Augustine saith That he was stirred up to come to Christ by reading a Heathen book written by Cicero called Hortensius Thus he saith That heathen Book changed my mind and turned my prayer O Lord unto thee Among OTHER CAUSES THE SACRAMENTS SERVE SPECIALLY TO DIRECT AND TO AID OUR FAITH For they are as i Aug. cont Faustum l. 19. c. 16. Saint Augustine called them VISIBLE WORDS and Seals and Testimonies of the Gospel k Defence of the Apology part 2. c. 7. divis 1. p. 150. For the word of God is the substance and life of all Sacraments and without the same all Sacraments whatsoever are no Sacraments c. All which abundantly evidence the Sacraments to be Grace-begetting Faith-quickning Soul-converting Life-conveying Ordinances having promises and the word annexed to them as well as preaching and that this is the express Doctrine of the Church of England though now contradicted by a Generation of Novellers upon meer whimsies Crochets of their own out of Self-interest and respects What other Protestant Divines have asserted to the same effect you may read at large in My Suspension Suspended p. 28. to 35. and in Mr. Morrice his laborious Diatribe p. 29. c. The Lords Supper therefore being a Sacrament must thereupon consequently be a Soul-converting Grace-producing Regenerating Ordinance instituted for this verie end as well as the word preached and have promises of Grace annexed to it as all these resolve 3ly All the Objectors and l See Jewels Defence of the Apology c. 10. divis 1. p. 205 c. others unanimouslie assert That the Lords Supper is a Seal of the New Testament and Covenant of Grace the tenor whereof is thus expressed both in the Old and New Testament Jer. 31.31,32 c. 32.38,39,40 Ezech. 11.19,20 c. 36.25 to 31. Heb. 8.6 to 13. c. 10.16,17 After those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their minds and in their hearts will I write them Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all our Idols will I cleanse you A new heart also will I give you and a New spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stonie heart out of your flesh and give you an heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my Judgements and do them and I will be your God and ye shall be my people And I will give you one heart and one way that you may fear me for ever for the good of you and your children after you And I will make an everlasting Covenant with you that I will not turn away my face from doing you good but I will put my fear into your hearts and ye shall not depart from me And I will rejoyce over you to do you good And I will also save you from all your uncleanness c. Then shall you remember your own wayes and your doings that were not good and you shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations and you shall all know me from the greatest unto the least for I will forgive your Iniquities and will remember your sins no more If then the Lords Supper be a Seal annexed to all these Covenants and Promises of Grace all in the Future Tense made to such who were unregenerate void of Grace and the spirit of God having old stonie hearts and wanting new as I have formerly touched it must needs be a regenerating Grace-conveying Soul-converting Ordinance by divine institution by effecting and putting them into actual execution at this Sacrament and these Promises must be all annexed to it as Writings Covenants are to their Seals as well as their Seals to them Hence Dr. Ames thus taxeth Bellarmin Tom. 3. c. 1. q. 3. De Promissione Sacramentorum Male disjungit quae sunt conjungenda promissionem de efficacia Sacramenti et promissionem praecedentem à Sacramento obsignandam Nam promissio illa pertinet ad institutionem ut causa efficiens Sacramenti obsignatio ipsa est efficacia promissa Promissionem etiam obsignandam sua natura antecedere Sacramentum ex eo liquet quod foedus antecedit cujus Sacramentum ita et signum ut inde foederis nomen sortiatur Gen. 17. The Objectors therefore must either renounce the Lords Supper to be the Seal of these promises and Covenants as they positively define it or abjure this objection that there are no promises of Conversion or begetting saving Grace and Regeneration made unto it as there are to the preaching of the word 4ly Our Lord Jesus Christ in the very institution of his Supper m Mat. 26.26,27 Mar. 14 22,23 Lu. 22.19,20 1 Cor. 10.16,17.21 c. 11.23 to 30. Took bread blessed brake and gave it to his Disciples saying Take eat this is my bodie which is given for you this do in remembrance of me After which he took the Cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it for this is my bloud of THE NEW TESAMENT or Covenant as one Or◠This Cup IS THE NEW TESTAMENT IN MY BLOUD thereupon twice stiled The BLOUD OF THE COVENANT and of the EVERLASTING COVENANT Heb. 10.29 c. 13.20 as another Evangelist records it WHICH IS SHED FOR YOU and FOR MANY FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS this do ye as oft as ye drink it INREMEMBRANCE OF ME. For as oft as ye eat this bread and drink this Cup YE DO SHEW or shew ye THE LORDS DEATH TIL HE COME From which words of institution compared with Hebr. 13.20 Now the God of Peace which brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great shepherd of the sheep BY THE BLOUD OF THE EVERLASTING COVENANT represented communicated and spiritually received applied by everie worthie Communicant in and by the Lords Supper MAKE YOV PERFECT in every good work TO DO HIS WILL WORKING IN YOU THAT WHICH IS WELL-PLEASING IN HIS SIGHT THROUGH JESVS CHRIST It is most apparent that the Lords Supper was specially instituted blessed by Christ himself not only to commemorate and represent but also really effectually to communicate and convey to all worthie receivers all the benefits of his death bloud merits to make them perfect in everie good work to do his will to work in them that is well pleasing in Gods sight through Jesus Christ and that the New Testament or Covenant is thereby ratified applied made effectual to and upon their Souls in the remission of sins and all its forementioned branches 5ly The Scriptures resolve That n Rom. 5.9 we are justified by the bloud of Christ That o Eph. 1.5 we have redemption through his bloud That p Eph. 2.13,14 those who were afar off are made nigh by his bloud c. That q Col. 1.20 he hath made peace and reconciliation between his Father and us by the bloud of his Cross
within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgements and do them all in the future tense This Covenant then being all in the future conveying a New heart New Spirit new clensing sanctification and obedience where they were not before The Lords Supper being the Seal of this Covenant by their own concessions must certainly be in Gods original intention and divine institution rather a Grace-conveying Faith-ingendring Soul-converting Ordinance where it found no prae-existent Grace than a bare confirming ordinance to corroborate and increase true Grace only where it was formerly wrought by other Ordinances wherefore they must either renounce this Covenant of future Grace or this Sacrament to be a Seal therof or else abjure this second foundation of their Error objection 3 Their 3. Ground depending on the two precedent is this That those have no right to nor interest in the Covenant of Grace who have no prae-existent saving Grace and faith within them Therefore to administer the Lords Supper to such is but to set a Seal to a blank which cannot work any saving Grace or conversion in them I answer That this Position an Oracle of their own forging not of Gods inditing is as false as God is true For 1. There are two sorts of Promises or Covenants of Grace conteined in the Scriptures 1. Of working begetting in or giving conferring a New heart spirit and all necessary saving Graces to those who never had them 2ly Of confirming encreasing renewing perpetuating Graces when and where they are already began commonly thus distinguished Promises of Grace and Promises to Grace The first of these Promises and Covenants being general universal indefinite were made to men not only before their calling and conversion but before their very births and being in the world witness Gods Covenant Promises made to the seed of Abraham and for the calling conversion salvation of the Gentiles many hundred years before their fulfilling recorded at large Gen. 17.1 to 17. Acts 2.38,39 Hos 1.10 c. 2.23 Rom. 9.25,26 c. 11.26.30,31.15 c. 15.8 to 24. Isa 52.15 Eph. 2.1,2,5,11 to 24. Isa 42.1.6 c. 60.3,4,5 c. 62.2.11,12 c. 66.19,20,21 Psal 72.4 to 18. Yea the promises and new Covenant forementioned of which our Antagonists affirm the Lords Supper to be a Seal were made to such who had no saving Grace no new heart spirit or sanctification at all in them but were desperately sinfull graceless rebellious and dead in sins and trespasses when made unto them as is evident by Jer. 31.31,33,34 c. 32.37 to 44. Ezech. 11.18,19,20 c. 36.25,26,27 Heb. 8.6 to 13. c. 10.16,17 Therefore if these Promises and Covenants of Grace were made to such by God himself the Seals of the Covenant and these Promises must also by necessary consequence belong of right unto them since the accessory alwayes follows the principal and the Seals the Covenants to which they are annexed even as those who have a right to any human Charters Deeds Feofments Covenants Obligations have a right unto the Seals as well as to the parchment and writing 2ly Circumcision n Rom. 4.11 the Seal of the Covenant of the righteousnese of faith and Covenant God made with Abraham and his seed belonged equally to all Abrahams posterity whether regenerate or unregenerate circumcised or uncircumcised in heart to Ishmael as well as to Isaac whereupon EVERY MANCHILD whatsoever of the seed of Abraham or born in their Houses was throughout their generations to be circumcised on the 8. day under pain of being cut off from his people for breaking of Gods Covenant in case of omission or neglect Gen. 17.10 to 15.23.36,37 c. 21.4 c. 34.15.17.22.24 Exod. 12.48 Josh 5.2 to 10. If then Circumcision the Seal of the first Covenant belonged equally to all the Israelites by Gods own institution though most of them were uncircumcised in heart yea Enemies to God by their wicked works Jer. 9.25,26 Rom. 2.28,29 Gal. 5.6 1 Cor. 10.1,2,5,6,7 Rom. 10.21 then why not the Lords Supper being by themselves stiled the Seal of the New Testament and second Covenant to all visible Church-members who externally profess the Gospel though uncircumcised in heart and unregenerate 3ly Most of our Antagonists herein especially o Mr. Rutherford Due right of Presbyteries c. 4. Sect. 5. Mr. Marshals Defence of Infant Baptism Mr. Baxter Mr. Hall of Infant Baptism Presbyterians confess and assert in print that Baptism succeeding Circumcision under the Gospel which they likewise stile a Seal of the Covenant of Grace belongs equally to the infants of all visible baptized Christians be they never so ignorant scandalous impious unregenerate carnal or actually excommunicated from the Church for their wickedness and that upon the account of their parents external right of Church membership and profession of Christianity Yea p Acts 8,12,13.21,22,23,36 to 40. c. 10.47,48 c. 16.15.33 Simon Magus and others of ripe years upon their bare profession and external belief of the Gospel were baptized by the very Apostles though continuing still in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity as well as the Eunuch Cornelius the Jaylor and other real Converts the Apostles commission given them by Christ himself being this Mat. 28.19 Mar. 16.15 Go ye into all the world and teach all Nations and preach the Gospel to EVERY CREATURE BAPTIZING THEM in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost c. By vertue whereof they were to baptize all Nations and every creature to whom they preached if they only externally imbraced the Gospel preached If then the Seal of Baptism belongs universally to all infants of Christian parents and all who externally receive the Gospel preached then why not the Seal of the Lords Supper since the Apostles and Primitive Christians admitted all they baptized yea Infants as well as others to the one as well as to the other Acts 2.44,46 Bishop Jewels Reply to Harding p. 103. 4ly All circumcised Persons whatsoever and the whole Congregation of Israel whether believers or unbelievers carnal or spiritual children of God or of Belial were peremptorily enjoined by God duly to eat and celebrate the Passeover under pain of being cut off from their people and did all accordingly celebrate it none being suspended from it for any moral but only for ceremonial uncleanness Exod. 12.3,4.44,47,48,50 Josh 5.6,8,10 2 Chron. 30.5.13 to 17. c. 35.1.17,18 Ezr. 6.19,20,21,22 1 Cor. 10.1,2,3,4 If then all Circumcised persons whatsoever and the whole Congregation of Israel that were presenr received this Sacramental seal of the Passeover under the Law without secluding any of them from it for ignorance scandal or unregeneracie Then by like reason and consequence all baptized Christians ought to receive the Sacramental Seal of the Lords Supper without secluding any but such who are actually excommunicated from all other Ordinances and Church communion for ignorance scandal unregeneracie or want of saving Graces since Christ himself at its very institution admitted all unto it who were admitted to the
Passeover yea Judas himself though a Devil Traytor Murderer Thief Son of perdition Cast-away Mat. 26.14 to 30. Mar. 14.14 to 26. Luke 22.8 to 23. John 18.2,3 c. 28. c. 6.70,71 Acts 1.16 to 21. John 17.12 1 Cor. 11.23,24,25 The rather because the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.1,2,3,4,5 from this president That ALL our Fathers were under the cloud and ALL passed through the Sea and were ALL baptized under Moses and did ALL eat the same spiritual meat and did ALL drink the same spiritual drink for they drank of the rock that followed them and that rock was Christ Though with many of them God was not well pleased c. Inferrs the universality of all Christians right to and actual duty in Communicating together at the Lords Supper ver 16 17. The Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the body of Christ For we being many are one bread and one body for we are ALL partakers of that one bread To which he subjoyns Chap. 12. 13. For by one Spirit we are ALL baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles tiles whether bond or free and have been ALL maae to drink into one spirit By which texts it is undeniable that whoever is admitted a visible Member into the mystical Bodie or Church of Christ hath a proper right and interest not only to all the Covenants and Promises of the Gospel but likewise to Baptism and the Lords Supper which our Opposites stile the Seals of the Gospel and ought freely constantly to be admitted thereunto as all the Israelites and seed of Abraham under the Law had a right interest and were all freely admitted to Circumcision the Passeover Manna the water in the Wilderness which were but Types of Christ and the same in substance with the Sacraments under the Gospel 3. Hence it inevitably follows that these Sacraments were all administred only as Grace-conveying Soul-converting ordinances to those who were unregenerate wanted saving Grace since they could not possibly be sealing and confirming Ordinances unto them in our Antagonists sence or language 4ly That the administring of Circumcision the Passeover Baptifm Lords Supper to such who have no saving faith Graces prae-existent in them is no setting of a Seal to a Blank as these New Dogmatists and Lord Keepers of the Great Seals of Heaven who refuse to set or distribute these Seals where God hath prescribed them as more wise holy carefull of their profanation and Nullity than God himself absurdly affirm who must now either renounce this their Cuckoes song they so oft inculcate or else blasphemously charge God himself our Saviour Jesus Christ the Patriarks Priests Prophets under the Old Testament the Apostles Ministers Primitive Churches under the new with folly error mistake in setting all these sacred seals as they term them to meer blanks and affirm all his Covenants Promises to be but Blanks the truth whereof are alwayes sealed ratified by these Seals when ever administred though to unregenerate graceless persons they being Seals onely to the promises Covenants of God by divine institution as they all acknowledge who stile them Seals not to the persons of those to whom they are exhibited or at leastwise but conditional not absolute Seals to their persons not graces sealing only damnation to them if they receive them unworthily without any gracious effect and salvation grace life eternal to them only when they receive them worthily as the q Mat. 16.16 2 Cor. 2.14,15,16 Gospel preached doth 1 Cor. 11.25 to 30. This absurdity because I have at large refuted in my Suspension suspended p. 20 21 22 23 24. and Mr. Marshal in his Defence of Infant Baptism p. 117 118. Mr. John Humfrey in his Rejoynder to Mr. Drake p. 170. to 202. and Mr. Morrice in his Diatribe have acutely answered I shall here no further prosecute being in plain English as pure Nonsense in Divinity as it would be in Law for any Ignoramus to assert that when ever the Great Seal of England or any other is affixed to the Charters Commissions Writs Grants Feoffments Bonds Covenants Pardons of unregenerate persons they are set only unto blanks of no validity because they are not affixed to their persons Graces as well as these to their Writings objection 4 Their 4. Argument or Ground to prove the Lords Supper no Grace-effecting Soul-converting Ordinance is this The Lords Supper necessarily pre-requireth faith and repentance in all resorting to it because without these they eat and drink their own damnation Therefore it is no Soul-converting Grace-producing but only a Confirming Ordinance belonging to the regenerate alone This Objection being answered at large by my self Mr. Humfrey and Mr. Morrice I shall only retort That the hearing of the word reading prayer fasting Baptism are all unprofitable unacceptable to God and work deserve damnation only without faith and repentance as well as the Lords Supper witnes Heb. 4.2 2 Cor. 2.15,16 Mar. 16.15,16 1 Pet. 2.1 to 9. Heb. 11.4.6 Jam. 1.5 c. 5.15 Pro. 15.8 c. 28.9 Isa 1.10 to 20. chap. 66.3 Jer. 6.19,20 c. 7.21,22,23,24 Amos 5.21 to 27. Will the Objectors then conclude from thence Ergo then all prae-require true faith repentance and unregeneracy and are no Soul-converting Grace-engendring but only confirming ordinances belonging solely to real converted Saints not to any unregenerate persons No verily For as these Ordinances require not alwayes prae-require faith and repentance to make them acceptable to God and effectual to men r See Suspenfion suspended p. 35 36 37 38. so they likewise work and convey by the concurrence of Gods spirit that faith repentance Grace which is requisite to make them acceptable and effectual Isa 55.3 Gal. 3.2 Rom. 1,16,17 c. 10.13 to 19. Acts 2.37,38 c. 10.44 to 48. c. 9.11,17,18,40,41 c. 16.14,15 c. 26.17,18 John 5.21,24,25,26 Eph. 2.1 to 22. 1 Tim. 3.16 Jonah 5.3 John 2.22 c. 4.39,41 c. 7.31 c. 8.30,31,32 c. 10.41,42 c. 20.29 Acts 8.12 c. 18.8.27 c. 28.24 1 John 5.13 1 Cor. 14.24,25 And so doth the Lords Supper likewise as I shall prove anon objection 5 5. Their 5. Allegation against the converting Grace-engendring power of the Lords Supper is this * An Answer to Suspension suspended p. 24 25 26 27. That there is no one president in Scripture to prove it a Soul converting Grace-producing Ordinance Therefore it is not such I answer 1. There is no express text or president in Scripture to prove it a Seal a sealing or confirming Ordinance yet they dogmatically conclude it such as a principle not once to be questioned or disputed 2. There is no one Text president in Gods word to prove warrant the power of Ministers Presbyteries Classes Triers to examin the Lives knowledge faith Graces fitnes worthiness of Communicants before they be admitted to the Lords Supper their secluding any Churchmembers from it for ignorance scandal unpreparedness or any other incapacity not excluding them alike from all other Ordinances their peremptory refusal to administer
a spiritual life and so sanctifieth our minds wills and affections that we daily grow more and more conformable to the image of Christ who bestoweth upon us in the use of this Sacrament ALL SAVING GRACE NECESSARY TO ATTAIN ETERNAL LIFE as is therein more at large expressed And it concludes the 6. end of the Lords Supper thus The leaves of this tree heal the Nations of believers and it yields EVERY MONTH a new manner of fruit WHICH NOURISHETH THEM TO EVERLASTING LIFE Oh BLESSED ARE THEY WHO OFTEN EAT OF THIS SACRAMENT AT LEAST ONCE EVERY MONETH tast a new of this renewing fruit which Christ hath prepared for us at his Table TO HEAL OUR INFIRMITIES and to confirm our belief of life everlasting How Sacrilegiously impious and injurious then are those Ministers to their peoples souls who for sundrie years together deprive them of deterr debarr them from this Sacrament this tree of life which they should receive everie Moneth at least both as a Converting and confirming Ordinance And how unhappy are those people who live under such perverse and obstinate Ministers who will neither suffer them to be converted or confirmed by it and cast it quite aside 19ly The Objectors have no Scripture text disproving the Lords Supper to be a Soul-converting nor yet affirming it to be only a Grace-confirming Ordinance Therefore this distinction not being founded in Gods word nor extant in any Father any ancient Writers or School-men must be exploded as a New upstart Fancy and Delusion Like the new-fangled words Really Corporally Substantially never used by any one of the Old Fathers invented by the Papists for which our learned f Reply to Harding Art 5. p. 238. Jewel justly taxeth them to maintain their Absurditie or Transubstantiation which first introduced that g Bochellus Decret Eccl. Gal. l. 3. Tit. 1. c. 70 72 73 93 105 106 107. prae-examination or Confession to the Priest and Suspension from the Lords Supper which some would bring in again into our Churches by this New Distinction and Nonsence Expression of setting a Seal to a Blank which they couple together with it like whelps of the same litter I shall therefore now desire adjure our Antagonists in this Controversie and other Ministers no longer to delude themselves or others with such fond absurd erronious distinctions uncouth expressions and fallacious Arguments against the Soul-converting Grace-begetting efficacie of the Lords Supper nor to bring a perpetual scandalous impious blasphemous false report upon it by denying it both in Press and Pulpit to be either iustituted by Christ or made use of by the Spirit as a proper instrumental means to work conversion faith repentance or other saving Graces originally in mens Souls but utterly to renounce and publikely to retract them upon this fresh conviction and trial by the word of God which hath h Rev. 2.2 found them not to have been Apostles in these particulars as they formerly deemed themselves but Lyars and Impostors as I hope their own Judgements Consciences will upon their serious perusal of the Premises effectually convince them In which condition if they shall still wilfully persist without reformation and upon these or other new brain-sick Notions obstinately continue as too manie Ministers rather out of Confederacie than Conscience have done most sacrilegiously to rob their people year after year of this blessed Sacrament which they should at least monthly administer to them for the more effectual conversion sanctification consolation edification and the generation corroboration nutrition augmentation of all saving Graces in their souls not only to the apparent hindering of their conversion edification spiritual growth in Grace but also to the verie murdering starving i Rom. 14.15 1 Cor. 8.11,12 destroying of their most precious souls as much as in them is administring it neither as a converting Ordinance to those they deem unregenerate nor as an instructing Ordinance to the ignorant nor as a reforming Ordinance to the vicious nor as a comforting and corroborating Ordinance to those they deem truly gracious though they importunately crave it at their hands they may justly fear expect for this their impiouâ— injurious seclusion of their flocks as k So they stile them from Mat. 7.6 Dogs from the Lords Table against his express command and the practice of the Apostles Primitive and Protestant Churches in all former ages to be for ever secluded by Christ himself out of the New Jerusalem and to receive their portion amongst those l Rev. 22.15 Dogs Murderers Sorcerers Lovers and Makers of Lyes who shall never be admitted into heaven Yea to have this fatal doom denounced against them by Christs own mouth at the great day of Judgement m Mat. 25.41,42,45,46 Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels For I was an hungry and ye GAVE NE NO MEAT I was thirsty and ye GAVE ME NO DRINK no not at my own sacred Table against my express command Verily I say unto you in so much as ye did it not TO ONE OF THESE ye did it not to me And then shall ye go away into everlasting punishment I beseech you sadly to ruminate upon this Text Doom and what else I have here presented to you for your conviction conversion from this Soul murdering Cruelty Injustice to your people and selves too and the Lord give you unfeigned repentance and n 2 Tim. 2.7 understanding in all things that so you may speedily recant reform whatever you have written spoken preached or done amiss in relation to this blessed Ordinance and your peoples Spiritual welfare by the inestimable benefits therof detained from them for so manie years It was the sad lamentation of the Prophet Jeremy Lam. 1.11 4.4,5 All her people sigh they seek bread to relieve their Soul The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst the young children ask bread and no man breaketh it unto them They that did feed delicately are desolate in the street See O Lord and consider And is not this the sadder complaint lamentation of many whole parishes and some Cities in England who for sundrie years last past have been deprived of the Sacramental bread and wine in the Lords own Supper for the spiritual conversion consolation of their Souls by their uncharitable obstinate domineering Ministers though frequently pressed with praiers sighs tears to break and distribute it unto them and oft contesting with them for detaining from them this spititual bread and sweet bloud of life to their gasping Souls And will not there be a See O Lord and consider with a witness for this Soul-murdering Tyranny since the Apostle resolves * 1 Câ—r 8,11,12 When ye sin so against the brethren and wound their weak consciences ye sin against Christ and cause the weak brother to perish for whom Christ died I shall admonish such Ministers in the Apostles words to the Elders of Ephesus Acts 20.28