Church cannot be visible without combination in order to the Preaching of the Word and Prayerâ— but was visible from Adams fall to the daies of Abraham without Sacraments in ordinary 2 ly If the Lords Supper be an essentiall note of the visible Church then many Congregations of England who have been without it for divers years of late are thereby unchurched which I believe Mr. Humphrey is more charitable than to assert How many Congregations have for ten or twelve years together assembled constantly at the Word and Prayer without the Lords Supper yea some of them haply without Baptisme A great fault I grant but I hope not so great as to unchurch them I perceive Mr. Humphrey is too willing to lie at catch who cannot forbear snapping at me even when I plead for him and excuse him His definition of a Church-visible I shewed was liable enough to exception yet took it in the best sense supposing he meant more then he said He defines a Church visible to be a number of such as make profession of Jesus Christ This definition I said was deficient as wanting the copula that united them in one body namely Combination for Church-ends Pag. 81. Yet supposing this might be his meaning though not mentioned in his definition I passe it For which he flouts me as curious and with a pretty story thinks to catch his Reader But Mr. Humphrey should remember that in a Dispute the Reader must be convinced with Arguments not caught with expressions Would he play the Logician more and the Rhetorician lesse naked Truth would sooner take place Let me ask Mr. Humphrey whether the Members of the invisible Church be not a number of Professours If so VVhat distinguisheth the visible from the invisible Church but this Combination for Church-Ends When all the parts of a body can make a totum without union then all the members of the Church visible can make a Church visible without the former combination Professours make the Church invisible by invisible combination in Christ and the Church visible by visible combination at the Ordinances of Christ the most necessary of which the visible Church cannot want In the same Page He asserts directly That all Professours and Saints by Calling must eo nomine be admitted to the Lords Table Ans If so then many who are not Members of the Church visible must be admitted to the Lords Table Suppose an Heathen converted and making profession yet seeks not Baptisme nay suppose he be Baptized yet joynes not to any particular Congregation but Hears here and there where he pleaseth as an unconverted Heathen may 1 Cor. 14. 24. Jam. 2. vers 2 6. Will Mr. Humphrey admit this Professour to the Lords Supper If not then a Professor and Saint by Calling may not eo nomine be admitted If he will admit him then one who is no member of the visible Church may be admitted to the Lords Supper Now mark I pray If one who is no Church-member may be admitted and divers who are Church-members may not be admitted to the Saceament is it not evident that the ground of Admission to the Lords Supper lies not properly in Church-membership but in visibility since a visible Saint may be admitted though no Church-member but divers Church-members may not be admitted though invisible Saints Pag. 82. By this also may appear the weaknesse of that assertion of Mr. Humphrey page 82. That he thinks a visible Professor and Church-member are termes convertible True every Church-member eo nomine is a Professor but every Professor is not presently a Church-member Yet as a Church-member he may be only a Professor at large not in the stricter acception of the terme and as it is commonly taken when we say Such a man is a Professor in opposition not to Heathen but to loose and prophane Church-members Fit matter he may be for a Church if his knowledge and conversation do suit in some good measure with his profession but he is no more a Church-member till in union than a beam or stone is part of the House till compacted with the building This is further evident in the case of excommunication whereby even a pious Church-member may be cut off for a scandalous sin yet remains still both a professor and a reall Saint As Suppose David had been excommunicated for his Murther and Adultery It 's evident there that a Professor and Church-member are not termes convertible since they are not predicated each of the other universally The Argument drawn from Infants and Ideots which here again he flies upon with such contempt and scorn hath been formerly vindicated to which I refer the Reader For what he addes That Saint Paul enjoynes us to examine our selves and to discern the Lords Body Nor doth it excuse any of age but they are both to do so and come both to prepare and eat We must do what we can still when we cannot do as we ought But as for Infants c. it 's no sin of theirs if they are not fit to come For ignorance then and scandall if it be not such as makes us forfeit our Church-membership that is become excommunicate it cannot contradict our outward Profession Ans 1. By concession in sensu composito all of age must do both But the Question is de sensu diviso whether all of age must receive though they cannot will not receive worthily It was a duty to kisse Christ sincerely Luke 7. 45. but the very kisse was a sin and worse then not kissing when given treacherously Luke 22. 48. So likewise to worship Christ is a duty John 9. 38. but better not worship him at all then worship him ironically Matth 27. 29. Are not all unworthy Receivers of this Fraternity 2 ly Again by Concession We must do what we can morally but not alwaies what we can naturally when we can not do what we would Else suppose a person were stript of all apparell must he of necessity come to the Sacrament though naked because he can get no apparell The nakednesse of unworthy Receivers especially if visibly so is a great deal worse 3 ly Suppose a man be drunk before the Sacrament must he therefore Receive the Lords Supper even when he is actually drunk because by this sin of his he wilfully made himselfe unfit for the Sacrament Upon Mr. Humphrey his Principles he must for he tells us that children and Ideots are excused because they are not wilfully unfit for the Sacrament but persons of age being intelligent must receive though they be unfit because these are wilfully and by their own default unfit Will it not hence necessarily follow that the vilest miscreants who are jure excommunicate are bound to come and receive because by their foul scandalls they willfully unfit themselves for the Sacrament And by proportion the more vile and wilfull sinners are the more they are bound to receive the Lords Supper And therefore a person actually drunk by his own
the regenerate and unregenerate the Sacrament only to the worthy receiver I mean quantum ad praesens Page 177. Mr. H. charges me to be censorious but why or in what nè gru quidem Is not this really to prove himself censorious Further we grant the tenor of the Covenant is seald to all present that is the good things of the Covenant are conditionally sealed to them whether they receive or no which therefore is no argument to prove free admission but only free presence or attendance at the Sacrament But whereas he adds ib. There can be no seal to a blank so long as there is truth and writing in the Gospel This in some respect is a truth but not to the purpose Did I ever affirm the seal was put to a blank as to the Gospel sealed We grant there is no real blank at the Sacrament but there are many personal blanks The seal of the Sacrament and of the Spirit should ever go together and how can I seal him with the Sacrament whom I have ground to beleeve the Spirit hath not sealed Hence principally flows evidence in the Sacrament because the Spirit together with the Sacrament seals the worthy receiver and doth not only seal to him In Circumcision not only the Covenant but also the person was sealed Gen. 17. 13. Rev. 7. many persons were sealed The promise secures not only good things for beleevers but also beleevers for those good things 1 Pet. 1. v. 4 5. and what the Covenant holds forth that the Sacrament seale True as Mr. H. notes p. 178. God hath commanded us to baptize all Infants within the Church and to admit all visible Saints all which yet have not the benefits of the Covenant exhibited in a right sense But what is this against us who are bound in charity to judge or hope they are real Saints till they contradict this judgement of charity by visible prophaneness c. 2. True Christ submitted to the Sacraments and there that was sealed to him of which he was capable as to Adam in innocency but neither Adam in innocency nor Christ ever needed pardon and as by Adams fall the Covenant of works was broken so had Christ finned in the least the Covenant of grace had been broken 3. True Christ was baptized to fulfil all righteousness but is it a fulfilling of righteousness to receive unworthily 4. True As relative grace is sealed to the worthy receiver so relative judgement is sealed to the unworthy receiver But 1. Relative judgement is sealed to some unworthy persons whether they receive or not 2. For my part I shall neither counsel nor easily admit any to murther Christ and thereby to seal relative judgement to themselves 5. True To some unworthy abstainers the Sacrament is a savor of death But I hope Mr. H. will be more charitable than to assert that all who abstain at present are unworthy abstayners Mr. H. ib. By way of inquiry I question how Gods establishing his Covenant by way of seal does import this exhibition of the effectual benefits to those he seals Ans 1. It must convey them necessarily if sealing and exhibition be all one as Mr. H. makes them to be p. 176. 2 With us Gods sealing of the Covenant doth not alwayes import exhibition of the benefits of the Covenant we holding that sealing and exhibition are two distinct Sacramental actions The Covenant may be sealed to all present though divers of them receive not but the benefits of the Covenant are exhibited to no receivers but those who are Evangelically worthy His inference p. 179. hangs upon the premises like a rope of sand Therefore Mr. Drake must affirm here that God seals to a blank which he most desperately doth or that this Objection comes to nothing Ans Here indeed are rash and desperate expressions Mr. D. never said God seals to a blank as to the Covenant but he sayes Mr. H. pleads for sealing to a blank as to many receivers 2. The Objection stands good because divers Ministers who admit all pell-mell and amongst them Mr. H. professedly seal to personal visible blanks where Christ hath given them no such Commission Mr. H. ib. A scrupulous Christian may receive the Sacrament as a sign though haply he cannot receive it as a seal Ans This scrupulous Christian is Evangelically worthy or not If the former he both may and must receive it as a sign and as a seal yet withall he must endeavour to get his doubts resolved If the latter then being present he may learn by the Sacrament as a sign though he do not receive it as a seal Mr. H. p. 180. Here is Mr. Drakes great error to confound the outward and inward Covenant the external and internal sealing Ans Here is Mr. H. his great error to mistake union for confusion Mr. Drake thinks that on the receivers part the inward and outward Covenant and sealing should go together and that he who wants the inward seal should not dare to meddle with the outward seal He doth not confound the inward and outward seal as Mr. H. doth sealing and exhibiting by making them all one but unites the inward and outward seal together in point of duty on the receivers part Mr. H. ib. If the seal be set to a blank until Gods Law is written in the heart then no mortal can apply the seal to any seeing that cannot be discerned by any Ans This is a meer non sequitur A Minister may without sin set the seal to a blank where in charity he is bound to judge or hope that person is no blank and this he is bound to hope of all that have competent knowledge and live without scandal The receiver must act by the rule of reality the Church by the rule of visibility I do not then contradict my self when I say p. 72. of my Bar That truth of grace in the heart is not the rule of our admission Grace real is the rule of an intelligent Church-members receiving but grace visible is the rule of the Churches admission whether it be real or no. Mr. H. ib. Now I pray note it If Mr. D. apply these texts 2 Cor. 3. 3. Heb. 8. 10. which speak only of the inward writing to confirm the Objection that the Seal is set to a Blank if all be admitted then the world must know that the truth of grace is his rule or else the new Covenant written in the heart is not truth of grace with Mr. Drake Ans 1. It s apparent by my text I brought the fore-quoted places for illustration not for proof of the Objection Mr. H. therefore might well come with an if But what if Mr. Drake did not bring those places to prove the Objection let the Reader consult my text p. 123. of my Bar where he will easily perceive Mr. H. his foul play with me in this particular who to fasten an absurdity upon me would fain confound the rule of Admission with the rule
of Receiving Mr. H. cannot be ignorant that our principles are these Real Blanks must not receive visible Blanks must not be admitted by the Church and that the scope of thâ— Objection was to dispute against the admission of visible not of real personal Blanks Mr. D. This Blank is either visible or invisible to God all Blanks are visible and he may use his liberty to set his Seal where he pleases M. H. p. 180. In what a sad case hath be brought himself through his former error when he must lay this for his foundation That God who cannot lie may set his seal to a visible Blank If the Minister who is Gods Ambassador seals to a visible Blank it is such an heinous sin he says as murdering Christ and yet does he affirm that God sets his seal to a visible Blank without scruple It is no wonder the man deals so coursly with me that uses such rude and uncivil language towards God Answ Such absurd and unreasonable imputations as these make it too suspitious that M. H. disputes rather for victory than for truth I hope he will not dare to say in cold blood that those expressions of mine vent any thing of rude language to God but that in the very letter as well as in their sense they give unto God the glory of his Soveraignty who is not bound but where himself pleaseth to the rules by which he bindes his creatures Object If it be irregular in the Minister to seal to a visible Blank why not in God also If the Minister murther Christ by sealing to a visible Blank how is God free who doth the same thing Answ The Minister is guilty because it pleased God to make it murder by consent in him to seal to a visible Blank but who can give law to God and make it murder by consent in God to seal to a visible Blank It s murder in me to take away my neighbors life at pleasure I hope M. H. will not infer that therefore its murder in God to take away any mans life at pleasure Object But doth not God by sealing to a visible Blank testifie that such a person hath truth of grace Answ Absurd When God knowingly and professedly seals to Blanks how can it be imagined that his design in sealing is to testifie they are no Blanks God indeed by sealing to a Blank bindes that Blank to labor for the writing but it s contradictio in adjecto to say that sealing to a Blank makes that Blank no Blank It s not the seal but the writing makes a paper or parchment no Blank nor is it the seal of the Sacrament but the writing of the Spirit makes a Church-member a real Saint or an Epistle of Christ 2 Cor. 3. 3. Object But then why may not the Minister by sealing to a visible Blank binde that Blank to labor for the writing as God doth Vnderstand a sealing here by way of admission for otherwise the Covenant is sealed in the Sacrament conditionally not onely to the receivers but also to all present yea though they be very Heathen who yet are not sealed by receiving the Sacrament Answ Because he hath no warrant to seal to that Blank in that manner the rule being that persons must 1. Be Church-members And 2. Visibly worthy before the Minister seal to them by admission But who can binde God to this rule Object But is not this the very language of the Sacrament Christ is thine c. And how can God seal this to a person that hath no part in Christ Answ The natural language of the Sacrament as well as of the Covenant to whomsoever it is proclaimed is Christ is thine c. This gift is mine 1. By way of tender 2. By way of acceptance That Christ is theirs by way of tender God seals by the Sacrament to all present whether they receive or not That Christ is theirs by way of acceptance and possession God seals to no receiver but the worthy receiver The Sacrament says to all present Christ is thine conditionally and by way of offer but to the worthy Communicant it says by way of evidence Christ is thine as sure as the outward elements are thine being received by thee and that because he performs the condition of believing which condition yet is promised in the Covenant and wrought instrumentally in the Sacrament which acts faith objectively as a sign and seal but effectively as an instrument faith apprehending Christ through the Sacrament as the eye doth an object through a Perspective-glass yea the Sacrament doth not onely clear the object but also strengthens the visive faculty of the soul by drawing a fresh supply of visual Spirits from Christ the head My meaning in all hath been said is that God by the Sacrament applied to any doth not testifie to such a receiver that he hath truth of grace though by receiving every Communicant be obliged to act grace But the Minister by giving the Sacrament to any testifies his perswasion or hope that such a one hath truth of grace which perswasion or hope is grounded upon that competent knowledge and good affections accompanied with immunity from scandal that he findes upon tryal or other good evidence to be in such a Communicant Page 181. M. H. doth onely make a flourish by abusing the homonymie of a visible Saint To which I briefly answer A person may be said to be a visible Saint two ways 1. Relatively as he is a Church-member born and bred in the Church 2. Absolutely as he walks up visibly to his profession Now that God would have all relatively visible Saints which are M. H. his visible Saints though they be absolutely visible Devils admitted is 1. Against the truth 2. Against the practice of the ancient and modern Church 3. Against M. H. his own profession since persons ip so jure excommunicate are such visible Saints yet he allows their suspension That root of bitterness Heb. 12. 15. was relatively a visible Saint as being a Church-member but absolutely he was a visible Devil The Lord keep me from giving my vote for the admission of such visible Saints M. H. ib. It s M. Drakes error to say there are any visible Blanks in the Church for how then can we baptize all children A visible Blank is one visibly out of Covenant But to be in a Church-state is to be externally or visibly in Covenant c. Answ 1. Then its M. Drakes great error to say there are any visibly profane in the Church 2. We baptize all children in the Church among others upon this account because none of them are visible Blanks knowledge we expect not from them nor are they guilty of any scandal Besides we look at their foederal holiness in either of their Parents 1 Cor. 7. 14. or in their grand Parents right who may undertake for their Christian education c. 2 Tim. 1. 5. But of this formerly 3. The same person at the same time though
should it not be so at the Lords Supper Mr. Humphrey We cannot compell any tryall of Church-members more unlesse by way of Catechisme and Instruction wherein yet there is no man too old to learn Luke 14. but it must be as to the truth of their profession or effectuall sincerity which for to do where no scandall calls them in question is to go about to judge mens hearts and to enter into the seat of God c. Ans 1. Note it Mr. Humphrey grants we may compell tryall of Church-members by way of Catechisme and Instruction from Luke 14. 23. and that mone are too old to learn Doth not Mr. Humphrey know that one great make-bate is because many Elder persons will not be perswaded much lesse compelled to tryall by way of Catechising no not by their own Minister though none of the Elders be present 2 ly By Mr. Humphrey his own confession in some cases persons may be tryed as to the truth of their profession or effectuall sincerity to wit when some scandall calls them in question Let Mr. Humphrey give any Scripture-rule for such tryall in case of scandall which will not extend to the like tryall upon other occasions 3 ly If tryall as to the truth of profession be a going about to judge mens hearts and to enter into the seat of God how can Mr. Humphrey allow it at any time in any case If it be not an entring into the seat of God then Mr. Humphrey his main Argument against it failes him 4 ly If putting a man to the test about his sincerity be an entring into the seat of God then Philip in asking the Eunuch Whether he believed with all his heart Acts 8. 37. entred into the seat of God and Ministers when they ask the party Baptised supposing he be of age Dost thou for sake the Deviâ—l and all his works c. enter into the seat of God Yea then Jehu asking Jehonadab 2 Kings 10. 15. Is thy heart right as my heart is with thy heart entred into the seat of God He indeed that will undertake to know the heart immediately intuitively and infallibly enters into the seat of God Not so I hope he who by discourse observation and consequent effects labours to draw out what is in the heart Prov. 20. 5. The Tree may be known by its Fruit yea by its Leaves and the heart may be known by some expressions and actions or at least shreudly guest at Otherwise how did Peter perceive Simon Magus to be in the gall of bitternesse Acts 8. 23. yet I hope at that time he entred not into the seat of God A dying man sends for his Minister to comfort him May not the Minister puts him to the Test whether at least in the judgment of charity he be a subject capable of comfort May he not 1. try him in point of Knowledge 2 ly May he not enquire about his truth of grace and from Scripture-evidence labour to finde out whether he hath true faith and repentance that accordingly he may either comfort or warn him 3 ly In so doing is he justly chargeable with entring into the seat of God Do we any more to people in order to their Sacramentall preparation then they will be glad to have us do at the houre of their death if they have any sense of their spirituall condition and minde their poor soules in any measure The truth is if many of our people minded Heaven but halfe so much as they minde Earth they would upon their very knees intreat us to do that against every Sacrament which we beg of them we may do but once in order to their edification comfort and salvation Yet they will not hearken unto us upon which account in some poor measure though we dare not say we have endeavoured our uttermost de jure in any thing we may wash our hands from the guilt of the blood of their poor soules Oh Sir I beseech you do not bolster up People in that of which one day both you and themselves will see there is great cause to repent Mr. Humphrey I must confesse I believe it was only the zeal and piety of good men that made them thus to rise up against ignorance and sin without intending to enter upon Gods Throne but if we have erred c. Ans 1. Sir you speak in part truly and charitably as to the first branch Therefore I beseech you be not a Quench-cole to that zeal and piety 2ly It was not a blind zeal acted them herein but a zeal according to knowledge I beseech you do not seek to hide that Light under a Bushell 3ly In so doing they neither did nor intended to enter upon Gods Throne I beseech you do not charge them falsely and uncharitably But where you have erred I wish the same to my self by false Doctrine misapplication and wrong-imputations be content to lie down in the dust to acknowledge the truth whereby you may be sweetly led to acknowledge Gods hand in returning your Captivity from the Rivers of Babel when you have sate down and wept c. Sect VI. Having surveyed Mr. Humphrey his stating of the Question and his proofs from Scripture and laid open what strength or weaknesse I apprehend therein I shall now proceed to his Reasons and Arguments with candor and simplicity of heart by the grace of God as in the presence of God to whom both of us must one day give an account of this and all other our Transactions Glad shall I be to close with him in any truth and to keep company with him one mile if I cannot goe with him twain And where I am forced to shake hands with him I shall endeavour to give him and others such grounds of my dissatisfaction in the Spirit of meeknesse as thereby it may appear I do not act either irrationally or uncharitably The Lord send the Spirit of truth grace and love into all our hearts to lead us into all truth holinesse and unity Mr. Humphrey Pag. 61. My first reason was from the nature of the Sacrament It is the shewing of Christs death a visible Gospell and so a firm ground of free Admission Unto this the sum of what he saies over and over from pag. 37. to pag. 52. comes but to this All may be present but not actually receive granting the foundation Ans 1. If the Reader wil please to peruse my Text I am confident he will be more candid to me then Mr. Humphrey hath been and not judge I have spent those seven or eight leaves in meer tautologies Such weak imputations argue more strength of passion then of reason and serve rather to catch than to convince the Reader 2ly Can there be fairer play then to yield my Antagonist by way of position or supposition as much as he desires for his stronger conviction 3ly If Mr. Humphrey his Free-Admission flow not from this Principle I hope he will remember himself better and not here-after charge
distinguish between a proof and illustration c. Ans 1. Who sees not how impertinent Mr. Humphrey is in charging but not proving me to be impertinent Let my Text speak for it selfe against this charge See my Bar page 68. 2 ly I had thought that illustration à paribus similibns if pat and pertinent had been argumentative 3 ly In this very particular Mr. Humphrey intended not only an Illustration but an Argument else what mean those words page 20. of his Vindication To give weight to this discoursing on his third Reason remember three passages of our Saviours Now the last of those three is the instance of the Adulterous woman John 8. Mr. Humphrey cannot be ignorant that Illustration as such affords only light but as Argumentative gives weight Himselfe affirmes that his illustrations give weight who sees not then they must needs be Argumentative and have somewhat of the nature of proofs If therefore Mr. Humphrey be pertinent in his illustration Dr. Drake cannot be impertinent in his charge wherein also he looked at Mr. Humphrey his three illustrations only as so many amplifications See my Bar page 66 67. 4 ly Take that instance in Mr. Humphrey his declared sense it makes against those who are forward to censure others See Mr. Humphrey his Rejoynder page 97. which we all agree to be very sinfull but impertinently applied by him against Sacramentall tryall I wish his own illustration may open his eyes to discern his own forwardnesse to censure others Mr. Humphrey Page 98. If Sacramentall tryall were once proved a precept of Christ I would yield to Mr. Drake in every particular Ans The profession is very ingenious and gives some hope that ere long Mr. Humphrey will be more favourable to Suspension then at present he seemes to be Sect. IX Proceed we next to the matter in Controversy betwixt us about Mr. Humphrey his fourth Argument drawn as he saies from the vanity formality and impossibility of selecting people to this Ordinance Mr. Humphrey Page 101. What Dr. Drake hath to say against this Argument is barren You must suppose my ground is barren because it will not bear Mr. Humphrey his corn In generall he saies 1. In the rule of Admission they go not by the truth of grace It is well he is brought to confess this which so often otherwhere he thinks himselfe bound to pry into Ans 1. We think our selves bound to look after those trialls which are 1. Negative 2 ly Sensible as grosse ignorance heathenish profannesse visible impenitency which is walking in a tract or course of any scandalous sin or falling into some foul abomination which argues at least the tyranny of fin By such effects as these we may safely judge a person Evangelically unworthy without prying into his heart or into Gods secrets which is impossible for the Creature to do and sinfull to attempt it Did Peter pry into Simon Magus's his heart when he said I perceive thee to be in the gall of bitternesse c. Acts 8. 32 Or did Philip pry into the Eunuchs heart when he put him to it about the reality of his faith Acts 8. 37 If Mr. Humphrey will condemn us for the like practice our comfort is we have good warrant to bear us out and good company to suffer with us under this imputation of his In vain therefore page 101. of his Rejoynder doth Mr. Humphrey labour to set me against my selfe by comparing page 117. of my Bar How many outwardly pious are there who upon tryall might easily be uncased to live in some known sin with page 73. of my said Bar That truth of grace in the heart is not our rule of admitting to the Lords Supper there being a sweet harmony but no dissonancy between those two assertions The former holding forth that we judge of men by what is visible of the Root by the Fruit according to our Saviour's rule Matth. 7. 16. The latter shewing that we judge not of persons by what is invisible but as sin or grace appear visibly in any so we judge Were I sure Judas had no grace yet if he were knowing and walked orderly I could not suspend him Again were I sure Peter had grace yet if he walk disorderly he ought to be suspended till his repentance be evident as well as his fall 2 Thess 3. verse 6. 14 15. Further let the Reader take notice that however Mr. Humphrey page 102. is pleased to favour me with a jest for denying that Profession in his sense is the rule of Admission yet he only saies but proves not That such profession is the ordinary road of Christians a Tenet contrary to Scripture to Antiquity and the late as well as present practice of our Church Here let the Reader know that Mr. Humphrey takes a piece of Profession namely Baptisme and comming to Church for a sufficient ground of Admission to the Lords Supper We deny not that compleat Profession is enough for Admission but such Professors must have 1. Competent knowledge 2 ly Suitable conversation besides initiation by Baptisme and attendance upon the publick Ordinances otherwise like Agrippa they will be but halfe Professors As knowledge and pious carriage will not make one a compleat Professor unlesse he be Baptized and attend ordinarily upon the publick Ordinances So Baptisme and attendance upon the publick Ordinances will not make a compleat Professor unlesse competent knowledge and pious conversation be superadded When a halfe houre is an whole hour then an halfe Professor may go for an whole Professor Mr. Humphrey Page 102. Christ tells us of no medium while he divides all his guests into the Called and Chosen Matth. 22. 14. Ans Doth not the Parable expresly mention two sorts of Guests called besides those that were chosen 1. They who made light of the very Call verse 5. 2 ly Such as came and were not discerned by the very Servants yet wanted the Wedding Garment verse 11. and what are these last but medium participationis so much decryed by Mr. Humphrey 1. Were not they Professors who slighted the Call unlesse he will say that the Jewes and Pharisees against whom the Parable was directed were not Professors 2 ly Was not this their slighting visible to the Servants Compare verse 7. and Luke 14. 21. And doth it not thence necessarily follow that there are some Professors that vifibly reject the grace of the Gospell some that cordially accept thereof And between both these as a middle of participation are they who friendly accept of grace offered and visibly walk up to it as did he that came without the Wedding Garment whom neither the Servants nor the other Guests discerned but only the Master of the Feast Withall the Reader may note that the Feast in this Parable is not the Lords Supper this Parable being delivered by Christ before the Lords Supper was instituted but the offer of Christ and the grace of the Gospell in generall which is openly sleighted by some
accepted by others and by some of these feignedly by others cordially Some Professors reject Christ offered both outwardly and inwardly some accept him both outwardly and inwardly Between both these as a middle of participation are they who accept Christ outwardly but reject him inwardly as do all cased Hypocrites It 's evident then that Christ in this Parable ownes a middle of participation between both extreams By the way take notice how again page 103. Mr. Humphrey is pleased to put off my instance of Children with a jest which at good earnest will be too hard for him His wit and mirth may tickle the Reader and make his Books the more vendible But I shall not tire the Reader with repeating what I have said formerly in order to the vindication of that instance For that other Argument of mine to prove Mr. Humphrey his Principle loose because it will open a dore for the wickedest varlets Hear what Mr. Humphrey saies to it page 103. He should say in plain termes it is a loose Principle because it is not his Principle and then he had hit it Ans What is this to the eviction of my Argument May not I as well return Mr. Humphrey should say in plain termes his admitting pel-mel is a good and warrantable practice because it is his practice and then he had hit it What weight can such froath bear in the ballance of right Reason and Religion D. Dr. If profession be Mr. Humphrey his ground how dare he excommunicate any Baptized person though most wicked Mr. Humphrey I answer As the Priest durst shut up the Leper from the whole Congregation because of Gods speciall command Ans And with us persons are suspended from the Lords Supper as they were suspended from the Passover by Gods especiall command 1 Cor. 10. 21. May I forfeit a right to all Ordinances and may not I forfeit a right to one Ordinance Was not the Incestuous Corinth a Professor even when excommunicated That he was Baptized Mr. Humphrey will grant that he was kept from Hearing or any other Ordinance but actuall receiving Mr. Humphrey cannot prove He was then a Professor even after excommunication though not a Church-member till received again upon testification of his repentance If therefore profession be enough for admission then even persons excommunicated ought to be admitted to the Lords Supper In persons at age profession must precede Church-membership and may continue after a person is cut off from Church-membership unlesse he openly renounce Christianity which I believe few excommunicated persons do D. Dr. Did he never hear of reall and visible worthinesse Mr. Humphrey Page 104 and 105. I confesse I have heard of the visible Church Saints by calling Professors c. But this visible worthinesse as distinguished therefrom I have not leightly read of but in him and look at his expression and his meaning therein as exotick to the Scripture Ans 1. Let Mr. Humphrey shew me the terme visible as applyed to the Church in Scripture if he can I am assured he cannot 2 ly The thing of visible worthinesse the Scripture warrants as distinct from Church-membership for which take these Texts 1 King 1. 52. If he will shew himselfe a worthy man c. But if wickednesse shall be found in him c. Is not worthinesse shewn visible worthinesse and contra Is not wickednesse found in a man visible unworthinesse Again Matth. 10. 11. Enquire who is worthy in a City Surely Christ sets them not to enquire who had truth of grace that were as Mr. Humphre phrases it to pry into Gods secrets Nor doth he bid them enquire barely who were professors by Church-membership fince the whole City or the greatest part thereof were such as being Jewes to whom only the Apostles were sent Matth. 10. verse 5 6. It must needs then be a worthinesse of accepting the Gospell and of suitable pious walking that the Apostles were to look after and not to lodge in profane but in religious families which worthinesse might be found out by inquity And if this be not visible worthinesse I pray what is Once more Luke 7. verse 4 5. The Elders of the Jewes testifie the Centurion is worthy Surely they were no merit-mongers nor would Christ have acted upon such an account He had then a worthinesse of meetnesse and this worthinesse was visible by his love to Gods people in building them a Synagogue That this Centurion was Circumcized Baptized or a Church-member I think Mr. Humphrey will not assert I am consident he cannot prove it Yet here is worthinesse and visible worthinesse in one that was neither Baptized nor a Church-member The like may be said of Cornelius Acts 10. 22. From all which I conclude by Mr. Humphrey his leave that visible worthinesse as distinct from Church-membership is not exotick to the Scripture In the close of this Section after some flourishes at which he is excellent I perceive that my anatomizing of his Onyon which I hoped might open his eyes and make him weep hath put him into an angry I will not say spitefull distemper I had rather such words should drop from Mr. Humphrey his pen then from mine And because he cannot justly quarrell with my words therefore he is pleased to put a sense upon them As if I censured him and all of his minde to be opposers of the Church and the wicked and my party only to be the godly pag. 106. A sad charge and very uncharitable in reference both to my words and meaning My words are these page 75. of my Bar The best use therefore that can be made of his pield Onyon is to draw tears from his own and others eyes for those extravagant discourses of his whereby he hath as much as in him lies troubled the Church hindred reformation strengthened the hands of the wicked and sadned the hearts of the righteous c. These are my words and 1. Have I in them spoke any more then the very truth 2 ly Is here one word charging him and all that are of his minde to be wicked Thirdly doth not this discourse of M. Humphrey sadden the Godly and make the wicked rejoyce I uttered not these expressions by roat as he is pleased to upbraid me but deliberately and with grief and Sympathy Fourthly what is there of spight or of the Spider sucking poyson in those expressions of mine As for Antiquity I wonder how in the same page Master Humphrey can pretend to it which if he know any thing of Antiquity he cannot be ignorant is against him I see the man is galled and cannot bear the gentlest Item of reproof but presently throws malice and spleen in the face of the reprover Truely Sir what I spake was not by roat nor in passion I am of the same mind still what ever bitter misconstructions you are pleased to make of those words of mine Indeed I looked at him and all that vent themselves for his loose principles as troublers I did