this Sacrament to whole Parishes Cities for sundry year their denying it to visible Saints for fear others should crowd into it if administred or their gathering new selected Conventicles out of old parcchial Congregations Yet the Objectors affirm all these to be of divine institution agreeable to the will mind of Jesus Christ which they must have onely by special revelation having no Scripture proof at all to clear it 3ly There is no direct president in Scripture to prove reading of the Scripture Meditation Fasting Prayer Singing of Psalms repetition of Sermons family duties converting Grace-infusing Ordinances yet there is sufficient Ground in and abnndance of Historical Examples out of Scripture to prove them to be such 4ly There is no express president in sacred writ for the baptism of Infants born of Christian Parents but only by way of necessary consequence The like may be said of the Lords day Sabbath Payment of Tithes under the Gospel Preparation Sermons for the Lords Supper and some other particulars Will they therefore conclude them not to be divine necessary Soul-converting and to be cast quite aside for so many years as some have laid by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as no converting Ordinance 5ly Though there be no express example in Scripture of any particular person originally converted to God by the Lords Supper yet there are many Texts to prove it a converting Grace-conveying Ordinance and many Authorities presidents in all ages asserting manifesting it to be such Mr. ſ Rejoynder to Mr. Drake p. 239 240. Humfrey hath recorded one memorable example of late under Mr. Richard Fairclough his hand and I doubt not but hundreds more might be produced from the testimonies experiences of other Ministers and private Christians 6. t Divine Right of Church-Government p. 523 524. Mr. Rutherford Dr. Drake Mr. Saunders and other Opponents confess in print and others of the Opponents in their Pulpit Discourses That the Grace of faith and true conversion unto God may be and some times actually are wrought at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper being forced by arguments and experiences thereunto But then to rob this Ordinance both of the efficacie and Honor of the Work they subjoyn 1. That though faith and conversion are and may be wrought at this Sacrament yet they are not produced by it but only by the word prayer and other concomitants that attend it 2. That this effect is very rare extraordinary and meerly accidental as when faith and conversion are sometimes wrought by afflictions temptations sickness or other casualties But they are not effected by it as by a proper ordinary means or instrument ordained and blessed by Christ to work such effects as the word preached is To which I answer 1. That if some have and others may have saving faith and real conversion wrought in them at the Lords Supper then with what face can they deny it to be a Soul-converting Grace-procreating Ordinance 2ly With what Hearts consciences can they then seclude any unex communicated unregenerate Churchmembers from it or refuse to administer it frequently to their parishioners every moneth or oftner there being not only a peradventure or possibility but likewise a great probability that they may be converted at or by it as well as others when preaching catechising prayer with other publike Ordinances will not effectually work upon them u Acts 20.20,21,27,28 2 Tim. 4,2,3 Ezech. 2.3 to 9. Rom. 10.21 If they must preach the word of God constantly frequently in season and out of season to all their people though dull stupid obstinate refractory carnal sensual devillish and very unlikely to be wrought upon x 1 Cor. 9.16,17 because it is their duty and there is y 2 Tim. 2.24,25,26 Acts 26,17,18 2 Cor. 2.15,16 Acts 16.14 c. 28.24 a possibility a probability that some of them at last in Gods due time may be really converted and saved by it though the z Rom. 10.16.21 Mar. 16.15,16 Rom. 11.7,8,9,10 Mat. 10.14,15 c,11 21,22,23,24 John 15.22 greatest part of them be thereby hardned their condemnation aggravated and made more intollerable than that of Sodom and Gomorrah then why should they not as constantly as frequently administer the Lords Supper to them because some of them may possibly may probably be really reclaimed from their sins converted renewed saved by it though the major part do thereby aggravate their sins judgements and a 1 Cor. 11.27.29 eat drink damnation through their own defaults 3ly May not the Objectors and others of our Ministers justly fear that their discouraging debarring their people from this Sacrament sundry years together where they might and should have been instructed exhorted comforted counselled edified and at which by Gods grace they possibly probably might have been effectually wrought upon and converted hath been the principal cause of their continued ignorance prophaneness contempt of unprofitableness unfruitfulness under other Ordinances and that so few of them have been really converted That their asserting it to be no Grace-begetting Soul-converting Ordinance both in Press and Pulpit hath been one great reason why so few have repaired to and been really converted by it of late seeing they are neither invited nor yet admitted to it as a probable lively instrument of begetting saving faith and conversion in them And shall not then the b Ezech. 33.8,9 Acts 20.26,27,28 bloud loss of their peoples Souls be exacted by God and Christ at their hands for depriving them of this effectual probable means of their conversion salvation which they should have frequently administred to them by Christs own cōmand It is the duty of all careful conscientious Physicians of mens Souls as well as bodies to use all c 1 Cor. 10.16,17.20,21,23 Acts 20.18,19,20,21,26,27 2 Tim. 2.25,26 c. 4.2.3.4.5 possible all probable means to effect their patients cures and preserve their lives from death and when one medicament will not prevail with them to use another or unite many of them together to work their cure Since then some nay many have in all ages been converted by and at the Lords Supper it is no less than a Soul-murdering crime in them wilfully to deprive their people of or debarr them sundry years from this Soveraign Balm Medicine they earnestly desire Which through Gods blessing might both effectually convert and save their Souls and for want whereof they still lie dead yea die in their sins and trespasses notwithstanding all their preaching to them 4. There is joy in heaven in the presence of God and his Angels over one sinner that repenteth and is converted Luke 15.7.10 If but one or two sinners then in an age have been converted and brought to repentance at or by the Lords Supper should not this engage all Ministers frequently to administer it even to unconverted Sinners because possibly some one of them may be converted by it and so cause joy in heaven before the Angels as well as bring glory to God and this his