let it be so But The Lord is our Law-giver our Statute-maker he hath the Law in his own Breast he can mitigate it as he pleaseth yea he can retract it and bring in another Law in its stead more favourable to us the Law of Moses with the Curse annexed to it shall not be the Rule of this Judgment to us but the Christian Law which is the Law of Faith But what can a Law-giver do if he have not Power there have been we know Law-givers in this World such as Numa Pompilius Solon Lycurgus Osiris Zamolxis and others that have found their Laws to be of no force for want of Power to establish them the Law of the Sword utterly broke asunder the Sword of their Law But The Lord is our King he it is that beareth the Sword and he beareth it not in vain is able to maintain his Law against all adverse Power and to overcome when he is judged yea and able to defend all those that will at any time upon the least intimation of his will be subject unto him For so it followeth He will save us us a rebellious a stiff-necked and idolatrous People he will save us he is sui juris his will is his Law his Power is Absolute and Arbitrary the Power that he manageth in this kind is for the good of his Redeemed not for their Destruction It is not said as you say he will damn us all that were in our Sense Tyrannical but he will save us Salvation is his peculiar Prerogative the richest Jewel in his Diadem this was the Song of the Prophets of old David sang it when he fled from Absalom Jon. 2. Salvation belongeth to the Lord Psal 3.8 the Prophet Jonas lang it in the Belly of Hell Salvation is the Lords It was the Song of the Apostles the Grace of God bringeth Salvation Christ is the Captain of our Salvation the Author of Eternal Salvation and it is the Song of Heaven Salvation to the Lord Rev. 7. It is indeed as an excellent Writer saith of it the Argument of both the Testaments the Staff and Supportation of Heaven and Earth they would both sink and all their joints be severed if the Salvation of the Lord were not the Birds in the Air sing no other Note the Beasts in the Field give no other Voice than Salus Johova Salvation is the Lords He will save us us sinners of the Gentiles in what dark Corners of the Earth soever we lie hid us sinners in the visible Church of what sort soever we be though the most heinous the most Obdurate the most desperate Sinners in the World whom the Devil hath carried Captive after him at his Will yet if we will believe though it be at the very last Exhalation of the Spirit he will save us And even your Oracle Mr Baxter hath by your own Confession here pag. 24. in effect said so much of whom it will become you to learn more Moderation in your judgment concerning this matter even he you say hath said that Gods Mercies are offered to us in such a manner that nothing is required of us but that we should accept them meaning surely that we should believe without any thoughts of our own so much unworthiness to hinder us and keep us from it that as his Promises are of Grace and Mercy so likewise are they rich and great that in truth they are made to those that believe but also that Faith is a Gift of God that he gives it as liberally as he grants the Pardon of Sinners The Refultancy of the whole matter is this he that is our God is the God of Salvation he will save us from our sins he will save us from the Wrath to come he will save us from the World he will save us from our selves he will save us from the Devil for he is the God of Salvations so is the word of the Prophet rendred whereas if your word of a general Damnation should stand you would make him a word not to be spoken without great Horror and Blasphemy the God of Damnation If all the Devils in Hell should Conspire together to put a dishonour upon the God of Heaven could they imagine a greater Hitherto Mr. Reflector I have shewed you the weakness of your Collections from Scripture those I mean which you have heaped together in the 5. and 6. Pages of your Book with the Corollary to the last of them in the 24. Page I should now say somewhat to the Types which you have fancied to relate to the number of the Elect and Reprobate as the drowning all the World except eight Persons at the universal Deluge and the Land of Canaan and the small number that entred into it in comparison of those that did not the Division of the Kingdom of Israel into two Parties the Survey that you make of the whole World c. But because I judge it more methodical to join your other Reflections from Scripture which you have in the 22. Pag. with those before-mentioned I shall rather reflect upon them and upon the Preface set before them wherein I shall take the same course with you as I have taken before And thus you begin Pag. 21. Reflector I would refer my self to the Judgment of any sober considering Person what a vast and almost an infinite proportion in number one should find if from Adams days down to ours there should be a Comparison made of the summ Total of the Elect with that of those who are not Elected I believe that this proportion would be of one Person saved to a Million that is not that is to say that there is a Million of Reprobates to one that shall be chosen so as to be saved Which is a dreadful thing to think on that the Lord Jesus Christ came only into the World to save one Man among an hundred Thousand or rather a Million 'T is an Abysse that neither can nor ought to be sounded c. Answer First you say you would refer your self It is well that you will at length speak plain English and not fob us off with them and they as you did before to make us believe you were not concern'd in the point But you would refer your self as much as to say you would appeal to the judgment of any sober considering Person as if you thought that any such would give judgment in your behalf but what sober man is there in the World who doth not rather abhor your Opinion I am sure I have discourst several about it who do much condemn you and look upon you as the most daring man that ever set Pen to Paper The holy Scripture tells us that God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the World by that man whom he hath ordained c. But is Mounsieur Lewis du Moulin become that man stay I beseech you till you be raised up from the Dead for before that time we can have no assurance from
Earth where is it at that time St. Peter tells us the Earth and the Works that are therein shall then be burnt up 2 Pet. 3.10 But his coming shall be in a Cloud with Power and great Glory Luke 21.27 so say the Evangelists and the Psalmist saith he makes the Clouds his Chariot Psal 104.3 such a Chariot it was that carried him into Heaven and such a Chariot it must be on which he will Ride when he cometh again so the Angels tell the Apostles Act. 1.11 But that will not be to the Earth the Wheels of his Chariot will not strike so low St. Paul who knew better than any man the way to the third Hâ—aven and the way back again he I say sheweth the utmost extent of his Stage which will be at that time viz. the air for thus he writeth 1 Thâ—ss 4.17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with the Angels in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air c. To speak therefore of Christs coming again upon the Earth what is it but a Dream 2. He saith not as you say he shall not find faith upon the Earth but only by way of Interrogation thus Shall he find Faith c between which sayings there is some difference But 3. There is a great Error that followeth which hath deceived many and you among the rest who have rendred the word of our Saviour here as if he meant that all the whole Christian Profession should be utterly then Banished out of the World by a general Apostacy and Defection from the Faith This I say is a great Error that hath gone about the World and you it seems are willing somewhat to revive it But this is not the meaning of our Saviour for then would the Church be quite dissolved and how then should his Promise be fulfilled viz. that he would be with his People to the end of the World Can Christ be with his Church to the end of the World and yet find no Faith in it at all You 'll say he means but little saith or but sew that have faith and I say he means no such matter but that it is to be doubted whether he shall find any Faith meaning any Jewith Christians in the Land of Judaea when he comes to Iudge the persecuting Jewes that were in that Land For so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be understood Rev. 1.7 viz. for this Land of Judaea not for all the Earth as it hath been taken as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tribes of Israel which word of our Saviour came to pass at that time when Jerusalem was destroyed as it is observed by Euâ—cbius The People of the Church in Jerusalem that is the Christians there according to an Oracle delivered by Revelation to some honest Men among them commanding them to go over Jordan to a City called Pella did all remove thither and left Jerusalem without any Christians in it at their Destruction Which clearly fulfilled the Prophesie of our Saviour when the Son of man cometh shall he find faith in this Land that is the Land of Judaea In the next place you lead us to one of St. John's Visions and Revelations But neither doth Jesus Christ nor his Angel nor his Servant John say as you say that all the World shall run after the Beast The words in the place that is here fixed upon are in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are not to be taken for all the World in your Sense but for the whole Land or Region where the Roman Idolatry was set up Neither do the following words viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie a running or wandring after the Beast but a wondring behind or after it which implies their great Veneration of that Idol-Worship Which is further exprest by their saying who is like unto the Beast who can sight with him that is who is able to oppose this Idol-Worship or resist the Power by which it is upheld Rev. 13.4 And what Idol-Worship was this but that which was profest in the Capitol at Rome by the Inhabitants of that City while it was Heathenish See Dr. Hammond in his Paraphrase upon this matter and his Annotations This very probably is the right sense of the Spirit of God in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Exposition of them therefore which you give and not only you but some other Expositors that have of late taken upon them to make their Revelations of the Revelation Mr. Brightman c. rendring the said words as you do viz. that the whole World shall run after the Beast meaning the Pope and his Idolatrous Worship cannot be good much what like unto that which hath been gathered falsely from this Book of the Revelation viz. that the People are they that must pull down Antichrist whilst Kings espouse his cause than which nothing can be more effectual and direct saith Dr. Hammond towards the raising and fomenting of Commotions in the World which is certainly contrary to the Doctrine of the Gospel But let me now here demand of all those that have been of your mind what is all this to your purpose surely nothing Yet if it were so as you seem to say that there shall be a general Defection or falling away to Romish Idolatry so that all Nations and People in the World shall run after the Beast will it necessarily follow that God from everlasting decreed that not above one in a Million of Millions shall ever be saved Cannot a true faith be wrought in the Hearts of Idolatrous People before they depart out of this World is any thing too hard for God It is no novelty for the Spirit of God to work such a Conversion secretly suddenly in a way unknown to the World and to deliver People at the very last moment of their Lives out of the Snare of Satan as Brands pluckt out of the Burning And do not you tell us even the very same thing in the 29. Page of your Book that Jesus Christ will save those that have truly Repented though even at the last Period of their Lives Such gracious Acts of Gods infinite Goodness have been done upon those that seemed to be as Castaways in the Eye of the World and doubtless may be done again Gods Arm is not shortned nor his Bowels less yearning towards his poor Creatures that are ready to perish in their Sins through the malice of Hell which hath originally brought them into that wretched Condition But of these things enough hath been written in the aforesaid Antidote no need therefore here to write of them again As for that which is here added about the number of the Elect in comparison of those that are called enough also hath been said thereof in the Antidote aforesaid These are the Scripture-Evidences which the Reflector hath produced to maintain the dreadful Doctrine of a general Damnation All which the wise and pious Reader will now see
should be set of them Was not Christ as he is called Rom. 15.8 The Minister of the Circumcision that is of the whole Jewish Nation And did he not Preach to others that were no Jewes For he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Messenger of the great Counsel as the Septuagint Render that written of him Es 9.6 and doth it not hereby appear that the Reflector writes at Random as his fancy only leads him without any warrant for there is not the least tittle in Scripture of the ten Thousand that Christ came to Preach unto Neither will I much contend about the term that the Reflector here puts upon our Lord calling him God-Man Our Lord Jesus Christ is indeed God and Man but is this term God-Man according to the form of sound Words 'T is true Christ is often called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Human Writers but never so in holy Scripture And though the Greek bears it well enough yet the Idiom of our Language will not whereupon we are forced in that case to use a Periphrasis and to say God and Man Why then should this Reflector make use of such an uncouth Word when he speaks of our most Holy and Righteous Lord which neither the Scripture nor our Language will allow him only because as he differs from men that are Rational in his opinion so he doth I say again take up a form of Speech like the Quakers differing from all other men But though this holy Man of God or rather this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and Man did Preach and Speak so as never man spake yet we are told here that hardly shall we be able to prove or substantially find any thing to ground our Belief that a hundred of them were converted c. What then was there any failing in the Doctrine which he Preached or in the Spirit wherewith he spake Far be from us any such Blasphemy The work which the Father had sent him to do he perfectly fulfilled it But it was not all to be finished during the time of his Ministration some things were to be done by him while he was in the state of his Humiliation and some things after he came into the state of his Exaltation The perfect Conversion of sinners from Ignorance to the true Knowledge of the Gospel and from Unbelief to a full Considence or Assurance of Faith was not as it is the work of Gods free Grace to be consummated by Christ until he was Ascended into Heaven and set at the right Hand of his Father for then and not before was the Holy Ghost to be sent for that very end and purpose amongst many other Which powerful Act of the Spirit was first Wrought upon the Apostles that they might be instructed more fully to the Kingdom of God For even they during the time that they were with Christ and were Witnesses of what he did and taught were very defective both in Faith and Life In faith about the Death and Resurrection of Christ and about a temporal Kingdom which was their Error as it was of the rest of the Jews In Life when they were too full of Revenge in drawing the Sword as Peter or for calling down fire from Heaven upon the Samaritans as James and John Luk 9.54 It was the Spirit after the Resurrection and Glorification of Christ that was to bring all things to their Remembrance whatsoever he had said unto them It was the Spirit which should then lead them into all Truth It was the Spirit which after Christ was Glorified made them clearly to understand the Prophecies which went before of him Thus it is said Joh. 12.16 These things understood not his Disciples at the first but when Christ was Glorified c. It was the Spirit which should adapt and fit them for the great Work of Converting the World which otherwise they could never have been able to bring to pass And as it began thus with the Apostles so did this Grace extend unto others in the same manner secundum modum Recipientium thus testified the Evangelist Joh. 7.39 This spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should Recieve for the Holy Ghost was not yet given because Jesus was not yet Glorified These things considered we may see some cause why there were not many Converted by the Preaching of Jesus Christ Yet cannot a Conclusion be gathered from thence that there were but few then of Gods Elect among that People unless we will exclude the Apostles or at least other the Disciples of Christ from eternal Salvation who had also their failings both in Faith and Obedience because the Holy Ghost was not then given Reflector Jesus Christ saith that his Flock is small that there are but few Persons that enter into the Kingdom of Heaven that when he shall come again upon the Earth be shall not find Faith in it that all the world shall run after the Beast That the number of the Elect is very little in comparison of those that are called and consequently that the number of the called is infinitely less than that of those who are not called and that know not what the Christian Religion is Answer We had best beware what we say of our Lord Jesus Christ at any time so as to tell the World Jesus Christ saith when he hath not spoken it for fear lest that Rebuke fall upon us which fell upon the Prophets of old behold I am against you that smooth your Tongues and say he saith Let these Scriptures be searched which are heaped together and it will evidently appear they say no such thing as you say of them First when Christ calls his Flock little slock he speaks not of the Elect of God all the World over as you imagine that would be contrary to the Holy Scripture which in several places speaks of them as of a great multitude But it is certain he speaks it only of his Apostles who were his peculiar care above all others as is plainly to be seen in my Antidote 2. Christ never said that there are but sew Persons that enter into the Kingdom of Heaven But speaking of the narrow Way that leadeth to Life he saith sew there be that find it meaning probably sew there be of the Jewish Nation at that time that were so wise as they should be to find it Metapha canibus investigantibus For so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies sagaciter depichendo as it is written at large in the aforesaid Antidote 3. Christ saith not as you say when he shall come again upon the Earth he shall not find faith in it The words that you harp upon in this particular though jarringly are those in Luk. 18.8 When the Son of man cometh shall he find Faith on the Earth And now consider how great a difference there is between your words and the words of our Saviour First he saith not when he shall come again upon the Earth For the
to be far short of proving that which is so stoutly affirmed in the Title-Page of his Book of Reflections viz. That not one of a hundred Thousand nay probably not one in a Million from Adam down to our times shall be saved Or as the said opinion is stretched in the 21th Page of the said Book viz. the proportion of the number of the Reprobate to that of the Elect before the Advent of Jesus Christ and before the Preaching of St. Peter had Converted three thousand men is not the number neither of a Thousand nor of a Million but of Millions of Millions to one Person that is saved There yet remains one Reflection more which will require some animadversion upon it that is the Idea or Character as the Reflector calleth it of the Children of God made by himself in setting a multitude of Marks and Signs upon them without which he saith they cannot be saved all which he makes the essential and constituent Parts belonging to every true Christian And from thence he imagined that his opinion of the general Damnation is concluded to be a certain truth because they are not all to be found in one man amongst a Million But festina lentè as we say for haste makes waste are these all being about thirty of them to be found together in one man I believe without any breach of Charity they were not all to be found in himself that so compiled them else he would never have been so uncharitable nor so unrighteous as he was in his passionate raging Heats against the Church of England nor in accusing several of the most Eminent Champions of the Gospel in it against the Superstitions of Rome laying to their charge things which they knew not as that they leaned to Popery and had made their advances towards Rome wherein by his own Confession upon his Death-bed he thought they were not guilty wishing that his Soul might be with their Souls whom he had so much and unjustly defamed but let that go This I may say boldly to glean the holy Scripture raking together several Duties of Piety Charity Righteousness c. required in it and to annex unto them such a terrible Threatning as this viz. without them there can be no Salvation this cannot agree with the Spirit of the Gospel Had it been said without Faith and Repentance no man can be saved I for my part would readily have subscribed thereto But as that Legislator had stated the Case designedly to give some corroboration to his unevangelical Opinion he seemed to me to be as one sent from Moses with two new Decades of Laws more dreadful than the Decalogue proclaimed on Mount Sinai For as for the Violation of that Decalogue we hear a comfortable sound Jesus Christ the Righteous is the Propitiatory 1 Joh. 2.2 meaning doubtless that such a Violation shall upon true Repentance pentance be so hidden by Christ that it shall never appear in Judgment for Condemnation to any that believe for in those words the Holy Evangelist alludeth to the Mercy-Seat which covered the Ark of the Covenant from the sight of God where the Tables of that Law lay But for the Violation of these Laws which come out of Sion as being written in the New Testament there is no Propitiation for where there is a failing in these we are told there can be no Salvation But let us consider the matter a little better It were an excellent thing indeed and as it were a Heaven upon Earth to have such a Characterism upon us while we live in this present evil World and let us on Gods name press toward it as the Apostles word is Phil. 3. that if by any means we may attain not only to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which all Mankind shall attain but to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 's the word the glorious Resurrection of the Dead Let us be spiritually minded for for so the Reflector Characteriseth the Elect of God which is so to know the things of the Spirit as to believe them so to believe them as to affect them and esteem them so to esteem them as to seek them so to seek them as to seek them in the first place let us abstain from carnal and worldly Lusts let our Thoughts and Meditations be more set upon God than the World let us live Soberly and Righteously and Holily in this present evil World c. Nevertheless if in these or the like any of us shall come short of the Glory of God or of the Glory from God meaning Gods Acceptance and Approbation as it must be confessed with the Apostle in many things we offend all and too many offend in all we are comforted from the Evangelist we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous c. 1. Joh. 2.1 Having yielded thus much in this Point let me now Expostulate a little with the Disciples of this Reflector concerning these things Is it agreeable with the Sense and Scope of the Gospel of our Saviour to multiply signal Demonstrations of Gods elect Children by imposing Duties upon them as if they were all exactly to be performed without any the least digression from the Rule and without making any mention at all either of Gods Grace assisting and enabling thereto or of Gods Mercy by Christ in pardoning the transgression of them adding only the Condemnation as the Reflector hath done that shall fall upon those in whom those marks are not to be found What Thunder and Lightning from Sinai could be more dreadful could any thing be said or written more consonant to the Covenant of Works Upon this account I confess the Doctrine of general Damnation may prove to be according to the usual saying as true as Gospel but what then will become of the Covenant of Grace and consequently of the comfortable Doctrine of Salvation will it not by this means be utterly annulled and made of no Effect 2. What did the Reflector mean when he said that in our days we can meet but few that labour to take the Kingdom of Heaven by Violence What but that he would catch at any thing that would but seem to hold up his Opinion of the small number of persons that shall be saved For I demand is the Kingdom of Heaven in these days to suffer violence and do the violent take it by force according to Christ's meaning when he spake those words Mat. 11.12 Certainly if that be a good Exposition which I have read an Interpreter one of a Thousand hath given of them viz. that the multitude and meaner Crowd of the Jews who had heard John's Preaching came and submitted themselves to the Rules of the Gospel together with the Publicans and Sinners who were all lookt upon by the Jews as those that were accursed and had no right to the Messias and so were accounted as violent Persons Invaders and Intruders upon those Priviledges which they imagined did peculiarly belong unto them
they say were then used what do they signifie but the same sense which we who are and must be their Adversaries in this and many other Points of our Christian Profession do and always have acknowledged viz. That there is a change in these outward Elements being turned from a common to a sacred Use after they are Consecrated and set apart according to the first Institution Which certainly was the meaning of the Antients in this Case and no otherwise as shall appear hereafter from very good Authority though 't is true their Zeal did oftimes lead them to many strains of Rhetorick in a just magnifying this great and holy Mystery But will any man that is wise conclude thereupon that to be their Judgment which is now and hath been since their times vainly precended and thrust upon them by the Church of Rome meerly upon the account of their florid Elocutions Hyper bolies and high Expressions used by them to quicken Communicants to their Duty when they come to the Lords Table For our parts we cannot so conclude for then we should condemn our selves who often do the same thing to the same good end and purpose as they did yet abhor this unscriptural Doctrine of Transubstantiation A Doctrine it is that overthroweth the very nature of the Sacrament For unless there be an outward sign really continued in it such as Christ instituted to Represent and assure the Grace he principally intended to the Faith of those that come worthily unto it it is and must be utterly annihilated Neither can it be said that the Accidents of Bread and Wine do remain as a Sign when the Substance is vanished For there can be no Resemblance nor Analogy between those Accidents which have nothing in them of Nourishment and the Body and Blood of Christ whereby the Souls of True Believers are in and by that Sacrament really nourished and strengthned Nor can it be denied that in every Sacrament it is meet and requisite that there be an Analogy or convenient Agreement between the outward Sign and that spiritual good thing which is signified by it This being so may it not be proved to the Teeth of our Adversaries that they are in an Error in this Point and that they vainly pretend to make that to be an Article of Faith which a ma◠may Consute by his fingers ends A Doctrine which like the Eutichian Heresie of old disanuls the Verity of Christs Human Nature For it hath fancied such a Body unto Christ which in one and the same moment of time may be in many thousands of places viz. wherefoever the Massing-Priests shall please to Consecrate their Host which clearly contradicts not only Nature and Reason but the plain word of-Scripture which saith Heb. 4.15 Christ was in all Points temp'red like as we are yet without sin neither will it help them to say as they do weakly enough Christ's Body is now Glorisied For first Christ spake this word This is my Body at his last Supper when he was here upon Earth 2. It is the Crucified Body of Christ which is Represented in the Sacrament not the Glorified 3. Christ's Body is not by being Glorified so devested of its natural Properties as to cease from being a Body and if by being in Glory it be made ubiquitary a Property only belonging to the Divine Nature then shall our Bodies be so too in Heaven which I think no man will say For these Vile Bodies shall be made like unto Christ's Glorious Body Phil. 3.21 It would be too great weariness to my Reader if I should lead him into a consideration of the many gross Absurdities which arise from this upstart Doctrine that which hath been here in short alledged against it is enough to shew the Vanity of it And so long as the Abettors thoroof continue in it all who will be faithful to the Gospel of Christ and his Church must protest against them But we have say they the word of Christ himself for our Warrant for hath not he said This is my Body and may not we without offence say as he hath said viz That it is his Body Yea and one of them none of the meanest as I find it reported of him by a late Writer thus vannteth out his Considence that if God should ask him at the Day of Judgment why he held so he will boldly say Tu docuisti thou hast taught me But is it true that the Spirit of God hath taught him to say so and will he like a dull Schollar 〈◊〉 poring still upon the Letter of his Lesson never labouring to understand the right sense and meaning of it of which gross neglect what account he and his Fellow-Ignaro'es can be ablo to make at the time of publick Examination would be considered by them And is it not say they again possible with God to make good his own word by changing the Substance of the Bread into the Substance of Christs Body though we see it not Wherein they seem to be like the Stoick Philosophers that were of old who proposing things strange and uncouth in foretelling future Events pleaded for themselves saying nihil est quod Deus essicere non possit there is nothing which God cannot bring to pass But as Cicero answered them well in his second Book de divinatione Vtinam Sapientes Stoicos effecisset I wish he had made the Stoicks wise Men So may we wish that these of the Roman Church had more Wisdom in their knowledge of God and his Word than it appears yet they have For us we will not we dare not and God forbid we ever should deny this Attribute of Omnipotency to the great God Creator of Heaven and Earth he hath himself spoken it not once but twice i. e. not once but many times once in the Law and a second time in the Gospel without Retractation That Power belongeth unto him But to argue a posse ad esse will be acknowledged by all to be very Illogical and in this case it is inconsistent with found Divinity For we are taught by the Holy Scripture that Gods Will and Power are ever joyned together only his will makes way for the exerting his Power his actual Power I say which is of the same Latitude and Extent with his Will Our God is in Heaven saith the Psalmist P. 115.3 and doth whatsoever he will not whatsoever he can do So Job What his Soul desireth even that he doth Job 23.13 He can at an Instant overturn the whole course of Nature and Reduce all things to a Chaos by his absolute power or annihilate them but he doth not because he will not There is no doubt but what Christ said is true and what he said he is able to bring to pass for being God equal with the Father we confess with Holy Job he can do all things But the Question is not of the truth of these words nor of his Power in fulfilling them but of the Sense viz.
Communion of the Body of Christ And this it is like was the Form which all the Apostles used in their Ministrations of this Nature for he speaks it here in the plural number We we Neither indeed is there the same Reason for us nor the same occasion before us to speak these words as there was for Christ to speak them He spake them discriminatim in a way of forbidding the former Sacrament of the Passover to be used any more and appointing this of his last Supper in its stead as shall appear more at large in the following parts of this Discourse upon which account it is that he then spake this word so expresly This is my Body to the end that his Apostles and after them his whole Church might understand his meaning in abolishing the old Sacrament and ordaining the New Which being so doubtless we are not to follow his example in speaking the words that he spake which brought on this change And accordingly I knew a man at that time Domino teste non mentior who for Conscience sake did not use that indirect Form when he Administred that Sacrament but varied from it using the aforesaid words of the Holy Apostle when he gaue tho Bread This Bread is the Communion of the Body of Christ adding thereto the words prescribed in our Liturgy viz. Take and cat this in Remembrance that Christ died for thee c. and when he gave the Cup This Cup is the Communion of the Blood of Christ Drink this in Remembrance c. For knowing assuredly that the real Presence of Christ is not in the outward Element but only in the Hearts of the worthy Communicants he durst not say so plainly and so punctually as he was then commanded that the Bread is the Body of Christ which is broken for his People A large mention hath been here made of the form that was then commanded to be used in Administring the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Not as if it were worthy of any Regard rather it deserves to be expunged out of the World with an Anathema fixed upon it but that our Enemies may not upbraid us with it and that the World may take notice how apt those that separate themselves from the established Orders of our Church will though they be associated in an Assembly as they were in those days at West minster and applauded by their followers for their Piety and Learning will be to fall into the worst of Romish Errors though they will seem most to protest against them Having removed the Rubs that lay in our way we may now go on in a plain Path which will lead us to hear the Voice of our Lord walking in his Garden which is in his Church where he commonly meets his People and makes his mind known unto them There it is where we have learnt the true Sense of his words in this Mystery Let us then hear what the Spirit hath said of it to the Church which is our Mother and to her Children amongst the rest to one who is the meanest of Gods poor Servants who rejoyceth that he hath attained to some Understanding in this Mystery And if his particular Judgment which shall be added towards the close of this Discourse be accounted by those who are to judge in such cases sit to be built upon the Foundation his song shall ever be Deo Gloria mihi venia The sense of the Church in general is declared in the twenty eighth Article of her Confession which is of the Lords Supper in this manner The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the Love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another but rather it is a Sacrament of our Redemption by Christs Death insomuch that to such as worthily and with saith receive the same the Bread which we break is partaking of the Body of Christ and likewise the Cup of Blessing is a partaking of the Blood of Christ The Body of Christ is given and taken and eaten in the Supper only after an heavenly and spiritual Manner And the mean whereby the Body of Christ is Received and Eaten in the Supper is Faith This is the Voice of the Turtle which is heard in our Land the Echo whereof is heard in Heaven which makes sweet Musick in that Celestial Symphony The word which our Apostle useth 1 Cor. 10.16 in this case is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Emphatical Word which makes Heaven and Earth intercommon together First on Gods part it is Communicatio for God by his Ministers in all ages Communicates or Distributes this spiritual Food among his People 2. On their side it is Participatio when they by Faith take and receive this Food into their Hearts for then and not before it turns into Nourishment in them and is digested by them From these two springs another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. A Communion or Fellowship not only among our selves but with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1.3.7 a most sweet and apposite word a word which the said Apostle seems to delight in as appeareth by his repeating it in the same instant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surely it pleased him very well as well it might and to me it soundeth as if he would have us to account this Vinum generosum to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common Wine that passed between God and his Guests at his Holy Table Much pains likewise have been taken by Orthodox Catholicks to smooth the way to a right understanding of this great Mystery R. V. But I shall not here multiply Quotations of that which is written hereof by them Their Sense shall be shortly summed up in that Form of words which is to be seen in a late Writer and is in effect used by them all When Christ said This is my Body what Body did he mean even his own natural Body which is given for us Luk. 22.19 which is broken for us 1 Cor. 24.10 but how can this be It 's impossible that Bread while it is Bread should be Christ's Body or Wine while it is Wine should be his Blood It 's very true that it is impossible Disparatum de disparato non proprium praedicatur We must therefore seek for a possible meaning and of necessity conclude with Calvin Sacramentalem esse Loquutionem that it is a Sacramental Form of Speech the sign bears the name of the thing signified as both in Vulgar and Scripture Language is common in Scripture signs either figuratively Representing or sacramentally Sealing do bear the name of the things Represented or Sealed v. g. Gen. 40.12 The three Branches are three Days Gen. 41.26 The seven Ears of Corn are seven years the seven Kine are seven years so Ezek. 37.11 These dry Bones are the whole House of Israel Dan. 2.38 Thou O King are this Head of Gold Dan 4.17 The four Beasts are four Kings Gal. 4.25
House of God Dedicated to his holy Worship and therefore ought to mind us both of the Greatness and Goodness of his Divine Majesty certain it is that the acknowledgment thereof not only inwardly in our Hearts but also outwardly with our Bodies must needs be Pious in it self profitable unto us and edifying unto others We therefore think it very meet and behoveful and heartily commend it to all good and well affected People Members of this Church that they be ready to tender unto the Lord the said acknowledgment by doing Reverence and Obeisance both at their coming in and going out of the said Churches Chancels or Chappels according to the most antient Custom of the primitive Churches in the purest times and of this Church also for many years of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth The receiving therefore of this ancient and laudable Custom we heartily commend to the serious Consideration of all good People not with any intention to exhibit any Religious Worship to the Communion-Table the East or Church or any thing therein contained in so doing or to perform the said Gesture in the Celebration of the holy Eucharist upon any opinion of a corporal Presence of the Body of Jesus Christ on the Holy Table or in the mystical Elements but only for the Advancement of Gods Majesty and to give him alone that Honour and Glory that is due unto him and no otherwise And in the practise or omission of this Rite we desire that the Rule of Charity prescribed by the Apostle may be observed which is that they which use this Rite despise not them which use it not and that they who use it not condemn not those that use it If this be the Canon that the man means as I believe it is I do appeal to all men that are able to discern between Truth and Error what jost exceptions can be taken against these words is it not evident that they carry in them a sound of much Piety towards God much tenderness of Spirit towards the People of God in perswading them with meekness of Wisdom to consent unto that pious Course there propounded for the advancement of Gods Majesty And what can be more Christian like spoken than that which is there added in the close desiring that the Rule of Charity prescribed by the Apostle may be obseryed which is that they who use this Rite viz. of reverential Gesture in the publick Service of God despise not them who use it not and that they who use it not condemn not those that use it What imposing then is here upon People a cringing to the East It is not expresly disavowed where is that unlawful Canon which is said to be obtruded upon the Church Yea where is that Popish Superstition which hath been and still is mouthed out in these times against Convocations of the Clergy the Clergy Where It will certainly be sound one day to be in the Pens in the Tongues in the Hearts of those that make these causeless uncharitable invectives It is not in the Clergy it is not in their Assemblies nor in their Administrations Oh but to the Bowing at the Name of Jesus he hath some what more to object he will not he saith let that go so He will smite it first with his Tongue rather than confess with his Knee or his Tongue that Jesus is The Lord. And what can he or what doth he say but the same nauseous Crambe which his old Acquaintance of the Separation have said before him Quae omnia protrita prostigata sunt as it hath been said by a Learned man in another case like unto this The Convocation in Amo 1603 doth indeed order that when in time of Divine Service the Lord Jesus shall be mentioned due and lowly Reverence shall be done by all Persons present as it hath been accustomed Testifying by these outward Ceremonies and Gestures their inward Humility Christian Resolution and due acknowledgment that the Lord Jesus Christ the True and Eternal Son of God is the Only Saviour of the World in whom alone all the Mercies Graces and Promises of God to mankind for this life and the life to come are fully and wholly comprised And is this now to be accounted any so great a Crime in that Synod to make such a Canon that they must be condemned as if they were unworthy to be called Gods Clergy Had they done any thing to the Dishonour of our Lord could they have had a heavier Sentence past upon them It is he saith a Dishonour to the Father and the Holy Ghost to Prefer the second Person before them being co-equal in Glory And therefore may the Lord Jesus Christ account himself dishonoured by this Bowing to him seeing the Father and the Holy Ghost have not the same Honour done unto them These are his chief Objections as for the rest they are so Ridiculous and Prophane that they deserve not a Refutation but to these I return briefly 1. If we did believe that our Lord Jesus took upon him the person of a Man when he was made of a Woman and that we do thereupon ascribe unto him this Honour we should in so doing Dishonour him For first we should deprive him of his highest Honour which is of being God equal with the Father 2. We should thereby derogate from the Father and the Holy Ghost of which he will never approve it being of dangerous consequence to all the three Persons it being also written that we should honour the Son even as we honour the Father Yea then we should believe a Quaternity of Persons contrary to that which is Revealed and Believed ever since the Gospel hath been Preached and Written wherein I consess we should sin sadly But this we do not That therefore cannot be imparted to us in this case nor in any other 2. We do not ascribe this Honour to Christ as he is the second Person in the Trinity the Son of the Father For then indeed we should be partial in the Worshipping of our God presenting one person before another and consequently should be guilty of Idolatry in framing an Imagination of our God in our Hearts otherwise than it is written But thirdly this Honour we do ascribe to Christ as he is Mediator between God and us and no otherwise not exalting him thereby above the first and third Persons but because we would exalt him above every Name that is named among all the Creatures of God either in Heaven or in Earth and we believe in so doing we do not offend It will be said we do give more Honour unto the Name of Jesus than we do to the Name of the Father and of the Holy Ghost It must be answered Jesus we know is a proper Name given to our Saviour at his Birth as all we of the same nature have but there are no such Names given to the Father and the Holy Ghost Neither are the three Persons to be distinguished by Names and Titles but