members of Chri&s;t, do not eat Chri&s;t. <HI>The&s;.</HI> 10. &amp; 11. The Mini&s;ters ought to admit all to the Sa|crament, whom confe&s;&s;ion, and life, and the divine in|&s;titution doth not exclude: but on the other &s;ide they profane the Sacraments, if knowingly they give to tho&s;e, by who&s;e confe&s;&s;ion, or manners, it is not manife&s;t that they are lively members of the Church, or cannot keep the form of the In&s;titution. <HI>The&s;.</HI> 20. The Sacraments are Seals of grace, they are Seals to the Word, <HI>The&s;.</HI> 37. Seals of mutual obligation between God and us. They do not confer grace &amp; its gifts, but they &s;eal what is con|ferred. <HI>The&s;.</HI> 42. They injure the divine truth, which would communicate the things &s;ignified (in the Sacra|ment) to wicked men, which God doth plainly affirm, in all the Scripture, he doth be&s;tow them onely upon believers. <HI>The&s;.</HI> 48. <HI>See al&s;o his Exercitations</HI> (1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 10. <HI>from</HI> 1. <HI>to</HI> 15.) To tho&s;e that want Faith and Repen|tance the Sacraments are no Seals of grace, but aggrava|tions of puni&s;hment&punc;</Q> By the&s;e, and many the like, Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> (and <HI>his drifters)</HI> may &s;ee how far they differ from this excellent Divine.</P>
<P><HI>Forbe&s;ius, (In&s;tit. Hi&s;t. Theol. lib.</HI> 9. <HI>cap.</HI> 1.) calls
<PB N="38" REF="24"> the Sacrament <HI>(foederis divini Sigillum,</HI> &amp;c. The &s;eal of God's Covenant, and the &s;eal of Grace purcha&s;ed by Chri&s;t. And <HI>(Lib.</HI> 11. 7. 9.) <HI>Non per u&s;um, &s;ed in u&s;u, &amp;c.</HI> The true Sacrament doth not exi&s;t by the u&s;e, but in the u&s;e; not by the u&s;e, as an efficient cau&s;e; but in the u&s;e, as in an action nece&s;&s;ary, by rea&s;on of the divine In&s;titution.</P>
<P><HI>Antonius Praetorius</HI> expre&s;&s;eth him&s;elf <HI>(In Homiliis de Coena, pag.</HI> 248.) <HI>Vana e&s;t que&s;tio, &amp;c.</HI> 'Tis but a vain que&s;tion, whether the wicked and unbelieving eat the Lords body, when the very Symbols of it belong not to them: and 'tis as impo&s;&s;ible that they &s;hould eat the fle&s;h of Chri&s;t, as for a mon&s;ter without eie, hand, or mouth, to &s;ee, take, or eat. <HI>And there further,</HI> The Sacraments are &s;eals of the promi&s;es and Covenant of God; there|fore no man ought to u&s;e them, but &s;uch as find them|&s;elves in Covenant, and believe the promi&s;es of God, <HI>pag.</HI> 246.</P>
<P><HI>Ba&s;tinguis (in his Catachi&s;me que&s;t.</HI> 82,) puts the que&s;tion, <Q>May they be admitted to the Supper, that declare by their life, that they are unbelievers or ungodly? No, in no wi&s;e: for by that means the Covenant of God is pro|phaned, &amp;c. (and by and by in the <HI>Explic.</HI> &s;aith he) if they provoke the wrath of God, who without examining them&s;elvs do come to the holy Supper, how much more &s;hall God be provoked to wrath, if the Church it &s;elfe do wink at &s;uch gro&s;&s;e &s;ins, in tho&s;e that receive. Which (&s;aith he) being &s;o; if they do offer them&s;elvs to com|municate with the re&s;t of the members of the Church, it &s;hall be the duty of the <HI>Pa&s;tors</HI> to u&s;e <HI>the keys, given by Chri&s;t too that end,</HI> and by the Authority of them to <HI>bar</HI> &s;uch men from the Supper, till there appear in them Te|&s;timonies of repentance, and change of life. (This is not like Mr. <HI>Prynns</HI> Doctrine.)</Q></P>
<PB N="39" REF="24">
<P> GERHARD <HI>(In Loc. Com. de coena, cap.</HI> 20. <HI>numb.</HI> 215) enters a va&s;te and learned di&s;&s;ent from Mr. <HI>Prynne. Num no&s;tra &s;ententia e&s;t?</HI> <Q>What <HI>(&s;aith he)</HI> do we &s;ay, that in the Euchari&s;t tho&s;e that continue in &s;ins, and per&s;evere in them again&s;t con&s;cience, and retain a purpo&s;e of &s;in, nor bring the fear of God, nor repentance, do receive remi&s;&s;ion of &s;ins? No verily: but we teach in expre&s;&s;e words, that impenitent ones, and &s;uch as continue in their &s;ins again&s;t con&s;cience, eat and drink judgment to them&s;elvs.</Q></P>
<P>And in <HI>cap.</HI> 21 <HI>Numb.</HI> 223. hee's larger yet, (but 'tis worth the reading even of Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> him&s;elf) <HI>Notorii peccatores</HI> &amp;c. <Q>Notorious &s;inners, which ob&s;tinately continue in their &s;ins and wickedne&s;s, again&s;t their con&s;ciences, nor give any evidence of repentance, &s;uch are not to be ad|mitted to the holy Supper. <HI>As well</HI> for the dignity of the Sacrament. <HI>Matth.</HI> 7. Give not that which is holy to doggs, nor ca&s;t your pearls before &s;wine, for &s;uch are im|penitent per&s;ons that continue in the filth of their &s;in. <HI>As al&s;o</HI> for the danger that redoundeth unto them for un|worthy receiving, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. 27. Who eateth and drink|eth unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation.</Q></P>
<P><Q>As al&s;o la&s;tly for the Communication of anothers &s;in: of which a Mini&s;ter makes him&s;elf partaker, that admit|teth notorious impenitent &s;inners to this holy Banquet. 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 5. 22. Be not partakers of other mens &s;ins. The&s;e are the words of <HI>Gerhard,</HI> unto which he adds the expre&s;&s;i|on of <HI>Chry&s;ostme</HI> in his 83 <HI>Homily on Matth.</HI> before men|tioned, that that zealous Father would rather lo&s;e blood and life, then to the wounding of his con&s;cience admit unworthy per&s;ons to the holy Supper, yea (&s;aith he fur|ther) if the unclean were kept from the pa&s;&s;eover. <HI>Numb.</HI> 9. 6. How much more are they that abide in the defile|ment
<PB N="40" REF="25"> of great &s;ins; without true repentance, to be kept from the holy Supper. If one that is called a brother 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5. 11. be a fornicator, &amp;c. with &s;uch a one no not to eat, how much le&s;&s;e are they to be admitted to this hea|venly Banquet.</Q> And &s;o he goes on (as Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> may read more then heart can wi&s;h, unto which he may add the peru&s;all of 22 and 23 <HI>chap.)</HI> and in <HI>cap.</HI> 23. <HI>num.</HI> 251. <Q>There was &s;aith he in the antient Church a publick con|fe&s;&s;ion of Publick &s;candalls: and a private confe&s;&s;ion made to the Mini&s;ter of the Church, that he might try the examination a man had made of him&s;elf, whether he did acknowledg his &s;in with &s;erious remor&s;e, and em|braced Chri&s;t with faith, and had a &s;erious purpo&s;e to mend his life: for <HI>by this means</HI> (not by M. <HI>Prynns</HI> way) the <HI>impenitent</HI> were reformed, the <HI>negligent</HI> excited, the the <HI>rude</HI> in&s;tructed, the <HI>dejected</HI> were comforted with e|vangelical con&s;olation, and the <HI>unworthy u&s;e</HI> of the holy Supper was prevented. This is the large and faithful te&s;ti|mony of <HI>Gerhard.</HI></Q></P>
<P>Our own excellent <HI>Whitaker</HI> is larger then to be tran|&s;cribed. <HI>Tom.</HI> 1. <HI>fol.</HI> 94. <Q>We mu&s;t not &s;ay that he ears the body of Chri&s;t which is not in the body of Chri&s;t; for they cannot be accounted members of Chri&s;t; and a lit|tle further he addeth, He that comes without faith to the Sacraments, doth not onely, <HI>not beget grace,</HI> but doth make fearfull &s;hipwrack of grace, and &s;alvation: he that hath no <HI>faith receiveth damage by the Sacraments, but obtains not grace and &s;alvation.</HI></Q></P>
<P>Mr&punc; <HI>Hooker (Eccl. pol. lib.</HI> 5. Speaking largely of the Sacraments&punc; as I noted before,) <Q>Saith, Sacraments are not phy&s;icall but moral in&s;truments of &s;alvation: duties of &s;ervice and wor&s;hip; which unle&s;&s;e we perform as the Author of grace commandeth, they are unprofitable, for
<PB N="41" REF="25"> <HI>all receive not the grace of God that receive the Sacraments of his grace,</HI> &amp;c.</Q></P>
<P><HI>Mr. George Gele&s;pie,</HI> did with his <HI>Arons Rod</HI> point to more learned, and better principles, then Mr. <HI>Prynn</HI> had the happine&s;s to <HI>receive.</HI> I &s;hall <HI>note</HI> him nothing in particular, but refer him to the book it &s;elf, and the earn|e&s;t peru&s;all of it <HI>once more.</HI></P>
<P>Dr. <HI>Feild lib.</HI> 5. <HI>cap.</HI> 22. M. <HI>Perkins,</HI> Dr. <HI>Pre&s;ton, Calvin, Mu&s;culus, Zanchie, Ame&s;ius, Scharpius, Willet,</HI> Bi&s;hop <HI>An|drews, Medit.</HI> Lord's Supper cap. 18. <HI>Reynalds.</HI> And lately the Reverend and mo&s;t indu&s;trious Mr. <HI>Baxter;</HI> and a very great number of other <HI>witne&s;&s;es</HI> of the truth of <HI>God, who&s;e names are in the book of Life,</HI> might be produced: If the ca&s;e required it, or this &s;mal tract contain them.</P>
<P>Onely I crave leave that I may produce <HI>one materiall witnes more,</HI> whil&s;t I mu&s;t affront Mr. <HI>Prynne, Gentleman,</HI> (the <HI>Author</HI> of that Book, called, the <HI>perpetuity of the re|generate mans e&s;tate,</HI> Printed 1626.) To Mr. <HI>Prynne E&s;quire,</HI> the <HI>Author</HI> of the <HI>Scandalous pamphlet,</HI> now <HI>under cen&s;ure.</HI> O that ever any mans <HI>va&s;t abilities</HI> &s;hould be &s;o <HI>bla&s;ted,</HI> and <HI>dwindled</HI> into &s;uch a pittifull <HI>piece of nothing,</HI> &amp; upon &s;uch an <HI>unworthy</HI> (if not <HI>ungratious) &s;ubject,</HI> and in &s;uch a <HI>&s;cambling</HI> pamphlet.</P>
<P>See whether he hath not don by us&punc; what he then com|plained of in others. Then he pitied the <HI>Puritan Mini|&s;ters;</HI> now with <HI>Caligula</HI> he wi&s;hes &s;urely <HI>wee had all but one neck, and at his mercy.</HI> He &s;aith there in his Preface, <HI>There alwaies hath bin, are, and &s;hall be a generation of men upon the earth, which &s;hal be hated, &s;corned, per&s;ecuted, reproa|ched, reviled, accu&s;ed, &s;landered, and condemned, even of all &s;orts of men</HI> (&amp; <HI>for</HI> Mr. <HI>Prinn</HI>'s own wor&s;hip) <HI>for no crime, no cau&s;e, o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;in at all, but onely for their new, gratious, godly,</HI>
<PB N="42" REF="26"> <HI>holy lives, and for their dete&s;t and hatred of all kind of Sin;</HI> (and among&s;t other the &s;in of prophaning the <HI>Lords Ta|ble)</HI> &s;uch were once his words; therefore,</P>
<P>See I be&s;eech you the character that Mr. <HI>Prynne</HI> then gave of us, and the <HI>contempt</HI> that now he ca&s;ts upon us.</P>
<P>M. <HI>Prin (Perpetuity: p.</HI> 344) <HI>&s;aith, The Sacraments do never convey any inward, and &s;pirituall grace, which may truly re|generate, and ingraft man into Chri&s;t: But where there is a hand of faith to receive them, &amp; the grace conveyed by them.</HI></P>
<P>Again, <HI>Pag.</HI> 346. he &s;aith, <HI>The Lords Supper is a cau&s;e of grace to none, but &s;uch as receive in a worthy manner.</HI></P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Prynn</HI> (in his <HI>Epi&s;tle</HI> and <HI>perpetuity pag.</HI> 348) calls this, <HI>an Arminian popi&s;h Doctrine; That the Sacraments do Ex opere operato convey grace to men, or that the bare act of Bapti&s;m, or receiveing the Lords Supper, &s;hould of it &s;elf without any re&s;pect of the per&s;ons, and of the Sacraments con|vey grace to all that come unto them,</HI> &s;o far Mr. <HI>pryn</HI> again&s;t him&s;elf.</P>
<P>Nay in this very Book <HI>(Lords Supper vind. pag.</HI> 58. <HI>Sa|cramenta con&s;i&s;tunt in eorum v&s;u,</HI> &amp;c. out of Ames) <HI>The Sacraments con&s;i&s;t properly in the u&s;e of them, &s;o that a Sa|crament is not a Sacrament, but in it's Sacramentall re|ceiving it.</HI> doth then an unregenerate per&s;on receive it <HI>as a Sacrament?</HI> Doth he indeed Communicate <HI>really?</HI> and <HI>worthily receive</HI> the <HI>Body, and blood of Chri&s;t, with all the benefits of his death and pa&s;&s;ion,</HI> as Mr. <HI>Prynn</HI> con|cludes his long a&s;&s;ertion of it, <HI>pag.</HI> 39. for el&s;e if the unre|generate <HI>receive</HI> not <HI>worthily,</HI> They <HI>receive</HI> not the body and blood of Chri&s;t <HI>at all,</HI> and &s;o Mr. <HI>Prynn's</HI> great talk amounts onely to a <HI>nihil &s;ignificat.</HI></P>
<P>Wee willingly confe&s;&s;e, and imbrace what he &s;aith out of Dr. <HI>Ames,</HI> (that was (the world knowes) far from Mr.
<PB N="43" REF="26"> <HI>Prynn's</HI> opinion as light from darkne&s;&s;e in this his tenent:) <HI>Our &s;entence is, that the Sacraments have all efficacy in re&s;pect of grace, which a practicall &s;oul can have, by any relation, but cannot effect grace immediatly, but by the mediation of the Spirit of God, and of Faith.</HI> Let Mr. <HI>Prynn</HI> &s;hew us the <HI>relation,</HI> and the <HI>Faith</HI> of an un|regenerate per&s;on; if not, let him not write <HI>crafts-ma&s;ter,</HI> over his &s;o impertinent quotations. Or will M. <HI>Prinn</HI> apply that his <HI>Capitall</HI> quotation out of <HI>Jewell</HI> (to which <HI>true believers onely</HI> have a title) to the unregenerate al&s;o <HI>(By the partak|ink whereof, we be revived, &s;trengthened, and fed unto immortality; and whereby we are joyned and incorporated into Chri&s;t, that we may abide in him, and he in us,</HI> &amp;c.) If Mr. <HI>Prynn</HI> affirmeth, <HI>yea;</HI> that the unregenerate are here intended: he expre&s;sly oppo&s;eth <HI>Scripture, Fathers,</HI> and <HI>all Pro|te&s;tant writers,</HI> that I have <HI>&s;een,</HI> and as in &s;ome part I have <HI>cited.</HI> If it be <HI>nay;</HI> Then what doth &s;o <HI>long a quotation,</HI> (of no le&s;&s;e then two pages) <HI>to &s;o little purpo&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>'Tis true <HI>Jewell &s;aith, the Sacraments do &s;erve to aid and direct our faith.</HI> But where doth he (or any other Prote&s;tant) affirm, that they <HI>beget faith, where there was none at all before.</HI> Such a proof <HI>clear, and full, and backed with Scripture,</HI> would <HI>&s;ay &s;omething:</HI> but all other affirmations (beneath that) are but <HI>clouds without water,</HI> and Mr. <HI>Prynns</HI> book but a <HI>Tree without fruit,</HI> and him&s;elf but like <HI>a raging Sea, fo|ming out of his own &s;hame,</HI> and his partners, whom I recommend to the peru&s;all of the la&s;t Paragraph
<PB N="44" REF="27"> in his <HI>own Epi&s;tle,</HI> to tho&s;e who fal&s;ly, and malici|ou&s;ly <HI>traduce, calumniate, and &s;lander, (vid. Epi&s;t. to his Perpet.) you &s;ee now how &s;candalous, how &s;light, how fal&s;e and forged, all the&s;e your accu&s;ations are, you &s;ee they are but &s;hifts to evade, and colours to op|po&s;e the truth, and &s;uch as do profe&s;&s;e it and defend it they are but meer impo&s;tures, and pretences whereby the devil, and your own deceitfull hearts do labor for to blind your eyes, and to keep you still in darkne&s;s, to &s;tupifie your hearts and con&s;ciences, and &s;o to &s;et you in oppo&s;ition again&s;t all grace and good|ne&s;s:</HI> that &s;o <HI>they may deprive you of your &s;ouls at la&s;t. Con&s;ider who, and what it is that &s;ets you now on work to &s;lander, and traduce the Saints of God, and to oppo&s;e his truth: and know, that it is not the God of peace and union, the God of grace and truth, but the very Devill him|&s;elf, the very &s;pirit of Antichrist, and the enemie of all grace and goodne&s;s, who out of &s;ome carnal wicked, &s;ini&s;ter, and by re&s;pests hath put you on this &s;ervice, ask but your own brea&s;ts, and the &s;ecret whi&s;perings of your own con&s;ciences, and they will tell you &s;o. And therefore though I have &s;poken &s;omewhat &s;harply to you before, to make you know your &s;elvs, (the want of which knowledg is the cau&s;e of all your errors) &s;o now I do be&s;eech you by the mercyes of God, and by the death of Je|&s;us Chri&s;t your Saviour.</HI> And the&s;e words I &s;ay of Mr. <HI>Prynne (in diebus illis,)</HI> I do heartily commend to Mr. <HI>Prynne and his fellows now,</HI> in this day of their <HI>change,</HI> and <HI>hatred</HI> again&s;t what they are <HI>changed from.</HI></P>
<PB N="35" REF="27">
<P> Finally I &s;hall de&s;ire both <HI>them, and my Fathers, and Brethren,</HI> to take it as my <HI>Prayer to God,</HI> and <HI>Apologie</HI> unto them all; what I &s;hall only add, (as they may copiou&s;ly find in the Conclu&s;ions of <HI>Peter Martyrs Tractate of the Supper, and of Beza's again&s;t We&s;tphalus.)</HI></P>
<P>My prayer &s;hall be <HI>Faxit autem Deus, The Lord grant of his goodne&s;s, that the Church of Chri&s;t may at the la&s;t obtain both peace and truth as to this Sa|crament! Which I wi&s;h, becau&s;e the Lords Supper hath been &s;o injured, buried, and deformed, with lies, impo&s;tures, and &s;uper&s;titions, that one would in|deed rather think it any thing then that which the Lord in&s;tituted in his Supper: which lea&s;t we &s;hould reform; the Devill, the grievious ene|my of all peace, and truth, hath &s;own &s;o many opinions, contentions, differences, here&s;ies, and conte&s;ts, (onely not bloudy) that humane rea|&s;on can &s;carce hope for a con&s;ent worthy Chri&s;tians. But this alas is not onely our grief, for we lay a dou|ble reproach upon this Sacrament, for &s;ome of us rear an Idoll out of this excellent and &s;ingular gift of Chri&s;t: and others that have little &s;incere faith, and a con&s;cience defiled with grievious &s;ins; with|out lawfull examination of our &s;elvs, do even u|&s;urp the holy my&s;teries. The Lord pity this great calamity, and vouch&s;afe us at la&s;t the Eucharist re&s;tored to his Church, with the good u&s;e there of, even for our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t's &s;ake,</HI> Amen. vid. Tract. de Euchar ad finem.</P>
<P>My Apology &s;hall be in the words of <HI>Beza. Obte&s;tor vos omnes qui hanc Apologium e&s;tis in|&s;pecturi, ego omnium infimus, &s;erio tandem, non</HI>
<PB N="46" REF="28"> <HI>quis ista incendia excitarit, &s;ed qu&acirc; tandem ratione, peni|tus extingui po&s;&s;int con&s;ideremus. Plus &s;atis e&s;t litium, plus &s;atis convitiorum, plus &s;atis criminationum, &amp; A|pologiarum. (&amp; infra) neque vero quam haec &s;cri|bo, mihi in mentem venit, ut ego homuntio, in|ter tantae doctrinae, &amp; Authoritatis homines, arbitri &amp; di&s;ceptatoris partes agam. quis &s;um enim ego, ut hanc cogitationem &s;u&s;cipiam? Sed ta|men quando ita tulit occa&s;io,</HI> QUIS MEUS SITANIMUS, &amp; Quae QUOTIDIANA SUS|PIRIA <HI>volui eccle&s;iae Dei Testari.</HI> I do in|treat tho&s;e that &s;hall looke upon this Apologie, even I indeed the lowe&s;t of you all, that wee may con&s;ider, not who kindled the&s;e flames, but by what manner of way wee may thorowly quench them: there is too much &s;trife and railing, too many criminations and Apologies. neither whil&s;t I write the&s;e things have I any thought, that &s;uch an incon&s;iderable per&s;on as my &s;elfe, may take upon mee to be an Arbiter or Judg among&s;t men of &s;uch learning and Au|thority, for who am I to have &s;uch a thought? Yet becau&s;e the occa&s;ion hath thus hapned, I have thought fit to te&s;tifie to the Church of God, what my mind is, and what my dayly prayers are.</P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="publisher's advertisement">
<PB REF="28">
<HEAD><HI>Bookes Printed for</HI> Thomas Parkhur&s;t, <HI>at the Sign of the three Crowns,</HI> &amp;c.</HEAD>
<LIST>
<ITEM>A Learned Commentary, or Expo&s;ition upon the fir&s;t Chapter of he &s;econd Epi&s;tle to the <HI>Corinthians,</HI> by Dr. <HI>Richard Sibbs,</HI> publi&s;hed for the publick good by <HI>Thomas Manton,</HI> Folio.</ITEM>
<ITEM>The Journal or Diary of a thankfull Chri&s;tian: a Day-book of National and publick, per&s;onal and private pa&s;|&s;ages of Gods providence, to help Chri&s;tians to thankfulne&s;s, and experience. By <HI>John Beudle,</HI> Mini&s;ter of the Go&s;pel at <HI>Barn&s;tone</HI> in <HI>E&s;&s;ex,</HI> large 8.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Robin&s;ons</HI> Chri&s;tian Armor in large 8.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Book of Emblems, with Latine and Engli&s;h ver&s;es made upon <HI>(Lights)</HI> by <HI>Robert Farly,</HI> &s;mall 8.</ITEM>
<ITEM>A mo&s;t Excellent Treati&s;e concerning the way to &s;eek Heavens Glory, to flye Earths vanity, to fear Hells horror, with godly prayers, and the Bell-mans &s;ummons, 12.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>John&s;ons</HI> E&s;&s;ayes expre&s;&s;ed in &s;undry Exqui&s;ite Fancies.</ITEM>
<ITEM>The one thing nece&s;&s;ary; By Mr. <HI>Thomas Wat&s;on,</HI> Mini&s;ter of <HI>Stephens Walbrook,</HI> 8.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Sion in the hou&s;e of mourning, becau&s;e of Sin &amp; Suffering, being an Expo&s;ition on the fifth Chapter of the <HI>Lamentati|ons,</HI> by D. S. Pa&s;tor of <HI>&V;pingham,</HI> in the County of <HI>Rutland.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Groane of the Spirit, or a Trial of the truth of Praier.</ITEM>
<ITEM>A Handkercher for Parents Wet-eyes, upon the death of their Children or Friends.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Four profitable Treati&s;es very u&s;efull for Chri&s;tian pra|ctice; <HI>viz.</HI> The Killing power of the Law: The Spirituall Watch; The New Birth: Of the Sabbath. By the Reve|rend <HI>William Fenner,</HI> late Mini&s;ter of <HI>Rochford</HI> in <HI>E&s;&s;ex.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Peoples Need of a living Pa&s;tor, at the &s;unerall of Mr. <HI>John Frost,</HI> M. A. by Mr. <HI>Zach. Crofton.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Catechiz<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">ng God's Ordinance, in &s;undry Sermons by Mr. <HI>Zachary Crofton.</HI> Mini&s;ter at <HI>Buttolphs Aldgate London,</HI> the &s;econd Edition corrected and augmented.</ITEM>
<ITEM>A Coppy-book methodized and ingraven, by <HI>Thomas Cro&s;&s;e,</HI> where in fair writing is expre&s;t, by which one may
<PB REF="29"> learn to write of him&s;elfe, that can but read.</ITEM>
<ITEM>The godly mans Arke. in the day of his di&s;tre&s;&s;e, di&s;co|vered in Divers Sermons, the fir&s;t of which was preached at the Funeral of Mrs. <HI>Eli&s;abeth Moore.</HI> Whereunto is anexed Mrs. <HI>Eli&s;abeth Moores</HI> Evidences for Heaven, compo&s;ed and collected by her in the time of her health, for her comfort in the time of &s;ickne&s;s, By <HI>Ed. Calamy,</HI> B. D. Pa&s;tor of the the Church at <HI>Aldermanbury.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Enchiridion Judicum,</HI> or <HI>Jeho&s;aphats</HI> Charge to his Judges.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Together with <HI>Cata&s;trophe Magnatum,</HI> or King <HI>David's</HI> Lamentation, at Prince <HI>Abners</HI> Incineration. By <HI>John Li|ve&s;ey</HI> Mini&s;ter of the Go&s;pel at <HI>Atherton.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>There are going to the Pre&s;s &s;ome new pieces of Mr. <HI>Wil|liam Fenners,</HI> late of <HI>Rochford</HI> in <HI>E&s;&s;ex,</HI> never yet Printed, pre|&s;erved by a &s;pecial Providence, o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">e of which is a Second part of his wilfull impenitency; being five Sermons more that he preached upon the 18. of <HI>Ez<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">kiel,</HI> and the 32. ver.</ITEM>
<ITEM>A theatre of flying In&s;ects, wherein <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="2 letters">p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">cially the manner of right ordering the Bee is excellently de&s;cribed, with di&s;|cour&s;es Hi&s;torical and Phy&s;icall conce<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">ning them, with a Second part of meditations and ob&s;ervations Theological and Moral in 3 Centuries upon the &s;ame &s;ubject, by <HI>Samuel Purchas</HI> M. A. in 40.</ITEM>
<ITEM>The Gale of oportunity and the Beloveb De&s;ciple by <HI>Thomas Froy&s;ell.</HI> in 80.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Mo&s;es</HI> unvailed, with the Harmony of the Prophets Re|formation; in which is reconciliation with God and his peopl. By <HI>William Guild.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>John Cotton,</HI> his practical Expo&s;ition on the Fir&s;t Ep<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;tle of <HI>John,</HI> the &s;econd Edition corrected, and inlarged.</ITEM>
<ITEM>The Wedding Ring fit for the Finger: in a Sermon at a Wedding in <HI>Edmonton,</HI> by <HI>William Secker.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="errata">
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<P>FInding my labors have found &s;uch kind acceptance, &amp; &s;uch good entertainment among&s;t my hone&s;t Countrey men, it hath incouraged me this &s;eventh time to write for their benefit, &amp; although this book may prove fruitle&s;s to many becau&s;e not under&s;tood, nor regarded; yet &s;ome few may be of that &s;pirit, as to comprehend it &amp; imbrace it, if not openly profe&s;s it, yet &s;ecretly believe it, for upon my &s;oul it is truth, written in love to tho&s;e that are afflicted with the&s;e di&s;tempers, commonly cal|led New Di&s;ea&s;es: And I have taken up the Cudgils in defence of my Predece&s;&s;or Dr. <HI>Culpepper,</HI> intending to amend his deficien|cy in point of Art, or better to fini&s;h where he left off: He be|&s;ieged the Di&s;ea&s;es, &amp; I hope I &s;hal &s;torm them, &amp; cau&s;e the E|nemy to fly or yeeld to my medicines; which medicines the Colledge if they plea&s;e may u&s;e for the good health of poore Chri&s;tians.</P>
<P>Next I am to adverti&s;e you, that no books are printed with|out &s;ome faults: There is not a writer in the world, but if Cri|tical fools will, he may find &s;ome fault or other with his wri|tings to carp at. Every man may look into him&s;elf before he de|&s;pi&s;es another; and who&s;oever he be, let him either allow or a|mend anothers writing: I fear no mans ra&s;h cen&s;ure, nor will I plead for the Corrector and Compo&s;itor, the ingenuous have not onely judgment to di&s;cern, but courte&s;ie to pa&s;s by &s;mal<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> faults. The mo&s;t remarkable are the&s;e following.</P>
<P>IN the Apologue l in. 18. r. <HI>prove.</HI> l. 20. r. <HI>my</HI> l. 26. r. <HI>Azotus.</HI> In the book, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> 12. l. 7. r. <HI>Conarion.</HI> p. 37. l&punc; 26. r. <HI>Aurum Potabile.</HI> p. 38. l. 1. r. <HI>D. Culpep+pers Varlet,</HI> l. 15. add <HI>by Impo&s;t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">rs and Quacks that know not any th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="2 letters"> in learning.</HI> p. 39. l. 18. r. <HI>which we have at wil,</HI> p. 4<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">. l. 7. r. <HI>Veagle.</HI> p. 4<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> p. 42. l. 26. r. <HI>the&s;e mi&s;chiefs I &s;hall pre&s;cribe a cure.</HI> p. 44. l. 33. r. <HI>do not thi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> by E. A. I mean not Elias A&s;hmolt.</HI> p. 46. l. 1. r. <HI>which taketh.</HI> p. 47. l. 30. r. <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="2 letters">+ming.</HI> P. 50. l. 29. for <HI>Booker,</HI> r. <HI>Cooper.</HI> p. 58. l. 9. r. <HI>this. l.</HI> 27. r. <HI>could t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="2 letters"> them to their faces.</HI> p. 56. <HI>l.</HI> 30. r. <HI>torment many.</HI> p. 62. <HI>l.</HI> 10. de. <HI>in. l.</HI> 21. <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="2 letters">l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> E. Theodidact is. l.</HI> 27. <HI>r. Ca&s;tle.</HI></P>
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