but meer distrust A pious soul may even bleed to see his Saviours command laid wast because we have so little faith in it Christ is not a Minister of the letter which kils but of the Spirit which he conveys through his commands The good Lord pardon and help in us this great evil of unbelief And as for all the injuries this man out of his zeal has done unto me Accept thou now O God from a melted heart and wet eyes this poor prayer of mine for him that his own bitter words may not sink so heavy on his soul as they have on mine when he comes to see how much he has done amisse Before I passe methinks we have need here of some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon this truth which seems harsh that the unregenerate sins in all he does There is therefore a doing good or evil either Simply in regard of the matter of Gods precept or Relatively in regard of the Sanction of it to its end as it comes under the condition of the Covenant whereby we expect life In the first sense a man though unregenerate may do well and that which is right in Gods eyes and be rewarded for it 2 Kin. 10.30 yet sins in the second There is a faith only that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him and there is a true justifying faith in Jesus Christ The actions of Moral men that have proceeded out of the first only I dare say in the behalf of Gods goodnesse are so far accepted as vertuous that they shall be rewarded according to their trust he will not fail them either Positively with some temporal blessings or Privatively with some degree of mitigation in their eternal punishments so that It shall be well still with those that do well that none may want sufficient encouragement to do good But yet I say whatsoever actions do not proceed from that other faith too which is truly saving they are said to be sin neverthelesse in that they come not up to that perfection or sincerity Gen. 17.1 required in the Covenant as the condition its self Ja. 2.20 or rather testimony thereof unto justification of life or everlasting salvation Page 79. He throws his glove first to the Independents then to the Presbyterians c. Ans In those words of mine Let men on one side answer Let some of our other c. I must confesse they fell from me at first without the least thought of Engagement I know that every one is not fit to take up the Gantlet for truth and I am one as Mr. D. says truly that am not yet scarce out of the shell of learning or Divinity and therefore let not the host of Israel come out to seek a fleae or hunt a partridge upon the Mountains For the one side I think our difference lies only about the Church for as for their own Members they scruple not at a Free-admission no more than I and whether they turn away any before Excommunication I cannot say but guesse so So that if there be scruples among themselves they that are humble may make some use of me they that are not need not be offended seeing Mr. D. tels them they are beholding to me for my too favourable opinion of them For the other side p. 80.81 My question is to some and it may be but few of them How they can baptize the children as Members of the visible Church being born of Christian parents and yet turn away their parents from the Sacraments I will not infringe what Mr. D. has said here p. 82 83 84. at the very largest for Infant-baptism seeing as to my question it falls beside it For if any will say they do not baptize their Children as born of Christian parents but by stipulation of others or upon account of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I say nothing against them I wish it may be maintained but as for those who never took notice or not approved of any other ground of their Baptism but as they are immediatly born Christians of such as visibly professe Christ according to my terms The right which the parents derive upon their children unto Baptism must be acknowledged to be in themselves unto the Sacrament They cannot give but what they have So that unlesse there be a manifest impediment to retrench that right or the present enjoyment of it by Excommunication Distraction or Infection their Church-membership is sufficient and the argument valid from the one to the other Against this p. 81. Mr. D. brings in the old businesse again which is now about ten times with a second thing like it And p. 85 86 87. for that which is between p. 82 83. 84. I wish it may passe he has 4 particulars more the substance of the whole comes unto this That the parents must have a farther right to shew than what they have common with their child unto this Ordinance And here indeed lies the very point of our difference I hold it is Church-membership where there is none of our former yielded impediments that gives an immediate outward right unto the Sacrament He holds A man must be first tryed if he be visibly worthy and it is that alone can give him admission For the one now look over Mr. Drake and you shall find still whensoever he falls upon this thing he has nothing against it but that silly reason from the untelligent so often repeated Had he any thing else would it not be alleged and has he nothing else and will you be captivated For the other look over the Scripture This is the thing lies on him to prove and see if he can produce you any precept of God for it if he has none will his own word goe While he has so little against us and no Text for himself his skirts are discovered and heels made bare Let the prudent judge If our argument from Church-membership is even the chief and most solid ground upon which we do baptize our Children as the Iews by being born Iews had a right to Circumcision although we cannot lightly find in Scripture that any were admitted without a profession of faith unto Baptism what weaknesse shall we bring on our selves if the same thing shall not be held sufficient without a known cause unto the Sacrament whereunto we find no confession any where required but as soon as they were once Church-members Acts 2. 42. this fellowship immediately gave them a privilege to it The Sacraments serve for two things for our faith towards God and profession one with another Though our Church-members doe not all come with that faith whereby they should receive the effectual benefits of the Covenant yet do I not see how they can be so easily debarr'd their profession of Christianity in opposition to all other Religions as the Iews did often freely and universally enter into Covenant with the true God P. 87 88 89. Hee brings in my argument of Christian liberty
second is begotten alike as the Ordinances propose the object and then the Spirit of God by enlightning the minde and a touch upon the will brings the heart to imbrace that object which object is shewed forth in the Sacrament as in the word and it is a mistake to thinke that the second grace though it be within the promise which is sealed is exhibited by way of obsignation for there is onely a fight to it this way conveyed but it is wrought I say through the Spirit of God by the way of moral operation onely as the first and second grace both are begotten in reading and hearing c. Ergo. 10 The sad consequence of this Tenent that the Sacrament belongs onely to the effectually converted is sorely against it and that both for the giver and receiver For the Receiver this will cut off every poor doubtful Christian from the Sacrament For 1. If I am bound to receive when I am regenerate and bound to forbear if I am unregenerate then must I be perswaded in my conscience that I am regenerate or else I cannot eate in faith and he that eateth and doubteth is damned if he eat I desire this may be tenderly weighed 2 Upon this account every one that comes professes himselfe converted and if any man be but doubtfull that he is not yet converted he cannot come but he acts a lie and is a publick hypocrite which is a thing so hatefull to him that rather then he would professe of himselfe what he does not know he would confesse his unworthinesse and never come there and thus shall every humble tender Christian only keep away and the selfe-justiciary-harden to death For the giver first The case will be near the same for the Sacrament cannot be administred according to rule nor he act in faith unlesse both the receiver is regenerate and he assured of it which he cannot be if regeneration were a qualification commanded as necessary to receiving Secondly Men will be ready to think themselves converted when they are admitted and the formal Christian rest in his estate when he should come hither to repent of it Thirdly The best Minister must fal infinitely short in the discharge of his tryall were any at all required upon this ground The Lord Bacon observes of Philosophy the first and lighter tastes thereof inclines the mind towards Atheism but a more fixed and deeper contemplation brings it about again unto Religion So doe I judge here the first touches of Conscience in the pious have inclined them to a trial of others fitnes and unfitness to the Sacrament but a more serious and digested consideration of the issues of it wil bring them about to the Apostle Let a man examine himselfe and the Minister onely doe his best for their Instruction 11. The confirming of a Christians Faith in generall or his assent unto the truth of the Covenant in Jesus Christ to him in particular is a means of bringing up his heart to a speciall Faith for I am perswaded here lies often the root of unregeneracy that men doe not firmely beleeve the Gospell and where the holy Spirit works beleeving impressions he ordinarily brings in the soul to him But the Sacrament is a means of confirming Faith and that directly in this act of assent which is common in its degree to the unregenerate with the regenerate that if I will beleeve repent or accept of Christ I shall be saved Ergo. Unto this purpose Mr. Calvin hath a clear passage Primum verbo suo nos docet Deus instituit Dominus deinde Sacramentis confirmat postremo sancti sui spirit us lumine mentibus nostris illucet aditum in sorda nostra verbo Sacramentis aperit So that whereas Calvin with others ordinarily cals the Sacraments confirming Ordinances I shall take their meaning only thus that they are not appointed to convert the Heathen to the Church but to incorporate the members thereof Who being instructed by the word and confirmed by the Sacraments the Spirit of God in the use of both both Words and Sacraments so he speaks opens a passage into their hearts to wit for their effectuall conversion Calv. Inst lib. 4. cap. 14. sect 8. 12. The solemne application of the Covenant to a mans selfe according to his estate to wit of salvation through Christ if he will beleeve and repent and of judgement from Christ if he continues in his sins and does not turn effectually unto him is the very onely way whereby the Spirit usually worketh conviction and sincere conversion but actual receiving of the Sacrament is a solemn means of such an application Ergo. The Apostle Ro. 10.4 tels us Christ is the end of the Law in this Law Gal. 3.10 it is written Cursed be every one that continueth not in all things which are written therein to doe them Unto this curse Deut. 27.26 All the people were to say Amen It is nor possible all the people should be guiltlesse yet this Amen is a particular application so that the malediction it selfe as well as the precept is to be particularly applyed for a Schoolmaster to Christ who is in that respect said to be the end thereof Now then must a Christian that does not as he should unfainedly repent but harbour his sins in his heart apply the Covenant in the right part to wit that judgement which is due for them and is both denounced and sealed to make him turne sincerely from them unto the mercy that is together offered him if he does And while his heart melts and hee humbles himselfe before Christ as worthy thereof he lies under the very strokes of Gods Spirit to drive him in effectually to him When the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. bids us examine our selves least we eate unworthily and drink our damnation he sweetly addes for if we would judge our selves we should not be judged There are Scriptures I find that will support a Christian in his duty yet happily will not hold the disputes of men that go to take the comfort of them from us In this case the pious soule is not to hearken to them but to strengthen it selfe in attendance upon God There is a sweet promise therefore comes often in my mind with this Text I will not say a promise to dispute withal but to rest upon for our encouragement It is in Zach. 10.12 I will poure out the spirit of grace and supplications and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourne Poor soules you have in the Sacrament as in the Word Jesus Christ represented to you as pierced you are to apply it and say Here Lord thou hast promised to pour out the Spirit of grace on those that look on thee for to mourn over the wounds which they have made in thee by their sins Let the sight of thy broken body break my hard heart Let the sight of thy pierced sides pierce mine eyes and of thy bleeding heart make my heart
let me have but a hold of the hem of his garment whiles they are as it were ravisht with the kisses of his mouth let me be but so happy to lick up the very dust that is at his feet the least hem of his righteousness the least dust of his mercy shall have virtue enough in it to save me For the cloze of this businesse as to the part of the Receivers which I must yet leave to be judged of those that are more able I do humbly beseech some moderate Spirit that is good at a broken bone to speak some words in season for the refreshment of the weary and deal not so roughly as this man has dealt with me for why should you break a brused Reed cast down by the troubles of his soul Why should you call a man Marah most despitefully because the Lord hath sent him bitternesse And amidst the reproaches that are fallen on me will you throw more on me If you will I will go tell my Saviour of you I will heartily pray him to forgive me for fear I have deserved them and will be contented to be made conformable to him though I am reviled in my agony and have Vinegar in my crosse Sect. 5 I Come now again to my Opposer having vindicated my ground and state of my question the next thing is my proofs or Scriptures which I think are clear and open for us The first proof was from the Passeover Ex. 12.3.47.50 2 Chron. 30.5 Speak unto Israel Let every man all the Congregation the whole people c. unto which I will adde Iudas who cannot be doubted to be at the Passeover with Christ The force of this proof to the Sacrament lies not only that there is the same grace signified and consigned in both but the same ground for the applying both which is external Covenant relation with them as Iews with us as Christians Against this he has four things pag. 19. to pag. 25. 1. He alleges my own text Numb 9.7 and confutes my plea. If Mr. Humphreys says he plead that only Legal uncleannesse excluded men from the Passeover I ask him why He will answer Because it defiled the holy things c. But so did Moral c. pag. 18.19 Ans Here Mr. Drake is miserably mistaken Mr. Humphreys intends not to answer him so sillily but because it was Gods positive command that Levitically unclean persons should be separated from the Camp but there was no such law for Moral uncleannesse at all but the contrary that all the Congregation were to eat thereof And thus you see how by unpinning one pin there is about two of his pages quite undrest yet the naked innocents are not ashamed As for his proofs then Lev. 18. Ez. 23. c. they are busily vain about what none need deny but as for his words upon this Where was Mr. Humphreys eys Did he not read Did he not mind c. One would verily believe this man had clearly the truth of his side and some plain manifest Text to shew me where the Morally unclean were to be debarred But would you think it that for all this there is not a tittle or shew of any text to this purpose So that these petulant expressions do put me in mind of that lively invention of the Taylors wife that would still call her Husband Lowsie Fellow Such a womanish obstinacy is there in Error that when it is even drown'd in the depth and weight of the plainest Scripture will yet persist reviling so long as there is left it but the nails and gesture of an argument P. 19. That all unclean persons were to be suspended the Passeover is evident by 2 Chro. 23.19 Ans For shame do not say so 1. Doth that place speak of the Passeover 2. Doth that place speak of suspension 3. Doth that place speak of Moral uncleannesse Is it probable that the Levites at such a time did or could in such a concourse try and examine them concerning Moral cleannesse or uncleannesse 4. Might not the Morally unclean as well as the Excommunicate and Publican by Mr. Drakes own Doctrine p. 202. come into the Temple 5. And what is Jehâ—iadahs setting Porters at the gates of the House of the Lord as to the very point of eating the Passeover which we know was done in private houses 2. He excepts Because Infants eat the Passeover Indeeed we read of such Children being there as were capable of Instruction Ex. 12.26 27. but whether their Infants were to eat thereof I refer to others and shall only score it up Twice See Ainsworth on Exodus 23.17 3. He pleads Excommunication was a barr to the Passeover and that this was for scandalous sins not Levitical pollutions p. 20 21 22 23. Ans To save labour who will not be willing to grant this in the main But what follows then only as I hold That men must first be Excommunicate before they be kept from the Sacrament And who would think so grave a man should let the world see him playing with his own shadow some four leaves together His Exception at my word Type in the way if strictly taken is not amisse Whereupon I will note firmly against himself that the Exclusion of the Legally unclean from the Congregation is no proof for him to plead to keep the Morally unclean from the Sacrament but a type indeed that such in whom the leprosy bloody issue or death of sin reigns shall be excluded heaven where nothing shall enter that defileth Rev. 21.27 4. Having told us of 3 degrees of Excommunication among the Jews and 4 among the Greeks which happily were originally the way of receiving in Penitents rather than the degrees of casting them out He tels us It is evident that Nidui was a barre in particular to the Passeover Ans I pray mark it Nidui was an Excommunication for 30 dayes Now if it were a bar in particular to the Passeover a man could never be excommunicate by his account but at Easter The truth is Nidui was no more in reference to the Passeover than any society for it was a separation from all communion both civil as sacred for four paces And as for the question Whether such a one might eat of the Paschal Lamb at the same distance of four paces as he might hear pray and come in other company it is not worth the searching seeing it is twelve to one throughout the year whether it ever happened to concern the Passeover To cloze up this proof let us turn again to that text Numb 9. and consider 1. That every soul here was enjoyned to this duty upon pain of being cut off v. 10.2 That if a man were unclean it kept him off but a month v. 11. which could not therefore be of Moral pollution 3 That the ground of this bar in Levitical uncleannesse v. 7. was meerly the Law of God in reference to the Camp or whole Congregation Numb 5.23 Levi. 13.46 not peculiarly to this
common Faith as it makes a man a Professor it makes him partaker of the Ordinances and his waiting thereupon or meeting at the Word and Sacraments is his very profession signified and his badge that he is one of the visible Church so that you must either say that every unregenerate man must leave off his profession and become no Christian or the scruple is removed for the truth is that Faith he hath in the doctrine of Christ so far as it is undissembled and makes him a Christian in opposition to all other Religions will bear him up in the profession and make it his duty for to come which in the manner ought to be done and the matter not left undone 2 The case is the same in all Ordinances while a Christian comes to the Word that is a signified profession that he will obey the mind of God when it is revealed now unlesse hee heartily resolves to practice what he hears it is a like mocking God and playing the hypocrite if I may use his words Psa 50.16 17. Jer. 43.2 5 20. Likewise in Prayer there is a vertuall engagement of us to endeavor the grace we pray for Nay herein is the most expresse hypocrisie for how can an unregenerate man say Thy Kingdome of grace come when he doth not sincerely desire grace which yet he ought to pray and sincerely desire too if he did truly desire it he were regenerate for a desire of true grace as Mr. D. sayes is true grace Yet doe I think Mr. D. doth not exclude any of his unregenerate Members from the Word and Prayer 3 This argument then is strong to enforce men to the manner when they doe the matter but not to leave off the matter because they faile in the manner It is of force to presse men to bring up their hearts and lives to their engagements but not to forbear those engagements they are bound to as Professors 4 Though a professor be unregenerate he does 0 truly beleeve Jesus Christ to be the Son of God and the alone Saviour of the World in opposition to all other Religions and thereof this is a true profession and that suffices to the Sacraments precisely considered though not complexly as to the entire benefits of the Covenant 5 So far as a man is in Christ or a member of his Church Christ is given to him and received of him with a true distinction of priviledge from the world 6 He engages himselfe or is engaged hereby to submit to the termes of Jesus Christ as he is bound to do which if he do not perform it is the issue makes it a lie and him an hypocrite Psa 78.35 with 37. but the obligation it selfe and that sincerely is his duty 7 There is the nature and substance of this Ordinance and the divers uses to be made of it The very nature and substance consists in a Commemoration of Christ An unregenerate man is capable of this substance and so it becomes his duty which cannot bee made voyd by the mal-performance for no consequence can annihilate Gods Precept Neither doth my incapacity of satisfying all the ends and uses of an Ordinance as before exempt me from those I can for then neither could children be capable of Baptisme not Christ of Circumcision 8 As the Minister doth tender and apply Jesus Christ conditionally to all according to the termes of the Covenant so may he receive him to wit as looking for salvation from him upon performance of the condition and condemnation if he continues in unbeliefe without repentance as the case in penal obligations this being the means both to perswade and fright him to it And then 9 The full and safest answer to this will be by a serious practise Let us examine our selves and humbling our soules in the sight of our unworthiness acknowledge our deserts and apply the due sense of our just condemnation according to our present estate together with the offer of mercy upon our amendment and this takes off the hypocrisie for if my actual receiving be a Lye to wit as it is a visible profession it must be so either before God or before men It is not a Lye before men for I hold it a means of conversion and profess not my self converted already but come onely as a Church-member and It is not a Lye before God I mean so far as any unregenerate mans service can bee without it for I condemne my selfe and apply that part of the Covenant which is due to mee as I ought with the offer of grace to bring mee home to him Page 190. I easily grant assurance is not absolutely requisite as a means to receiving Answ Upon this true concession I argue against him in the maine If it be necessarily pre-required that a man be regenerate before he receives then must assurance be absolutely requisite as a means But seeing assurance is not necessary as a means therefore it is not necessarily pre-required that a man be regenerate and this becomes a means of conversion The former I prove That which a man cannot be perswaded in his conscience is lawful to doe it is sin if it bee done Rom. 4.23 But a man that holds it absolutely unlawful for an unregenerate man to eat and is not certaine that he himselfe is regenerate cannot be assured in his conscience that he ought to eat And hee that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not with faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne This is the misery is brought upon us while men deny the Sacrament to be a means of conversion Page Ibid. and 191. Whereas I press upon the Receiver to resolve against every knowne sin for the present and to accept of Christ which is his duty as well as to come He excepts at me as not speaking consonantly to my self and the nature of faith For the former I do beleeve we know so little of the nature of spirits our own souls actings thereof and so infinitly less the workings of Gods Spirit that I dare not confine my selfe herein I doe not doubt but there may be many good resolutions and some supernatural motions on the hearts of men which prove abortions when the like desires cherished in the use of the means by Gods grace become effectual It is therefore my Doctrine that a Christian should still endeavour to blow up every spark desire or good motion he finds in him We do not know how the seeds or first impressions of grace differ in any and discover them onely by the rooting and continuance If common grace differ from special only gradually which for ought we know may bee the truth then we have a certain promise that in the use and exercise those degrees shall be increased which will make it saving Habenti dabitur If it dâ—ffers specifically which those terms of the immortall seed the new birth regeneration c. do incline me to beleeve yet have we a Peradventure in the use of
Churches When Herod to his great renown promised the people to re-edifie the Temple and was beginning upon it they came and besought him by all means to forbear till he had provided the materials and could assure them he was able to build it a new before they pluckt down the old which when he had taken some three years time if I forget not to do then they joyfully went about it and accomplished it I humbly Imagin this would have been good policy among us that the House of our Reformation while it was building had been made ready before it was brought thither that there might not have been heard the noyse of the Hammer and the Ax in any of these clashings while it was rearing As for the Presbytery I verily believe the spirit of zeal and fear of the Lord breathes as eminently in most of them as in any of the Saints on this side Heaven I heartily wish their moderation were known unto all men as their piety though I doubt not too but some very precious of them gather with us whilst others scatter abroad some cannot but see and feel and pity our perplexities The Lord knows truly what it is that makes the hearts of many sad that should not be sad and strengthens the hands of our separations For my part otherwise I could be contented to lye in the dust for I am nothing and can let the world know while Mr. Drake calls Mr. Humfrey one of the number of Core a Kain a Deceiver a boaster so monstrously proud that he even takes the judgment seat to my condemnation I thank the Lord if I may acknowledg my present temper that Mr. Humfrey thinks Mr. Drake a very zealous servant of Jesus Christ and I do advise the Reader that the harshnesse of his passion may not prejudice his cause but that he will embrace the truth wheresoever he finds it pitying his weakness especially in these four particulars 1. Because the Sacrament is not to be Administred without the Church unto Heathen to convert them to the faith therefore it cannot tend within the Church to any unregenerate Members edisication 2. Because that Infants Distracted and Excommunicated persons are not to be admitted therefore there is the same reason for all ignorant and scandalous persons The often repetition of this is a dead fly in his Oyntment 3. His manifold unsavory catchings at my words only and expressions which is pursuing my shadow and not satisfying my Conscience as p. 15. to 21. especially p. 92 93 94. which is too unworthy a tender Christian 4. His sharpness of spirit and sore language His words are very Spears and Swords I must confess they often wound me to my heart and make me think sometimes what profit is there in my wounds If it will do him any good he may take the blood of them O my Saviour though he get no good in the making let me receive good in their healing let me have one drop of thy blood poured into those wounds and how sweetly will it heal them let me find Oylin my good Samaritan while I fall amongst them and thy balm of Gilead under the reproach of Sion There is one passage I may not omit in his Presace When I weigh his loose Principles with his being so favourable to the looser sort it makes me and other to suspect his practices c. For my Principles I hold thus It is the duty of all Church-members of age to frequent the Sacrament A man must examine himself and so Eat he must come and come worthily If he be not worthy that will not excuse him from his duty he must do both as in other Ordinances and there is no escape otherwise Mr. Drake holds If a man be not worthy he must abstain and that is his duty Let the righteous judge if this take effect which will prove the looser doctrine As for his censure of my life let me excuse him with his own words p. 2. where he waves it with this reason For who am I that I should judge my Brother Good man he is here afraid to sin against God in the judging of me he knows not but should he know me in all the secrets of my heart and whole life from my youth up Alas he does not think of me half so bad as I do I am verily in my own eys much worse than he dare judge of me to wit in his sober not rash indgement I heartily beseech him to spend as many prayers unto God to make me better in his sight as he has done words to make me vile unto the World and that while he says unto my Soul Bow down that I may go over I may lay my body as the ground and as the streets and let him go over Now as there are some of these who are precious and godly may be displeased for which I am sorry there are others with whom my Book or subject of it has found acceptance I find 4. sorts of them The first are a humble lowly sort that love to serve God and be quiet that follow their studies and devotions in a still voice and make no more noise of Religion than a sigh can do and the soft droppings of a tear These can meet no body but they are ready to blesse God for them as seeing something in them that makes them esteem them better than themselves They can think every one penitent when they come to the Sacrament as they are themselves When Zeal is ready to say I only am left alone Humility thinks there are seven thousand besides me These are Nathaniels true Israelites indeed in whom there is no guile I blesse God for a tast of some such spirits whose sweet encouragements herein have as it were brought water to the thirsty and prevented with their provision him that fled The second sort are most of the old way amongst which there may be indeed too many of the looser sort whom neverthelesse we must not exasperate but meekly admonish to repentance and be contented with Rebeccah when we open the well for Abrahams servant not to let the Man drink only but the Camels also The third are part of the most judicious of free and unprejudiced spirits who judge the main body of my Work necessary though mingled with the Authors weaknesse and are ready As the Shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the Lion two leggs and a piece of an ear to rescue some parts of it some passages as usefull and fit for better Meditations Even as amongst those Votaries that were met withall by Ishmael and about to be put to death there were found certain of them saying Slay us not for we have treasures so they forbare and slew them not among their brethren The fourth and last sort to whom I owe most are many unsatisfyed doubtfull Christians either through tendernesse of conscience or search of understanding while the former poor souls look in their hearts and find some good
working the condition and sealing thereof The External Applier is our selves the Ministers who are but his Earthen Vessels while the Excellency of the power we must leave freely unto him For the subject to whom it is applyed It is the Church This is manifest Christ Iesus did lay down his blood for the Church Acts 20.28 Eph. 5.23 25. The Church then likewise is either the invisible which consists of such members that are truly in Christ or the visible of all such as do professe him as outward members thereof Now by the blessing of God our work may be done if we do but rightly sort these things together The Internal effectual seal with the Internal effectual Application and the External seal with the external application The Effectual seal of the precious blood of Christ is in the hand only of the Internal Minister to apply it to the invisible Members in whose hearts he both writes the new Covenant and seals it The Outward seal of the Sacrament is in the hand of the Outward Minister to apply it to the visible Church and the Members thereof Now let but the External Minister take heed of entrenching on the Internal Ministers office as he would look to his life in not medling with Gods Ark and I hope the fear of God may end the controversie between us For his other thing here He grants We have proved that All may or are to be present but that must be all If it be applyed so t is death c. Ans I am very sorry to see what a frivolous thing man is how every little trick and trifle can put us off 1. If there be such a stresse to be laid on Actual receiving which the Lord forbid yet may the Minister be Free in his offer in delivering the Sacrament in general as Christ says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take Eat in the plural number and while he sate at Table There are 4 or 5 reasons given by others for this way but that which moves me most is this our own reason that t is a visible word Let the Minister then deliver it in general to his Congregation as he preaches the word And while he declares to the whole Church This is the body of Christ which was broken for you the Receivers make application to their own parts Now if any Receiver who judges himself unworthy should wave his very Taking onely unto the rest it might seem a kind of tender confession and act of humility And so let but the businesse lie there and the offer of Christ shall be free yet no guilt on the Minister and the administration free and no guilt on the Receiver The Minister doe his office and the people their duty and both pleased 2. This I speak as to mens scrupulous suppositions but I must confesse though I like a delivery in General rather than particular I can no ways endure the rending these sacred actions one from another When Christ has said Doe this this thing or Doe thus as it seems the Syriack reads it that is after the same manner Drink ye All of it and they all drank of it I think it an injury to the holy institution to separate what Christ has joyned as the Papists do in withholding the Wine from the Laity I must confesse this is a device ingenuously framed to serve the turn and I fear it has got it self reverence in the hearts of some godly men yet does it seem to me a thing but of sad consequence to us and indignity to God For either this presence must be held necessary as our general duty or left at our liberty If we hold they may be present onely and bind not any to it as a duty who does not know that there is the confluence of the Word Prayer Singing Meditation in the administration which to lay wast is open impiety and unbidding those things which are questlonlesse yeelded to be means of conversion But if we hold it as certainly it is to be our duty not to neglect such occasions so that we must come to the Sacrament yet if we offer but to take and eat this Actual receiving onely shall be our damnation The sinful adoration that was brought on the Elements by the conceit of Real presence corporally had not so much dread in it though more supenstition Nay let us consider a little shall prophane men while they stay the administration think themselves secure from guilt so long as they do not eat and drink only as if the Covenant and the Seal was not otherwise applied to them What hardnesse on their hearts What sensual apprehensions will this bring on them Nay what unholy and contemptible thoughts of the God of Heaven that looks on us as if he regarded our very eating and drinking more than our spirits Not that I am so moved at Free-presence let the prudent judge of it but that actual receiving is not as free to our intelligent members Indeed if persons be Excommunicate as the Primitive Church did punish such with bare presence or men have their gather'd Companies if they do not communicate with those that are present and hear their reason is open they own them not as their members but as for us that are not yet convinc'd by them either we must maintain or new mold our mixt Congregations This for his crop in general there are some Ears yet standing to be cut down in particular P. 37. If the Sacrament have the same latitude with the Word then a Heathen may receive it as a Christian He has here left out my main caution Within the Church Let us know the Gospel may be considered as the Bare word or a Sealed word As an instrument in the writing to be declared and read over to all or as a sealed instrument delivered to peculiar use Or the Word may be considered as to the publishing the contents and tender of the Covenant or to the appropriation of privilege we have in it To the Jews belonged the sacred Oracles and the Covenants The contents might be preached to bring in proselytes yet are they said truly with distinction of outward privilege to belong only to them If you like not my phrases you may make better but here lies the point The blood of Iesus Christ does peculiarly belong by way of appropiation to the Church Eph. 5.23.25 This blood seals the Covenant the Sacrament represents that blood Now as the Spirit applies the Effectual seal only to the invisible Church so the Minister can apply the outward seal onely to the visible Though the Word then may be declared to Heathens It cannot be sealed to them but when they turn Christians The Covenant is a sealed Covenant only to the Church There is this distinction of privilege as it belongs to us that it is sealed in the outward application thereunto that so every Member without a just forfeiture has a publick right in the use of it P. 38. There are some righteous persons in
to the Hypocrite with the true Believer cannot bring any evidence to me So that this arises onely from the testimony of my own conscience and Spirit of God If this man were lesse confident he might come to know more and be better informed To the Fourth It is true the Gospel may occasion divisions as the Bridge doth the tumults and noise of the Waters but I think it no way of the Gospel that goes about to make them Let the wise peaceable and godly mark the cause and avoid it As Factions are in State Separations are in the Church you shall never unite so long as you maintain the ground of them â—t is a little thing will raise up the spirits of men when we know not how to allay them again and you shall sooner divide them into more Schisms to ruine both the Minister and the Church than reduce them to what they were For the spirit of Division being once up will be still fetching in more and more fewel to our opinions Even as the Magician in the Fiction Camerarius Hist Med. lib. 3. c. 15. that was wont to take a stake of wood and speaking certain words to it it would become a man he bids it fetch him fire and water and when it had done his work with some other words turns it into a stake again A certain Friend over-hearing these words would needs do the same He takes a stake speaks those Words It turns to a Spirit fetches him fire and water when he had enough he bids it cease and bring no more but having not the Words to charm it back into its self that continues He fearing takes an Ax cuts it in two upon this instead of one there is two men fetching fire and water never leaving till they had almost brought both him and the house unto confusion Sect. 7 MY second Reason was drawn from the visible Church and the Notes of it The visible Church is a number of such as make profession of Iesus Christ This I take to be the very nature thereof and profession of Christ reciprocal with it The Essential notes that is I count those things wherein this profession is set forth are the Word and Sacraments I know many grave Divines do adde a third note of Discipline and some include it under them but I think this rather conduces to the well-being than the being of the visible Church I do not doubt but our Churches where we have no discipline establisht are yet true Churches but if we should not have the administration of the Word and Sacraments though the invisible Church might be amongst us yet not the visible Nos asserin us says Calvin Ecclesiae formam non externo splendore sed longè aliâ not â contineri nempe purâ verbi Dei predicatione Sacramentorum administratione Now what does competere essentially to the Church as visible must competere to every Member in status quo so that so long as a man is a Church-member he cannot be debarr'd this profession in the publick marks of these Ordinances Onely let me here desire my Reader once for all whensoever I speak of Church-membership as our ground and common right to the Sacrament whether before or after to take it alwayes with the known and yeelded limitations of our admission that is unlesse men be unintelligent as Infants and the Distracted c. or excommunicate whom for the present I account no Members and to avoid all future cavill unlesse there be also some manifest occasion on a civill account as sicknesse infection or the like that are granted impediments to it Upon this he has four particulars p. 52 53 54. 1. He addes to this description a combining to Church ends which indeed is virtually included but does suppose it to be my meaning though not exprest so well as he has done it Ans A discreet Lady being upon Marriage to a worthy man but not rich and perswaded against it by some interest friend in the words of the Apostle It is good to marry but better to be unmarried Truly says she I have always studied only to do well must leave it to you that can to do better So say I I have endeavoured to set down only what serves my turn and is to my purpose but leave it to Mr Drake to be more curious if he please in his additions 2. He asks me Whether all Professors or Saints by calling may be admitted to the Lords Supper I answer directly eo nomine with our due cautions they ought for they are herein only called Saints as separated from the World unto this very Communion in Gods Ordinances And now you may expect some weighty Argument to convince us to the contrary let us heart it If so then why doth he shut out Infants and Distracted persons It s apparent then c. Ans Would you ever imagin this same six times repeated thing and ever provided against should be all now he has to say and yet tell us it is apparent when as to us poor mortals it seems nothing at all Let me therfore here certifie you once again that when St. Paul enjoyns us to examine our selves and discern the Lords body it doth not excuse any of age but they are both to do so come both to prepare and eat We must do what we can still when we cannot do as we ought and if we receive no good by it it will be our sin but as for Infants c. we manifestly know there is no such thing it is no sin of theirs if they are not fit to come For ignorance then and scandall if it be not such as makes us forfeit our Church Membership that is become excommunicate it cannot contradict our outward profession for a visible professor and Church Member I think are tearms convertible and that very Church Membership and profession lies in the communion of these Ordinances 3. He grants my Notes but objects the keeping off Children and Servants till they can give some tolerable account c. Ans There is a difference between what is done juridically by compulsion and what is done only as prudential by advice Between forbearance and exclusion I think a man may conscionably forbear his coming sometimes upon many occasions and much more upon pious ends regarding preparation My ground is because affirmative precepts oblige us semper but not ad semper so that there may be much of Christian prudence used in the ordering our more solemn duties upon which account only I take it are Godly Parents and Masters to be commended in this thing so long as they follow them with instruction and so may those Spiritual Fathers that go no farther in the like admonitions 4. He would have the World think I go to deceive because my Syllogism should run thus The Word and the Sacraments are essential notes ergo without them there is no true visible Church but this concludes nothing against him Ans Not to
judgement But a judgement of probability as to a visible fitnesse and unfitnesse upon a charitable jealousie may be solid as to advice and counsel but not as to be a rule of admission or suspension 2. The censures of the Church upon Heresie or scandal after due admonition and conviction will stand firm as they have ever done without this judging at the Sacrament 3. Ephesus is commended for her tryal of the false Apostles as to their doctrine not for a trial as to the Sacrament She could not bear those that were evill in the Church it were a wretched interpretation to say she could not bear them only at the Lords Supper 4. The Apostle 1 Cor. 5.7 12 13. speaks of the like Excommunication from the whole lump that the evil report of such a notorious action I take it might not leaven their Churches reputation by his being reckond of their company 5. The trial of the Ministers at our Ordination hath expresse warrant for it but there is no Scripture sets up a tryal of our members unto the Communion 6. The gentlenesse required of an Elder 2 Tim. 2.24 25. will hardly stand with Mr. Drakes spirit which makes him the more unfit for this trial if it were meet in others 7. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does not allow us to suffer men in their sinnes for there is a reproof in the spirit of meeknesse but it does allow us to suffer and invite them unlesse excommunicate unto Gods ordinances 8. It is a censure befits only Mr. Drake to judge it out of pride in the most and ignorance in the best that they do not conform themselves in this thing unto him when it may be the lamentation of their souls to see the miserable effects already of it 9. As a man cannot note a fault with more mildnesse than in Scripture-terms and bring himself in it as I have done in these words Preferring our selves Phil. 2.3 so there cannot be expressed more bitternesse to a fellow-Minister ordained as he if he would know it by the Presbytery than to number me in the company of Corah Sanballat and Tobiah And now should I return him his own language p. 61. See you not here how the vizard of piety falls off and his breath and pen savour quickly of pride Should I say If this do not smell strong of sublime Pharisaism I beseech you what doth as he has it p. 93 Or rather should I heartily advise him to take heed there be not a guilt herein upon his own conscience that so galls him to the heart in a hatred of the remedy instead of the disease I should be justified by his words but do not know whether I shall be approved by God in making it a means to shew him his sin and humble him for it For my part while he can even wish the earth might open and swallow me up I desire the Lord to open his eyes that he may see the rents he helps to make to swallow up the Church And though he obtain not his wish as to the Earth yet has he prevailed much as to the waters which have overflowen my soul and even been ready to swallow that up with the sorrows and woundings of my heart under these his bitter accusations The Lord executeth judgement and righteousnesse for the oppressed Alas Sir Is it any advantage unto me to see our Church in her ruines can I repine at that double honour you would get in ruling well as in labouring in the Gospel Do not I rather deplore the burden on your selves and indignation of others in lieu of it Would it not be as much happinesse to me as my fellow brethren to have that Government establisht which is thought most conducing to our own good And can I take any such pleasure in the dis-orders dis-respects and contumelies of an unwieldy people as much as any for want of disciplin that I should be against it No it is the unwarrantablenesse in Scripture the unsuitablenesse with mens Spirits the improbability of the effect it is the desire of peace unity in the Church and the taking away the root of our divisions especially it is the infinite account on the Ministers Soul the many grievous wounds and perplexities of tender Consciences that have engaged my soul◠and interess'd my spirit for a freedom at this Ordinance And now if it shall please the Lord to make me a poor instrument to bring refreshment to any of his people amidst their afflictions concerning themselves or our mixt Communions I shall be contented to be reckoned by this man for a Sanballat or Tobiah if I may be accepted of my God in the words of Nehemiah Remember me heerin O Lord according to thy great mercy and wipe not out the kindnesses I have done to the house of my God and the offices thereof but wipe out all my failings and my offences with thy goodnesse and the precious blood of Iesus Christ Pag. 65. His note is good though words bad We are more apt to take notice of what men do ill than what they do well of their sitting to reject a few than of the many are admitted to their mutual comfort c. Ans I know not which is more comfort to have all visibly worthy or to have charity enough to make all so I am sure the seeing the vilest may have a good use on our hearts if it humble them and makes us look on our selves as them without the difference of Gods mercy It is indeed a comfortable thing to be with our brethren round about our Father with none but His Children receiving our portions of the blood of Christ yet need it not deject but enlarge our devotions to see an attendance of Servants also coming along with his Sons in their due profession of a like outward dependance on him While the Glory of the Lord filleth the Temple his Traine may be suffered to reach unto the Earth Pag. 66. to p. 70. He brings in my 3 passages of our Saviour The first was about the Pharisee Lu. 18. Which I have exprest with that tendernesse and caution in the shewing the fault and not grieving the faulty that I commit it farther to their consideration pitying Mr. Drakes poor excuse That his judgement was private and without tryal as if a thing for being more publick were the lesse evill and when he judges himself worthy and many unworthy he asks the question Yet how do we think our selves better than others The second was in Lu. 5. where Christ entertaining so many Publicans and sinners at Table with him gives us the reason that he came to call them to repentance that is to convert them and yet Mr. Drake says What is this against them Who will admit none unto Christs Table unlesse converted already For his interpretation of I come not to call the righteous he wrongs Christ to say 1. He would not have all admitted 2 Rejects the Righteous for this must be taken in
accept his piety Let our Consciences be free Let our needlesse scruples our wounds and terrors be healed and I have done Let the Sacrament be returned like the Ark again unto our Israel and I shall be content to have the new Cart that brings it to be cloven into Wood and the two Kine offered with it as a sacrifice unto God Sect. 12 VNto these reasons I added two more From the command and good of coming from the evill of omitting this Ordinance For the command I did but name here because included before as I have now opend in my fifth reason 〈…〉 on the strength of 〈…〉 He objects p. 97. 〈…〉 Receive becâ—use Mark Luke and Nathaniel were not there 〈…〉 is he much prettier over 〈…〉 where he that is so much against this command of actual receiving will yee have 〈◊〉 and the Distracted come to the sight to be converted at it His grand argument which runs through his Book is this â—he Word and Prayer is the instrument of conversion so not the Sacrament therefore natural men as well as others must hear that but may not receive this Ans This arguing is palpably weak and grosse besides the matter untrue It is not an unregenerate mans duty because it will not convert him as though it were mans benefit were the ground of duty and not Gods precept whereas a thing is not our duty therefore God wills it but God wills it and therefore it is our duty For Judas it is already answered For 1 Cor. 11. it is manifest after St. Paul has convinc'd the Corinths of their unworthinesse yet their coming together he approves and that not to look on but to Eat v. 33. The case is clear if men be without prejudice the duty was still to be done and their carriage to be amended But whereas he adds Why should Mr. H. put thâ—se asunder which God hath joyned I answer how comes Mr. H. to be accused and Mr. D. be in the fault I say a man must examine himself and so Eat he must do both I joyn them He says the unregenerate must examine himself and so abstain He separates them Nay he says he must be present too but not Eat which is even another Schism in the actions His words then Mr. H. says let a man Eat though he does not examine himself are a slander I place very much on this There are two things I hold an unregenerate Christian is still to do to examine himself and to wait to wait and to examine himself He must consider his own condition that he may pray according to it when he has prayed and goes about his duty he must examine still what influence God has on him by it He must likewise when he comes to hear and especially to receive try his own heart that he may apply the Covenant according to his estate and when he has done he must look over his soul still what he has gained in waiting on God Readers I do here in the name of Christ as you look for good at his ordinance commend to you this duty and if you shall dare to come with carelesse hearts and secure spirits may the terrors of eating and drinking your damnation seize upon you and frighten you from the danger into the arms of repentance and bosom of Christ For the good of comming he objects p. 98 99. The Sacrament must not be attended on as the word in order to conversion but edification c. Ans We must not receive this doctrine without Scripture which will wholly dis-people this Ordinance though I think his own distinction may serve the truth if ordered aright seeing the word Edifying as in our frequent use so ordinarily in Scripture is attributed in common to the visible Church 1 Cor. 14.3 4. There are therefore though this might have been respited yet to its place two ends unto which the Word is instituted To convert the Nations unto the faith and to Edifie such as are brought in to the profession of it Now it is true the Sacrament is instituted but for one of these ends It is not to convert the Heathen for the Word is no sealed Word unto them but it is to edifie the Church wherein the most being such as are not yet effectually wrought upon as it tends to Edifie them it must be a help or means to their regeneration And thus shall his strong hold become as a forsaken bough and uppermost branch unto which we may climb up by his own terms and not leave on it so much as the shaking of an Olive tree or as the gleaning Gapes when the Vintage is done For the evil of Omission p. 100. he distinguishes between a not receiving and neglecting which may be allowed I think on a just occasion so long as we resolve on better preparation against the next Sacrament But otherwise it is a poor answer to my instance of the Passeover where the bare omission of not bringing an offering in the appointed season which in the forbearance was allowed to none but for a Moneth Numb 9.13 was such a sinne as did endanger them to be cut off His exceptions p. 101. against the Parable Matt 22. are vain things Those that murdered the servants were a part of them that were invited and not to be opposed for the contempt of the feast is the main businesse intended as appears by Lu. 14. where nothing else is mentioned But the main question for so far the Parable may reach is whether they that refuse to come into Gods Ordinances all which I allow it concerns as well as this are not unworthy v. 8. and in danger to be destroyed And then whether it be better for an unregenerate Christian to come to the Sacrament as preparedly as he can or wholly to omit it and I think we are sufficiently instructed by all other duties which is the greater sin to sail only in the manner or to leave undone the matter also Let the briars and thorns be set together in battel the fire shall passe through them P. 102. In opposition to Mr. H. it is neither a certain duty on the Ministers part to admit all nor on the peoples part for all to receive c. Answ Let Mr. D. take heed how he is carried through opposition lest in opposing Mr. Humfrey he directly opposes the command of Christ He grants p. 47. That where there is no government setled the Minister by a due forewarning may clear his soul but how sadly does he reverse this here and wrap him again in a fatal cloud for if it be not his duty it must be his sin there is no medium for his excuse Let us therefore here steel our selves that in doing both we do as we ought without making his conscience as to the particulars de facto a rule of ours For his distinction of mediately and immediately he should have forborn the wound and saved his salve for there is none that denies but that every man
in the Church are in some sense in Christ and sanctified by him as I quoted those Texts Jo. 15.2 2 Pet. 2.1 Heb 10.29 c. From whence I argue that those who are in a Church-state in Covenant or visible communion so that thereby they are said to be in Christ redeemed and sanctified are to bee admitted accordingly to the seal and badge thereof unlesse such as the Scripture gives ground to except But all Church-members are in Covenant Deut. 29.1.10 11. visible Saints c. and the Scripture allows no bar to any unlesse unintelligent or excommunicate Ergo. Unto this seeing it concerns the maine Mr. D. gives us two answers 1 Then Infants againe may be admitted this is fourteen times 2 In short He is confident against it A very masterful argument which confidence yet without proofe whosoever trusts to shal finde but as a broken tooth and foot out of joynt And here I desire the Reader to take notice when he still comes to this point which is the foundation whether it be sufficient satisfaction only to vilisie me and slight it off For as for this passage with which he hath filled so many sheets about children it is good for nothing unlesse they had happily been in parchment and then it would have served well to make them Drums and sounded prettily by the emptinesse Page 122. How grosse is that assertion that there is an historical visible faith that gives an out ward Church right unto the Elements Answ Nay rather how cleare and firme a truth doth it appear by the former Argument That faith which serves to enter a man in external Covenant and engage him to the termes thereof wil serve to admit him to the Sacraments but a faith onely accepting the true God in opposition to all other Religions doth serve for that appears by the Covenanting of the whole body of Israel Deut 29.10 12. Ergo All Professors or Church-members that have but a common general historical or visible faith for any of these termes serve me I say are in Covenant but the Covenant is the foundation of the Sacraments Ergo neither will the right understanding hereof doe any hurt to the Church I hope so long as we presse neverthelesse a solid saving faith to interest them in the effectual benefits of them both His Exceptions are 1 Then the Excommunicate have a right for they have stilan historical faith Answ How vaine is this who knowes not the state of the question supposes us within the Church 2 Some excommunicate may also have a true saving faith See how fairly instead of opposing me he checks himselfe I pray marke his strength in both because neither an historical nor saving faith gives a man a right that is excommunicate and thereby made no Church-member therefore they cannot give him a right when hee is not excommunicate and is a Church-member 3 As historical faith gives not a right to Christ but faith of adhesion so a visible faith of adhesion gives right to Christ sacramental Answ 1 I might returne to him Why may not some excommunicate persons have such a visible faith of adhesion as an historical saving one But. 2 An historical faith is suo genere a true faith as the Eunuchs I beleeve that Christ is the Sonne of God Act. 8.37.3 An historical saith which was barely so and not saving gave Simon Magus admission unto Baptisme Act. 8.13 and here Adultis eadem ratio holds firme 4 Faith of adhesion I take to be an assent with application and that is special faith which I question whether it may be termed visible as distinguished from saving 5 It is sufficient to mee that a faith which generally assents to the truth of the Covenant and engages to it and yet falls short of justifying entitles to the Sacraments for otherwise we shal quite confound the worke of the Minister and the Spirit the symbolical and effectual Seal and then no man can be admitted at all without presumption 6 When the Papists prove that historical faith justifies because it sufficed unto Baptisme Act. 8.37 Some of our able Divines answer It is true Profession of faith gives interest to Baptisme yet it is not sufficient to Justification Dr. Slater on Rom. 3.22 There is a manifest difference between a title to the Sacraments and interest in the saving benefits A general faith gives title to one a special to the other Regeneration is like David that enjoyes Michal when Profession like Phaltiel comes along behinde weeping to Bahurim A general faith hath some union with Christ as a special a saving union Profession like Orphah may kisse Naomi when a saving faith like Ruth cleaves unto her Sect. 4 THe fourth Objection is The Seal is set to a Blanke if all be admitted My answer was from consideration of what is sealed It is generally said the Sacrament is the seale of faith wherein lyes the difficulty I say onely it is a Seale of the Covenant The Gospel is the writing the Sacrament as the seale to that writing the Writing is true and the Seal true whosoever is admitted I must confesse there is so much confusion in this businesse especially in Mr. D. who is usually most assertive when least advised that it will be in vaine to dispute Andabatarum more with termes blindfolded These termes then sealing to a blanke sealing to our faith and sealing the Covenant I judge are ambiguous when we differ onely in termes we may reconcile in our meaning but where we differ in our matter one of us must be reformed First then Sealing to a blank may relate to the thing or person when I say there is no sealing to a blank I mean as the thing sealed for it is not the unbelief of man can make the Covenant of God of no effect Now when here he takes a blanke as relating to persons he sayes nothing and is presently answered we hold none are visible blanks within the Church but when he refers it to the thing as I do here arises our difference Secondly Sealing of faith or to faith we either meane as the thing sealed or the condition required to the exhibition thereof When I say the Sacrament is not a seal of faith I mean it still as the thing sealed to wit on Gods part A Seal is an Appendix to writing the Sacrament is not an Appendix to faith but to the Gospel Now againe If he meane here by this expression It is a seale to our faith onely that faith is the condition upon which alone Christ and his benefits are conveyed it is what none doubteth and for words we contend not But when he sayes It is the seale of Faith referring it as I doe to the thing sealed our controversie here must continue and there is but one thing to looke into to wit the sense wherein or grounds whereon he thus holds it which I shall satisfie after I have laid downe these other distinctions likewise about sealing the Covenant as necessary
assurance though ordinarily of progressive This is the logick whereto the man still so highly pretends I will therefore now returne upon him As the Sacrament is a means of assurance so is it a means of grace But the Sacrament is sometimes a means of initiall assurance Ergo the Sacrament is sometimes if not ordinarily a means of initiall Grace or effectuall conversion The major converse is his own the minor also is expressely his own If these be true How will he deny my conclusion And whereas he speaks some things well as to the manner how the Sacrament encreases grace and assurance Let the judicious consider what hurt there can be upon some of his pleas to hold that initiall Faith Love Repentance Assurance may be wrought by it through the Spirit of God as well as progressive If further degrees in the same kind why not the same kind it self Seeing we attribute nothing here operi operato to the worke done but gratiae operanti and neither the one nor the other the first seed or increase is exhibited per modum obsignationis but excited or wrought proponendo objectum morali actione mediante significatione that is no otherwise then reall Grace is both begotten and confirmed by other Ordinances Page 148. He is pious and healing and it cals to my remembrance that suitable and sweet distinction he makes use of p. 99. Want of grace is either sensible or insensible Let me beseech the tender Christian not to forget this and be discouraged utterly in the fight of his wants to come unto Christ but rather know the sense of thy unworthinesse which thou makest a bolt to shut out Christ should be a latch to open to him for both thy need is the greater and his pitty the more Thou maist come to the Sacrament he tels thee here with the Prophets feare I am undone yet mayest go away with this assurance Thy iniquity is taken away and sin purged For this we thank him and if a man may come as loft Luk 19.10 and undone then may he come while he judges and humbles himselfe though he is in doubt of his regeneration To conclude this point of sealing If any are willing to contend about termes I shall not contend with them For 1. If you will say the Sacrament is a seale of faith metaphorically as it does consecutivè in the effect confirm that is increase Faith so as all other graces are sealed and all other Ordinances may bee said seales You may 2 If you will say it is a seale of Faith objectivè because the main object of the Covenant is sealed as we usually hold faith justifies In this sense I should like it and would argue If it be thus a seale of Faith then is it not a seal of Experience nor Reason But the minor and conclusion aforesaid is one of Experience the other of Reason and the major onely of Faith 3 If you say it is a seale to Faith as the condition required to the benefits This is true no mans interest is sealed but conditionally 4 If you call it a seale to Faith as a man is said to seale to his own part that is engages to it In all this you may use your liberty But if you say it is a seale of Faith subjective properly to confirm and ratifie Faith or any way so to assure or evidence Faith that God shall be made to set his seale to a lye if any come without a Saving Faith This must be denyed and rejected and answered that the Sacrament is not thus a seale of Faith to wit formally directly properly but of the Covenant unto which it is set as to an undoubted and immutable truth and as a standing seale for the Church as firme and irrefiagable as if it were in adamant Against which Mr. Drakes arguments become but as earthen ware or the vessels of a potter wherewith while he striks at me they break themselves in peeces so that here is scarce to be found in the bursting of them so much as a shard to take fire from the hearth or to take water withall out of the pit Sect. 5 THE fifth Objection is The Covenant belongs not to all therefore the seals neither To this I answered There is the Absolute Covenant which is secret and belongs onely to the election or the conditionall which is revealed and belongs to all as the tenor of the Gospel Hereof we must distinguish There are those to whom it belongs only in regard to the publication tender and a kind of potentiall interest if they come in and thus it belongs to all even without the Church And there are those to whom it belongs by way of actuall interest and priviledge in it as Covenanters Rom. 9.4 and thus it belongs to all within the Church and them only Now this priviledge is either outward or according to title or inward and according to the effectuall benefits thereof The state of my Answer then lyes plainly that all those to whom the Covenant belongs by way of interest in it though but according to title are in Covenant so far as the externall seale belongs to them without some known bar otherwise As for the prejudice here Mr. D. would raise upon me it will not gaine his cause so much with the many as it will loose it with the wise All hee has to answer is this Page 149. The Sacrament indeed belongs conditionally to all but onely to the worthy Receivers absolutely Answ 1 If there be any sense and validity in this he must argue thus The Sacrament is nor to be delivered to all it belongs conditionally but to those only to whom it belongs absolutely but it belongs only to the worthy Receiver absolutely therefore it must be delivered only to the worthy Receiver Now this you see is apparently false seeing he admits some only visibly worthy to whom he himselfe counts it belongs not absolutely 2 The interest of every man in the benefits of the Covenant and so in the Sacrament as we now speak I have proved already is conditional and not absolute 3 The distinction then that might best serve our turns or accommodate us here as I imagine were of an actual and potential inward interest both conditional for the absolute Covenant is secret and belongs only to God Page 150. Whereas I suppose a man now resolves to ingage with Christ on his own termes yet not effectually in Covenant with him and say the Sacrament belongs to him as the likeliest means I judge to root and establish him he fils his mouth with these terms Come you Drunkards Whore-masters Muderers and all you Rabble of hell here is doctrine for you c. Answ Truly I think here were rather fit language for them It is pity but the Doctor before he had left his profession of Physick had taken a vomit to rid his stomach of this bitter humour and ill language which little becomes a Minister of Christ As for the contradiction herein
distinguish of the Ordinances to effect it There is the gathering Ordinance for the vocation or calling of the Nations or to convert the Heathen unto the Faith of Jesus Christ and this is the Gospell or Word whereby men are made Disciples incompleatly and compleatly by baptism And there are ordinances for Edification of the body brought into the profession of him and those are all the other Ordinances together with the Word The Apostle speakes to this point Rom. 10.14 How shall they call on him whom they have not beleeved or beleeve without hearing and a preacher The converting Ordinance here to bring men to the Christian faith is preaching being brought to this faith and knowledge of the true God they are to call upon him and they shall be saved v. 13 Now Prayer then is an edifying Ordinance for if a Heathen pray before he comes to know the true God it is flat idolatry and Godwil not give his worship to another And as prayer is an edifying Ordinance so is the Sacrament and no otherwise My Answer then now to the Objection fals directly thus It is true the Sacrament is not the gathering Ordinance to bring in the Nations to the doctrine of Christ or an Ordinance to convert the Heathen It is not appointed to that end which is the right notion of this distinction I think as sure as there ought to be any but it is an Ordinance for Edification of the visible Church wherein there being some members that are unregenerate and that the most I fear as it serves to edifie them it must be a means of their regeneration And as for my part I am perswaded the serious exercise of common grace the confirming and encreasing thereof and that hereby is the way of Gods own working speciall grace also yet most freely as is suitable to the nature of it There are two things seem to me clear in the Gospel 1. That the same faith which served to admit men to be Church-members served to admit them to the Communion 2 That a Faith that fals short of saving to wit the very receiving of the Apostles doctrine served to make men Disciple and adde them to the Church From which foundation I appeale to the Judicious for the solidity of that distinction of an outward and inward conversion which under favour I will expresse thus There is a conversion of assent to beleeve in God and Jesus Christ in opposition to all other Religions which alone reaches so far as to engage one to the Covenant and this I take it is necessarily pre requisite to adult Church membership and both the Sacraments And there is a conversion of consent in the imbracing this God as our cheifest good and accepting of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour so as to prefer his interest in our hearts above the flesh World and Devill and this conversion though it is required as it is to the right performance of every saving duty yet is not necessarily pre-required to the Sacraments or Church-communion Indeed I think as to the duty hereof a man may and is to engage himselfe before it is performed yet so or in such terms as the tenderest spirits may not be brought in fear of a lye but as to the Grace it selfe as it is the Free Gift of God the most of our members may not yet have attained it is the first or cheife part of their edification wrought in them alone by the Holy Spirit very secretly and variously in some more suddenly in others I beleeve with very many and long previous operations whereunto he uses all his Ordinances as means together with the Word and this Sacrament especially where is a more vigorous confluence of all of them The same Faith the Scripture requires unto the Sacraments it requires unto Prayer Rom. 10.12 13 14. now though an effectual Faith be required Jam. 1.6 to pray savingly yet is it not pre-required but a man that is but outwardly converted to the knowledge of Christ may and must waite upon God in prayer and that as a means I judge in the exercise of his common grace to obtaine saving through the grace of God The same I say of the Sacrament and do conclude whereas our Divines doe give it the denomination of a confirming or edifying Ordinance it is to be taken in regard of the visible Church and not in regard of the invisible as if none could have effectual grace wrought by them Vera adoptio saies Chemnitius in Har. Evan. in Lu. cap. 1. ex mera gratia donaour quando spiritu suo per verbum Sacramenta fidem in nobis efficit quâ Christum recipimus per quem regeneramur It were not hard I think to quote good Divines very ordinarily prescribing the Sacrament with other Ordinances as the means for obtaining the Spirit Grace Faith c. to those that want it and I do not think their practise herein rowed against their Judgement For the clearer knowledge whereof I have proposed this passage in Edit 3. There is two things in the Sacrament a signification which they have certaine from the Institution and an Exhibition and Obsignation which most Divines that they may not make them nuda signa do more disputably attribute to them There is likewise double grace Relative Grace which makes a change onely in our state and relation and Reall Grace which changes the heart and it is either the infusion of the first grace in the habits or root for conversion or increase thereof in the acts or fruit for confirmation Now the Sacraments are means of Grace two waies Either by way of Conveyance ratione hujus obsignationis or by way of moral Operation virâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 significationis In the first respect which yet some hardly credit they are instruments of Relative Grace exhibiting the benefits of the Covenant upon its condition as already performed whensoever wrought in the receivers and convert not but in the other respect as they are more undoubtedly ex instituto instruments of signifying and holding forth the death of Christ and also the Covenant sealed by way of moral operation on the intelligent they are means of Real Grace that is they are Ordinances in the hands of Gods Spirit to work on the hearts of whom he pleases either in infusing the seed or producing a growth of it in them Now let me beseech the pious and wise to lay this to heart and consider it If I should hold the Sacraments confer grace physically whether Real or Relative it were grosse and belongs to the doctrine of opus operatum If I should hold they convey regeneration or any Real grace morally by way of obsignation I judge it were as injudicious and unsound for moral instruments cannot exhibit any thing real but onely a right to it and the first grace belongs to the absolute Covenant not the conditional which is sealed But whereas I hold only they beget grace in the intelligent no otherwise then they increase
it that is by way of moral action per modum objecti as grace is still both begotten and confirmed in other Ordinances It is manifest there is no danger here of advancing this Ordinance above its nature or condition but there is very much danger of being injurious to poore Christians of dis-valuing this means of Grace the sweet Jesus has appointed us of bringing in question how it can beget any degrees of grace at all if it cannot the first and especially of being very presumptuous with the Spirit of God to goe to limit him in the very same way he ordinarily works the same effect in his other Ordinances To come now to Mr. Drakes opposition p. 154. He first tels us Some Divines indeed do hold Baptism to be a means of Regeneration but they should not and he does not Answ I agree with him as for Infants But for the Intelligent Johns Baptism may convince him whom we find admitting all to it and then exhorting them to amendment as the use or end of it and therfore it is not said they repented unto baptisme but they were baptised unto repentance The end cannot precede what is in order to it and the effect in esse be before the cause in operari And as for his instances in the Acts That faith was presupposed It is answered That is an historicall faith onely accepting the doctrine of Christ and profession thereof as is beyond dispute to me in Simon Magus P. Ibid. In regeneration the Word is writ in our hearts and can any man make the seal a cause of the writing Answ He may as well aske can any writing be a cause of it selfe But here is the mans error still The seale of the inward writing in mens hearts is not the Sacraments but the Spirit and that seale I hope is the cause of the writing and that by the means of the outward writing and seale the Word and Sacraments Page 155. He produces my Argument The Sacrament is a visible Gospel the shewing forth the death of Christ is the means of conversion But the Sacrameut is a shewing forth of his death Ergo. His Answer is This proves onely that all may be present which he pleads for not actually receive Answ Methinks the heart of a godly man should at first scare serve him thus to shift and trifle with this holy Ordinanee and the Consciences of people And yet his granting this is enough for so long as he maintains that as the Sacrament holds forth Christ to the eyes there is none may be debarred from the sight no more then they may be debarred from hearing where he is held forth to the eare I argue Then as Christ is held forth Sacramentally to the taste and touch there is none can be debarred to wit if intelligent Church-members from the tasting and feeling of him herein then they can from the seeing of him or hearing Nay our force for this is rather greater because the words of institution expressely respects the touch and taste while Christ saies this is my body not barely to see and hear but to take and eate As the Centurion by looking on Christ upon the crosse beleeved he was the Son of God So did Thomas by feeling his wounds beleeve his Resurrection And I doe not doubt but that all these senses doe afford their grounds of suitable meditation about the melting objects of Christs Passion Redemption and tender mercies so represented they may become means to worke upon us through the Spirit of God which we may piously hope for by vertue of an Ordinance For if Mr. D. say Page 147. What the word applies by one sense the Sacrament doth by all senses and therefore is a more powerful means of assurance I will not doubt to say by the same reason as it applies the same thing with the word it may have the same operation and as faith comes into the heart at first in the one by hearing alone it may in the other by hearing seeing touching and tasting altogether Page 156. He brings in my next Argument In the institution there is a Take and Eat a Take for such as have not Christ a word of grace to quicken those as an Eat to nourish others My substance is Here is a free offer and command in this word Take and we are not to hold it ineffectual He excepts Taking and Eating call for acts of faith and presuppose the habit Ans When Christ and his Disciples preached Beleeve and repent The command did call for faith and repentance but I hope it did not presuppose the habit in those who were to be converted so when Christ sayes here Take that gracious word includes Beleeve or receive me by faith but faith I hope is required where it is not pre-required to wit required that it may be wrought as well as acted And herein indeed I place my strength This Take requires Beleeve but there is a vertue or power from Christ that goes along with his commands The free tenders of himselfe are the conveyances of the grace he requires to the receiving him even as the Apostles words to the Jaylor Act. 16.31 which he well notes Beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ was the instrument to worke that faith and convert him And as while Thomas by feeling Christs wounds beleeved why might it not be the vertue of Christs gracious command bidding him to put his fingers in his sides and beleeve that produced that powerful application My Lord and my God Now we have Christ here likewise presenting his broken body and blood and bidding us feel his wounds touch and taste Take and eat be not faithlesse but beleeving Here we have a joynt offer and command and why then should we distrust the power of our Lord when we have the word of our Lord What if we had but that one word for us were not one word from the mouth of our deare Saviour which is a standing word to his Church enough to rest upon Truly Christians Let me plead with you Are the words of Christ Spirit and life or are they not Is there any power goes along with the tender offers and precepts of the Gospel or is there not If there be not why do poor dead souls wait on them for life If there be then why is there not the like power expected in this precept and offer of grace How dull and flow of heart are we to relye upon Christ and expect vertue from his commands Methinks I could wish that all faithful Ministers would set themselves to beleeve in Christ for this effect and while they should as it were stand round about this little word Take by their acting faith in Christ and expectations from him as the Disciples did about Paul when they supposed him stoned dead Act. 14. though they judge no otherwise of this word though they suppose it but a dead word to the unregenerate they might finde life in it for the quickning of their flocks as some
have and comfort of their labours If you will not beleeve surely you shall not bee established Page 157 158. He objects three or foure things against this I But we have neither promise nor president of blessing the command of Taking in the Sacrament as we have of blessing the word preached in order to conversion Answ 1. God hath promised in general to meet with those that wait on him in his wayes and where is there any text that denyes this blessing here If there be none it is but a sad thing to distrust God 2 Doe we not know that Jesus Christ did consecrate this Ordinance with a blessing Now is not Christs own action herein as good as any promise or all presidents and who can limit that blessing to one member above another or tye up the Spirit of God 3 I pray see over leafe and himselfe tels us well This Take is a short exhortation and virtual Sermon Now what a thing is this to demand a promise and president to prove that the Exhortation and Sermon of Christ is converting Is not the Word converting And is thâ—s word lesse converting because it is Christs Alas Sirsl the case is even clear and the grand Objection is unbeleef 2 But the word is both seed and food not the Sacrament Answ 1 Who knows not that the very being and operation of the Sacrament consists through the word and indeed the nourishment we have in it well considered is onely by the implicite vertue thereof By which same kind of working may the first grace as cleerly as any farther degrees be wrought by it 2 The Sacrament is both seed and food too for here is a Take and this is certainly seed as a word of grace from Christ and here is an Eat including food 3 Prayer is no where called the immortal seed yet is it seed I doubt not in this sense to beget grace in us 4 Ex quibus nascimur ex i is nutrimur That which nourishes us can beget us is a principle so true that out the same food that goes to the aliment of our owne bodies doth arise the matter for our childrens generations 3 But suppose a man stouts it out before and after the word Take if actuall receiving can convert him the Apostles rule is not universally true He that eats unworthily eats judgement to himselfe Answ Suppose the Jaylor had stouted it out against that word Beleeve had he like to have been converted if he had not been converted what a question were this The truth is These dis-junctive supposals are but vaine and evil And therefore I shall only fore warn tender consciences to take heed of that Dilemma that lurks here He that receives worthily is converted already He that receives not worthily eats his damnation Let us rather perswade our selves 1 That a man may be in a state of unregeneracy in that sense unworthy yet may hear pray or receive worthily in his kind in suo genere when he is so wrought on by it as to make a saving use thereof for it seems not to me so tollerable to say a man heard unworthily when he was converted by it 2 There is a general eating damnation as the unregenerate in sensu composito during that estate sinnes in hearing praying and in all he doth and so this is cleerly answered with other duties or there is a particular eating damnation or judgement in the Apostles sense and that judgement he speaks of appears to be those temporal judgements which were brought upon the Corinths not for their coming to the Sacrament in an unregenerate estate but for their not putting a difference between this sacred Table and a common that is used it not as a holy institution which is the direct meaning of both those phrases eating unworthily and not discerning the Lords body which expound one another or not for an unworthinesse of unregeneracy but an unworthinesse of prophanation 4 But suppose a man may be converted by that short exhortation and virtual Sermon Take That may be done by bare presence c. Ans If all come to this still you may see what he must have A Sacrament without receiving which yet himselfe decryes When Christ sayes Take it is to this end to eat and who dare separate Christs end from his action Let this suffice we have here both words Take and Eat for our encouragement and we need not doubt but all the Sacramental actions doe as it were in a kinde of communication of proprieties interweave their vertue in working upon each man according to his condition When God commands us to make us new hearts Ezek. 18.31 Eph. 4.23 he tels us otherwhere Ez. 11.19 I will put a new heart in you so Christ bids us Take Yet faith is the gift of God Now then Man is to wait on his duty and to expect a power in Christs precept For my part let others look on this word onely as an empty livelesse word I shall endeavour to let it sinke in my heart And though I am a poor unworthy sinner that am not sure I have faith enough to save my soul the Lord increase it yet methinks I doe so pathetically beleeve the goodnesse and sweernesse of Christ that I dare lay my life on it he would never have so indeterminately commanded Drinks you all of it if so many thousands of unregenerate members that come thither must but necessarily thereby eat their damnation I must confesse I doe ever suspect my owne weaknesse and am tenderly afraid left I should ewe and hurt others and therefore I beseech every Soul to look well to the word and his owne conscience and trust nothing on me yet doe I finde amidst the doubts and fears of my spirit a sweet melting and repose of my thoughts in this answer which I must make unto my Saviour when he calls me to account for what I have writ Lord here is expresly thy command and I durst not nullifie it to any that are capable of it Here is thy tender offer of grace Take and I durst not bring up any such hard thoughts on thy wayes to fright men from thee And now I am assured Lord thou wilt as freely forgive me if I place too much trust or would raise too much confidence on thy bare word as thou wilt forgive others if they place too little in it For though the Flesh profiteth nothing yet the Spirit quickneth and thy words are spirit and life Page 159. He brings in this instance of mine Suppose a moral Christian who cannot be denyed prepares himselfe and so comes shall the Sacrament be necessarily fruitlesse to him He answers not withstanding all his preparatory acts he comes to the feast without the wedding garment Answ This himselfe satisfies for the Feast he sayes is Christ and I hope a man must come to Christ for conversion As for my words Doing his best you must take them in his kinde as of the regenerate in his kinde And
whereas he thinks I attribute too much to a few dead acts of a natural man he mistakes for I attribute all to the power of Christs command and the efficacy of his quickning grace in the use of the means Page 160. Actual receiving is no act of God but of the creature and an outward act too and therefore hath not a converting power in it Answ A very mature and digested Argument Hearing is no act of God but an outward act of the creature and if you will too hath no converting power in it therefore it is not a means of conversion Tertius E coelo cecidit Cato As for his old close that the fruit of the visible and audible word may be attained here by bare presence it will not serve seeing the fruit that is to be here attained is not of the word onely as visible and audible but also as tactible and gustible while the Sacrament holds forth that word of life which we have not onely seen and heard saye John but also handled and of whose flesh and blood we must eat and drinke saith Christ himselfe And as for the custome of the ancient Church Ite missa est it is not to bee vilified because it is directly contary to him but to be weighed with the former grave judgement of our owne Church and the expresse text Drinke you all of it and they All that were present dranke of it Page 161. For what he answers to my second instance of an humbled soule to wit under the preparatory worke of grace yet no fully fashioned for the receiving the habits which are ordinarily infused per modum acquisitorum I shall say nothing but onely aske this great Doctor How was his soule infused in his body after it had its due time of disposition for it It is true as for all preparatory works nostris viribus as the meer issues of Free-will we disprove them but as they are the previous operations of the Spirit which through our fault it is they often prove abortions it is no more derogatory to attribute them to him in our Conversion then it was to God to take six dayes to the Creation I say then Can he tell me this How was his soule produced at first in his natural birth Can he tell me the way of the wind Joh. 3.8 If he cannot how will hee define mee the way of the heavenly Spirit If hee cannot tell mee the things that are with him How shall his vessel comprehend the wayes of the most High As for my instance of Luke 24.30.31 though I onely alluded to it Calvin hath these words upon it Augustinus plerique alii senserunt panem hunc poâ—rectum fuisse â—n sacrum corporis sui symbolum hoc dictu plausibile est Dominum in spirituali demum caenae speculo agnitum fuisse nam discipuli corporalibus eum oculis intuiti non cognoverunt Now what Saint Augustine and most others thinke true and what Calvin judges plausible though hee addes for his owne part simplicius accipio Master Drake answers It is a dictate so absurd that the very naming it is a sufficient confutation Page 162. By presence benefit may be gained but the danger of eating and drinking unworthily cannot be incurred without receiving c. Ans Methinks the man here speaks very carnally His Doctrine is this If you swear by the Altar it is nothing but if you swear by the gift upon it you are guilty If you partake of the Lords Table without Faith you are without danger but if you actually touch the bread upon the Table and ease you become a debtor I pray which is greater the bare Bread and Wine eating and drinking of the Institution it selfe and consecration which sanctifies the Elements For my part I never imagined but the words eating and drinking 1 Cor. 11.27.29 are spoken Synecdochically for the whole duty of the Receiver who can never be guiltlesse when Christ is offered to him and that he sayes is to all present though they onely looke on if he does not receive him by Faith So that if I may speak as I think It is not the bare eating and drinking we are to stand upon in comparison of his serious addresse unto Jesus Christ according to his condition Page 163 to 167. Whereas I say the Sacrament and all the Ordinances are primatily and directly means of grace and remotely means of conversion and confirmation He pretends as if I went about to blind my Reader with a conversion of our selves instead of Gods converting us and so pursues his trace Ans I must confesse to you here he is mistaken for this never came into my thoughts as my words following plainly declare which are This grace which he distributes as a most wise God works in every one as his state and need requires where he does ill p. 166. to substitute others and cry absurd in the regenerate for their strength and establishment in the unregenerate for their conversion Mr. Drakes weaknesse here then is apparent that cannot distinguish between gratia operans and operata I say the Ordinances are meanes whereby God works or the Spirit moves and though gratia operata is Regeneration or confirmation it felse yet gratia operans I hope lies indifferent between the regenerate and unregenerate as men come to seek to God for it in his means and is indeterminate to either effect So that this businesse is so clear I take it to any unprejudiced understanding that I am glad to be put to no more trouble by so many pages Page 168. As for his exceptions against our distinction of an outward and effectuall conversion the right conceiving the terms onely may satisfie and I will explain my selfe thus In the soule there is two faculties the Understanding and the Will There is accordingly a double conversion either unto the things which before we did not know or to the right improvement of the things we do know or there is a conversion to a sincere Religion or to be sincere in our Religion The first of these must necessarily be wrought by teaching onely and perswasive Arguments unlesse by miracle but when we once are informed by the word then do all the other Ordinances conduce to bring that knowledge into the heart and life So that here does likewise arise that other distinction of mine of the principall converting Ordinance and subordinate which work by vertue thereof Now if you will suppose a heathen sufficiently knowing in the mysteries of our Religion I doe not doubt but this solemnity were apta uata to convert him because it shewes or holds forth that which is a means of Conversion But these two things we must know as sure 1 That it cannot beget any assent or reverential apprehensions but upon supposition of the vertue of the principal Ordinance to wit that he is informed before or at present in the meaning hereof For this bare knowledge alone is that which is neither encreased nor
I answer though it be so formally in the words yet materially in the thing iâ— is an affirmative for he that excepts out of a general affirms a limitation and must prove it I have before in 3. Edit exprest this thus If there be a previous operation of the Spirit on some preparatory to conversion God hath appointed his Ordinances in general as the means for obtaining grace both first and subsequent commanding them as duties and promising a blessing which affords a Peradventure to the unregenerate in the use of them why should wee bereave the Sacrament of this effect which the Scripture gives it in genere as an Ordinance whilst in specie it no where denyes it and Reason likewise by the first Rule of the Ante-predicaments For the Antecedent preparations to bring men to Conversion saith Pemble they are either outward namely the observation of the external part of God worship as frequenting the word preached prayers Sacraments keeping the Sabbath or inward c. Our Divines presse upon men ever whiles they are unconverted the necessity to wit from the strict Commandement of God and profitablenesse to wit from Gods promise and ordinary proceedings of all those forementioned preparations pag. 81 82. and it may be those two pages may establish you 3 There is but an It may be A peradventure A who knows what God may do For the conversion of any in the use of all means besides because there is no special promise of grace in the best use of meer naturals But there is An It may be granted by our opposites to the Sacrament for conversion At though not By occasionally though not intentionally as some speak Ergo. If Mr. D. grudge thus much then he must bring it to a Cannot Actual receiving cannot convert any and if he doth so he takes upon him to limit the Spirit of God in the very way he usually workes the same thing in other Ordinances If he say he can but will not How knows he the minde of the Lord who hath made him his Counsellour That what he hath done to some he may not do to others It were a miserable thing for some poore sinners if the gracious Spirit in many respects should do no more good upon them then men would let him There is here I judge a point carefully to be considered to distinguish between a general and â—pecial promise or as some expresse it between Half â—romises and full promises or as I would say it A Peradventure promise and an Assured Promise We hold that God hath made no promise of â—race that is no special whole or assured promise to natural workes before faith to wit as any condition of the first grace which is his most free gift for then Facienti quod in se est so much deâ—ryed must prove a sound principle But wee are yet to presse these kinde of general tenders half or â—eradventure promises together with Gods good nature that none may want encouragement to duty 4 If the Sacrament be converting as it is a Visible word or holds forth Christ unto the eye then must it be converting as it is a Gustable Tactible Word and holds him forth to the other senses and the rather because the touch and taste comes within the Veirge of the Institution But the former is granted Ergo. 5 The Precepts of God are lively and operative and the offers of grace are the means and conveyances of that power we have not in our selveâ— to receive it But here is this most sweet and gracious offer and command Take and Eat Ergo. 6 The reclaiming a man from some particulaâ— vice or vices is a good step forward towards Repentance and Conversion But the Sacrament is a constant experiment hereof so that those passageâ— of some men be their esteem never so great who dare say that the Sacrament can doe no good to the poor unregenerate Christian but certaine hurt are sadly to be dis-owned and expunged eveâ— with their tears This case in Edit 3. I have proposed thus Suppose you have a Sonne 〈◊〉 good natured yet unregenerate youth addicteâ— to some vice as drunkennesse he seeks to Goâ— for pardon and grace so comes and takes thâ— Sacrament upon it he will never by the Lord helpe be overtaken more Well this engagement now lyes so solemnly upon him he is ever after a sober man and this no doubt is not likely onely but very frequent to natural conscience working on most such particular and temporary conversions Now I pray Sir what thinke you of such a fruit as this Would you dislike your Somes comming to the Sacrament or blesse God for it 7 The acting or exercise of common grace and endeavouring to doe what a man can is another good step forwards towards Conversion But the Sacrament which is for the exercise of Faith Love Repentance Thankfulnesse as special graces in the Regenerate is the means to exercise the like common grace in the Unregenerate Ergo. For my part I judge it good still for a Christian to be doing and whether he be effectually converted or no yet hath he cause and ground sufficient to love Christ and be thankfull to mourne for sinne and to doe well He hath besides a knowledge affections and some ability to doe it in some manner though not as sincerely as he ought And as I said of the Promises I will say of Gods acceptance there is a kinde of halfe acceptance or rather a comparative acceptance so I will chuse to expresse it God accepts comparatively of such actings of the heart toward him and waiting in his wayes though a man be unregenerate to wit in comparison of a total omission or neglect thereof 8 The solemne engagement of the soule unto Christ upon his termes to relye upon him as a Saviour and submit to his government as the former were steps is a means of a full and effectual closing with him if Gods Spirit shall be pleased to act with it But actual receiving is a means for engagement of the soule to the conditions of the Covenant or the termes of Christ which a man may binde himselfe to before he hath performed even as Souldiers servants and all relations do list agree and oblige themselves to their services and duties and stand to them after Ergo. Here I thinke most Christians know by their owne spirits that they have very good resolutions at some times that make them fit for the present against all doubt and yet finde often they come to nothing Now what can more conduce under the word when we have some purposes of leaving sinne and assent to the termes of Christ to beget a full consent of heart and make them serious then the obligation of this Ordinance A penny in earnest bindes some men more then twenty promises 9 That which can beget more degrees of the same grace can beget the first grace unlesse these degrees are begotten some other way then that is But all grace first and
be performed A man must come and he must come worthily the case is the same as in all Ordinances there is the substance of a duty and the manner of performance If the manner be evil it must be amended and the matter still must be done He has three Objections page 181 182 183. 1. How assuredly doth Mr. H. make that the principle duty which is the carkasse and forme onely Answ Methinks Mr. D. should not speake so lightly of Christs owne words Do this who dares not know Doe this includes matter and manner to wit in faith love thankfulnesse as wee ought and if this be not the principal duty to which self-examination is subservient let all judge Even as the Feast though it lasts but an hour is the principal the whole week of preparation accessory to it As for his words then that follow they are but a pen full of inke spartled in my face while his peevish spirit like a troubled sea is still casting up mire and dirt 2 True He that is bound to come is bound to come worthily but he that is bound to come worthily is not bound to come absolutely Answ I know not how he may straine the word absolutely but I say a Church-member is as absolutely bound to come hither as so pray and heare as the Apostle sayes Let a man so eat Christ sayes Take heed how you hear so pray and so give almes But are they therefore ever the lesse absolute duties There is no doubt but the manner as well as the matter comes under the same absolute command so that a man is bound I say still to come and come worthily and both absolutely though not Ad semper to either And therefore whereas he askes p. 178. Every man is to examine himselfe and so to eat but where is it said absolutely Let every man eat It may suffice him that Christ sayes expresly and absolutely to all present Let every one drinke Doe this Drinke you all of it But let me aske him again Where doth the Scripture say any where Let a man not eat or not drinke where doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so signifie not As for his instances then about Legal purifications they are answered in their place They may serve to be alluded to if he will for pressing preparation but ought not to be made any ground to omit duty because no legal uncleannesse could have excused a man from Gods service but that it had an expresse law for it which if Mr. D. can produce here we shall yeeld to him 3 Sinful unpreparednesse will not exouse a man from guilt but it will excuse him from receiving Answ I judge this must be taken very warily so far onely as a man may in Christian prudence dispense with affirmative precepts for his soules better advantage Provided his abstinence serves to humble him and put him upon greater eare to prepare for the next Sacrament as hee cautions well over the leaf and if it will not otherwise this may silence himselfe Page 184. He comes to my three Queries The first is Whether the very receiving be a sin incurring damnation in him that is unworthy and here I carefully distinguish between the very receiving which is a mans duty and the unworthinesse which makes the sinne onely This unworthinesse is either in the person which will condemne him nevertholesse for his staying away and therefore I judge hee should rather come and condemne it Or in the Act herein is the matter which is good and the manner which is amisse Now the sayling in the manner of a duty I must still inculcate doth not abrogate the matter If Mr. D. can keep an unregenerate man from the obliquity in the manner and yet let him doe the matter I shall like him but he may not cause him to neglect that which is his duty in the substance to avoid evill in the performance Our disobedience is total in not doing but onely partial in doing it otherwise then we ought Indeed Mr. D. sayes here these cannot bee distinguished There is no sinful act but notionally you may abstract sinfulnesse from it but really you cannot when it comes to bee acted Answ Let him remember if hee cannot distinguish Receiving and unworthy Receiving then can he not distinguish Hearing and unworthy Hearing Praying and unworthy Praying And if he cannot really and not notionally only sever these how can he make them means of grace Can sinne be a means of grace Can that which is a cause of death be a means of life If hee say it may be an accidental occasion it is true but it must be intentionally a means with him seeing he tells us A man may hear and pray unworthily page 186. there is a sinful act which cannot hee sayes be abstracted really in the duty from the sinne yet be converted by it there it is a means of grace and instituted for it I thinke this must be a plaine conviction upon Mr. D. 1 Hearing and Praying are means of conversion 2 To heare and pray unworthily is a sinne 3 Yet must a man heare and pray neverthelesse 4 Sinne cannot be a means of grace 5 A man must not doe evill for any good effect Now if you can abstract really in no sinful act the sinfumesse from it when it comes to be acted 1 Then must sinne be a means of conversion 2 Then must it be our duty to sinne 3 Then must we contradict St. Paul and say a man may doe evill that good may come of it As for what he farther addes A man is not bound to receive till he be Evangelically worthy but is prohibited in statu quo I desire him to shew me that prohibition which is indeed Mr. Drakes eleventh Commandement that makes all his strength being without the support of any Text to become but as a bowing wall and tottering fence My second Query is whether receiving unworthily is other wayes damnable then hearing and praying unworthily and if it be not why should not we receive still as pray and heare He answers It is otherwise damnable 1 Because not a universal duty where he brings in Infants the eighteenth time 2 Not converting Ans 1 This is untrue for as to every intelligent member it is an universal duty and a means of conversion 2 It is vaine and grossely inconsequent for There are some duties belong onely to men in such and such relations Is the neglect hereof ever the lesse damnable because they are not universal Again A natural man cannot convert himselfe by his moral works are his sinnes therefore ever the less sinful As the precept onely is that which makes an action to bee good so it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Transgression alone not any thing else makes it damnable My third Query is Whether an unregenerate man must never come to the Sacrament Mr. D. holds he must never because in will not convert him I hold the case is still the same with the word and
and soon contemned which should indeed bee ever administred for this very respect with the greatest dreadfulnesse rarity and solemnity 2 Separation from wicked men as to their persons may be considered simplicitèr or secundum quid as it is considered simply or absolutely it is not a duty for a man may go into the company of evill persons upon his necessary businesse and as Christ himselfe did to admonish and do them good But as it is taken secundum quid or Relatively in respect of such or such an end so is it our duty Now that end either respects our selves or them That which respects our selves is to avoid their sinnes or not to partake thereof by acting with them infection connivance or the like And This respect does alwayes binde so that in such case as we must needs partake of their sins we are undoubtedly to avoid them That which respects them is to bring them to repentance by shaming them c. Hereupon it will follow that if any man goes to avoid his brother in Gods Ordinances unlesse it be to this end his separation is evill the reason being plaine because as I am bound to avoid the least partaking of anothers sinnes so am I bound to the greatest partaking with him in duty and though I must separate from him in civil familiarity I mean common and unnecessary where I have my liberty and not else 1 Cor. 7. 13 14. unlesse it be to exhort and edifie him Yet may I not in sacred society and the service of God which is both his and my duty unlesse he be excommunicate I pray note this Separation I say is either from civill society alone or from Sacred and Civill both In the first I am to withdraw from every one that walketh disorderly yet with prudence and complaine of him But the second is proper to Church-censure before which my withdrawing from him in publick duty is not like to be any means of bringing the man to repentance but rather to harden him and therefore to speak freely I fear it is but a likely sinne to withdraw from others at the Sacrament before Excommunication P. 204. He comes to my wishes which he is pleased to approve engage me to him before he parts with two passages The first is Page 205. where he tells me he hath made me an object of fraternal correption and hopes I am in a fair way to be mended by his admonition Answ Had the man been longer a Divine or a little more modest in the spirit of meeknes words of sobriety he could have managed his cause with me I think so far as I know of my own spirit that I am so conselous of my owne weakness and afraid to offend others that I should have been more ready to a submission then dissertation could it have stood with any face of truth and ingenuity but when I see how his whole book is carried with such a high conceit of himselfe and interest so much contempt of me bitterness of language passion and incontinency truly it is a great argument to me and inward support against his opinion that the Lord doth not approve it or at least intends not to succeed it If it had been the minde of Christ it is more likely he would have humbled his heart and suited him a spirit fit to have declared that minde to us But now hath his temper betrayed his cause now are his Arguments little besides prejudice now are his instructions but briars and thorns with which he goes to teach me only as Gideon taught the men of Succoth Now are these admonitions which should come from him as a brother but the bitter insultations of an adversary which must make me answer him in the words of Micha 7.8 9. Rejoyce not against me Oh mine enemy when I fall I shall rise when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he plead my cause for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousnesse The second is Page 206. How justly may be at last be looked at as a Weed by our great Husbandman who will cherish Weeds c. Methinks it were enough for Mr. D. to have passed a suspension on me in the beginning of his Book he needed not have prosecuted it to the end and even to the last judgement It is not for him to take the Tribunal and condemn me for a Weed at the great day I desire God that this mans rashness may teach me to consider his righteous Judgement that I may sanctifie him in my heart and make him my fear and my dread so shall I reap the benefit of his censure without the guilt of it I must humbly acknowledge if the Lord should deal with mee according to my deserts he might indeed justly look at me as a Weed and condemne me for ever But enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord but take occasion by this mans judgement to forgive me and him for thou seest how some mens piety out-runs their charity and their over-eager zeale like Moses breaks the Tables And though he would have me suspended from the favour of thy people doe not thou suspend him or me from a fellowship in thy mercies and while he is ready to shut up the bosome of the Church against me as if it could no hold me and him let me be assured that Abrahamt bosome stands wide enough open to receive both me and my opposer I could have heartily wished Mr. D. had so carried his business that I might rather have reverenced his judgement and yeelded to his piety then be forced to shew him his weakness which yet may serve to abate his imperiousness and some weariness in the Reader For my part I shall prepare my selfe to expect from him nothing but the dregs of his former bitternesse and that many godly men will speak evill of my Booke though they shall receive a relaxation and support by it I shall be contented to let them speake evill of me so long as they receive good by me onely I shall desire them that they will be ready to propagate what they finde in me may doe good as I shall be ready to retract what I am convinced is amisse But let them not reject all if they dislike some Even as when the new wine is in the cluster and one saith Destroy it not for a blessing is in it There is these foure things for which I must demand some Texts of Scripture if any will answer me by which the world may judge of their satisfaction 1 Where visible worthiness upon triall is the rule of admission to the Sacrament 2 Where they finde suspension as distinct from Excommunication 3 Where the unregenerate are forbid to receive the Sacrament 4 Where this difference is advanced between the Sacrament and other Ordinances that herein it is better to omit the matter and manner both then to doe the matter if the manner bee not done as they ought which is directly contrary to all other duty And now if Master Drake shall have need to write againe as I beleeve nature will worke and his spirit cannot hold I shall desire him if he will goe to vent that superfluity of maliciousnesse which yet he ought to lay apart to take along with him that Text of Dent. 23.13 Thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon and it shall bee when thou shalt goe to ease thy selfe abroad thou shalt dig therewith and shalt turne back and cover that thing which commeth from thee for this froward language and bitter spirit hath no good savour in the holy Campe but is an uncleane thing that ought not to be seen amongst Gods people He concludes Page 207.209 with a Scruple to the Reader and tells us hee hath done with Mr. Humfrey Ans Thus Hiram hath finished the worke he had to doe the Pots and the Shovels and the Basins the Pillars and the Pommels and the Chapiters and the wreaths to cover the Pommels of the Chapiters on the top of the Pillars FINIS READER The absence of the Author must excuse the Errors of the Presse of which these are apart Page 84. line 12. read Ministers p. 115. l. 13. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 179. l. 5. r. other p. ibid. l. 7 r. are the same p. 181. l. 18. for never r. near p. 191. l. 26. r. I give place p. 217. l. 6. for out r. of
it by the Agent that doth it here the Action is not to be omitted but the Agent to be reformed For Mr. D's answers here they are trifles p. 75 76 77. 1 He brings in Infants again which is the ninth time and he is confident to extricate himself by the same gaâ— But he is a little mistaken for I have put him in two such thorns that he shall sooner prick himself to the bone than fairly get out of it 2 He says six parts of time are common yet not the seventh 3 He says on 4 He is very fine The whole Ordinances he distinguishes into parts they are not applicable universally and so the Sacrament Where if the man be serious I answer 1. Mr. D. must not part those actions Christ has joyned 2 Moses makes no doubt of applying the Covenant universally to the people and it is in my mind that that passage may do much 3 The Word it self or covenant is applicable to all in the whole parts of it uppon its own terms that is conditionally 4 If this will not serve Take but the language of the Covenant aright Mar. 16.16 Here is Christ If thou truly acceptst of him thou shalt be saved If thou do not the Word declares and the Sacrament seals to thee unlesse thou repentest thou shalt perish and then all the difficulty is over and our scruples done P. 78. If doe this be universal leaving those two other things like the rest then it were a sin to perswade any to forbear though a Zimri Actually drunk c. Ans 1. His instances are ipso jure Excommunicate 2 As Christ says Doe this Paul says Put away from you such a person We do not deny from Christs universal Pauls exception 3 Though there is no occasion that may make us commit a sinne yet are there many occasions sometimes of forbearing a duty A man may leave his gift at the altar and go and be reconciled but he must not take away his gift from the altar The businesse may be deferred that must not be wholly left undone If I know my brother evil I think I may admonish him to repentance and give him instructions of preparing himself better against next Sacrament so long as I do but bind the obligation more on him but if I advise him upon such reasons as will wholly keep him away my advise is evil Affirmative precepts do bind universally as well as Negative but not ad semper against all occasions I may in prudence I think advise my brother of such an occasion for the advantage of his soul but if I tell him it is not his duty I make my self Lord over Gods command As the Church has alwayes attributed much unto prudence in the ordering this solemnity especially as to her more seldom and frequent administring so may her Members happily take some example as to their receiving Forbearance on necessary Numb 9.10 or pious grounds Matt. 5.23 reaches but to the ad semper and may be lawfull but for to hold it is not a mans duty while unregenerate this reaches the semper and looses the bands of Gods command Let this zealous man take heed it be not laid to his charge I will adde If the man be carelesse and regards not his comming but being conscious of his evil life he thinks he shall eat his damnanation and so layes it by which is the case of thousands I think we are here to set our faces against such and to let them know that it is not mans wickednesse can void or annihilate the authority of Christ so that they are still for to come and the obligation lies on them to apply the Covenant for their repentance O my vile soul why doest thou fly This shews the guilt that is on thy conscience and wouldst thou hide thine own eys from it Come man and see what thou hast done Here is Christs blood which thou dost shed with thy transgressions and will not this melt thee See how the corps doth as it were bleed at the presence of the Murderer and will it not melt thee if it does not it shall rise up against thee Behold here is sealed to thee eternal condemnation unlesse thou repentest and sincerely comest in to Iesus Christ Lay it well to heart man and think on it there is no way besides left thee for to escape it Pag. ibid. He grants though an unregenerate man sins in all his duties yet must he do them But sayes There is not par ratio in order to receiving 1. Because it is not his duty,2 It cannot convert him Ans The former of these I have spoken to all this while and shall thus enforce it If the Sacrament be not the duty of an unregenerate man then must regeneration be a qualification required in the precept as necessary to receiving and so be essentially antecedent to the Sacraments but regeneration is not essentially antecedent to the Sacraments For 1. Then Baptism was not administred validly and according to rule to many by the Apostle Acts 8.13 Iohn 6.66 with Iohn 4.1 Acts 20.30.2 Then such as were baptized before they were regenerate supposing they came to be afterwards regenerate were to be baptized again because their former baptism had not its essentials 3 Then can no man administer either Sacrament to any but himself for he cannot act in faith seeing he is not sure others have the essentials 4 Then can no doubting Christian himself receive for he cannot act in faith so long as he is not fully perswaded of his own regeneration The truth is then though regeneration is a qualification necessary to the receiver in regard of other ends to wit for the obtaining the entire benefits of the Covenant sealed yet not absolutely necessary to receiving Even as saving faith is necessary to the hearers of the Word for the obtaining the effectual benefit of salvation yet not absolutely pre-requisite to hearing for faith may come by it If it be an evil to set up our posts with Gods posts what is it to remove Gods posts to set up our own The Lord Iesus says plainly Drink ye all of it but Mr. D. says No It is not every mans duty The second follows necessarily upon this if it be every Church members duty of age as Mr. Perkins and Divines commonly tell us then it may tend to his good as sure as all Gods Commandements are good and if it does him not good it will be his sin For my part I am very sorry to see how men for the sake of this are forc'd upon it to deny the other When Christ says Believe there goes a power with his precept as when he said Lazarus Come forth Else it were vain for us Ministers to act that are but earthen instruments And shall Christ say Take and we make nothing of it Is this it men so earnestly contend for to make the word of Christ an empty word as if it could not quicken us Alas Sirs this is nothing