not any think these are too low motives for Christians to be acted by God thought them not unmeet for Adam to make use of in innocency he had an intimidating threatning Gen. 2.17 Christ pressed such upon his Disciples Mat. 10.29 God hath set our affections one over against another as 't is said of prosperity and adversity Eccl. 7.14 and happy is he that finds no need of fear to restrain the violence of his other affections I shall conclude this Chapter with the answer of an objection some may say How can Faith be necessary for making the Word thus effectual when Faith it self comes by hearing and is ordinarily wrought by the Word Rom. 10.17 To this I answer First That as God at the Creation did not hold to the ordinary Method which he hath kept since but created the Light before the Sun though since the Sun hath been created it hath been the Fountain of Light So though ordinarily the VVord is made effectual by Faith it is not necessary God should observe the same Method in the first working of Grace which he doth in carrying it on But secondly Though Faith come by hearing yet there is a Faith concomitant with that hearing else the Word would not at all profit The Word brings that evidence along with it which begets the faith whereby it becomes effectuall it is obvious to every ones conception that if a man come to deal with me about any thing all he can say doth nothing at all move me unless I give credit to what he saith and yet he may use those Arguments or Evidences which may make me believe him and in eating certainly our food doth ordinarily encrease Spirits and so natural heat before the several concoctions be performed and it is by that natural heat that the several concoctions are performed whereby our food doth further nourish CHAP. VI. The several uses of the Lords Supper exciting Grace in us conveying Grace to us sealing the Covenant by Faith only we have a right thereto and make right use thereof in the Controversies about the Sacraments the Question is not so much about mens title thereto but our judgement of their title the Judgment of the Church of England herein whether those who doubt of their sincerity may come to the Lords Supper how we are to deal with such the ground of many mens desire to come thereto I Come now to speak of the Lords Supper and that you may see how this is a means for the strengthening and encrease of Grace that so we may have life and have it in abundance Joh. 10.10 I will shew you the use of this Ordinance And First It is a sign to represent spiritual things to us we do herein see Jesus Christ as it were evidently set forth and crucified among us Gal. 3.1 we therein shew forth the Lords death till he come 1 Cor. 11.26 and therefore are to do it in remembrance of him vers 25. that is to perpetuate or continue the memory of his Death and Sufferings in the Church to the end of the World and hereby it becomes a means for the exciting of Grace and an occasion for the exercise of it the eye affecting the heart Lam. 3.51 Here we have occasion for the exercise of Repentance while we see the body of Christ broken and his bloud powred forth He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities Isa 53.5 we are many times it is likely filled with indignation against the Jews when we read how they dealt with him but we are therein at Dr. Stoughton saies like the foolish Athenians who when they had killed an Oxe an innocent Creature in Sacrifice acquitted the Priest but condemned the Sword that gave the deadly stroke of murder for we did more to the crucifying of him than Pilate or the Jews or the chief Priests so that we should father be moved with indignation against our selvs 2 Cor. 7.11 When we look on him whom we have pierced Zach. 12.10 And be in bitterness There we may see more of the evill of sin by what God inflicted on his own Son than if we could look into hell and see the preparations which are made for the punishment of it Again we have here an encouragement to Faith while we see the love of God in giving his Son Joh. 3.16 The love of Christ in giving himself Gal. 2.20 The expiation which was made by his Bloud that cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 Heb. 9.14 We have here also occasion for the exercise of our love both to God and man while we behold the love which God hath towards us 1 Joh. 4.11.19 Ephes 4.32 Mat. 18.32 Our patience while we see how Christ endured the Cross and despised the shame Heb. 12.2 Our joy and desire while we see the preparations that God hath made for us represented to us under the notion of a Supper friendship and communion being most shewn in eating and drinking and meat and drink is more necessary to us than the Objects of any other sence See Vines on the Lords Supper p. 97 c. But there is a further use of this Ordinance and that is to offer spirituall things and communicate them to us wherefore it is called The Communion of the Body and Bloud of Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 God doth therein really offer to us Jesus Christ and so all his benefits as in Marriage by taking the person we are entitled to the Estate and his flesh is meat indeed and his bloud drink indeed Joh. 6.55 whereby our spiritual life comes to be preserved and maintained and as our food is turned into our substance So there is the nearest communion betwixt Christ and us in this Ordinance and under this is comprehended the sealing use of it God doth hereby absolutely confirm the Covenant of Grace in general and likewise in particular to every one so far as their faith doth act upon the things signified as their sence doth upon the outward signs See this plainly handled in Mr. Marshal's defence of Infant-Baptism 117 201. but accurately in Mr. Baxter against Blake Sect. 64. Now Faith is absolutely necessary to the right receiving of the Lords Supper and observe this That though there are many disputes about the qualifications of such as are to be admitted thereto the question is not concerning the ground of their title but our judgement Not what it is that gives them a right to it or fits them for it but what is a sufficient ground for us to judge them to be such as have a right to it and are fit for it Some supposing a meer verbal profession to be enough others requiring a credible profession or such a profession as we may in prudence and charity judge to be real and sincere which seems very reasonable profession not being required for it self but as a sign of the thing professed See Mr. Baxters Disputations of right to the Sacraments p. 6. c. and of Confirmation p.
may be in any condition however others may through ignorance judge them miserable de Gubernatione Dei lib. 1. Finally Brethren be of good comfort if the world will contribute nothing to your joy but adde to your affliction you have a joy which they cannot intermeddle with Prov. 14.10 you need not to be beholding to them to make you happy or entreat them to spare your joy which they cannot take from you John 16.22 And if your afflictions encrease though the world and carnal professors may look upon you with scorn because you are black by the sun looking upon you Cant. 1.6 with Obad. 12. and Micah 4.11 yet God hath those comforts in store for you against such a day which you it may be never tasted of yet 2 Cor. 1.4 5. as the experience of many of the Martyrs hath abundantly testified Love as brethren if the world hate you Have peace among your selves if you cannot have peace with the world And speak oft one to another to comfort encourage and provoke each other and there will come a time when you shall discorn betwixt the righteous and the wicked betwixt him that serves God and him that serveth him not I will conclude with the words of Polycarp Leyserus Ep. ded part secund Loc. Theolog. Chemnitiis That when we shall see cause to take up his complaint we may also make use of his counsel Orbatur partim Ecclesia viris praestantissimis optime de ea meritis partim hostiliter multis in locis fideles Pastores per impios lupos ex statione sua exturbantur partim Epicureus sani Evangelii contemptus cum proterva 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in populo passim invalescit ad quae mala accedunt mille injuriae quibus vigor alacritas in fidelibus verbi Praeconibus retunditur odia item infectationes eorum qui pro defensione veritatis in acie non fuerunt postremi idque ab iis qui impigri vigilantes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unà nobiscum esse debebant Haec certè mala Ecclesiam eversura videntur Humani verò praesidiis hic vel nihil vel parum omnino superest Quaeramus itaque aliquid solatii in mutua animorum conjunctione piis exhortationibus nos mutuò erigamus confirmemus donec omnibus periculis insani maris nobis emetiendi superatis portum aeternae patriae laeâ—i servati attingamus Deum simul piis assiduis precibus fatigantes ut magnus ille fortissimus Michael pro populo suo pugnet naviculam suam contra adversitatum procellas defectionum voragines tueatur quo tandem ea subducta ovantes in aeternam patriam ingrediamur BOOKS sold by John Allen at the Sun-rising in Pauls Church-yard CAryl on Job Volum 5. quarto Volum 7. quarto Volum 9. quarto Beza Novum Testamentum folio Allen's Scripture Chronology quart Baxter's Call to the Unconverted 12o. Lukine's Practice of Godlinesss qu. Burges of Orignal sin folio Davenport and Hook of New england their Catechisme Gataker against that wicked Cheat Judicial Astrology proving it to be the Abomination of the Heathens and that it ought not to be tolerated in a Christian Commonwealth Isa 47.12 Jer. 10.2 The Faith and Order practised in the Congregational Churches in England agreed and consented unto by their Elders and Messengers at their Meeting in the Savoy October 12. 1658. Cotton on the Covenant Octavo The heart of New-England rent at the Blasphemies of the present Generation Or A brief Tractâ—re concerning the Doctrine of the Quakers demonstrating the destructive nature thereof to Religion the Churches and the State with consideration of the Remedy against it occasional satisfaction to Objections and confirmation of the contrary Truth by John Norton Teacher of the Church of Christ at Boston in new-New-England The Quakers folly made manifest to all men in a publick dispute at Sandwich in Kent between three Quakers and Mr. T. Danson Minister to which is added a Narrative of their wicked abominable practises by the same Author Ministers Maintenance by Tithes Infant Baptism Humane Learning and the Sword of the Magistrate clearly maintained by the Word of God by Immanuel Bourne Minister of Gods Word at Waltham in Leicester-shire with a sober Answer to Anthony Piersons great Case of â—ythes Judicial Astrology totally routed and their pretence to Scripture Reason and Experience answered by J. A. Published for publick good THE Life of Faith CHAP. I. The worth or excellency of every thing is according to its usefulness Hab. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.11 Heb. 10.38 considered and their meaning enquired into how places of the Old Testament are cited in the new The Life of every true Believer is an everlasting life what living by Faith doth import THe nature of Faith I have already endeavoured to explain in a small Treatise formerly published I have now taken in hand to shew the use of it for it is this wherein every thing attains its perfection and as habits are said to be perfected in their acts for which they are so faith may in a good sense be said to be perfected in works because of the universal influence that it hath into the whole course of our lives and for this cause it is called Pretious Faith 2 Pet. 1.1 the value of every thing being answerable to the usefulness of it For divers Ages before the time of Socrates most men were led by Fancy rather than Reason As a Learned man hath observed Casaubon of Enthusiasme p. 4. and the only happiness of those Ages was to be exempted from Controversies for there must needs be a good agreement where no reason is used to examine or disprove bâ—â— Socrates taught them the use of reason by organizing as one expresseâ— it and as it were ensouling the body of Philosophy reducing the Principles thereof to such order as they might be useful and practicable for which he was judged by the Oracle to be the wisest of men but here is a point of higher wisdome the Spirit of God in the holy Scriptures hath taught us the use of Faith whereby we live a life as far excelling the life of Reason as the life of Reason excels the life of Sense and how much faith doth conduce to this life we shall understand by a due weighing those places of Scripture where the Just are said to live by Faith And the several cases wherein the Holy Ghost uses this expression We first meet with it Hab. 4.2 where some refer Faith to the subject reading the words The Just by Faith shall live others to the predicate according to the ordinary reading and this indeed seems more genuine however if we should take the first reading the sence will not differ There had been little question made about the meaning of this place but that the Apostle Rom. 1.17 and Gal. 3.11 seems to apply it to another end than was intended by the Prophet making use thereof to prove justification by Faith without the Works of
41 c. but that Faith is necessary to the right use of it hath been the constant Judgement of the Church of England both in its former and latter constitution and that not only a dogmatical faith but a lively Faith in the mercy of God through Jesus Christ See not only the Confession and Catechism of the late Assembly but the Articles of the Church of England agreed upon 1562. Art 29. The Articles of Ireland Art 96. The Catechisme in the Book of Common-Prayer And if any should object that the Catechisme only saies that Believers are to examine themselves about their faith I answer the duty of examination is not required for it self but as a means to know whether we have this faith because as the forementioned Articles express it without this we cannot partake of Christ but eat and drink to our own condemnation I forbear to cite the Testimony of other Churches or Authors which would be both tedious and needless the thing being evident in it self For consider the Lords Supper as it represents to us spiritual things and we cannot without faith discern the Lords Body and though it may be discerned speculatively by a bare historical faith the fruit of tradition and common knowledge yet we cannot discern it practically so as to have the heart affected therewith but by a lively faith which is the substance of what is past as well as of what is hoped for that is we do by Faith as really apprehend or discern the Body and Bloud of Christ as if we had seen him upon the Cross and it is by faith alone that we appropriate to our selves what Christ hath done and suffered which is necessary to a due affecting of the heart therewith Gal. 2.20 Phil. 3.8 But consider the Sacrament as it offers and seal spiritual things to us and it is certainly of no use to us without Faith For as it is the eye of the soul whereby we see Christ so the hand whereby we receive him and the mouth whereby we feed on him and a dead man may as soon feed upon a banquet set before him as an unbeliever on the Body and Bloud of Christ Yea though this should be granted to be a converting Ordinance yet a concomitant faith is absolutely necessary to our receiving it with any benefit to our selves which is sufficient for my purpose to prove how necessary Faith is for the improvement of all means for the preserving and encrease of our spiritual life and considering this as a seal it is wholly useless to unbelievers the Seal confirming no more than is in the Covenants and they are wholly void and of none effect to those who fail of performing what is required of them therein I shall conclude this with answering a question which may arise from what I have before laid down If Faith be so necessary to a right receiving of the Sacrament how can those adventure to come thereto who doubt whether they have true faith or no This question hath already been discussed by others as Mr. Baxter on the Sacraments p. 191 c. Mr. Ford in his Treatise of the spirit of bondage and adoption 308. Wherefore I shall be more brief in the answer of it And first in Thest I may answer with Mr. Baxter that we must in such cases as these follow the smallest prevalent perswasion of our Judgement though far short of full assurance and as he truly saith if we must act only upon certainty we must sleep out most of our lives for besides the cases wherein he instanceth that we must forbear giving thanks for spiritual mercies as Justification Sanctification Adoption c. till we have attained full assurance it would be destructive to humane Society and discharge children of their duty to their Parents and in some cases and in some suppositions which are by many made all Inferiours from subjection to their Superiours in this case I may say with the Apostle 1 Joh. 3.21 If our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God Though we have not such a full perswasion as doth exempt us from all doubting if upon a due examination of our selves our heart do not accuse us of hypocrisie we may come with boldness to this heavenly banquet But now in Hypothesi if one should come to me and make it a case whether he should come to the Lords Supper or no I would know of him the ground of his question if it be any desire that he hath to come to this Ordinance If it be not I shall not trouble my self to satisfie his curiosity but if he do truly desire to come thereto this may help to answer his question I do not think indeed that every desire of coming thereto is an evidence of what may entitle a man to it or fit him for it for then we should have many more Believers amongst us than I can yet hope that we have and it is this which hath caused so many violent intruders and put Ministers to so much trouble to keep those who are unfit from these holy things Doubtless this desire in many proceeds partly from mens impatience of having their faith or sincerity questioned though they are more unwilling to be Believers indeed And partly from those Popish Principles which are so deeply rooted in many of the necessity and efficacy of the Sacraments as if there could be no Salvation without them and no fear of missing salvation if we receive them But I here speak of a true sincere well-grounded desire wherefore I would know of such what is the ground of their desire to come to the Lords Supper and if it be that they might partake of Jesus Christ and his benefits and a greater measure of his grace whereby they may be enabled to walk more worthy of their holy vocation this is sufficient ground for a judgement of charity in those who admit then and of confidence in themselves that they may come with boldnesse thereto and if they should still tell me they dare not come and fear they have no right thereto I should no more regard what they say than if a man should seriously tell me that he would fain utter his minde to me but he cannot speak And if they should further object that they fear though their heart do not at present condemn them yet they may be as the stony ground and in time of temptation fall away and so discover that their Faith was not true I should advise such to come to Christ in this Ordinance as the Campani of old applied themselves to the Romans when they were oppressed by the Samnites Liv. li. 7. their Envoie which they sent to them after a long speech useth these words Quandoquidem nostra tueri adversus vim atque injuriam justâ vi non vultis vestra certa defendetis c. Although you will not by lawfull power defend what belongs to us against injury and violence you will certainly defend what is your own