person is are justly dibarred from this Ordinance seeing any possible hopes of gaining good is very low if any which yet is all that can be pretended tor the expediency and Arguments on the other hand for the inconvenience and danger are many and weighty These Sacramental signes are not barely teaching but engaging signes and not barely signes but seals in which by acception of these seales we engage to God to make good his terms and propositions The Minister of Christ therefore hath little encouragement and slender hope to tender it to such or to admit such to it that are in a continual way of Covenant-breaking and proclaime to all their resolutions in it A continued dissolute course of life speaks no better then a full purpose and setled resolution for sin it can then little avail such a one to take anew these symboles and badges of a Christian profession upon him and put himself on an hypocritical profession of tht service of Christ making discovery of such resolusion it doth appear to be in vain to give this way and freedom to him Knights of the post that have often forsworne themselves are not by any prudent Judge permitted to sweare and those that have so often desperately broken Covenant and wilfully gone against all former engagements and still palpably appearing that way are as unfit to engagae And the more clearly any that is produced as deponent appears to be such with more full resolution any prudential Judge will except against it And whereas it may be objected that such upon the grounds here laid may as well be admitted to the Lords Table as to hear Sermons joyn in Prayers observe Fasts They are engaging Ordinances whilest they are done by persons in Covenant as is receiving of this Sacrament Answ First They are not certainly so highly and explicitely engaging The very name Christian is an engaging tye indeed to Christian duties and wayes To enjoy any further Christian priviledge is more But to take these pledges on the tearms proposed hath ever heen accounted the highest Secondly Though the Sacrament serve as hath been said for aggravation of sin yet as the Word is the alone means in the discovery of sin so it hath infinitely the advantage in the aggravation of it The Sacrament doth nothing at all in this work without the Word and the Word does exceedingly much more then the Sacrament and when it is clear that the Word for so long hath wrought nothing for conviction there is little hopes that the Sacrament will work any thing to aggravation Thirdly As the hope of good is either low or none at all so the danger on the other hand is high and full of terrour as we see it by the Apostle aggravated 1 Cor. 11.27 28. The unworthy receiving of the Word is indeed of danger and a savour of death to death But the hopes are fair by hearing to be brought to worthinesse The danger of unworthy Communicants is far greater and the hopes little if any at all Fourthly The scandal here taken is exceeding great and though happily sometimes weak ones take more offence then is given and are offended above reason yet when there is so little of good to be hoped in that in which they are so scandalized and so much danger in the offence it is by no means to be neglected Fifthly There is more fair hopes of good to be done them upon their denyal then upon admittance to this Ordinance when they see their own unworthinesse observed and those proceedings upon it they may more seriously reflect upon their unworthinesse When a Physician shall forbid some meats upon observation of a patients disease it is a way to make him more sensible that he is in danger so when the Minister of Christ upon observation of mens wayes shall deny this Ordinance there may be hopes of an answerable work to bring the person to some more sad and serious reflections upon his own state and condition If any think that these arguments singly considered not to be of that strength to evince a non-admission of men of openly sinfull courses to this Ordinance I shall answer in the words of the Assembly of Divines unto the reasons of the Dsslenting brethren against the instance of many Congragations in the Church of Ephesus Arguments of necessity are to be answerable to the things they prove which as well holds in t hsi of expediency or inexpediency to which I speak as it doth in matter of fact of which they speak and so say they Though the several particulars of this proof should be singly but probabilities yet being joyned together make a sufficient proof as many concurring likelihoods in Courts amount to a good evidence and many lesser stars make up a Galaxia They are with me at least so far prevailing That I believe that such are worthily excluded and as they do not come without scandal so they cannot come to their advantage In case after a former way in sin or sad fall to the scandal of the Church upon admonition there appear convictions and serious promises the case is otherwise there is all cause then to take in such a one to this Ordinance in which his sin appears in the highest aggravation and a tender and offer is made and the way held forth of pardon and forgivenesse Many of the Ancients were hasty enough to give the Sacrament to men at the instant of their death as a Viaticum to heaven when it was all too late to make any right improvement of it But we are in the mean space too slow and over-rigid in admission of professed penitents to it as appeares in many examples That of Serapion is notable mentioned by Eusebius who had lived a great while in the Church without blame but at last fell in time of persocution And often desiring to be received again by the Church no man hearkened to him till at last being sick and ready to dye he sent a boy suddenly to fetch a Priest who was found sick by the messenger that he could not come to him But he gave the boy a little of the Sacrament and bid him put it into the mans mouth who when he had tasted of it presently dyed That was expected here from the Sacrament which it wanted viz. some hidden power to carry up the soul for heaven and glory and in the mean space that was not seen for which it was instituted A provocation to repentance and corroboration and strengthning of the soul in wayes of holinesse when there was hopes of good to accrew by it it was denyed and when all hopes were past it was indulged After-ages appeared more facile but then profession of repentance was turned into a form of auricular confession they might confesse and take penance and be fit for the Sacrament and sin as soon as it was over and go again to confession That formality of confession put the Sacrament as they thought into a posture of working which sin
Gods way to infuse grace into the soul unfitted for it no more then it is to infuse life into the body unorganized A new being is put of God into the soul when reason appears to it of closing with it The Word Prayer Sacraments may all have a hand in it And all are in vain to the soul Word Prayer and Sacraments with all other Ordinances and endeavours unlesse they lead the soul to it make it thy businesse to come up to the Covenant or else it is without fruit that thou comest to the Sacrament CHAP. VIII SECT I. Of the necessity of Sacraments THe next Observation that the words offer is Sacraments are not arbitrary but necessary That Sacraments are not arbitrary but necessary the Covenant-people of God not onely may but must partake of them As God appointed so Abraham received this sign of circumcision And as he received it so all in confederation with him received it likewise Gen. 17.23 And Abraham took Ishmael his son and all that were born in his house and all that were bought with his money every male among the men of Abrahams house and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the self-same day as God had said unto him And the stated time for circumcision of those children who were born of parents in Covenant being the eighth day the text tells us That Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight dayes old as God Commanded him Gen. 21.4 And when Moses had a son born in his exile and had neglected this duty The Lord met him in his way from Midian to Egypt and sought to kill him Exrd. 4.24 he appeared in some formidable way of death to him in that way as many do conjecture that he appeared to Balaam on his way Numb 22.23 Not that God really intended his death whom he now employed in that great work to deliver his people out of Egypt but he appeared in this posture to let him know what his sin deserved and by these terrors to bring him and his wife to take the course after mentioned for prevention of it And though there have been some that have gone about to assign other causes of Gods anger against hith and this apparition in such terror yet no other in the text appearing and God departing from him upon the childs circumcision the neglect of that Command was undoubtedly the cause of it Whatsoever reason moved Moses to this neglect whether the fear of displeasing his father in law or his wife which Rivet judges to be most probable certain it is from the Lords displeasure against him that it was his sin This was after given in charge by Moses to the people of God Levit. 12.3 speaking of the birth of a man-child he saith The eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised This the Israelites except the intermission of it in the wildernesse exactly followed when the eighth day happened on the Sabbath that work was yet observed as Christ notes Joh. 7.23 On the Sabbath day they received circumcision that the Law of Moses might not be broken John Baptist therefore on the eighth day was circumcised Luk. 1.59 and Christ himself on that day was circumcised Luk. 2.21 as also Paul Philip. 3.5 That of the Passeover was appointed 400. years at the least after circumcision It had its first institution in Egypt Exod. 12.3 4. c. to be observed as a feast to the Lord throughout their generations to be kept as an Ordinance for ever ver 14. It was again commanded by Moses and inserted into the body of the Law Levit. 23.4 Numb 28.16 This was carefully observed by the Israelites in their generations though at some times when Idolatry prevailed sinfully neglected We read of many famous Passeovers observed viz. In Joshua's time in Hezekiah's in Josiah's dayes also by Ezra upon the return of Gods people out of the captivity of Babylon Ezra 6.19 It is observed of the Lord Christ that he kept four Passeovers after the time that he publickly appeared as the Messiah The last was the evening before his death concerning which he said With a desire have I desired to eat this Passeover with you before I dye Luk. 22.15 With extreme earnest affection he was carried towards it and then he put a period to it and did institute his Supper in the place and room of it That heavy menace so frequently threatened in the Law of being cut off from among their people is given out against the neglect of both of these Sacraments Gen 17.14 The uncircumcised manchild whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised that soul shall be cut off from his people he hath broken my Covenant Num. 9.13 The man that is clean and is not in a journey and forbeareth to keep the Passeover even the same soul shall be cut off from his people because he brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season that man shall bear his sin which commination however we do interpret it whether of the more immediate hand of God as dying childlesse The case of Jeconiah Jer. 22.30 or being cut off by untimely death The case of Er and Onan Gen. 38.1.9 and of Nadab and Abihu Levit. 10.2 or perishing everlastingly The case of all presumtuous and inpenitent siners 1 Cor. 6.9 or whether the execution be committed to man and that either the temporal Magistrate which was the case of Achan Josh 7. and of Shelomiths son Levit. 24.14 or by Ecclesiastical censure which was the case of the incestuous Corinthian 1 Cor. 5.13 As there be that appear for each of these which way soever it is understood it sufficiently proves a necessity of these Ordinances For the Sacraments of the New Testament when John baptised and the Pharisees did refuse to submit to his Baptisme the text saith They rejected the Counsel of God against themselves Luk. 7.30 and the Commission given to the Apostles to disciple all Nations baptizing them Matth. 28.19 implyes a necessity of all discipled ones to submit to Baptisme Mar. 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Faith is of absolute necessity in all that hear the tender of the Gospel and therefore it followes He that believeth not shall be damned and Baptisme is the ordinary way set up of God that leads to it Peter counsels his converts when he had them in an hopeful way Repent and be Baptized Act. 2.28 And Ananias counsels Paul Arise why tarriest thou and be baptized Act. 22.16 For the Lord Supper we find it under a precept 1 Cor. 11.24 25. Luk. 22.19 Do this in remembrance of me 1 Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup implies as a preparation for it so also a necessity that we eat and drink of it so that every Sacrament hath its injunction upon it First The institution of it is a sufficient proof of the necessity God did never institute it to have it
is the same in both Gen. 17.14 Numb 9.13 God never appeared that we read for the death of any upon that account as he did for the death of Moses upon the neglect of Circumcision Reverend Mr. Cotton makes the like danger to be in the neglect of Infant-Baptisme as we may see in the Preface to his Book on that subject Thirdly To be utterly out of the Church must needs be of greater danger then to want some one Ordinance in the Church i Extra Ecclesiam nulla Salus Out of the Church there is no salvation is an old Rule which Acts 2.47 Ephes 2.12 Jer. 10.25 abundantly confirm that is without it and all right of relation to it and to be without right and to live in the neglect and despisal of it being convinced of the necessity of it are alike dangerous Fourthly No such brand can lye on the want of the one as the other none equal to that of uncircumcision can be fastened upon the want of any other priviledge But lest excusing à tanto I should be though to excuse à toto in comparing the danger I should be though to deny any danger in the want of this later I shall cease Thirdly As the Passeover in Israel both in the wildernesse The Lords Supper may occasionally be delayed and Rule 3 the Land of Canaan was sometimes discontinued and not in the time prescribed observed by reason of the Churches disorder and present unpreparednesse of the people so likewise it may haply sometimes fall out on like occasion to be thought needfull for a time to delay the Lords Supper For the disuse of the Passeover by the children of Israel in the Wildernesse more happily may be said then for the time when they were settled in Canaan seeing Circumcision at that time was also discontinued whether by special command from God or upon inevitable necessity by reason of their often removals for which the knife of Circumcision would have disabled or their sinful neglect I will not determine and yet more is said for ommission of it in that time then perhaps can fairly be defended A Reverend Divine saith He wonders why omission of the Passeover in the wildernesses is alledged for after the first celebration thereof all future celebrations were by expresse and plain command to be onely in the Land of Canaan quoting Exod. 13.4 5. with an c. Deut. 16. from ver 1. usque ad 8. and confirming it at large with the authority of Rivet inserting his words But with due reverence to men of their eminencey I may suggest also my wondrings how it can be said that by expresse and plain command all future celebrations of the Passe after the first were onely to be in the Land of Canaan seeing Numb 9.1 a famous Passeover was observed in the wildernesse of Sinai in the first moneth of the second year after they were come out of the Land of Egypt If it be said that this Passeouer in the Wildernesse was by especial command from God and otherwise should not have been observed till they came into the Land of Canaan as Ainsworth on Numb 9.1 in favour of this opinion doth indeed say The cause why God commanded them to keep the Passeover in the Wildernesse was saith he for that by the first institution they were bound to keep it when they came into the Land of Canaan and therefore without speciall warranty could not have kept it in the desert I answer That Circumcision when it was first taken up again in the Wildernesse was by especial command from God Josh 5.2 and in all probability the Passeover that then was observed with it ver 10. was by like command which doth not argue but that by vertue of the primitive institution they might have kept it neither is there any Text urged evincing any such limit to the Land of Canaan for the place quoted Deut. 16.2 5 6. verses onely looks that way Deut. 16.2 5 6. vindicated and the words are these Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the Passeover unto the Lord thy God of the flock and the herd in the place in which the Lord shall choose to place his Name there thou mayest not sacrifice the Passeover within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee But at the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his Name in there thou shalt sacrifice the Passeover at even at the going down of the Sun at the season that thou camest forth out â—f Egypt and there the place prohibited is not all places out of Canaan but their own gates though in Canaan And the place prescribed is not Canaan but the place wheresoever God should fix his Tabernacle upon the same account no sacrifice could have been with warranty offered in the Wildernesse but onely in Canaan there is the like reason and like Law for both Deut. 12.5 6 7. But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your Tribes to put his Name there even unto his habitation shall ye seek and thither thou shalt come and thither ye shall bring your burnt-offerings and your sacrifices and your tythes and heave-offerings of your hand and your vowes and your free-will offerings and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks and there ye shall eat before the Lord your God Yet we find sacrifice offered in the Wildernesse and there they did eat before the Lord as is plain Levit. 10.1 ver 16 to the end As for Exod. 12.25 13.45 where the command for celebration of the Passeover is given in charge to be observed when they came into the Land of Canaan They being to have Canaan by the gift of God for their habitation mention is made of that place where it was in all their generations to be observed and no notice taken of any such halt that they were to make in the way which their sin did afterwards occasion But it is no prohibition of it in the way thither or warranty for omission when the time was thus protracted for their arrival there having the Tabernacle with them they had their liberty for observation of it which is clear to me from Deut. 12.10 11. When ye go over Jordan and dwell in the Land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about so that ye dwell in safety then there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause his Name to dwell there thither shall ye bring all that I command you But before they passed Jordan while Moses was with them as you have heard they had their offerings which is further plain Numb 16.17 18 46.47 and so might have had their Passeover likewise As the Passeover was discontinued in the Wildernesse so it was also oftentimes in the Land of Canaan we read of no more Passeovers then one that was kept by Joshuah Josiah in the eighth year
things But I give to thee Christ Ergo. The first is without seal the second in the Sacrament is under seal yet there is as much evidence of truth in the first as in the second Mr. Baxters Minor Proposition must have its due limit as before or else it is to be denyed The last thing in his Index as to this controversie is The safety or danger to teach men to believe that they are justified and shall be saved The danger of teaching men that they are bound to believe that they are justified and shall be saved which referres to Sect. 81. pag. 142. Where I am in the first place handsomely taken up for saying I recede not from any that heretofore I have published on this subject as standing not with ingenuity when himself in the next Paragraphe runs on the same error if an error resolving to maintain what he had asserted I am afterwards told It hath been too common a doctrine amongst the most renowned Divines that it is not onely de fide that I A. B. am justified but every mans duty also yea part of the Creed and so a fundamental for to believe that our sins are remitted for so expound the Article of remission of sins yea they earnestly presse men to believe the pardon in particular and tell them they have but the faith of Devils else By which dangerous doctrine it is said 1. Most men are perswaded to believe a falsehood for most are not forgiven 2. The carelesse world is driven on faster to presumption to which they are so prone of themselves 3. Painfull Ministers are hindred and their labours frustrated whose businesse is first to break mens false hopes and peace which they find so hard a work that they need no resistance c. I believe that as Mr. Baxter sayes this may be dangerously done and I believe that it hath not been urged by some without great danger yet I also believe that it may safely comfortably in due order be done and that Ministers of Christ orderly and in a Gospel-method ought to do it For the Creed I am so far from this error here mentioned that I go not so farre in this thing as Mr. Baxter himself as I have observed in this Apology I do not think that the Creed it self calls for so much as faith of adherence to rest or rely upon Christ for remission of sins I suppose Creeds and Confessions of faith are onely for declaration of the doctrine that we hold to difference us from those that in those particulars are erroneous in judgement and do not at all intermeddle with our will or affections Though I know the will must consent and by the affections imbrace and receive Christ or else there is no salvation to which the Gospel calls us The danger mentioned I fear too often as I said before is sadly incurred that brand of false Prophets Ezek. 13.22 23. is heavy Because with lyes ye have made the heart of the righteous sad whom I have not made sad strengthened the hands of the wicked that he should not return from his wicked way by promising him life Therefore ye shall see no more vanity nor divine divinations for I will diliver my people out of your hands and ye shall know that I am the Lord. This practice is in full opposition to God who every where threatens death to wicked persons which as many observe well all the error of those that suffered the charge of false Prophets among the Jewes we read not that they delivered any positive untruths but onely made undue applications And therefore false Prophets among them are distinguished from false teachers which were to arise in Christian Churches 2 Pet. 2.1 The latter and not the former bringing in damnable heresies and yet the former were of like danger in their misapplication both of promises and threatenings and more especially of promises to urge all to believe that in statu quo they shall be saved is indeed to teach them to presume seeing salvation is not every mans portion and the portion of no man that lyes in sin It was a doctrine that the Apostle often preacht that such should not inherit the Kingdom of heaven Gal. 5.21 and he lets the Ephesians know that all those are but vain deceiving words that teach otherwayes Ephes 5.6 Yet I suppose that it is a Christians priviledge that he may believe that his sins are forgiven and that he shall he saved and being his priviledge it is also his duty Christ requires some to believe it Be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven Matth 9.2 And the Apostle takes it for granted that some were assured Ye have suffered joyfull the spoiling of your goods knowing that in heaven ye have a better and far more induring substance Heb. 10.32 Why doth Peter call upon Christians to give diligence to make their calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Or why did John write to those that believe on the Name of the Son of God that they might know that they have eternal life 1 Joh. 5.13 in case they may not be assured and accordingly by faith be full perswaded and satisfied in it We may not think that assurance is held out in Scriptures as Chimaera or as a Chymists Philosophers Stone to be talked of but never compassed And I suppose sano sensu and with due qualifications it may be asserted That every visible Church-member is bound to believe his own salvation and the pardon of his own sins in particular I well remember that I had once conference with Mr. Ball in Mr. Ash's house on this thing upon occasion of that old argument insisted upon by Arminians That which all are bound to believe is true But all are bound to believe that Christ dyed for them and he determined that all are bound to believe that Christ dyed for them in particular and that all the fruits of his death shall be theirs not immediately but Mediante fide resipiscentia Men are bound to faith and repentance and uppn their faith and repentance are bound to get this assurance which it seems is also Mr. Baxters thoughts by that which he adds in the fifth place for aggravation of this danger when wicked men that have but the faith of Divels are immediately required to believe the pardon of their own particular sins and this made to be de fide God is dishonoured with the charge of such untruths as if falsehoods were de fide and God commanded men to believe them It seems then that he grants that men may be mediately required to believe the pardon of their own sins in particular and there can never be too much spoken against an urging of it in an immediate way It is after we have done the will of God that we shall receive the promise Heb. 10.36 and we must not believe that without doing his will we shall ever receive it Promise-preachers that are not duty-preachers that hold out blisse and
world and death by sin so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned or in whom all have sinned 4. The readinesse and pronenesse of little ones to run upon sin is an evidence of it The thornes bryars and weeds that the earth casts out when precious flowers and choise plants are more hardly nourished is an argument that the earth is under a curse and is not now as once it was The sins that even in childhood appear and together with age grow forwards when graces are difficultly planted and that which is good very hardly produced is as great an evidence of a mans innate degeneration This even Heathens could see though they knew not whence it was e Homines natura sua esse malos induci non posse ut justitiam colant Plato observed that men by nature are wicked and that they cannot be brought to learne righteousnesse and f Hominem à natura noverca in lucem edi corpore nudo fragili atque infirmo animo ad molestias anxio ad timores humili in quo divinus ignis sit obrutus Referunt Theol. Lydenses Disp 15. Thes 6. Tully lamented that man is brought into the world by his stepdame nature with a body naked frail and weak a mind anxious in troubles low under fears weak for labour prone to lust in whom every Divine spark is overywhelmed If any man demand how it comes to passe that we are thus we must look as far as Adam to see the inlet of it By one mans disobedience many were made sinners Rom. 5.19 His was peccatum originans giving the rise to all evils in us thence issued peccatum originatum our original condition as before decribed Sin seizing upon the Angels made them unclean and they have through that defilement the denomination of unclean spirits sin seizing upon man hath rendered him unclane It defiled not onely the person of man but the nature of man had man stood all mankind had stood man falling all mankind became filthy Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Job 14.4 Adam begat a son in his own likenesse Gen. 5.3 like himself when he had lost the image of God what sin made man that an infant is so far as of capacity to be not to act sin he that can do nothing cannot do evil but in them there are those principles that shew themselves in action so far as there is power to act A young Serpent doth sting none poysons none but there is in them a poysonous and destroying na ure which growes as nature growes 5. By the duty incumbent upon Christians to put off the old man Ephes 4.22 which is not so called in opposition to that which is young as though man grew up to it by degrees many years being gone over his head before he had gotten that name but in opposition to that which is new as we see ver 23. The old hath the precedency of the new and is before it as the old garments are worne and put off before the new put on why must all of necessity be new if the old would serve the turn Secondly This sin which is mans hereditary estate This Original state of man is not onely a want of Primâ—tive integrity but is attended with universal defilement hath in it not onely a want of that Priwitive purity which God stamped upon man according to his own likenesse but also an universal defilement and pollution Therefore the Apostle setting out this estate under the name of the old man gives it this character corrupt according to deceitfull lusts Ephes 4.22 All the pollution in the world is from lust 2 Pet. 1 4. that is the sink and source from whence all proceeds and the old man is wholly made up of these corrupt filthy and defiling principles They promise better when they draw aside but that is their work and therefore as they are corrupt so they are branded as deceitful likewise Upon this account it is that man is dead in trespasses and sins able to rise no higher in nature then that which is sin and this renders his conversation to be according to the course of this world after the prince of the power of the air the former is his pattern and the later is his Soveraign the one is followed the other served And consequently with guilt or ordination to punishment In fulfilling the desires or wills of the flesh and mind Ephes 2.23 serving divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.3 as wholly enslaved by this defiling principle And as this is of the being so guilt or ordination to punishment is a necessary adjunct or consequent of it Death is in as great a latitude as sin Rom. 5.12 the proper wages of that work Rom. 6.23 Therefore all that have a nature thus defiled are by nature the children of wrath Ephes 2.3 Men may descant as they will upon the word and tell us of another use of it in prophane Authors but all their wit will not work men from under this guilt or gain him any thing more in his birth-state but wrath for his portion Thirdly To restore man to his Primitive happiness his nature must be healed Nature must be healed and guilt removed for restitution of man to his Primitive glory and his guilt removed there must be a change wrought in his principles and a pardon vouchsafed of his sin If either the stain continue or the guilt hold man will be wretched till he be again like God and reconciled to God his case is forlorne This needs no proof man was without stain or guilt when God made him upright his stain must be washed and guilt removed or else his happinesse is not repaired And this was the converted Corinthians glory they were under the defilement of Adultery Idolatry Fornication Drunkennesse c. and upon this account under the sad doome of exclusion out of the Kingdom of heaven but being washed sanctified justified the doome is reversed However you Interpret these several phrases we have their deliverance from the stain and guilt of sin in them Fourthly Either of both of these is the work of Christ and the happy priviledge of all of Gospel-interest Either of both of these is the work of Christ by his blood and Spirit He takes off the stain in the work of Regeneration and Sanctification by the power of his Spirit as by our fall we were dead in sin so by this new work on our hearts we are dead to sin we were free from righteousnesse now we are alive to righteousnesse Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you When we were dead in sins he hath quickened us together with Christ Ephes 2.5 Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might Sanctifie and cleanse it
these words I know you had not leisure to write them in vain and meerly to fill paper 1. I may fear there was a worse end in the reply then barely to fill paper In contentions of this nature it is easie for great wits voluble tongues and nimble pens to be more then vain And here is scarce fair declaring to cut off my words before any full period and so render them to the Reader That my meaning cannot be seen till he have gone over three or four Sections interlaced with needlesse triflings 2. If Mr. Baxter know as he sayes that I will not own such an argumentation as he there frames without so much as colour of sense in it which were vain to repeat what was his end but meerly to fill up paper or somewhat worse in framing of it A Reader of half Mr. Baxters wit if he look on my words as they lye in my Treatise and not as mangled by his divisions may easily see another way of argumentation and such that carries sense and I leave to the Reader whether or no it carries strength And for his satisfaction Tht Authors argument against the sole-sufficiency of Covenant grace as instrument in justification I thus put it into forme That which often failes of obtaining the end for which it is employed and never can attain to it without the concurrence of some other with it is no sole instrument in any work But the Gospel or Covenant-grant often failes of attaining that end of justification when it is to that end published and imployed and never can obtain it without the concurrence of somewhat further to be joyned with it Ergo it is no sole instrument in the work Mr. Br. signifies that it may still be the same thing and have the same aptitude to produce the effect even when it is not applyed I answer then Mr. Kendall hath well told him it is an instrument aptitudinaliter and is no instrument in actual being but when the end is obtained and then it is no sole instrument being not sole in producing the effect Mr. Baxter takes it for granted that it alwayes hath its effect when it is employed and I took it for granted that it is often employed and the effect not produced but I did not then think that Mr. Baxter had meant an application to convey right where right is already in possession I added When the Minister is a Minister of condemnation and the savour of death to death there the Gospel becomes an instrument of condemnation and death and so comes short of justification To this is replyed 1. So it is if there be no Minister where it is known any way 2. I speak of Gods grant or promise in the Gospel you speak of his commination 3. If the threat be the proper instrument of condemnation à pari the promise or gift is the proper instrument of justification I grant his first and he threapes kindnesse with me in the two last he will have me to speak of the threat onely when I speak as well as he of Gods grant or promise Gospel promises are a savour of death to many This is a savour of death unto death unto many It is as great an evil to sleight a Promise as to disobey a Command or neglect a threatning his third therefore migt well have been spared but that I intend not to trifle away time I could easily shew him if I had spoke of threat a great disparity I added which should not have come in thus dismembred The efficacy that is in the Gospel for justification it receives by their faith to whom it is tendred To this is replyed Darkly but dangerously spoken and reasons given For it is possible you may mean that it receives it by faith as by a condition sine qua homo non est subjuctum proxime capax and so I grant the sense There is no possiblity that I should mean so having sufficiently as he after observes declared my self to the contrary if I understand his sine qua non frequently found in his writings which men eminently learned professe they do not It followes Dangerously for the words would seem to any impartial Reader to import more viz. That the Gospel receives its efficacy from faith or by faith as the instrument which conveyeth that efficacy to the Gospel It is my meaning that the word is inefficacious without faith and that faith renders it efficacious not by infusion of any new power into it but raising up the soul with strength to answer it which is not barely said but proved But my bare speech must first be censured and then my proof in a disjunct way at pleasure as we shall see dealt with A reason is rendred why for the truths sake and my own these words have never been seen For if faith give the Gospel its efficacy 1. It cannot be as a concause instrumental coordinate but as a superiour more principal cause to the subordinate By Mr. Baxters leave I do believe that concauses instrumental may receive efficacy one from another The thred hath efficacy from a needle and is a concause instrumental to sow up a rent or to make a seam or hem The line gives efficacy to the anglers hook to take a fish I believe he hath seen a knife touched with a Loadstone fetch up a needle from the bottome of a vessel of water Here the hand is the principall agent or the man using his hand The knife is the instrument yet such an instrument as receives efficacy from the spirits of the Loadstone as a concause instrumental The Gospel works no more without faith then a knife in this thing can work without a Loadstone It followes 2. If it were the former that is meant yet it were intolerable For which reasons are given but how these hang together I know not His former now spoken to was brought in as the first in order to disprove what I had said taking my words in the second sense which he gives of them and this which is in order the second is to shew by three reasons that in case they be taken in the first sense which he himself professedly grants yet it were intolerable seeing therefore that I take it not in that sense and if I did he grants the sense there is no cause that I should trouble my self with his Reasons I added in way of proof Heb. 4.2 Unto us was the Gospel preached c. 1 Thess 2.12 13. To which is replyed But where 's your conclusion or any shew of advantage to your cause I must speak nothing it seems but syllogismes in form and he that cannot here make up a syllogisme and find out a formall conclusion is a very Infant in Logick In the first Text the Apostle as he sayes speaks of the Words profiting in the reall change of the soul and our question is of the relative Heb. 4.2 Vindicated And what shew of proof is there that it is
Moses Baptisme into him what Page 526 N. Names GIven by God not empty titles Page 12 Nature What meant by the times of the Law of nature Page 24 Necessity Of Sacraments asserted Page 285 c. Argumeats evincing it Page 288 c. The kind of degree of the necessity of Sacraments enquired into Page 289 Not absolutely necessary to Salvation Page 289 Objections answered Page 290 Explicatory Rules delivered in it Page 294 c. A greater degree of necessity in the initiatory leading Sacrament then in that which follows Page 298 Arguments evincing it ibid. c. O. Obedience MAns sin disobligeth him not from obedience Page 195 196 197 Obligation Mans Obligation of himself unto God implies Gods mutuall obligation Page 130 Oblige Mans inability for duty doth not disoblige from duty Page 197 Orders Their number in the Church of Rome and their divisions Page 538 Most of this number doubted by themselves whether they be Sacraments ibid. The Matter Page 539 Form Page 539 Effect Page 539 Minister Page 539 Reasons evincing it to be no Sacrament ib. Ordinances All outward Ordinances are for the Church in fieri and not onely in facto Page 189 Sacraments must have the Honour of divine Ordinances Page 68 Originall sin Asserted Page 363 Distinguished into peccatum originans orinatum Page 365 Originall sin not a meer want of primitive integrity but attended with unversall defilement ibid. c. Oyle Anointing with Oyle Jam. 14 15. What it means Page 536 537 Queres put to those that would revive this practice Page 537 P. Parables CHrist speaking in Parables what it meaneth Page â—4 Pardon Closing with God for pardon is not to pardon a mans self Page 452 Passive Neither believing nor receiving are to be judged meerly passive Page 442 In what sense faith passive in justification Page 476 c. Pemble Not sole and singular in asserting the word to be a passive instrument Page 476 He is large in reasons of it Page 475 Penance The parts of it Contrition Page 531 532 Confession Page 531 532 Satisfaction Page 531 532 Papists agree not what that is in Penance that makes up a Sacrament Page 533 Arguments evincing it to be no Sacrament ib. People Allegations for their power examined Page 252 264 Perfection Of the subject and perfection of parts respective to the universality of the object distinguished Page 586 Pighius A learned Papist with divers others joynes with us in the doctrine of justification Page 440 Pope He hath his visible pardoner as well as others Page 464 Prayer A necessary means of faiths nourishment Page 509 Priest The several functions of Christ as Priest King Prophet are to be distinguished but not divided Page 562 Priestly Levitical types lead us unto Christ in his Priestly office Page 566 Privileges A faith short of justifying entitles to visible privileges Page 161 Profession Men of a visible profession truly and really in Covenant with God Page 128 Profession of faith engages to a lively working faith Page 172 c. Promise That which is the condition of the thing promised is not the condition of the Seal Page 173 Exceptions against it examined ibid. Gospell promises are a savour of death unto many Page 469 Protestants Vindicated from four supposed great errors Page 452 The author is confest to appear in the common cause of Protestants ibid. R. Rainbow DEfined Page 516 It had respect to a Covenant improperly so called Page 517 It was an instituted sign ibid. Correspondencies between it and the promise Page 518 How far it was Sacramentall ibid. How far it fals short ibid 519 Reall Covenants may be broke by men in Covenant Page 138 Common grace is reall Page 132 Men of a visible profession really in Covenant with God Page 128 Regenerate Duties of positive institution do not onely bind the regenerate Page 195 Repentance How prerequired in Baptisme Page 108 Repentance and Faith Are mans conditions not Gods in the proper conditionall Covenant Page 626 Right Fundamentall and actuall distinguished Page 88 The distinction cleered In civill immunities Page 88 Ecclesiasticall privileges Page 89 They must be both written Page 90 Right unto a bar to detain from Sacraments not alwayes express Page 91 Righteous Men are so denominated really and not equivocally that imperfectly obey the Law Page 614 Righteousness Non reaâ—us is not righteousness Page 588 Imperfect righteousness is no contradiction Page 589 Righteousness as well as holiness is intended and remitted ib. Righteousness and holiness in what sense commonly used Page 592 Righteousness in an imperfect conformity to the Law asserted Page 595 There is a partiall reparation of in herent righteousness in regeneration Page 611 That righteousness which the Covenant requires the Sacraments appendant to it seal Page 413 Righteousness Christ The naturall righteousness of Christ is not our justification Page 439 Whether the righteousness whereby Christs person was righteous be given to us Page 453 Queries put concerning this gift of righteousness Page 454 Faith being terminated on Christ is terminated on his righteousness Page 455 To receive his righteousness for justification no fancy or delusion Page 456 Righteousness Faith The Righteousness of Faith is the great promise of the Covenant of grace Page 414 This righteousness is sealed in the Sacraments of the Covenant of grace Page 415 Proved by Scriptures Page 417 Confirmed by reasons Page 418 Explained by rules Page 419 420 Bellarmines five objections answered Page 421 c. Propositions explaining the meaning of the righteousness of Faith Page 415 So called in opposition to the righteousness of works required in the Covenant ibid. It is the Synechdochically put for the whole of the Covenant that interests us in this righteousness ibid. c. All blessings and privileges flowing from and following upon this Covenant unto true blessedness are comprized under the righteousness of faith Page 416 Christ the Mediatour of the Covenant is the fountain from whence the blessedness of this righteousness comes ibid. Faith considered as an instrument receiving this righteousness ib. All must see that they be right principled in the doctrine of the righteousness of faith Page 429 Ignorance here was the Jews undoing ib. Papists mistake in this point Page 429 c. Faith the alone grace that interests us in this righteousness Page 432 Rock How it was said to follow Israel Page 524 The Rock it self was not intended as a sign but the water flowing out of it Page 525 Of the nature of a Sacrament ib. No standing Sacrament Page 526 Rule See Law S. Sacrament THe word vindicated Page 2 3 The reason of the word enquired after Page 4 5 The various acceptations of it Page 6 7 8 Whether man enjoyed or was capable of a Sacrament in the state of integrity Page 9 No Sacrament instituted of God during the time called the Law of nature Page 24 c. A Sacrament may be defined Page 32 c. The definition of a Sacrament in generall Page