good I can to any of you And truly neighbour Simon I was sorry you went away the other day in such a discontented manner for I should have beene glad if you had tarried longer that wee might have had further conference together Sim. Sir I thanke you it may be we may have further conference together about those things before we part but first of all I pray you hearken to our neighbour Alexander for he hath somewhat to say unto you Min. Come neer neighbour Alexander and tell me what you have to say unto me Alex. Sir I do acknowledge that as my neighbour Simon hath said I am a very ignorant man and am now and then subject to drinke more then I should doe and to sweare now and then an Oath when I am vexed but I am sory for it afterwards Now Sir I doe desire to know the reason why I for all this may not be admitted unto the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Min. Because you being an ignorant and sinfull man must needs be an unbeleeving man and the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was not instituted and ordained for any unbeleever Alex. But Sir though I be as I have confessed an ignorant and sinfull man yet I hope I am a beleeving man for all that Min. No no that cannot be Alex. Why Sir I pray you is every ignorant and sinfull man an unbeleever Min. No not so neither for there is a twofold Ignorance and a twofold sinfulnesse that is to say there is an ignorance and sinfulnesse in part and an ignorance and sinfulnesse in whole now a man may be ignorant in part and yet have true faith in Christ for the Apostle saith concerning himselfe and other true beleevers We know but in part 1 Cor. 13. 9. yea and a man may be also sinfull in part and yet be a true beleever witnesse the same Apostle when hee saith Rom. 7. 23. I finde a law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and bringing mee into captivity to the law of sinne But if a man bee wholly ignorant of Jesus Christ and of himselfe and of the Sacrament as for ought I yet perceive you are and wholly sinfull as by your own confession it appears you are then it is impossible hee should have true faith in Christ Alex. But Sir I hope I am not wholly ignorant of Jesus Christ nor of my selfe nor of the Sacrament Min. Well because you say so I pray you give me leave to aske you two or three questions and first of all I pray you tell mee what is Jesus Christ Alex. Why he is Gods onely Sonne who was conceived by the holy Ghost and borne of the Virgin Mary Min. But the Scripture saith That GOD hath more sonnes then one as it is written Galat. 3. 26. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus why doe you then say That Christ is Gods onely Sonne Alex. Why I say so because it is so set downe in the Apostles Creed which I am sure I say many a time and often and if it be not true me thinks the Apostles of Christ should not have so set it downe Min. And what is the holy Ghost which you say Christ was conceived by Alex. Why truly Sir the Holy Ghost I think is that good Spirit whereby we are guided and ruled when we live and walke according to Gods will and Commandments Min. And why was Christ conceived by the Holy Ghost Alex. Beleeve me Sir that is too hard a question for me to answer and it would trouble a man that hath much more knowledge then I to answer aright Min. And why do you say that Christ was borne of the Virgin Mary Alex. Why I say so because it is so said in my Creed Min. But why was it meet that he should bee borne of a Virgin rather then of another woman Alex. Truly Sir I know no other reason then that I am perswaded it was the will of God it should be so Min. Well you confesse you are a sinner therefore I pray you tell me how you came to be a sinner Alex. Why by yeelding to the Devils tentations and mine own wicked and corrupt heart as other sinners do I thinke Min. But was you born a sinner Alex. Yea I was shapen in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceive me Min. And was you a sinner when you were first created in Adam Alex. Yea surely or else how could I be borne a sinner Min. And what doe you beleeve that Christ hath done for you Alex. Why I do verily beleeve that he died for me Min. But what warrant have you to beleeve that Christ died for you Alex. Why Christ died for sinners and I am a sinner and therefore I doe beleeve that he died for me Min. And do you think that Christ died for all men Alex. Yea indeed if he died for sinners I thinke he must needs die for all men for wee are all sinners Mi. Do you then beleeve that all men shall be saved Alex. No indeed I am not so simple to think that all men shall be saved for as I doe beleeve there is a Heaven for some so do I beleeve there is a Hell for others Min. Why do you then thinke that Christ died in vaine for them that are not saved Alex. No surely I dare not think so Min. But if he died to save them and they bee not saved must it not needs follow that he died for them in vaine Alex. Truly Sir I cannot tell how to answer that it is too hard a question and therefore I pray you aske mee no more such Min. Well then I pray you tell me what is a Sacrament Alex. Why a Sacrament is the Lords Supper Min. And why do you desire to come to the Lords Supper Alex. That I might there worship and serve the Lord. Min. Well neighbour Alexander I might aske you many other questions touching these points but your Answers to these I have already asked you are sufficient to prove that you are wholly ignorant of Christ of your selfe and of the Sacrament for though some of your answers be true yet as wee use to say As good never a whit as never the better Alex. But Sir for ought I see those that have most knowledge in Religion and can talke best of it are as bad in their lives as they that are most ignorant and therefore if I have but a good heart and a good minde as I doubt not but I have I hope I shall doe as well at the last as if I could talke and prate more Min. I but whatsoever you thinke of your selfe and whatever your hopes are the Lord tells you Prov. 19. 2. That without knowledge the heart or minde is not good and although it be possible that a man of great knowledge may have an evill heart of unbeleefe and so perish yet it is without all question that hee who hath no knowledge hath an evil
2 Cor. 12. 9. perfect through weakenesse And though thou be a discenting brother from that Church-way which the Title Page hath told thee it holds forth yet let not that hinder thee from perusing of it for I doe assure thee there is more matter in it concerning Christian Doctrine then there is concerning Church Discipline so that although it may not please thee the one way yet if thou be a Christian it may please thee the other way But if thou hast such a proud censorious heart as doth either hinder thee from reading it or else from receiving any benefit by it yet if it bring any little increase either of sound knowledge or sweet feeling in the mysteries of Christ to any of the Israel of God that is of an humble spirit as blessed be God I have beene informed my Marrow of moderne Divinity hath done to many I have my reward and shall desire to magnifie the name of the Lord for making use of such a weake instrument as I am E. F. A Table of the principall matters contained in this Dialogue THere is an ignorance and sinfulnesse in part and an ignorance and sinfulnesse in whole 6 The tryall of one that is wholly ignorant 8 The tryall of a man that is wholy sin 〈…〉 â—â— A kind of striving against sinne in a man that is wholly sinfull 18 The different striving that is in a man who is wholly sinfull and a man that is in part sinfull 21 There is no true faith in a man wholly ignorant and wholly sinfull 25 One that hath not true faith ought not to partake of the Sacrament of the Lords supper 26 The danger of receiving the sacrament without faith 33 The exhortation of the a Apostle 1 Cor. 11 28. Let a man examine himselfe doth not exclude his examination by another 47 Not easily determined whether a man be fit to partake of the sacrament or no. 49 T is lawfull and needfull for a man before he receive the sacrament to goe to bee examined before the Eldership 50 T is lawfull and needfull for the Elders to ioyne with the Minister in the businesse of examination 54 Description of the Elderships examining all that come before them 68. 149 T is not meet for every member of the Church to have an equall authority with the Eldership 58 A man of great knowledge and righteous conversation may be unfit to be admitted to the sacrament 61 The life of civility described 77 The life of rationall and religious formality described 82 God justifieth the ungodly 88 God maketh a man just before he do pronounce him just 89 How God maketh a man just 91 Why or in what sence a man is said to be justified by faith ibid. The act of God in pronouncing a man just what it is 95 Where righteousnesse of justification is imputed righteousnesse of sanctification is infused 97 How the righteousnesse of justification and the righteousnesse of sanctification doe differ 99 Two sorts of professors doe confound this twofold righteousnesse 103 There is both a faith and a godlinesse of a mans owne aquiring 121 If a man hath not both the righteousnesse of justification and the righteousnesse of sanctification he hath neither of them 122 How a man may know that he hath them both 124 A man may in word and judgement renounce his rwne righteousnesse in the case of justification and yet not do so in heart and conscience 133 Signes of a mans putting confidence in his owne righteousnesse 137 No cause why any man should either desire to go or continue in that way which for distinctions sake is called the independent way 164 No perfect platforme of Church-Government to be found in the new Testament said a godly Minister in the pulpit 166 A gracious answer lately given by old Mr. Dod to one that came to aske him a circumstantiall question 170 The heginning of conference with Mathias an humble penitent 171 How he was first moved to minde the best things 178 The Lord doth first give faith to beleeve the pardon of sinne before he give power against sinne 181 The Lord pardoneth sinne absolutely and not conditionally 184 To beleeve the pardon of sinne is the way to get power against sinne 185 The Lord doth first pardon sinne and then he subdues it 189 A true feare of Gods displeasure works a separation betwixt the heart and sinne 192 A desire to beleeve is faith indeed 196 The difference betwixt naturall desires and supernaturall 199 A true evidence of a sound minde 205 How to understand these words Worthy and Vnworthy 214 Christ neither accepts any for greatnesse of parts nor refuseth any for weaknesse of parts 227 Though there can be no faith where there is no knowledge yet may there be a great measure of knowledge where there is no faith 129 It is the kinde of faith that fits a man to the Sacrament and not the measure 231 It is not a sight and sense of knowledge nor faith nor repentance nor love nor obedience that makes a man worthy to come to the Sacrament but rather an hungring and thirsting appetite after Christ arising from a sight and sense of the want of such things 235 The wedding garment what it is 236 Why the Lords supper was instituted and ordained 240 What meditations we ought to have at the Lords Table 244 The reason why we are to receive the sacrament of the Lords supper often though baptized but once 254 Much good gotten by the right receiving of the Lordt supper 261 He that is unfit to receive the sacrament sinneth whether he receive it or not ibid. What be the hinderances that keepe many from the sacrament 263 How to become poore in spirit 267 LONDONS Gate TO The Lords Table Interlocutors A Minister of the Gospell Alexander an ignorant prophane man Simon a proud Professor And Matthias a weak yet true Beleever Simon SIr when I parted with you the other day I did not think to have come unto you so soon againe but indeed having better considered of it I see I was somewhat deceived in our neighbour Zacheus for the truth is he answered you better then I had thought hee could have done But yet here is another neighbor of ours in whom I am sure I am not deceived for all that have any acquaintance with him and have any knowledge in Religion do conclude that hee is a very simple ignorant man and a bad liver and yet he saith That he hopes the Lord would be mercifull unto him and forgive him his sinnes if hee should come to the Sacrament And he telling me that he was going to your house to speake with you about it I was willing to come along with him to see if you would judge him also fit to partake of that holy Ordinance and our neighbour Matthias hath thought good to come along with us to heare our discourse Min. You be all of you very welcome to me and I shall be very willing to doe any
heart of unbeleefe and therefore shall perish as it is written Hos 3. 6. My people perish for want of knowledge Alex. And Sir do you also thinke that I am wholly sinfull Min. Yea indeed do I for an ignorant heart is alwayes a sinfull heart and a man without knowledge is alwayes a man without grace Alex. But Sir when you say I am wholly sinfull I pray you tell me what you meane for I do not well understand you Min. Why I meane you are wholly given over to sinne you commit sinne with greedinesse without any strife in your will and affections against it you love sinne and delight in the committing of it Alex. Nay now Sir I see you are deceived in me for I thanke God I doe strive against my sins and would faine leave off my sinfull courses and as the saying is My Spirit is willing but my Flesh is weake The Lord bee mercifull unto mee and forgive me all my sinnes as I hope he will Min. But what is your meaning when you say You doe strive against your sinnes and would faine leave them Alex. Why my meaning is That when I am overcome by drinking too much and do thereupon fall to cursing and swearing quarrelling and some other sinnes when I come to my selfe againe and have considered what I have said and done I am much vexed at my selfe and wish from my heart that I had never done so yea and I have many a time resolved never to do the like againe and yet by occasion of going into the company of some men with whom I have some dealing who are too subject to that vice though otherwise very honest faire conditioned men and also by reason of mine own naturall inclination to those sinnes I am now and then overcome and so commit the like sinnes againe Min. And what hath beene the reason of this your striving against your sinnes as you call it Alex. Why truly Sir it hath been because I have considered that in so doing I have mis-spent my time and my money and have disgraced my selfe and endangered the salvation of mine owne soule if the Lord were not the more mercifull Min. Surely it appears to me that all this striving hath beene onely betwixt your Judgement and Affections or betwixt your Conscience your Lusts You doe in your Judgement conceive these courses to be evill because of the evill effects that follow them and therefore your conscience tells you that you do evil in cōmitting them and you thinke it were good for you to leave them because of the punishment that follows or is like to follow upon the committing of them but your Affections and Lusts do like and approve of them and therefore doe prevaile with you to act and commit them and in the committing of them you take great delight so that I say this your striving against sinne is nothing but Conscience and Lusts by the ears together which striving Herod Balaam and Pilate had within them and so may the vilest Reprobate in the world have But all this while there is no strife in you betwixt will and will nor betwixt Affection and Affection as there is in every true Beleever for he having the Spirit of Christ within him is a regenerate man and in part renewed and therefore the strife that is in him is betwixt the Flesh and the Spirit betwixt the regenerate part and the unregenerate part and it is against sinne as it is sinne and hated and loathed by him and therefore assure your selfe that notwithstanding all your striving you are wholly sinfull Sim. But stay a little I pray Sir this your speech seemeth to imply as though a true Beleever might commit the like grosse sinnes that he doth and that there were no other difference betwixt him and a true Beleever in the point of sinning but onely this different striving Min. But assure your selfe neighbour Simon that my meaning is not so for I doe fully agree with that worthy man of God who saith That a true Repentant and that is a true Beleever forsakes all sinne in affection and all grosse sinne in action and therefore I pray you neighbour Alexander consider of it for this doth more fully prove that you are wholly sinfull as well as wholly ignorant Alex. Well Sir though I be wholly ignorant and wholly sinfull as you say yet would I faine know the reason why I may not have true faith in Christ for all that Min. The reason why there can be no true faith in Christ when a man is wholly ignorant of him is because it is the nature of faith to beleeve that which it knoweth so that wheresoever there is no true knowledge of Christ there can be no true faith in Christ and therefore Reynolds on the Sacraments p. 138. Christ himselfe makes the knowledge of him all one with beleefe in him Joh. 17. 3. And the reason why there can be no true faith in Christ when a man is wholly sinfull is because holinesse of life and conversation is an unseperable companion and fruit of faith for faith purifieth the heart Acts 15. 9. and faith worketh by love Gal. 5. 6. Alex. Well Sir suppose I have no true faith in Christ and so be an unbeleever as you say Yet why was not the Sacrament of the Lords Supper instituted and ordained for unbeleevers as well as for beleevers Min. The reason is because the Sacrament of the Lords Supper being not the Sacrament of Regeneration but of sustentation and nourishment Christ did not institute and ordaine it for the regenerating or converting of any man nor for the breeding of grace in him but for the strengthning of the regenerate man that is borne againe and for the nourishment of grace already bred and begun in him so that indeed the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is childrens bread even the bread of Gods children that are borne againe not of corruptible 1 Pet. 1. 23 seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever and therefore it is not to bee given unto dogs yea it is spirituall food ordained for spiritually living men and therefore it is not to bee put into the mouthes of spiritually dead men but into the soules of spiritually living men and a man is made a sonne of God onely by faith in Christ as it is written Joh. 1. 12. To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that beleeve on his Name And so Gal. 3. 16. Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus yea it is faith that quickens a man and maks him spiritually alive according to that of the Apostle Gal. 2. 20. I live by the faith of the Son of God Furthermore the Sacrament is the Seale of a Covenant Rom. 4. 11. and Covenants essentially include conditions and the condition on our part is Faith so that where there is no Faith there is no
Well Sir I doe perceive by that which you said to me the other day and by your words to me now that you are somewhat jealous of me though I hope there is no cause but Sir may not both you and the Elders be deceived in a man though you doe examine him either in thinking a man hath faith in Christ when he hath not or in thinking he hath no faith when he hath Min. Yea indeed I thinke it is possible that we may be deceived both wayes for we have none of us the spirit of infalibility Sim. Why then Sir me thinkes it should be in vaine for a man to come before you to be examined Min. No not so neither for though it be possible that we may be deceived yet considering the course that we take in our way of examining I hope we are seldome deceived if at all Sim. Why Sir I pray tell me what course you take Min. Why when any one commeth before us to be examined we first of all desire him either to make some briefe Confession of his faith or else to answer us some Questions which we shall propound unto him and if a man give us satisfaction concerning his knowledge of Christ of himselfe and of the Sacrament then we aske him what evidences he can shew of his Conversion or New Birth and so consequently of his true faith in Christ and if he also give us satisfaction therein then if we know not his life and conversation we make inquiry of it and when we have satisfaction touching that also we doe admit him to the Sacrament Sim. Surely Sir I doe like this very well and therefore because you seeme to question whether I have true faith in Christ or no I am contented now I am here to give you leave to examine me if you thinke good to take the paines Min. Yea indeed I am very willing to doe it for your good and therefore I pray you in the first place tell me Who made the world and all things therein Sim. God Min. And what is God Sim. God is a most holy Spirit infinite and eternall Min. And how many Gods be there Sim. There is but only one true God distinguished into three Persons Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Min. And in what an estate did God create man at the first Sim. He created him holy and righteous Min. And did man continue in that holy righteous estate Sim. O no he fell from it by breaking of Gods expresse Commandment in eating of the forbidden fruit Min. And was the first man onely guilty of that sinne Sim. O no all Mankinde did also become guilty in that they were all of them then in his Loynes yea they are not onely become guilty by having his sinne imputed unto them but they are also become filthy by having his corruption infused into them Min. And what punishment are all Mankind made liable and subject unto by reason of their guiltinesse and filthinesse Sim. Even to eternall death and damnation in Hell fire Min. And shall all Mankinde then partake of that punishment Sim. O no for God hath from all Eternity elected and chosen some to eternall life and glory and all those shall certainely be saved Sim. And by what meanes shall they be saved Sim. Onely by Jesus Christ Min. And what is Jesus Christ Sim. He is the eternall Son of God who in time became Man for his Elect. Min. And what hath Christ done for their Salvation Sim. He hath fulfilled the Law and suffered death for them Min. And by what meanes are the elect made partakers thereof Sim. Onely by meanes of faith Min. And what is faith Sim. It is a speciall gift and grace of God bestowed onely upon Gods elect and wrought in their hearts by the power of his Spirit whereby they doe receive and apply Christ unto themselves particularly Min. And what is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Sim. It is a signe or a seale wherein by the Ministers blessing and delivering of Bread and Wine according to the institution of Christ is signified exhibited and sealed to the faithfull Receiver the nourishment of the soule to eternall life by the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ crucified and so his further confirmation in the covenant of grace Min. And doe you intend to come before me and the Elders when we are together and so to be admitted to the Sacrament the next time it shall be administred Sim. I doe desire to partake of the Sacrament but I am not yet very willing to be examined any more Min. And why doe you desire to partake of the Sacrament Sim. Because I doe conceive it is a duty which God requireth at my hands and which tends much to the comfort and benefit of my soule Min. Well neighbour Simon I like all these answers well except it be the last how ever such answers as these though 't is true they are all fundamentalls yet if as they come from you they be rather Catechisticall then experimentall if they come onely from your head and not also from your heart it matters not greatly whether they had been better or worse for in a Catechisticall manner a man may answer better and yet want faith in Christ and he may not answer so well and yet have faith in Christ and therefore for a more sure Testimony of your faith in Christ I would pray you to let me heare what heart knowledge you have let me heare what Evidences you can shew for your Regeneration or new Birth Sim. Why truly Sir whilst I was a young man and unmarried I was very wilde and given to much vanity and many sinfull courses but when I came to be a married man I left them all and betooke my selfe to a very civill course of life dealing uprightly and justly with all men not doing the least wrong to any being very diligent in my Calling endeavouring thereby to get where withall to maintaine my selfe and my Family and to bring up my children in learning and good manners and to keepe my selfe out of debt and danger and to live in credit and fashion amongst my neighbours and though I say it my selfe I did so and had the love of all that knew me especially of the poorer sort for the truth is I was good to them and I was also very carefull to goe to the Church every Sabbath day and to see that my wife children and servants did the like and when we came home I did usually read a Chapter either before or after supper commanding my children and servants to doe the like and afterwards we used to sing a Psalm together and then I commonly went to Prayer with them though I must confesse I then did it upon a Booke and this course of life I led for the space of full seven yeeres together and now Sir before I goe any further I would intreat you to tell me what state and condition you thinke I was in at this time
truly have you ever gone to the Lord in prayer about your sins Mat. Yea indeed Sir I have of late divers times gone privately to prayer and have besought the Lord that he would be pleased for Jesus Christs sake to pardon my former sins and give me power to overcome my present corruptions but yet alas all in vaine for they doe still remaine with me Min. But doe you beleeve that your former sins are pardoned Mat. No surely Sir I cannot beleeve that so so long as my present corruptions doe still remaine unsubdued Min. Weepe not I pray you but consider that you have gone a wrong way to worke you would have your sinnes subdued before they be pardoned whereas the Lord doth first pardon sinne and then he gives power against sinne Mat. But Sir I have thought with my selfe that as when I was a childe and had by the committing of any fault displeased my Father he would at my intreating forgive me upon condition that I did so no more but if I committed the like fault againe then he would not forgive the former but reckon with me for them both even so I did conceive the Lord would deale with me Min. But did not you tell me that you did beseech the Lord to forgive you your sins for Christ Jesus sake Mat. Yea indeed Min. And why have you asked it for Christs sake Mat. Because he hath suffered death for my sinnes Min. And doe you noâ— beleeve that Christ by his death hath fully satisfied the Justice of God for all your sins Mat. Yea Sir I doe beleeve he hath Min. Why then doe you not beleeve that God for his satisfaction sake hath forgiven your sins Mat. Why Sir I doe beleeve it so long as I doe continue obedient unto God in doing his Will and not transgressing his Commandments Min. And can you not beleeve it any longer then you doe so Mat. No indeed Sir Min. Why then you doe not beleeve that God pardoneth your sins for Christs sake but for your owne sake not for Christs obedience sake but for your owne obedience sake Mat. Indeed Sir I cannot tell what to say to that Min. Well neighbour Mathias as you have besought the Lord to pardon and forgive you your sinnes for Christ Jesus sake doe so still but withall beleeve that he hath done so according to your Petition yea and that absolutely and not conditionally as you have done and answerably as you doe so you shall be sure to finde and feele your sinnes mortified and subdued doe but beleeve that you are washt by the Blood of Christ from the guilt of sinne and you shall be sure to finde that you are cleansed by the Blood of Christ from the filth of sinne let a man saith Doctor Preston but beleeve the On the new Cov. the promise of pardon in the Blood of Christ and the very beleeving the pardon will be able to cleanse his heart from dead workes for that faith which doth lay hold on Christ crucified saith another godly Divine doth Dyke on the Sacrâ—ment p. 292. fetch a Crucifying vertue from him whereby the body of corruption is enfeebled and weakned Mat. O but Sir I feare I shall not beleeve that my sins are pardoned so long as they remaine unsubdued Min. If you will not beleeve that your sins are pardoned till they are quite subdued then will you not beleeve it whilst you live for so long as you live here you shall finde and feele some remainders of sinfull corruptions unsubdued though you doe beleeve and if you doe not beleeve you shall not have them subdued at all by the sanctifying Spirit of Christ Indeed it is possible that after much striving against your corruptions in your owne strength you may see there is no strength in you to subdue them as you would and may thereupon goe unto Christ by Prayer for grace and power to leave sinne and doe better and so live upon Christ that you may live upon your selfe I say you may goe unto Christ for power to doe your worke that so you may earne your wages and it is possible you may hereupon grow in legall righteousnesse as the stony and thorny ground seed sprung up and increased much and came neare unto maturity and yet this not be the worke of the sanctifying Spirit of Jesus Christ wherefore I beseech you goe not this way to worke doe not seeke to have the righteousnesse of sanctification infused into you before you seeke to have the righteousnesse of Justification imputed unto you and so as much as in you lyeth to goe about to pervert the Lords owne order and method Doe you not remember how I told my neighbour Simon that the Lords order and method in justifying and sanctifying a sinner is First to justifie him by imputing the righteousnesse that is inherent in Christ unto him and enabling him to apprehend it by faith and then to sanctifie him by infusing of righteousnesse into him by his Spirit and this is the method which the Prophet Micah proclaimes by way of admiration saying Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy Here is the righteousnesse Micah 7. 18. of Justification and then in the next Verse he proclaimes the righteousnesse of Sanctification saying He will turne againe he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities c. And this method the Prophet David was well acquainted with and therefore in the first Verse of the 51. Psalme he beseeches the Lord According to the multitude of his mercies to blot out his transgressions and then in the tenth ver he saith Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Wherefore I beseech you againe and againe to acquit your selfe with this way and endeavour to goe on in it Mat. O Sir that I could doe so for surely I should thinke my selfe a happy man if the Lord would both pardon mine iniquities and subdue them for truly Sir I have lately had in my heart such a deale of feare terrour of the direfull displeasure of God and of Death and Hell for want of being assured that my sinnes are pardoned and I doe so hate loath and abhor those corruptions which are still in me that I verily thinke I shall never be quiet in my minde whilst they and I live together Min. Weep not I pray you except it be for joy for surely this feare is a worke of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus for ordinarily after conviction he lets into the hearts of his Elect such feares as these for although t is true there may be in a meare naturall man certaine naturall feares arising from the accusation of his naturall conscience yet they never affect his heart so as to worke a separation betwixt his heart and his sinnes but your feares doe so affect
is soundnesse of minde in thee if thy knowledge be sound though weake let it not discourage thee and there may be soundnesse of minde as well in a little knowledge as in much Mat. I Sir it is like that there may be so in others but how shall I be sure there is so in me Min. It is very cleare and evident to me that your knowledge is sound though weake and that you have a sound minde in that you know your selfe your nature and your sinnes and are thereupon humbled for unsound knowledge puffeth up 1 Cor. 8. 1. But your knowledge hath discovered to you your ignorance and so hath abased you in your owne eyes and cast you downe and therefore doubtlesse your minde is sound Mat. I but Sir I told you that I also feared that I was never yet truly humbled I pray you tell me what you say to that Min. And the reason why you feare it as you say is for that you have not renounced your owne righteousnesse Mat. Yea indeed Sir that is the reason of it Min. Why I pray you tell me truly have you any hopes to be justified or accepted in the sight of God for your owne performances Mat. Yea indeed Sir I told you that I have had hopes that if I sinned no more then the Lord would forgive my former sins and accept of me Min. But I doe not aske you what you have done formerly but what you doe now Mat. Why truly Sir you have this day made it so evident and cleare to me that it is onely the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ received by faith that procures acceptance in the sight of God that I see it is my onely way to beleeve on his name and as I told you I doe desire so to doe Mat. Then beleeve it you are truly humbled which is a very good and sure foundation and therefore you are like to erect a good and sure building though it may be it may not goe on so fast nor make so glorious a shew as some others doe Mat. But alas Sir I am so ashamed and troubled in my minde when I consider how farre other men doe out-strip me both in knowledge and other graces that I know not what to doe Min. But surely you have no cause at all to be troubled at that for it is to be feared there are some Professors that grow up quickly and flourish abundantly in a legall way they are not troubled with inward heart corruptions as other poore soules are they are full of parts gifts abilities and duties which others want and are very glorious Christians in outward appearance and yet for lack of an humble foundation they are but flittering fleeting motions windy conceptions whereas you or rather the Spirit of Christ in you hath laid such an humble foundation that questionlesse there shall be built upon it a gracious building composed of many Evangelicall Graces and therefore I pray you be not dismayed though you come farre short of many vaine glorious high-spirited Professors it is like the Lord sees though it may be you doe not that if you had such parts gifts and abilities which some others have and had not some sinfull corruptions in you which it may be others have not that then you would he lifted up above that which is meet and be kept in your selfe from Christ therefore it is the Lords glorious wisdome and gracious goodnesse to you to let some of your sinfull corruptions remaine in you especially to open your eyes to see them and to affect your heart with them and to let you come behinde others in gifts and parts that so your soule may sink in holy despaire of any helpe in your selfe and rest in nothing till it come to Christ Crucified and the eternall sweet promise in him howbeit this you may be assured of that if you be carefull to use the good meanes to this end appointed you shall have such a measure of faith and all other graces of the Spirit of Christ as shall be most fit for you Mat. O blessed be the Lord if this be true but I pray you Sir what are the meanes which you would have me to use Min. Why I meane hearing and reading the Word of God meditation prayer and receiving the Sacrament Mat. Why Sir I pray you doe you thinke me sit to come to the Sacrament Min. Yea indeed do I. Mat. Surely Sir I am altogether unworthy Min. And why doe you thinke your selfe unworthy Mat. Why because of my ignorance and sinfulnesse Min. Then belike you thinke that knowledge and righteousnesse makes a man worthy to come to the Sacrament Mat. Yes indeed Sir I have had such thoughts and therefore when I heard you question whether my neighbour Simon were worthy to be admitted to the Sacrament I did much admire at it for that I know he is a man of great knowledge and godly life but I doe much more admire that you should thinke me to be worthy Min. Indeed if wee were to understand these words worthy and unworthy by way of meriting and deserving then he in regard he hath more knowledge then you and it may be is more free from some inward corruptions then you and doth more frequently performe religious actions then you were more worthy then you but as I told him not long since we are not to understand words worthy and unworthy by way of meriting and deserving but by way of fitnesse and sutablenesse of disposition to receive Christ and taking them in this sence I say that your ignorance and sinfulnesse have occasionally through the working of GODS Spirit wrought in you such a fit and sutable disposition for the receiving of Christ that I doe pronounce you worthy to be admitted to the Lords Table Mat. O blessed be God if this be true but Sir I pray you what is this fit and sutable disposition which you say the Spirit of God hath by occasion of my ignorance and sinfulnesse wrought in me or wherein doth it consist Min. This fit and sutable disposition which the Spirit of God hath wrought in you consists in that sight and sence of your owne ignorant sinfull miserable and helplesse condition as hath made you see your need of Jesus Christ to be made unto you of God wisdome 1 Cor. 1. 30 righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Mat. But Sir I pray you how can such a disposition be said to make me worthy to be admitted to the Lords Table Min. Why even as we when we see a miserable poore hungry man that is senceable of his owne miserable and helplesse condition crave an Almes with earnest desire and intreating we doe conceive he is in a fit and sutable disposition to receive it and account him worthy to have an Almes bestowed upon him Even so when the Lord sees a man so sensible of his owne miserable and helplesse condition that he sees and feeles his need of Jesus Christ and therefore doth earnestly desire him
indeed growth in grace is a maine end and fruit of that Ordinance God thereby giving to every faithfull Receiver the Body and Blood of his Sonne Christ that by the Bread of his Flesh and the Wine of his Blood he may cause them to grow Mat. Well Sir this day hath beene a day of good tidings to me and surely Sir if the LORD have beene so mercifull unto me as you have declared then have I cause to magnifie and praise the name of the Lord as long as I live for bringing me hither this day to you surely if the Lord doe count me worthy to come to his Table and to receive Jesus Christ with all his rich endowments then may I truly say as I remember Hannah Samuels mother 1 Sam. 2. 8 said in her song He raiseth up the poore out of the dust and lifteth up the begger from the dunghill to set him among Princes and to make him inherit the throne of glory I little thought when I came hither with my neighbour Simon that I should bee found to be more fit and more worthy to be admitted to the Lords Table then he surely Sir if you had not proved it so plainly I should not have beleeved it Min. Assure your selfe neighbour Mathias that this day the words of the Apostle James are fulfilled concerning you two where he saith that God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble and so are the words of the Virgin Mary where she saith that God filleth the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away Mat. Sir I will now take my leave of you and truly I cannot tell how to expresse my thankfulnesse to you for the great paines you have taken with me this day the Lord in mercy make it profitable to me and recompence your paines to you an hundred fold and I beseech you Sir pray for me Min. Now the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God that your whole spirit and soule and 1 Thes 5. 23 24. body be preserved blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ faithfull is he he that calleth you who also will doe it Mat. The Lord be with you Sir Come neighbour Simon will not you goe along with me Sim. No I pray you be going before and I will come after you Mat. Well then I will also take my leave of you and I thanke you for suffering me to come along with you to this place where I have through the mercy of God received so much good Sim. Well but do not you now goe home and boast among our neighbours that Master M. hath found you fit to be admitted to the sacrament and me unfit Mat. No neighbour Simon I shall not do so for I know that if it be so it is the free mercy of the Lord towards mee and therefore I desire rather to speake to my owne soule and say unto it in the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 7. For who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou hast not received Now if thou hast received it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it And so the Lord be with you both Sim. Fare you well good neighbour Mathias Min. The Lord be with you good neighbour Sim. Well Sir I wish that I were fit to be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for I see there is much good to be gotten by the right receiving of it Min. Surely neighbour Simon if men did but know what good is to be obtained at the hands of the Lord by the right partaking thereof and what hurt doth come to a man by not receiving it aright they would not onely desire to come thereunto as indeed many doe though it is to be feared hand over head as we use to say not knowing what they doe but they would also endeavour to fit and prepare themselves thereunto and therefore no marvell though you do desire that you were fit to receive it aright Sim. Sir I doe perceive that he who is not fit to partake thereof is a miserable man whether he do receive it or not Min. He is so indeed for if he doe receive it being not fit he doth thereby commit the greatest sinne that is unpardonable and doth expose himselfe to the greatest misery that can befall a man either here or hereafter as you know I told my neighbour Alexander and if he receive it not then hee misseth and comes short of all that good which you know I told our neighbour Mathias comes to a man by means of the right receiving thereof O then what great care and paines ought men to take to fit and prepare themselves to partake of that Ordinance and how often should they frequent it being duly fitted and prepared And yet alas for want of so doing how many men and women by their absence doe deprive themselves of these great benefits Some there are that are neither fit nor willing to come others there are that are willing to come and yet not fit to come and others there are that are fit to come and yet not willing as for instance How many are there who because they cannot receive the Sacrament kneeling as they have formerly done are not willing to come What said an old simple ignorant man in my hearing not long since Rather then I will receive it so unreverently as they doe now a dayes by sitting at Table as if they were equall with Jesus Christ I will never receive it while I live And are there not some others who meerly out of a superstitious conceit doe desire to come and yet by reason of their unfitnesse are justly upon examination kept backe by the Eldership And are there not some who it may be are fit to come and yet doe not come either because they are ashamed to come before so many men to bee examined as they are informed doe sit upon that occasion or else are fearfull least they should not be able to answer them to their content and so be turned backe to their disgrace And are there not also some others who it may be are fit to come and yet either because they scorne to be examined at these yeares or by such and such a man whom they doe conceive is inferiour to themselves they will not come And are there not others also who are fit to come and yet doe not come because such are admitted to the Sacrament whom they conceive are not fit to partake thereof Thus I say either thorow superstitious ignorance prophannesse or through foolish shame or feare or else through the sinne of pride many are kept from that great benefit which otherwise they might receive by the right partaking of that Ordinance Sim. It is true indeed Sir I see it clearly and therefore I beseech you tell me what course you would advise me to take to fit and prepare my selfe thereunto that so I may come before you