very coming is their profession My sixt proof was Act. 2.41 42 46. Which Text he leaves out you may conceive it has silenced him For while we find thousands admitted thus freely and equally not omitting his phrase of Pell-mel in their breaking bread I say even wholy alike as in doctrin and prayer we dare not fall down to that Sacramental Rule upon tryal he would set up if it be once held as necessary and divine though we acknowledge the prudence and piety of others seeing it has not one word to speak or the least argument left it concerning this Scripture that it should open the mouth or move the wing or peep against it My seventh text was Act. 10.28 which I say I apply only as to the expression Yet does he pursue it with four pitifull exceptions p. 34 35. For the first whereof it is untrue St. Paul says not Tit. 1.15 the unbeliever is unclean to us but all things are unclean to him For the second I shall satisfie after I have proposed this question in answer to his two other Whether do you think him more pierceing in the third to find only the unintelligent left out or ingenuous in the fourth to speak so eloquently when he has done I have heard of one that would undertake ye to confute all Bellarmine in two words Mentiris Bellarmine by Mr. Drakes language and confidence he may be the man And now for the force of these words I told you in the beginning we must distinguish of passages unto their right parties there is a sort of weak Christians that think they shall be defiled if they Communicate in our mixt Churches this text may be full and solid for them though it reaches not others Mr. Drake should be more tender than to debilitate their supports Dear souls I have seen some of your tears and let this dry them up for you you are not to account them common and unclean that receive with you If your selves be clean all are clean to you The soul many times that is not taken with a reason may by an expression A man may be common and unclean three ways 1. Levitically and this is abrogate 2. Morally and this defiles a mans self and not another 3. Faederally as appears in 1 Cor. 7.14 Now while persons are Faederally clean as all Church members are being separated by external Covenant to Christ from the World we need not doubt but they may be communicated withall without any pollution Indeed Mr. Drake says heer such and such are Morally unclean but what then It is not Moral cleannesse but Faederal cleannesse is the ground of our admission and a man is not Faederally unclean till excommunicated He objects wicked Christians reject Christ p. 35. and answers himself with me p. 84. Though they transgresse they do not renounce the Covenant as Turks do and are Church Members till excommunicated And these were my Scriptures to establish us in this sweet truth that leads us unto peace and though he has done his endeavour to hinder you of the benefit of them yet for all his opposition there is not so much as the girdle of their loyns loosed or latchet of their shooes broken For the cloze herof I gatherd up some Texts Io. 6.37 Rev. 22.17 c. that do set forth the most free offers of Jesus Christ which though Mr. Drake makes but light of p. 36. do pathetically enter the spirits of others that have but a little embraced this sweet notion that the Lord Jesus is proportionably gracious in his external privileges to a Christian profession as he is in his internal saving benefits to the sincerity of Christianity Heer he says three things the one is With what Conscence can I keep off Infants This is now four times The other two are the same which in their naked sense comes to this Though Christ be offered freely yet it must be to such only as we judge truly receive him The truth is the word and the Sacraments are but the same publick instrument delivered as a sealed writing for the use of the Church and are equal privileges if I may call the same equal to all the Members of it I do even pity mortality to see what a few words a few enfoldings can hide Truth from us what sense is in this Jesus Christ is to be freely shewed forth to bring men home effectually to him and yet must the Receivers make out their right unto the Minister before we dare offer or conditionally apply him to them I do humbly conceive heer is the false notion that perplexes the many We that are Ministers they think are sent by our Prince Jesus to our Flocks as Rebels to offer grace and salvation if they come in and truly accept him we are to seal their pardons if they do not make this visibly appear we may not apply the seal without being guilty of the blood of Christ Now this is a very ill apprehension which we shall rectifie as we go forwards for we must not make the notion of sealing so dreadfull and bring so much blood upon our souls I think this is true indeed in reference to the heathen whom we need not fear to judge visible Rebels and they must come in and professe Jesus Christ in opposition to all other Religions before we can seal the Word to them The Word is no sealed Word even outwardly but to the Church and when they are made Members once it is then sealed we seal them an equal right to all Ordinances and Privileges and whatsoever is exernal we confer to them But being received into the Church and professors already we cannot compel any tryal of them more unlesse by way of Catechism and instruction wherein yet there is no man too old to learn Lu. 14. but it must be as to the truth of their profession or effectual sincerity which for to do where no scandal calls them in question it is to go about to judge mens hearts and to enter into the seat of God and make our selves dispensers not of the mysteries only but of the grace while we take a power to judge of mens worthinesse and according to visibility seal them their pardons This is a businesse of sad consequence to give occasion and some hold-fast to those Anti-christian Scandals are cast on our Ministry by them that would undo us I must confesse I belive 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 and must be laid down it may be in the dust I hope we shall acknowledge his hand and if he shall return our Captivity from the Rivers of Confusion where we have sate down and wept we will remember again our Ierusalem and when thou hast restored us our Harps now hanging on the Willows we will sing of thy goodnesse in the wonted songs of thy Syon Sect. 6 HAving
for his expressions Of their seeming to submit yet carrying Daggers and Poyson about them to murder their Prince and therefore they must be searched c. Besides the vanity of the words I must tell him 1. There is no Scripture that warrants his pretended tryal of Church Members about their coming to the Sacrament that is flat 2 Much lesse that he may take a power of search as to the truth of grace which is an entring on Gods Throne and the Spirits work 3 This is clean contrary to Christs example who set up no Sacramental tryal for Iudas at least for any thing we can find of it But alas that is nothing to Mr. Drake he has found out a way to turn this off with a wet finger p. 9. 90. Which if you confer with this passage he tels us That they who are the Servants by all means must needs try examine and keep men away for fear of some secret Treason unto Christ in coming hither but Jesus Christ the Lord himself must not have power to make tryal of or suspend Iudas that really intends to murder him because the Presbytery was not setled To p. 44. I answer Godly Parents and Maesters instruction of their Children and Servants unto the Lords Supper may be good as the Ministers Catechizing them without this ill language he heer gives me I would willingly allow a man some Salt in his discourse but his is brinish there are some ingredients to be in ones Inck besides Gall. To that question what Christ sealed to Iudas p. 46 47 48. without regard to the rest which is amisse I judge he speaks well herein The word and the seal both go together and assure particular mercy or judgment to the Receivers as they are worthy and unworthy that is according to the Covenant-tenour and their own condition This is good though his comparison of the bitter water following this and that the Sacrament can never do good to any but such as are good already seems to me such a slander of that precious Ordinance I would not be guilty of for all Mr. Drake is worth But I pray consider this really whatsoever Christ does in his Ministry must be a gracious act and be capable of gracious ends so that this action must be in its own nature a means to have done him good if he had made a good use of it and t is accidental to the thing he did it not Yet did Christ in this actual estate of his Mr. Drake says truly seal to him judgement you must conceive it as to his own part in Receiving for the Minister seals no interest but conditionally Now the truth is as the Word is a sweet savour to God and a means of salvation in his threatnings as well as its promises because it does but still declare the Covenant whereof they are parts of it so is the Sacrament while it seals judgement or while it seals life seeing it does but seal the Covenant equally in both Here then I humbly conceive still submitting my self unto mercy lies the main upon the Receivers to examine their hearts and so to come in their addresses to Christ that they rightly apply the Covenant unto themselves according to their condition Always carrying in mind these two things First That thou put far enough asunder the blessed work of sealing the Covenant though it denounces thy judgement unlesse thou repentest for it does it no otherwise and that cursed sin of thy abuse hereof if thou dost not lay it to heart in eating damnation Secondly That what the Word denounces and Sacrament seals they conveigh not Really but only Relatively for they are not Physical but Moral instruments which Mr. Drake did not think of in his bitter comparison so that while they assure thee of damnation they do thee no hurt if thou make a good use of them for thy conviction but if otherwise as all means else they serve but to encrease it You may happily say this notion is strange but is it not true and as for the ingredients what every one yield who will deny the Sacrament is a visible word Does not the word say he that believes not and repents is damned that is is in a present state of death Must not every one lay this estate of his to heart Does not the seal assure the same thing only with the Word Is not our Receiving the application of what is sealed And is not the application or setting home the right part of the Covenant on a mans soul the very businesse by the grace of God of his conviction and conversion What then remains but that man have the information and God the glory He repeats often Where the word is not applicable neither the Sacrament This is his strength and I cloze with him and urge But if every man is to apply the Word and while he is impenitent he is to lay to heart the threatnings and wrath of God as the only way to mollifie and work him to repentance then it is clear the seal may be applyed so likewise The Seal and the Word he speaks fully must go together If you offer to say it seals not this part of the Covenant but only the promise and grace then you take away all danger as it is sealing to the most unworthy and make our admission more free though if any dare say it seals not the whole Covenant you may as well believe it is no seal at all P. 51. He has Infants up again which is now five times but for his words Shall the Supper be free for Blaspemers Murderers c. which who doubts but may be excommunicated if not put to death and his undertaking to prove his rule of visibility to the Sacrament to be as orderly as Baptism it is like himself to say all day and prove at night For his answers to my 4 Considerations I reply as briefly To the first An historical faith suffices unto Baptism Acts 8.13 To the second Acceptance is either in sincerity which we cannot search or outward only and visible and that for Church-members is their receiving As for any other the Scriptures he pleads as abundant enough are none at all but if ill words will do it he has authority enough To the third where are many things I say 1. Though conviction is not enough to convert without grace what then Is it not a means therefore with it 2. His implicated errors are his own for conviction of the truth of the Covenant does come directly by sealing it and conviction of the general offer by the applying it to every single person I think some nicety between offering and applying which as to the Minister is the same troubles the man But3 Conviction that Christ is mine in particular as to a faith of particular evidence as he expresses it comes not at all by the Sacrament Because 1. The Sacrament seals nothing but the Word which speaks not particularly I believe,2 What is common
accept his piety Let our Consciences be free Let our needlesse scruples our wounds and terrors be healed and I have done Let the Sacrament be returned like the Ark again unto our Israel and I shall be content to have the new Cart that brings it to be cloven into Wood and the two Kine offered with it as a sacrifice unto God Sect. 12 VNto these reasons I added two more From the command and good of coming from the evill of omitting this Ordinance For the command I did but name here because included before as I have now opend in my fifth reason 〈…〉 on the strength of 〈…〉 He objects p. 97. 〈…〉 Receive becâ—use Mark Luke and Nathaniel were not there 〈…〉 is he much prettier over 〈…〉 where he that is so much against this command of actual receiving will yee have 〈◊〉 and the Distracted come to the sight to be converted at it His grand argument which runs through his Book is this â—he Word and Prayer is the instrument of conversion so not the Sacrament therefore natural men as well as others must hear that but may not receive this Ans This arguing is palpably weak and grosse besides the matter untrue It is not an unregenerate mans duty because it will not convert him as though it were mans benefit were the ground of duty and not Gods precept whereas a thing is not our duty therefore God wills it but God wills it and therefore it is our duty For Judas it is already answered For 1 Cor. 11. it is manifest after St. Paul has convinc'd the Corinths of their unworthinesse yet their coming together he approves and that not to look on but to Eat v. 33. The case is clear if men be without prejudice the duty was still to be done and their carriage to be amended But whereas he adds Why should Mr. H. put thâ—se asunder which God hath joyned I answer how comes Mr. H. to be accused and Mr. D. be in the fault I say a man must examine himself and so Eat he must do both I joyn them He says the unregenerate must examine himself and so abstain He separates them Nay he says he must be present too but not Eat which is even another Schism in the actions His words then Mr. H. says let a man Eat though he does not examine himself are a slander I place very much on this There are two things I hold an unregenerate Christian is still to do to examine himself and to wait to wait and to examine himself He must consider his own condition that he may pray according to it when he has prayed and goes about his duty he must examine still what influence God has on him by it He must likewise when he comes to hear and especially to receive try his own heart that he may apply the Covenant according to his estate and when he has done he must look over his soul still what he has gained in waiting on God Readers I do here in the name of Christ as you look for good at his ordinance commend to you this duty and if you shall dare to come with carelesse hearts and secure spirits may the terrors of eating and drinking your damnation seize upon you and frighten you from the danger into the arms of repentance and bosom of Christ For the good of comming he objects p. 98 99. The Sacrament must not be attended on as the word in order to conversion but edification c. Ans We must not receive this doctrine without Scripture which will wholly dis-people this Ordinance though I think his own distinction may serve the truth if ordered aright seeing the word Edifying as in our frequent use so ordinarily in Scripture is attributed in common to the visible Church 1 Cor. 14.3 4. There are therefore though this might have been respited yet to its place two ends unto which the Word is instituted To convert the Nations unto the faith and to Edifie such as are brought in to the profession of it Now it is true the Sacrament is instituted but for one of these ends It is not to convert the Heathen for the Word is no sealed Word unto them but it is to edifie the Church wherein the most being such as are not yet effectually wrought upon as it tends to Edifie them it must be a help or means to their regeneration And thus shall his strong hold become as a forsaken bough and uppermost branch unto which we may climb up by his own terms and not leave on it so much as the shaking of an Olive tree or as the gleaning Gapes when the Vintage is done For the evil of Omission p. 100. he distinguishes between a not receiving and neglecting which may be allowed I think on a just occasion so long as we resolve on better preparation against the next Sacrament But otherwise it is a poor answer to my instance of the Passeover where the bare omission of not bringing an offering in the appointed season which in the forbearance was allowed to none but for a Moneth Numb 9.13 was such a sinne as did endanger them to be cut off His exceptions p. 101. against the Parable Matt 22. are vain things Those that murdered the servants were a part of them that were invited and not to be opposed for the contempt of the feast is the main businesse intended as appears by Lu. 14. where nothing else is mentioned But the main question for so far the Parable may reach is whether they that refuse to come into Gods Ordinances all which I allow it concerns as well as this are not unworthy v. 8. and in danger to be destroyed And then whether it be better for an unregenerate Christian to come to the Sacrament as preparedly as he can or wholly to omit it and I think we are sufficiently instructed by all other duties which is the greater sin to sail only in the manner or to leave undone the matter also Let the briars and thorns be set together in battel the fire shall passe through them P. 102. In opposition to Mr. H. it is neither a certain duty on the Ministers part to admit all nor on the peoples part for all to receive c. Answ Let Mr. D. take heed how he is carried through opposition lest in opposing Mr. Humfrey he directly opposes the command of Christ He grants p. 47. That where there is no government setled the Minister by a due forewarning may clear his soul but how sadly does he reverse this here and wrap him again in a fatal cloud for if it be not his duty it must be his sin there is no medium for his excuse Let us therefore here steel our selves that in doing both we do as we ought without making his conscience as to the particulars de facto a rule of ours For his distinction of mediately and immediately he should have forborn the wound and saved his salve for there is none that denies but that every man
a former story and joyns it to another as a part of it to which if it be taken to belong it becomes a manifest falshood we will not abate one jot or tittle of the truth of St. Lukes Gospel P. 9. But suppose Iudas was present and received 1. The Apostles scarce ever suspected him though discovered Ans What then It is manifest by this that Christ and his Disciples did not judge it necessary to look into Iudas to find out whether he lived in any known sin They examine themselves and say Is it I Now how will Mr. Dake's trial that is a means to vex hypocrites as he words it by prying into others and uncasing them p. 49. 117. be sutable to this humble temper of the Disciples and practise of Christ 2. Iudas had not yet actually betrayed Christ and it is absurd to punish any for a future sin Ans Compare this with p. 102. where he tels us the rule he goes by and keeps men away he says to prevent scandal also the sin of the unworthy receiver who would else murder Christ c. Mark it Christ may not keep away Iudas because he had not actually betraid him but Mr. Drake must needs keep men away for fear they should betray him It is absurd to suspend any for a future sin and yet he suspends all to prevent the sinne they have not committed Nay this supposal only of a future sinne is the very ground of his Excommunication when he debars them nothing but actual receiving in any ordinance 3. Christ acting as a Minister It was not fit It would have been an ill president c. Ans I am sorry to see that prejudice and interest of opinion should ever raise men to this high degree of imagination That it was not fit for Jesus Christ the great Master of Discipline to take so much power over his Disciples as the Presbytery over their Congregations This is a sad passage to see what a fluce this man has opened to let in the streams of contempt come in upon them It is far otherwise with us seeing none are suspended but 1. such as suspend themselves by refusing due trial Ans I will ask him Suppose a religious man nay suppose twenty upon grounds of conscience or prudence will not submit to his Trial yet offer themselves at the Sacrament Dare he refuse to administer it to them and knows nothing else by them If I should do so seeing I am call'd to speak my conscience I should fear it were a sin Alas Sir Will you not let men serve God and save their Souls 2. Such as upon trial are found unworthy c. Ans But I pray have you any thing first to allege against them If you have not how will you bring them to trial If they come willingly and you find them unfit and so suspend them then you go about to punish them again for a future sin The truth is if you are really so tender in this busines you may repair to your people in that humble way of admonishing them with tears and from house to house Acts 20.20 I say not you are bound to this de jure that you necessarily sin else but de facto I think it might be done with more profit if that be all you intend and good will as unto them I would rather allow you twenty Elders to watch over and instruct men for the Sacrament than two only to turn away any from it P. 10. He argues Contra None of the Apostles were ignorant or scandalous therefore Iudas and their receiving cannot warrant any such others Ans This is not true for indeed we shall find both ignorance in the Apostles and scandal in Judas Here the Lion and the Calf are down together and a little Child may lead them For the disciples ignorance it is manifest The true saving knowledge of remission of sin lies in Christs resurrection Ro. 4.25 1 Cor. 15.17 but they were so wholly ignorant even of this grand point that they knew not the Scripture that he must rise again Io. 20.9 Nay what think you if they understood not the point of his death neither Judge impartially what knowledge could they have at and of this ordinance if they conceiv'd him not as crucified 1 Cor. 11.26 Now I pray compare Mark 9.31.32 Lu. 9.44.45 with Lu. 24.7 8. and it is said plainly They understood not the things Christ taught them about his death and remembred them not till he was risen Adde hereunto we find no mention of the Sacrament or forewarning of Christ before the institution so that whatsoever they did understand of the nature and use hereof it was only what the present words did afford them From whence we may resolve that though people are but little knowing even in some fundamentals and have but a rude implicit faith I mean the word orthodoxly and good affections they may be admitted to this Supper and I think moreover that our preparation Sermons and present Exhortations which should be about the main with our prayers and solemnity may clear our own souls in this pattern of Christ as to the sufficiency of their instruction for edification though where prudence directs to more if without bondage I humbly commend it For Iudas scandal be pleas'd to look in Mat. 26.2.14 15 16. Mar. 14. 1 12. â—nd you find it apparent that Iudas made his bargain with the high Priests about betraying Christ two nights before the Passeover so that that line of his where he sayes Judas had not yet betrayed Christ any more than Peter had denyed him is a very untruth And as for the knowledge or divulging of it Christ himself did I think more than once reveal it But now if there had been any Examination requisite as Mr. Drake pretends about their visible worthinesse to search whether any of them liv'd in a known sin would not Christ have been as exact in doing his Ministerial duty as this Man Could not he have sent but two of his disciples unto the Priests to find him out and witnesse against him and might not Iohn and Peter who call themselves so serve for Elders And I pray now is it visible worthiness upon trial or visible membership that Christ went by in his admission You may even pity the lamentable case he here has brought himself that he has nothing to help it but confess T is true Judas had betrayed Christ in purpose and compact already but Christ charges him not with that but foresels his actual treachery that is Iudas indeed was actually a scandalous person but Christ did not charge it on him as as bar to his admission He did not that were enough therefore it is not necessary Yet farther I pray take notice of the words in Matt. 26.24 Lu. 22.22 and they are spoken in the present tense we must not yield a jot of the truth and purport of Christs words when Christ sayes One of you shall betray me and Verily the Son
Covenant actually in him A receiving worthily lies mainly I think in comming with reverence This reverence I will conceive both in regard of the dignity of the institution and due consideration of our selves that we make our addresse to it according to the state of our souls To open my self I will suppose though what I last spake may put it to a quaere as others do that the Sacrament is a seal of the Covenant even in application to single persons Now then there must be two things or parts of it sealed salvation to him that truly beleeves and repents and damnation to him that does not Promissio says Calvin non minuùs ir aÌ„ incredulis minetur quam gratiam fidelibus offert Mar. 16.16 Now if a man finds true faith repentance in himself he receives worthily in applying the benefits promised to him But if a man finds not his regeneration and that he does not sincerely repent of his sins he is then to come in the fear of God applying to himself that part of the Covenant that belongs to him being ready to lay to heart his sad estate and certainty of damnation without a true and total submission unto Christ who only is offered to him on that condition In the application of the right part of the Covenant to a mans proper estate lies the very essence of that conviction which the Spirit works in us at our conversion The fifth thing is What is the meaning of that phrase Not discerning the Lords body and it is the not putting a difference between this sacred and a common table I pray mark it v. 29. and it is plainly exegetical of the former as if he should say by their eating and drinking unworthily I mean this prophane regardlessnesse of theirs that they have no more respect to this Bread and Wine than their ordinary meals And this is farther clear by that illative Wherefore v. 27. while the Apostle argues from the end of receiving which is to shew forth Christs death against their receiving unworthily that is without consideration of that end He enquires not into the estate of the person whether regenerate or not but looks to their manner of receiving because they came not to the Sacrament as a memorial of Christ as a sacred thing and holy institution If the meaning of either of the phrases were to come without faith or regeneration as some too harshly presse it then the Corinths that were punisht for this sinne must have been not only chastened but condemned with the World which they were not v. 32. The veâ—y direct sin then of this place is their irreverence and monstrous prophanenesse which I am perswaded ought not to be laid to the charge of every unregenerate Christian if he comes humbly hither in the sight of his condition The sixt thing is The import of that saying He shall he guilty of the body and blood of Christ it is no more than if he should say if you receive these holy signs so regardlessely you offer an indignity to the things signified As you commit a crime against your Prince in defacing his Arms or Royal Statue wherein there is a latitude considerable in the sin according to the more or lesse evill usage thereof and I do not approve the drawing out these words to that harsher language of Murthering Christ or the like seeing there is a vast difference between being guilty of Christs blood in the unworthy Receiver and those expressions of crucifying the Lord of Life and trampling under foot the blood of the Covenant Heb. 10.29 c. The seventh thing is What is that duty Let a man examine himself Some read it Let a man approve himself and take it as to these particulars only in reforming them I have been apt to think Let a man examine himself and so eat is as if he should say Let him so eat as considering with himself his own estate and purport of this Ordinance in suitable meditations and applications of it But I willingly lie down unto the labours of our Divines who generally make this self-examination to be a searching into our hearts and our estates about our sins in looking over the Commandements to repent of them and about our graces in looking over our evidences that we come with an habitual and actual preparation Only I must lay down three cautions 1. Take heed of standing too much upon this if you find it in you When you come as one worthy you may chalenge the benefits of the Covenant upon bringing the condition but if you do so look well to that condition for if you appeal unto Caesar to Caesar you must go there are some might have been saved if they had not appealed to their condition 2 If you find not these graces and are grieved in the want of them let not that stave you off from Christ But humble your self resolve against sin and think I shall be so much the more beholding to my Saviour not only for his benefits but also for my condition Though it be faith only can receive any thing from Christ yet is the sense of our unworthinesse a proper qualification to bring us to him both to receive that faith and the benefits of it 3 If thou findest thy self wicked and living in sin thou art to repent and mayst defer thy coming upon resolution to prepare against next Sacrament But if thou thinkest to go on in thy course and so forbearest I tell thee as I judge thou must come and apply to thy soul that part of the Covenant that is properly thine Thou art to eat and say with thy self As this bread and Wine holds forth Christ and his benefits only upon condition so it shews what I shall lose and as sure as I eat and drink I shall be certainly damn'd unlesse I repent and leave these courses for here is the seal unto the truth of Gods word and I yield unto it Deut. 27.26 All the people shall say Amen The last thing is What is this Eating and Drinking damnation and it is the incurring either with some a present temporal punishment and so the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sense too v. 32. or with others the merit desert or guist of eternal Both which neverthelesse a due judging our selves through Gods mercy may prevent v. 31. And here I must give you two distinctions which you are to receive as you intend to have peace in this thing The former is between a general and particular receiving damnation In general Divines say certainly Every unregenerate man receives his damnation as he reads hears prays works his damnation in every thing he does Tit. 1.15 which things neverthelesse must be done The meaning is I take it that nothing he does or can do comes up to the condition of the Covenant but there is some failing and sin which must be accounted for at the great day and so it is said to increase
their damnation though their account would be yet greater we must conceive if they should not do these duties at all But for this particular Eating damnation which is the effect of the unworthinesse of this place incurring a more peculiar or deeper guilt upon a person may not be charged I think upon any but upon those that come so irreverently without respect to this holy institution that they sin in the very fact in using it as common thing which ought not to be done An unregenerate man may come Christianly though but in an outward conformity to this Ordinance it is our duty but he may not come presumptuously as to a common Table and prophane it The other distinction I must commend to tender spirits is between Eating damnation and Sealing damnation The one is the effect of irreverent unworthinesse provoking God The other is only a confirming and attestation of the truth of the Covenant to every man according to his condition which is much for the honour and owning of God Methinks my heart is enlarged and I must tell you these two things must be separated as far as Heaven and Hell I wish there were some further distance that the plague of the one might never trouble you under the notiō of the other which has eat unto our very hearts that I am afraid men won't receive this manifest truth It is a most precious sweet mercy of God when he denounces judgment upon an impenitent sinner to awaken his soul and bring him to repentance It is the very like or same gracious act of his in sealing to his word to set home that conviction as it were using all means as Christ did with Judas to work upon him Now it is likewise every mans duty while God shews us the way it must be so that lives impenitently to apply these threatnings to assure and seal them upon himself and so to take that part of the Covenant as I expresse it that belongs to him So that this thing which has appeared so terrible to drive men from the Sacrament that they do but seal or apply damnation to themselves is the only thing of concernment for them to do in this estate as they ever look to be converted and saved O that every sinful Christian would but do this with due reverence and a serious conscience and I would assure him this sealing his damnation is the only way to eat his salvation in the use hereof If you ask here But how then is Christ offer'd to such a man I answer Very well as truly as he is preached in his threatnings Christ is never offer'd to any but as wrapt up under the tenour of the Covenant which contains both wrath and life In the Word and Sacrament there is necessarily shewn forth to the hypocrite what he shall lose unlesse he will become sincere as to the sound believer what he shall have in the partaking of them There is something sealed actually and something potentially to every man Actually the regenerate hath life sealed to him but Potentially damnation if he fall away from his faith which though we beleeve he never shall in respect of Gods grace yet as on his own part he is frail this is a means to make him stand An unregenerate man hath wrath actually sealed to him but potentially all Christs benefits which is as it were a voice behind him that though he be in this present fearful estate yet if he will but repent and believe he may get out of it and be saved Thus do Judgement and Mercy interweave their forces to bring in a sinner unto Christ And here may be removed that dreadfull scruple of some poor Christians who apprehend they have been unworthy and there damnation has then been sealed now the seal being sure how can what is sealed ever be reversed I answer The alteration is made only in us the Seal is the same and what is sealed is the same A man walks in one place and is in the shade he turns into another and is in the shine yet the Sun is the same The Sacrament seals the Covenant Man seals to his condition while he walks not accordingly his damnation is sealed when he repents and does his salvation Actually and potentially both are sealed and according to his walking he hath the influence thereof whether of the light of life or shadow of death There is one Iron only enter'd my soul and it was this If the Sacrament be a Seal it does exhibit and convey something to the Receiver and that to the unregenerate must be dangerous Here then let us know and arm our selves that Sacraments being only Moral Instruments cannot convey any thing that is Real unto the soul by way of Obsignation but only that which is Relative making no change but as to our Estates and relations to God the very end or proper effect being chiefly to assure us thereof I mean make us more believe consider and lay them to heart if good for our comfort if bad for our conviction Now this very assurance as farther degrees of faith and love in the worthy Receiver and hardnesse in the unworthy which are Real things are not externally exhibited I say by this sealing but internally wrought or effected according to the acts and exercises of our Souls on those objects that may be said thereby to have an influence on us Now then let an unregenerate man so come to the seal that he lays close to heart his damnable condition being the more humble and sensible of it it has its very right effect upon him and is a help towards his conversion while it does not Physically conveigh Gods wrath for that it cannot but Morally work only the sense of it on his Spirit which if he le ts wear off again without amendment his sin of hardning will lie therein and not in his coming And now for my part if I have fallen on the truth yet am I nothing for it has been my fears and doubtings have even brought me to it who must sadly confesse my self to be such a truant to the proficiency of grace that I am justly turn'd down unto the lowermost form of such poor sinners that are jealous and do even question the sincerity of it Amongst these I have thought it safest in coming to this Ordinance to condemn my condition and while I do so methinks the Apostle speaks comfortably to me If we judge our selves we shall not be judged Poor souls Is not this sweet to you Let it enter into your hearts when you come in your tears as it were weltring hither the very same place that has made you tremble in speaking so dreadfully of unworthinesse does yet assure you but if you condemn your selves as unworthy you shall not be condemned I would not for any thing that passage were left out The meek Iesus will never spurn at thee when thou liest down before him O my soul whiles others are even embrac'd in Christs arms
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
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