to it Thirdly then There are 3 things I humbly think are to be distinguished concerning the Covenant 1 The condition thereof on mans part 2 The benefits on Gods part 3 The tenour which consists or results our of both The word Sealing accordingly is used I thinke sometimes for to binde or engage sometimes to confirme or ratifie and sometimes to convey or exhibit which are offices of a Seal with others and do not a little puzzle our conceptions Now when we say the Sacrament seals the Covenant as sealing is taken for confirming assuring or ratifying which is the properest sense thereof it is most genuinely applied to the tenour of it As it is understood for conveying or exhibiting it is proper to the benefits As it is used to engage or oblige it is most large and may be applied to the condition with the distinction if we allow it as mans seal and not otherwise for as it is Gods Seal in none of these senses it seals the condition God engages not hereby to give man Faith if he did every Receiver should have it what he seals to he performes Now then to come to our difference the ground on which the Sacrament is held a Seal of Faith or to our Faith which termes I shall not distinguish for him is usually this because it confirmes our Faith that which confirmes or ratifies say they is metaphorically a Seal so is the Sacrament to our Faith For satisfaction 1 I distinguish A thing may be confirmed or ratisied either Formalitèr properly and formally or Consequutivè by consequence onely and improperly in the event It is not enough to make a thing a Seal that it confirms any way in the event but that it formally confirmes and ratifies Now the Sacrament confirmes and ratifies the Covenant properly and formally as a seal set to a writing ratifies the tenor and purport of it but it confirmes faith improperly and consequently onely to wit it encreases it as other Ordinances doe in the exercise thereof all habits being strengthned by their acts which you see is improper and eventual to sealing Whatsoever God doth properly ratifie by way of Seale he attests the truth thereof but he doth not attest the truth of our faith by the Sacrament Ergo the Sacrament is not the seale of Faith Mr. Drakes answer to this in Marg. p. 128. that he doth it by consequence will not serve for I argue That which is common to the hypocrite with the beleever cannot attest the truth of a mans faith signifie or ascertaine him that he hath grace by any consequence that is good But the Sacrament is common to both Ergo. 2 I humbly judge The Sacraments are not Seals because they confirme our faith which is the errour but they confirme our faith because they are Seales As to use Mr. Drakes instance When a bond sealed unto me confirmes my beliefe that the particulars sealed shall be performed The Seal to the Bond is not a Seal because it confirmes me but I am confirmed by it because it is a seale and this is onely an effect it hath on me for the Seal would be the same and writing too though I were incredulous It is derogatory I thinke to say the Sacrament is onely a metaphorical seal or tropically a seal which they are forced to say that make it a seal of Faith from the consequent effect of confirming faith inherent in the worthy receiver whereas indeed it is a very proper formal seal to the Covenant and thus the text Rom. 4.11 speaks plaine for us circumcision is not said to be a seale of faith or that a man hath faith for righteousnesse but the Seale of the righteousness of faith which in Genesis is phrased The token of the Covenant If confirming or strengthning a mans faith were enough to denominate it a seale 1 Then Acts of grace should be the best seales 2 Then should all other Ordinances be feals too 3 Then Baptisme should be no seal to infants 4 And then shall both the Sacraments cease to be Seals when any are admitted that have not true Faith 3 Let us consider what faith is confirmed Every act supposes its object such as is the object such must be the act the object the Sacrament seals is no other but what is in the word for Mr. D. and I here still agree that these go together The word speaks onely in general whosoever beleeves shall be saved this general necessarily includes its particular so that the faith which is directly and immediately confirmed is my assent to his truth that if I beleeve I shall have Christ or be justified and saved Onely whereas a true historicall assent and particular faith of evidence are not divided though distinguished in the regenerate but are one habit men may not much scruple to say the one is confirmed instead of the other Yet as to this Point where the whole stresse is laid upon it it is to be considered and wee are to know that if a man would come to be assured of his faith that it is saving it must arise from his own examination and experience and it cannot be confirmed to him any otherwise And as for those further degrees of assurance if grounded he attains at the Sacrament they are not conveyed to him by obsignation there is some danger and weaknesse to think so but are acquired through Gods Spirit by exercise of his heart at that time in the sight of his experiences and meditation the great businesse he hath to do here no otherwise then at other Ordinances which do all agere onely virtute suoe significationis or by morall operation I shall end this with a plaine consideration a Seale so confirmes a Bond as it was not confirmed before but there is no Faith of particular evidence that Christ is mine can be confirmed by the Sacrament I say ratione obsignationis but what is confirmed to me already by my experience and therefore it is a mean thing to count it onely tropically a seale to confirme faith when it is a seale formally to confirm the Covenant Another reason Mr. D. hath more peculiar and affected Faith is a part of the Covenant and the Covenant being sealed Faith is sealed For the discussing this we all know there is mans part of the Covenant and Gods mans part is the Condition which God does not seale to if he did my businesse were at an end for then all were to come hither for it Gods part is the Promise wherein he engages to give us the benefits upon this Condition Now as Faith is our Condition it is manifest it cannot be part of the Covenant which God seal whereof onely we speak And Mr. D. is at such a losse p. 134. For how shall faith be promised in the Covenant when men cannot be in Covenant effectually without Faith that is how can Faith be promised upon condition we doe beleeve Let us distinguish then 1 There is the absolute or conditionall
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
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
enter Covenant With all their heart and all their soul in some places So there is a general profession of Christ that salvation only is in his name which every Christian may professe truly though he be no true professor It is a great weaknesse of some that think for fear of hypocrisie an unregenerate man may not do his duty Hypocrisy is either opposed to truth which is dissembling such an action that is evill propter fieri must be avoyded or to sincerity and such an action that is evill only through accident of the doer while in the substance it be good for all his evill disposition the thing still must be done A Christians profession a pledge wherof is this Sacrament may be hypocrisie in one sense but not in the other My fourth proof was from the Parable of the Feast Lu. 14. Mat. 22. which I judge has more force in it than some think though lesse than others Mr. Drake here is in a streight if he allow it applicable to this Supper it is clear against him The Servants bring in All both good and Bad. If he will not allow it he doth not only go against the stream of Divines and that not solidly but wrests out of their own hands their main argument from the exclusion of him that had not the wedding garment which being the act of the Lord is not well applied neither The truth is the Feast does not signifie particularly the Supper but it is as true it does it in general as other Ordinances The Feast is Jesus Christ set out in his Ordinances and outward privileges unto which there is a free accesse and interesse of the Good and Bad within the Church so that for the main we have our full weight that the Servants whose office it is to be the Dispencers of the mysteries have not any power for discrimination of the guests in their admitting them to the Feast and therefore unlesse they can prove it by some warrant otherwhere are not to judge of the worthinesse and unworthinesse of their Church-members as to the offer of Christ in this Supper It is true If men be scandalous they are lyable to censure but who does not see this upon another account I mean of discipline to satisfie the Church amend them and warn others But if you do it upon this ground of setting up a discriminating Ordinance I must speak my Conscience I think it not according to the mind of the Lord of the Feast Again As for the unintelligent as Infants and the like who does not see that the Feast is still free but they are uncapable they make no excuse but God does excuse them and so they cann't be compelled But if you set up Visible worthinesse for a rule of Admission you assume a power of discriminating the guests You may call it your zeal your care and piety yet is it a power as well as a burden even over Gods Ordinance and differs as much from our Ministerial instruction Catechism and admonition as a separating the vile from the precious by the word of Gods mouth and the doing it without untill you prove it And now for his four particulars p. 30 31. First He distinguishes between the feast which is Christ and the dishes wherein he is served which are the Ordinances This is something ingenuous but whereas he applies this that a man may be invited to a feast and yet not to the dish in the feast it is very fine if we should serve him as the plain man did his Son that pretended he could prove two eggs to be three by his Logick Well says he I will take the one and your Mother the other and now do you prove the third and take it for your self Let us have the dishes and what will become of Mr. Drakes feast Thus hungry and hardly bestead does he passe through it Secondly He urges Then should Heathen be admitted Ans And so they may if they come in in an orderly way 1 Cor. 14.40 they must first have a right by Church-membership and then being once within the Church they are alike admitted to all privileges Thirdly He addes How were the unthankfull guests also excluded Luke 14 and answers himself Because they would not come Fourthly He tels us Wordly businesse somtimes may detain a man from the Sacrament Numb 9.10 Ans Who doubts it and yet the feast not neglected if the businesse be indispensible But as for the strength of his reason here it is as good as the Fathers that would have his Child excused to his Master for not comming to School because he was dead In the way For my quoting that Text Lu. 12.42 with 1 Cor. 4.1 2. Acts 20.28 Mr. Drake need not have given me such ill words I make no interpretation of them but that it is the Ministers duty duly to dispence the Ordinances which if he does do they do not touch him but may convince those that think it their conscience wholly to omit it and this I hope may turn the edge of his rebuke For my part I do not think my self fit to be compared with Mr. Drake or the least of the godly but with the greatest sinners and bow down my practice at the feet of Gods mercy Forgive O Lord my failings for they are even more than the hairs of my head Yet do I think that both those that exclude all and they that exclude any who are neither Vn-intelligent or Excommunicate come short in the importance of these Scriptures My fifth proof was from Iohns Free-baptism even of those he calls Vipers Mat. 13. upon that ground Adultis eadem est ratio utriusque Sacramenti See Mar. 1.5 And they of Iudea went out and were All baptized of him that is All that went out to him for Baptism were admitted and yet Mr. Drake as he is wont answers me thus overly He says but proves not that Iohn baptized all commers p. 32. he should say He does not prove it but only brings Scripture for it This axiome which I think I had of Pemble he denies p. 33. 1. Because Heathen may be admitted to Baptism Ans I had thought when men had been converted to the faith once they had been Christians 2. Because it makes for him seeing there was an outward confession at Baptism Ans Who would think it he should fly for shelter to this Sanctuary even while he pollutes it You must take the meaning thus There is Eadem ratio but not in omnibus It holds in the main that the same faith which will admit one of age to be Baptized will also admit him to this Sacrament and that is an Historical faith only in profession yet as for making that confession though it he needfull at Baptism in admitting them to be Church Members as we are willing to know whom we enter into our society seeing we have Scripture for it yet not at this Supper where we have none for when men are Church-members already their
their own conceit many self-Justiciaries c. Ans Of all men I think that such as these had need most of conviction but I find not the Scripture sends out any spiritual Hue and Cry to make search for them if it did I will not for any thing say who are the men but sure some Ministers upon certain marks might begin with their own Elders nay I think upon the main known mark of I thank God I am not like other men if you see Mr. D. p. 90. some Elders might take up their own Minister upon suspition P. 39. All may be present at the administration as at Preaching and Baptism but that All ought Actually to partake will lead thousands into utter darkenesse Ans Not to mention his unhandsom language where the sense is so dreadfull I answer 1. If a man swear by the Temple it is nothing but the gold of the Temple makes him guilty If a man partake of the whole administration besides it is nothing for all his unworthinesse but if he actually receive he becomes a debtor Which is greater the bare eating and drinking or the whole sacred institution and consecration that sanctifies the action 2. It is not his instance of Baptism will wash off this superstition wherein this good man has taken a deadly conceit for there are no actions here to be repeated the weaknesse is clear as its own water But I argue if a man is bound at this Ordinance to make inward application together with the Word of what is represented though the outward sign is forbidden as to be twice used How shall we deny both the inward and outward application also in the Supper where both are commanded The truth is the very sealing the Covenant applies wrath to every impenitent and life to every one that has true faith whether we should see it only or receive it And if it be not eating commends us unto God I do not stand upon this outward receiving as any thing considerable in comparison of the reverential application of the Covenant in a right use of it according to our condition 3. For admission of all intelligent Church-members I am free but as for their own comming I have spoken more tenderly than his speeches Yet will I confesse my present inclination is thus I hold A man must examine himself I place much on this and so receive according to his estate God commands John to destroy Ahab Iohn his disposition is evil in it and does but commit murder which God will punish Hos 1.4 yet neverthelesse must the thing be done and as commanded it is both approved as good and rewarded 2 Kings 10.30 Christ Iesus says to his Church Doe this Mr. Drake says If an unregenerate member does it he shall I must say only he may become guilty of Christs blood in the action Neverthelesse it is not his disposition being not right that can nullifie Gods precept but that he must both examine himself and so eat 4. Whereas then He thinks my opinion will lead many thousands to Hell I am humbly afraid that his will do it I do professedly charge every soul that they look well into their conscience what they embrace and the Lord be their direction For my part I am thinking when Iesus Christ shall call us both to account at the great day he will say to me Why have you brought in all unto my feast I shall say Lord even as thou hast commanded Thou hast said Do this Drink ye all of it and I must not mistrust the goodnesse of thy word and thy gracious efficacy to go along with it I durst not for my life make void thy blessed command And what then if he shall say to Mr. D. And why have you contrary to my expresse words taught your own Commandement for the precept of God that it is an unregenerate mans duty to abstain When I said Doe this you have said Doe it not unlesse you be sure you can also so do it whereby you have strengthned the Carelesse hardned the impenitent and afflicted tender Consciences laying waste this Ordinance of mine in many places whereas one ought still to be done and not leave the other undone Let me seriously forewarn this pious man that while he has laid that text Ez. 13.22 so heavy on my soul that he provide himself to answer unto it P. 40.41 He brings in my Simile but takes hold of it by the left handle We must not think as we are Ministers set over Christs flock we are sent to them as Externally Rebels that they must come in and professe before us to be admitted to those privileges which they have a right to already as well as we No the main point of the Simile lies here that the Instrument of peace committed to us is a sealed Instrument the word of reconciliation is a sealed word to all the Church Every member has an equal right to the Seal as the writing and we cannot pluck off or put on our Lords seal at our pleasure It is a weak conceit that we are sent to our Members as it were with their pardons unsealed to try whether they truly submit and according to our judgement to seal them We must conceive our Seal is set by Christ himself to his own Proclamation and we have no other than what belongs to the whole Church But if we look any further than Church-membership we enter the office of the inward Minister and take a power of medling with the inward sealing which does not belong to us It is the want of discerning between these inward and outward things has mislead Mr. D. who has not yet considered how the Covenant is a sealed Covenant to all that are but Christs external people and that this Seal is a standing seal both Covenant and Seal make up one publick instrument for the use of the Church We may see this in Circumcision from whence we borrow the notion of a seal Gen. 17. I will establish my Covenant between are and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations Every man child among you shall be circumcised Here you see how it is a standing seal set to the Covenant and both established with the whole seed so that by this one act as it were of publick delivery Every Church-member that was then any one of Abrahams seed had a right to the seal without any more plea as other publick privileges for ever after in their generations Now whereas he puts the case that some who come to the Sacrament are but Rebels and how shall we seal unto them I answer we cannot judge of the hearts of any that they are inward Rebels and we may not judge that they are outwardly so when they outwardly come in unlesse we haue something to allege against them to prove their Rebellion and then if it be such as deserves it they may be Excommunicated but while they are Church Members we cannot deny them their common privileges But
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
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
does own them outwardly as his people even when they will not hearken and will none of him Psal 81.8 11. that is plainly reject the Covenant as to obedience when they are ignorant Isa 1.3 Hos 4.6 and scandalous Psa 106.39 with ver 45. They went a whoring after their owne inventions yet remembred he for them his Covenant 4 So long as men are not excommunicate I see no reason why Christ may not be offered Sacramentally as free as verbally to worke them to repentance for the offering a sealed pardon in general the generall alwaies including the particulars and the particulars applying the same to single persons conditionally whatsoever this mansurmises is but the same If he can say to all whosoever beleeves shall be saved he can say so to me unlesse all does not include mee and absolutely the Sacrament seales no mans interest as alike vainly he imagines 5 If men doe not walke conformable to the Covenant the denouncing the judgement of God and the sealing of it seriously applyed is the means to reforme them 6 When other meanes will not work upon them there remains Excommunication and let that content him Page 132. He does but repeate the same Page 133. He hath three things 1. The Sacraments are Gods seales as relating to Gods Covenant and as instituted to ratifie the Covenant Ans A good confession Then they are not Gods seales as relating to Faith and as instituted formally to ratifie Faith They are not seales of Faith for Righteousnesse but they are seales of the righteousnesse of Faith in opposition to Works 2 Is not Faith and every saving Grace promised in the New Covenant unlesse Mr. H. will turn Pelagian Ans I beleeve here Mr. Drakes other studies has beguiled his Divinity for hee may be pleased to know we neither make Faith the birth of mans Free Will nor yet to be given by vertue of the Covenant made with man which the Sacrament seals but to be Gods most free gift that proceeds from election and discovers the mystery thereof 3 If the Covenant be Gods if the Seale be Gods and Faith promised in it be Gods also is it not apparent that Gods seale must needs be Faiths seale also Answ If hee count this apparent which is a very Chaos you may guesse what light to expect from him The truth is As faith is our condition it is not a branch of the Covenant that God seales which puzzles this man for if it were every man should unquestionably come and engage the Lord by his owne seale to undertake for his condition as I have already intimated and consequently if God perform what he engages every one should bee saved This he sees p. 134 135. and is quite lost in his very first particular for while hee supposes the Covenant promises initiall grace to the Elect and the Sacrament seales that Covenant and the seale secures what is in the writing which are all his own termes he must necessarily take upon him to judge who are reprobates which is sinfull to doe or all must be admitted for though men are visibly yet in the state of nature they may be elect Had not the man so much contemned me he might have found how to distinguish between what comes from Gods undertaking with man or the conditional bosome of the Covenant and what comes from his undertaking with Christ or the free absolute bosome of Election I pray compare his third particular with this first The Sacrament he sayes there is for nourishment and that I hope to the Elect So p 147. It seals not initiall but progressive Graece and yet here the Covenant he counts promises initiall grace to the Elect and the seal secures what is in the Covenant So that ☜ what need I here to dispute with Mr. D. when his own particulars have an opponent and defendant among themselves and do rise up methinks but like the heads and horns still in the Visions to revile and fight with one another I will here therefore pose these two pages of Mr. Drakes with these Questions 1. Whether it be one and the same Covenant he speakes of there 2. How the Covenant being conditional doth promise absolutely 3. How it can promise initial Grace for Faith and Repentance are the condition of the Covenant and how can faith be promised upon condition we have faith or the first grace be given upon condition we have grace 4. What difference is there between the Covenants offer of grace and promise of grace conditionally 5. How can the offer of Grace be said to be sealed as Offer is distinguished from Promise 6. Whether the Minister can seale which he please either the Offer or Promise and why he should not content himselfe to seale the offer which is sure to all present rather then to seal the Promise where he may erre seeing his visible Legatees really may not bee such By these Questions happily it may appeare Mr. D. does not see all things Page 136. Christ may be given to all or held forth in the Sacrament though they doe not receive Answ What an unworthy shift is this to bee made use of so often As Christ is held forth to all Sacramentally he is held forth to this end to be Sacramentally eaten and drunken Take eate this is my body that is thus taken and eaten it is his body not otherwise The Sacrament then gives not out Christ or holds him forth Sacramentally but to those that receive it And they all dranke of the rocke which was Christ In the same page he hath up Infants and the distracted againe which is sixteen times and argues from the word As the Minister may not lose by the Key of doctrine such as are to bee bound no more may be seal comfort c. Answ As the Minister doth not onely loose but binde in the word so does he in the Sacrament and as he neither bindes nor looses but conditionally in the one no more does he seal comforts or judgement and so terrours in the other As for that onely Objection against this conditional sealing he hath over the lease that then heathen and the excommunicate may be admitted I have answered The word is a sealed word onely to the Church It is apparent the seal is delivered onely for her use Gen. 17. and therefore to be applied by expresse Text Exod. 12.28 onely to her members Page 137 138. He contends without cause that the Sacraments are mans seals which in his sense that they are appointed to his use in a propriety of the final cause who doubts but in that sense which regards him that sets the seal as if Mr. D. should make Articles with me the setting his seal is not mine so do I think some wiser then Mr. D. may not judge it any thing ridiculous to make the seal Gods only and our mutual restipulation I mean the performance of it to arise as the good use we are to make thereof If any contend for words
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