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
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
invisible body bloud benefits of our Saviours death they represent and convey unto our Souls for their spiritual nourishment are received only as spiritual food not Seals neither are our bodies or souls in any Scripture said to be visibl or invisibly inwardly or outwardly sealed but only to be fed and nourished by this Sacrament Therefore it is as improper a speech to call it a Seal as to stile our meat and drink a Seal or to averr that mens persons faith or the Covenant of Grace are sealed by the Lords Supper as that their persons or Evidences of their Lands Charters Bonds are sealed by their Ordinary Suppers there being no Analogy at all between Meat Drink and a Seal or between feeding and sealing as these new Doctors affirm with as much sense and reason as the i Concil Trident. Sessio 21. c. 3. Concil Constant Sess 13. Bish Jewels Reply to Harding p. 72. c. Ames Bellarminus Enervatus Tom. 3. lib. 4. c. 7. p. 179. c. Popish Councils Doctors assert That the Lay-Communicants actually drink Christs bloud in the Eucharist by way of Concomitancy only in and by their eating the consecrated dry bread 6. Admit the Lords Supper might in some strained secondary improper sense be stiled A Seal of the new Testament or Covenant of Grace recorded in the Scripture and ratified by Christs death yet with what propriety of speech can they stile it a Seal affixed to the Grace of faith or saving Graces in the hearts of worthy Communicants Can the visible material consecrated Elements which they refuse to administer to those they repute not real Saints for fear of setting a Seal to a blank be affixed by them to invisible immaterial Graces If yea then k Bellarminus Enervatus Tom. 3. c. 3. P. 37. Dr. Ames and other Protestants main Argument against the Papists that the Sacraments convey not grace ex opere operato as physical instruments unto the receivers of them Fieri n non potest ut Sacramenta quae sunt res crassae et materiales ad animam penetrent et ibi quasi creando ingenerent divinam ac supernaturalem virtutem idque in momento quia proportionem nullam habent ad objectum in quod agunt must be both false and disclaimed by them as absurd for the future If no then this foundation and chief corner-stone of our Opposites structure against the Lords Suppers Soul-converting Grace-producing efficacy That it is a Seal both of the Covenant and truth of saving faith and Grace in the hearts of the receivers must be henceforth disclaimed recanted renounced by them as a false unproper unscriptural Paradox and Expression though embraced by them as an unquestionable principle which having l Suspension suspended p. 19 20. elsewhere more fully refuted in another method I shall here no further prosecute but only request them for the future to confine themselves wholly to the Scripture language and then this Controversie will soon be ended objection 2 2. From this first main foundation they deduce their 2. which I shall next discuss That Sacramental seals serve only to confirm ratifie prae-existent not to convey or effect non-existent Grace the proper office of a Seal being to confirm not convey Therefore the Lords Supper being a Seal cannot possibly beget or convey Grace where it is not but only corroborate it where already wrought This Position of theirs hath neither Scripture nor reason to support it being an apparent untruth and gross Solecism both in Divinity and Law For Scripture Law and common experience might have instructed these Opposites that there are several properties and uses of Seals The 1. is to conceal and seal up things from publike view as they usually seal up Letters Books Bags of money and what else they would keep private for which peruse Isa 29.11 Cant. 4.12 Job 41.15 Rev. 5.1 c. 6.1 c. 10.4 c. 22.10 2ly To secure and keep things safe from being embezelled attested by Deut. 32.43 Job 34.16 c. 14.17 Dan. 6.17 Mat. 27.66 3ly To appropriate and mark persons or things for our own and to distinguish them from others Rev. 7.2 to 9. c. 9.10 2 Tim. 2.19 2 Cor. 1.22 Eph. 1.13 c. 4.30 4ly To commission or authorize Officers and others to exercise their Offices or execute their commands Esth 3.12 c. 8.10,11 John 6.26 Hence all Judges Justices Commissions Officers Patents and Writs to Sheriffs are and must be sealed 5. To confirm or ratifie Writings and make them valid and irrevocable in Law Esth 8.8 Neh. 9.38 c. 10.1 Jer. 32.10.14.44 Isa 8.16 Now these writing are of several sorts and Natures 1. Charters Feoffments Grants Covenants Gifts Wills Bequests giving granting transferring and newly conveying Lands Goods Honors Annuities Rights Titles Interests Offices Powers Privileges Advantages c. from the King or from one person to another in which they never had any right or interest before being conveyed to them only by these new sealed writings 2. Deeds or Charters of confirmation corroboration or release confirming or inlarging mens former rights interests estates in Lands or other things wherein they had a precedent interest or possession by former conveyances Seeing then there are several other properties uses of Seals besides confirmation and the primary original most usual end of Seals and sealed writings is to convey transferr new rights titles interests privileges estates possessions but the secondary end of them to confirm corroborate or enlarge estates formerly conveyed To argue that the Lords Supper is only a Grace-confirming not a Grace-conveying Ordinance because it is a Seal is as gross an absurdity as to averr that all Deeds of meer Feoffment Grant Gift Bequest are only Confirmations of precedent interests or estates not conveyances of new ones because they are sealed and that Seals serve only to corroborate not convey or transferr 2. Themselves assert that this Sacrament is a * Though not immediately affixed to it as Seals are to Deeds Seal of the New Covenant of Grace and if so then it must certainly be rather a Seal for Conveyance of new Grace where wanting than a confirmation of prae-existent Grace the m See Olevian de Substantia Foederis Tenor of this new Covenant being thus expressed both in the Old and New Testament Jer. 31.31,32 Heb. 8.6 to 13. c. 10.16,17 I will put my Laws into their hearts and in their minds and hearts will I write them both in the future not preterperfect tense And I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people c. Thus enlarged Ezech 11.18,19,20 c. 36.25,26,27 Jer. 32.39 I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness c. A new heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you not confirm that old you had before and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh And I will put my spirit
Church of England which resolves it ORDAINED OF CHRIST to be AN EFFECTUAL SIGN of Grace and Gods good will toward us by which HE DOTH WORK INVISIBLY IN US and doth NOT ONLY QUICKEN but also strengthen and confirm our faith Hence Cardinal Cajetan in 1 Cor. 10. and Dr. Ames as well as Bellarmin in his Bellarminus Enervatus Tom. 3. c. 4. p. 43. conclude Haec autem est COMMUNIS THEOLOGORUM DOCTRINA Sacramenta CONFERRE GRATIAM vel FACIENDO UBI NON INVENIT FACTAM vel factam AUGENDO And that not only as Signa theorica ad signific andum tantum instituta sed practica ad signifiandum et EFFICIENDUM INSTITUTA as they there express themselves cap. 3. p. 29. To which Dr. Ames adds this as his own and all Protestants Opinions c. 3. p. 24. Nostrae sententia est SACRAMENTA OMNEM EFFICIENTIAM HABERE RESPECTU GRATIAE quam Signum practicum potest habere per ullam relationem non tamen efficere gratiam immediatè sed MEDIANTE SPIRITU DEI ET FIDE But of this more largely in answer to their last Objection against its converting power objection 6 Their 6. Objection is this h Mr. Drakes Boundary p. 163. An Answer to Susspension suspended p. 23 24. If the Lords Supper were a converting Ordinance then it should be administred to meer Heathens as well as the Gospel preached to them to convert them unto Christ But meer Heathens are not to be admitted to but debarred from it Therefore it is no converting Ordinance but confirming only Before I answer the Argument I must premise that there is a twofold Conversion mentioned in Scripture 1. Visible and external when i 1 Thess 1.8,9,10 Psal 22.17 Is 60.5 Acts 15.3.7.12.14.19 c. 2.41 c. 8.5 to 18. c. 6,7,8 c. 11.1.15 18. c. 18.10,11 c. 26.17 Rom. 10.14 to 21. c. 15.16.18 Eph. 2.11,12,13 c. c. 3.6 to 12. Gal. 3.1,2 c. 2.2.8 1 Cor. 12.2.28 Col. 1.26,27 1 Tim. 3.16 2 Tim. 1.10,11 c. 4.17 Mat. 28.19,20 Mar. 16.15 to 19. meer Heathens Infidels Jews Turks and Pagan Idolaters are converted from their Heatherism Idolatry Idols and Idol-Gods to the external profession only of the Gospel of Christ and visible worship service of the true and living God This kind of conversion not here controverted is originally wrought in an ordinary way only by the word preached or the sight of Miracles accompanying the word not by the Lords Supper Baptism or other publike Ordinances as the marginal Texts demonstrate 2. Invisible Spiritual k Rom. 2.28,29 1 Pet. 1.3,4 Rev. 2 17. Ezech. 36.26,27 Internal when unregenerate carnal Christians professing externally the Gospel of Christ and worshipping the only true God are effectually turned from all their sins lusts evil wayes works of darkness and the power of Satan to unfeigned repentance faith holiness newness of life love and obedience to God as well in their souls spirits as outward conversation doing works meet for repentance and what is lawfull and just both in the sight ef God and men Of which Conversion we read Ps 19.7 Ps 51.13 Isa 6.10 c. 59.20 Jer. 3.14 c. 25.5 c. 26.3 c. 31.18 c. 44.5 Lam. 3.40 c. 5.21 Ezech. 3.13 c. 14.6 c. 18.21.30.32 c. 33.11 to 20. Hos 12.6 c. 14.2 Joel 2.12,13 Jonah 3.8 Zech. 1.3 Mat. 13.15 c. 18.3 Mar. 4.12.20 John 12.40 Acts 28.27 c. 26.18,20 2 Cor. 3.16 Jam. 5 20. The first sort of these Conversions is peculiar only to meer Heathens and Idolaters never formerly professing the Gospel The second is proper to none but visible Christians living within the pale of the Church though I willingly acknowledge that meer Heathens upon the first preaching of the Gospel to them may be at the self same time both inwardly and outwardly converted unto God even before they are actually baptized or externally incorporated into the visible Church of Christ as is clear by Acts 2.37,38.41 c. 8.12 c. 10.44 c. c. 11.15,16,17,18 c. 13.47,48 c. 16.14,15.30 to 35. c. 26.18,19,20 1 Thess 1.9,10 This later Conversion of which we only dispute both may be and usuall is as properly as effectually wrought in the Souls of Christians by the Lords Supper where duly frequently constantly administred as by the word preached it being not only as apt to beget Saving faith and assurance as the naked word alone but in some respects more probable to effect them since l 1 Kings 10.6,7,8 Lu. 1.2 Acts 10.40,41 2 Pet. 1.16 Eye-witnesses Evidences are more perswasive and apter to beget belief assurance then Ear-witnesses and m Deut. 17.6 c. 19.17 Mat. 18.16 two witnesses than one alone and an Oath or Seal annexed to Promises Covenants more strong powerfull to assure resolve comfort work faith of adhaesion in our doubting spirits than naked Promises or Covenants without them Hebr. 6.17,18 Psal 89.3.33,34,35 Psal 110.4 This distinction premised I answer 1. That the sequel of the Major is false 1. Because the Lords Supper belongs not to meer unconverted Heathens and Idolaters being not instituted by Christ for such to convert them from Paganism to Christianity but only to baptized Christians and Members of the visible Church as is evident by Mat. 26.17 to 33. Mat. 14.12 to 28. Lu. 22.8 to 31. c. 24.30,31 Acts 2.41,42,46 c. 20.7.11 1 Cor. 10.16,17.21 c. 11.20 to the end even as the Passeover belonged to none who were uncircumcised but to the circumcised alone Exod. 12.43 to 50. and the Sacrament of Baptism was to be administred to no meer Pagans but only to such who embraced the Gospel first preached to them and professed their belief thereof before they weÌ„re actually baptized Mat. 28.19 Mat. 16.15,16 Acts 2.41,42 c. 8.12,13,36,37 c. 10.47,48 c. 16,14,15.31,32,33,34 Now the reason why neither the Lords Supper nor Baptism might be administred to meer Infidels before their embracing of the Gospel is not because they are no really converting Ordinances in the sense forementioned as I have proved the Lords Supper to be and the n See Bochellus Decr. Eccl. Gal. l. 2. Tit. 3. de Baptismo Jewels Reply to Harding p. 21. 27. 242 249 250 458. Ames Bellarm. Enervat Tom. 3. l. 1. c. 3. Fathers with others assert Baptism to be from Mat. 3.11 John 1.26 Rom. 6.34 Gal. 3.27 1 Pet. 3.21 Eph. 5. â—26 27 Tit. 3.5 but because they are badges of our Christianity to distinguish us from Pagans and all other false Religions the means signs Bonds of our actual incorporation and mystical union into the visible Church of Christ the Memorials of the death of Jesus Christ whereby we shew forth his death till be come and Evidences of our Christians Communion and mutual agreement in faith and brotherly Christian love one towards another as members of the selfsame body as 1 Cor. 10.16,17.21 c. 11.23,24,25,26 c. 12.12.13,14 the 25. 28 Articles of the Church of England the Harmony of Confessions Sect. 11 12 13 14 15. and all who have written of them define them to be 2ly Because there
Chron. 15.2 Ames 5.4,6 Isay 47.13 If you seek me early with the whole heart ye shall find me Seek the Lord and ye shall live I said unto the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain With that of Heb. 5.8 The earth that drinketh in the rain that raineth oft upon it c. is blessed and Mat. 11.28 c. 28.15,16 forecited do all telate to our drawing near to God assembling together hungring thirsting after asking seeking knocking approaching coming to him watching at his gates remembring him in his waies seeking him and drinking in the rain of his Grace in the Lords Supper as well as in prayer fasting preaching reading meditating baptism or anie holy Ordinance else in particular Therefore we may must ought to expect Gods drawing near to us his presence with us our finding all Graces Benefits we ask seek knock thirst after entertainment by yea meeting with God finding of God Spiritual life to our Souls and all other blessings we need for our conversion edification or salvation in by and through the conscionable constant use of this discontinued Sacrament as well as in or by anie other Ordinance whatsoever and z Heb. 4.16 Jam. 1.5,6 we may boldly resort unto it in the concurrent strength of all these promises as to a Soul-converting Grace-begetting as well as Grace corroborating Ordinance let our Antagonists out of their own whimsical brains suggest what evasions they can to the contrarie Mr. Drake himself confessing in his Boundary p. 147. What the Word applied by one sense the Sacraments doth BY ALL SENSES he should have excepted smelling therefore it is a poweâ—full means of assurance and by consequence of conversion too by vertue of all these concurrent Promises 14. That prophecie and promise of Zech. 12.10,11 ch 13.1,2 I will powr upon the house of David c. the Spirit of Grace and of Supplication and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son and shall be in bitterness for him as one is in bitterness for his first-born c. applied particularly to our Saviours passion John 19.37 and to the Jews penitential monrning for crucifying him Acts 2.37 c. And in that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and for the Inhabitants of Jerusalem to wash in for sin and for uncleanness and I will cause the unclean Spirit to pass out of the Land c. seems more particularly and specifically to relate to the fountain of a Mat. 26.26,27 Lu. 23.19 1 Cor. 10.16 c. 11.23,24,25,26 Tit. 3.5,6 Rev. 1.5,6 Christs bloud of the New Testament shed for many for the remission of sins and the Communion of his bloud represented to us in the Lords Supper rhan to the word preached or anie other Ordinance except b 1 Pet. 3.21 Ephes 5.26,27 Baptism Therefore we may with much faith and confidence repair to it had we no other promise but this as to a regenerating Soul-humbling sin-clensing sanctifying Ordinance as well as a confirming 15. The Apostle affirms and our Opposites much insist on it in this Controversie That c 1 Cor. 11.27,29 those who eat and drink the Lords Supper unworthily eat and drink judgment and damnation to them selves not discerning the Lords bodie and are guilty of the bloud of the Lord Therefore d Synodus Galonis c. Bochellus Decret Eccles Gal. l. 2. Tit. 1. c. 33. p. 152. by the rule of contraries those who receive it worthily shall eat and drink salvation and mercie to themselves be made partakers of all the benefits of Christs bodie and bloud and absolved from all their sins and guiltiness it being just like the word preached a savour of life unto life as well as of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.15,16 Mar. 16.16 16. That of John 1.12,13 But as many as received him to them gave he privilege or right to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his Name which were born not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh but of God is applicable as well to our receiving of Christ in and by this Sacrament as by the word preached Christ being received in both alike by faith wrought at and by them and men born again by God instrumentally through the use of them Therefore they are both alike regenerating converting Ordinances 17. The Ministry Word Sacraments and all other Ordinances of the Gospel were instituted by Christ for the conversion quickning of those who were dead in trespasses and sins the perfecting of the Saints the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ That we may grow up in all things into him which is the head even Christ from whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to THE EFFECTUALL WORKING IN THE MEASURE OF EVERY PART maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love Yea those Ordinances of God which serve to increase or nourish saving faith and Graces do likewise work and beget them by the corporation of Gods Spirit as is evident by Ephes 2.1,5,6.13 to 21. c. 4.11 to 17. 1 Cor. 10.16,17 c. 12.14 to 31. c. 14.4,5,12,13,14.24,25,26 1 Thes 5.11 Acts 20.32 Col. 2.7,10,11,12,13 1 Cor. 3.9,10,11 Jude 20. 1 Pet. 2.2 to 8. compared together being express in point Therefore all Gospel Ordinances are Soul-converting Regenerating Grace-begetting Edifying as well as confirming yea to assert any Gospel Ordinance or Sacrament to be unconverting is a meer untheological if not atheistical Paradox and Contradiction in it self denying it to be anie Ordinance or Sacrament at all of Divine institution a vilifying e Heb. 10.29 trampling it under feet as an unholy thing yea a meer diabolical invention in the event though not in the intention of those who generally stile them so to bring it into contempt and neglect amongst the people as a meer useless ineffectual Institution which can neither mortifie their corruptions nor regenerate their Natures nor sanctifie their souls nor beget any spiritual life Grace within them and only serve to increase their damnation without prae-existent Grace which it cannot work within them as these Novellers dogmatize 18. I shall desire the Objectors and all Christians seriously to read over all the ends of instituting the Lords Supper by our Saviour expressed in the Practice of Piety so highly applauded by most men and there is scarce one of them but especially the 2 3 4 5 6 7. but will prove it to be a Soul-converting Ordinance working in us as well as being an assured pledge unto us a most near and effectual Communion with Christ whereby there floweth from Christs nature into our natures united to him the lively Spiris and breath of Grace which renueth us to