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
it that is by way of moral action per modum objecti as grace is still both begotten and confirmed in other Ordinances It is manifest there is no danger here of advancing this Ordinance above its nature or condition but there is very much danger of being injurious to poore Christians of dis-valuing this means of Grace the sweet Jesus has appointed us of bringing in question how it can beget any degrees of grace at all if it cannot the first and especially of being very presumptuous with the Spirit of God to goe to limit him in the very same way he ordinarily works the same effect in his other Ordinances To come now to Mr. Drakes opposition p. 154. He first tels us Some Divines indeed do hold Baptism to be a means of Regeneration but they should not and he does not Answ I agree with him as for Infants But for the Intelligent Johns Baptism may convince him whom we find admitting all to it and then exhorting them to amendment as the use or end of it and therfore it is not said they repented unto baptisme but they were baptised unto repentance The end cannot precede what is in order to it and the effect in esse be before the cause in operari And as for his instances in the Acts That faith was presupposed It is answered That is an historicall faith onely accepting the doctrine of Christ and profession thereof as is beyond dispute to me in Simon Magus P. Ibid. In regeneration the Word is writ in our hearts and can any man make the seal a cause of the writing Answ He may as well aske can any writing be a cause of it selfe But here is the mans error still The seale of the inward writing in mens hearts is not the Sacraments but the Spirit and that seale I hope is the cause of the writing and that by the means of the outward writing and seale the Word and Sacraments Page 155. He produces my Argument The Sacrament is a visible Gospel the shewing forth the death of Christ is the means of conversion But the Sacrameut is a shewing forth of his death Ergo. His Answer is This proves onely that all may be present which he pleads for not actually receive Answ Methinks the heart of a godly man should at first scare serve him thus to shift and trifle with this holy Ordinanee and the Consciences of people And yet his granting this is enough for so long as he maintains that as the Sacrament holds forth Christ to the eyes there is none may be debarred from the sight no more then they may be debarred from hearing where he is held forth to the eare I argue Then as Christ is held forth Sacramentally to the taste and touch there is none can be debarred to wit if intelligent Church-members from the tasting and feeling of him herein then they can from the seeing of him or hearing Nay our force for this is rather greater because the words of institution expressely respects the touch and taste while Christ saies this is my body not barely to see and hear but to take and eate As the Centurion by looking on Christ upon the crosse beleeved he was the Son of God So did Thomas by feeling his wounds beleeve his Resurrection And I doe not doubt but that all these senses doe afford their grounds of suitable meditation about the melting objects of Christs Passion Redemption and tender mercies so represented they may become means to worke upon us through the Spirit of God which we may piously hope for by vertue of an Ordinance For if Mr. D. say Page 147. What the word applies by one sense the Sacrament doth by all senses and therefore is a more powerful means of assurance I will not doubt to say by the same reason as it applies the same thing with the word it may have the same operation and as faith comes into the heart at first in the one by hearing alone it may in the other by hearing seeing touching and tasting altogether Page 156. He brings in my next Argument In the institution there is a Take and Eat a Take for such as have not Christ a word of grace to quicken those as an Eat to nourish others My substance is Here is a free offer and command in this word Take and we are not to hold it ineffectual He excepts Taking and Eating call for acts of faith and presuppose the habit Ans When Christ and his Disciples preached Beleeve and repent The command did call for faith and repentance but I hope it did not presuppose the habit in those who were to be converted so when Christ sayes here Take that gracious word includes Beleeve or receive me by faith but faith I hope is required where it is not pre-required to wit required that it may be wrought as well as acted And herein indeed I place my strength This Take requires Beleeve but there is a vertue or power from Christ that goes along with his commands The free tenders of himselfe are the conveyances of the grace he requires to the receiving him even as the Apostles words to the Jaylor Act. 16.31 which he well notes Beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ was the instrument to worke that faith and convert him And as while Thomas by feeling Christs wounds beleeved why might it not be the vertue of Christs gracious command bidding him to put his fingers in his sides and beleeve that produced that powerful application My Lord and my God Now we have Christ here likewise presenting his broken body and blood and bidding us feel his wounds touch and taste Take and eat be not faithlesse but beleeving Here we have a joynt offer and command and why then should we distrust the power of our Lord when we have the word of our Lord What if we had but that one word for us were not one word from the mouth of our deare Saviour which is a standing word to his Church enough to rest upon Truly Christians Let me plead with you Are the words of Christ Spirit and life or are they not Is there any power goes along with the tender offers and precepts of the Gospel or is there not If there be not why do poor dead souls wait on them for life If there be then why is there not the like power expected in this precept and offer of grace How dull and flow of heart are we to relye upon Christ and expect vertue from his commands Methinks I could wish that all faithful Ministers would set themselves to beleeve in Christ for this effect and while they should as it were stand round about this little word Take by their acting faith in Christ and expectations from him as the Disciples did about Paul when they supposed him stoned dead Act. 14. though they judge no otherwise of this word though they suppose it but a dead word to the unregenerate they might finde life in it for the quickning of their flocks as some
have something to put in Who knows not if men be in a journy or sick they keep from the Church on a civil account with the like Thus does his silver become drosse his wine mixt with water and instead of an Amphora currente rotâ you have an earthen pitcher For his other instances I am willing to grant as I have but now express'd my self where there are scandals 1. Notorious that they offend the Congregation,2 So open that they need no proof or debate,3 In the present fact so that no repentance can be pleaded such may be dealt withall as ipso jure Excommunicate If you shall demand of me a substantial proof for yielding thus much I must answer you the Church is of age ask it What she in prudence hath allowed I am ready to think there may be good reason for though I know it not We are to make the fairest construction and it may be she would hereby teach her Children to account revere and dread the ground or cause of Excommunication no lesse than the censure of it Yet if any here shall make use of this confession of mine to the tendernesse of others so poorly as Mr. Drake does of the un-intelligent to plead against me only what I yield to them as it will be an argument of their weaknesse so shall it fortifie me with one proviso more which Christs example does afford that though I grant that such as these thus strictly set down may be kept off for the present yet are we to chuse to do that still in Christian prudence which is like to tend most to the parties reformation the peoples good and the honour of God His fourth is upon these words of mine If any come in as professing c. p. 16 17 18. Here he overreaches the word As I say not All that come do make me profession I think there is no necessity of it much lesse that the Minister is to seek after an Evidence of their sincerity which were a burden to break his heart but I say Every one that comes in comes as a professor His very comming is a profession of his covenanting with Christ. Even as the Souldiers repairing to his Colours is an acknowledging his Captain and Office So is our repairing to Christs Ensignes our profession of him the pledge whereof is the Sacrament For his appeal to my self then I answer I stand not on a verbal but a vital profession and this is either Real the search whereof I leave only to God or Visible and such is their comming Church-membership without this incapacity is all the evidence we can look after To admit any Heathens into Church-membership requires their declaration or confession but as for Church-members I say this is their profession to wait on their duty I do acknowledge a profession and a signified profession our Church was wont to secure this by the Creed which I think were good still to be used yet dare I not say any other way of that signification is absolutely necessary than this comming only for I desire to know where in the Gospel after initiation into the Church there is any other signification of mens being Professors than their bare meeting or assembling themselves together at the Ordinances So that if pious sober men shall yet think it necessary to presse some trial and declaration of the faith of their Congregations to them it can be urged only upon the account of laying a ground for Reformation and then for ought I see they must begin at Church-membership and not at the Sacrament For Mr. Drakes own undertaking it is notable Let the people but maks their profession before the Eldership and we shall undertake to fit them for the-Sacrament c. See p. 58. and there he addes unto this In a few months our end being the preparation of all sorts we dare undertake to fit the meanest Now I pray compare this with his language of me p. 92. where I having said I endeavour this only Doth he not know quoth he that one fit or worthy must be 1. Converted,2 Unblameable,3 Actually prepared Lay this together and you shall see the feats of this man that will regenerate you a Congreation make them unblameable and actually prepare them of all sorts within a few months At least he will warrant you before he has done with them if they will but submit to be ruleà by him His last exception is at my doubtfulnesse on the part of the Receivers p. 16. His words indeed are too Masterly but the difficulty is serious I perceive in his judgement he makes this no question but that while a man finds himself unregenerat he must keep away though he has examin'd himself and prepared for it I dare not run down this stream with him Our rule is this let a man not onely let the regenerate man examine himself and so let him eat not so let him abstain Some interpret the words Ita probet ut abstineat Let him examine that if he be not worthy he must forbear Others it a probet ut etiam edat Let him examine but so also that he eat I encline to the last my ground is this If a thing be evil because it is done it must be avoyded but if it be not evil in the substance of the thing as no precept can be but for the defects of the Doer the thing still must be done and the Doer reformed If to avoid this Mr. Drake say this is not his duty I pray God forgive me or forgive him for I think it a grievous presumption to make void a command of God through his tradition Sect. ANd here I might keep close but I will open my soul for it is melted like water which I am ready to pour out before the feet of Jesus Christ or any of his servants that will gather it up I find the temper of most tender Christians when they search their hearts for an habitual preparation required to this Sacrament they resolve into doubts about their comming For while our Divines do as it were strive to lay down the most searching marks of these graces and our poor frail hearts cannot reach up to them which the more strict we judge usually the more spirituall they begin to fail us and if we go on we are ever convinc'd of the want of them and so doubt of our unworthinesse Now if we must hold the Sacrament to be a means of grace only to the Regenerate and that none may come without these Sacramental graces or thus habitually prepared we cannot approach to this holy Table but the terrors of the Lord must fall upon us as trembling to be guilty of the blood of Christ and eat our damnation O sir It may be the Lord has cleared your interest that you can lay the hand of your faith upon Christs shoulder and say he is mine and in the confidence of David Gilead is mine Ephraim is mine Manasses is mine this mark is mine and
judgement But a judgement of probability as to a visible fitnesse and unfitnesse upon a charitable jealousie may be solid as to advice and counsel but not as to be a rule of admission or suspension 2. The censures of the Church upon Heresie or scandal after due admonition and conviction will stand firm as they have ever done without this judging at the Sacrament 3. Ephesus is commended for her tryal of the false Apostles as to their doctrine not for a trial as to the Sacrament She could not bear those that were evill in the Church it were a wretched interpretation to say she could not bear them only at the Lords Supper 4. The Apostle 1 Cor. 5.7 12 13. speaks of the like Excommunication from the whole lump that the evil report of such a notorious action I take it might not leaven their Churches reputation by his being reckond of their company 5. The trial of the Ministers at our Ordination hath expresse warrant for it but there is no Scripture sets up a tryal of our members unto the Communion 6. The gentlenesse required of an Elder 2 Tim. 2.24 25. will hardly stand with Mr. Drakes spirit which makes him the more unfit for this trial if it were meet in others 7. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does not allow us to suffer men in their sinnes for there is a reproof in the spirit of meeknesse but it does allow us to suffer and invite them unlesse excommunicate unto Gods ordinances 8. It is a censure befits only Mr. Drake to judge it out of pride in the most and ignorance in the best that they do not conform themselves in this thing unto him when it may be the lamentation of their souls to see the miserable effects already of it 9. As a man cannot note a fault with more mildnesse than in Scripture-terms and bring himself in it as I have done in these words Preferring our selves Phil. 2.3 so there cannot be expressed more bitternesse to a fellow-Minister ordained as he if he would know it by the Presbytery than to number me in the company of Corah Sanballat and Tobiah And now should I return him his own language p. 61. See you not here how the vizard of piety falls off and his breath and pen savour quickly of pride Should I say If this do not smell strong of sublime Pharisaism I beseech you what doth as he has it p. 93 Or rather should I heartily advise him to take heed there be not a guilt herein upon his own conscience that so galls him to the heart in a hatred of the remedy instead of the disease I should be justified by his words but do not know whether I shall be approved by God in making it a means to shew him his sin and humble him for it For my part while he can even wish the earth might open and swallow me up I desire the Lord to open his eyes that he may see the rents he helps to make to swallow up the Church And though he obtain not his wish as to the Earth yet has he prevailed much as to the waters which have overflowen my soul and even been ready to swallow that up with the sorrows and woundings of my heart under these his bitter accusations The Lord executeth judgement and righteousnesse for the oppressed Alas Sir Is it any advantage unto me to see our Church in her ruines can I repine at that double honour you would get in ruling well as in labouring in the Gospel Do not I rather deplore the burden on your selves and indignation of others in lieu of it Would it not be as much happinesse to me as my fellow brethren to have that Government establisht which is thought most conducing to our own good And can I take any such pleasure in the dis-orders dis-respects and contumelies of an unwieldy people as much as any for want of disciplin that I should be against it No it is the unwarrantablenesse in Scripture the unsuitablenesse with mens Spirits the improbability of the effect it is the desire of peace unity in the Church and the taking away the root of our divisions especially it is the infinite account on the Ministers Soul the many grievous wounds and perplexities of tender Consciences that have engaged my soul◠and interess'd my spirit for a freedom at this Ordinance And now if it shall please the Lord to make me a poor instrument to bring refreshment to any of his people amidst their afflictions concerning themselves or our mixt Communions I shall be contented to be reckoned by this man for a Sanballat or Tobiah if I may be accepted of my God in the words of Nehemiah Remember me heerin O Lord according to thy great mercy and wipe not out the kindnesses I have done to the house of my God and the offices thereof but wipe out all my failings and my offences with thy goodnesse and the precious blood of Iesus Christ Pag. 65. His note is good though words bad We are more apt to take notice of what men do ill than what they do well of their sitting to reject a few than of the many are admitted to their mutual comfort c. Ans I know not which is more comfort to have all visibly worthy or to have charity enough to make all so I am sure the seeing the vilest may have a good use on our hearts if it humble them and makes us look on our selves as them without the difference of Gods mercy It is indeed a comfortable thing to be with our brethren round about our Father with none but His Children receiving our portions of the blood of Christ yet need it not deject but enlarge our devotions to see an attendance of Servants also coming along with his Sons in their due profession of a like outward dependance on him While the Glory of the Lord filleth the Temple his Traine may be suffered to reach unto the Earth Pag. 66. to p. 70. He brings in my 3 passages of our Saviour The first was about the Pharisee Lu. 18. Which I have exprest with that tendernesse and caution in the shewing the fault and not grieving the faulty that I commit it farther to their consideration pitying Mr. Drakes poor excuse That his judgement was private and without tryal as if a thing for being more publick were the lesse evill and when he judges himself worthy and many unworthy he asks the question Yet how do we think our selves better than others The second was in Lu. 5. where Christ entertaining so many Publicans and sinners at Table with him gives us the reason that he came to call them to repentance that is to convert them and yet Mr. Drake says What is this against them Who will admit none unto Christs Table unlesse converted already For his interpretation of I come not to call the righteous he wrongs Christ to say 1. He would not have all admitted 2 Rejects the Righteous for this must be taken in
the Ordinances which we have not otherwise And I conceive as the act of man brings in the wind and water in their Mils and makes use of their naturall motions to doe their work and serve their occasions So does the holy Spirit make use of Gods voluntary actings in his waiting on the means for the effecting of his speciall worke of grace in him which is as it were acquired by infusion yet so as we can do nothing of our selves It is the free gift of God For the latter I doe admire he should say Mr. H. professeth he knowes no other constituting parts of saving faith then an Historicall assent and good purpose when I speak hereof onely as what suffices to the Sacrament not to justification And whereas upon this he wishes Mr. H. would study fundamentalls better before he come to superstructures I shall desire him seeing he acknowledges our dispute to be but about a superstructure that he would not be so hot and froward that another differs from him And as for my studies about this point of the nature of Faith I shall submit my selfe to give him this small account of them Faith is an assent to a testimony and so it differs from Knowledge Experience c. That testimony is either of Man and then it is an humane or of God and then it is a divine Faith Divine Faith then is an assent to divine Revelation or the Word of God and it is either general or special General Faith is this assent without effectual application Special is this assent with it and this assent with application is Saving Faith Now this Special Faith in the habit hath two acts according to its object in the word the one whereby it is carryed out upon the precepts and threats for obedience or the other as it is carryed out upon the promises especially the great Promise of salvation through Christ and this is the act we say justifies whether in sensu proprio or in sensu correlativo in respect of its object the point seems decided by those two Texts Rom. 3.25 with Rom. 5.9 where to bee justified by Faith in Christs blood is to be justified by his blood Yet doe I think that those men that doe as it were compound these two acts into one and call it acceptance of Christ as Lord and Saviour and so say it justifies as the Covenant-condition speak piously solidly and safely as to these times To close up this eighth Objection Though it is certain a Speciall Faith is required to every saving duty yet whereas the duty at least as a task service tribute must still be don I will advise every Receiver to look mainly into this one thing that there be not upon him the unworthinesse of an evill conscience which I account not in reference to his life past though he has been an ignorant obstinate and grievous sinner so long as for his life to come he now resolves to go on no more in any of his known wilfull sins against Conscience but to leave them and if his heart upon examination can truly tell him this though he be unregenerate and this resolution but legall and preparatory yet seeing he can heartily for the present engage himselfe to the terms of Christ as there is nothing in his Conscience can be opposed against his coming So I am intirely perswaded without the least doubt as to such a one that this Ordinance is a most fit means subordinate to the Word to make his good purposes serious for his effectuall conversion And as for those harsh termes and opinions of others that a man if he be unregenerate does but mock God murder Christ drink his poyson and cate necessarily his damnation It would even pitty a man to the heart to see how they make the holy Table of the Lord to become a snare a very rack terror and torture to many consciences while our grand Enemy makes use thereof to defraud our soules of then due sustentation by it The fear of guilt and damnation may be applyed for the pressing men to preparation but not to keep any from his duty A person famous for wit being condemned had his life promised him on condition he could make a fat Lamb become leane within such a time and yet allow him his ordinary meat This he undertakes prepares two grates in the one he puts the Lamb and gives him the food required in the other he puts a Wolfe and gives him no meat As the Wolfe growes hungry hee baites at the Lamb with his head and pawes raving at him the poore Lamb in the sight of so much terror though he cate his meat pines suddenly away and becomes as lean as if he had been quite famished for want of it I am afraid it fares thus with many of the tender Lambes of Jesus Christ who whiles they doubt of their regeneration and men set damnation to rave at and bark them away if unregenerate not being sensible of the grates that protect them they feed at the blessed Table of the Lord with so much fear and doubtfulnesse that their spiritual meat hardly does them good or their poor soules thrive by it It is even as when an hungry man dreameth and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his soule is empty or as when a thirsty man dreameth and he drinketh but he awaketh and behold hee is faint Sect. 9 THe ninth Objection is The Ordinance is polluted if all be admitted My answer was Unto the unworthy Receivers it may be said defiled as all things are to the unbeleeving Tit. 1.15 but not no others If the heathen Husband bee sanctified to the beleeving Wife which is the nearest communion that can be 1 Cor. 7.14 so that she must not separate from him in the duties of marriage as it is Gods Ordinance I may resolutely say it is not the unworthinesse of another which is external to him should make a beleever separate from the Sacrament To the clean nothing is unclean Mat. 5.11 Rom. 14.14 Unto this p. 192 193. Mr. D. consents and therefore he might have dealt more ingenuously to have joyned with me in strengthening the weak rather then to vilifie the succors I brought them but that like a troublesome briar there is nothing can passe him without catching renting and tearing while he brings his nettles to possesse our pleasant places and thorns our tabernacles Page 194. He accuses me againe for excluding infants which is nineteen times and because I do not exclude others also as he would have me he bids me take heed there be not the Pharisee and Hypocrite in my heart c. Answ His advise may be good blessed is he that feareth alwaies for though if I belye not my own temper I think it is free and open a lover of truth and reality yet when I come to the closer inter-views between God and my soule it makes my heart bleed to see what a deal of infidelity and spiritual unsoundnesse there is in