Mr. Drake joynes with mee Page 110 111.112 113. and shews the vanity contradiction absurdity hereof in termes suting the thing and himselfe Truly me thinks a man may bee very merry to see how featly he would amaze people here as if he did confute me when he onely speaks my part for me and shews the grossenesse of the same thing I doe Such is the mans dexterity excellency of Art acutenesse of Logick depth in Divinity so that the whole learning of the great Esdras in his seventy Bookes of Abstruse Mysteries hidden to the world is all enucleated and rifled in two leaves of him Here is the Candle of Discipline lighted for the Scribes and Elders to take copy of Here are some things to bee declared to the perfect and some things to be shewen secretly to the wise For in him is a vain of understanding and a River of knowledge Sect. 2 THe second Objection is from mens unfitnesse unto which I answered 1. On the Churches part 2 On the Receivers For the Church in admission I say here is no validity and he acknowledges it p. 113 114. For Absolute unfitnesse hee sayes is not the rule of his suspension But 1. Visible unfitnesse 2 That unfitnesse he tels us they are to discerne 3 That tryall is to be by the Elders 4 Then discovered they must be kept back 5 And if intrude censured So likewise p. 115. If looke say he then judge if judge then enquire for else he cannot be like to discern who are infants if enquire then execute c. Answ Here is a pile of Buildings faire and costly yet all is lost by mistaking the ground whereon he hath set it for it is not visible Reall worthinesse upon tryall but visible Relative worthinesse if I may so expresse it or external Covenant Relation gives a man right and is the ground of admission so long as hee hath his evidence of Baptisme and Membership you must disprove his right if you exclude him and not hee prove any other 2 I require nothing be intruded on us without Scripture Here is a catalogue of Magisterial Doctrine but I pray where are his proofs what Scripture hath he for it It s true the Apostle admonishes 1 Pet. 3.15 Be ready alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh you of the reason of the Hope that is in you But 1. What is that in order to the Sacrament 2. The place there does clearly speak as to the defence of our Faith in case of persecution and Mr. Drakes triall is no Inquisition 3 Hope is taken objectivè for Christian Doctrine not subjectivè for the Truth of Grace he would inquire into But suppose he urge it as an office of common charity doth all this follow upon it streight will he presently up and ride Is there no more to be proved This is right as ready as the Schollar for his Journey he wanted onely Boots and Spurs a Cloak a Horse Bridle and Saddle for hee had gotten a Switch Hee objects When God saies let a man so eate how dare any say let him eate though not so Answ Who knowes not to return when God saies let a man so hear so pray the case is the same I say still a man must doe both there is no escape without sin otherwise But when Christ saies Doe this how dare Mr. D. say Doe it not while instead of Examine and so eate hee commands let a man examine and so not eate Let the unregenerate abstaine His Argument is this The Scripture says let a man so eat so pray so hear therefore he must not pray hear or receive unlesse so The weaknesse whereof is apparent 1. Because Affirmatives are not exclusive 2 Mans impotency cannot annihilate Christs Authority If the visibly unfit will thrust in it is the Churches duty not to let them murder the Lord of Glory unlesse Mr. H. be of Cains Religion c. Answ 1. One good proofe were better then many such untoward speeches 2 Our Saviour Christ I hope was of no such Religion yet did not he keep away Judas 3 Though we are to watch over admonish and bee keepers of our Brethren it is within the compasse of divine Precepts But this precept Keep thy neighbor from the Sacrament is to my best remembrance none of the ten Commandements 4 The case is still the same here as in other Ordinances unlesse you can shew me any difference put in Scripture 5 Those the Church ought not to admit say others upon this we ought not to joyn with and if the Minister neglects his duty yet must we doe ours and so they separate from us And therefore lastly I would have such know how to distinguish between an action sub genere entis and sub genere morum we admit or allow none to receive unworthily nor hear or pray unworthily but we admit them to hear to pray and to receive and exhort them to doe it worthily We partake with others in actu physico but not in actu morali neither in our admission or communication For the Receivers part I laid downe three things 1 A natural man cannot do any thing as he ought yet doth not that nullifie his duty Invocation is a duty of the first Commandement The unregenerate man doth but take Gods Name in vaine when hee prayes which is expresly against the third yet doth not the third Command make void the first Mr. Drake excepts the Supper is not converting is Prayer I say otherwise they are a like But with all the rule we are to walke by in all duties is not the Event but the precept which alone considered evacuates his plea for as we must not doe any evill that good may come of it so must wee doe our duty Gods Precept must be done still though evil come of it page 116. A natural man must hear pray though he cannot rightly because they are converting not so receive Answ But first Is it not a sinne to heare not rightly Secondly Because hearing the word is a means of conversion doth that dispence with the sinne of hearing unworthily and make it become no sinne Thirdly If he sinne in doing it then is he bound to doe that in doing whereof he sinneth and if he be he must not omit the duty to avoid sin And what doe I say more concerning receiving the Sacrament 2 Every man must doe what he can hee answers true but this is morally impossible because unlawfull I reply what Christ bids Doe cannot bee unlawful because it is done but for the defect onely of the Doer and therefore that failing it to be amended but the duty still to bee done The doing of a thing not rightly is but partial but the not doing at all total disobedience 3 There may be a difference between a worthy Receiver and Receiving worthily The distinction as Mr. Pembles he acknowledgeth good In the use and meaning wee differ It cannot bee said of any that are legally unworthy that they
me besides the guilt of my life which others may not know of me but thou Lord knowest Thou tryest the reins and my sin is ever before thee Cleanse thou mee heale mee make me upright with thee and then shall my answer be alone in thy mercy Neverthelesse I am perswaded though I am nothing there are many good and worthy Christians that are not altogether of Mr. Drakes opinion and yet are no hypocrites Who art thou that judgest thy Brother who art thou that settest at naught thy Brother wee shall all stand before the Judgement seat of Christ The humble dust will flye in the face of him that spurns it The two next pages p. 195 196. he might have spared It he does not teach it to be simply a sin to receive with any visibly unworthy nor is against all mixed Sacraments he knows who does and might have let that alone that does not concern him Neverthelesse I cannot here wholly free Mr. D. for I think there is a deadly wound made upon tender Christians while he involves every soule under the guilt of participation with the Receiver in his sin of unworthy receiving If they doo not their best to hinder him from receiving which yet is not simply a duty where still lyes this sad fallacy but only seoundum quid in reference to the parties amendment as the end and excommunication as the means whereby a man being cast out of Christian Communion in generall is consequently debarred the Sacrament and otherwise to keep him from it is amisse as going upon this false ground that unfitnesse to the Sacrament is the formall cause of Excommunication and I fear sinful because it is simply our duty to exhort and in our places to prepare all our fellow-members both to come and come worthily to it To clear this suppose a regenerate man deserves to be excommunicate and I do not complain of him he comes and receives in faith Now if I must partake of a mans receiving unworthily when I should endeavor his excommunication and do not then must I partake in this mans receiving worthily and so my not endeavouring their excommunication shall be good in the one and sin in the other It is apparent therefore that this sin is to be singled by its self I am never the more or the lesse guilty whether he come or not come receives worthily or not worthily that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but this is one only continued guilt on me that I do not my duty in admonishing and telling the Church of him supposing the cale so that it is my duty If it were my duty simply or absolutely to keep away the unworthy from the Sacrament besides that no man then could keep himselfe from guilt it would be my duty also to keep them from the Word and Prayer For 1. There is the same morall pollution in the one as the other Tit. 1.15.2 The sin is as abstractible in the one as the other 3 The one is our duty as well as the other unlesse Mr. D. can give us any text that forbids it And here indeed will come the issue of all When Christ says Baptize all Nations those that except Infants must shew Texts for it When the Scripture says all the Congregation the whole people every man was to eat the Passeover Exod. 12. When Christ sayes do this drinke ye all of it and St. Paul applys the same to the whole Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 11.23 Those that will except the unregenerate which is likely the greater part out of these doe affirm a limitation and must prove it When you come together ver 33. does to mee plainly include both a supposall they would come together and an allowance that they might Their manner of coming is reproved but their coming together and that to eate is what they ought There may be here one case to be satisfied Suppose I have not admonished my Brother and complained of him is not the neglect of my duty a sin and how then shall I come to the Sacrament with this sin on my Conscience but it shall be defiled to me I Answer if thy Conscience tels there it is a sin for there is some prudence to go in to it thou art to repent of it by resolving to take the next opportunity to perform thy duty thou hast omitted and upon this resolution of thine as in the like neglects there is no doubt but thou mayst come safely 2. If thou hast neglected one duty I dare not say that omission can excuse thee from doing another duty the Apostle commands us Jam. 1.21 to lay apart all naughtinesse and so to receive the word and the Psalmist tells us If we regard iniquity in our hearts God will not heare us Psal 66.18 Yet dare I not say If a man doth not sincerely lay aside all his sinnes as he ought that hee may not heare nor pray The case is the same in all duties the person is to be reformed but not the duty left undone Page 198 199. He hath nothing more considerable onely that new argument from Children which wee have now had no lesse then twenty times over and therefore I shall be content seeing he argues so strongly for them that hee should take them with the distracted into his company It is a manifest testimony of the exceeding weaknesse of his owne grounds that hee is forced through his whole Booke so poorely to argue onely from such a Concession which yet the Primitive Church in St. Austins time would not have granted him Sect. 10 THe last Objection is from those several Texts that ano alleadged for separation from wicked persons My Answer was that all these Texts are to be reduced either to their wicked courses Eph. 5.11 1 Cor. 10.20 31. 2 Cor. 6.14 and it may be Jer. 15.19 2 Thess 3.6.11 Rev. 2.6 or their common samiliarity and so I answer 1 Cor. 5.9 10 11. 2 Thess 3.14 Rom. 16.17 2 Tim 3.5 2 Jo. 10.11 Prov. 22.24 25. and it may be 2 Thess 3.6 Tit. 3.10 But I affirme there is no Scripture allows a separation from any one of Gods publicke Ordinances unlesse in case of Excommunication As for what Mr. D. objects here I have satisfied at once already I shall onely leave two notes 1 Whereas Mr. D. accounts my opinion that excommunication referres to Church-communion in geueral to be 1 False 2 Cruel I am perswaded he will be of another minde when hee comes to understand mee better how I take this that is Relatively wherein I thinke I am neer the truth And hereupon it will follow that every slight occasion must not serve for Church-censure but such notorious crimes as will bring a defamation on the Church and our Christian profession if suffered whereas if we allow any censure lesse then casting out of the Church it is no wonder if bare ignorance or any small matter be held enough for it By which means our Church censures are like to become ordinary
have and comfort of their labours If you will not beleeve surely you shall not bee established Page 157 158. He objects three or foure things against this I But we have neither promise nor president of blessing the command of Taking in the Sacrament as we have of blessing the word preached in order to conversion Answ 1. God hath promised in general to meet with those that wait on him in his wayes and where is there any text that denyes this blessing here If there be none it is but a sad thing to distrust God 2 Doe we not know that Jesus Christ did consecrate this Ordinance with a blessing Now is not Christs own action herein as good as any promise or all presidents and who can limit that blessing to one member above another or tye up the Spirit of God 3 I pray see over leafe and himselfe tels us well This Take is a short exhortation and virtual Sermon Now what a thing is this to demand a promise and president to prove that the Exhortation and Sermon of Christ is converting Is not the Word converting And is thâ—s word lesse converting because it is Christs Alas Sirsl the case is even clear and the grand Objection is unbeleef 2 But the word is both seed and food not the Sacrament Answ 1 Who knows not that the very being and operation of the Sacrament consists through the word and indeed the nourishment we have in it well considered is onely by the implicite vertue thereof By which same kind of working may the first grace as cleerly as any farther degrees be wrought by it 2 The Sacrament is both seed and food too for here is a Take and this is certainly seed as a word of grace from Christ and here is an Eat including food 3 Prayer is no where called the immortal seed yet is it seed I doubt not in this sense to beget grace in us 4 Ex quibus nascimur ex i is nutrimur That which nourishes us can beget us is a principle so true that out the same food that goes to the aliment of our owne bodies doth arise the matter for our childrens generations 3 But suppose a man stouts it out before and after the word Take if actuall receiving can convert him the Apostles rule is not universally true He that eats unworthily eats judgement to himselfe Answ Suppose the Jaylor had stouted it out against that word Beleeve had he like to have been converted if he had not been converted what a question were this The truth is These dis-junctive supposals are but vaine and evil And therefore I shall only fore warn tender consciences to take heed of that Dilemma that lurks here He that receives worthily is converted already He that receives not worthily eats his damnation Let us rather perswade our selves 1 That a man may be in a state of unregeneracy in that sense unworthy yet may hear pray or receive worthily in his kind in suo genere when he is so wrought on by it as to make a saving use thereof for it seems not to me so tollerable to say a man heard unworthily when he was converted by it 2 There is a general eating damnation as the unregenerate in sensu composito during that estate sinnes in hearing praying and in all he doth and so this is cleerly answered with other duties or there is a particular eating damnation or judgement in the Apostles sense and that judgement he speaks of appears to be those temporal judgements which were brought upon the Corinths not for their coming to the Sacrament in an unregenerate estate but for their not putting a difference between this sacred Table and a common that is used it not as a holy institution which is the direct meaning of both those phrases eating unworthily and not discerning the Lords body which expound one another or not for an unworthinesse of unregeneracy but an unworthinesse of prophanation 4 But suppose a man may be converted by that short exhortation and virtual Sermon Take That may be done by bare presence c. Ans If all come to this still you may see what he must have A Sacrament without receiving which yet himselfe decryes When Christ sayes Take it is to this end to eat and who dare separate Christs end from his action Let this suffice we have here both words Take and Eat for our encouragement and we need not doubt but all the Sacramental actions doe as it were in a kinde of communication of proprieties interweave their vertue in working upon each man according to his condition When God commands us to make us new hearts Ezek. 18.31 Eph. 4.23 he tels us otherwhere Ez. 11.19 I will put a new heart in you so Christ bids us Take Yet faith is the gift of God Now then Man is to wait on his duty and to expect a power in Christs precept For my part let others look on this word onely as an empty livelesse word I shall endeavour to let it sinke in my heart And though I am a poor unworthy sinner that am not sure I have faith enough to save my soul the Lord increase it yet methinks I doe so pathetically beleeve the goodnesse and sweernesse of Christ that I dare lay my life on it he would never have so indeterminately commanded Drinks you all of it if so many thousands of unregenerate members that come thither must but necessarily thereby eat their damnation I must confesse I doe ever suspect my owne weaknesse and am tenderly afraid left I should ewe and hurt others and therefore I beseech every Soul to look well to the word and his owne conscience and trust nothing on me yet doe I finde amidst the doubts and fears of my spirit a sweet melting and repose of my thoughts in this answer which I must make unto my Saviour when he calls me to account for what I have writ Lord here is expresly thy command and I durst not nullifie it to any that are capable of it Here is thy tender offer of grace Take and I durst not bring up any such hard thoughts on thy wayes to fright men from thee And now I am assured Lord thou wilt as freely forgive me if I place too much trust or would raise too much confidence on thy bare word as thou wilt forgive others if they place too little in it For though the Flesh profiteth nothing yet the Spirit quickneth and thy words are spirit and life Page 159. He brings in this instance of mine Suppose a moral Christian who cannot be denyed prepares himselfe and so comes shall the Sacrament be necessarily fruitlesse to him He answers not withstanding all his preparatory acts he comes to the feast without the wedding garment Answ This himselfe satisfies for the Feast he sayes is Christ and I hope a man must come to Christ for conversion As for my words Doing his best you must take them in his kinde as of the regenerate in his kinde And
be performed A man must come and he must come worthily the case is the same as in all Ordinances there is the substance of a duty and the manner of performance If the manner be evil it must be amended and the matter still must be done He has three Objections page 181 182 183. 1. How assuredly doth Mr. H. make that the principle duty which is the carkasse and forme onely Answ Methinks Mr. D. should not speake so lightly of Christs owne words Do this who dares not know Doe this includes matter and manner to wit in faith love thankfulnesse as wee ought and if this be not the principal duty to which self-examination is subservient let all judge Even as the Feast though it lasts but an hour is the principal the whole week of preparation accessory to it As for his words then that follow they are but a pen full of inke spartled in my face while his peevish spirit like a troubled sea is still casting up mire and dirt 2 True He that is bound to come is bound to come worthily but he that is bound to come worthily is not bound to come absolutely Answ I know not how he may straine the word absolutely but I say a Church-member is as absolutely bound to come hither as so pray and heare as the Apostle sayes Let a man so eat Christ sayes Take heed how you hear so pray and so give almes But are they therefore ever the lesse absolute duties There is no doubt but the manner as well as the matter comes under the same absolute command so that a man is bound I say still to come and come worthily and both absolutely though not Ad semper to either And therefore whereas he askes p. 178. Every man is to examine himselfe and so to eat but where is it said absolutely Let every man eat It may suffice him that Christ sayes expresly and absolutely to all present Let every one drinke Doe this Drinke you all of it But let me aske him again Where doth the Scripture say any where Let a man not eat or not drinke where doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so signifie not As for his instances then about Legal purifications they are answered in their place They may serve to be alluded to if he will for pressing preparation but ought not to be made any ground to omit duty because no legal uncleannesse could have excused a man from Gods service but that it had an expresse law for it which if Mr. D. can produce here we shall yeeld to him 3 Sinful unpreparednesse will not exouse a man from guilt but it will excuse him from receiving Answ I judge this must be taken very warily so far onely as a man may in Christian prudence dispense with affirmative precepts for his soules better advantage Provided his abstinence serves to humble him and put him upon greater eare to prepare for the next Sacrament as hee cautions well over the leaf and if it will not otherwise this may silence himselfe Page 184. He comes to my three Queries The first is Whether the very receiving be a sin incurring damnation in him that is unworthy and here I carefully distinguish between the very receiving which is a mans duty and the unworthinesse which makes the sinne onely This unworthinesse is either in the person which will condemne him nevertholesse for his staying away and therefore I judge hee should rather come and condemne it Or in the Act herein is the matter which is good and the manner which is amisse Now the sayling in the manner of a duty I must still inculcate doth not abrogate the matter If Mr. D. can keep an unregenerate man from the obliquity in the manner and yet let him doe the matter I shall like him but he may not cause him to neglect that which is his duty in the substance to avoid evill in the performance Our disobedience is total in not doing but onely partial in doing it otherwise then we ought Indeed Mr. D. sayes here these cannot bee distinguished There is no sinful act but notionally you may abstract sinfulnesse from it but really you cannot when it comes to bee acted Answ Let him remember if hee cannot distinguish Receiving and unworthy Receiving then can he not distinguish Hearing and unworthy Hearing Praying and unworthy Praying And if he cannot really and not notionally only sever these how can he make them means of grace Can sinne be a means of grace Can that which is a cause of death be a means of life If hee say it may be an accidental occasion it is true but it must be intentionally a means with him seeing he tells us A man may hear and pray unworthily page 186. there is a sinful act which cannot hee sayes be abstracted really in the duty from the sinne yet be converted by it there it is a means of grace and instituted for it I thinke this must be a plaine conviction upon Mr. D. 1 Hearing and Praying are means of conversion 2 To heare and pray unworthily is a sinne 3 Yet must a man heare and pray neverthelesse 4 Sinne cannot be a means of grace 5 A man must not doe evill for any good effect Now if you can abstract really in no sinful act the sinfumesse from it when it comes to be acted 1 Then must sinne be a means of conversion 2 Then must it be our duty to sinne 3 Then must we contradict St. Paul and say a man may doe evill that good may come of it As for what he farther addes A man is not bound to receive till he be Evangelically worthy but is prohibited in statu quo I desire him to shew me that prohibition which is indeed Mr. Drakes eleventh Commandement that makes all his strength being without the support of any Text to become but as a bowing wall and tottering fence My second Query is whether receiving unworthily is other wayes damnable then hearing and praying unworthily and if it be not why should not we receive still as pray and heare He answers It is otherwise damnable 1 Because not a universal duty where he brings in Infants the eighteenth time 2 Not converting Ans 1 This is untrue for as to every intelligent member it is an universal duty and a means of conversion 2 It is vaine and grossely inconsequent for There are some duties belong onely to men in such and such relations Is the neglect hereof ever the lesse damnable because they are not universal Again A natural man cannot convert himselfe by his moral works are his sinnes therefore ever the less sinful As the precept onely is that which makes an action to bee good so it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Transgression alone not any thing else makes it damnable My third Query is Whether an unregenerate man must never come to the Sacrament Mr. D. holds he must never because in will not convert him I hold the case is still the same with the word and
prayer which though they become the savour of death unto some yet must not the duty bee neglected and the precept plucked up by the roots I shall therefore here joyne issue with him If there be any weight in the ground upon which he goes that an unregerate man must not receive because it will not convert him then an unregenerate man must not doe that which is not converting If this be not good his argument will be ex puris particularibus and cannot be good If it be good then must Mr. D. prove to me that singing of Psalmes Alms-deeds obedience to Parents love to our neighbour and all the duties of the ten Commandements are instituted of God as means of conversion or otherwise an unregenerate man must not doe them If he say they are means of conversion I will distinguish hereof either they proceed from a preparatory worke of grace through Gods Spirit upon the heart and so I think indeed in a due sense they are converting Or they proceed from a bare principle of reason or natural conscience and so they cannot be converting for nature alone the Scripture teaches us can never begot grace Now then I aske him whether such bare moral actions which yet as to the matter are good workes and every mans duty doe cease therefore to be duties and ought not to be done because not converting If they doe not then is M. Drakes foundation but as a banck of sand which the more he stands upon failes him and sinkes away There are two things in Gods Ordinances an homage that is due to him and a benefit accruing to us as they are means of his grace Now let me demand of any mortal how dare he bereave God of his homage though outward onely because he cannot reap his owne benefit What if there were no benefit to man must not the will of God stand Againe Is it not the duty of every one within the Church to remember Christ shew forth his death and be thankful if it were onely that he is brought into a Church-state and relation to God which Paul accounts so high a priviledge to the Jewes And is not the Ordinance appointed to this end how then can any totally neglect it without sin and must he sin to avoid sin must he do evill that he may not doe evil how can this be Indeed it is true there are other ends besides this which an unregenerate man cannot doe but must this end it selfe therefore be abrogate The Lord Jesus was not capable of remission of sins must he therefore not be baptized It is enough that there was an homage herein or duty due unto God from him as man though he could receive no benefit by it So long then as this homage stands good and here are some ends every intelligent member is capable of how can mans eating or not eating his damnation stand in ballance with the will of God The will of God must stand against all consequence Indeed Mr. D. Page 186. still urges He that heares unworthily may be converted not so hee that receives unworthily at that time But I say where did Mr. D. learne a man must hear the word or pray though he hears unworthily upon this ground because it is a means of conversion as he still pleads p. 98. p. 116.185 c. The truth is this ground alone could not stand for hearing unworthily is certainly a sin which he saies further cannot be really severed from the act and the Apostle saies it is a dangerous thing to hold such a tenent that men may sin or do evill as to hear unworthily is that any good as conversion is may come of it But the ground then indeed why a man must pray hear receive though he does it unworthily is because God has commanded it and we must not omit our duty to avoid sin because wee must not do evill which that omission is that good which the avoiding sin is may come of it Page Ib. He distinguishes between Abstainers and Refusers Ans This distinction cannot be applied here because a man cannot alwaies forbear an Ordinance though he may sometimes but his omission makes him a Refuser and Neglecter and my question is Whether an unregenerate man must never receive for fear of earing his damnation Page 187. Whereas I say what is sealed is the same he tels us This is an apparent falsity unlesse salvation and damnation is the same Ans It is an apparent truth for I doe expressely say That which is sealed is the Covenant and that is the same I hope though our estate alters as to the threatnings and promises in it And this passage I hope shall doe much good which therefore I have recited before when Mr. Drakes loose and malicious aspersions shall doe him no good He that beareth false witnesse against his Neighbour is a maule and a Sword and a sharp Arrow Page 188. What releif can the Sacrament bring to a doubtfull soule that hath no grace 1. It cannot convert him 2 It cannot confirm him Answ This is amisse It can confirm him in his common generall grace and the exercise thereof is the way wherein we are to waite for effectuall grace So then it can convert him and confirm him and convert him because confirm him Pag. Ib. The Receiver seales as necessarily to the condition to wit of the Covenant in Esse or de presenti as in fieri or de futuro Ans This cannot be For 1. Children seale to the same in Baptisme 2 The whole body of Israel engaged to the same when they entred Covenant Deut. 29. and did but what they were to do and commanded to do and yet had not all of them a saving Faith for many of them were destroyed Heb 4.1 2 for their unbeleefe Indeed where there is an engagement required there ought to be also a sincere resolution to perform what we engaged There is the matter of the engagement and the manner of the engagement the right manner consists in this serious and sincere resolution If wee faile in the manner it is to be amended and the matter still to be done It is not a Cannot what I will but a Will not what I Can and a Doe not what I will and can shall condemn a man at the last day Page 189. By actuall receiving of the Sacrament a man professes he receives Christ signified and offered to him in particular and therefore if he does not act Faith at the same instant he plaies the Hypocrite and mocks God c. Ans I think this scruple as it is more closely urged by others sinks deepest in this businesse of any and therefore requires the larger consideration 1. First then There is a reall undissembled Faith whether you call it general historical or visible that fals short of Saving Justifying Faith that makes a man truely a Disciple or Professor though not a true Disciple or sincere Professor in Covenant though not effectually in Covenant Now that
that Evidence mine here is my new name and here the white stone And now you may think it easie to answer these difficulties not knowing the fears and doubts of others when they cannot lay to heart the commonest signs as Universal obedience and Pure love of God but instead of obedience they find universal corruption and instead of living only to Gods glory in the best of their actions they suspect hypocrisie So that they never hope to see the face of one Sacrament more in peace unlesse they may come to Jesus Christ as wholly unworthy of him Thou hast ordained peace thou hast don all our works in us and for us O my Saviour thou knowest this is an argument not fetcht from mere invention this is an argument is sown in mens tears and it is fetch'd from the sighes and bleedings of many thousands that are made sad that should not be sad whilst they have received their wounds in the house of their friends Alas let us but seriously consider either we must put this busines over with a slight Examination and connive at our failings being ready to presume these graces are in us because we dare not open our eyes to look fully upon them and if we do thus we shall bring security upon our selves and the blood of our own souls or we must deal impartially conclude against our selves we have not these evidences if then we come unqualified the blood of Christ will be upon us Nay if a man should be regenerate yet doubts and judges himself unregenerate so long as he hold there is none may come hither but the regenerate He that doubts of his eating is damn'd if he eat So that there is nothing left for poor doubting Christians but an everlasting gulph to swallow them up And are any of us Ministers that are not in a capacity to abstain from this Ordinance what will become of us The Lord knows how few of our people are truly regenerate and shall we think every one that is not must necessarily become guilty of the murder of Christ as he uses that term and eat his own judgement What a sad apprehension what fears and afflictions must this bring on our spirits whilest we do but as it were gather our poor people to receive their damnation Good Gods What a deal of blood shall we bring on our own souls Who can lie under that terrible guilt that is necessarily brought on us by this dreadfull opinion Neither have we any way here to stand up for our lives and the lives of our flocks but to allow this Ordinance as well as others a means of regeneration to examining Christians For my part should I believe otherwise I should set my face against my Congregation and bid them take heed Here be these marks and these upon them and these upon them upon those Cannot you find them in you Beware touch not a crumb upon pain of your lives Come you not hither there is scarce a man of you but will be sure to be damn'd Now let this but effectually enter into their hearts and we shall leave the Sacrament as the Jews did the Woman alone with Jesus Christ and while every one is conscious of his own corruption we must even go out most of us one by one and be contented to have our names written in the dust For some ease then of those perplexities I shall humbly venture to look over that text of 1 Cor. 11. from the 17. verse to the end which I think is the ground of them And in the delivery of my thoughts I beseech the Lord to guide me by his grace that I may do no hurt nor offend any and I advise my Readers not to trust to my judgement for I have no might to go out against these difficulties I know not what to do but mine eyes are upon him Now there are 7 or 8 things unto which I have a little to say upon this Scripture The first is concerning the scope or argument of it which is open The Apostle is reproving them among other vices about their disorder at the Sacrament which while they mingled with their Love-feasts they were ready to be drunken some of them as at an Ordinary Upon this he tels them of the Sacred institution the sinne and danger of such doings and rectifies them in it c. The second is concerning such high expressions which we find not lightly in other places And there are two grounds I conceive in pressing certain precepts sometimes above others Either the Eminency of the duty or defects of the doers For the former I would not have men think St. Paul advances this ordinance which he speaks but lowly of 1 Cor. 10.4 above others as Prayer the one being only instituted the other natural worship But the latter is manifest Here is a Church-sin that sin is making that common which was sacred the using this Sacrament but as their Love-feasts which were not divine and this profanation brought down temporal judgements on them Their carriage was so notorious that it makes him speak so deeply of this sin and danger thereof to reclame them from it attempering his language to his occasion For I am perswaded if he had been to write this Epistle to many of the Church of England as to Corinth he would not have set it down so dreadfully but rather fore-warn'd us of superstition The third is Concerning the nature of this Sacrament and that we find clearly to be a Memorial of Christs death or the new Covenant made by it which we acknowledge and shew forth in our receiving Here may be two notes 1. Whereas the Apostle undertakes to deliver down to us whatsoever he had received of the Lord There are many poor souls may discharge themselves of some trouble about the notions of sealing and the like when they sink too deep into them 2 Whereas a Remembrance is of something only that is past It is a question I am not assertive how the Sacrament is a token of the Covenant any more than as to that most free absolute general act of Grace in Gods so loving the world that he gave his Son for a Covenant Jo. 3.16 This cup is the New Testament in my blood or that there is a new Covenant made in my blood So that on Gods part it may be A testimony of Grace in this universal act or grant thereof and on Mans part a Note of his profession that he believes this and looks for salvation only in his name Neither in leaving the nature of the Sacrament open need we abate any thing from the holy improvement of the use of it The fourth thing is What is this Eating and drinking unworthily which phrase Paul himself opens in another I will speak next of I shall now distinguish between a Worthy Receiver and Receiving worthily A worthy Receiver I shall account him only that is habitually qualifyed with the Sacramental graces or finds the condition of the
working the condition and sealing thereof The External Applier is our selves the Ministers who are but his Earthen Vessels while the Excellency of the power we must leave freely unto him For the subject to whom it is applyed It is the Church This is manifest Christ Iesus did lay down his blood for the Church Acts 20.28 Eph. 5.23 25. The Church then likewise is either the invisible which consists of such members that are truly in Christ or the visible of all such as do professe him as outward members thereof Now by the blessing of God our work may be done if we do but rightly sort these things together The Internal effectual seal with the Internal effectual Application and the External seal with the external application The Effectual seal of the precious blood of Christ is in the hand only of the Internal Minister to apply it to the invisible Members in whose hearts he both writes the new Covenant and seals it The Outward seal of the Sacrament is in the hand of the Outward Minister to apply it to the visible Church and the Members thereof Now let but the External Minister take heed of entrenching on the Internal Ministers office as he would look to his life in not medling with Gods Ark and I hope the fear of God may end the controversie between us For his other thing here He grants We have proved that All may or are to be present but that must be all If it be applyed so t is death c. Ans I am very sorry to see what a frivolous thing man is how every little trick and trifle can put us off 1. If there be such a stresse to be laid on Actual receiving which the Lord forbid yet may the Minister be Free in his offer in delivering the Sacrament in general as Christ says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take Eat in the plural number and while he sate at Table There are 4 or 5 reasons given by others for this way but that which moves me most is this our own reason that t is a visible word Let the Minister then deliver it in general to his Congregation as he preaches the word And while he declares to the whole Church This is the body of Christ which was broken for you the Receivers make application to their own parts Now if any Receiver who judges himself unworthy should wave his very Taking onely unto the rest it might seem a kind of tender confession and act of humility And so let but the businesse lie there and the offer of Christ shall be free yet no guilt on the Minister and the administration free and no guilt on the Receiver The Minister doe his office and the people their duty and both pleased 2. This I speak as to mens scrupulous suppositions but I must confesse though I like a delivery in General rather than particular I can no ways endure the rending these sacred actions one from another When Christ has said Doe this this thing or Doe thus as it seems the Syriack reads it that is after the same manner Drink ye All of it and they all drank of it I think it an injury to the holy institution to separate what Christ has joyned as the Papists do in withholding the Wine from the Laity I must confesse this is a device ingenuously framed to serve the turn and I fear it has got it self reverence in the hearts of some godly men yet does it seem to me a thing but of sad consequence to us and indignity to God For either this presence must be held necessary as our general duty or left at our liberty If we hold they may be present onely and bind not any to it as a duty who does not know that there is the confluence of the Word Prayer Singing Meditation in the administration which to lay wast is open impiety and unbidding those things which are questlonlesse yeelded to be means of conversion But if we hold it as certainly it is to be our duty not to neglect such occasions so that we must come to the Sacrament yet if we offer but to take and eat this Actual receiving onely shall be our damnation The sinful adoration that was brought on the Elements by the conceit of Real presence corporally had not so much dread in it though more supenstition Nay let us consider a little shall prophane men while they stay the administration think themselves secure from guilt so long as they do not eat and drink only as if the Covenant and the Seal was not otherwise applied to them What hardnesse on their hearts What sensual apprehensions will this bring on them Nay what unholy and contemptible thoughts of the God of Heaven that looks on us as if he regarded our very eating and drinking more than our spirits Not that I am so moved at Free-presence let the prudent judge of it but that actual receiving is not as free to our intelligent members Indeed if persons be Excommunicate as the Primitive Church did punish such with bare presence or men have their gather'd Companies if they do not communicate with those that are present and hear their reason is open they own them not as their members but as for us that are not yet convinc'd by them either we must maintain or new mold our mixt Congregations This for his crop in general there are some Ears yet standing to be cut down in particular P. 37. If the Sacrament have the same latitude with the Word then a Heathen may receive it as a Christian He has here left out my main caution Within the Church Let us know the Gospel may be considered as the Bare word or a Sealed word As an instrument in the writing to be declared and read over to all or as a sealed instrument delivered to peculiar use Or the Word may be considered as to the publishing the contents and tender of the Covenant or to the appropriation of privilege we have in it To the Jews belonged the sacred Oracles and the Covenants The contents might be preached to bring in proselytes yet are they said truly with distinction of outward privilege to belong only to them If you like not my phrases you may make better but here lies the point The blood of Iesus Christ does peculiarly belong by way of appropiation to the Church Eph. 5.23.25 This blood seals the Covenant the Sacrament represents that blood Now as the Spirit applies the Effectual seal only to the invisible Church so the Minister can apply the outward seal onely to the visible Though the Word then may be declared to Heathens It cannot be sealed to them but when they turn Christians The Covenant is a sealed Covenant only to the Church There is this distinction of privilege as it belongs to us that it is sealed in the outward application thereunto that so every Member without a just forfeiture has a publick right in the use of it P. 38. There are some righteous persons in
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