Communion .An expojiti~n of Saints, any m<mber thereof, as Chri(l our head, tea– cheth vsby his ownexample, ·when he called A AnfGod,whoft b!efsing it is: furfinne isonly committed againfl God , and the violating Ad.,. 4· to S••l,andf,id,Salli,S••I,whyperficutej/th•'– m: ?giuing him tO vndcr!larl'd 1 that he is tou– ched with theabufcsto his Church, as ifthey had direaly bin done to his owne pcrfon. The prophet Amos reproou<th the people,becaufe they drJnkwine in bowels 1 & annointed thC– ftlu:s with the chicfe ointmCts: bt1rwhy?was itnot lawful! for them to doe fo? yes: but the caufe for whichthey are repro:laed f0llowes: ..<mos 6, :l'{gm•n(f,ith he)isforryfor th<4jf/iElionsoflo6• 'ftph.Jn the midde!l oftheir ddights and pk.t1 furcsthey had no regardofthe miferies ofthe . poorc Church& fcruantsofGcdselfewhere in afAitl:ionJ which cucry man ought to 01ew B forth in the praaife ofall duties of loue : and Eph 6.18 rhcrfore Paul faith,Pray alwaies with 11Dmaner 1 ofprayersandfi,pplicatirms in rhe/Pint ,~tndrrtttch I thermnto withaUpetftJ¥erance &fopp!icatiPnsfor the Saints. And hee highly commendern the Phi!. 4• I Phii.ppians,forcommmzicating to his ~tjfiiE!isns. ~t!en), And tUrdJcrhc bids PhllemonrocomfortOn(– •o· ftmm his bowels in theLord.AndS. John faith, If , Ioh. l• a mans /ifewould fauehisneighboors foole,he t6. muj/ kty 11 downc,ifneed require. Wchaoe al of vs dailyoccafio to pralEfe this duty towards the afBiCl:ed members of Gods Church in o– thercountrier. For howfoeucr we enioythe Gofpelwith peace, yetth<y arevnder p,r{ecu tion for the fame: & foofc as we heare repart ofthis, we fhould fofter our hearts to be grie- c ued wich them,and pray to Gool'forthem.· We mull here be admonifhednotto feeke our owne rhings, but to rcferrethe labours of our callings to the common good , efpecially of the Cho,rch whoreofwe are members. As for them that feeke for norhing but to main– taine theirowne efratCand wealrh,and there– fore in their trades vfc falfc waighrs & mca– fures,t!Jc ingrofsing, corrupting, mingling of \var~s, glozing, lying, fmoothing, fwcaring, ,forfwearing,diilembling, griping,opprefsing ofthe poore,&c.,hey may plead forthefelues what they will, bur in truth they neuer knew yet what the Communion ofS.dnts meant. La!lly,confideringwe are all knit into one myflicallbody, and hauemutuallfell"wfhip D in the fame, our duty is to redretfe the faolcs ofour brethren , and to couer them , as the hand iothc body laies aplaiflervpon the fore in the foote or in the lt'gge,and withal! couers it. Loue couers the multitude offinnes. And when men difgrace their brethren for thejr wams,and blaze them to the world,they doe not the dutyoifellow- members. Thus much fur the ndl: benefit beflowedon the Church:the fccond is, Forgiueneffi offtns : which may be thus defcri!Jed: Forg1uenejJc of ftns is a bie!fingofG.d vpon his Church procured i bjthedeaeh•ndpa!fion•fChrifl, whereby Gode– Jjfumesofjim;c,44 tt() jirme,or ,tUnot commitud, In j this de:fcription I haue couched fiue points, which we are · The fir.tl, who is the 1 ? ·-~...:._- ofhis lawes and comm:mdemems are properly finnes. And rhe oftC:nce done to any man orcrearurt is no more in it felfe, but an offence or iniurie:yeathe breachofmanscornmande· mentis no finne, vnlefldt doe imply withal! the breach of Gods conmlandement. Therefore it is aprcrogatiue belogingto God alone topa:don fin: and when we are taught to fay, Forgmc vs QUr trejjMffis, IU W( fQrgiHe them tiJtlt treJPajfe flgainft vs, the meaning is not that we 1•kc n. forgiuc finnes as they arc finnt:s , but~ne1y as i· trcfpaffes,that is,lo{lcs, hurts, and dammages done vmo vsby men. It may be further faid God hath giuen this power and commande~ ment to his miniflers to forgiue fins, faying, :~~~;;::::r·~:zp;~;·fu~~;~~ 1:;,~~~~~ :~:· ... onely in the name of God according to his \vord pronounce to apenitent finBer, that his finnes are pardoned and forgiuen ofGod:and therefore it is amofr~ertaine truth, that none c>nforgiue finnes but God only: it was auouchedby chc Pharifes, & notdenied by Chrifl. M,.l, Ht.nce it followes,that remifsionoffinnc,be- ?lJ· ingonccgr<~..ntcdremaines for euer, becaufe Gods loue vntothe e!ea is vnchangeable,and his decree concerning their faluation cannot be altered. The fecond point is, to whom remifsion offins is giuen? Anf To the Catho– like Church,thac is, to the whole company of men predeflinace to f.1loation : as Efoy faith, The peoplerJ,atdweltherin(~hat is,the Church) , ]baNh4#et~etr ftns forgiuen. And, TheyJhaOcan , ~~·ll· themrheholypeopk,thaedmmJofth•Lord:and E(~6•. thoujlu1lt bentJmed~ ..A. citie[oNght out,andnotfor. ll• fok$n. And ifchere hadbeene an vniuetfall rc– mitsion offins to all men,as fome do drcame, it fhould not here haoe bin made a peculiar prerogatiue ofthe Church.The third pointis, what is the meanos whereby pardon offinne is procured at Gods hand? Anfw. The death andpafsionof Chrifl: foP•ulfaith, Rom. 4· >5 .Chrifldiedfor our ftnnes:that is,Chrifl died tobeapaiment & fatisfacHon to Gods iullice for oudinnes. And S.lo.hn faith, Theblood lofHJ Chrij/ his Sonne cleanfith "'' fmn aUftnne. And Peur fairh,Kno1ving thatye were 11tJt redee- "''dwithco'rruptiblcthings,asjiluerand.goldfrom 11>1 ~ our vainecomurfation,(j-c. but with thetrecioUI bto.dofChrif/, M ofa lambevndefilcdandwirhout ff>Ot. Thefourth point is,after what manner fin is forgiuen? Anf ByanactionofGod,whereby for the 1nerit ofChrifl,he efleemes andae. counts finne as no finnc, or, as ifit had neuer bin committed.ThereforeDa•idfaith,Pfolme 32·•· BlejJcdis the"!an towhom the Lordimputeth noftnne.And in Efo.44· zz.the Lord faith; I haueput away thy tranfi.reffi"" Irk! a ct.ud, andrhyftnnes a.- mift. Now wee knowthac clouds aod mifi:s which appeare for a ume, arc afterward by the Sunnc vtterly difpcrfed. And HezekjM when hee would fhew him ·
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