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ground_n	faith_n	scripture_n	word_n	6,782	5	5.1236	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93655	The opening of Master Prynnes new book, called A vindication: or, light breaking out from a cloud of differences, or late controversies. Wherein are inferences upon the Vindication, and antiqueres to the queres; and by that, the way a little cleared to a further discovery of truth in a church-order, by a conference or discourse. / By John Saltmarsh, preacher at Brasteed in Kent. Published according to order.	Saltmarsh, John, d. 1647.	1645 (1645)	Wing S493; Thomason E305_22; ESTC R200328	25,183	50

in the Supper to his own end therefore it will serve to any end That we can prove of our own imagining upon certain rational conclusions from Scripture or reason without particular Scriptures authorizing or appointing it to such an end and therefore all these grounds consequences and notions which are formed upon a likelihood and probability are nothing to prove any direct use of the Sacrament to such an end without as I have said a special Word Precept or Practice or just Consequence from Scriptures directed to such a proof for else there is scarce any thing but we may reason into a notion of likelihood but faith must have better grounds and not of private interpretation and the Scriptures that are alleadged must not be to prove that things of lively representation may most affect the soul and have done so but that these Scriptures are plainly or powerfully directed by the Spirit of God to prove the very Institution of the supper to that end which none of those Scriptures prove that are alleadged in fol. 42. Vindication fol. 43. That God doth as effectually teach convert and work grace by the eye as ear and therefore were the Sacraments Sacrifices Types Miracles c. Why should not then the visible expressions of Christ in the Sacrament now have the like effectual converting power Inference We may infer as we have done before That all these are but Why should nots no words of Institution or Authority in the Scriptures for it But further the Legal Sacraments c. were carnal and more to the sense and more of representation but these are more in the spirit under the Gospel we worship now in spirit and in truth not by representations us under the Law And therefore it is that the Gospel Ordinances are so few so plain and poor to the eye that the soul may not be taken up with the signe but with things spiritual And we may observe that as little as can be of outward elements are made use on as in Baptism meer water and in the Supper Wine and Bread and the first Ordinance is called The Baptism of the Spirit not of water and the bread and wine The Communion of the Body and of the Blood of Christ not bread and wine And saith the Apostle If we have known Christ after the flesh henceforth know we have no more And further What is it that is said of grace coming in by the eye This is the way the Papists let in Christ having made the eye rather the organ for conversion then the ear now Faith cometh by hearing and therefore all their Idolatrous pictures their Imagery and theabical representations are all for the eye and bringing in Christ by Optick or sense and making conversion to be by perspective and working onely an historical faith And further What is it that is said of working grace by the eye As if the carnal part could advantage conversion by any power there but such a power as is meerly carnal and natural What can all these signes of the Lord Jesus do upon a blinde soul as all unregenerate men are What are the glorious colours to him that hath no eyes to see The signes of bread and wine are given for working symbolically or by signe upon a soul or understanding spiritually enlightned before and having a discerning and therefore it is that the Apostle saith He that eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks damnation to himself not discerning the Lords Body which if the Supper had been a converting Ordinance the Apostle would not have charged the unworthy from receiving but rather have encouraged them in their receiving that of unworthy they might have been made worthy But you see he calls for a right discerning of the Lords Body first which cannot be a calling of the unregenerate or unconverted to a partaking because they have no right discerning of the Body of Christ but by the sense first converted Vindication fol. 44. 1. That the most humbling melting soul-changing sin-purging mollifying meditations of all others are from Christs death and passion c. and therefore c. 2. Afflictions and corporal punishments are converting Ordinances therefore c. 3. That unworthy participating is a means of spiritual hardning and so by the rule of contraries a worthy receiving an instrument of conversion 4. All the ends of it are as appears so spiritual see his Scriptures that how is it possible it should not be Gods intention and Christs Ordination to be a converting Ordination 5. Conversion is a turning of the whole man unto love obedience of God in Christ from the love of the world c. and what engine more powerful for the forecited respects or spiritual ends 6. Experience in every Christians conscience whose preparations and approaches to this Sacrament were the first effectual means of their conversion yea they had not been converted if debarred from it Inference We may infer upon the first that there are soul-melting meditations in a soul unconverted or unmelted and that there are soul-changing meditations in a soul unchanged which the Scriptures never speak on such ways of conversion are no ways in the Word that we read on but hidden paths for the spirit of mans devising Secondly that because afflictions are therefore Sacraments are that is because one thing is therefore another thing is This is but the Old Argument But God may sanctifie any thing at his own pleasure to make way for Conversion and yet that no instituted Ordinance for conversion neither Because some have been converted when afflicted when sick when poor therefore will you first go afflict them and make them sick and poor taking all they have from them that you may convert them and so make them standing Ordinances Thirdly Is a rule of contraries a rule in the Scriptures or in Logick But it is said Worthy receiving is an instrument of conversion that is Conversion is an means of conversion who can receive worthily till in Christ till converted 4. But all the ends of it are spiritual and how is it possible but then it should convert This How is it possible is like that of Why should it not both of one strength to prove it for though the ends be never so spiritual yet if there be no warrant for any such institution as conversion all the reasons and extrinsecal or strange consequences as all such are cannot institute an Ordinance none but God and Christ and therefore the Popish Arguments built upon such forreign and external though rational consequences are not immediate nor intrinsecal enough to warrant any thing of their will-worship 5. But it is a powerful engine Yea but onely for what it is instituted and ordained nor is it lesse excellent because it converts not because every thing is beautiful in its order and place and law of creation 6. But the experiences of Christians witnesse who had never been converted if not at the Sacrament But what Christians are these What kinde of

not a spiritual difference betwixt Christ not offered and offered betwixt his conversing in the flesh for making up the mystery of Redemption and the mystery of Redemption made up and finished by the eternal Spirit in which he offered himself betwixt Christ in the flesh and in the Spirit or Ordinance Whether did Christ intend his ordinary or occasional conversing to be any rule for his Church or Kingdom in its Administrations or Ordinances which is a work of another form And whether this intermingling of carnal and spiritual notions be a Scripture way Whether ought we to force any consequences or inferences upon the Word for practise in administrations in things neither clearly nor intentionally for ought we see nor mystically directed appointed or instituted by Christ And whether such a ground once granted will not let in one kinde of will-worship as well as another And for that ten to one being converted so as he sayes Quere Whether it is not ten to one any will be a converted but rather hardned Quere 3. Fol. 53. Whether did Christ ever intend that none but true and reall believers should receive his Supper or did he not infallibly know that many unregenerate and impenitent should and would receive it And the Antagonists grant that close Hypocrites have an external right then if these why not others Christ having ordained the Sacrament of the Supper as well as the Word to be a savour of death to such and God hath his end in both the glory of his Justice in the one as well as of his Grace and Mercy in the other Antiquere Whether did not Christ intend that all should receive or communicate in outward admistrations by an external right And if so then what ground is there for the visible impenitent or known scandalous Whether if true saving faith were the one part of the Interest and the external right the other part of it there be any ground left for the other Communicants And whether that the Scriptures rule and purer practise of all Churches in the Gospel excepting when faln or beside the rule and the Scripture Cautions do not wholly exclude such scandalous impenitent persons pleaded for against all other forrain probable possibl rational or Rethoricating consequences and conclusions to the contrary Whether the glory of Gods justice in the judgement upon unworthy receivers be any ground to take in Communicants for condemnation since it is full against other Scriptures that Christ came not into the world to condemn the world and to save mens lives not to destroy them and he would not the death of a sinner And whether though finally condemnation be ordered for all such yet no such thing being formally externally dispensatively ordered any persons ought to be called in for condemnation in such a way Whether this be not quite against the nature of the Gospel dispensation Christ under the Gospel dispensing himself and giving out himself as a Saviour a Redeemer and in all the Gospel declining judgement I come not to judge the world reserving that work till he appear in his own day to condemnation of sinners this being onely his day of reconciliation to them Whether the Apostle in Rom. 3. where he saith But if our righteousnesse commend the righteousnesse of God is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance And not rather as we be standerously reported and some affirm that we say Let us do evil that good may come thereof doth not parallel this For the Apostle here though Gods righteousnesse and justice was set forth by his justice upon sinners yet he did not say as in the Quere is said Let us then do evil that God may be glorified or good may come thereof Quere 4. Fol. 53. Whether all Ordinances proving alike good or bad saving or damning and impenitent persons as well encreasing their damnation by hearing praying fasting c. What reason can be rendered by any rational Christian why such persons should not be admitted to the Sacrament as to any other Ordinance or not suspended equally from all Antiquere Whether any such consequence of admission or suspension from Ordinances ought to be grounded upon damnation or judgement but rather upon words of command and institution and Scripture practise And if any such appeared all these Consequences which the Vindication draws forth wringing blood and not milk from the Word might be saved and he need not go so far about which when all is done brings a soul but at best upon a probable specious or real coloured Argument Whether since the Vindication pulls down clear Scripture Texts and grounds in this controversie to weaken the building of his adversary he ought not in conscience first to have had a clear Word or Institution for the contrary practise and not onely probable and literally conclusive grounds that souls can stand at surest upon but like men upon Ice who are in as fair a possibility to fall as stand And whether having taken away the Scripture Texts for Presbytery it self he can well hold up any upon his grounds And whether is not this sceptial or doubtful way of reasoning upon Scripture neither pulling quite down nor building up a way rather to fill all the rooms with rubbish and at length neither to have new building nor old What man going to build a Tower sitteth not down first and seeth what it will cost him lest having begun and not able to finish all men begin to laugh at him saying c. But whether is not all this ado about Ordinances rather for want of a right and purer constitution of Churches which would save all this controversie about scandalous and impenitent sinners when the Church were not troubled with such where the Ordinances are P. Well I am by this time well perswaded and having heard all this for my part I cannot but see that in settling things suddenly upon the Kingdom and things thus questionable and unwarrantable in the way of Administration and a Kingdom so full of impenitent and scandalous sinners as Parochial Congregations general are there is danger of great sin and great trouble C. I will therefore adde two or three Arguments more and so conclude AN Experimental-Argument FOR PURE Churches and Ordinances THere is a spritual Antipathy betwixt Grace and Nature Flesh and Spirit the Flesh lusting against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and the more spiritual or more carnal the more these two contrary Natures work and the more powerfully against each other as in Sarah and Hagar Isaac and Ishmael and the lesse or more they can bear with each other As for example While Judas carnal nature or disposition uninflamed by Satan boyled and heightned not into any such grosse act as selling and betraying of Christ the disciples bore with him more and Christ himself as he was man and in a state of Infirmity could more endure him then upon the breaking out of his sin and so in Simon Magus in Ananias and Sapphira and others

in the power of it and so when from Prelacy they went off to Presbytery Prelacy fell and so on If you make any remove from the common principles of this Presbytery into any of the way or parts of the Separation your Presbytery will down too because it takes in some purer principles then as we may gather from the Vindication Book it will well bear P. But if these be then the common Principles of this Presbyteriall way as he would have it to communicate in Ordinances thus mixedly and to suspect no uncleannesse in any spiritual Communion from persons so communicating though of never so unreformed a life excepting onely some pretended formall flashy apparences of Faith and Repentance put on and off by the Communicants as occasion serves I shall have I think no such good thoughts as I had of that way C. But the grounds are yet further laid down in the Book that unmixt Communions and suspending from the Sacrament are grounds of Schism and that the teaching of these formerly through ignorance or incogitancy are now to be taught and written and preached against P. I perceive then in a word That the main thing the Vindication-Book drives at is to place Presbytery upon such a mixed uniformity in the partaking of Ordinances that there should be no act of suspension or separation practised in their Church lest the ground of separation get in and they that make conscience to separate or suspend in some particulars it implies they may go on to a further separation till upon more degrees of purity in communicating they go off from all kinde of mixt communicatings in the constituting as well Churches as Ordinances and Administrations and so at length become either Congregationall or of the other way But many of us took such of the Presbyteriall way as writ and taught for a pure Reformation in partaking of Ordinances for the better according to their light And it seems they are but novices as we may gather from the Vindication-Book and are ignorant of his Presbyteriall secret or mystery of uniformity and unmixt communicating according to the grounds there Well I am yet of the purer side I like not this mystery if the way to keep out Schism be of such a kinde as draws with it an unavoidable necessity of partaking with all sorts of sinners except onely for some present affected passions of Faith and Repentance and a Toleration of all sorts of that kinde except by excommunication where in some places whole Parishes and almost in all Parishes many must stand either excommunicated by the Classis or Presbytery or Reformed which is impossible or as frequent partakers of Ordinances spiritual fellowship as the best and purest which is intolerable C. Indeed I am glad you come off so well already I will not meddle with the present state of some of these first particulars in difference I named to you but leave them to the Authors but come to some of the more questionable For that Controversie betwixt the Brethren which is Whether Judas received or not I know there are divers Leaves of Paper writ upon it in the Vindication and many learned men are quoted and Scriptures brought in on both sides and harmoniously compared but since the Lord left it so disputable as some imagine we must not do in such doubtfull sayings as those Disciples did who because Christ said of John If I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee and it was reported amongst the Disciples that that Disciple should not die though Christ said not he should not die but onely what if I will that he tarry So if the Lord hath not clearly said that Judas was there why goeth it so amongst the Disciples as if he were there without all contradiction but if he were and Christ gave it to Judas as for my part I make it not any such ground though he and all others do because it will not be clear then that he gave it to Judas as a wicked man or a formall Disciple for I know Christ administred then as an outward Dispenser to the Church or chief Pastour and in his Body unglorified whereby he kept close to the analogy of visible Administration of Ordinances and in President and Precept for the future to his Churches for all ages and so all their puzling may be at an end I will now acquaint you further with some Arguments or Inferences from the Vindication which I have to strengthen you Vindication Fol. 36. THat no Minister not knowing the present change or inclination of the heart of any or whether God by this very duty may not really convert him ought to administer the Sacrament Inference Whence we may infer That all sorts of sinners never so prophane and abominable yet upon any present affected counterfeited formall pretence of Faith and Repentance ought to partake in all things of the most spiritual nature and fellowship and withall of the most spiritual and sincere profession contrary to these Scriptures 1 Pet. 2. 9. 2 Cor. 6. 14 15 16 17 18. Isai. 52. 11. Gal. 5. 9. Vindication Fol. 37. The Brethrens Reason That in the Sacrament there is a neerer application of the Word and Promises in particular of the right and interest in them more then in the Word preached which the Vindication saith is just like the late Archbishops of Canterburies doctrine for bowing at the Altar as Gods great place of presence Inference Whence we may infer That the Vindication doth very uncharitably compare Doctrines and Principles viz. his Brethrens with those of Prelacy and his Brethren with the grossest of Prelats and their Principles of spiritual Administration and Communion with those of a most Idolatrous and external nature which is contrary to these Scriptures Jam. 4. 12. Matth. 7. 1 3 c. 1 Pet. 3. 8. Vindication Fol. 37. That the Minister administring the Sacrament to any known impenitent sinners yet under the notion of penitent and repenting sinners for that time discharges himself Inference Whence we may infer That a Minister ought to comply with the Hypocrisies pretences compliances forms of any notorious scandalous or impenitent sinner at that time onely in the apparition or resemblance of a Saint and a Woolf in Sheeps clothing contrary to these Scriptures 1 Tim. 5. 21 22. Matth. 15. 26. 2 Tim. 3. 5. 1 Thes. 5. 22. 1 Cor. 6. 16. Vindication Fol. 37 38. That the words of Institution in the Sacrament The Body of Christ which was broken and the Blood of Christ shed for you is not of any divine Institution but humane onely though warrantably practised Inference Whence we may infer That he in affirming the Institution to be onely humane and yet Warrantable is not onely an impeaching of their worship of God in the highest and most spiritual Admirations of Will-worship and humane invention and want of conformity to the Rule or Word but even a flat contradiction in a Scripture sense because he addes

converting Ordinance lest otherwise it prove impertinent or ineffectual for if the close Hypocrites be finally impenitent ones God reckons for a greater sin if not yet it is no more impertinent then the Word is to all the children of God who yet never partake truly of it till converted Thirdly That the distinction of his into the first conversion from Paganism to Faith and secondly from a formall Faith to a true sincere Faith in Jesus Christ which is the corner Stone in his building is a distinction and certain degrees which we have not in any such notion in the Word nor if it were doth it appear that the Scriptures place administration upon the bottom of any such distinction though he doth it But suppose I grant it yet a formal profession then as he contends for and many other was not such as is now since Kingdoms were Christianized but a profession then was according to the Rule of evidence till the contrary appeared as in all the first gathered Churches as in Simon Magus Ananias c. And formal profession then was as much as a kinde of powerful profession now for then it was persecution to take up an Ordinance or name of Christ and now it is faction on the Law of the Land as well as the Law of the God to professe Christ neither were the whole Counsels of the Spirit of Christ brought forth then to make up the rule of evidences as afterwards but they were brought forth by degrees till the whole Scriptures of the New Testament were finished And we are now to take the whole Counsels of God concerning Administrations as laid down in the whole New Testament and not by parcels though so much as they did professe in the first time of gathering were rule enough then to them when no more was revealed yet not to us now who have a full Gospel for our learning And this mistake or want of just consideration of times and Scriptures is the ground of all the mistakes Vindication Fol. 41. Why should not the Sacrament do the like since Gods Spirit equally breathes and works in all his Ordinances and may and doth regenerate and beget Grace in mens souls Inference Whence we may infer That it is lawful according to this Principle to beleeve That if one Ordinance convert any other may whether God hath instituted so or no We know the Lord hath appointed and ordered every Ordinance to its nature kinde and use and Gods institution is to be the rule of our believing and reasoning and practising not because such a thing works so therefore any other thing works so as that thing works The Author himself reasons against this in another place and that there is no right inference but in things of the like kinde and under the like precept as thus The Word is able to convert therefore all Preaching and Prophesying is able to convert but not therefore the Sacraments can convert Vindication Fol. 41. The Sacraments are by all Divines whatsoever and the very Directory pag. 52. ever enumerated among the means of Grace and Salvation Why then should they not be the means of converting Inference Whence we may infer That it is warrantable to expound Divines and the Directory contrary to their intent and meaning and to infer conclusions from them to prove things which are not onely very disputable but unwarrantable as far as any Scripture makes appear either in any plain precept or president and especially to turn the Directory being a Publike form made by the Assembly so much against their sense and meaning as appears by divers of their judgements of late is an attempt much like that of expounding a Law or Ordinance of Parliament in a private sense not in their own and this quotation of a Directory in this kinde is enough to make it all questionable and to draw on a necessity of a publike interpretation upon it Vindication Fol. 41 42. That receiving Sacraments is usually accompanied with effectual means as serious examinations solemn searching out of all open and secret sins with confession contrition humiliation prayers of pardon secret purposes and vows sundry pious and soul-ravishing meditations of Gods Mercy exhortations admonitions by the Ministers And why is not the Sacrament a more fit and apt Ordinance to regenerate convert ungodly and scandalous sinners then the bare Word preached Inference Whence we may infer That there are certain preparations and qualifications in men meerly unregenerate which are here lifted up into something more then natural or carnal workings or filthinesse of the flesh as prayers for pardon of sin pious and soul-ravishing meditations with humiliation contrition confession c. Now I would fain know what there is in man before the glorious light of Jesus Christ hath opened his eyes and brought him out of prison out of darknesse into light What kinde of prayers can such make What pious meditations can such have of Gods mercy in Christ What contrition is there in such What humiliation Without faith it is impossible to please God and the carnal minde is enmity against God nor is it subject to the Law of God nor indeed can be and they that are in the flesh cannot please God What is all this then of prayers When as the prayers of the wicked are abominable What are all those flourishes and noise of vows and purposes and contrition and meditations of an unregenerate man when they all are but glorious sins Do men gather Grapes of Thorns or Figgs of Thistles Why should nature be made proud with these expressions And any ground laid for boasting And whereas it is said that the Sacrament is a more apt means to convert then the bare Word preached we may infer some derogating and diminution or lessening implyed here of the Ordinance of the Word or Ministery because it is said Then the bare Word as if so be that the Word were a bare word when it comes in the power of salvation to regenerate when the Spirit quickens it and makes it a Word of truth of grace the power of God unto salvation and we see the word or ministery it self is called The Preaching of faith The ministery of reconciliation The Sacrament is not called so anywhere though no lesse glorious neither And Christ and his Apostles and Disciples went every where preaching the Word but not administring the Sacrament but onely there where the ministery of the Word had first brought them under the power of the Gospel-Order and Rule for Ordinances of a more spiritual institution Vindication fol. 42. That because we behold Christs death and passion more visibly represented to our eyes and hearts in the Sacrament and remission of sins more sensibly applied to us then in any other Ordinances therefore it is certainly the most powerful Ordinance of all others to regenerate and convert with many Scriptures to prove conversion by representation Inference We may infer That because the Lord hath instituted his signe of bread and wine